Bible

Genesis

¹In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.²The earth was without form and empty. Darkness was upon the surface of the deep. The Spirit of God was moving above the surface of the waters.

³God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.⁴God saw the light, that it was good. He divided the light from the darkness.⁵God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

⁶God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."⁷God made the expanse and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse. It was so.⁸God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

⁹God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear." It was so.¹⁰God called the dry land "earth," and the gathered waters he called "seas." He saw that it was good.

¹¹God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees bearing fruit whose seed is in the fruit, each according to its own kind." It was so.¹²The earth produced vegetation, plants producing seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit whose seed was in it, after their kind. God saw that it was good.¹³And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

¹⁴God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to divide the day from the night and let them be as signs, for seasons, for days and years.¹⁵Let them be lights in the sky to give light upon the earth." It was so.

¹⁶God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.¹⁷God set them in the sky to give light upon the earth,¹⁸to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.¹⁹And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

²⁰God said, "Let the waters be filled with great numbers of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the expanse of the sky."²¹God created the great sea creatures, as well as every living creature after its kind, creatures that move and which fill the waters everywhere, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.

²²God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas. Let birds multiply on the earth."²³And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

²⁴God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures, each according to its own kind, livestock, creeping things, and wild animals, each according to its own kind." It was so.²⁵God made the wild animals after their kind, the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground after its kind. He saw that it was good.

²⁶God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." ¹

²⁷God created man in his own image. In his own image he created him. Male and female he created them.

²⁸God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful, and multiply. Fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

²⁹God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the surface of all the earth, and every tree with fruit which has seed in it. They will be food to you.

³⁰To every beast of the earth, to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, and to every creature that has the breath of life I have given every green plant for food." It was so.

³¹God saw everything that he had made. Behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

¹Some ancient copies have: ... over the livestock, over all the animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

¹Then the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the living things that filled them.

²On the seventh day God came to the end of his work which he had done, and so he rested on the seventh day from all his work.³God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had created and made.

⁴This is the account of the heavens and the earth, when they were created, on the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens.

⁵No bush of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.⁶But a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.

⁷Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.⁸Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

⁹Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. This included the tree of life that was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.¹⁰A river went out of Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became four rivers.

¹¹The name of the first is Pishon. It is the one which flows throughout the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.¹²The gold of that land is good. There are also bdellium and the onyx stone.

¹³The name of the second river is Gihon. This one flows throughout the whole land of Cush.¹⁴The name of the third river is Tigris, and it flows east of Ashur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

¹⁵Yahweh God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to work it and to maintain it.¹⁶Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, "From every tree in the garden you may freely eat.¹⁷But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you must not eat, for on the day that you eat from it, you will surely die."

¹⁸Then Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him."¹⁹Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the sky. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.²⁰The man gave names to all the livestock, to all the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field. But for the man himself there was found no helper suitable for him.

²¹Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, so the man slept. Yahweh God took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh where he took the rib.²²With the rib that Yahweh God had taken from the man, he made a woman and brought her to the man.²³The man said,

"This time, this one is bone of my bones,

and flesh of my flesh.

She will be called 'woman,'

because she was taken out of man."

²⁴Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, he will be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.²⁵They were both naked, the man and his wife, but were not ashamed.

¹Now the serpent was more shrewd than any other beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You must not eat from any tree of the garden'?"²The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden,³but concerning the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You must not eat it, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

⁴The serpent said to the woman, "You will surely not die.⁵For God knows that the day you eat it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."⁶When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. Then she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.

⁷The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for their loins.⁸They heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, so the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.

⁹Yahweh God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"¹⁰The man said, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked. So I hid myself."¹¹God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

¹²The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it."¹³Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

¹⁴Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this,

cursed are you alone among all the livestock

and all the beasts of the field.

It is on your stomach that you will go,

and it is dust that you will eat

all the days of your life.

¹⁵I will put hostility between you and the woman,

and between your seed and her seed.

He will bruise your head,

and you will bruise his heel."

¹⁶To the woman he said,

"I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth;

it is in pain that you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband,

but he will rule over you."

¹⁷To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree, concerning which I commanded you, saying, 'You may not eat from it,'

Cursed is the ground because of you;

through painful work you will eat from it

all the days of your life.

¹⁸It will produce thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat the plants of the field.

¹⁹By the sweat of your face

you will eat bread,

until you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken.

For dust you are,

and to dust you will return."

²⁰The man called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all the living.²¹Yahweh God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

²²Yahweh God said, "Now the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. So now he must not be allowed to reach out with his hand, take from the tree of life, eat it, and live forever."²³Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.²⁴So God drove the man out of the garden, and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword that turned every way, in order to guard the way to the tree of life.

¹The man knew Eve his wife and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have produced a man with Yahweh's help."²Then she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a keeper of flocks, but Cain cultivated the soil.

³It came about that in the course of time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground as an offering to Yahweh.⁴As for Abel, he brought some of the firstborn of his flock and some of the fat. Yahweh accepted Abel and his offering,⁵but Cain and his offering he did not accept. So Cain was very angry, and he scowled.

⁶Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry and why are you scowling?⁷If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin crouches at the door and desires to control you, but you must rule over it."

⁸Cain spoke to Abel his brother. It came about that while they were in the fields, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. ¹

⁹Then Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

¹⁰Yahweh said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood is calling out to me from the ground.¹¹Now cursed are you from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.¹²When you cultivate the ground, from now on it will not yield to you its strength. A fugitive and a wanderer you will be in the earth."

¹³Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.¹⁴Indeed, you have driven me out this day from this ground, and I will be hidden from your face. I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."¹⁵Yahweh said to him, "If anyone kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." Then Yahweh put a mark on Cain, so that if anyone found him, that person would not attack him.

¹⁶So Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh and lived in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.¹⁷Cain knew his wife and she conceived. She gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and named it after his son Enoch.

¹⁸To Enoch was born Irad. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.¹⁹Lamech took for himself two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah.

²⁰Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock.²¹His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of those who play the harp and pipe.²²As for Zillah, she bore Tubal-Cain, the forger of tools of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

²³Lamech said to his wives,

"Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;

you wives of Lamech, listen to my words.

For I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for bruising me.

²⁴If Cain is avenged seven times,

then Lamech will be avenged seventy-seven times."

²⁵Adam knew his wife again, and she bore another son. She called his name Seth and said, "God has given me another son in the place of Abel, for Cain killed him."²⁶A son was born to Seth and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh.

¹The best ancient copies read in this way. However, some old translations and some modern translations read Cain said to Abel his brother, "Let us go into the fields." It came about that while they were in the fields, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

¹This is the record of the descendants of Adam. On the day that God created mankind, he made them in his own likeness.²Male and female he created them. He blessed them and named them mankind when they were created.

³When Adam had lived 130 years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and he called his name Seth.⁴After Adam became the father of Seth, he lived eight hundred years. He became the father of more sons and daughters.⁵Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.

⁶When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh.⁷After he became the father of Enosh, he lived 807 years and became the father of more sons and daughters.⁸Seth lived 912 years, and then he died.

⁹When Enosh had lived ninety years, he became the father of Kenan.¹⁰After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years. He became the father of more sons and daughters.¹¹Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died.

¹²When Kenan had lived seventy years, he became the father of Mahalalel.¹³After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years. He became the father of more sons and daughters.¹⁴Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died.

¹⁵When Mahalalel had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Jared.¹⁶After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years. He became the father of more sons and daughters.¹⁷Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died.

¹⁸When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.¹⁹After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years. He became the father of more sons and daughters.²⁰Jared lived 962 years, and then he died.

²¹When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah.²²Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah. He became the father of more sons and daughters.²³Enoch lived 365 years.²⁴Enoch walked with God, and then he was gone, for God took him.

²⁵When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.²⁶After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years. He became the father of more sons and daughters.²⁷Methuselah lived 969 years. Then he died.

²⁸When Lamech had lived 182 years, he became the father of a son.²⁹He called his name Noah, saying, "This one will give us rest from our work and from the painful labor of our hands, which we must do because of the ground that Yahweh has cursed."

³⁰Lamech lived 595 years after he became the father of Noah. He became the father of more sons and daughters.³¹Lamech lived 777 years. Then he died.

³²After Noah had lived five hundred years, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

¹It came about when mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them,²that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were attractive. They took for themselves wives, any of them that they chose.³Yahweh said, "My spirit will not remain in mankind forever, for they are flesh. They will live 120 years."

⁴The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward. This happened when the sons of God married daughters of men, and they had children with them. These were the mighty men of old, men of renown.

⁵Yahweh saw that the wickedness of mankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.⁶Yahweh regretted that he had made mankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

⁷So Yahweh said, "I will wipe away mankind whom I have created from the surface of the earth—mankind and animals, and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I regret that I have made them."⁸But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.

⁹This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, and blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.¹⁰Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

¹¹The earth was corrupt before God, and it was filled with violence.¹²God saw the earth; behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

¹³God said to Noah, "I can see that it is time to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Indeed, I will destroy them with the earth.¹⁴Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch within and without.¹⁵This is how you will make it: The length of the ark is to be three hundred cubits; the breadth of it is to be fifty cubits, and the height of it is to be thirty cubits.

¹⁶Make a roof for the ark, and finish it at a cubit from the top of the side. Place a door in the side of the ark and make a lower, a second, and a third deck.¹⁷Listen, I am about to bring the flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh that has in it the breath of life from under heaven. Everything that is on the earth will die.

¹⁸But I will establish my covenant with you. You will come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.¹⁹Of every living creature of all flesh, two of every kind you must bring into the ark, to keep them alive with you, both male and female.

²⁰Of the birds after their kind, and of animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you to keep them alive.²¹Gather for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and store it, so that it will be food for you and for them."²²So Noah did this. According to all that God commanded him, so he did.

¹Yahweh said to Noah, "Come, you and all your household, into the ark, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.²Of every clean animal you will bring with you seven males and seven females. From the animals that are not clean, of them bring two, the male and his mate.³Also of the birds of the sky, bring seven males and seven females, to keep their offspring alive upon the surface of all the earth.

⁴For in seven days I will cause it to rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. I will destroy from off the surface of the ground every living thing that I have made."⁵Noah did all that Yahweh commanded him.

⁶Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came upon the earth.⁷Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives went into the ark together because of the waters of the flood.

⁸Clean animals and unclean animals, birds, and everything that creeps upon the ground,⁹two by two, male and female, came to Noah and went into the ark, just as God had commanded Noah.¹⁰It came about that after the seven days, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

¹¹In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day, all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the windows of heaven were opened.¹²The rain began and fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights.

¹³On that very same day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ark.¹⁴They entered along with each wild animal according to its kind, and each sort of livestock according to its kind, and each creeping thing that creeps upon the earth according to its kind, and every sort of bird according to its kind, each kind of creature with wings.

¹⁵Two of all flesh in which was the breath of life came to Noah and entered into the ark.¹⁶The animals that went in were male and female of all flesh; they entered in just as God had commanded him. Then Yahweh shut the door after them.

¹⁷Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted the ark and raised it above the earth.¹⁸The waters completely covered over the earth, and the ark floated upon the surface of the water.

¹⁹The waters rose greatly on the earth so that all the high mountains that were under the entire sky were covered.²⁰The waters rose fifteen cubits above the tops of the mountains.

²¹All living beings that moved upon the earth died—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the living creatures that lived in great numbers upon the earth, and all mankind.²²All living creatures who lived on the land, who breathed the breath of life through their noses, died.

²³So every living thing that was on the surface of the earth was wiped out, mankind and animals and creeping things and birds of the sky. They were all destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those with him in the ark were left.²⁴The waters stayed upon the earth for 150 days.

¹God remembered Noah, all the wild animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters started going down.²The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were closed, and it stopped raining.³The flood waters went down slowly from the earth, and after the end of 150 days the waters had gone down.

⁴The ark came to rest in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.⁵The waters continued to go down until the tenth month. On the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

⁶It came about after forty days that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.⁷He sent out a raven and it flew back and forth until the waters were dried up from the earth.

⁸Then he sent out a dove to see if the waters had gone down from the surface of the earth,⁹but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him in the ark, for the waters were still covering the whole earth. He reached out with his hand, and took and brought her into the ark with him.

¹⁰He waited another seven days and again he sent out the dove from the ark.¹¹The dove returned to him in the evening. Look! In her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had gone down from the earth.¹²He waited another seven days, and sent out the dove again. She did not return again to him.

¹³It came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from off the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ark, looked out, and saw that, behold, the surface of the ground was dry.¹⁴In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.

¹⁵God said to Noah,¹⁶"Go out of the ark, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives with you.¹⁷Take out with you every living creature of all flesh that is with you—the birds, the animals, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth—so that they may increase greatly on the earth, that they may be fruitful and multiply upon the earth."

¹⁸So Noah went out with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives with him.¹⁹Every living creature, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, according to their families, left the ark.

²⁰Noah built an altar to Yahweh. He took some of the clean animals and some of the clean birds, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.²¹Yahweh smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground because of mankind, even though the intention of mankind's heart is evil from childhood. Nor will I again destroy everything living, as I have done.

²²While the earth remains,

seed time and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

and day and night

will not cease."

¹Then God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.²The fear of you and the dread of you will be upon every living thing on the earth, upon every bird of the sky, upon everything that moves on the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.

³Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.⁴But you must not eat meat with its life—that is its blood—in it.

⁵But for your blood, the life that is in your blood, I will require payment. From the hand of every animal I will require it. From the hand of any man, that is, from the hand of one who has murdered his brother, I will require an accounting for the life of that man.

⁶Whoever sheds man's blood,

by man will his blood be shed,

for it was in the image of God that he made man.

⁷As for you, be fruitful and multiply, spread throughout the earth and multiply on it."

⁸Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,⁹"As for me, listen! I am going to confirm my covenant with you and with your descendants after you,¹⁰and with every living creature that is with you, with the birds, the livestock, and every creature of the earth with you, from all that came out of the ark, to every living creature on the earth.

¹¹I hereby confirm my covenant with you, that never again will all flesh be destroyed by the waters of a flood. Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."

¹²God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:¹³I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

¹⁴It will come about when I bring a cloud over the earth and the rainbow is seen in the cloud,¹⁵then I will call to mind my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. The waters will never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

¹⁶The rainbow will be in the clouds and I will see it, in order to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

¹⁷Then God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have confirmed between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

¹⁸The sons of Noah that came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan.¹⁹These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

²⁰Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.²¹He drank some of the wine and became drunk. He was lying uncovered in his tent.

²²Then Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside.²³So Shem and Japheth took a robe and laid it upon both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned the other way, so they did not see their father's nakedness.

²⁴When Noah awoke from his wine, he learned what his youngest son had done to him.²⁵So he said,

"Cursed be Canaan.

May he be a servant to his brothers' servants."

²⁶He also said,

"May Yahweh, the God of Shem, be blessed,

and may Canaan be his servant.

²⁷May God extend the territory of Japheth,

and let him make his home in the tents of Shem.

May Canaan be his servant."

²⁸After the flood, Noah lived three hundred fifty years.²⁹All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, and then he died.

¹These were the descendants of the sons of Noah, that is, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.

²The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

³The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

⁴The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites,¹ and Dodanim.⁵From these the coastland peoples separated and went into their lands, every one with its own language, according to their clans, by their nations.

⁶The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

⁷The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteka. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

⁸Cush became the father of Nimrod, who was a mighty one on the earth.⁹He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. That is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh."¹⁰The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad, and Kalneh, in the land of Shinar.

¹¹Out of that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah,¹²and Resen, which was between Nineveh and Calah. It was a large city.

¹³Mizraim became the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites,¹⁴the Pathrusites, the Kasluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.

¹⁵Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and of Heth,¹⁶also of the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,¹⁷the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites,¹⁸the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites spread out.

¹⁹The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, in the direction of Gerar, as far as Gaza, and as one goes toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboyim, as far as Lasha.²⁰These were the sons of Ham, by their clans, by their languages, in their lands, and in their nations.

²¹Sons also were born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth. Shem was also the ancestor of all the people of Eber.

²²The sons of Shem were Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.

²³The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.

²⁴Arphaxad became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber.

²⁵Eber had two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother's name was Joktan.

²⁶Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,²⁷Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,²⁸Obal, Abimael, Sheba,²⁹Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

³⁰Their territory was from Mesha, all the way to Sephar, the mountain of the east.³¹These were the sons of Shem, according to their clans and their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.

³²These were the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations. From these the nations separated and went over the earth after the flood.

¹Some modern English translations read, Kittim .

¹Now the whole earth used one language and had the same words.²As they journeyed in the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and they settled there.

³They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick instead of stone and tar as mortar.⁴They said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top will reach to the sky, and let us make a name for ourselves. If we do not, we will be scattered across the surface of the whole earth."

⁵So Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower which the descendants of Adam had built.⁶Yahweh said, "Look, they are one people with the same language, and they are beginning to do this! Soon nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them.⁷Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they may not understand each other."

⁸So Yahweh scattered them from there across the surface of all the earth and they stopped building the city.⁹Therefore, its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth and from there Yahweh scattered them abroad over the surface of all the earth.

¹⁰These were the descendants of Shem. Shem was a hundred years old, and he became the father of Arphaxad two years after the flood.¹¹Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arphaxad. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

¹²When Arphaxad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah.¹³Arphaxad lived 403 years after he became the father of Shelah. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

¹⁴When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber.¹⁵Shelah lived 403 years after he became the father of Eber. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

¹⁶When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg.¹⁷Eber lived 430 years after he became the father of Peleg. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

¹⁸When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu.¹⁹Peleg lived 209 years after he became the father of Reu. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

²⁰When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug.²¹Reu lived 207 years after he became the father of Serug. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

²²When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor.²³Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

²⁴When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah.²⁵Nahor lived 119 years after he became the father of Terah. He also became the father of other sons and daughters.

²⁶After Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

²⁷Now these were the descendants of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran became the father of Lot.²⁸Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans.

²⁹Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai and the name of Nahor's wife was Milkah, a daughter of Haran, who was the father of Milkah and Iskah.³⁰Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

³¹Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of his son Haran, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and together they left Ur of the Chaldeans, to go into the land of Canaan. But they came to Haran and stayed there.³²Terah lived 205 years and then died in Haran.

¹Now Yahweh said to Abram, "Go from your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's household, to the land that I will show you.

²I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you,

and make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

³I will bless those who bless you, but whoever dishonors you I will curse.

Through you will all the families of the earth be blessed."

⁴So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him to do, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.⁵Abram took Sarai, his wife, Lot, his brother's son, all their possessions that they had accumulated, and the people that they had acquired in Haran. They left to go into the land of Canaan, and came to the land of Canaan.

⁶Abram passed through the land as far as Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites lived in the land.⁷Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So there Abram built an altar to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

⁸From there he moved to the hill country to the east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on the name of Yahweh.⁹Then Abram continued journeying, going toward the Negev.

¹⁰There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down into Egypt to stay, for the famine was severe in the land.¹¹When he was about to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman.¹²When the Egyptians see you they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will kill me, but they will keep you alive.¹³Say that you are my sister, so that it may be well with me because of you, and so that my life will be spared because of you."

¹⁴It came about that when Abram entered into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful.¹⁵The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's household.¹⁶Pharaoh treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

¹⁷Then Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.¹⁸Pharaoh summoned Abram, and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?¹⁹Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, here is your wife. Take her, and go your way."²⁰Then Pharaoh gave orders to his men concerning him, and they sent him away, along with his wife and all that he had.

¹So Abram went up from Egypt and went into the Negev, he, his wife, and all that he had. Lot also went with them.²Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

³He continued on his journey from the Negev to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been before, between Bethel and Ai.⁴He went to the place where the altar was that he had built previously. Here he called on the name of Yahweh.

⁵Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents.⁶The land was not able to support them both living close together, because their possessions were very many, so that they could not stay together.⁷Also, there was a dispute between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.

⁸So Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; after all, we are family.⁹Is not the whole land before you? Go ahead and separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."

¹⁰So Lot looked around, and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere all the way to Zoar, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt. This was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.¹¹So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan and traveled east, and the relatives separated from each other.

¹²Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities of the plain. He set up his tents as far away as Sodom.¹³Now the men of Sodom were very wicked sinners against Yahweh.

¹⁴Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had departed from him, "Look from the place where you are standing to the north, south, east, and west.¹⁵All this land which you see, I will give to you and to your descendants forever.

¹⁶I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted.¹⁷Arise, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I will give it to you."¹⁸So Abram picked up his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there built an altar to Yahweh.

¹It came about in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim,²that they made war against Bera, king of Sodom, Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, Shemeber, king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar).

³These latter five kings joined together in the Valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea).⁴Twelve years they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.⁵Then in the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim,⁶and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is near the desert.

⁷Then they turned and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazezon Tamar.

⁸Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out and prepared for battle in the Valley of Siddim⁹against Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, Tidal, king of Goyim, Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.

¹⁰Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell in there. Those who were left fled to the mountains.¹¹So the kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions, and went their way.¹²When they went, they also took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who was living in Sodom, along with all his possessions.

¹³One who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew. He was living by the oaks that belonged to Mamre, the Amorite, who was the brother of Eshkol and Aner, who were all allies of Abram.¹⁴Now when Abram heard that enemies had captured his relative, he led out his 318 trained men who had been born in his house, and he pursued them as far as Dan.

¹⁵He divided his men against them at night, he and his servants, and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.¹⁶Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

¹⁷After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (also called the King's Valley).

¹⁸Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.

¹⁹He blessed him saying,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

²⁰Blessed be God Most High,

who has given your enemies into your hand."

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

²¹The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself."²²Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,²³that I will not take a thread, a sandal strap, or anything that is yours, so that you can never say, 'I have made Abram rich.'²⁴I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten and the share of the men that went with me. Let Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre take their portion."

¹After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and your very great reward."

²Abram said, "Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"³Abram said, "Since you have given me no descendant, see, one born in my house will be my heir!"

⁴Then, behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but rather the one who will come from your own body will be your heir."⁵Then he brought him outside, and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So will your descendants be."

⁶He believed Yahweh, and he counted it to him as righteousness.⁷He said to him, "I am Yahweh, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it."⁸He said, "Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?"

⁹Then he said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a dove, and a young pigeon."¹⁰He brought him all these, and cut them in two, and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not divide the birds.¹¹When the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

¹²Then when the sun was going down, Abram fell sound asleep and, behold, a deep and terrifying darkness overwhelmed him.¹³Then Yahweh said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

¹⁴I will judge that nation that they will serve, and afterward they will come out with abundant possessions.¹⁵But you will go to your fathers in peace, and you will be buried in a good old age.¹⁶In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit."

¹⁷When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the pieces.¹⁸On that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I hereby give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—¹⁹the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,²⁰the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites,²¹the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

¹Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not borne any children for him, but she had a female servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.²So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has kept me from having children. Please go to my servant. It may be that I will have children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.³It was after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan that Sarai, Abram's wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband as a wife.⁴So he went to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.

⁵Then Sarai said to Abram, "This wrong on me is because of you. I gave my servant woman into your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Let Yahweh judge between me and you."⁶But Abram said to Sarai, "See here, your servant woman is in your power, do to her what you think best." So Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

⁷The angel of Yahweh found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring that is on the way to Shur.⁸He said, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where did you come from and where are you going?" Then she said, "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai."

⁹The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority."¹⁰Then the angel of Yahweh said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants, so that they will be too numerous to count."

¹¹The angel of Yahweh also said to her,

"Behold, you are pregnant

and will bear a son,

and you will call his name Ishmael,

because Yahweh has heard your affliction.

¹²He will be a wild donkey of a man.

He will be hostile against every man,

and every man will be hostile to him,

and he will live apart from all his brothers."

¹³Then she gave this name to Yahweh who spoke to her, "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "Do I really continue to see, even after he has seen me?"¹⁴Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵Hagar gave birth to Abram's son, and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

¹When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.²Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."

³Abram bowed low with his face to the ground and God talked with him, saying,⁴"As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.⁵No longer will your name be Abram, but your name will be Abraham—for I appoint you to be the father of a multitude of nations.⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

⁷I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you, throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.⁸I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land where you have been sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God."

⁹Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.¹⁰This is my covenant, which you must keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you must be circumcised.¹¹You must be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

¹²Every male among you that is eight days old must be circumcised, throughout your people's generations. This includes him who is born into your household and him who is bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.¹³He who is born into your household and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised. Thus my covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.¹⁴Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant."

¹⁵God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai any more. Instead, her name will be Sarah.¹⁶I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become the mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

¹⁷Then Abraham bowed low with his face to the ground, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? How can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a son?"¹⁸Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"

¹⁹God said, "No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you must name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant with his descendants after him.²⁰As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him abundantly. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him become a great nation.²¹But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time in the next year."

²²When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.²³Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all those who were born into his household, and all those who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in that same day, as God had said to him.

²⁴Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.²⁵Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.²⁶On the very same day Abraham and Ishmael his son were both circumcised.²⁷All the men of his household were circumcised with him, including those born into the household and those bought with money from a foreigner.

¹Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent doorway in the heat of the day.²He looked up and, behold, he saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door and bowed low to the ground.

³He said, "My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant."⁴Let a little water be brought, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.⁵Let me bring a little food, so that you may refresh yourselves. Afterwards you can go your way, since you have come to your servant." They replied, "Do as you have said."

⁶Then Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Hurry, get three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."⁷Then Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf that was tender and good, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.⁸He took curds and milk, and the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them, and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

⁹They said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He replied, "There, in the tent."¹⁰He said, "I will certainly return to you in the springtime, and see, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah was listening in the tent doorway, which was behind him.

¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.¹²So Sarah laughed to herself, saying to herself, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"

¹³Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really bear a child, when I am old'?¹⁴Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the time appointed by me, in the spring, I will return to you. About this time next year Sarah will have a son."¹⁵Then Sarah denied it and said, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He replied, "No, you did laugh."

¹⁶Then the men arose to leave and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.¹⁷But Yahweh said, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,¹⁸since Abraham will indeed become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?¹⁹For I have chosen him so that he may instruct his children and his household after him to keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham what he has said to him."

²⁰Then Yahweh said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and because their sin is so serious,²¹I will now go down there and see the outcry against her that has come to me, whether they have really done it. If not, I will know."

²²So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.²³Then Abraham approached and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

²⁴Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are there?²⁵Far be it from you to do such a thing, killing the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be treated the same as the wicked. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"²⁶Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake."

²⁷Abraham answered and said, "See now, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, even though I am only dust and ashes!²⁸What if there are five less than fifty righteous? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" Then he said, "I will not destroy it, if I find there forty-five."

²⁹He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?" He replied, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."³⁰He said, "Please do not be angry, Lord, so I may speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there." He replied, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."³¹He said, "See now, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord! Perhaps twenty will be found there." He replied, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."

³²He said, "Please do not be angry, Lord, and I will speak this one last time. Perhaps ten will be found there." Then he said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."³³Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.

¹The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, while Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, arose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground.²He said, "See now, my masters, please turn aside into your servant's house, stay for the night, and wash your feet. Then you can rise up early and go on your way." They replied, "No, we will spend the night in the town square."³But he urged them strongly, so they went with him, and entered into his house. He prepared a meal and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

⁴But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the men from every part of the city.⁵They called to Lot, and said to him, "Where are the men that came in to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them."

⁶So Lot went out the door to them and shut the door after himself.⁷He said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.⁸See now, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Please let me bring them out to you, and you do to them whatever is good in your eyes. Only do nothing to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof."

⁹They said, "Stand back!" They also said, "This one came here to live as a foreigner, and now he has become our judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." They pressed hard against the man, against Lot, and came near to break down the door.

¹⁰But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door.¹¹Then Lot's visitors struck with blindness the men who were outside the door of the house, both small and great, so that they became exhausted when they were trying to find the door.

¹²Then the men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here? Any sons-in-law, your sons and your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, get them out of here.¹³For we are about to destroy this place, because the accusations against it before Yahweh have become so loud that he has sent us to destroy it."

¹⁴Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, the men who had promised to marry his daughters, and said, "Quick, get out of this place, for Yahweh is about to destroy the city." But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.¹⁵When dawn came, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Get going, take your wife and your two daughters that are here, so you are not swept away in the punishment of the city."

¹⁶But he lingered. So the men grabbed his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hands of his two daughters, because Yahweh was merciful to him. They brought them out, and set them outside the city.¹⁷When they had brought them out, one of the men said, "Run for your lives! Do not look back, or stay anywhere on the plain. Escape to the mountains so you are not swept away."

¹⁸Lot said to them, "No, please, my masters!¹⁹See now, your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life, but I cannot escape to the mountains, because the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.²⁰See now, the city over there is a little one. Please, let me escape there—Is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved."

²¹He said to him, "Alright, I am granting this request also, that I will not destroy the city which you have mentioned.²²Hurry! Escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the city was named Zoar.

²³The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot reached Zoar.²⁴Then Yahweh rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky.²⁵He destroyed those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the plants that grew on the ground.

²⁶But Lot's wife, who was behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

²⁷Abraham got up early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before Yahweh.²⁸He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the plain. He looked and behold, smoke was rising from the land like the smoke of a furnace.

²⁹So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God called Abraham to mind. He sent Lot out of the midst of the destruction when he destroyed the cities in which Lot had lived.

³⁰But Lot went up from Zoar to live in the mountains with his two daughters, because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave, he and his two daughters.

³¹The firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere to lie with us according to the way of all the world.³²Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may keep our family line alive through our father."³³So they made their father drink wine that night. Then the firstborn went in and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down, nor when she got up.

³⁴The next day the firstborn said to the younger, "Listen, here I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you should go and lie with him, so that we may keep our family line alive through our father."³⁵So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger went and lay with him. He did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

³⁶So both the daughters of Lot conceived by their father.³⁷The firstborn gave birth to a son, and named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the Moabites of today.³⁸As for the younger daughter, she also gave birth to a son, and named him Ben-Ammi. He became the ancestor of the people of Ammon of today.

¹Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He was a foreigner living in Gerar.²Abraham said concerning Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." So Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.³But God came to Abimelek in a dream in the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife."

⁴Now Abimelek had not come near her and he said, "Lord, would you kill even a righteous nation?⁵Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister?' Even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."

⁶Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I also know that in the integrity of your heart you did this, and I also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not allow you to touch her.⁷Therefore, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you and all who are yours will surely die."

⁸Abimelek rose early in the morning and called all of his servants to himself. He told all these things to them, and the men were very afraid.⁹Then Abimelek called for Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me deeds that ought not to be done."

¹⁰Abimelek said to Abraham, "What prompted you to do this thing?"¹¹Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'¹²Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

¹³When God caused me to leave my father's house and travel from place to place, I said to her, 'You must show me this faithfulness as my wife: At every place where we go, say about me, "He is my brother."'"¹⁴Then Abimelek took sheep and cattle, and male slaves and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham. Then he returned Sarah, Abraham's wife, to him.

¹⁵Abimelek said, "Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever it pleases you."¹⁶To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is to cover any offense against you in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone, you are completely made right."

¹⁷Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife, and his female slaves so that they were able to have children.¹⁸For Yahweh had closed all the wombs of the household of Abimelek because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

¹Yahweh paid attention to Sarah as he had said he would, and Yahweh did for Sarah just as he had promised.²Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.³Abraham named his son, the one who had been born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.⁴Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, just as God had commanded him.

⁵Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.⁶Sarah said, "God has made me laugh; every one who hears will laugh with me."⁷She also said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children, and yet I have borne him a son in his old age!"

⁸The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.⁹Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

¹⁰So she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac."¹¹This thing was very grievous to Abraham because of his son.

¹²But God said to Abraham, "Do not be grieved because of the young man and because of your servant girl. Listen to Sarah's words in all she says to you about this matter, because it is through Isaac that your descendants will be named.¹³I will also make the son of the servant woman into a nation, because he is your descendant."

¹⁴Abraham rose up early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. He gave her the boy and sent her away. She departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.¹⁵When the water in the waterskin was gone, she abandoned the child under one of the bushes.¹⁶Then she went, and sat down a short distance from him, about the distance of a bowshot away, for she said, "Let me not look upon the death of the child." As she sat there across from him, she lifted up her voice and wept.

¹⁷God heard the voice of the young man, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the young man where he is.¹⁸Get up, raise up the young man, and encourage him; for I will make him into a great nation."

¹⁹Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water and gave the young man a drink.²⁰God was with the young man, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer.²¹He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

²²It came about at that time that Abimelek and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do.²³Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my offspring, nor with my descendants. Show to me and to the land in which you have been staying the same covenant faithfulness that I have shown to you."²⁴Abraham said, "I swear."

²⁵Abraham also complained to Abimelek concerning a well of water that Abimelek's servants had seized from him.²⁶Abimelek said, "I do not know who has done this thing. You did not tell me before now; I have not heard of it until today."²⁷So Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a covenant.

²⁸Then Abraham set seven female lambs of the flock by themselves.²⁹Abimelek said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven female lambs that you have set by themselves?"³⁰He replied, "These seven female lambs you will receive from my hand, so that it may be a witness for me, that I dug this well."

³¹So he called that place Beersheba, because there they both swore an oath.³²They made a covenant at Beersheba, and then Abimelek and Phicol, the captain of his army, returned to the land of the Philistines.

³³Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba. There he called on the name of Yahweh, the eternal God.³⁴Abraham remained as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.

¹It came about after these things that God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" Abraham said, "Here I am."²Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains there, which I will tell you about."³So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, along with Isaac his son. He cut the wood for the burnt offering, then set out on his journey to the place that God had told him about.

⁴On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place afar off.⁵Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the young man will go over there. We will worship and come again to you."⁶Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son. He took in his own hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.

⁷Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father," and he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "See, here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"⁸Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So they went on, both of them together.

⁹When they came to the place that God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood on it. Then he bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.¹⁰Abraham reached out with his hand and took up the knife to kill his son.

¹¹Then the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" and he said, "Here I am."¹²He said, "Do not lay your hand upon the young man, nor do anything to harm him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing that you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

¹³Abraham looked up and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the bushes by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up as a burnt offering instead of his son.¹⁴So Abraham named that place, "Yahweh will provide," and it is said to this day, "On the mountain of Yahweh it will be provided."

¹⁵The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven¹⁶and said—this is Yahweh's declaration—by myself I have sworn that because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,¹⁷I will surely bless you and I will greatly multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your descendants will possess the gate of their enemies.

¹⁸Through your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."¹⁹So Abraham returned to his young men, and they departed and went together to Beersheba, and he lived at Beersheba.

²⁰It came about after these things that Abraham was told, "Milkah has borne children, as well, to your brother Nahor."²¹They were Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,²²Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

²³Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These were the eight children that Milkah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.²⁴His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maakah.

¹Sarah lived 127 years. These were the years of the life of Sarah.²Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned and wept for Sarah.

³Then Abraham rose up and went from his dead wife, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,⁴"I am a foreigner and sojourner among you. Please grant me a property for a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead."

⁵The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying,⁶"Listen to us, my master. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb, so that you may bury your dead."

⁷Abraham arose and bowed down to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.⁸He spoke to them, saying, "If you agree that I should bury my dead, then hear me and plead with Ephron son of Zohar, for me.⁹Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns, which is at the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me publicly as a property for a burial place."

¹⁰Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, of all those who had come into the gate of his city, saying,¹¹"No, my master, hear me. I give you the field, and the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you to bury your dead."

¹²Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land.¹³He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "But if you are willing, please hear me. I will pay for the field. Take the money from me, and I will bury my dead there."

¹⁴Ephron answered Abraham, saying,¹⁵"Please, my master, listen to me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? Bury your dead."¹⁶Abraham listened to Ephron and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the amount of silver that he had spoken in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard measurement of the merchants.

¹⁷So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was next to Mamre, that is, the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, passed¹⁸to Abraham by purchase in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all those who had come into the gate of his city.

¹⁹After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which is next to Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan.²⁰So the field and the cave in it passed to Abraham as a property for a burial place from the sons of Heth.

¹Now Abraham was very old and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.²Abraham said to his servant, the one who was the oldest of his household and who was in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh³and I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I make my home.⁴But you will go to my country, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac."

⁵The servant said to him, "What if the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land? Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?"⁶Abraham said to him, "Make sure that you do not take my son back there!⁷Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my relatives, and who promised me with a solemn oath saying, 'To your descendants I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.

⁸But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine. Only you are not to take my son back there."⁹So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰The servant took ten of his master's camels and departed. He also took with him all kinds of goods from his master. He departed and went to the region of Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.¹¹He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water. It was evening, the time that women go out to draw water.

¹²Then he said, "Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today and show covenant faithfulness to my master Abraham.¹³Look, here I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.¹⁴Let it happen like this. When I say to a young woman, 'Please lower your pitcher so that I may drink,' and she says to me, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too,' then let her be the one that you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown covenant faithfulness to my master."

¹⁵It came about that even before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out with her water pitcher on her shoulder. Rebekah was born to Bethuel son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.¹⁶The young woman was very beautiful and a virgin. No man had ever known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher and came up.

¹⁷Then the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a little drink of water from your pitcher."¹⁸She said, "Drink, my master," and she quickly let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.

¹⁹When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking."²⁰So she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and drew water for all his camels.

²¹The man watched her in silence to see whether Yahweh had prospered his journey or not.²²As the camels finished drinking, the man brought out a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two gold bracelets for her arms weighing ten shekels,²³and asked, "Whose daughter are you? Tell me please, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"

²⁴She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor."²⁵She also said to him, "We have plenty of both straw and feed, and also room for you to spend the night."

²⁶Then the man bowed down and worshiped Yahweh.²⁷He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his covenant faithfulness and his trustworthiness toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me directly to the house of my master's relatives."

²⁸Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about all of these things.²⁹Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran to the man who was out at the road by the spring.³⁰When he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister, "This is what the man said to me," he went to the man, and, behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

³¹Then Laban said, "Come, you blessed of Yahweh. Why are you standing outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels."³²So the man came to the house and he unloaded the camels. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was provided to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

³³They set food before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." So Laban said, "Speak on."³⁴He said, "I am Abraham's servant.³⁵Yahweh has blessed my master very much and he has become great. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

³⁶Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, and he has given everything that he owns to him.³⁷My master made me swear, saying, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I make my home.³⁸Instead, you must go to my father's family, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'

³⁹I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'⁴⁰But he said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and he will prosper your way, so that you will get a wife for my son from among my relatives and from my father's family line.⁴¹But you will be free from my oath if you come to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from my oath.'

⁴²So I arrived today at the spring, and said, 'O Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please, if you do indeed intend to make my journey successful—⁴³here I am, standing by the spring of water—let the young woman who comes out to draw water, the woman to whom I say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"⁴⁴the woman who says to me, "Drink, and I will also draw water for your camels"—let her be the woman whom you, Yahweh, have chosen for my master's son.'

⁴⁵Even before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.'⁴⁶She quickly lowered her pitcher from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels water also.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.

⁴⁷I asked her and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milkah bore to him.' Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms.⁴⁸Then I bowed down and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the way that is right to find the daughter of my master's relative for his son.

⁴⁹Now therefore, if you are prepared to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right hand or to the left."

⁵⁰Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing has come from Yahweh; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.⁵¹Look, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, so she may be the wife of your master's son, as Yahweh has spoken."

⁵²When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before Yahweh.⁵³The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and to her mother.

⁵⁴Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank. They stayed there overnight, and when they arose in the morning, he said, "Send me away to my master."⁵⁵Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young woman stay with us for a few more days, at least ten. After that she may go."

⁵⁶But he said to them, "Do not hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master."⁵⁷They said, "We will call the young woman and ask her."⁵⁸So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" She replied, "I will go."

⁵⁹So they sent their sister Rebekah, along with her female servant, on her journey with Abraham's servant and his men.⁶⁰They blessed Rebekah, and said to her,

"Our sister, may you be the mother

of thousands of ten thousands,

and may your descendants possess

the gate of those who hate them."

⁶¹Then Rebekah arose, and she and her servant girls mounted the camels, and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

⁶²Now Isaac was living in the Negev, and had just returned from Beer Lahai Roi.

⁶³Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening. When he looked up and saw, behold, there were camels coming!⁶⁴Rebekah looked, and when she saw Isaac, she jumped down from the camel.⁶⁵She said to the servant, "Who is that man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil, and covered herself.

⁶⁶The servant recounted to Isaac all the things that he had done.⁶⁷Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

¹Abraham took another wife; her name was Keturah.²She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.³Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Assyrian people, the Letush people, and the Leum people.⁴Midian's sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were Keturah's descendants.

⁵Abraham gave all that he owned to Isaac.⁶However, while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them to the land of the east, away from Isaac, his son.

⁷These were the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, 175 years.⁸Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man with a full life, and he was gathered to his people.

⁹Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, which is near Mamre.¹⁰This field Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah his wife.¹¹After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son, and Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

¹²Now these were the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.

¹³These were the names of Ishmael's sons, according to their birth order: Nebaioth—the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,¹⁴Mishma, Dumah, Massa,¹⁵Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.¹⁶These were Ishmael's sons, and these were their names, by their villages, and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their tribes.

¹⁷These were the years of the life of Ishmael, 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.¹⁸They lived from Havilah to Ashhur, which is near Egypt, as one goes toward Assyria. They lived in hostility with each other.

¹⁹This is the account of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham became the father of Isaac.²⁰Isaac was forty years old when he took as his wife Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean.

²¹Isaac prayed to Yahweh for his wife because she was barren, and Yahweh answered his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.²²The children struggled together within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" She went to ask Yahweh about this.

²³Yahweh said to her,

"Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples will be separated from within you.

One people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger."

²⁴When it was time for her to give birth, behold, there were twins in her womb.²⁵The first child came out red all over like a hairy garment. They called his name Esau.²⁶After that, his brother came out. His hand was grasping Esau's heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when his wife bore them.

²⁷The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a quiet man, who spent his time in the tents.²⁸Now Isaac loved Esau because he ate the animals that he had hunted, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

²⁹Jacob cooked some stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was weak from hunger.³⁰Esau said to Jacob, "Feed me with that red stew. Please, I am exhausted!" That is why his name was called Edom.

³¹Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."³²Esau said, "Look, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?"³³Jacob said, "First swear to me," so Esau swore an oath and in that way he sold his birthright to Jacob.³⁴Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, then got up and went on his way. In this manner Esau despised his birthright.

¹Now a famine happened in the land, besides the first famine that had been in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelek, king of the Philistines at Gerar.

²Now Yahweh appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land that I tell you to live in.³Stay in this very land, and I will be with you and will bless you; for to you and to your descendants, I will give all these lands, and I will fulfill the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

⁴I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these lands. Through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.⁵I will do this because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my instructions, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."

⁶So Isaac settled in Gerar.⁷When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister." He feared to say, "She is my wife," because he thought, "The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah, because she is so beautiful."⁸After Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines happened to look out of a window. He saw, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.

⁹Abimelek called Isaac to him and said, "Look, certainly she is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac said to him, "Because I thought someone might kill me to get her."¹⁰Abimelek said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us."¹¹So Abimelek commanded all the people and said, "Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death."

¹²Isaac planted crops in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold, because Yahweh blessed him.¹³The man became rich, and grew more and more until he became very great.¹⁴He had many sheep and cattle, and a large household. The Philistines envied him.

¹⁵Now all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped them up by filling them with earth.¹⁶Abimelek said to Isaac, "Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we."¹⁷So Isaac departed from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar, and lived there.

¹⁸Once again Isaac dug out the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father. The Philistines had stopped them up after Abraham's death. Isaac called the wells by the same names that his father had called them.

¹⁹When Isaac's servants dug in the valley, they found there a well of flowing water.²⁰The herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, and said, "This water is ours." So Isaac named that well "Esek," because they had quarreled with him.

²¹Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that, too, so he gave it the name of "Sitnah."²²He left there and dug yet another well, but they did not quarrel over that one. So he called it Rehoboth, and he said, "Now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land."

²³Then Isaac went up from there to Beersheba.²⁴Yahweh appeared to him that same night and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not fear, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your descendants, for my servant Abraham's sake."²⁵Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of Yahweh. There he pitched his tent, and his servants dug a well.

²⁶Then Abimelek went to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath, his friend, and Phicol, the captain of his army.²⁷Isaac said to them, "Why are you coming to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?"

²⁸Then they said, "We have clearly seen that Yahweh has been with you. So we decided that there should be an oath between us, yes, between us and you. So let us make a covenant with you,²⁹that you will do us no harm, just as we have not harmed you, and as we have treated you well and have sent you away in peace. Indeed, you are blessed by Yahweh."

³⁰So Isaac made a feast for them, and they ate and drank.³¹They rose early in the morning and swore an oath with each other. Then Isaac sent them away, and they left him in peace.

³²That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug. They said, "We have found water."³³He called the well Shibah, so the name of that city is Beersheba to this day.

³⁴When Esau was forty years old, he took a wife, Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.³⁵They brought sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah.

¹When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau, his older son, and said to him, "My son." Esau said to him, "Here I am,"²and Isaac said, "See now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.

³Therefore take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.⁴Make delicious food for me, the sort that I love, and bring it to me so I can eat it and bless you before I die."

⁵Now Rebekah heard it when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it back.⁶Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son and said, "See here, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother. He said,⁷'Bring me game and make me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of Yahweh before my death.'

⁸Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you.⁹Go to the flock, and bring me two good kids; and I will make delicious food from them for your father, just like he loves.¹⁰You will take it to your father, so that he may eat it, so that he may bless you before his death."

¹¹Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "See, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.¹²Perhaps my father will touch me, and I will seem to him as a deceiver. I will bring a curse upon me and not a blessing."

¹³His mother said to him, "My son, let any curse fall on me. Just obey my voice, and go, bring them to me."¹⁴So Jacob went and got the young goats and brought them to his mother, and his mother made delicious food, just like his father loved.

¹⁵Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau, her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.¹⁶She put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.¹⁷She put the delicious food and the bread that she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob.

¹⁸Jacob went to his father and said, "My father." His father said, "Here I am; who are you, my son?"¹⁹Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you said to me. Now sit up and eat some of my game, that you may bless me."

²⁰Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He said, "Because Yahweh your God brought it to me."²¹Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near me, so I may touch you, my son, and learn whether you are my true son Esau or not."

²²Jacob went over to Isaac his father; and Isaac touched him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."²³Isaac did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau's hands, so Isaac blessed him.

²⁴He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He replied, "I am."²⁵Isaac said, "Bring the food to me, and I will eat of your game, so that I may bless you." Jacob brought the food to him. Isaac ate, and Jacob brought him wine, and he drank.

²⁶Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now and kiss me, my son."²⁷Jacob came near and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his clothes and blessed him. He said,

"See, the smell of my son

is like the smell of a field

that Yahweh has blessed.

²⁸May God give you a portion of the dew of heaven,

a portion of the fatness of the earth,

and plenty of grain and new wine.

²⁹May peoples serve you

and nations bow down to you.

Be master over your brothers,

and may your mother's sons bow down to you.

May every one who curses you be cursed;

may every one who blesses you be blessed."

³⁰As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.³¹He also made delicious food and brought it to his father. He said to his father, "Father, get up and eat some of your son's game, so that you may bless me."

³²Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."³³Isaac trembled very much and said, "Who was it that hunted this game and brought it to me? I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him. Indeed, he will be blessed."

³⁴When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a very great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me, me also, my father."³⁵Isaac said, "Your brother came here deceitfully and has taken away your blessing."

³⁶Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and, see, now he has taken away my blessing." Then he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"³⁷Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Look, I have made him your master, and I have given to him all his brothers as servants, and I have given him grain and new wine. What more can I do for you, my son?"

³⁸Esau said to his father, "Have you not even one blessing for me, my father? Bless me, even me too, my father." Esau wept loudly.

³⁹Isaac his father answered and said to him,

"Look, the place where you live will be

far from the richness of the earth,

away from the dew of the sky above.

⁴⁰By your sword you will live,

and you will serve your brother.

But when you rebel,

you will break his yoke off of your neck."

⁴¹Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing that his father had given him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are near; after that I will kill my brother Jacob."⁴²The words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, "See, your brother Esau is consoling himself about you by planning to kill you.

⁴³Now therefore, my son, obey me and flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran.⁴⁴Stay with him for a while, until your brother's fury subsides,⁴⁵until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you back from there. Why should I lose you both in one day?

⁴⁶Rebekah said to Isaac, "I abhor life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes one of the daughters of Heth as a wife, like these women, some of the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?"

¹Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, "You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women.²Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father, and take a wife from there, one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.

³May God Almighty bless you, make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a community of peoples.⁴May he give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your descendants after you, that you may inherit the land where you have been sojourning, which God gave to Abraham."

⁵So Isaac sent Jacob away. Jacob went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

⁶Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take a wife from there. He also saw that Isaac had blessed him and given him a command, saying, "You must not take a wife from the women of Canaan."⁷Esau also saw that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother, and had gone to Paddan Aram.

⁸Esau saw that the women of Canaan did not please Isaac his father.⁹So he went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

¹⁰Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran.¹¹He came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones in that place, put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.

¹²He dreamed and saw a stairway set up on the earth. Its top reached to heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.¹³Behold, Yahweh stood above it and said, "I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying, I will give to you and to your descendants.

¹⁴Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread far out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south. Through you and through your descendants will all the families of the earth be blessed.¹⁵Behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go. I will bring you into this land again; for I will not leave you. I will do all that I have promised to you."

¹⁶Jacob awoke out of his sleep, and he said, "Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I did not know it."¹⁷He was afraid and said, "How terrifying is this place! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven."

¹⁸Jacob arose early in the morning and took the stone that he had put under his head. He set it up as a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it.¹⁹He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city originally was Luz.

²⁰Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will protect me on this road on which I am walking, and will give me bread to eat, and clothes to wear,²¹so that I return safely to my father's house, then Yahweh will be my God.²²Then this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be a sacred stone. From everything that you give me, I will surely give a tenth back to you."

¹Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.²As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there by it. For out of that well they would water the flocks, and the stone over the well's mouth was large.³When all the flocks had gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the well's mouth and water the sheep, and then put the stone again over the well's mouth, back in its place.

⁴Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They replied, "We are from Haran."⁵He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."⁶He said to them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well, and, look there, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep."

⁷Jacob said, "See, it is the middle of the day. It is not the time for the flocks to be gathered together. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze."⁸They said, "We cannot water them until all the flocks are gathered together. The men will then roll the stone from the well's mouth, and we will water the sheep."

⁹While Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.¹⁰When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob came over, rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother.

¹¹Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.¹²Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rebekah's son. Then she ran and told her father.

¹³When Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.¹⁴Laban said to him, "You are indeed my bone and my flesh." Then Jacob stayed with him for about one month.

¹⁵Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you serve me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me, what will your wages be?"¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.¹⁷Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.¹⁸Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

¹⁹Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."²⁰So Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him only a few days, for the love he had for her.

²¹Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days have been completed—so that I may go to her!"²²So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

²³In the evening, Laban took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, who went to her.²⁴Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah, to be her servant.²⁵In the morning, behold, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"

²⁶Laban said, "It is not our custom to give the younger daughter before the firstborn.²⁷Complete the bridal week of this daughter, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years."

²⁸Jacob did so, and completed Leah's week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife also.²⁹Laban also gave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to be her servant.³⁰So Jacob went to Rachel, too, but he loved Rachel more than Leah. So Jacob served Laban for seven more years.

³¹Yahweh saw that Leah was not loved, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.³²Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, "Because Yahweh has looked upon my affliction; surely now my husband will love me."

³³Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, "Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also," and she called his name Simeon.³⁴Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, "Now this time will my husband be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.

³⁵She conceived again and bore a son. She said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." Therefore she called his name Judah; then she stopped having children.

¹When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel was jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I will die."²Jacob's anger burned against Rachel. He said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"

³She said, "See, there is my servant Bilhah. Go to her, so she might give birth to children on my knees, and I will have children by her."⁴So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went to her.

⁵Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.⁶Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me, and he has heard my voice and given me a son." For this reason she called his name Dan.

⁷Bilhah, Rachel's servant, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.⁸Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister and have prevailed." She called his name Naphtali.

⁹When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took Zilpah, her servant, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.¹⁰Zilpah, Leah's servant, bore Jacob a son.¹¹Leah said, "This is fortunate!" so she called his name Gad.

¹²Then Zilpah, Leah's servant, bore Jacob a second son.¹³Leah said, "I am happy! For the daughters will call me happy." So she called his name Asher.

¹⁴Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field. He brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Give me some of your son's mandrakes."¹⁵Leah said to her, "Is it a small matter to you, that you have taken away my husband? Do you now want to take away my son's mandrakes, too?" Rachel said, "Then he will lie with you tonight, in exchange for your son's mandrakes."

¹⁶Jacob came from the field in the evening. Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So Jacob lay with Leah that night.¹⁷God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.¹⁸Leah said, "God has given me my wages, because I gave my servant woman to my husband." She called his name Issachar.

¹⁹Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob.²⁰Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons." She called his name Zebulun.²¹Afterwards she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

²²God called Rachel to mind and listened to her. He caused her to become pregnant.²³She conceived and bore a son. She said, "God has taken away my shame."²⁴She called his name Joseph, saying, "Yahweh has added to me another son."

²⁵After Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, so that I may go to my own home and to my country.²⁶Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go, for you know the service I have given you."

²⁷Laban said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, wait, because I have learned by using divination that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake."²⁸Then he said, "Name your wages, and I will pay them."

²⁹Jacob said to him, "You know how I have served you, and how your livestock have fared with me.³⁰For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly. Yahweh has blessed you wherever I worked. Now when will I provide for my own household also?"

³¹So Laban said, "What will I pay you?" Jacob said, "You will not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it.³²Let me walk through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep, and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. These will be my wages.

³³My integrity will testify for me later on, when you come to check on my wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and black among the sheep, if any are found with me, will be considered to be stolen."³⁴Laban said, "Agreed. Let it be according to your word."

³⁵That day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.³⁶Laban also put three days' journey between himself and Jacob. So Jacob kept tending the rest of Laban's flocks.

³⁷Jacob took fresh cut branches of the poplar, almond, and plane trees, and he peeled white streaks in them and made the white inner wood appear that was in the sticks.³⁸Then he set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks, in front of the watering troughs where they came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink.

³⁹The flocks bred in front of the sticks; and the flocks produced striped, speckled, and spotted young.⁴⁰Jacob separated out these lambs, but made the rest of them face toward the striped animals and all the black sheep in the flock of Laban. Then he separated out his flocks for himself alone and did not put them together with Laban's flocks.

⁴¹Whenever the stronger sheep in the flock were breeding, then Jacob would lay the sticks in the watering troughs before the eyes of the flock, so that they might conceive among the sticks.⁴²But when the feebler animals in the flock came, he did not put the sticks in front of them. So the feebler animals were Laban's, and the stronger were Jacob's.

⁴³The man became very prosperous. He had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

¹Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, that they said, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and it is from our father's possessions that he has gotten all this wealth."²Jacob saw the look on Laban's face. He saw that his attitude toward him had changed.³Then Yahweh said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."

⁴Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock⁵and said to them, "I see your father's attitude toward me has changed, but the God of my father has been with me.⁶You know that it is with all my strength that I have served your father.

⁷Your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God has not permitted him to hurt me.⁸If he said, 'The speckled animals will be your wages,' then all the flock bore speckled young. If he said, 'The striped will be your wages,' then the whole flock bore striped young.⁹In this way God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

¹⁰Once at the time of breeding season, I saw in a dream the male goats that were mating with the flock. The male goats were striped, speckled, and spotted.¹¹The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I said, 'Here I am.'

¹²He said, 'Lift up your eyes and see all the male goats that are breeding with the flock. They are striped, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen everything that Laban is doing to you.¹³I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to me. Now rise up and leave this land and return to the land of your birth.'"

¹⁴Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?¹⁵Are we not treated by him as foreigners? For he has sold us and has also completely devoured our money.¹⁶For all the riches that God has taken away from our father are now ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do it."

¹⁷Then Jacob arose and placed his sons and his wives upon the camels.¹⁸He drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all his property, including the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram. Then he set out to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

¹⁹When Laban had gone to shear his flock, Rachel stole her father's household gods.²⁰Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he was fleeing.²¹So he fled with all that he had and quickly passed over the River, and headed toward the hill country of Gilead.

²²On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.²³So he took his relatives with him and pursued him for a seven days' journey. He overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

²⁴Now God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."²⁵Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country. Laban also camped with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead. ¹

²⁶Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you deceived me and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?²⁷Why did you flee secretly and trick me and did not tell me? I would have sent you away with celebration and with songs, with tambourine and with harps.²⁸You did not allow me to kiss my grandsons and my daughters good bye. Now you have acted foolishly.

²⁹It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and said, 'Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.'³⁰Now you have gone away because you longed to return to your father's house. But why did you steal my gods?"

³¹Jacob answered and said to Laban, "I fled secretly because I was afraid and thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.³²Whoever has stolen your gods will not continue to live. In the presence of our relatives, identify whatever with me is yours and take it." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

³³Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. He went out of Leah's tent and entered into Rachel's tent.

³⁴Now Rachel had taken the household gods, put them in a camel's saddle, and sat upon them. Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.³⁵She said to her father, "Do not be angry, my master, that I cannot stand up before you, for I am having my period." So he searched but did not find his household gods.

³⁶Jacob was angry and argued with Laban. He said to him, "What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?³⁷For you have searched all my possessions. What have you found of all your household goods? Set them here before our relatives, so that they may judge between the two of us.

³⁸For twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten any rams from your flocks.³⁹What was torn by beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it. You demanded payment from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.⁴⁰There I was; in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night; and I went without sleep.

⁴¹These twenty years I have been in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock. You have changed my wages ten times.⁴²Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the one Isaac fears, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and my toil, and he rebuked you last night."

⁴³Laban answered and said to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the grandchildren are my grandchildren, and the flocks are my flocks. All that you see is mine. But what can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?⁴⁴So now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be for a witness between you and me."

⁴⁵So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.⁴⁶Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a pile. Then they ate there by the pile.⁴⁷Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

⁴⁸Laban said, "This pile is a witness between me and you today." Therefore its name was called Galeed.⁴⁹It is also called Mizpah, because Laban said, "May Yahweh watch between you and me, when we are out of sight one from another.⁵⁰If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take any wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, see, God is witness between you and me."

⁵¹Laban said to Jacob, "Look at this pile, and look at the pillar, which I have set between you and me.⁵²This pile is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this pile to you, and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to me, to do harm.⁵³May the God of Abraham, and the god of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us." Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

⁵⁴Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his relatives to eat a meal. They ate and spent the entire night on the mountain.⁵⁵Early in the morning Laban got up, kissed his grandsons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home.

¹Some modern translations have Laban also camped in the hill country of Gilead .

¹Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.²When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's camp," so he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

³Jacob sent messengers on ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, in the region of Edom.⁴He commanded them, saying, "This is what you will say to my master Esau: This is what your servant Jacob says: 'I have been staying with Laban, and have delayed my return until now.⁵I have cattle and donkeys, and flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent this message to my master, so that I may find favor in your eyes.'"

⁶The messengers returned to Jacob and said, "We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."⁷Then Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, and also the flocks, the herds, and the camels.⁸He said, "If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it, then the camp that remains will escape."

⁹Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will prosper you,'¹⁰I am not worthy of all your acts of covenant faithfulness and of all the trustworthiness that you have done for your servant. For with only my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

¹¹Please rescue me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.¹²But you said, 'I will certainly make you prosper. I will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for their number.'"

¹³Jacob stayed there that night. He took some of what he had with him as a gift for Esau, his brother:¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,¹⁵thirty milking camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.¹⁶These he gave into the hand of his servants, every herd by itself. He said to his servants, "Go on ahead of me and put a space between each of the herds."

¹⁷He instructed the first servant, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? Whose animals are these that are in front of you?'¹⁸Then you will say, 'They are your servant Jacob's. They are a gift sent to my master Esau. See, he is also coming after us.'"

¹⁹Jacob also gave instructions to the second group, the third, and all the men who followed the herds. He said, "You will say the same thing to Esau when you meet him.²⁰You must also say, 'Your servant Jacob is coming after us.'" For he thought, "I will appease him with the gifts that I am sending ahead of me. Then later, when I will see him, perhaps he will receive me."²¹So the gifts went on ahead of him. He himself stayed that night in the camp.

²²Jacob got up during the night, and he took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons. He sent them across the ford of the Jabbok.²³In this way he sent them across the stream along with all his possessions.

²⁴Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until dawn.²⁵When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he struck Jacob's hip, so that his hip was dislocated as he wrestled with him.²⁶The man said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

²⁷The man said to him, "What is your name?" Jacob said, "Jacob."²⁸The man said, "Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel. For you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed."

²⁹Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.³⁰Jacob called the name of the place Peniel for he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is delivered."

³¹The sun rose on Jacob as he passed Peniel. He was limping because of his hip.³²That is why to this day the people of Israel do not eat the ligaments of the hip which are at the hip joint, because the man injured those ligaments while dislocating Jacob's hip.

¹Jacob looked up and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants.²Then he put the female servants and their children in front, followed by Leah and her children, and followed by Rachel and Joseph last of all.³He himself went on ahead of them. He bowed toward the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

⁴Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they wept.⁵When Esau looked up, he saw the women and the children. He said, "Who are these people with you?" Jacob said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."

⁶Then the female servants came forward with their children, and they bowed down.⁷Next Leah also and her children came forward and bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.⁸Esau said, "What do you mean by all these groups that I met?" Jacob said, "To find favor in the sight of my master."

⁹Esau said, "I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself."¹⁰Jacob said, "No, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, then accept my gift from my hand, for indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me.¹¹Please accept my gift that was brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough." Thus Jacob urged him, and Esau accepted it.

¹²Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way. I will go before you."¹³Jacob said to him, "My master knows that the children are young, and that the sheep and the cattle are nursing their young. If they are driven hard even one day, all the animals will die.¹⁴Please let my master go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are before me, and at the pace of the children, until I come to my master in Seir."

¹⁵Esau said, "Let me leave with you some of my men who are with me." But Jacob said, "Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord."¹⁶So Esau that day started on his way back to Seir.¹⁷Jacob traveled to Sukkoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkoth.

¹⁸When Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan. He camped near the city.¹⁹Then he bought the piece of ground where he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver.²⁰There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.

¹Now Dinah, Leah's daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went out to meet the young women of the land.²Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. He took her and lay with her, and he humiliated her.³He was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.

⁴Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get this young woman for me as a wife."⁵Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. His sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came.

⁶Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.⁷The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard of the matter. The men were offended. They were very angry because he had disgraced Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing should not have been done.

⁸Hamor spoke with them, saying, "My son Shechem loves your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.⁹Intermarry with us, give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.¹⁰You will live with us, and the land will be open to you to live and trade in, and to acquire property."

¹¹Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you tell me I will give.¹²Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me, but give me the young woman as a wife."¹³The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with deceit, because Shechem had defiled Dinah their sister.

¹⁴They said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to anyone who is uncircumcised; for that would be a disgrace to us.¹⁵Only on this condition will we agree with you: If you will become circumcised as we are, if every male among you is circumcised.¹⁶Then will we give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people.¹⁷But if you do not listen to us and become circumcised, then we will take our sister and we will leave."

¹⁸Their words pleased Hamor and his son Shechem.¹⁹The young man did not delay to do what they said, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter, and because he was the most honored person in all his father's household.

²⁰Hamor and Shechem his son went to the gate of their city and spoke with the men of their city, saying,²¹"These men are at peace with us, so let them live in the land and trade in it for, really, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters.

²²Only on this condition will the men agree to live with us and become one people: If every male among us is circumcised, as they are circumcised.²³Will not their livestock and their property—all their animals be ours? So let us agree with them, and they will live among us."

²⁴All who went out to the gates of his city listened to Hamor and Shechem, his son. All males were circumcised, all who went out to the gates of his city.²⁵On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of the sons of Jacob (Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers), each took his sword and they attacked the city that was certain of its security, and they killed all the males.²⁶They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword. They took Dinah from Shechem's house and went away.

²⁷The other sons of Jacob came to the dead bodies and plundered the city, because the people had defiled their sister.²⁸They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, and everything in the city and in the surrounding fields.²⁹They captured all their wealth, all their children, and their wives. They even plundered everything that was in the houses.

³⁰Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me, to make me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. If they gather themselves together against me and attack me, then I will be destroyed, I and my household."³¹But Simeon and Levi said, "Should Shechem have dealt with our sister as with a prostitute?"

¹God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there. Build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from Esau your brother."²Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your clothes.³Then let us depart and go up to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and has been with me wherever I have gone."

⁴So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hand, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob buried them under the oak that was near Shechem.⁵As they traveled, God made panic to fall on the cities that were around them, so those people did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

⁶So Jacob arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.⁷He built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him, when he was fleeing from his brother.⁸Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died. She was buried down from Bethel under the oak tree, so it was called Allon Bakuth.

⁹When Jacob came from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him.¹⁰God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but your name will no longer be called Jacob. Your name will be Israel." So God called his name Israel.

¹¹God said to him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.¹²The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you. To your descendants after you I also give the land."¹³God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.

¹⁴Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had spoken to him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering over it and poured oil on it.¹⁵Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.

¹⁶They journeyed on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor. She had hard labor.¹⁷While she was in hardest labor, the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid, for now you will have another son."¹⁸As she was dying, with her dying breath she named him Ben-Oni, but his father called him Benjamin.¹⁹Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).²⁰Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave. It is the marker of Rachel's grave to this day.

²¹Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond the watchtower of the flock.²²While Israel was living in that land, Reuben lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now Jacob had twelve sons.

²³His sons by Leah were Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

²⁴His sons by Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

²⁵His sons by Bilhah, Rachel's female servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

²⁶The sons of Zilpah, Leah's female servant, were Gad and Asher. All these were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

²⁷Jacob came to Isaac, his father, in Mamre in Kiriath Arba (the same as Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had lived.

²⁸Isaac lived for one hundred eighty years.²⁹Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his ancestors, an old man full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

¹These were the descendants of Esau (also called Edom).

²Esau took his wives from the Canaanites. These were his wives: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite;³and Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebaioth.

⁴Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel.⁵Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

⁶Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock—all his other animals, and all his possessions, which he had gathered in the land of Canaan, and went into a land away from his brother Jacob.⁷He did this because their possessions were too many for them to stay together. The land where they were sojourning could not support them because of their livestock.⁸So Esau, also known as Edom, settled in the hill country of Seir.

⁹These were the descendants of Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.

¹⁰These were the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz son of Adah, the wife of Esau; Reuel son of Basemath, the wife of Esau.

¹¹The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.

¹²Timna, a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau's son, bore Amalek. These were the grandsons of Adah, Esau's wife.

¹³These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the grandsons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

¹⁴These were the sons of Oholibamah, Esau's wife, who was the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon. She bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

¹⁵These were the clans among Esau's descendants: the descendants of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,¹⁶Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These were the clans descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Adah.

¹⁷These were the clans from Reuel, Esau's son: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, Mizzah. These were the clans descended from Reuel in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

¹⁸These were the clans of Oholibamah, Esau's wife: Jeush, Jalam, Korah. These are the clans that descended from Esau's wife Oholibamah, daughter of Anah.¹⁹These were the sons of Esau (who was known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.

²⁰These were the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,²¹Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the clans of the Horites, the inhabitants of Seir in the land of Edom.

²²The sons of Lotan were Hori and Heman, and Timna was Lotan's sister.

²³These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

²⁴These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he was pasturing donkeys of Zibeon his father.

²⁵These were the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

²⁶These were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.

²⁷These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.

²⁸These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

²⁹These were the clans of the Horites: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, and Anah,³⁰Dishon, Ezer, Dishan: These were clans of the Horites, according to their clan lists in the land of Seir.

³¹These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the sons of Israel:

³²Bela son of Beor, reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

³³When Bela died, then Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his place.

³⁴When Jobab died, Husham who was of the land of the Temanites, reigned in his place.

³⁵When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his city was Avith.

³⁶When Hadad died, then Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.

³⁷When Samlah died, then Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his place.

³⁸When Shaul died, then Baal-Hanan son of Akbor reigned in his place.

³⁹When Baal-Hanan son of Akbor died, then Hadar reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the granddaughter of Me-Zahab.

⁴⁰These were the names of the heads of clans from Esau's descendants, according to their clans and their regions, by their names: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,⁴¹Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,⁴²Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,⁴³Magdiel, and Iram. These were the clan heads of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.

¹Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan.

²This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, who was a young man seventeen years old, was guarding the flock with his brothers. He was with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. Joseph brought an unfavorable report about them to their father.

³Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was the son of his old age. He made him a beautifully decorated garment.⁴His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers. They hated him and would not speak peaceably to him.

⁵Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told his brothers about it. They hated him even more.⁶He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I dreamed.

⁷Behold, we were tying bundles of grain in the field and behold, my bundle rose and stood upright, and behold, your bundles came around and bowed down to my bundle."⁸His brothers said to him, "Will you really reign over us? Will you actually rule over us?" They hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

⁹He dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream: The sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me."¹⁰He told it to his father just as to his brothers, and his father rebuked him. He said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come to bow down to the ground to you?"¹¹His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

¹²His brothers went to tend their father's flock in Shechem.¹³Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers tending the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them." Joseph said to him, "I am ready."¹⁴He said to him, "Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers and well with the flock, and bring me word." So Jacob sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and Joseph went to Shechem.

¹⁵A certain man found Joseph. Behold, Joseph was wandering in a field. The man asked him, "What do you seek?"¹⁶Joseph said, "I am seeking my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are tending the flock."¹⁷The man said, "They left this place, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

¹⁸They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they plotted against him to kill him.¹⁹His brothers said to one another, "Look, this master of dreams is approaching.²⁰Come now, therefore, let us kill him and cast him into one of the pits. We will say, 'A wild animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams."

²¹Reuben heard it and rescued him from their hand. He said, "Let us not take his life."²²Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him"—that he might rescue him out of their hand to bring him back to his father.

²³It came about that when Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his beautifully decorated garment.²⁴They took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty with no water in it.

²⁵They sat down to eat bread. They lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh. They were traveling to carry them down to Egypt.²⁶Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

²⁷Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands upon him. For he is our brother, our flesh." His brothers listened to him.²⁸The Midianite merchants passed by. His brothers drew Joseph up and lifted him up out of the pit. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites carried Joseph into Egypt.

²⁹Reuben returned to the pit, and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit. He tore his clothes.³⁰He returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is not there! And I, where can I go?"

³¹They slaughtered a goat and then took Joseph's garment and dipped it into the blood.³²Then they brought the beautifully decorated garment to their father and said, "We found this. Please see whether it is your son's garment or not."³³Jacob recognized it and said, "It is my son's clothing. A wild animal has devoured him. Joseph has certainly been torn to pieces."

³⁴Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth upon his loins. He mourned for his son many days.³⁵All his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, "Indeed I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son." His father wept for him.³⁶The Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard.

¹It came about at that time that Judah left his brothers and stayed with a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.²He met there a daughter of a Canaanite man whose name was Shua. He took her and went to her.

³She conceived and had a son. He was named Er.⁴She conceived again and had a son. She called his name Onan.⁵She again had a son and called his name Shelah. It was at Kezib where she gave birth to him.

⁶Judah found a wife for Er, his firstborn. Her name was Tamar.⁷Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him.

⁸Judah said to Onan, "Go to your brother's wife. Do the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a child for your brother."⁹Onan knew that the child would not be his. Whenever he went to his brother's wife, he wasted it on the ground so he would not have a child for his brother.¹⁰What he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him also.

¹¹Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house until Shelah, my son, grows up." For he feared, "He might also die, just like his brothers." Tamar left and lived in her father's house.

¹²After a long time, Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted and went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.¹³Tamar was told, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."¹⁴She took off the clothing of her widowhood and covered herself with her veil and wrapped herself. She sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up but she had not been given to him as a wife.

¹⁵When Judah saw her he thought that she was a prostitute because she had covered her face.¹⁶He went to her by the road and said, "Come, please let me come to you"—for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law—and she said, "What will you give me so you can come to me?"

¹⁷He said, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge until you send it?"¹⁸He said, "What pledge can I give you?" She replied, "Your seal and cord, and the staff that is in your hand." He gave them to her and he went to her, and she conceived by him.

¹⁹She got up and went away. She took off her veil and put on the clothing of her widowhood.²⁰Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order that he might receive the pledge back from the woman's hand, but he did not find her.

²¹Then the Adullamite asked the men of the place, "Where is the cultic prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?" They said, "There has not been a cultic prostitute here."²²He returned to Judah and said, "I did not find her. Also, the men of the place said, 'There has not been a cultic prostitute here.'"²³Judah said, "Let her keep the things, that we not be put to shame. Indeed, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her."

²⁴It came about after about three months that it was told to Judah, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has committed prostitution, and indeed, she is pregnant by it." Judah said, "Bring her here and let her be burned."²⁵When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law a message, "By the man who owns these I am pregnant." She said, "Determine please whose these are, the seal and cords and staff."²⁶Judah recognized them and said, "She is more righteous than I am, since I did not give her as a wife to Shelah, my son." He did not know her again.

²⁷It came about at the time for her to give birth that, behold, twins were in her womb.²⁸It came about as she was giving birth one put out a hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand and said, "This one came out first."

²⁹But then he drew back his hand, and, behold, his brother came out first. The midwife said, "How you have broken out!" So he was named Perez.³⁰Then his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand, and he was named Zerah.

¹Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh who was captain of the guard and an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down there.²Yahweh was with Joseph and he became a prosperous man. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

³His master saw that Yahweh was with him and that Yahweh prospered everything that he did.⁴Joseph found favor in his sight. He served Potiphar. Potiphar made Joseph manager over his house, and everything that he possessed, he put under his care.

⁵It came about from the time that he made him manager over his house and over everything he possessed, that Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. The blessing of Yahweh was on everything that Potiphar had in the house and in the field.⁶Potiphar put everything that he had under Joseph's care. He did not have to think about anything except the food that he ate. Now Joseph was handsome and attractive.

⁷It came about after this that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."⁸But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not pay attention to what I do in the house, and he has put everything that he owns under my care.⁹No one is greater in this house than I am. He has not kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

¹⁰She spoke to Joseph day after day, but he refused to lie with her or to be with her.¹¹It came about one day that he went into the house to do his work. None of the men of the house were there in the house.¹²She caught him by his clothes and said, "Lie with me." He left his clothing in her hand, fled, and went outside.

¹³It came about, when she saw that he had left his clothing in her hand and had fled outside,¹⁴that she called to the men of her house and told them, "See, Potiphar has brought in a Hebrew to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, and I screamed.¹⁵It came about when he heard me scream, that he left his clothing with me, fled, and went outside."

¹⁶She set his clothing next to her until his master came home.¹⁷She told him this explanation, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us, came in to mock me.¹⁸It came about that when I screamed, he left his clothing with me and fled outside."

¹⁹It came about that, when his master heard the explanation his wife told him, "This is what your servant did to me," he became very angry.²⁰Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. He was there in the prison.

²¹But Yahweh was with Joseph and showed covenant faithfulness to him. He gave him favor in the sight of the prison warden.²²The prison warden gave into Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there, Joseph was in charge of it.²³The prison warden did not worry about anything that was in his hand, because Yahweh was with him. Whatever he did, Yahweh prospered.

¹It came about that after these things, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and king's baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.²Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers.³He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.

⁴The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to them, and he served them. They remained in custody for some time.⁵Both of them dreamed a dream—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt who were confined in the prison—each man had his own dream in the same night, and each dream had its own interpretation.

⁶Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them. Behold, they were upset.⁷He asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"⁸They said to him, "We have both dreamed a dream and no one can interpret it." Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me, please."

⁹The chief of the cupbearers told his dream to Joseph. He said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me.¹⁰In the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms came out and the clusters of grapes ripened.¹¹Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I placed the cup into Pharaoh's hand."

¹²Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it. The three branches are three days.¹³Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh's cup into his hand, just as when you were his cupbearer.

¹⁴But think of me when it goes well with you, and please show kindness to me. Mention me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison.¹⁵For indeed I was abducted out of the land of the Hebrews. Here also have I done nothing that they should put me in this dungeon."

¹⁶When the chief of the bakers saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I also had a dream, and, behold, three baskets of bread were on my head.¹⁷In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."

¹⁸Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation. The three baskets are three days.¹⁹Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree. The birds will eat your flesh off you."

²⁰It came about on the third day that it was Pharaoh's birthday. He made a feast for all his servants. He lifted up the head of the chief of the cupbearers and the head of the chief of the bakers, among his servants.²¹He restored the chief of the cupbearers to his responsibility, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand again.²²But he hanged the chief of the bakers, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.²³Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot about him.

¹It came about at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream. Behold, he stood by the Nile.²Behold, seven cows came up out of the Nile, desirable and fat, and they grazed in the reeds.³Behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the Nile, undesirable and thin. They stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.

⁴Then the undesirable and thin cows ate the seven desirable and fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.⁵Then he slept and dreamed a second time. Behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, wholesome and good.⁶Behold, seven heads, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.

⁷The thin heads swallowed up the seven wholesome and full heads. Pharaoh woke up, and, behold, it was a dream.⁸It came about in the morning that his spirit was troubled. He sent and called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

⁹Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I have remembered my sins today.¹⁰Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, the chief baker and me.¹¹We dreamed a dream the same night, he and I. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

¹²There was with us there a young Hebrew man, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him and he interpreted for us our dreams. He interpreted for each of us according to his dream.¹³It came about as he interpreted for us, so it happened. Pharaoh restored me to my post, but the other one he hanged."

¹⁴Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph. They quickly took him out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh.¹⁵Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, but there is no interpreter for it. But I have heard about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."¹⁶Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me. God will answer Pharaoh with favor."

¹⁷Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood on the bank of the Nile.¹⁸Behold, seven cows came up out of the Nile, fat and desirable, and they grazed among the reeds.

¹⁹Behold, seven other cows came up after them, weak, very undesirable, and thin. I never saw in all the land of Egypt such undesirableness like them.²⁰The thin and undesirable cows ate up the first seven fat cows.²¹When they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them, for they were still as undesirable as before. Then I awoke.

²²I looked in my dream, and, behold, seven heads came up upon one stalk, full and good.²³Behold, seven more heads—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind—sprang up after them.²⁴The thin heads swallowed up the seven good heads. I told these dreams to the magicians, but there was none that could explain it to me."

²⁵Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are the same. What God is about to do, he has declared to Pharaoh.²⁶The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years. The dreams are the same.

²⁷The seven thin and undesirable cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven thin heads scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.²⁸That is the thing which I spoke to Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has revealed to Pharaoh.²⁹Look, seven years of great abundance will come throughout all the land of Egypt.

³⁰Seven years of famine will come after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will devastate the land.³¹The abundance will not be remembered in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe.³²That the dream was repeated to Pharaoh is because the matter has been established by God, and God will soon do it.

³³Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and put him over the land of Egypt.³⁴Let Pharaoh appoint officials over the land, and let them take a fifth of the crops of Egypt in the seven abundant years.

³⁵Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, for food to be used in the cities. They should preserve it.³⁶The food will be a supply for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt. In this way the land will not be devastated by the famine."

³⁷This advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.³⁸Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"

³⁹So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you.⁴⁰You will be over my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be greater than you."⁴¹Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have put you over all the land of Egypt."

⁴²Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph's hand. He clothed him with clothes of fine linen, and put a gold chain on his neck.⁴³He had him ride in the second chariot which he possessed. Men shouted before him, "Bend the knee." Pharaoh put him over all the land of Egypt.

⁴⁴Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and apart from you, no man will lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt."⁴⁵Pharaoh called Joseph's name "Zaphenath-Paneah." He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.⁴⁷In the seven bountiful years the land produced abundantly.

⁴⁸He gathered up all the food of the seven years that was in the land of Egypt and put the food in the cities. He put into each city the food from the fields that surrounded it.⁴⁹Joseph stored up grain like the sand of the sea, so much that he stopped counting, because it was beyond counting.

⁵⁰Joseph had two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.⁵¹Joseph called the name of his firstborn Manasseh, for he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."⁵²He called the name of the second son Ephraim, for he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

⁵³The seven years of abundance that was in the land of Egypt came to an end.⁵⁴The seven years of famine began, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was food.

⁵⁵When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people loudly called on Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what he says."⁵⁶The famine was over all the face of the whole land. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt.⁵⁷All the earth was coming to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

¹Now Jacob became aware that there was grain in Egypt. He said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"²He said, "See here, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there so we may live and not die."³Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.⁴But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he said, "I fear that harm might come to him."

⁵The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.⁶Now Joseph was the governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

⁷Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke severely with them. He said to them, "Where have you come from?" They said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."⁸Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

⁹Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the undefended parts of the land."¹⁰They said to him, "No, my master. Your servants have come to buy food.¹¹We are all one man's sons. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies."

¹²He said to them, "No, you have come to see the undefended parts of the land."¹³They said, "We your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. See, the youngest is this day with our father, and one brother is no longer alive."

¹⁴Joseph said to them, "It is what I said to you; you are spies.¹⁵By this you will be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave here, unless your youngest brother comes here.¹⁶Send one of yourselves and let him get your brother. You will remain in prison, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."¹⁷He put them all in custody for three days.

¹⁸Joseph said to them on the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God.¹⁹If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in this prison, but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.²⁰Bring your youngest brother to me so your words will be verified and you will not die." So they did so.

²¹They said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us and we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us."²²Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy,' but you would not listen? Now, see, his blood is required of us."

²³They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.²⁴He turned from them and wept. He returned to them and spoke to them. He took Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes.²⁵Then Joseph commanded his servants to fill his brothers' bags with grain, and to put every man's money back into his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. It was done for them.

²⁶The brothers loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.²⁷As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the opening of his sack.²⁸He said to his brothers, "My money has been put back. Look at it; it is in my sack." Their hearts sank and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

²⁹They went to Jacob, their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them. They said,³⁰"The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us and thought that we were spies in the land.³¹We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are not spies.³²We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'

³³The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, take grain for the famine in your houses, and go your way.³⁴Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. Then I will release your brother to you, and you will trade in the land.'"

³⁵It came about as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bag of silver was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.³⁶Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no longer alive, Simeon is gone, and you will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me."

³⁷Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "You may kill my two sons if I do not bring Benjamin back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him to you again."³⁸Jacob said, "My son will not go down with you. For his brother is dead and he alone is left. If harm comes to him on the road in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hair with sorrow to Sheol."

¹The famine was severe in the land.²It came about when they had eaten the grain that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again; buy us some food."

³Judah told him, "The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'⁴If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.⁵But if you do not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

⁶Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?"⁷They said, "The man asked details about us and our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him according to these questions. How could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"

⁸Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me. We will rise and go that we may live and not die, both we, you, and also our children.⁹I will be a guarantee for him. You will hold me responsible. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.¹⁰For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have come back here a second time."

¹¹Their father Israel said to them, "If it be so, now do this. Take some of the best products of the land in your bags. Carry down to the man a gift—some balm and honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.¹²Take double money in your hand. The money that was returned in the opening of your sacks, carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was a mistake.

¹³Take also your brother. Rise and go again to the man.¹⁴May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."¹⁵The men took this gift, and in their hand they took double the amount of money, along with Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

¹⁶When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon."¹⁷The steward did as Joseph said. He brought the men to Joseph's house.

¹⁸The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we were brought in, that he may seek an opportunity against us. He might arrest us and take us as slaves, and take our donkeys."¹⁹They approached the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,²⁰saying, "My master, we came down the first time to buy food.

²¹It came about, when we reached the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the opening of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hands.²²Other money we have also brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."²³The steward said, "Peace be to you, do not fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put your money in your sacks. I received your money." The steward then brought Simeon out to them.

²⁴The steward took the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave feed to their donkeys.²⁵They prepared the gifts for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.

²⁶When Joseph came home, they brought the gifts which were in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the ground.²⁷He asked them about their welfare and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

²⁸They said, "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down and gave him honor.²⁹When he lifted up his eyes he saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and he said, "Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son."

³⁰Joseph hurried to go out of the room, for he was deeply moved about his brother. He sought somewhere to weep. He went to his room and wept there.³¹He washed his face and came out. He controlled himself, saying, "Serve the food."

³²The servants served Joseph by himself and the brothers by themselves. The Egyptians there ate with him by themselves because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is detestable to the Egyptians.³³The brothers sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men were astonished together.³⁴Joseph sent portions to them from the food in front of him. But Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of his brothers. They drank freely and were merry with him.

¹Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's opening.²Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's opening of the youngest, and also his money for the grain." The steward did as Joseph had said.

³The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.⁴When they were out of the city but were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you returned evil for good?⁵Is this not the cup from which my master drinks, and the cup that he uses for divination? You have done evil, this thing that you have done.'"

⁶The steward overtook them and spoke these words to them.⁷They said to him, "Why does my master speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they would do such a thing.

⁸Look, the money that we found in our sacks' openings, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then could we steal out of your master's house silver or gold?⁹If any of your servants is found with it, let him die, and we also will be my master's slaves."¹⁰The steward said, "Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom the cup is found will be my slave, and you others will be innocent."

¹¹Then each man hurried and brought his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.¹²The steward searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.¹³Then they tore their clothes. Each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

¹⁴Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house. He was still there, and they bowed before him to the ground.¹⁵Joseph said to them, "What is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me practices divination?"

¹⁶Judah said, "What can we say to my master? What can we speak? Or how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Look, we are my master's slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup was found."¹⁷Joseph said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup was found, that person will be my slave, but as for you others, go up in peace to your father."

¹⁸Then Judah came near to him and said, "My master, please let your servant speak a word in my master's ears, and do not let your anger burn against your servant, for you are just like Pharaoh.¹⁹My master asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

²⁰We said to my master, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one. But his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.'²¹Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me that I may see him.'²²After that, we said to my master, 'The boy cannot leave his father. For if he should leave his father his father would die.'

²³Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'²⁴Then it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my master.²⁵Our father said, 'Go again, buy us some food.'²⁶Then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then will we go down, for we will not be able to see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

²⁷Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons.²⁸One of them went out from me and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces, and I have not seen him since."²⁹Now if you also take this one from me, and harm comes to him, you will bring down my gray hair with sorrow to Sheol.'

³⁰Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the young man is not with us, since his life is bound up in the boy's life,³¹it will come about, when he sees the boy is not with us, he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.³²For your servant became a guarantee for the boy to my father and said, 'If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the guilt to my father forever.'

³³Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy as slave to my master, and let the boy go up with his brothers.³⁴For how can I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? I am afraid to see the evil that would come on my father."

¹Then Joseph could not control himself before all the servants who stood by him. He said loudly, "Everyone must leave me." So no servant stood by him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.²He wept loudly, the Egyptians heard it, and the house of Pharaoh heard of it.³Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" His brothers could not answer him, for they were shocked in his presence.

⁴Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." They came near. He said, "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.⁵Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves that you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.⁶For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

⁷God sent me ahead of you to preserve you as a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.⁸So now it was not you who sent me here but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, master of all his house, and ruler of all the land of Egypt.

⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says, "God has made me master of all Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay.¹⁰You will live in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks and your herds, and all that you have.¹¹I will provide for you there, for there are still five years of famine, so that you do not come to poverty, you, your household, and all that you have."'

¹²Look, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.¹³You will tell my father about all my honor in Egypt and of all that you have seen. You will hurry and bring my father down here."

¹⁴He hugged his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.¹⁵He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that his brothers talked with him.

¹⁶The news of the matter was told in Pharaoh's house: "Joseph's brothers have come." It pleased Pharaoh and his servants very much.¹⁷Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan.¹⁸Get your father and your households and come to me. I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.'

¹⁹Now you are commanded, 'Do this, take carts out of the land of Egypt for your children and for your wives. Get your father and come.²⁰Do not be concerned about your possessions, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"

²¹The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.²²To all of them he gave each man changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.²³For his father he sent this: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt; and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other supplies for his father for the journey.

²⁴So he sent his brothers away and they left. He said to them, "See that you do not quarrel on the journey."²⁵They went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.²⁶They told him saying "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." His heart was astonished, for he could not believe what they told him.

²⁷They told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them. When Jacob saw the carts that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.²⁸Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

¹Israel made his journey with all that he had and went to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.²God spoke to Israel in a vision at night, saying, "Jacob, Jacob." He said, "Here I am."³He said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not fear to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation.⁴I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will surely bring you up again and Joseph will close your eyes with his own hand."

⁵Jacob rose up from Beersheba. The sons of Israel transported Jacob their father, their children, and their wives, in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.⁶They took their livestock and their possessions that they had accumulated in the land of Canaan. They came into Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.⁷He brought with him to Egypt his sons and his sons' sons, his daughters and his sons' daughters, and all his descendants.

⁸These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt: Jacob and his descendants, Reuben, Jacob's firstborn;

⁹the sons of Reuben, Hanok, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi;

¹⁰the sons of Simeon, Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman;

¹¹and the sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

¹²The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

¹³The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

¹⁴The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.¹⁵These were the sons of Leah whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with his daughter Dinah. His sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.

¹⁶The sons of Gad were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

¹⁷The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah; and Serah was their sister. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.¹⁸These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to Leah his daughter. These sons she bore to Jacob—sixteen in all.

¹⁹The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.²⁰In Egypt Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On.

²¹The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.²²These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

²³The son of Dan was Hushim.

²⁴The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.²⁵These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter—seven in all.

²⁶All those who went to Egypt with Jacob, who were his direct descendants, not counting Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six in all.²⁷With the two sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, the people of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy in all.

²⁸Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen.²⁹Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He saw him, hugged his neck, and wept on his neck a long time.³⁰Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive."

³¹Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's house, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, saying, 'My brothers and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.³²The men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock. They have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.'

³³It will come about, when Pharaoh calls you and asks, 'What is your occupation?'³⁴that you should say, 'Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth until now, both we, and our forefathers.' Do this so that you may live in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."

¹Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, "My father and my brothers, their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have arrived from the land of Canaan. See, they are in the land of Goshen."²He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.

³Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" They said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, as our ancestors."⁴Then they said to Pharaoh, "We come as temporary residents in the land. There is no pasture for your servants' flocks, because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen."

⁵Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.⁶The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best region, the land of Goshen. If you know any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."

⁷Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and presented him to Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh.⁸Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How long have you lived?"⁹Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my sojourning are 130. The years of my life have been few and painful. They have not been as long as the days of my ancestors' sojourning."¹⁰Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

¹¹Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.¹²Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father's household, according to the number of their little ones.

¹³Now there was no food in all the land; for the famine was severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away because of the famine.¹⁴Joseph gathered all the money that was in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, by selling grain to the inhabitants. Then Joseph brought the money to Pharaoh's palace.

¹⁵When all the money of the lands of Egypt and Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph saying, "Give us food! Why should we die in your presence because our money is gone?"¹⁶Joseph said, "If your money is gone, bring your livestock and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock."¹⁷So they brought their livestock to Joseph. Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, for the flocks, for the herds, and for the donkeys. He fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.

¹⁸When that year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from my master that our money is all gone, and the herds of cattle are my master's. There is nothing left in the sight of my master, except our bodies and our land.¹⁹Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."

²⁰So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. For every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was very severe. In this way, the land became Pharaoh's.²¹As for the people, he made them slaves from one end of Egypt's border to the other end.²²It was only the land of the priests that Joseph did not buy, because the priests were given an allowance. They ate from the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not sell their land.

²³Then Joseph said to the people, "See, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you will plant the land.²⁴At the harvest, you must give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field and for food for your households and your little ones."

²⁵They said, "You have saved our lives. May we find favor in your eyes. We will be Pharaoh's servants."²⁶So Joseph made it a statute which is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day, that one-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh's.

²⁷So Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. His people gained possessions there. They were fruitful and multiplied greatly.²⁸Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, so the years of Jacob's life were one hundred forty-seven years.

²⁹When the time approached for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh, and show me faithfulness and trustworthiness. Please do not bury me in Egypt.³⁰When I lie down with my fathers, you will carry me out of Egypt and bury me in my forefathers' burial place." Joseph said, "I will do as you have said."³¹Israel said, "Swear to me," and Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down at the head of his bed.

¹It came about after these things, that one said to Joseph, "Look, your father is sick." So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.²When Jacob was told, "Look, your son Joseph has arrived to see you," Israel gathered strength and sat up in bed.

³Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. He blessed me⁴and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you. I will make of you an assembly of nations. I will give this land to your descendants as an everlasting possession.'

⁵Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, they are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.⁶The offspring who are born after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance.⁷But as for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. I buried her there on the way to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).

⁸When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, "Whose are these?"⁹Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." Israel said, "Bring them to me, that I may bless them."¹⁰Now Israel's eyes were failing because of his age, so he could not see. So Joseph brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.

¹¹Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, but God has even allowed me to see your children."¹²Joseph brought them out from between Israel's knees, and then he bowed with his face to the earth.¹³Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him.

¹⁴Israel reached out with his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head. He crossed his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn.¹⁵Israel blessed Joseph, saying,

"The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has cared for me to this day,

¹⁶the angel who has protected me from all harm,

may he bless these boys.

May my name be named in them,

and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.

May they grow into a multitude on the earth."

¹⁷When Joseph saw his father place his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.¹⁸Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand upon his head."

¹⁹His father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. Yet his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations."²⁰Israel blessed them that day with these words,

"The people of Israel will pronounce blessings by your names saying,

'May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh'."

In this way, Israel put Ephraim before Manasseh.

²¹Israel said to Joseph, "See, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.²²To you, as one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."

¹Then Jacob called for his sons, and said:

"Gather yourselves together,

that I may tell you what will happen to you in the future.

²Assemble yourselves and listen, you sons of Jacob.

Listen to Israel, your father.

³Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might,

and the beginning of my strength,

outstanding in dignity, and outstanding in power.

⁴Uncontrollable as rushing water,

you will not have the preeminence,

because you went up to your father's bed.

Then you defiled it; you went up to my couch.

⁵Simeon and Levi are brothers.

Weapons of violence are their swords.

⁶O my soul, do not come into their council;

O my glory, do not join in their meetings.

For in their anger they killed men.

It was for pleasure that they hamstrung oxen.

⁷May their anger be cursed, for it was fierce

and their fury, for it was severe.

I will divide them in Jacob

and scatter them in Israel.

⁸Judah, your brothers will praise you.

Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies.

Your father's sons will bow down before you.

⁹Judah is a lion's cub.

My son, you have gone up from your victims.

He stooped down, he crouched like a lion, like a lioness.

Who would dare to awaken him?

¹⁰The scepter will not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,

until Shiloh comes. The nations will obey him.

¹¹Binding his donkey to the vine,

and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,

he has washed his garments in wine,

and his robe in the blood of grapes.

¹²His eyes will be as dark as wine,

and his teeth as white as milk.

¹³Zebulun will live by the shore of the sea.

He will be a harbor for ships,

and his border will extend to Sidon.

¹⁴Issachar is a strong donkey,

lying down between the sheepfolds.

¹⁵He sees a good resting place

and the pleasant land.

He will bend his shoulder to the burden

and become a servant for forced labor.

¹⁶Dan will judge his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁷Dan will be a snake beside the road,

a poisonous snake in the path

that bites the horse's heels,

so that his rider falls backward.

¹⁸I wait for your salvation, Yahweh.

¹⁹Gad—raiders will attack him,

but he will attack them at their heels.

²⁰Asher's food will be rich,

and he will provide royal delicacies.

²¹Naphtali is a doe let loose;

he will have beautiful fawns.

²²Joseph is a fruitful bough,

a fruitful bough near a spring,

whose branches climb over the wall.

²³The archers will attack him bitterly

and shoot at him with hostility.

²⁴But his bow will remain steady,

and his hands will be skillful

because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.

²⁵The God of your father will help you

and the Almighty God will bless you

with blessings of the sky above,

blessings of the deep that lies beneath,

and blessings of the breasts and womb.

²⁶The blessings of your father are greater

than the blessings of the ancient mountains

or the desirable things of the ancient hills.

May they be on the head of Joseph,

even upon the crown of the head of the prince of his brothers.

²⁷Benjamin is a hungry wolf.

In the morning he will devour the prey,

and in the evening he will divide the plunder."

²⁸These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. Each one he blessed with an appropriate blessing.²⁹Then he instructed them and said to them, "I am about to go to my people. Bury me with my forefathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,³⁰in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is near Mamre in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought for a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.

³¹There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.³²The field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the people of Heth."³³When Jacob finished these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and went to his people.

¹Then Joseph was so distressed that he collapsed on the face of his father, and he wept over him, and he kissed him.²Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.³They took forty days, for that was the full time for embalming. The Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

⁴When the days of weeping were over, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak to Pharaoh, saying,⁵'My father made me swear, saying, "See, I am about to die. Bury me in my tomb that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan. There you will bury me." Now let me go up and bury my father, and then I will return.'"⁶Pharaoh answered, "Go and bury your father, as he made you swear."

⁷Joseph went up to bury his father. All the servants of Pharaoh went with him—the elders of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt,⁸with all Joseph's household and his brothers, and his father's household. But their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen.⁹Chariots and horsemen also went with him. It was a very large group of people.

¹⁰When they came to the threshing floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned with very great and grievous sorrow. There Joseph made a seven-day mourning for his father.¹¹When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a very sad occasion for the Egyptians." That is why the name of the place was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

¹²So his sons did for Jacob just as he had instructed them.¹³His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. Abraham had bought the cave with the field for a burial place. He had bought it from Ephron the Hittite.¹⁴After he had buried his father, Joseph returned into Egypt, he, along with his brothers, and all who had accompanied him to bury his father.

¹⁵When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph continues to be angry against us and wants to repay us in full for all the evil we did to him?"¹⁶So they commanded the presence of Joseph, saying, "Your father gave instructions before he died, saying,¹⁷'Tell Joseph this, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin when they did evil to you."' Now please forgive the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

¹⁸His brothers also went and lay facedown before him. They said, "See, we are your servants."¹⁹But Joseph answered them, "Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?²⁰As for you, you meant to harm me, but God meant it for good, to preserve the lives of many people, as you see today.²¹So now do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children." He comforted them in this way and spoke kindly to their hearts.

²²Joseph lived in Egypt, together with his father's family. He lived one hundred ten years.²³Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. He also saw the children of Makir son of Manasseh, who were placed on the knees of Joseph.

²⁴Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die; but God will surely come to you and lead you up out of this land to the land which he swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."²⁵Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, "God will surely come to you. At that time you must carry up my bones from here."²⁶So Joseph died, 110 years old. They embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Exodus

¹These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:²Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,³Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,⁴Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.⁵All the people who were descendants of Jacob were seventy in number. Joseph was already in Egypt.

⁶Then Joseph, all his brothers, and all that generation died.⁷But the people of Israel were fruitful, increased in numbers, became great, and became very, very mighty; the land was filled with them.

⁸Now then a new king arose over Egypt, one who did not know about Joseph.⁹He said to his people, "Look, the people of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we are.¹⁰Come, let us deal with them wisely, otherwise they will continue to grow in numbers, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the land."

¹¹So they put taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. The Israelites built store cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Rameses.¹²But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites increased in numbers and spread. So the Egyptians began to dread the people of Israel.

¹³The Egyptians severely forced the people of Israel to serve.¹⁴They made their lives bitter with hard service with mortar and brick, and with all kinds of work in the fields. All their required work was severe.

¹⁵Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives; the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the other Puah.¹⁶He said, "When you assist the Hebrew women on the birthstool, observe when they give birth. If it is a son, then you must kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she may live."¹⁷But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt ordered them; instead, they let the baby boys live.

¹⁸The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the baby boys live?"¹⁹The midwives answered Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are vigorous and have finished giving birth before a midwife comes to them."

²⁰God protected these midwives. The people increased in numbers and became very mighty.²¹Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.²²Pharaoh ordered all his people, "You must throw every son that is born into the river, but every daughter you will let live."

¹Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a woman of Levi.²The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a healthy boy, she hid him for three months.

³But when she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. Then she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds in the water along the side of the river.⁴His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

⁵Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the river while her attendants walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her attendant to get it.⁶When she opened it, she saw the child. Behold, the baby was crying. She had compassion on him and said, "This is certainly one of the Hebrews' children."

⁷Then the baby's sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go and find you a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for you?"⁸Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the young girl went and got the child's mother.

⁹Pharaoh's daughter said to the baby's mother, "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay you wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.¹⁰When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and said, "Because I drew him from the water."

¹¹When Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labors. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own people.¹²He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one there, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.

¹³He went out the next day, and, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting. He said to the one who was in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your companion?"¹⁴But the man said, "Who made you a leader and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed that Egyptian?" Then Moses became afraid and said, "What I did has certainly become known to others."

¹⁵Now when Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. There he sat down by a well.

¹⁶Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came, drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.¹⁷The shepherds came and tried to drive them away, but Moses went and helped them. Then he watered their flock.

¹⁸When the girls went to Reuel their father, he said, "Why are you home so early today?"¹⁹They said, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."²⁰He said to his daughters, "So where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him so he can eat a meal with us."

²¹Moses agreed to stay with the man, who also gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage.²²She bore a son, and Moses called his name Gershom; he said, "I have been a resident in a foreign land."

²³A long time later, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out for help, and their pleas went up to God because of their bondage.²⁴When God heard their groaning, God called to mind his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.²⁵God saw the people of Israel, and he understood their situation.

¹Now Moses was still shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. Moses led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and arrived at Horeb, the mountain of God.²There the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush. Moses looked, and behold, the bush was burning, but the bush was not burned up.³Moses said, "I will turn aside and see this amazing thing, why the bush is not burned up."

⁴When Yahweh saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses." Moses said, "Here I am."⁵God said, "Do not come any closer! Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is ground that is set apart to me."⁶He added, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

⁷Yahweh said, "I have certainly seen the suffering of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I know about their suffering.⁸I have come down to free them from the Egyptians' power and to bring them up from that land to a good, large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

⁹Now the outcry of the people of Israel has come to me. Moreover, I have seen the way the Egyptians have been oppressing them.¹⁰Now then, I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people, the people of Israel, out of Egypt."

¹¹But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people of Israel from Egypt?"¹²God replied, "I will certainly be with you. This will be a sign to you that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain."

¹³Moses said to God, "When I go to the people of Israel and tell them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and when they say to me, 'What is his name?' what should I say to them?"¹⁴God said to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM." God said, "You must say to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"¹⁵God also said to Moses, "You must say to the people of Israel, 'Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is how I will be kept in mind for all generations.'

¹⁶Go and gather the elders of Israel together. Say to them, 'Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me and said, "I have indeed observed you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.¹⁷I have promised to bring you up from the affliction in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey."'¹⁸They will listen to you. You and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt, and you must tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, in order that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.'

¹⁹But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go except under a mighty hand.²⁰I will reach out with my hand and attack the Egyptians with all the miracles that I will do among them. After that, he will let you go.²¹I will grant this people favor from the Egyptians, so when you leave, you will not go empty-handed.²²Every woman will ask for silver and gold jewels and for clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and any women staying in her neighbors' houses. You will put them on your sons and daughters. In this way you will plunder the Egyptians."

¹Moses answered, "But what if they do not believe me or listen to me but say instead, 'Yahweh has not appeared to you'?"²Yahweh said to him, "What is that in your hand?" Moses said, "A staff."³Yahweh said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a snake. Moses ran back from it.

⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out and take it by the tail." So he reached out and took hold of the snake. It became a staff in his hand again.⁵"This is so they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."

⁶Yahweh also said to him, "Now put your hand inside your robe." So Moses put his hand inside his robe. When he brought it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.⁷Yahweh said, "Put your hand inside your robe again." So Moses put his hand inside his robe, and when he brought it out, he saw that it was made healthy again, like the rest of his flesh.

⁸Yahweh said, "If they do not believe you—if they do not pay attention to the first sign of my power or believe in it, then they will believe the second sign.⁹If they do not believe even these two signs of my power, or listen to you, then take some water from the river and pour it on the dry land. The water that you take will become blood on the dry land."

¹⁰Then Moses said to Yahweh, "Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you spoke to your servant. I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."¹¹Yahweh said to him, "Who is it who made man's mouth? Who makes a man mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?¹²So now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what to say."¹³But Moses said, "Lord, please send anyone else, anyone whom you wish to send."

¹⁴Then Yahweh became angry with Moses. He said, "What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Moreover, he is coming to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.¹⁵You will speak to him and put the words to say into his mouth. I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you both what to do.¹⁶He will speak to the people for you. He will be like a mouth for you, and you will be like God for him.¹⁷You will take in your hand this staff, with which you will do the signs."

¹⁸So Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go so I may return to my relatives who are in Egypt and see if they are still alive." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."¹⁹Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return to Egypt, for all the men who were trying to take your life are dead."²⁰Moses took his wife and his sons and put them on a donkey. He returned to the land of Egypt, and he took the staff of God in his hand.

²¹Yahweh said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go.²²You must say to Pharaoh, 'This is what Yahweh says: Israel is my son, my firstborn,²³and I say to you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But since you have refused to let him go, I will certainly kill your son, your firstborn.'"

²⁴Now on the way, when they stopped for the night, Yahweh met Moses and tried to kill him.²⁵Then Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off the foreskin of her son, and touched it to his feet. Then she said, "Surely you are a bridegroom to me by blood."²⁶So Yahweh let him alone. She said, "You are a bridegroom of blood" because of the circumcision.

²⁷Yahweh said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." Aaron went, met him at the mountain of God, and kissed him.²⁸Moses told Aaron all the words of Yahweh that he had sent him to say and about all the signs of Yahweh's power that he had commanded him to do.

²⁹Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel.³⁰Aaron spoke all the words that Yahweh had spoken to Moses. He also displayed the signs of Yahweh's power in the sight of the people.³¹The people believed. When they heard that Yahweh had observed the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed down and worshiped him.

¹After these things happened, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so they can have a festival for me in the wilderness.'"²Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh? Why should I listen to his voice and let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh; moreover, I will not let Israel go."

³They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our God so that he does not attack us with plague or with the sword."⁴But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people from their work? Go back to your labors."⁵Pharaoh also said, "There are now many people in our land, and you are making them stop their labors."

⁶On that same day, Pharaoh gave a command to the people's taskmasters and overseers. He said,⁷"Unlike before, you must no longer give the people straw to make bricks. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.⁸However, you must still demand from them the same number of bricks as they made before. Do not accept any fewer, because they are lazy. That is why they are calling out and saying, 'Allow us to go and sacrifice to our God.'⁹Increase the workload for the men so that they keep at it and pay no more attention to deceptive words."

¹⁰So the people's taskmasters and overseers went out and informed the people. They said, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will no longer give you any straw.¹¹You yourselves must go and get straw wherever you can find it, but your workload will not be reduced.'"

¹²So the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.¹³The taskmasters kept urging them and saying, "Finish your work, just as when straw was given to you."¹⁴Pharaoh's taskmasters beat the overseers, who were of the people of Israel, those same men whom they had put in charge of the workers. The taskmasters kept asking them, "Why have you not produced all the bricks required of you, either yesterday and today, as you used to do in the past?"

¹⁵So the overseers, who were of the people of Israel, came to Pharaoh and cried out to him. They said, "Why are you treating your servants this way?¹⁶No straw is being given to your servants anymore, but they are still telling us, 'Make bricks!' We, your servants, are even beaten now, but it is the fault of your own people."¹⁷But Pharaoh said, "You are lazy! You are lazy! You say, 'Allow us to go sacrifice to Yahweh.'¹⁸So now go back to work. No more straw will be given to you, but you must still make the same number of bricks."

¹⁹The overseers, who were of the people of Israel, saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You must not reduce the daily number of bricks."²⁰They met Moses and Aaron, who were standing outside the palace, as they went away from Pharaoh.²¹They said to Moses and Aaron, "May Yahweh look at you and punish you, because you have made us offensive in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hand to kill us."

²²Moses went back to Yahweh and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you send me in the first place?²³Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak to him in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have not set your people free at all."

¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. You will see this, for he will let them go because of my strong hand. Because of my strong hand, he will drive them out of his land."

²God spoke to Moses and said to him, "I am Yahweh.³I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty; but by my name, Yahweh, I was not known to them.⁴I also established my covenant with them, in order to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.⁵Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians have enslaved, and I have called to mind my covenant.

⁶Therefore, say to the people of Israel, 'I am Yahweh. I will bring you out from under the hard labors of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their power. I will rescue you with a display of my power, and with mighty acts of judgment.⁷I will take you to myself as my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out from under the hard labors of the Egyptians.

⁸I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am Yahweh.'"⁹When Moses told this to the people of Israel, they would not listen to him because of their discouragement about their severe slavery.

¹⁰Then Yahweh said to Moses, saying,¹¹"Go tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to let the people of Israel go from his land."¹²Moses said to Yahweh, "If the people of Israel have not listened to me, why will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am not good at speaking?"¹³Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He gave them a command for the people of Israel and for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁴These were the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanok, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi. These were the clan ancestors of Reuben.

¹⁵The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul—the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clan ancestors of Simeon.

¹⁶Here are listed the names of the sons of Levi, according to their genealogies. They were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived until he was 137 years old.¹⁷The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, according to their clans.¹⁸The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived until he was 133 years old.¹⁹The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These became the clan ancestors of the Levites, together with their descendants.

²⁰Amram married Jochebed, his father's sister. She bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years and then died.²¹The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zikri.²²The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

²³Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon. She bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

²⁴The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clan ancestors of the Korahites.

²⁵Eleazar, Aaron's son, married one of the daughters of Putiel. She bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the fathers' houses among the Levites, according to their clans.

²⁶These two men were the Aaron and Moses to whom Yahweh said, "Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, by their hosts."²⁷Aaron and Moses spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt,in order to bring out the people of Israel from Egypt. These were the same Moses and Aaron.

²⁸When Yahweh spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,²⁹he said to him, "I am Yahweh. Say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, everything that I will tell you."³⁰But Moses said to Yahweh, "I am not good at speaking, so why will Pharaoh listen to me?"

¹Yahweh said to Moses, "See, I have made you like a god to Pharaoh. Aaron your brother will be your prophet.²You will say everything that I command you to say. Aaron your brother will speak to Pharaoh so that he will let the people of Israel go from his land.

³But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will display many signs of my power, many wonders, in the land of Egypt.⁴But Pharaoh will not listen to you, so I will put my hand on Egypt and bring out my hosts, my people, the people of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.⁵The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I reach out with my hand on Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them."

⁶Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as Yahweh commanded them.⁷Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.

⁸Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron,⁹"When Pharaoh says to you, 'Do a miracle,' then you will say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, so that it may become a snake.'"¹⁰Then Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and they did just as Yahweh had commanded. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a snake.

¹¹Then Pharaoh also called for his Egyptian wise men and sorcerers. They did the same thing by their magic.¹²Each man threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their snakes.¹³Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen, just as Yahweh had foretold.

¹⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hard, and he refuses to let the people go.¹⁵Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes out to the water. Stand on the riverbank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that had turned into a snake.

¹⁶Say to him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. Until now you have not listened."¹⁷Yahweh says this: "By this you will know that I am Yahweh. I am going to strike the water of the Nile River with the staff that is in my hand, and the river will be turned to blood.¹⁸The fish that are in the river will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink water from the river."'"

¹⁹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and reach out with your hand over the waters of Egypt, and over their rivers, streams, pools, and all their ponds, so that their water may become blood. Do this so that there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in containers of wood and stone.'"

²⁰Moses and Aaron did as Yahweh commanded. Aaron raised the staff and struck the water in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. All the water in the river turned to blood.²¹The fish in the river died, and the river began to stink. The Egyptians could not drink water from the river, and the blood was everywhere in the land of Egypt.²²But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their magic. So Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as Yahweh had said would happen.

²³Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house. He did not even pay attention to this.²⁴All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink, but they could not drink the water of the river itself.²⁵Seven days passed after Yahweh had attacked the river.

¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'Yahweh says this: "Let my people go so that they may worship me.²If you refuse to let them go, I will afflict all your country with frogs.³The river will swarm with frogs. They will come up and go into your house, your bedroom, and your bed. They will go into your servants' houses. They will go onto your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls.⁴The frogs will attack you, your people, and all your servants."'"

⁵Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Reach out with your hand and your staff over the rivers, the streams, and the pools, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.'"⁶Aaron reached out with his hand over Egypt's waters, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.⁷But the magicians did the same with their magic; they brought up frogs over the land of Egypt.

⁸Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to Yahweh for him to take away the frogs from me and my people. Then I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to him."⁹Moses said to Pharaoh, "Honor yourself over me. When should I pray for you, your servants, and your people, so that the frogs may be removed from you and your houses and stay only in the river?"

¹⁰Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "Let it be as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh, our God.¹¹The frogs will go from you, your houses, your servants, and your people. They will stay only in the river."¹²Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. Then Moses cried out to Yahweh concerning the frogs that he had brought on Pharaoh.

¹³Yahweh did as Moses asked: The frogs died in the houses, courts, and fields.¹⁴The people gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.¹⁵But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as Yahweh had said that he would do.

¹⁶Yahweh said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Reach out with your staff and strike the dust on the ground, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.'"¹⁷They did so. When Aaron reached out with his hand and his staff and struck the dust on the ground, gnats came on men and animals. All the dust on the ground became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.

¹⁸The magicians tried with their magic to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on men and animals.¹⁹Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, so he refused to listen to them. It was just as Yahweh had said Pharaoh would do.

²⁰Yahweh said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand in front of Pharaoh as he goes out to the river. Say to him, 'Yahweh says this: "Let my people go so that they may worship me.²¹But if you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your servants, and your people, and into your houses. The Egyptians' houses will be full of swarms of flies, and even the ground on which they stand will be full of flies.

²²But on that day I will set the land of Goshen apart, the land in which my people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there. This will happen so that you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of this land.²³I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign of my power will take place tomorrow."'"²⁴Yahweh did so, and thick swarms of flies came into Pharaoh's house and into his servants' houses. Throughout the whole land of Egypt, the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.

²⁵Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God in our own land."²⁶Moses said, "It is not right for us to do so, for the sacrifices we make to Yahweh our God are something disgusting to the Egyptians. If we make sacrifices right before their eyes that are disgusting to the Egyptians, will they not stone us?²⁷No, it is a three days' journey into the wilderness that we must make, in order to sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he commands us."

²⁸Pharaoh said, "I will allow you to go and sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness. Only you must not go very far away. Pray for me."²⁹Moses said, "As soon as I go out from you, I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may leave you, Pharaoh, and your servants and people tomorrow. But you must not deal deceitfully any more by not letting our people go to sacrifice to Yahweh."

³⁰Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to Yahweh.³¹Yahweh did as Moses asked; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. Not one remained.³²But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.

¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says this: "Let my people go so that they may worship me."²But if you refuse to let them go, if you still keep them back,³then Yahweh's hand will bring a terrible plague on your livestock that are in the field—the horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks.⁴But Yahweh will set the livestock of Israel apart from the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal that belongs to the people of Israel will die.

⁵Yahweh has fixed a time; he has said, "It is tomorrow that I will do this thing in the land."'"⁶Yahweh did this the next day: All the cattle of Egypt died, but none of the people of Israel's animals died, not one animal.⁷Pharaoh investigated, and, behold, not even one livestock of the people of Israel died. But his heart was stubborn, so he did not let the people go.

⁸Then Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take some handfuls of ashes from a kiln. You, Moses, must throw the ashes up into the air while Pharaoh is watching.⁹They will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt. They will cause blisters and sores to break out on people and animals throughout all the land of Egypt."¹⁰So Moses and Aaron took ashes from a kiln and stood in front of Pharaoh. Then Moses threw the ashes up into the air. The ashes caused blisters and sores to break out on men and animals.

¹¹The magicians could not resist Moses because of the blisters, because the blisters were on them and on all the other Egyptians.¹²Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, so Pharaoh did not listen to Moses and Aaron. This was just as Yahweh had said to Moses that Pharaoh would do.

¹³Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, stand in front of Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says this: "Let my people go so that they may worship me.¹⁴For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, on your servants and your people. I will do this so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.

¹⁵By now I could have reached out with my hand and attacked you and your people with plague, and you would have been eradicated from the land.¹⁶But it was for this reason I allowed you to survive: In order to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed throughout all the earth.¹⁷You are still lifting yourself up against my people by not letting them go.

¹⁸Listen! Tomorrow about this time I will bring a very strong hail storm, such as has not been seen in Egypt since the day it was founded until now.¹⁹Now then, send men and gather your livestock and everything you have in the fields to a safe place. Every man and animal that is in the field and is not brought home—the hail will come down on them, and they will die."'"

²⁰Then those of Pharaoh's servants who feared Yahweh's message hurried to bring their slaves and livestock into the houses.²¹But those who did not take Yahweh's message seriously left their slaves and livestock in the fields.

²²Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand toward the sky so that there will be hail in all the land of Egypt, on men and animals, and every plant of the field in the land of Egypt."²³Moses reached out with his staff toward the sky, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning to the ground. He also rained hail on the land of Egypt.²⁴So there were hail and lightning mixed with hail, very severe, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

²⁵Throughout all the land of Egypt, the hail struck everything in the fields, both people and animals. It struck every plant in the fields and broke every tree.²⁶Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived, was there no hail.

²⁷Then Pharaoh sent men to summon Moses and Aaron. He said to them, "I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.²⁸Pray to Yahweh, because the mighty thunderbolts and hail are too much. I will let you go, and you will stay here no longer."

²⁹Moses said to him, "As soon as I leave the city, I will spread my hands out to Yahweh. The thunder will stop, and there will not be any more hail. In this way you will know that the earth belongs to Yahweh.³⁰But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet really honor Yahweh God."

³¹Now the flax and the barley were ruined, for the barley was maturing in the ear, and the flax was in bloom.³²But the wheat and the spelt were not harmed because they were later crops.³³When Moses had left Pharaoh and the city, he spread out his hands to Yahweh; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain came down no more.

³⁴When Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart, together with his servants.³⁵The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and so he did not let the people of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken by the hand of Moses.

¹Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants. I have done this to show these signs of my power among them.²I have also done this so that you may tell your children and grandchildren the things I have done, how I have harshly treated Egypt, and how I have given various signs of my power among them. In this way you will know that I am Yahweh."

³So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says this: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go so that they may worship me.⁴But if you refuse to let my people go, listen, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your land.

⁵They will cover the surface of the ground so that no one will be able to see the earth. They will eat the remains of whatever escaped from the hail. They will also eat every tree that grows for you in the fields.⁶They will fill your houses, those of all your servants, and those of all the Egyptians—something neither your father nor your grandfather ever saw, nothing ever seen since the day that they were on the earth to this present day.'" Then Moses left and went out from Pharaoh.

⁷Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people of Israel go so that they may worship Yahweh their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is destroyed?"⁸Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, who said to them, "Go worship Yahweh your God. But what people will go?"

⁹Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and our daughters. We will go with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a festival for Yahweh."¹⁰Pharaoh said to them, "May Yahweh indeed be with you, if I ever let you go and your little ones go. Look, you have some evil in mind.¹¹No! Go, just the men among you, and worship Yahweh, for that is what you want." Then Moses and Aaron were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

¹²Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand over the land of Egypt to the locusts, that they may attack the land of Egypt and eat every plant in it, everything that the hail has left."¹³Moses reached out with his staff over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind over the land all that day and night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.

¹⁴The locusts went through all the land of Egypt and infested all parts of it. Never before had there been such a swarm of locusts in the land, and nothing like this will come after it.¹⁵They covered the surface of the whole land so that it was darkened. They ate every plant in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Throughout all the land of Egypt, no living green plant remained, nor any tree or plant in the fields.

¹⁶Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against Yahweh your God and against you.¹⁷Now then, forgive my sin this time, and pray to Yahweh your God that he will take this death away from me."¹⁸So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to Yahweh.

¹⁹Yahweh brought a very strong west wind that picked up the locusts and drove them into the Sea of Reeds; not a single locust remained in all the territory of Egypt.²⁰But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and Pharaoh did not let the people of Israel go.

²¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness that may be felt."²²Moses reached out with his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.²³No one could see anyone else; no one left his home for three days. However, all the people of Israel had light in the place where they lived.

²⁴Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go worship Yahweh. Even your little ones may go with you, but your flocks and herds must remain behind."²⁵But Moses said, "Allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings so that we may present them to Yahweh our God.²⁶Our cattle must also go with us; not a hoof of them may be left behind, for we must take them to worship Yahweh our God. For we do not know with what we must worship Yahweh until we arrive there."

²⁷But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.²⁸Pharaoh said to Moses, "Go from me! Be careful about one thing, that you do not see me again, for on the day you see my face, you will die."²⁹Moses said, "You yourself have spoken. I will not see your face again."

¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "There is still one more plague that I will bring on Pharaoh and Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here. When he finally lets you go, he will drive you away completely.²Instruct the people that every man and woman is to ask of his or her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold."³Now Yahweh had made the Egyptians eager to please the Israelites. Moreover, the man Moses was very impressive in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and the people of Egypt.

⁴Moses said, "Yahweh says this: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt.⁵All the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill grinding it, and to all the firstborn of the livestock.

⁶Then there will be a great outcry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as has never been nor ever will be again.⁷But not even a dog will bark against any of the people of Israel, against either man or animal. In this way you will know that I am making a distinction between the Egyptians and the people of Israel.'⁸All these servants of yours, Pharaoh, will come down to me and bow down to me. They will say, 'Go, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will go out." Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

⁹Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. This is so that I will do many amazing things in the land of Egypt."¹⁰Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh. But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and Pharaoh did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

¹Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt. He said,²"For you, this month will be the start of months, the first month of the year to you.

³Tell the assembly of Israel, 'On the tenth day of this month they must each take a lamb or young goat for themselves, each family doing this, a lamb for each household.⁴If the household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next door neighbor are to take lamb or young goat meat that will be enough for the number of the people. It should be enough for everyone to eat, so they must take enough meat to feed them all.

⁵Your lamb or young goat must be without blemish, a one-year-old male. You may take one of the sheep or goats.⁶You must keep it safe until the fourteenth day of that month. Then the whole assembly of Israel must kill these animals at twilight.⁷You must take some of the blood and put it on the two side doorposts and on the tops of the doorframes of the houses in which you will eat the meat.⁸You must eat the meat that night, after first roasting it over a fire. Eat it with bread made without yeast, along with bitter herbs.

⁹Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over fire with its head, legs, and inner parts.¹⁰You must not let any of it be left over until morning. You must burn whatever is left over in the morning.¹¹This is how you must eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You must eat it hurriedly. It is Yahweh's Passover.

¹²Yahweh says this: I will go through the land of Egypt in that night and strike down all the firstborn of man and animal in the land of Egypt. I will do acts of judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh.¹³The blood will be a sign on your houses for my coming to you. When I see the blood, I will pass over you when I attack the land of Egypt. This plague will not come on you and destroy you.¹⁴This day will become a memorial day for you, which you must observe as a festival to Yahweh; for your generations—a statute that you must keep as a festival forever.

¹⁵You will eat bread without yeast during seven days. On the first day you will remove the yeast from your houses. Whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person must be cut off from Israel.¹⁶On the first day there will be an assembly that is set apart to me, and on the seventh day there will be another such gathering. No work will be done on these days, except the cooking for everyone to eat. That must be the only work that may be done by you.

¹⁷You must observe this Festival of Unleavened Bread because it was on this day that I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. So you must observe this day throughout your people's generations as a statute forever.¹⁸You must eat unleavened bread from twilight of the fourteenth day in the first month of the year until twilight of the twenty-first day of the month.

¹⁹During these seven days, no yeast must be found in your houses. Whoever eats bread made with yeast must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether that person is a foreigner or someone born in your land.²⁰You must eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat bread made without yeast.'"

²¹Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go and select lambs or kids that will be enough to feed your families and kill the Passover lamb.²²Then take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that will be in a basin. Apply the blood in the basin to the top of the doorframe and the two doorposts. None of you is to go out of the door of his house until the morning.

²³For Yahweh will pass through to attack the Egyptians. When he sees the blood on the top of the doorframe and on the two doorposts, he will pass over your door and not permit the destroyer to come into your houses to attack you.

²⁴You must observe this event. This will always be a law for you and your descendants.²⁵When you enter the land that Yahweh will give you, just as he has promised to do, you must observe this act of worship.

²⁶When your children ask you, 'What does this act of worship mean?'²⁷then you must say, 'It is the sacrifice of Yahweh's Passover, because Yahweh passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt when he attacked the Egyptians. He set our households free.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped Yahweh.²⁸The people of Israel went and did exactly as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron.

²⁹It happened at midnight that Yahweh attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the person in the dungeon and all the firstborn of the livestock.³⁰Pharaoh got up in the night—he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians. There was a loud outcry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not someone dead.

³¹Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, "Get up, get out from among my people, you and the people of Israel. Go, worship Yahweh, as you have said you wanted to do.³²Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and also bless me."³³The Egyptians were in a great hurry to send them out of the land, for they said, "We will all die."

³⁴So the people took their dough without adding any yeast. Their kneading bowls were already tied up in their clothes and on their shoulders.³⁵Now the people of Israel did as Moses told them. They asked the Egyptians for articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.³⁶Yahweh made the Egyptians eager to please the Israelites. So the Egyptians gave them whatever they asked for. In this way, the Israelites plundered the Egyptians.

³⁷The people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. They numbered about 600,000 men on foot, in addition to the little ones.³⁸A mixed multitude also went with them, together with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock.³⁹They baked bread without yeast in the dough that they brought from Egypt. It was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and could not delay to prepare food.⁴⁰The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years.

⁴¹At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all of Yahweh's armed groups went out from the land of Egypt.⁴²This was a night to stay awake, for Yahweh to bring them out from the land of Egypt. This was Yahweh's night to be observed by all the people of Israel throughout their people's generations.

⁴³Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, "Here is the rule for the Passover: No foreigner may share in eating it.⁴⁴However, every Israelite's slave, bought with money, may eat it after you have circumcised him.

⁴⁵Foreigners and hired servants must not eat any of the food.⁴⁶The food must be eaten in one house. You must not carry any of the meat out of the house, and you must not break any bone of it.

⁴⁷All the community of Israel must observe the festival.⁴⁸If a foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to Yahweh, all his male relatives must be circumcised. Then he may come and observe it. He will become like the people who were born in the land. However, no uncircumcised person may eat any of the food.

⁴⁹This same law will apply to both the native born and to the foreigner who lives among you."

⁵⁰So all the people of Israel did exactly as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron.⁵¹It came about that very day that Yahweh brought Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armed groups.

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Set apart to me every firstborn male, the first issue of every womb among the people of Israel, whether man or animal. He is mine."

³Moses said to the people, "Call this day to mind, the day on which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by Yahweh's strong hand he brought you out from this place. No bread with yeast may be eaten.⁴You are going out of Egypt on this day, in the month of Aviv.⁵When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and the Jebusites, the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—then you must observe this act of worship in this month.

⁶For seven days you must eat bread without yeast; on the seventh day there will be a festival to honor Yahweh.⁷Bread without yeast must be eaten throughout the seven days; no bread with yeast may be seen among you. No yeast may be seen with you within any of your borders.

⁸On that day you are to say to your children, 'This is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.'⁹This will be a reminder for you on your hand, and a reminder on your forehead. This is so the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth, for with a strong hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt.¹⁰Therefore you must keep this law at its appointed time from year to year.

¹¹When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your ancestors to do, and when he gives the land to you,¹²you must set apart to Yahweh the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn offspring of your livestock that are males, will belong to Yahweh.¹³Every firstborn of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb. If you do not buy it back, then you must break its neck. But every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

¹⁴When your son asks you later, 'What does this mean?' then you are to tell him, 'It was by a strong hand that Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of slavery.¹⁵When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed every firstborn in Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animal. That is why I sacrifice to Yahweh all the first male issue of the womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.'¹⁶This will become a reminder on your hands, and a reminder on your forehead, for it was by a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt."

¹⁷When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that land was nearby. For God said, "Perhaps the people will change their minds when they experience war and will then return to Egypt."¹⁸So God led the people around through the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds. The people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt armed for battle.

¹⁹Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear and said, "God will surely rescue you, and you must carry away my bones with you."²⁰The Israelites journeyed from Sukkoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.²¹Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way. By night he went in a pillar of fire to give them light. In this way they could travel by day and by night.²²Yahweh did not take away from before the people the daytime pillar of cloud or the nighttime pillar of fire.

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Say to the people of Israel that they should turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You are to camp by the sea opposite Pi Hahiroth.³Pharaoh will say about the people of Israel, 'They are wandering confused in the land. The wilderness has closed in on them.'

⁴I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. I will get honor because of Pharaoh and all his army. The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh." So the Israelites camped as they were instructed.⁵When the king of Egypt was told that the Israelites had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his servants turned against the people. They said, "What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us."

⁶Then Pharaoh got his chariots ready and took his army with him.⁷He took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers on all of them.⁸Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and the king pursued the people of Israel. Now the people of Israel had gone away in triumph.⁹But the Egyptians pursued them, together with all his horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army. They overtook the Israelites camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

¹⁰When Pharaoh came close, the people of Israel looked up and were surprised. The Egyptians were marching after them, and they were terrified. The people of Israel cried out to Yahweh.¹¹They said to Moses, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt, that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us like this, bringing us out of Egypt?¹²Is this not what we told you in Egypt? We said to you, 'Leave us alone, so we can work for the Egyptians.' It would have been better for us to work for them than to die in the wilderness."

¹³Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the rescue that Yahweh will provide for you today. For you will never see again the Egyptians whom you see today.¹⁴Yahweh will fight for you, and you will only have to stand still."

¹⁵Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Why are you, Moses, continuing to call out to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.¹⁶Lift up your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea and divide it in two, so that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.¹⁷Be aware that I will harden the Egyptians' hearts so they will go after them. I will get honor because of Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.¹⁸Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I have gotten honor because of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

¹⁹The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from before them and went to stand behind them.²⁰The cloud came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. It was a dark cloud to the Egyptians, but it lit the night for the Israelites, so one side did not come near the other all night.

²¹Moses reached out with his hand over the sea. Yahweh drove the sea back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea into dry land. In this way the waters were divided.²²The people of Israel went into the middle of the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left.

²³The Egyptians pursued them. They went after them into the middle of the sea—all Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen.²⁴But at the morning watch, Yahweh looked down on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and cloud. He threw the Egyptians into confusion.²⁵Their chariot wheels were clogged, and the horsemen drove with difficulty. So the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from Israel, for Yahweh is fighting for them against us."

²⁶Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back onto the Egyptians, their chariots, and their horsemen."²⁷So Moses reached out with his hand over the sea, and it returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. The Egyptians fled into the sea, and Yahweh drove the Egyptians into the middle of it.²⁸The waters came back and covered Pharaoh's chariots, horsemen, and his entire army that had followed the chariots into the sea. No one survived.

²⁹However, the people of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea. The waters were a wall for them on their right hand and on their left.³⁰So Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw dead Egyptians on the seashore.³¹When Israel saw the great power that Yahweh used against the Egyptians, the people feared Yahweh, and they trusted Yahweh and his servant Moses.

¹Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to Yahweh. They sang,

"I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously;

the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.

²Yahweh is my strength and song,

and he has become my salvation.

This is my God, and I will praise him,

my father's God, and I will exalt him.

³Yahweh is a warrior;

Yahweh is his name.

⁴He has thrown Pharaoh's chariots and army into the sea.

Pharaoh's chosen officers were drowned in the Sea of Reeds.

⁵The depths covered them;

they went down into the depths like a stone.

⁶Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power;

your right hand, Yahweh, has shattered the enemy.

⁷In great majesty you overthrew those who rose up against you.

You sent out your wrath; it consumed them like stubble.

⁸By the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up;

the flowing waters stood upright in a heap;

the deep water was congealed in the heart of the sea.

⁹The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will share out the plunder;

my desire will be satisfied on them;

I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.'

¹⁰But you blew with your wind, and the sea covered them;

they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

¹¹Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods?

Who is like you, majestic in holiness,

honored in praises, doing miracles?

¹²You reached out with your right hand,

and the earth swallowed them.

¹³In your covenant loyalty you have led the people you have rescued.

In your strength you have led them to the holy place where you live.

¹⁴The peoples will hear, and they will tremble;

terror will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.

¹⁵Then the chiefs of Edom will fear;

the soldiers of Moab will shake;

all the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.

¹⁶Terror and dread will fall on them.

Because of your arm's power, they will become as still as a stone

until your people pass by, Yahweh—

until the people you have rescued pass by.

¹⁷You will bring them and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance,

the place, Yahweh, that you have made to live in,

the sanctuary, our Lord, that your hands have built.

¹⁸Yahweh will reign forever and ever."

¹⁹For Pharaoh's horses went with his chariots and horsemen into the sea. Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them. But the people of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.²⁰Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, picked up a tambourine, and all the women went out with tambourines, dancing along with her.²¹Miriam sang to them:

"Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.

The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."

²²Then Moses led Israel onward from the Sea of Reeds. They went out into the wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days into the wilderness and found no water.²³Then they came to Marah, but they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. So they named that place Marah.

²⁴So the people complained to Moses and said, "What can we drink?"²⁵Moses cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him a tree. Moses threw it into the water, and the water became sweet to drink. It was there that Yahweh gave them a strict law, and it was there that he tested them.²⁶He said, "If you carefully listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and do what is right in his eyes, and if you give ear to his commands and obey all his laws—I will put on you none of the diseases that I put on the Egyptians, for I am Yahweh who heals you."

²⁷Then the people came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They camped there by the water.

¹The people journeyed on from Elim, and all the community of people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.²The whole community of the people of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.³The people of Israel said to them, "If only we had died by Yahweh's hand in the land of Egypt when we were sitting by the pots of meat and were eating bread to the full. For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill our whole community with hunger."

⁴Then Yahweh said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people will go out and gather a day's portion every day so that I may test them to see whether or not they will walk in my law.⁵It will come about on the sixth day, that they will gather twice as much as what they gathered every day before, and they will cook what they bring in."

⁶Then Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, "In the evening you will know that it is Yahweh who has brought you out from the land of Egypt.⁷In the morning you will see Yahweh's glory, for he hears your complaining against him. Who are we for you to complain against us?"⁸Moses also said, "You will know this when Yahweh gives you meat in the evening and bread in the morning to the full—for he has heard the complaints that you speak against him. Who are Aaron and I? Your complaints are not against us; they are against Yahweh."

⁹Moses said to Aaron, "Say to all the community of the people of Israel, 'Come near before Yahweh, for he has heard your complaints.'"¹⁰It came about, as Aaron spoke to the whole community of the people of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, Yahweh's glory appeared in the cloud.¹¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹²"I have heard the complaints of the people of Israel. Speak to them and say, 'In the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God.'"

¹³It came about in the evening that quails came up and covered the camp. In the morning the dew lay round about the camp.¹⁴When the dew was gone, there on the surface of the wilderness were thin flakes like frost on the ground.¹⁵When the people of Israel saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?" They did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that Yahweh has given you to eat.

¹⁶This is the command that Yahweh has given: 'You must gather, each one of you, the amount you need to eat, an omer for each person of the number of your people. This is how you will gather it: Gather enough to eat for every person who lives in your tent.'"¹⁷The people of Israel did so. Some gathered more, some gathered less.¹⁸When they measured it with an omer measure, those who had gathered much had nothing left over, and those who had gathered little had no lack. Each person gathered enough to meet their need.

¹⁹Then Moses said to them, "No one must leave any of it until morning."²⁰However, they did not listen to Moses. Some of them left some of it until morning, but it bred worms and became foul. Then Moses became angry with them.²¹They gathered it morning by morning. Each person gathered enough to eat for that day. When the sun became hot, it melted.

²²It came about that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each person. All the leaders of the community came and told this to Moses.²³He said to them, "This is what Yahweh has said: 'Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath in Yahweh's honor. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil. All that remains over, set it aside for yourselves until morning.'"

²⁴So they set it aside until morning, as Moses had instructed. It did not become foul, nor was there any worm in it.²⁵Moses said, "Eat that food today, for today is a day reserved as a Sabbath to honor Yahweh. Today you will not find it in the fields.

²⁶You will gather it during six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath. On the Sabbath there will be no manna."²⁷It came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather manna, but they found none.

²⁸Then Yahweh said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?²⁹See, Yahweh has given you the Sabbath. So on the sixth day he is giving you bread for two days. Each of you must stay in his own place; no one must go out from his place on the seventh day."³⁰So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹The people of Israel called that food "manna." It was white like coriander seed, and its taste was like wafers made with honey.³²Moses said, "This is what Yahweh has commanded: 'Let an omer of manna be kept throughout your people's generations so that your descendants might see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, after I brought you out from the land of Egypt.'"

³³Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and put an omer of manna into it. Preserve it before Yahweh to be kept throughout the people's generations."³⁴As Yahweh commanded Moses, Aaron stored it beside the covenant decrees in the ark.³⁵The people of Israel ate manna forty years until they came to inhabited land. They ate it until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.³⁶Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.

¹The whole community of the people of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, following Yahweh's instructions. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.²So the people blamed Moses for their situation and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?"³The people were very thirsty, and they complained against Moses. They said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? To kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

⁴Then Moses cried out to Yahweh, "What should I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me."⁵Yahweh said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take with you some elders of Israel. Take with you the staff with which you struck the river, and go.⁶I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you will strike the rock. Water will come out of it for the people to drink." Then Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.⁷He named that place Massah and Meribah because the people of Israel were quarreling and because they had tested the Lord by saying, "Is Yahweh among us or not?"

⁸Then an army of the Amalek people came and attacked Israel at Rephidim.⁹So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some men and go out. Fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."¹⁰So Joshua fought Amalek as Moses had instructed, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

¹¹While Moses was holding his hands up, Israel was winning; when he let his hands rest, Amalek would begin to win.¹²When Moses' hands became heavy, Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under him for him to sit on. At the same time, Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one person on one side of him, and the other person on the other side. So Moses' hands were held steady until the sun went down.¹³So Joshua laid waste to Amalek and his people with the sword.

¹⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "Write this in a book and read it in Joshua's hearing, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under the skies."¹⁵Then Moses built an altar and he called it "Yahweh is my banner."¹⁶He said, "For a hand was lifted up to the throne of Yahweh—that Yahweh will wage war with Amalek from generation to generation."

¹Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people. He heard that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.²Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home,³and her two sons; the name of the one son was Gershom, for Moses had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land."⁴The name of the other was Eliezer, for Moses had said, "My ancestor's God was my help. He rescued me from Pharaoh's sword."

⁵Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with Moses' sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.⁶He said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."

⁷Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. They asked about each other's welfare and then went into the tent.⁸Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, about all the hardships that had come to them along the way, and how Yahweh had rescued them.

⁹Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel, in that he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.¹⁰Jethro said, "May Yahweh be praised, for he has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.¹¹Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, because when the Egyptians treated the Israelites arrogantly, God rescued his people."

¹²Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat a meal before God with Moses' father-in-law.

¹³On the next day Moses sat down to judge the people. The people stood around him from morning until evening.¹⁴When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing with the people? Why is it that you sit alone and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?"

¹⁵Moses said to his father-in-law, "The people come to me to ask for God's direction.¹⁶When they have a dispute, they come to me. I decide between one person and another, and I teach them God's statutes and laws."

¹⁷Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not very good.¹⁸You will surely wear yourselves out, you and the people who are with you. This burden is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.¹⁹Listen to me. I will give you advice, and God will be with you, because you are the people's representative to God, and you bring their disputes to him.²⁰You must teach them his statutes and laws. You must show them the way to walk and the work to do.

²¹Furthermore, you must choose capable men from all the people, men who honor God, men of truth who hate unjust gain. You must put them over people, to be leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and of tens.²²They will judge the people in all routine cases, but the difficult cases they will bring to you. As for all the small cases, they can judge those themselves. In that way it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.²³If you do this, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure, and the entire people will be able to go home in peace."

²⁴So Moses listened to his father-in-law's words and did everything that he had said.²⁵Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.²⁶They judged the people in normal circumstances. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but they themselves judged all the small cases.²⁷Then Moses let his father-in-law leave, and Jethro went back into his own land.

¹In the third month after the people of Israel had gone out from the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the wilderness of Sinai.²After they left Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai, they camped in the wilderness in front of the mountain.

³Moses went up to God. Yahweh called to him from the mountain and said, "You must tell the house of Jacob, the people of Israel:⁴You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.⁵Now then, if you obediently listen to my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.⁶You will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation for me. These are the words that you must speak to the people of Israel."

⁷So Moses came and summoned the elders of the people. He set before them all these words that Yahweh had commanded him.⁸All the people answered together and said, "We will do everything that Yahweh has said." Then Moses came to report the people's words to Yahweh.⁹Yahweh said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe you forever." Then Moses told the people's words to Yahweh.

¹⁰Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to the people. Today and tomorrow you must set them apart to me, and make them wash their garments.¹¹Be ready for the third day, for on the third day Yahweh will come down to Mount Sinai.

¹²You must set boundaries all around the mountain for the people. Say to them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death.'¹³No one's hand may touch him. Rather, he must certainly be stoned or shot. Whether an animal or a man, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they may come up to the mountain."

¹⁴Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He set apart the people to Yahweh and they washed their garments.¹⁵He said to the people, "Be ready on the third day; do not go near your wives."

¹⁶On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunder and lightning bolts and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud ram's horn. All the people in the camp trembled.¹⁷Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.¹⁸Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because Yahweh descended on it in fire and smoke. The smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.

¹⁹When the sound of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in a voice.²⁰Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and he summoned Moses to the top. So Moses went up.²¹Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people; otherwise they might break out to Yahweh to look, and many of them might perish.²²Let the priests also who come near to me set themselves apart—prepare themselves for my coming—so that I do not break out against them."

²³Moses said to Yahweh, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you commanded us: 'Set boundaries around the mountain and set it apart to Yahweh.'"²⁴Yahweh said to him, "Go down and bring up Aaron with you, but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, or he will break out against them."²⁵So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.

¹God spoke all these words:

²"I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

³You must have no other gods before me.

⁴You must not make for yourself a carved figure nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water below.⁵You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God. I punish the ancestors' wickedness by bringing punishment on the descendants, to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.⁶But I show steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷You must not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for I will not hold guiltless anyone who takes my name in vain.

⁸Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart to me.⁹You must labor and do all your work for six days.¹⁰But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God. On it you must not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates.¹¹For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and earth, the sea, and everything that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

¹²Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

¹³You must not murder anyone.

¹⁴You must not commit adultery.

¹⁵You must not steal from anyone.

¹⁶You must not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷You must not covet your neighbor's house; you must not covet your neighbor's wife, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

¹⁸All the people saw the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the ram's horn, and saw the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled and stood far off.¹⁹They said to Moses, "Speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die."²⁰Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, for God has come to test you so that the honor of him may be in you, and so that you do not sin."²¹So the people stood far off, and Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

²²Yahweh said to Moses, "This is what you must tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.²³You will not make for yourselves other gods alongside me, gods of silver or gods of gold.

²⁴You must make an earthen altar for me, and you must sacrifice on it your burnt offerings, fellowship offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.²⁵If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of cut stones, for if you use your tools on it, you will have defiled it.²⁶You must not go up to my altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed.'"

¹"Now these are the decrees that you must set before them:

²'If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve for six years, and in the seventh year he will go free without paying anything.³If he came by himself, he must go free by himself; if he is married, then his wife must go free with him.⁴If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master, and he must go free by himself.

⁵But if the servant plainly says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,"⁶then his master must bring him to God. The master must bring him to a door or doorpost, and his master must bore his ear through with an awl. Then the servant will serve him for life.

⁷If a man sells his daughter as a female servant, she must not go free as the male servants do.⁸If she does not please her master, who has selected her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to a foreign people. He has no such right, since he has treated her deceitfully.

⁹If her master selects her as a wife for his son, he must treat her the same as if she were his daughter.¹⁰If he takes another wife for himself, he must not diminish her food, clothing, or her marital rights.¹¹But if he does not provide these three things for her, then she can go free without paying any money.

¹²Whoever strikes a man so that he dies, that person must surely be put to death.¹³If the man did not lie in wait for him, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place to where he can flee.¹⁴If a man arrogantly attacks his neighbor and kills him cleverly, then you must take him, even if he is at God's altar, so that he may die.

¹⁵Whoever hits his father or mother must surely be put to death.

¹⁶Whoever kidnaps a person—whether the kidnapper sells him, or that person is found in his hand—that kidnapper must be put to death.

¹⁷Whoever curses his father or his mother must surely be put to death.

¹⁸If men fight and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist, and that person does not die, but is confined to his bed;¹⁹then if he recovers and is able to walk about using his staff, the man who struck him must pay for the loss of his time; he must also see that he is completely healed. But that man is not guilty of murder.

²⁰If a man hits his male servant or his female servant with a staff, and if the servant dies as a result of the blow, then that man must surely be punished.²¹However, if the servant lives for a day or two, there is to be no vengeance, for he will have suffered the loss of the servant.

²²If men fight together and hurt a pregnant woman so that she miscarries, but there is no other injury to her, then the guilty man must surely be forced to pay a fine as the woman's husband demands it from him, and he must pay as the judges determine.²³But if there is serious injury, then you must give a life for a life,²⁴an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,²⁵a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, or a bruise for a bruise.

²⁶If a man hits the eye of his male servant or of his female servant and destroys it, then he must let the servant go free in compensation for his eye.²⁷If he knocks out a tooth of his male servant or female servant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

²⁸If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its flesh must not be eaten; but the ox's owner must be acquitted of guilt.²⁹But if the ox had a habit of goring in the past, and its owner was warned but did not keep it in, and the ox has killed a man or a woman, that ox must be stoned, and its owner also must be put to death.³⁰If a ransom is required for his life, he must pay for the redemption of his life whatever he is required to pay.

³¹If the ox has gored a man's son or daughter, the ox's owner must do what this decree requires him to do.³²If the ox gores a male servant or a female servant, the ox's owner must pay thirty shekels of silver, and the ox must be stoned.

³³If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,³⁴the owner of the pit must repay the loss. He must give money to the dead animal's owner, and the dead animal will become his.

³⁵If one man's ox hurts another man's ox so that it dies, then they must sell the live ox and divide its price, and they must also divide the dead ox.³⁶But if it was known that the ox had a habit of goring in time past, and its owner has not kept it in, he must surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal will become his own.

¹If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, then he must pay five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.²If a thief is found breaking in, and if he is struck so that he dies, in that case no bloodguilt will attach to anyone on his account.³But if the sun has risen before he breaks in, bloodguilt will attach to the person who kills him.

A thief must make restitution. If he has nothing, then he must be sold for his theft.

⁴If the stolen animal is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox, a donkey, or a sheep, he must pay back double.

⁵If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and lets his animal loose, and it grazes in another man's field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field and from the best of his own vineyard.

⁶If a fire breaks out and spreads in thorns so that stacked grain, or standing grain, or a field is consumed, the one who started the fire must surely make restitution.

⁷If a man gives money or goods to his neighbor for safe keeping, and if it is stolen out of the man's house, if the thief is found, that thief must pay double.⁸But if the thief is not found, then the owner of the house must come before the judges to see whether he has put his own hand on his neighbor's property.⁹For every transgression, whether it is an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or any other missing thing about which one says, "This belongs to me," the claim of both parties must come before the judges. The man whom the judges find guilty must pay double to his neighbor.

¹⁰If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and if it dies or is hurt or is carried away without anyone seeing it,¹¹an oath to Yahweh must be taken by them both, as to whether or not one person has put his hand on his neighbor's property. The owner must accept this, and the other will make no restitution.¹²But if it was stolen from him, the other must make restitution to the owner for it.¹³If an animal was torn in pieces, let the other man bring the animal as evidence. He will not have to pay for what was torn.

¹⁴If a man borrows any animal from his neighbor and the animal is injured or dies without the owner being with it, the other man must surely make restitution.¹⁵But if the owner was with it, the other man will not have to pay; if the animal was hired, it will be paid for by its hiring fee.

¹⁶If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and if he lies with her, he must surely make her his wife by paying the bride wealth required for this.¹⁷If her father completely refuses to give her to him, he must pay money equal to the bride wealth of virgins.

¹⁸You must not allow a sorceress to live.

¹⁹Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.

²⁰Whoever sacrifices to any god except to Yahweh must be completely destroyed.²¹You must not wrong a foreigner or oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

²²You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.²³If you afflict them at all, and if they call out to me, I will surely hear their outcry.²⁴My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows, and your children will become fatherless.

²⁵If you lend money to any of my people among you who are poor, you must not be like a moneylender to him or charge him interest.²⁶If you take your neighbor's garment in pledge, you must return it to him before the sun goes down,²⁷for that is his only covering; it is his garment for his body. What else can he lie down in? When he calls out to me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.

²⁸You must not blaspheme me, God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

²⁹You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your winepresses. You must give to me the firstborn of your sons.³⁰You must also do the same with your oxen and your sheep. For seven days they may remain with their mothers, but on the eighth day you must give them to me.³¹You will be people that are set apart for me. So you must not eat any meat that was torn by animals in the field. Instead, you must throw it to the dogs.

¹You must not give a false report about anyone. Do not join with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.²You must not follow a crowd to do evil, and you must not bear witness in a dispute while siding with the crowd in order to pervert justice.³You must not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

⁴If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you must bring it back to him.⁵If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen to the ground under its load, you must not leave that person. You must surely help him with his donkey.

⁶Do not thrust aside justice for your poor in his lawsuit.⁷Do not join others in making false accusations, and do not kill the innocent or righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.⁸Never take a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see, and perverts honest people's words.⁹You must not oppress a foreigner, since you know the life of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

¹⁰For six years you will sow seed on your land and gather in its produce.¹¹But in the seventh year you will let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat. What they leave, the wild animals will eat. You will do the same with your vineyards and olive orchards.

¹²During six days you will do your work, but on the seventh day you must rest. Do this so that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and so that your female slave's son and any foreigner may rest and be refreshed.¹³Pay attention to everything that I have said to you. Do not mention the names of other gods, nor let their names be heard from your mouth.

¹⁴You must travel to hold a festival for me three times every year.¹⁵You are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you will eat unleavened bread for seven days. At that time, you will appear before me in the month of Aviv, which is fixed for this purpose. It was in this month that you came out from Egypt. But you must not appear before me empty-handed.

¹⁶You must observe the Festival of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors when you sowed seed in the fields. Also you must observe the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your produce from the fields.¹⁷All your males must appear before the Lord Yahweh three times every year.

¹⁸You must not offer the blood from sacrifices made to me with bread containing yeast. The fat from the sacrifices at my festivals must not remain all night until the morning.¹⁹You must bring the choicest firstfruits from your land into my house, the house of Yahweh your God. You must not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

²⁰I am going to send an angel before you to guard you on the way, and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.²¹Be attentive to him and obey him. Do not provoke him, for he will not pardon your transgressions. My name is on him.²²If you indeed obey his voice and do everything that I tell you, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

²³My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and the Jebusites. I will destroy them.²⁴You must not bow down to their gods, worship them, or do as they do, but you must completely break them down, and you must smash their stone pillars in pieces.²⁵You must worship Yahweh your God, and he will bless your bread and water. I will remove sickness from among you.

²⁶No woman will be barren or will miscarry her young in your land. I will give you long lives.²⁷I will send my terror before you, and will throw into confusion all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.²⁸I will send hornets before you that will drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you.²⁹I will not drive them out from before you in one year, or the land would become desolate, and the wild animals would become too many for you.

³⁰Instead, I will drive them out little by little from before you until you become fruitful and inherit the land.³¹I will fix your borders from the Sea of Reeds to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hands. You will drive them out before you.³²You must not make a covenant with them or with their gods.³³They must not live in your land, or they would make you sin against me. If you worship their gods, this will surely become a trap for you.'"

¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Come up to me—you, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders, and worship me at a distance.²Moses alone may come near to me. The others must not come near, nor may the people come up with him."

³Moses went and told the people all of Yahweh's words and decrees. All the people answered with one voice and said, "We will do all the words that Yahweh has said."⁴Then Moses wrote down all of Yahweh's words. Early in the morning, Moses built an altar at the foot of the mountain and arranged twelve stone pillars, so that the stones would represent the twelve tribes of Israel.

⁵He sent some young men from among the people of Israel to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen to Yahweh.⁶Moses took half of the blood and put it into basins; he sprinkled the other half onto the altar.

⁷He took the book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. They said, "We will do all that Yahweh has spoken. We will be obedient."⁸Then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it onto the people. He said, "This is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you by giving you this promise with all these words."

⁹Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders went up the mountain.¹⁰They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was a pavement made of sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself.¹¹God did not lay a hand on the leaders of the people of Israel. They saw God, and they ate and drank.

¹²Yahweh said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay there. I will give you the tablets of stone and the law and commandments that I have written, so that you may teach them."¹³So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua and went up the mountain of God.

¹⁴Moses had said to the elders, "Stay here and wait for us until we come to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. If anyone has a dispute, let him go to them."¹⁵So Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered it.

¹⁶Yahweh's glory settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moses from within the cloud.¹⁷The appearance of Yahweh's glory was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the people of Israel.¹⁸Moses entered the cloud and went up the mountain. He was up the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses,²"Tell the people of Israel to take an offering for me from every person who is motivated by a willing heart. You must receive these offerings for me.

³These are the offerings that you must receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze;⁴blue, purple, and scarlet material; fine linen; goats' hair;⁵ram skins dyed red and fine leather hides; acacia wood;⁶oil for the sanctuary lamps; spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense;⁷onyx stones and other precious stones to be set for the ephod and breastpiece.

⁸Let them make me a sanctuary so that I may live among them.⁹You must make it exactly as I will show you in the plans for the tabernacle and for all its equipment.

¹⁰They are to make an ark of acacia wood. Its length must be two and a half cubits; its width will be one cubit and a half; and its height will be one cubit and a half.¹¹You must cover it inside and out with pure gold, and you must make on it a border of gold around its top.

¹²You must cast four rings of gold for it, and put them on the ark's four feet, with two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side.¹³You must make poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold.¹⁴You must put the poles into the rings on the ark's sides, in order to carry the ark.

¹⁵The poles must remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be taken from it.¹⁶You must put into the ark the covenant decrees that I will give you.¹⁷You must make an atonement lid of pure gold. Its length must be two and a half cubits, and its width must be a cubit and a half.¹⁸You must make two cherubim of hammered gold for the two ends of the atonement lid.

¹⁹Make one cherub for one end of the atonement lid, and the other cherub for the other end. They must be made as one piece with the atonement lid.²⁰The cherubim must spread out their wings upward and overshadow the atonement lid with them. The cherubim must face one another and look toward the center of the atonement lid.²¹You must put the atonement lid on top of the ark, and you must put into the ark the covenant decrees that I am giving you.

²²It is at the ark that I will meet with you. I will speak with you from my position above the atonement lid. It will be from between the two cherubim over the ark of the covenant decrees that I will speak to you about all the commands I will give you for the people of Israel.

²³You must make a table of acacia wood. Its length must be two cubits; its width must be one cubit, and its height must be a cubit and a half.²⁴You must cover it with pure gold and put a border of gold around the top.

²⁵You must make a surrounding frame for it one handbreadth wide, with a surrounding border of gold for the frame.²⁶You must make for it four rings of gold and attach the rings to the four corners, where the four feet were.²⁷The rings must be attached to the frame to provide places for the poles, in order to carry the table.

²⁸You must make the poles out of acacia wood and cover them with gold so that the table may be carried with them.²⁹You must make the dishes, spoons, pitchers, and bowls to be used to pour out drink offerings. You must make them of pure gold.³⁰You must regularly set the bread of the presence on the table before me.

³¹You must make a lampstand of pure hammered gold. The lampstand is to be made with its base and shaft. Its cups, its leafy bases, and its flowers are to be all made of one piece with it.³²Six branches must extend out from its sides—three branches must extend from one side, and three branches of the lampstand must extend from the other side.

³³The first branch must have three cups made like almond blossoms, with a leafy base and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, with a leafy base and a flower. It must be the same for all six branches extending out from the lampstand.³⁴On the lampstand itself, the central shaft, there must be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their leafy bases and the flowers.

³⁵There must be a leafy base under the first pair of branches—made as one piece with it, and a leafy base under the second pair of branches—also made as one piece with it. In the same way there must be a leafy base under the third pair of branches, made as one piece with it. It must be the same for all six branches extending out from the lampstand.³⁶Their leafy bases and branches must all be one piece with it, one beaten piece of work of pure gold.

³⁷You must make the lampstand and its seven lamps, and set up its lamps for them to give light from it.³⁸The tongs and their trays must be made of pure gold.³⁹Use one talent of pure gold to make the lampstand and its accessories.⁴⁰Be sure to make them after the pattern that you are being shown on the mountain.

¹You must make the tabernacle with ten curtains made from fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet wool with the designs of cherubim. This will be the work of a very skilled craftsman.²The length of each curtain must be twenty-eight cubits, the width four cubits. All the curtains must be of the same size.³Five curtains must be joined to each other, and the other five curtains must also be joined to each other.

⁴You must make loops of blue along the outer edge of the end curtain of one set. In the same way, you must do the same along the outer edge of the end curtain in the second set.⁵You must make fifty loops on the first curtain, and you must make fifty loops on the end curtain in the second set. Do this so that the loops will be opposite to each other.⁶You must make fifty clasps of gold and join the curtains together with them so that the tabernacle becomes united.

⁷You must make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. You must make eleven of these curtains.⁸The length of each curtain must be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain must be four cubits. Each of the eleven curtains must be of the same size.⁹You must join five curtains to each other and the other six curtains to each other. You must double over the sixth curtain in the front of the tent.

¹⁰You must make fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain of the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain that joins the second set.¹¹You must make fifty bronze clasps and put them into the loops. Then you join the tent together so that it may be one piece.

¹²The leftover half curtain, that is, the overhanging part remaining from the tent's curtains, must hang at the back of the tabernacle.¹³There must be one cubit of curtain on one side, and one cubit of curtain on the other side—that which is left over of the length of the tent's curtains must hang over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other side, to cover it.¹⁴You must make for the tabernacle a covering of ram skins dyed red, and another covering of fine leather to go above that.

¹⁵You must make upright frames out of acacia wood for the tabernacle.¹⁶The length of each frame must be ten cubits, and its width must be one and a half cubits.¹⁷There must be two wooden pegs in each frame for joining the frames to each other. You are to make all the tabernacle's frames in this way.¹⁸When you make the frames for the tabernacle, you must make twenty frames for the south side.

¹⁹You must make forty silver bases to go under the twenty frames. There must be two bases under the first frame to be its two pedestals, and also two bases under each of the other frames for their two pedestals.²⁰For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, you must make twenty frames²¹and their forty silver bases. There must be two bases under the first frame, two bases under the next frame, and so on.

²²For the back side of the tabernacle on the west side, you must make six frames.²³You must make two frames for the back corners of the tabernacle.²⁴These frames must be separate at the bottom, but joined at the top to the same ring. It must be this way for both of the back corners.²⁵There must be eight frames, together with their silver bases. There must be sixteen bases in all, two bases under the first frame, two bases under the next frame, and so on.

²⁶You must make crossbars of acacia wood—five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle,²⁷five crossbars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the frames for the back side of the tabernacle to the west.²⁸The crossbar in the center of the frames, that is, halfway up, must reach from end to end.

²⁹You must cover the frames with gold. You must make their rings of gold, for them to serve as holders for the crossbars, and you must cover the bars with gold.³⁰You must set up the tabernacle by following the plan you were shown on the mountain.

³¹You must make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine linen, with designs of cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.³²You must hang it on four pillars of acacia wood covered with gold. These pillars must have hooks of gold set on four silver bases.³³You must hang up the curtain under the clasps, and you must bring in the ark of the covenant decrees. The curtain is to separate the holy place from the most holy place.

³⁴You must put the atonement lid on the ark of the covenant decrees, which is in the most holy place.³⁵You must place the table outside the curtain. You must place the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle. The table must be on the north side.

³⁶You must make a screen for the tent entrance. You must make it out of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer.³⁷For the screen you must make five pillars of acacia and cover them with gold. Their hooks must be of gold, and you must cast five bronze bases for them.

¹You must make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide. The altar must be square and three cubits high.²You must make extensions of its four corners shaped like ox horns. The horns will be made as one piece with the altar, and you must cover them with bronze.

³You must make equipment for the altar: pots for ashes, and also shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans. You must make all these utensils with bronze.⁴You must make a grate for the altar, a network of bronze. Make a bronze ring for each of the grate's four corners.

⁵You must put the grate under the ledge of the altar, halfway down to the bottom.⁶You must make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and you must cover them with bronze.

⁷The poles must be put into the rings, and the poles must be on the two sides of the altar, to carry it.⁸You must make the altar hollow, out of planks. You must make it in the way you were shown on the mountain.

⁹You must make a courtyard for the tabernacle. There must be hangings on the south side of the courtyard, hangings of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long.¹⁰The hangings must have twenty posts, with twenty bronze bases. There must also be hooks attached to the posts, as well as silver rods.

¹¹In the same way, along the north side, there must be hangings one hundred cubits long with twenty posts, twenty bronze bases, hooks attached to the posts, and silver rods.¹²Along the courtyard on the west side there must be a curtain fifty cubits long. There must be ten posts and ten bases.¹³The courtyard must also be fifty cubits long on the east side.

¹⁴The hangings for one side of the entrance must be fifteen cubits long. They must have three posts with three bases.¹⁵The other side must also have hangings fifteen cubits long. They must have their three posts and three bases.¹⁶The courtyard gate must be a screen twenty cubits long. The curtain must be made of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. It must have four posts with four bases.

¹⁷All the courtyard posts must have silver rods, silver hooks, and bronze bases.¹⁸The length of the courtyard must be one hundred cubits, the width fifty cubits, and the height five cubits with fine twined linen hangings all along, and bases of bronze.¹⁹All the equipment to be used in the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and courtyard must be made of bronze.

²⁰You must command the people of Israel to bring olive oil, pure and pressed, for the lamps so they may burn continually.²¹In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the tabernacle that contains the ark of the covenant decrees, Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning before Yahweh, from evening to morning. This requirement will be a lasting statute throughout the generations of the people of Israel.

¹Call to yourself Aaron your brother and his sons—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar—from among the people of Israel so that they may serve me as priests.²You must make for Aaron, your brother, garments that are set apart to me. These garments will be for his honor and splendor.³You must speak to all people who are wise in heart, those whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, so that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him to serve me as my priest.

⁴The garments that they must make are a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of woven work, a turban, and a sash. They must make these garments that are set apart to me. They will be for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve me as priests.⁵Craftsmen must use fine linen that is gold, blue, purple, and scarlet.

⁶They must make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine-twined linen. It must be the work of a skillful craftsman.⁷It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two upper corners.⁸Its finely-woven waistband must be like the ephod; it must be made of one piece with the ephod, made of fine twined linen that is gold, blue, purple, and scarlet.⁹You must take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel.

¹⁰Six of their names must be on one stone, and six names must be on the other stone, in order of the sons' birth.¹¹With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engraving on a signet, you must engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You must mount the stones in settings of gold.¹²You must put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, to be stones to remind Yahweh of Israel's sons. Aaron will carry their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders as a reminder to him.

¹³You must make settings of gold¹⁴and two braided chains of pure gold like cords, and you must attach the chains to the settings.

¹⁵You must make a breastpiece for decision making, the work of a skillful workman, fashioned like the ephod. Make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine linen.¹⁶It is to be square. You must fold the breastpiece double. It must be one span long and one span wide.

¹⁷You must place in it four rows of precious stones. The first row must have a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet.¹⁸The second row must have an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.¹⁹The third row must have a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst.²⁰The fourth row must have a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper. They must be mounted in gold settings.

²¹The stones must be arranged by the names of the sons of Israel. They must be like the engraving on a signet ring, each name standing for one of the twelve tribes.²²You must make on the breastpiece chains like cords, braided work of pure gold.²³You must make two rings of gold for the breastpiece and must attach them to the two ends of the breastpiece.²⁴You must attach the two golden chains to the two corners of the breastpiece.

²⁵You must attach the other ends of the two braided chains to the two settings. Then you must attach those to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at its front.²⁶You must make two rings of gold, and you must put them on the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the edge next to the inner border of the ephod.

²⁷You must make two more gold rings, and you must attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the front of the ephod, close to its seam above the finely-woven waistband of the ephod.²⁸They must tie the breastpiece by its rings to the ephod's rings with a blue cord, so that it might be attached just above the ephod's woven waistband. This is so that the breastpiece might not become unattached from the ephod.

²⁹When Aaron goes into the holy place, he must carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart in the breastpiece for decision making, as a continuing memorial before Yahweh.³⁰You are to put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece for decision making, so they may be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before Yahweh. Thus Aaron will always carry the means for making decisions for the people of Israel over his heart before Yahweh.

³¹You will make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue fabric.³²It must have an opening for the head in the middle. The opening must have a woven edge round about so that it does not tear. This must be the work of a weaver.

³³On the bottom hem, you must make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn all around. Gold bells must be between them all around.³⁴There must be a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate—and so on—all around the hem of the robe.³⁵The robe is to be on Aaron when he serves, so that its sound can be heard when he goes into the holy place before Yahweh and when he leaves. This is so that he does not die.

³⁶You must make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving on a signet, "Holy to Yahweh."³⁷You must attach this plate by a blue cord to the front of the turban.³⁸It must be on Aaron's forehead; he must always bear any guilt that might attach to the offering of the holy gifts that the people of Israel set apart to Yahweh. The turban must be always on his forehead so that Yahweh may accept their gifts.

³⁹You must make the coat with fine linen, and you must make a turban of fine linen. You must also make a sash, the work of an embroiderer.

⁴⁰For Aaron's sons you must make tunics, sashes, and headbands for their honor and splendor.⁴¹You must clothe Aaron your brother, and his sons with him. You must anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them to me, so that they may serve me as priests.

⁴²You must make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh, that will cover them from the waist to the thighs.⁴³Aaron and his sons must wear these garments when they enter the tent of meeting or when they approach the altar to serve in the holy place. They must do this so they would not be guilty or else they would die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants after him.

¹Now this is what you must do to set them apart to me so that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull from the herd and two rams without blemish,²bread without yeast, and cakes without yeast mixed with oil. Also take wafers without yeast rubbed with oil. Make the wafers using fine wheat flour.

³You must put them into a single basket, bring them in the basket, and present them with the bull and the two rams.⁴You must present Aaron and his sons at the entrance to the tent of meeting. You must wash Aaron and his sons in water.

⁵You must take the garments and clothe Aaron with the coat, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastpiece, fastening the finely-woven waistband of the ephod around him.⁶You must set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban.⁷Then take the anointing oil and pour it on his head, and in this way anoint him.

⁸You must bring his sons and put tunics on them.⁹You must clothe Aaron and his sons with sashes and put headbands on them. The work of the priesthood will belong to them by permanent law. In this way you must consecrate Aaron and his sons for them to serve me.

¹⁰You must all bring the bull before the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on its head.¹¹You must kill the bull before Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

¹²You must take some of the bull's blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and you must pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.¹³You must take all the fat that covers the inner parts, and also take the covering of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them; burn it all on the altar.¹⁴But as for the bull's flesh, as well as its skin and dung, you must burn it up outside the camp. It will be a sin offering.

¹⁵You must also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on its head.¹⁶You must kill the ram, then take its blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar.¹⁷You must cut the ram into pieces and wash its inner parts and its legs, and you must put the inner parts, together with its pieces and with its head,¹⁸on the altar. Then burn the whole ram. It will be a burnt offering to Yahweh, a sweet aroma, an offering made to Yahweh by fire.

¹⁹You must then take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on its head.²⁰Then you must kill the ram and take some of its blood. Put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear, and on the tip of his sons' right ears, on the thumb of their right hands, and on the great toe of their right feet. Then you must sprinkle the blood against the altar on every side.

²¹You must take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it all on Aaron and on his garments, and also on his sons and on their garments. Aaron will then be set apart for me, as well as his garments, his sons and his sons' garments with him.

²²You must take the ram's fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the inner parts, the covering of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh—for this ram is for the priests' consecration to me.²³Take one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of bread without yeast that is before Yahweh.

²⁴You must put these in Aaron's hands and in the hands of his sons and wave them before me for a wave offering before Yahweh.²⁵You must then take the food from their hands and burn it on the altar with the burnt offering. It will produce a sweet aroma for me; it will be an offering made to me by fire.

²⁶You must take the breast of Aaron's ram of dedication and wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh, and it will be your share.²⁷You must set apart to me the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh that is the contribution for the priests—both the breast that was waved and the thigh that was contributed for Aaron and his sons—from the ram of consecration.²⁸This will be a perpetual share for Aaron and his sons. It will be a contribution from the people of Israel to give to Yahweh from their peace offerings.

²⁹The holy garments of Aaron must also be reserved for his descendants after him. They are to be anointed in them and ordained to me in them.³⁰The priest who succeeds him from among his sons, who comes into the tent of meeting to serve me in the holy place, is to wear those garments for seven days.

³¹You must take the ram of consecration and boil its meat in a holy place.³²Aaron and his sons must eat the ram's meat and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance to the tent of meeting.³³They must eat the meat and bread that were given to atone for them and to ordain them to be set apart to me. No one else may eat that food; they must treat it as holy.³⁴If any of the meat of the ordination offering, or any of the bread, remains to the next morning, then you must burn it. It must not be eaten because it has been set apart to me.

³⁵In this way, by following all that I have commanded you to do, you must treat Aaron and his sons. For seven days you must prepare them.³⁶Every day you must offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. You must purify the altar by making atonement for it, and you must anoint it in order to set it apart to me.³⁷For seven days you must make atonement for the altar and set it apart to Yahweh. Then the altar will be completely set apart to me. Whatever touches the altar will be set apart to Yahweh.

³⁸You must regularly offer on the altar every day two lambs a year old.³⁹One lamb you must offer in the morning, and the other lamb you must offer about sundown.

⁴⁰With the first lamb, offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and the fourth part of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

⁴¹You must offer the second lamb about sunset. You must offer the same grain offering as in the morning, and the same drink offering. These will produce a sweet aroma for me; it will be an offering made to me by fire.⁴²These must be regular burnt offerings throughout your generations, at the entrance to the tent of meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you to speak to you there.

⁴³That is where I will meet with the people of Israel; the tent will be set apart for me by my glory.⁴⁴I will set apart the tent of meeting and the altar for these to belong to me alone. I will also set apart Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.

⁴⁵I will live among the people of Israel and will be their God.⁴⁶They will know that I am Yahweh, their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt so that I might live among them. I am Yahweh, their God.

¹You must make an altar as a place for burning incense. You must make it with acacia wood.²Its length must be one cubit, and its width one cubit. It must be square, and its height must be two cubits. Its horns must be made as one piece with it.

³You must cover the incense altar with pure gold—its top, its sides, and its horns. You must make a surrounding border of gold for it.⁴You must make two golden rings to be attached to it under its border on its two opposite sides. The rings must be holders for poles to carry the altar.

⁵You must make the poles of acacia wood, and you must cover them with gold.⁶You must put the incense altar before the curtain that is by the ark of the covenant decrees. It will be before the atonement lid that is over the ark of the covenant decrees, where I will meet with you.

⁷Aaron must burn fragrant incense every morning. He must burn it when he tends the lamps,⁸and Aaron lights the lamps again in the evening so incense will burn on it regularly before Yahweh, throughout your generations.⁹But you must offer no other incense on the incense altar, nor any burnt offering or grain offering. You must pour no drink offering on it.

¹⁰Aaron must make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering he will make atonement for it once a year throughout your generations. It is completely set apart to Yahweh."

¹¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹²"When you take a census of the people of Israel, then each person must give a ransom for his life to Yahweh. You must do this after you count them, so that there will be no plague among them when you count them.¹³Everyone who is counted in the census is to pay half a shekel of silver, according to the weight of the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is the same as twenty gerahs). This half shekel will be an offering to Yahweh.¹⁴Everyone who is counted, from twenty years old and up, must give this offering to me.

¹⁵When the people give this offering to me to make atonement for their lives, the rich must not give more than the half shekel, and the poor must not give less.¹⁶You must receive this atonement money from the people of Israel and you must allocate it to the work of the tent of meeting. It must be a reminder to the people of Israel before me, to make atonement for your lives."

¹⁷Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹⁸"You must also make a large bronze basin with a bronze stand, a basin for washing. You must put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you must put water in it.

¹⁹Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet with the water in it.²⁰When they go into the tent of meeting or when they go near to the altar to serve me by burning an offering, they must wash with water so that they do not die.²¹They must wash their hands and feet so that they do not die. This must be a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants throughout their people's generations."

²²Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²³"Take these fine spices: five hundred shekels of flowing myrrh, 250 shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 250 shekels of sweet-smelling cane,²⁴five hundred shekels of cassia, measured by the weight of the shekel of the sanctuary, and one hin of olive oil.²⁵You must make holy anointing oil with these ingredients, the work of a perfumer. It will be a holy anointing oil, reserved for me.

²⁶You must anoint the tent of meeting with this oil, as well as the ark of the covenant decrees,²⁷the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its equipment, the incense altar,²⁸the altar for burnt offerings with all its equipment, and the basin with its stand.

²⁹You must set them apart to me so that they may be holy to me. Anything that touches them will also be holy.³⁰You must anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so that they may serve me as priests.³¹You must say to the people of Israel, 'This must be an anointing oil that is set apart to Yahweh throughout your people's generations.

³²It must not be applied to people's skin, nor must you make any oil like it with the same formula, because it is set apart to Yahweh. You must regard it in this manner.³³Whoever makes perfume like it, or whoever puts any of it on someone, that person must be cut off from his people.'"

³⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "Take spices—stacte, onycha, and galbanum—sweet spices along with pure frankincense, each in equal amounts.³⁵Make it into the form of incense, blended by a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and set apart.³⁶You will beat it to powder. Put part of it in front of the ark of the covenant decrees, which is in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. You will regard it as very holy to me.

³⁷As for this incense that you will make, you must not make any with the same formula for yourselves. It must be most holy to you.³⁸Whoever makes anything like it to use as a perfume must be cut off from his people."

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²"See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah.

³I have filled Bezalel with my Spirit, to give him wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, for all kinds of craftsmanship,⁴to make artistic designs and to work in gold, silver, and bronze;⁵also to cut and set stones and to carve wood—to do all kinds of craftsmanship.

⁶In addition to him, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, from the tribe of Dan. I have put skill into the hearts of all who are wise so that they may make all that I have commanded you. This includes⁷the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant decrees, the atonement lid on the ark, and all the furniture of the tent—⁸the table and its utensils, the pure lampstand with all its equipment, the incense altar,⁹the altar for burnt offerings with all its equipment, and the large basin with its base.

¹⁰This also includes the finely-woven garments—the holy garments for Aaron the priest and those of his sons, reserved for me so that they may serve as priests.¹¹This also includes the anointing oil and the sweet incense for the holy place. These craftsmen must make all these things just as I have commanded you."

¹²Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,¹³"Tell the people of Israel: 'You must certainly keep Yahweh's Sabbath days, for these will be a sign between him and you throughout your people's generations so that you may know that he is Yahweh, who sets you apart for himself.¹⁴So you must keep the Sabbath, for it must be treated by you as holy, reserved for him. Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death. Whoever works on the Sabbath, that person must surely be cut off from his people.¹⁵Work will be done for six days, but the seventh day is to be a Sabbath of complete rest, holy before Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.

¹⁶Therefore the people of Israel must keep the Sabbath. They must observe it throughout their people's generations as a lasting covenant.¹⁷The Sabbath will always be a sign between Yahweh and the people of Israel, for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'"

¹⁸When God had finished talking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him two tablets of covenant decrees, made of stone, written on by his own hand.

¹When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us an idol that will go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him."²So Aaron said to them, "Take off the golden rings that are on your wives' ears, and the ears of your sons and daughters, and bring them to me."

³All the people took off the golden rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.⁴He received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and he made a cast metal figure in the shape of a calf. Then they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."

⁵When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before the calf and made a proclamation; he said, "Tomorrow will be a festival in Yahweh's honor."⁶The people arose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought fellowship offerings. Then they sat down to eat and to drink, and then got up to play.

⁷Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go quickly, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.⁸They have quickly left the way that I commanded them. They have made a cast metal image in the shape of a calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it. They have said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'"

⁹Then Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen this people. Look, they are a stiff-necked people.¹⁰Now then, do not try to stop me. My anger will burn hot against them, so I will destroy them. Then I will make a great nation from you."¹¹But Moses tried to calm down Yahweh his God. He said, "Yahweh, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

¹²Why should the Egyptians say, 'He led them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth?' Turn from your burning anger and relent from this punishment on your people.¹³Call to mind Abraham and Isaac and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self and said to them, 'I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the heavens, and I will give to your descendants all this land of which I have spoken. They will inherit it forever.'"¹⁴Then Yahweh relented from the punishment that he had said he would inflict on his people.

¹⁵Then Moses turned around and went down the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the covenant decrees in his hand. The tablets were written on both their sides, on both the front and the back.¹⁶The tablets were God's own work, and the writing was God's own writing, engraved on the tablets.

¹⁷When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of combat in the camp."¹⁸But Moses said,

"It is not the sound of a shout of victory,

and it is not the sound of a cry of defeat,

but the sound of singing that I hear."

¹⁹When Moses approached the camp, he saw the calf and the people dancing. He became very angry. He threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the bottom of the mountain.²⁰He took the calf that the people had made, burned it, ground it to powder, and poured it into the water. Then he made the people of Israel drink it.

²¹Then Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such a great sin on them?"²²Aaron said, "Do not let your anger burn hot, my master. You know these people, how they are set on doing evil.²³They said to me, 'Make us a god who will go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'²⁴So I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let him take it off.' They gave me the gold and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."

²⁵Moses saw that the people were running wild (for Aaron had let them get out of control, causing their enemies to mock them).²⁶Then Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is on Yahweh's side, come to me." All the Levites gathered around him.²⁷He said to them, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: 'Let each man fasten his sword on his side and go back and forth from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and kill his brother, his companion, and his neighbor.'"

²⁸The Levites did what Moses ordered. That day about three thousand of the people died.²⁹Moses said to the Levites, "You have been placed into Yahweh's service today, for each of you has taken action against his son and his brother, so Yahweh might give you a blessing today."

³⁰The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a very great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."³¹Moses returned to Yahweh and said, "Alas! These people have committed a great sin and made themselves an idol of gold.³²But now, please forgive their sin; but if you do not, blot me out of the book that you have written."

³³Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, that person I will blot out of my book.³⁴So now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. See, my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish them, I will punish them for their sin."³⁵Yahweh sent a plague on the people because they had made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt. Go to the land about which I made an oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.'²I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.³Go to that land, which is flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up with you, because you are a stiff-necked people. I might destroy you on the way."

⁴When the people heard these troubling words, they mourned, and no one put on any jewelry.⁵Yahweh had said to Moses, "Say to the people of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I went among you for even one moment, I would destroy you. So now, take off your jewelry so that I may decide what to do with you.'"⁶So the people of Israel wore no jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

⁷Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, some distance from the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who asked Yahweh for anything went out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp.⁸When Moses would go out to the tent, all the people would stand up at their tent entrances and look at Moses until he had gone inside.⁹Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the tent entrance, and Yahweh would speak with Moses.

¹⁰Whenever all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the entrance to the tent, they would get up and worship, every man at his own tent entrance.¹¹Yahweh would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, would stay in the tent.

¹²Moses said to Yahweh, "See, you have been saying to me, 'Take this people on their journey,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my eyes.'¹³Now if I have found favor in your eyes, show me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor in your eyes. Remember that this nation is your people."

¹⁴Yahweh answered, "My own presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."¹⁵Moses said to him, "If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here.¹⁶For otherwise, how will it be known that I have found favor in your eyes, I and your people? Will it not only be if you go with us that I and your people will be distinct from all the other peoples that are on the surface of the earth?"

¹⁷Yahweh said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have requested, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name."¹⁸Moses said, "Please show me your glory."

¹⁹Yahweh said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name 'Yahweh' before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."²⁰But Yahweh said, "You must not see my face, for no one can see me and live."

²¹Yahweh said, "See, here is a place by me; you will stand on this rock.²²While my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.²³Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen."

¹Yahweh said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the first tablets. I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets, the tablets that you broke.²Be ready by morning and come up Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the mountain top.

³No one is to come up with you. Do not let anyone else be seen anywhere on the mountain. No flocks or herds are even to graze in front of the mountain."⁴So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and he got up early in the morning and went up Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had instructed him. Moses carried the tablets of stone in his hand.

⁵Yahweh came down in the cloud and stood with Moses there, and he pronounced the name "Yahweh."⁶Yahweh passed by before him and proclaimed, "Yahweh, Yahweh, the merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,⁷keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquities, transgressions, and sins. But he will by no means clear the guilty. He will bring the punishment for the fathers' sin on their children and on their children's children, as far as the third and fourth generations."

⁸Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshiped.⁹Then he said, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord, please go among us, for this people is stiff-necked. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as your inheritance."

¹⁰Yahweh said, "See, I am about to make a covenant. Before all your people, I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth nor in any nation. All the people among you will see my deeds, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you.¹¹Obey what I command you today. I am about to drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

¹²Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, or they will become a trap among you.¹³Rather, you must break down their altars, smash their stone pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles.¹⁴For you must worship no other god, for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

¹⁵So be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for they prostitute themselves to their gods, and they sacrifice to their gods. Then one of them will invite you and you will eat some of his sacrifice,¹⁶and then you will even take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods, and they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods.¹⁷Do not make for yourselves gods of molten metal.

¹⁸You must keep the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you must eat bread without yeast for seven days at the fixed time in the month of Aviv, for it was in the month of Aviv you came out from Egypt.

¹⁹The first issue of every womb is mine, even every male firstborn of your livestock, whether from herd or flock.²⁰You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb, but if you do not buy it back, then you must break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one may appear before me empty-handed.

²¹You may work for six days, but on the seventh day you must rest. Even at plowing time and in harvest, you must rest.²²You must observe the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and you must observe the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year.

²³Three times a year all your men must appear before Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.²⁴For I will drive out nations before you and expand your borders. No one will desire to have your land as their own when you go up to appear before Yahweh your God three times in a year.

²⁵You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with any yeast, nor may any meat from the sacrifice at the Festival of the Passover be left over to the morning.²⁶You must bring the best of the firstfruits from your soil to my house. You must not boil a young goat in its mother's milk."

²⁷Yahweh said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."²⁸Moses was there with Yahweh for forty days and nights; he did not eat any food nor drink any water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

²⁹When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant decrees in his hand, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while speaking with God.³⁰When Aaron and the people of Israel saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.³¹But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the community came up to him. Then Moses spoke with them.

³²After this, all the people of Israel came up to Moses, and he told them all the commands that Yahweh had given him on Mount Sinai.³³When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

³⁴Whenever Moses went before Yahweh to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. When he came out, he would tell the people of Israel what he was commanded to say.³⁵When the people of Israel saw Moses' face shining, he would put the veil over his face again until he went back in to speak with Yahweh.

¹Moses assembled all the community of the people of Israel and said to them, "These are the things that Yahweh has commanded you to do.²On six days work may be done, but for you, the seventh day must be a holy day, a Sabbath day of complete rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.³You must not light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day."

⁴Moses spoke to all the community of the people of Israel, saying, "This is the thing that Yahweh commanded.⁵Take an offering for Yahweh, all of you who have a willing heart. Bring an offering to Yahweh—gold, silver, bronze,⁶blue, purple, and scarlet wool and fine linen; goats' hair;⁷ram skins dyed red and fine leather hides; acacia wood;⁸oil for the sanctuary lamps, spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense,⁹onyx stones and other precious stones to be set for the ephod and breastpiece.

¹⁰Every skilled man among you is to come and make everything that Yahweh has commanded—¹¹the tabernacle with its tent, its covering, its clasps, frames, bars, posts, and bases;¹²also the ark with its poles, the atonement lid, and the screen to conceal it.

¹³They brought the table with its poles, all its utensils, and the bread of the presence;¹⁴the lampstand for the lights, with its accessories, its lamps, and the oil for the lamps;¹⁵the incense altar with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the screen for the tabernacle entrance;¹⁶the altar for burnt offerings with its bronze grate and its poles and utensils; and the large basin with its base.

¹⁷They brought the hangings for the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the screen for the courtyard entrance;¹⁸and the tent pegs for the tabernacle and courtyard, together with their ropes.¹⁹They brought the finely-woven garments for serving in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and his sons, for them to serve as priests."

²⁰Then the entire congregation of the people of Israel left and went away from Moses' presence.²¹Everyone whose heart stirred him up and whom his spirit made willing came and brought a contribution to Yahweh for the construction of the tabernacle, for all the items of service in it, and for the holy garments.²²They came, both men and women, all who had a willing heart. They brought brooches, earrings, rings, and ornaments, all kinds of gold jewelry. They all presented offerings of gold as a wave offering to Yahweh.

²³Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet wool, fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather skins brought them.²⁴Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to Yahweh, and everyone who had acacia wood for any use in the work brought it.

²⁵Every skilled woman spun wool with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple, or scarlet wool, or fine linen.²⁶All the women whose hearts stirred them up and who had skill spun goats' hair.

²⁷The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be set into the ephod and the breastpiece;²⁸they brought spices and oil for the lamps, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.²⁹The people of Israel brought a freewill offering to Yahweh; every man and woman whose heart was willing brought materials for all the work that Yahweh had commanded through Moses to be made.

³⁰Moses said to the people of Israel, "See, Yahweh has called by name on Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah.³¹He has filled Bezalel with his Spirit, to give him wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, for all kinds of craftsmanship,³²to make artistic designs and to work in gold, silver, and bronze;³³also to cut and set stones and to carve wood—to do all kinds of design and craftsmanship.

³⁴He has put it in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, from the tribe of Dan.³⁵He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work, to work as craftsmen, as engravers, as embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet wool and fine linen, and as weavers. They are craftsmen in all sorts of work, and they are artistic designers.

¹So Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom Yahweh has given skill and ability to know how to do any work in the construction of the holy place are to do the work according to all that Yahweh has commanded."

²Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skillful person in whose mind Yahweh had given skill, and whose heart stirred within him to come and do the work.³They received from Moses all the offerings that the people of Israel had brought for constructing the holy place. The people were still bringing freewill offerings every morning to Moses.⁴So all the skilled people working on the holy place came from the work that they had been doing.

⁵The craftsmen told Moses, "The people are bringing much more than enough for doing the work that Yahweh has commanded us to do."⁶So Moses instructed that no one in the camp should bring any more offerings for the construction of the holy place. Then the people stopped bringing these gifts.⁷They had more than enough materials for all the work.

⁸So all the craftsmen among them constructed the tabernacle with ten curtains made from fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet wool with the designs of cherubim. This was the work of Bezalel, the very skilled craftsman.⁹The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, the width four cubits. All the curtains were of the same size.¹⁰Bezalel joined five curtains to each other, and the other five curtains he also joined to each other.

¹¹He made loops of blue along the outer edge of the end curtain of one set, and he did the same along the outer edge of the end curtain in the second set.¹²He made fifty loops on the first curtain and fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain in the second set. So the loops were opposite to each another.¹³He made fifty gold clasps and joined the curtains together with them so that the tabernacle became united.

¹⁴Bezalel made curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven of these curtains.¹⁵The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain was four cubits. Each of the eleven curtains was of the same size.¹⁶He joined five curtains to each other and the other six curtains to each other.¹⁷He made fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain of the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain that joined the second set.

¹⁸Bezalel made fifty bronze clasps to join the tent together so that it might be one piece.¹⁹He made for the tabernacle a covering of ram skins dyed red, another covering of fine leather to go above that.

²⁰Bezalel made vertical frames out of acacia wood for the tabernacle.²¹The length of each frame was ten cubits, and the width of each frame was one and a half cubits.²²Each frame had two wooden pegs for joining the frames together. He did this for all the frames of the tabernacle.²³He made the frames for the tabernacle in this way: twenty frames for the south side.

²⁴Bezalel made forty silver bases to go under the twenty frames. There were two bases under one frame to join the frames together, and also two bases under each of the other frames to join frames together.²⁵For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames²⁶and their forty silver bases. There were two bases under the first frame, two bases under the next frame, and so on.

²⁷For the back of the tabernacle on the west, Bezalel made six frames.²⁸He made two frames for the back corners of the tabernacle.

²⁹These frames were separate at the bottom, but joined at the top in one ring. He made two of them in this way for the two corners.³⁰There were eight frames, together with their silver bases. There were sixteen bases in all, two bases under the first frame, two bases under the next frame, and so on.

³¹Bezalel made crossbars of acacia wood—five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle,³²five crossbars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the frames for the back side of the tabernacle to the west.³³He made the crossbar in the center of the frames, that is, halfway up, to reach from end to end.³⁴He covered the frames with gold. He made their rings of gold, for them to serve as holders for the crossbars, and he covered the bars with gold.

³⁵Bezalel made the curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine linen, with designs of cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.³⁶He made for the curtain four pillars of acacia wood, and he covered them with gold. He also made gold hooks for the pillars, and he cast for them four silver bases.

³⁷He made a screen for the tent entrance. It was made of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, using fine linen, the work of an embroiderer.³⁸He also made the hanging's five pillars with hooks. He covered their tops and their rods with gold. Their five bases were made of bronze.

¹Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, its width was one cubit and a half, and its height was one cubit and a half.²He covered it inside and out with pure gold and made for it a border of gold around its top.³He cast four rings of gold for its four feet, with two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side.

⁴He made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.⁵He put the poles into the rings on the ark's sides, in order to carry the ark.⁶He made an atonement lid of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width was one and a half cubits.

⁷Bezalel made two cherubim of hammered gold for the two ends of the atonement lid.⁸One cherub was for one end of the atonement lid, and other cherub was for the other end. They were made as one piece with the atonement lid.⁹The cherubim spread out their wings upward and overshadowed the atonement lid with them. The cherubim faced one another and looked toward the center of the atonement lid.

¹⁰Bezalel made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, its width was one cubit, and its height was one and a half cubits.¹¹He covered it with pure gold and put a border of pure gold around the top.¹²He made a surrounding frame for it one handbreadth wide, with a surrounding border of gold for the frame.¹³He cast for it four rings of gold and attached the rings to the four corners, where the four feet were.

¹⁴The rings were attached to the frame to provide places for the poles, in order to carry the table.¹⁵He made the poles out of acacia wood and covered them with gold, in order to carry the table.¹⁶He made the objects that would be on the table—the dishes, spoons, the bowls, and pitchers to be used to pour out the offerings. He made them out of pure gold.

¹⁷He made the lampstand of pure hammered gold. He made the lampstand with its base and shaft. Its cups, its leafy bases, and its flowers were all made of one piece with it.¹⁸Six branches extended out from its sides—three branches extended from one side, and three branches of the lampstand extended from the other side.¹⁹The first branch had three cups made like almond blossoms, with a leafy base and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, with a leafy base and a flower. It was the same for all six branches extending out from the lampstand.

²⁰On the lampstand itself, the central shaft, there were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their leafy bases and the flowers.²¹There was a leafy base under the first pair of branches—made as one piece with it, and a leafy base under the second pair of branches—also made as one piece with it. In the same way there was a leafy base under the third pair of branches, made as one piece with it. It was the same for all six branches extending out from the lampstand.²²Their leafy bases and branches were all one piece with it, one beaten piece of work of pure gold.

²³Bezalel made the lampstand and its seven lamps, its tongs and their trays of pure gold.²⁴He made the lampstand and its accessories with one talent of pure gold.

²⁵Bezalel made the incense altar. He made it with acacia wood. Its length was one cubit, and its width one cubit. It was square, and its height was two cubits. Its horns were made as one piece with it.²⁶He covered the incense altar with pure gold—its top, its sides, and its horns. He also made a surrounding border of gold for it.

²⁷He made two golden rings to be attached to it under its border on its two opposite sides. The rings were holders for poles to carry the altar.²⁸He made the poles of acacia wood, and he covered them with gold.²⁹He made the holy anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.

¹Bezalel made the altar for burnt offerings of acacia wood. It was five cubits long and five cubits wide—a square—and three cubits high.²He made extensions of its four corners shaped like ox horns. The horns were made of one piece with the altar, and he covered it with bronze.³He made all the equipment for the altar—pots for ashes, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans. He made all this equipment with bronze.

⁴He made a grate for the altar, a network of bronze to be placed under the ledge, halfway down to the bottom.⁵He cast four rings for the four corners of the bronze grate, as holders for the poles.

⁶Bezalel made poles of acacia wood and covered them with bronze.⁷He put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar, to carry it. He made the altar hollow, out of planks.

⁸Bezalel made the large bronze basin with a bronze stand. He made the basin out of mirrors belonging to the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

⁹He also made the courtyard. The hangings on the south side of the courtyard were of fine linen, one hundred cubits long.¹⁰The hangings had twenty posts, with twenty bronze bases. There were hooks attached to the posts, as well as silver rods.

¹¹In the same way, along the north side, there were hangings one hundred cubits long with twenty posts, twenty bronze bases, hooks attached to the posts, and silver rods.¹²The hangings of the west side were fifty cubits long, with ten posts and bases. The hooks and rods of the posts were silver.

¹³The courtyard was also fifty cubits long on the east side.¹⁴The hangings for one side of the entrance were fifteen cubits long. They had three posts with three bases.¹⁵On the other side of the entrance of the courtyard were also hangings fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases.¹⁶All the hangings around the courtyard were made of fine linen.

¹⁷The bases for the posts were made of bronze. The hooks and rods for the posts were made of silver, and the covering for the tops of the posts was also made of silver. All the courtyard posts had silver bands on them.¹⁸The screen at the courtyard gate was twenty cubits long. It was made of blue, purple, and scarlet linen, fine twined linen, and was twenty cubits long. It was twenty cubits in length and five cubits in height, like the courtyard curtains.¹⁹Their four pillars and bases were of bronze, and the hooks were of silver. The covering for their tops and its rods were made of silver.²⁰All the tent pegs for the tabernacle and courtyard were made of bronze.

²¹This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant decrees, as it was taken following Moses' instructions. It was the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.²²Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah, made everything that Yahweh had commanded Moses.²³Oholiab son of Ahisamak, from the tribe of Dan, worked with Bezalel as an engraver, as a skillful workman, and as an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and in fine linen.

²⁴All the gold that was used for the project, in all the work connected with the holy place—the gold from the wave offering—was twenty-nine talents and 730 shekels, measured by the standard of the sanctuary shekel.²⁵The silver given by the community weighed one hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel,²⁶or one beka per person, which is half a shekel, measured by the sanctuary shekel. This figure was reached on the basis of every person who was counted in the census, those twenty years old and older—603,550 men in all.

²⁷One hundred talents of silver were cast for the bases of the holy place and the bases of the curtain—one hundred bases, one talent for each base.²⁸With the remaining 1,775 shekels of silver, Bezalel made the hooks for the posts, covered the tops of the posts, and made the bands for them.²⁹The bronze from the wave offering weighed seventy talents and 2,400 shekels.

³⁰With this he made the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar, its bronze grate, all the equipment for the altar,³¹the bases for the courtyard, the bases for the courtyard entrance, all the tent pegs for the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs for the courtyard.

¹With the blue, purple, and scarlet wool, they made finely-woven garments for service in the holy place. They made Aaron's garments for the holy place, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

²Bezalel made the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine twined linen.³They hammered gold sheets and cut them into wires, to work them into the blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and into the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman.

⁴They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, attached at its two upper corners.⁵Its finely-woven waistband was like the ephod; it was made of one piece with the ephod, made of fine twined linen that was gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

⁶They crafted the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, set with engravings as on a signet with the names of the sons of Israel.⁷Bezalel put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

⁸He made the breastpiece, the work of a skillful workman, fashioned like the ephod. He made it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine linen.⁹It was square. They folded the breastpiece double. It was one span long and one span wide.

¹⁰They set in it four rows of precious stones. The first row had a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet.¹¹The second row had an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.¹²The third row had a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst.¹³The fourth row had a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. The stones were mounted in gold settings.

¹⁴There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a signet with the name of one of the twelve tribes.¹⁵On the breastpiece they made chains like cords, braided work of pure gold.¹⁶They made two settings of gold and two gold rings, and they attached the two rings to the two corners of the breastpiece.

¹⁷They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the corners of the breastpiece.¹⁸They attached the other two ends of the braided chains to the two settings. They attached them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at its front.

¹⁹They made two rings of gold and put them on the two other corners of the breastpiece, on the edge next to the inner border of the ephod.²⁰They made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the front of the ephod, close to its seam above the finely-woven waistband of the ephod.

²¹They tied the breastpiece by its rings to the ephod's rings with a blue cord, so that it might be attached just above the ephod's finely-woven waistband. This was so that the breastpiece might not become unattached from the ephod. This was done as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

²²Bezalel made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue fabric, the work of a weaver.²³The robe had an opening for the head in the middle. The opening had a woven edge round about so that it did not tear.²⁴On the bottom hem of the robe, they made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and of fine linen.

²⁵They made bells of pure gold, and they put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the bottom edge the robe, between the pomegranates—²⁶a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate—on the edge of the robe for Aaron to serve in. This was as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

²⁷They made the tunics of fine linen for Aaron and for his sons.²⁸They made the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands of fine linen, the linen undergarments of fine linen,²⁹and the sash of fine linen and of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the work of an embroiderer. This was as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

³⁰They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold; they engraved on it, like the engraving on a signet, "Holy to Yahweh."³¹They attached to the turban a blue cord to the top of the turban. This was as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

³²So the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished. The people of Israel did everything. They followed all the instructions that Yahweh had given to Moses.³³They brought the tabernacle to Moses—the tent and all its equipment, its clasps, frames, bars, posts, and bases;³⁴the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the screen to conceal³⁵the ark of the covenant decrees, as well as the poles and the atonement lid.

³⁶They brought the table, all its utensils, and the bread of the presence;³⁷the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps in a row, with its accessories and the oil for the lamps;³⁸the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the screen for the tabernacle entrance;³⁹the bronze altar with its bronze grate and its poles and utensil and the large basin with its base.

⁴⁰They brought the hangings for the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the screen for the courtyard entrance; its ropes and tent pegs; and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.⁴¹They brought the fine woven garments for serving in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and his sons, for them to serve as priests.

⁴²Thus the people of Israel did all the work as Yahweh had commanded Moses.⁴³Moses examined all the work, and, behold, they had done it. As Yahweh had commanded, in that way they did it. Then Moses blessed them.

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"On the first day of the first month of the new year you must set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.

³You must place the ark of the covenant decrees in it, and you must shield the ark with the curtain.⁴You must bring in the table and set in order the things that belong on it. Then you must bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps.

⁵You must put the golden incense altar before the ark of the covenant decrees, and you must put the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle.⁶You must put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.⁷You must put the large basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and you must put water in it.

⁸You must set up the courtyard around it, and you must hang up the screen at the courtyard entrance.⁹You must take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything that is in it. You must set it apart and all its furnishings to me; then it will be holy.¹⁰You must anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils. You must set apart the altar to me and it will become very holy to me.¹¹You must anoint the bronze basin and its base and set it apart to me.

¹²You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and you must wash them with water.¹³You are to clothe Aaron with the garments that are set apart to me, anoint him and set him apart so that he may serve as my priest.

¹⁴You are to bring his sons and clothe them with tunics.¹⁵You must anoint them as you anointed their father so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will make for them a permanent priesthood throughout their people's generations."¹⁶This is what Moses did; he followed all that Yahweh had commanded him. He did all these things.

¹⁷So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.¹⁸Moses set up the tabernacle, put its bases in place, set up its frames, attached its bars, and set up its pillars and posts.¹⁹He spread the covering over the tabernacle and put the tent over it, as Yahweh had commanded him.²⁰He took the covenant decrees and put them into the ark. He also placed the poles on the ark and put the atonement lid on it.

²¹He brought the ark into the tabernacle. He set up the curtain for the screen to shield the ark of the covenant decrees, as Yahweh had commanded him.²²He put the table into the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain.²³He placed the bread in order on the table before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded him.

²⁴He put the lampstand into the tent of meeting, across from the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.²⁵He lit the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded him.

²⁶He put the golden incense altar into the tent of meeting in front of the curtain.²⁷He burned fragrant incense on it, as Yahweh had commanded him.

²⁸He hung the screen at the tabernacle entrance.²⁹He put the altar for the burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. He offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as Yahweh had commanded him.³⁰He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and he put water in it for washing.

³¹Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet from the basin³²whenever they would go into the tent of meeting and whenever they would go up to the altar. They washed themselves, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.³³Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar. He set up the screen at the courtyard entrance. In this way, Moses finished the work.

³⁴Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and Yahweh's glory filled the tabernacle.³⁵Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and because Yahweh's glory filled the tabernacle.

³⁶Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey.³⁷But if the cloud did not rise up from the tabernacle, then the people would not travel. They would stay until the day that it was lifted up.³⁸For Yahweh's cloud was over the tabernacle by day, and his fire was over it by night, in plain view of all the people of Israel throughout their journey.

Leviticus

¹Yahweh called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,²"Speak to the people of Israel and tell them, 'When any man from among you brings an offering to Yahweh, bring as your offering an animal, either from the herd or from the flock.

³If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he must offer a male without blemish. He is to offer it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, so that it may be accepted before Yahweh.⁴He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and then it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for himself.

⁵Then he must kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron's sons, the priests, will present the blood and sprinkle it on the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.⁶Then he must skin the burnt offering and cut it to pieces.

⁷Then the sons of Aaron the priest will put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.⁸Then Aaron's sons, the priests, are to place the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire that is on the altar.⁹But its inner parts and its legs he must wash with water. Then the priest will burn everything on the altar as a burnt offering. It will produce a sweet aroma for me; it will be an offering made to me by fire.

¹⁰If his offering for the burnt offering is from the flock, one of the sheep or one of the goats, he must offer a male without blemish.¹¹He must kill it on the north side of the altar before Yahweh. Aaron's sons, the priests, will sprinkle its blood on every side of the altar.

¹²He is to cut it into pieces with its head and its fat, and the priest must place the pieces on the wood that is on the fire that is on the altar,¹³but the inner parts and the legs he must wash with water. Then the priest will offer the whole, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, and it will produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh; it will be an offering made to him by fire.

¹⁴If his offering to Yahweh is to be a burnt offering of birds, then he must bring as his offering either a dove or a young pigeon.¹⁵The priest must bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar. Then its blood must be drained out on the side of the altar.

¹⁶He must remove its crop with its contents, and throw it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for the ashes.¹⁷He must tear it open by its wings, but he must not divide it into two parts. Then the priest will burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It will be a burnt offering, and it will produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh; it will be an offering made to him by fire.

¹When anyone brings a grain offering to Yahweh, his offering must be fine flour, and he will pour oil on it and put incense on it.²He is to take the offering to Aaron's sons the priests, and there the priest will take out a handful of the fine flour with the oil and the incense on it. Then the priest will burn the offering on the altar as a representative offering. It will produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh; it will be an offering made to him by fire.³Whatever is left of the grain offering will belong to Aaron and his sons. It is very holy to Yahweh from the offerings to Yahweh made by fire.

⁴When you offer a grain offering without yeast that is baked in an oven, it must be soft bread of fine flour mixed with oil, or hard bread without yeast, which is spread with oil.⁵If your grain offering is baked with a flat iron pan, it must be of fine flour without yeast that is mixed with oil.

⁶You are to divide it into pieces and pour oil on it. This is a grain offering.⁷If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it must be made with fine flour and oil.

⁸You must bring the grain offering made from these things to Yahweh, and it will be presented to the priest, who will bring it to the altar.⁹Then the priest will take some from the grain offering as a representative offering, and he will burn it on the altar. It will be an offering made by fire, and it will produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh.¹⁰What is left of the grain offering will belong to Aaron and his sons. It is very holy to Yahweh from the offerings to Yahweh made by fire.

¹¹No grain offering that you offer to Yahweh is to be made with yeast, for you must burn no leaven, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.¹²You will offer them to Yahweh as an offering of firstfruits, but they will not be used to produce a sweet aroma on the altar.¹³You must season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must never allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be missing from your grain offering. With all your offerings you must offer salt.

¹⁴If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to Yahweh, offer fresh grain that is roasted with fire and then crushed into meal.¹⁵Then you must put oil and incense on it. This is a grain offering.¹⁶Then the priest will burn part of the crushed grain and oil and incense as a representative offering. This is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

¹If someone offers a sacrifice which is a fellowship offering of an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must offer an animal without blemish before Yahweh.²He will lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron's sons the priests will sprinkle its blood on the sides of the altar.

³The man will offer the sacrifice of a fellowship offering by fire to Yahweh. The fat that covers or is connected to the inner parts,⁴and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the loins, and the lobe of the liver, with the kidneys—he will remove all of this.⁵Aaron's sons will burn that on the altar with the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire. This will produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh; it will be an offering made to him by fire.

⁶If the man's sacrifice of a fellowship offering to Yahweh is from the flock; male or female, he must offer a sacrifice without blemish.⁷If he offers a lamb for his sacrifice, then he must offer it before Yahweh.⁸He will lay his hand on the head of his sacrifice and kill it before the tent of meeting. Then Aaron's sons will sprinkle its blood on the sides of the altar.

⁹The man will offer the sacrifice of fellowship offerings as an offering made by fire to Yahweh. The fat, the entire fat tail cut away close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the inner parts and all the fat that is near the inner parts,¹⁰and the two kidneys and the fat that is with them, which is by the loins, and the lobe of the liver, with the kidneys—he will remove all of this.¹¹Then the priest will burn it all on the altar as a burnt offering of food to Yahweh.

¹²If the man's offering is a goat, then he will offer it before Yahweh.¹³He must lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it before the tent of meeting. Then the sons of Aaron will sprinkle its blood on the sides of the altar.¹⁴The man will offer his sacrifice made by fire to Yahweh. He will remove the fat that covers the inner parts, and all the fat near the inner parts.

¹⁵He will also remove the two kidneys and the fat that is with them, which is by the loins, and the lobe of the liver with the kidneys.¹⁶The priest will burn all that on the altar as a burnt offering of food, to produce a sweet aroma. All the fat belongs to Yahweh.¹⁷It will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations in every place you make your home, that you must not eat fat or blood.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Tell the people of Israel, 'When anyone sins without wanting to sin, doing any of the things that Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and if he does something that is prohibited, the following must be done.

³If it is the anointed priest who sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has committed a young bull without blemish to Yahweh as a sin offering.

⁴He must bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before Yahweh, lay his hand on its head, and kill the bull before Yahweh.⁵The anointed priest will take some of the blood of the bull and take it to the tent of meeting.

⁶The priest will dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before Yahweh, before the curtain of the most holy place.⁷Then the priest will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before Yahweh, which is in the tent of meeting, and he will pour out all the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar for burnt offerings, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

⁸He will cut away all the fat of the bull of the sin offering; the fat that covers the inner parts, all the fat that is attached to the inner parts,⁹the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the lobe of the liver, with the kidneys—he will cut away all this.¹⁰He will cut it all away, just as he cuts it off from the bull of the sacrifice of peace offerings. Then the priest will burn these parts on the altar for burnt offerings.

¹¹The skin of the bull and any remaining meat, with its head and with its legs and its inner parts and its dung,¹²all the rest of the parts of the bull—he will carry all these parts outside the camp to a place that they have cleansed for me, where they pour out the ashes; they will burn those parts there on wood. They must burn those parts where they pour out the ashes.

¹³If the whole assembly of Israel sins without wanting to sin, and the assembly is unaware that they have sinned and done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and if they are guilty,¹⁴then, when the sin they have committed becomes known, then the assembly must offer a young bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting.¹⁵The elders of the assembly will lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh, and the bull will be killed before Yahweh.

¹⁶The anointed priest will bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting,¹⁷and the priest will dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the curtain.

¹⁸He will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before Yahweh, which is in the tent of meeting, and he will pour out all the blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.¹⁹He will cut off all the fat from it and burn it on the altar.

²⁰That is what he must do with the bull. Just as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so will he also do with this bull, and the priest will make atonement for the people, and they will be forgiven.²¹He will carry the bull outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the assembly.

²²When a ruler sins without intending to sin, doing any one of all the things that Yahweh his God has commanded not to be done, and he is guilty,²³then his sin which he has committed is made known to him, he must bring for his sacrifice a goat, a male without blemish.

²⁴He will lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before Yahweh. This is a sin offering.²⁵The priest will take the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings, and he will pour out its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.

²⁶He will burn all the fat on the altar, just like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest will make atonement for the ruler concerning his sin, and the ruler will be forgiven.

²⁷If anyone of the common people sins without intending to sin, doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded him not to be done, and when he realizes his guilt,²⁸then his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he will bring a goat for his sacrifice, a female without blemish, for the sin that he has committed.

²⁹He will lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering at the place of burnt offering.³⁰The priest will take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.

³¹He will cut away all the fat, just as the fat is cut away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest will burn it on the altar to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. The priest will make atonement for the man, and he will be forgiven.

³²If the man brings a lamb as his sacrifice for a sin offering, he will bring a female without blemish.³³He will lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill it for a sin offering at the place where they kill the burnt offering.

³⁴The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings, and he will pour out all its blood at the base of the altar.³⁵He will cut away all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is cut away from the sacrifice of peace offerings, and the priest will burn it on the altar on top of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. The priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and the man will be forgiven.

¹The person who is a witness or has seen or knows about some matter—if he hears the curse but sins by not testifying, he will bear the guilt of his iniquity.²Or if anyone touches anything God has designated as unclean, whether it be the carcass of an unclean wild animal or the carcass of any unclean livestock or unclean creatures that move along the ground, even though he was not aware of what he had done, he has become unclean and is guilty.

³Or if he touches the uncleanness of someone, whatever that uncleanness is, and if he is unaware of it, then he will be guilty when he learns about it.⁴Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatever it is that a man swears rashly with an oath, even if he is unaware of it, when he learns about it, then he will be guilty, in any of these things.

⁵When someone is guilty in any of these things, he must confess whatever sin he has committed.⁶Then he must bring his guilt offering to Yahweh for the sin that he has committed, a female animal from the flock, either a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering, and the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.

⁷If he cannot afford to buy a lamb, then he can bring as his guilt offering for his sin two doves or two young pigeons to Yahweh, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.⁸He must bring them to the priest, who will offer one for the sin offering first—he will wring off its head from its neck but will not remove it completely from the body.⁹Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, and he will drain the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar. This is a sin offering.

¹⁰Then he must offer the second bird as a burnt offering, as described in the instructions, and the priest will make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed, and the person will be forgiven.

¹¹But if he cannot afford to buy two doves or two young pigeons, then he must bring as his sacrifice for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He must not put oil or any incense on it, for it is a sin offering.

¹²He must bring it to the priest, and the priest will take a handful of it as a representative offering and then burn it on the altar, on top of the offerings made by fire for Yahweh. This is a sin offering.¹³The priest will make atonement for any sin that the person has committed, and that person will be forgiven. The leftovers from the offering will belong to the priest, as with the grain offering.'"

¹⁴Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹⁵"If anyone sins and acts unfaithfully in regard to the things that belong to Yahweh, but did so unintentionally, then he must bring his guilt offering to Yahweh. This offering must be a ram without blemish from the flock; its value must be appraised in silver shekels—the shekel of the sanctuary—as a guilt offering.¹⁶He must satisfy Yahweh for what he had done wrong in connection with what is holy, and he must add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. Then the priest will make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and that person will be forgiven.

¹⁷If anyone sins and does anything that Yahweh has commanded not to be done, even if he was unaware of it, he is still guilty and must carry his own guilt.¹⁸He must bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, worth the current value, as a guilt offering to the priest. Then the priest will make atonement for him concerning the sin he has committed, of which he was unaware, and he will be forgiven.¹⁹It is a guilt offering, and he is certainly guilty before Yahweh."

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"If anyone sins and acts unfaithfully against Yahweh by deceiving his neighbor regarding something held in trust, or was left in his care, or about something that was stolen, or if he has oppressed his neighbor,³or he has found something that his neighbor lost and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or in any matters like these by which people sin,⁴and if he has sinned and is found to be guilty, he must restore whatever he took by robbery or oppression, or that which was entrusted to him, or that which was lost but that he had found.

⁵In addition, in any matter in which he swore falsely, he must restore it in full and he must add one-fifth of the value of it and pay it all to the owner on the day that he is found guilty.⁶Then he must bring his guilt offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish from the flock that is worth the current value, as a guilt offering to the priest.⁷The priest will make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he has become guilty of doing."

⁸Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,⁹"Command Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering must be on the hearth of the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar will be kept burning.

¹⁰The priest will put on his linen clothes, and he will also put on his linen underclothes. He will pick up the ashes that are left after the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he will put the ashes beside the altar.¹¹He will take off his garments and put on other garments to carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is clean.

¹²The fire on the altar will be kept burning. It must not go out, and the priest will burn wood on it every morning. He will arrange the burnt offering as required on it, and he will burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.¹³Fire must be kept burning on the altar continually. It must not go out.

¹⁴This is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron will offer it before Yahweh before the altar.¹⁵The priest will take up a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering and of the oil and the incense which is on the grain offering, and he will burn it on the altar to produce a sweet aroma as a representative offering.

¹⁶Aaron and his sons will eat whatever is left of the offering. It must be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They will eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.¹⁷It must not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their part of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as the sin offering and the guilt offering.¹⁸Every male among the descendants of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed forever throughout your generations, taken from the fire offerings made to Yahweh. Whoever touches them will become holy.'"

¹⁹So Yahweh spoke to Moses again, saying,²⁰"This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they will offer to Yahweh on the day when each son is anointed: a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening.

²¹It will be made with oil in a baking pan. When it is soaked, you will bring it in. In baked pieces you will offer the grain offering to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh.²²The anointed priest from among his sons will offer it. As commanded forever, it must be burned up completely to Yahweh.²³Every grain offering of the priest will be completely burned up. It must not be eaten."

²⁴Yahweh spoke to Moses again, saying,²⁵"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the sin offering: The sin offering must be killed at the place where the burnt offering is killed before Yahweh. It is most holy.²⁶The priest who offers it for sin will eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.

²⁷Whatever touches its meat will become holy, and if the blood is sprinkled on any garment, you must wash it, the part that was sprinkled on, in a holy place.²⁸But the clay pot in which it is boiled must be broken. If it is boiled in a bronze pot, it must be scrubbed and rinsed clean in water.

²⁹Any male among the priests may eat some of it because it is most holy.³⁰But any sin offering whose blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place must not be eaten. It must be burned with fire.

¹This is the law of the guilt offering. It is most holy.²They must kill the guilt offering in the place for killing it, and they must sprinkle its blood against every side of the altar.³All the fat in it will be offered: the fat tail, the fat that is over the inner parts,⁴the two kidneys and the fat on them, which is next to the loins, and what covers the liver, with the kidneys—all this must be removed.

⁵The priest must burn these parts on the altar as an offering made with fire to Yahweh. This is the guilt offering.⁶Every male among the priests may eat part of this offering. It must be eaten in a holy place because it is most holy.

⁷The sin offering is like the guilt offering. The same law applies to both of them. They belong to the priest who makes atonement with them.⁸The priest who offers anyone's burnt offering may have for himself the hide of that offering.

⁹Every grain offering that is baked in an oven, and every such offering that is cooked in a frying pan or in a baking pan will belong to the priest who offers it.¹⁰Every grain offering, either dry or mixed with oil, will belong equally to all the descendants of Aaron.

¹¹This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which people will offer to Yahweh.¹²If anyone offers it in order to give thanks, then he must offer it with a sacrifice of cakes made without yeast, but mixed with oil, of cakes made without yeast, but spread with oil, and of cakes made with fine flour that is mixed with oil.

¹³Also for the purpose of giving thanks, he must offer with the sacrifice of his peace offering cakes of bread made with yeast.¹⁴He is to offer one of each kind of these sacrifices as a contribution presented to Yahweh. It will belong to the priests who sprinkle the blood of the peace offerings onto the altar.

¹⁵The person presenting a peace offering for the purpose of giving thanks must eat the meat of his offering on the day of the sacrifice. He must not leave any of it until the next morning.¹⁶But if the sacrifice of his offering is for the purpose of a vow, or for the purpose of a freewill offering, the meat must be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, but whatever remains of it may be eaten on the next day.

¹⁷However, whatever meat of the sacrifice remains on the third day must be burned.¹⁸If any of the meat of the sacrifice of one's peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted, neither will it be credited to the one who offered it. It will be a disgusting thing, and the person who eats it will carry the guilt of his sin.

¹⁹Any meat that touches an unclean thing must not be eaten. It must be burned with fire. As for the rest of the meat, anyone who is clean may eat it.²⁰However, an unclean person who eats any meat from the sacrifice of a peace offering that belongs to Yahweh—that person must be cut off from his people.

²¹If anyone touches any unclean thing—whether uncleanness of man or of unclean animal or of some unclean, detestable thing—and if he then eats some of the meat of a sacrifice of peace offering that belongs to Yahweh, that person must be cut off from his people.'"

²²Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²³"Speak to the people of Israel and say, 'You must eat no fat of cattle, sheep, or goats.²⁴The fat of an animal that died without being a sacrifice, or the fat of an animal torn by wild animals, may be used for other purposes, but you must certainly not eat it.

²⁵Whoever eats the fat of an animal that men can offer as a sacrifice by fire to Yahweh, that person must be cut off from his people.²⁶You must eat no blood whatsoever in any of your houses, whether it is from a bird or an animal.²⁷Whoever eats any blood, that person must be cut off from his people.'"

²⁸So Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²⁹"Speak to the people of Israel and say, 'He who offers the sacrifice of a peace offering to Yahweh must bring part of his sacrifice to Yahweh.³⁰The offering for Yahweh to be made by fire, his own hands must bring it. He must bring the fat with the breast, so that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before Yahweh.

³¹The priest must burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his descendants.³²You must give the right thigh to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifice of your peace offerings.

³³The priest, one of Aaron's descendants, who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat—he will have the right thigh as his share of the offering.³⁴For I have taken from the people of Israel, the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh that is the contribution from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and they have been given to Aaron the priest and his sons as their regular share.

³⁵This is what has been consecrated for Aaron and his descendants from the offerings for Yahweh made by fire, on the day when Moses presented them to serve Yahweh in the work of priest.³⁶This is the share that Yahweh commanded to be given them from the people of Israel, on the day that he anointed the priests. It will always be their share throughout all generations.

³⁷This is the law of the burnt offering, of the grain offering, of the sin offering, of the guilt offering, of the consecration offering, and of the sacrifice of peace offerings,³⁸about which Yahweh gave commands to Moses on Mount Sinai on the day that he commanded the people of Israel to offer their sacrifices to Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Take Aaron and his sons with him, the garments and the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread.³Assemble all the assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting."

⁴So Moses did as Yahweh commanded him, and the assembly came together at the entrance to the tent of meeting.⁵Then Moses said to the assembly, "This is what Yahweh has commanded to be done."

⁶Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.⁷He put the tunic on Aaron and tied the sash around his waist, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him, and then he tied the ephod around him with the finely-woven waistband and bound it to him.

⁸He placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim.⁹He set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

¹⁰Moses took the anointing oil, anointed the tabernacle and everything in it and set them apart to Yahweh.¹¹He sprinkled the oil on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the washbasin and its base, to set them apart to Yahweh.

¹²He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to set him apart.¹³Moses brought Aaron's sons and clothed them with tunics. He tied sashes around their waists and wrapped linen cloth around their heads, as Yahweh had commanded him.

¹⁴Moses brought the bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull that they had brought for the sin offering.¹⁵Moses killed it, and he took the blood and put it on the horns of the altar with his finger, purified the altar, poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and set it apart for God in order to make atonement for it.

¹⁶He took all the fat that was on the inner parts, the covering of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses burned it all on the altar.¹⁷But Moses burned the bull, its hide, its meat, and its dung outside the camp, as Yahweh had commanded him.

¹⁸Moses presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.¹⁹He killed it and sprinkled its blood against every side of the altar.

²⁰He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head and the pieces and the fat.²¹He washed the inner parts and the legs with water, and he burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering and produced a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

²²Then Moses presented the other ram, the ram of consecration, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.²³Aaron killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.²⁴He brought Aaron's sons, and he put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot. Then Moses sprinkled its blood against every side of the altar.

²⁵He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat that was on the inner parts, the covering of the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh.²⁶Out of the basket of bread without yeast that was before Yahweh, he took one loaf without yeast, and one loaf of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh.²⁷He put it all in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and waved them before Yahweh as a wave offering.

²⁸Then Moses took them from off their hands and burned them on the altar for the burnt offering. They were a consecration offering and produced a sweet aroma. It was an offering made by fire to Yahweh.²⁹Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering to Yahweh. It was Moses' share of the ram for the priests' ordination, as Yahweh had commanded him.

³⁰Moses took some of the anointing oil and the blood that was on the altar; he sprinkled these on Aaron, on his clothes, on his sons, and on his sons' clothes with him. In this way he set apart Aaron and his clothes, and his sons and their clothes to Yahweh.

³¹So Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, "Boil the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons will eat it.'³²Whatever remains of the meat and of the bread you must burn.³³You must not go out from the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are fulfilled. For Yahweh will consecrate you for seven days.

³⁴What has been done this day—Yahweh has commanded to be done to make atonement for you.³⁵You will stay day and night for seven days at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and keep the command of Yahweh, so you will not die, because this is what I have been commanded."³⁶So Aaron and his sons did all the things which Yahweh had commanded them through Moses.

¹On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.²He said to Aaron, "Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram without blemish for a burnt offering, and offer them before Yahweh.

³You must speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering and a calf and a lamb, both a year old and without blemish, for a burnt offering;⁴also take an ox and a ram for peace offerings to sacrifice before Yahweh, and a grain offering mixed with oil, because today Yahweh will appear to you.'"⁵So they brought all that Moses commanded to the tent of meeting, and all the assembly of Israel approached and stood before Yahweh.

⁶Then Moses said, "This is what Yahweh commanded you to do, so that his glory may appear to you."⁷Moses said to Aaron, "Come near the altar and offer your sin offering and burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and offer the sacrifice for the people to make atonement for them, as Yahweh has commanded."

⁸So Aaron went near the altar and killed the calf for the sin offering, which was for himself.⁹The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger into it and put it on the horns of the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar.

¹⁰However, he burned the fat, the kidneys, and the covering of the liver on the altar as a sin offering, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.¹¹The meat and the hide he burned outside the camp.

¹²Aaron killed the burnt offering, and his sons gave him the blood, which he splashed against every side of the altar.¹³Then they gave him the burnt offering, piece by piece, together with the head, and he burned them on the altar.¹⁴He washed the inner parts and the legs and burned them on top of the burnt offering on the altar.

¹⁵Aaron presented the people's sacrifice—a goat, then took it as the sacrifice for their sin and killed it; he sacrificed it for sin, as he had done with the first goat.¹⁶He presented the burnt offering and offered it as Yahweh had commanded.¹⁷He presented the grain offering; he filled his hand with it and burned it on the altar, along with the morning's burnt offering.

¹⁸He killed also the ox and the ram, the sacrifice for the peace offering, which was for the people. Aaron's sons gave him the blood, which he sprinkled against every side of the altar.¹⁹However, they cut out the fat of the bull and the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the inner parts, the kidneys, and the covering of the liver.

²⁰They took the parts that were cut out and put these on the breasts, and then Aaron burned the fat on the altar.²¹Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses had commanded.

²²Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them; then he came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering.²³Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, then came out again and blessed the people, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people.²⁴Fire came out from Yahweh and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw this, they shouted and lay facedown.

¹Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, each took his censer, put fire in it, and then incense. Then they offered unapproved fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them to offer.²So fire came out from before Yahweh and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.

³Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what Yahweh was talking about when he said,

'I will reveal my holiness to those who come near me.

I will be glorified before all the people.'"

Aaron did not say anything.

⁴Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come here and carry your brothers out of the camp from before the tabernacle."

⁵So they came near and carried them, still wearing their priestly tunics, out of the camp, as Moses had instructed.

⁶Then Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, "Do not let your hair on your heads hang loosely, and do not tear your clothes, so that you may not die, and so that Yahweh may not be angry with all the assembly. But allow your relatives, the entire house of Israel, to mourn for those whom the fire of Yahweh has set ablaze.⁷You must not go out from the entrance of the tent of meeting, or you will die, for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you." So they acted according to Moses' instructions.

⁸Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying,⁹"Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, or your sons who remain with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, so you will not die. This will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations,¹⁰to distinguish between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean,¹¹so that you may teach the people of Israel all the statutes that Yahweh has commanded through Moses."

¹²Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his remaining sons, "Take the grain offering that remains from the offerings to Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar, for it is most holy.¹³You must eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons' share of the offerings to Yahweh made by fire, for this is what I have been commanded to tell you.

¹⁴As for the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution, you must eat them in a clean place, you and your sons and daughters with you, for they are given as your assigned portion and your sons' assigned portion out of the sacrifices of the fellowship offerings of the people of Israel.¹⁵As for the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering, they must bring them with the offerings of fat made by fire as a wave offering before Yahweh. They will be yours and your sons' with you as a share forever, as Yahweh has commanded."

¹⁶Then Moses asked about the goat for the sin offering, and found that it was burned up. So he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the remaining sons of Aaron; he said,¹⁷"Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the area of the tabernacle, since it is most holy, and since Yahweh has given it to you to take away the iniquity of the assembly, to make atonement for them before him?¹⁸Look, its blood was not brought inside the tabernacle, so you should certainly have eaten it in the tabernacle area, as I commanded."

¹⁹Then Aaron answered Moses, "See, today they made their sin offering and burnt offering before Yahweh, and this thing has happened to me today. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the sight of Yahweh?"²⁰When Moses heard that, he was satisfied.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,²"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.

³You may eat any animal that has a split hoof and that also chews the cud.⁴However, some animals either chew the cud or have a split hoof, and you must not eat them, animals such as the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof. So the camel is unclean to you.

⁵Also the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is also unclean to you.⁶The rabbit, because it chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof, is unclean to you.⁷The pig, although it has a split hoof, does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.⁸You must not eat any of their meat, nor touch their carcasses. They are unclean to you.

⁹The animals living in the water that you may eat are all those that have fins and scales, whether in the ocean or in the rivers.¹⁰But all living creatures that do not have fins and scales in the ocean or rivers, including all that move in the water and all the living creatures that are in the water—they must be detested by you.

¹¹Since they must be detested, you must not eat of their meat; also, their carcasses must be detested.¹²Whatever lives in the water and does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

¹³These are the birds you must detest—and you must not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, and the black vulture,¹⁴the kite, any kind of falcon,¹⁵every kind of raven,¹⁶the horned owl and the screech owl, the seagull, and any kind of hawk.

¹⁷You must also detest the little owl and the great owl, the cormorant,¹⁸the white owl and the barn owl, the osprey,¹⁹the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and also the bat.

²⁰All winged insects that walk on four legs are detestable to you.²¹Yet you may eat any of the flying insects that also walk on four legs if they have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.²²You may also eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper.²³But all the flying insects that have four feet must be detested by you.

²⁴You will become unclean until evening by these animals if you touch a carcass of one of them.²⁵Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes and remain unclean until evening.

²⁶Every animal which has a split hoof that is not completely divided or which does not chew the cud is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them will be unclean.²⁷Whatever walks on its paws among all the animals that walk on all four legs, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches such a carcass will be unclean until the evening.²⁸Whoever picks up such a carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. These animals will be unclean to you.

²⁹Of the animals that creep on the ground, these are the animals that will be unclean to you: the weasel, the rat, every kind of large lizard,³⁰the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.

³¹Of all the animals that creep, these are the animals which will be unclean to you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean until evening.³²If any of them dies and falls on anything, that thing will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, leather, or sackcloth. Whatever it is and whatever it is used for, it must be put into water; it will be unclean until evening. Then it will be clean.³³For every clay pot into or onto which any unclean animal falls, whatever is in the pot will become unclean, and you must destroy that pot.

³⁴Any food that could be eaten but has water on it from such a pot is unclean. Any liquid that is for drinking from such a pot is unclean.³⁵Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; if it is an oven or small stove, it must be broken to pieces. They are unclean and they must remain unclean to you.

³⁶A spring or cistern for collecting water remains clean; but anyone who touches their carcass is unclean.³⁷If any part of their carcass falls upon any seeds for sowing, those seeds will still be clean.³⁸But if water is put on the seeds, and if any part of their carcass falls on them, then they will be unclean to you.

³⁹If any animal that you may eat dies, then he who touches the carcass will be unclean until evening.⁴⁰Whoever eats any of that carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. Anyone who picks up such a carcass will wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

⁴¹Every animal that creeps on the ground is detestable; it must not be eaten.⁴²Whatever crawls on its belly, and whatever walks on all four legs, or whatever has many feet—all the animals that creep on the ground, these you must not eat, for they are detestable.

⁴³You must not make yourselves detestable with any living creatures that creep; you must not make yourselves unclean with them and you must not be made unclean by them.⁴⁴For I am Yahweh your God. You are to keep yourselves holy, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves with any kind of animal that moves about on the ground.⁴⁵For I am Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You must therefore be holy, for I am holy.

⁴⁶This is the law regarding the animals, the birds, every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the ground,⁴⁷for which a distinction is to be made between the unclean and the clean, and between the living things that may be eaten and the living things that may not be eaten.'"

¹Yahweh said to Moses,²"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child, then she will be unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during the days of her monthly impurity.³On the eighth day the flesh of a baby boy's foreskin must be circumcised.

⁴Then the mother's purification from her bleeding will continue for thirty-three days. She must not touch any holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are finished.⁵But if she gives birth to a female child, then she will be unclean for two weeks, as she is during her impurity. Then for sixty-six days she will be purified from her bleeding.

⁶When the days of her purification are finished, for a son or for a daughter, she must bring a one year old lamb as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or dove as a sin offering, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to the priest.

⁷Then he will offer it before Yahweh and make atonement for her, and she will be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law regarding a woman who gives birth to either a male or a female child.⁸If she is not able to afford a lamb, then she must take two doves or two young pigeons, one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering, and the priest will make atonement for her; then she will be clean.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,²"When anyone has on the skin of his body a swelling or scab or a bright spot, and it becomes infected and there is leprosy in his body, then he must be brought to Aaron the high priest, or to one of his sons the priests.

³Then the priest will examine the disease in the skin of his body. If the hair in the diseased area has turned white, and if the disease appears to be deeper than just on the skin, then it is leprosy. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.⁴If the bright spot in his skin is white, and the appearance of it is no deeper than the skin, and if the hair in the diseased area has not turned white, then the priest must isolate the one with the disease for seven days.

⁵On the seventh day, the priest must examine him to see if in his opinion the disease is not any worse, and if it has not spread in the skin. If it has not, then the priest must isolate him seven days more.⁶The priest will examine him again on the seventh day to see if the disease is better and has not spread farther in the skin. If it has not, then the priest will pronounce him clean. It is a rash. He must wash his clothes, and then he is clean.

⁷But if the rash has spread in the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must then show himself to the priest again.⁸The priest will examine him to see if the rash has spread farther in the skin. If it has spread, then the priest must pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.

⁹When leprosy is in someone, then he must be brought to the priest.¹⁰The priest will examine him to see if there is a white swelling in the skin, if the hair has turned white, or if there is raw flesh in the swelling.¹¹If there is, then it is leprosy, and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He will not isolate him, because he is already unclean.

¹²If the leprosy breaks out widely in the skin and covers all the skin of the person with the disease from his head to his feet, as far as it appears to the priest,¹³then the priest must examine him to see if the leprosy has covered all his body. If it has, then the priest must pronounce the person who has the disease as clean. If it has all turned white, then he is clean.¹⁴But if raw flesh appears on him, he will be unclean.

¹⁵The priest must look at the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean because the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.¹⁶But if the raw flesh turns white again, then the person must go to the priest.¹⁷The priest will examine him to see if the flesh has turned white. If it has then the priest will pronounce that person to be clean.

¹⁸When a person has a boil on the skin and it has healed,¹⁹and in place of the boil there is white swelling or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it must be shown to the priest.²⁰The priest will examine it to see if it appears deeper under the skin, and if the hair there has turned white. If so, then the priest must pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy, if it has developed in the place where the boil was.

²¹But if the priest examines it and sees that there is no white hair in it, and that it is not under the skin but has faded, then the priest must isolate him for seven days.²²If it spreads widely in the skin, then the priest must pronounce him unclean. It is an infectious disease.²³But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread, then it is the scar of the boil, and the priest must pronounce him clean.

²⁴When the skin has a burn and the raw flesh of the burn has become a reddish-white or white spot,²⁵then the priest will examine it to see if the hair in that spot has turned white, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin. If it has, then it is leprosy. It has broken out in the burn, and the priest must pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.

²⁶But if the priest examines it and finds that there is no white hair in the spot, and it is not under the skin but has faded, then the priest must isolate him for seven days.²⁷Then the priest must examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread widely in the skin, then the priest must pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.²⁸If the spot stays in its place and has not spread in the skin but has faded, then it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest must pronounce him clean, for it is nothing more than the scar of the burn.

²⁹If a man or woman has an infectious disease on the head or chin,³⁰then the priest must examine the person for an infectious disease to see if it appears to be deeper than the skin, and if there is yellow, thin hair in it. If there is, then the priest must pronounce him unclean. It is an itch, leprosy on the head or the chin.

³¹If the priest examines the itching disease and sees that it is not under the skin, and if there is no black hair in it, then the priest will isolate the person with the itching disease for seven days.

³²On the seventh day the priest will examine the disease to see if it has spread. If there is no yellow hair, and if the disease appears to be only skin deep,³³then he must be shaved, but the diseased area must not be shaved, and the priest must isolate the person with the itching disease for seven more days.

³⁴On the seventh day the priest will examine the disease to see if it has stopped spreading in the skin. If it appears to be no deeper than the skin, then the priest must pronounce him clean. The person must wash his clothes, and then he will be clean.

³⁵But if the itching disease has spread widely in the skin after the priest said he was clean,³⁶then the priest must examine him again. If the disease has spread in the skin, the priest does not need to seek for yellow hair. The person is unclean.³⁷But if in the priest's view the itching disease has stopped spreading and black hair has grown in the area, then the disease has healed. He is clean, and the priest must pronounce him clean.

³⁸If a man or a woman has white spots on the skin,³⁹then the priest must examine the person to see if the spots are a dull white, which is only a rash that has broken out in the skin. He is clean.

⁴⁰If a man's hair has fallen out of his head, he is bald, but he is clean.⁴¹If his hair has fallen out of the front part of his head, and if his forehead is bald, he is clean.

⁴²But if there is a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is leprosy that has broken out.⁴³Then the priest must examine him to see if the swelling of the diseased area on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin.⁴⁴If it is, then he is leprous and is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his disease on his head.

⁴⁵The leprous person who has the disease must wear torn clothes, his hair must hang loosely, and he must cover his face up to his nose and call out, 'Unclean, unclean.'⁴⁶All the days that he has the infectious disease he will be unclean. Because he is unclean with a disease that can spread, he must live alone. He must live outside the camp.

⁴⁷A garment that is contaminated with leprosy, whether it is a wool or linen garment,⁴⁸or anything woven or knitted from wool or linen, or leather or anything made with leather—⁴⁹if there is a greenish or reddish contamination in the garment, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or anything made of leather, then it is a leprosy that spreads; it must be shown to the priest.

⁵⁰The priest must examine the item for leprosy; he must isolate anything that has leprosy for seven days.⁵¹He must examine the leprosy again on the seventh day. If it has spread in the garment or anything woven or knitted from wool or linen material, or leather or anything in which leather is used, then it is harmful leprosy, and the item is unclean.⁵²He must burn the garment, or anything woven or knitted from wool or linen material, or leather or anything made with leather, anything in which the leprosy is found, for it can lead to disease. The item must be completely burned up.

⁵³If the priest examines the item and sees that the leprosy has not spread in the garment or material woven or knitted from wool or linen, or leather goods,⁵⁴then he will command them to wash the item in which the leprosy was found, and he must isolate it for seven more days.⁵⁵Then the priest will examine the item after the item where there was leprosy was washed. If the leprosy has not changed its color, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. You must burn the item, no matter where the leprosy has contaminated it.

⁵⁶If the priest examines the item, and if the leprosy has faded after it was washed, then he must tear out the contaminated part from the garment or from the leather, or from the woven or knitted material.⁵⁷If the leprosy still appears in the garment, either in the woven or knitted material, or in anything made of leather, it is spreading. You must burn any item that has the leprosy.⁵⁸The garment or anything woven or knitted from wool or linen material, or leather or anything made with leather—if you wash the item and the leprosy is gone, then the item must be washed a second time, and it will be clean.

⁵⁹This is the law about leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, or anything woven or knitted from wool or linen material, or leather or anything made with leather, so that you may pronounce it clean or unclean."

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"This will be the law for the leper on the day of his cleansing. He must be brought to the priest.

³The priest will go out of the camp to examine the leper to see if the leprosy is healed.⁴Then the priest will command that the one to be cleansed must take two live, clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop.⁵The priest will command him to kill one of the birds over fresh water that is in a clay pot.

⁶The priest will then take the live bird and the cedar wood, and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and he will dip all these things, including the live bird, in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.⁷Then the priest will sprinkle this water seven times onto the person who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and then the priest will pronounce him to be clean. Then the priest will release the living bird into the open fields.

⁸The person who is being cleansed will wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, and then he will be clean. After that he must come into the camp, but he will live outside his tent for seven days.⁹On the seventh day he must shave all his hair off his head, and he must also shave off his beard and eyebrows. He must shave off all his hair, and he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; then he will be clean.

¹⁰On the eighth day he must take two male lambs without blemish, one female lamb a year old without blemish, and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and one log of oil.¹¹The priest who cleanses him will stand the person who is to be cleansed, along with those things, before Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

¹²The priest will take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering, together with the log of oil; he will wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh.¹³He must kill the male lamb in the place where they kill the sin offerings and the burnt offerings, in the area of the tabernacle, for the sin offering belongs to the priest, as does the guilt offering, because it is most holy.

¹⁴The priest will take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of the person who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.¹⁵Then the priest will take oil from the log and pour it into the palm of his own left hand,¹⁶and dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before Yahweh.

¹⁷The priest will put the rest of the oil in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the person to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. He must put this oil on top of the blood from the guilt offering.¹⁸As for the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand, he will put it on the head of the person who is to be cleansed, and the priest will make atonement for him before Yahweh.

¹⁹Then the priest will offer the sin offering and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness, and afterward he will kill the burnt offering.²⁰Then the priest will offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. The priest will make atonement for the person, and then he will be clean.

²¹However, if the person is poor and cannot afford these sacrifices, then he may take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved, to make atonement for himself, and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and a log of oil,²²together with two doves or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; one bird will be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.²³On the eighth day he must bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting, before Yahweh.

²⁴The priest will take the lamb for an offering, and he will take with it the log of olive oil, and he will wave them as a wave offering before Yahweh.²⁵The priest will kill the lamb for the guilt offering, and he will take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of the one who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

²⁶Then the priest will pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand,²⁷and he will sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Yahweh.

²⁸The priest will then put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the one who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, the same places where he put the blood of the guilt offering.²⁹He will put the rest of the oil that is in his hand on the head of the one who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Yahweh.

³⁰He must offer one of the doves or young pigeons, such as the person has been able to get—³¹one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, along with the grain offering. Then the priest will make atonement for the one who is to be cleansed before Yahweh.³²This is the law for a person in whom there is leprosy, who is not able to afford the standard offerings for his cleansing."

³³Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,³⁴"When you have come into the land of Canaan which I gave to you as a possession, and if I put leprosy that spreads in a house in the land of your possession,³⁵then he who owns the house must come and tell the priest. He must say, 'There seems to me to be something like leprosy in my house.'

³⁶Then the priest will command that they empty the house before he goes in to see the evidence of leprosy, so that nothing in the house will be made unclean. Afterward the priest must go in to see the house.³⁷He must examine the leprosy to see if it is in the house walls, and to see whether it appears greenish or reddish in the depressions in the wall's surface.³⁸If the house does have leprosy, then the priest will go out of the house and shut the door to the house for seven days.

³⁹Then the priest will return again on the seventh day and examine it to see if the leprosy has spread in the walls of the house.⁴⁰If it has, then the priest will command that they take out the stones in which the leprosy has been found and throw them into an unclean place outside the city.

⁴¹He will require all the inside walls of the house to be scraped, and they must take the contaminated material that is scraped off outside the city and dump it into the unclean place.⁴²They must take other stones and put them in the place of the stones that were removed, and they must use new clay to plaster the house.

⁴³If leprosy comes again and breaks out in the house in which the stones have been taken away and the walls have been scraped and then replastered,⁴⁴then the priest must come in and examine the house to see if leprosy has spread in the house. If it has, then it is harmful leprosy, and the house is unclean.

⁴⁵The house must be torn down. The stones, timber, and all the plaster in the house must be carried away out of the city to the unclean place.⁴⁶In addition, whoever goes into the house during the time it is closed up will be unclean until evening.⁴⁷Anyone who has lain down in the house must wash his clothes, and anyone who ate in the house must wash his clothes.

⁴⁸If the priest enters the house to examine it to see whether the leprosy has spread in the house after the house was plastered, then, if the leprosy is gone, he will pronounce the house clean.

⁴⁹Then the priest must take two birds to cleanse the house, and cedar wood, and scarlet yarn, and hyssop.⁵⁰He will kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay jar.⁵¹He will take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn, and the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the killed bird, into the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.

⁵²He will cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the fresh water, with the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet yarn.⁵³But he will let the live bird go out of the city into the open fields. In this way he must make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.

⁵⁴This is the law for all types of leprosy and things that cause it, and for an itch,⁵⁵and for leprosy in clothing and in a house,⁵⁶for swelling, for a rash, and for a bright spot,⁵⁷to determine when any of these cases is unclean or when it is clean. This is the law for leprosy."

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,²"Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them, 'When any man has an infected fluid that comes out of his body, he becomes unclean.³His uncleanness is due to this infected fluid. Whether his body flows with fluid or is stopped up, it is unclean.

⁴Every bed on which he lies will be unclean, and everything on which he sits will be unclean.⁵Whoever touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until evening.

⁶Anyone who sits on anything on which the man with the flow of infected fluid sat, that person must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he will be unclean until evening.⁷Anyone who touches the body of the one who has a flow of infected fluid must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until evening.

⁸If the person who has such a flow of fluid spits on someone who is clean, then that person must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he will be unclean until evening.⁹Any saddle which he who has a flow rides upon will be unclean.

¹⁰So whoever touches anything that was under that person will be unclean until evening, and anyone who carries those things must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.¹¹Anyone the man with the discharge touches without washing his hands with water must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he will be unclean until evening.¹²Any clay pot that the one with such a flow of fluid touches must be broken, and every container of wood must be rinsed in water.

¹³When he who has a flow is cleansed from his flow, then he must count for himself seven days for his cleansing; then he must wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water. Then he will be clean.¹⁴On the eighth day he must take two doves or two young pigeons and come before Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting; there he must give the birds to the priest.¹⁵The priest must offer them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and the priest must make atonement for him before Yahweh for his flow.

¹⁶If any man has an emission of semen, then he must bathe his whole body in water; he will be unclean until evening.¹⁷Every garment or leather on which there is semen must be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening.¹⁸If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both of them must bathe with water and be unclean until evening.

¹⁹When a woman has a flow of blood, her impurity will continue for seven days, and whoever touches her will be unclean until evening.²⁰Everything she lies on during her period will be unclean; everything that she sits on will also be unclean.

²¹Whoever touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; that person will be unclean until evening.²²Whoever touches anything that she sits on must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; that person will be unclean until evening.²³Whether it is on the bed or on anything on which she sits, if he touches it, that person will be unclean until evening.

²⁴If any man lies with her, and if her impure flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days. Every bed on which he lies will be unclean.

²⁵If a woman has a flow of blood for many days that is not in the time of her impurity, or if she has a flow beyond the time of her impurity, during all the days of the flow of her uncleanness, she will be as if she were in the days of her impurity. She is unclean.²⁶Every bed on which she lies all during her flow of blood will be to her just like the bed on which she lies during her impurity, and everything on which she sits will be unclean, just like the uncleanness of her impurity.²⁷Whoever touches any of those things will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he will be unclean until evening.

²⁸But if she is cleansed from her flow of blood, then she will count for herself seven days, and after that she will be clean.²⁹On the eighth day she will take to her two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.³⁰The priest will offer one bird as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and he will make atonement for her before Yahweh for her unclean flow of blood.

³¹This is how you must separate the people of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die due to their uncleanness, by defiling my tabernacle, where I live among them.

³²This is the law for anyone who has a flow of fluid, for any man whose semen goes out of him and makes him unclean,³³for any woman who has a menstrual period, for anyone with a flow of fluid, whether male or female, and for any man who lies with an unclean woman.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses—this was after the death of Aaron's two sons, when they had gone near to Yahweh and then died.²Yahweh said to Moses, "Speak to Aaron your brother and tell him not to come at just any time into the most holy place inside the curtain, before the atonement lid that is on the ark. If he does, he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement lid.

³So here is how Aaron must come into the most holy place. He must enter with a young bull as a sin offering, and a ram as a burnt offering.⁴He must put on the holy linen tunic, and he must put the linen undergarments on himself, and he must wear the linen sash and linen turban. These are the holy garments. He must bathe his body in water and then dress himself with these clothes.⁵He must take from the assembly of the people of Israel two male goats as a sin offering and one ram as a burnt offering.

⁶Then Aaron must present the bull as the sin offering, which will be for himself, to make atonement for himself and his family.⁷Then he must take the two goats and set them before Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

⁸Then Aaron must cast lots for the two goats, one lot for Yahweh, and the other lot for the scapegoat.⁹Aaron must then present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh, and offer that goat as a sin offering.¹⁰But the goat on which the lot fell for the scapegoat must be brought alive before Yahweh, to make atonement by sending him away as a scapegoat into the wilderness.

¹¹Then Aaron must present the bull for the sin offering, which will be for himself. He must make atonement for himself and for his family, so he must kill the bull as a sin offering for himself.

¹²Aaron must take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Yahweh, with his hands full of finely ground sweet incense, and bring these things inside the curtain.¹³There he must put the incense on the fire before Yahweh so that the cloud from the incense may cover the atonement lid over the covenant decrees. He must do this so he will not die.

¹⁴Then he must take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the atonement lid. He must sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times before the atonement lid.

¹⁵Then he must kill the goat for the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain. There he must do with the blood as he did with the blood of the bull: He must sprinkle it on the atonement lid and then before the atonement lid.¹⁶He must make atonement for the holy place because of the unclean actions of the people of Israel, and because of their rebellion and all their sins. He must also do this for the tent of meeting, where Yahweh lives among them, in the presence of their unclean actions.

¹⁷No one must be in the tent of meeting when Aaron enters it to make atonement in the most holy place, and until he comes out and has finished making atonement for himself and for his family, and for all the assembly of Israel.¹⁸He must go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and he must take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put it on the horns of the altar all around.¹⁹He must sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and set it apart to Yahweh, away from the unclean actions of the people of Israel.

²⁰When he has finished atoning for the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he must present the live goat.²¹Aaron must lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over him all the evil deeds of the people of Israel, all their rebellion, and all their sins. Then he must put that sinfulness on the head of the goat and send the goat away in the care of a man who is ready to lead the goat into the wilderness.²²The goat must carry on himself all the people's evil deeds to a solitary place. There in the wilderness, the man must let the goat go free.

²³Then Aaron must go back into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments that he had put on before going into the most holy place, and he must leave those garments there.²⁴He must bathe his body in water in a holy place, and put on his normal garments; then he must go out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering for the people, and in this way make atonement for himself and for the people.

²⁵He must burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.²⁶The man who let the scapegoat go free must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that, he may come back into the camp.

²⁷The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, must be carried outside the camp. There they must burn their hides, flesh, and dung.²⁸The man who burns those parts must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that, he may come back into the camp.

²⁹It will always be a statute for you that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you must humble yourselves and do no work, whether the native born or a foreigner who is living among you.³⁰This is because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you from all your sins so you will be clean before Yahweh.³¹It is a solemn Sabbath of rest for you, and you must humble yourselves and do no work. This will always be a statute among you.

³²The high priest, the one who will be anointed and ordained to be high priest in his father's place, must make this atonement and put on the linen garments, that is, the holy garments.³³He must make atonement for the most holy place; he must make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he must make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.

³⁴This will always be a statute for you, to make atonement for the people of Israel because of all their sins, once in every year." This was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, and to all the people of Israel. Tell them what Yahweh has commanded:³'Any man from Israel who kills an ox, lamb, or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, in order to sacrifice it—⁴if he does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a sacrifice to Yahweh before his tabernacle, that man is guilty of bloodshed. He has shed blood, and that man must be cut off from among his people.

⁵The purpose of this command is so that the people of Israel will bring their sacrifices to Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting, to the priest, to be sacrificed as fellowship offerings to Yahweh, instead of offering sacrifices in an open field.⁶The priest will sprinkle the blood on Yahweh's altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting; he will burn the fat for it to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh.

⁷The people must no longer offer their sacrifices to goat idols, for which they act as prostitutes. This will be a permanent statute for them throughout their people's generations.'

⁸You must say to them, 'Any man of Israel, or any foreigner who lives among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice⁹and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting in order to sacrifice it to Yahweh, that man must be cut off from his people.

¹⁰If any person of the house of Israel, or any foreigner who lives among them consumes any blood, I will set my face against that person who consumes blood and I will cut him off from among his people.¹¹For the life of an animal is in its blood. I have given its blood to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, because it is the blood that makes atonement, for it is the blood that atones for the life.

¹²Therefore I said to the people of Israel that no one among you must eat blood, neither may any foreigner who lives among you eat blood.¹³Anyone of the people of Israel, or any of the foreigners who live among them, who hunts and kills an animal or bird that may be eaten, that person must pour out its blood and cover the blood with earth.

¹⁴For the life of each creature is its blood. That is why I said to the people of Israel, "You must not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every living creature is its blood. Whoever eats it must be cut off."

¹⁵Every person who eats an animal that has died or that has been torn by wild animals, whether that person is native born or a foreigner living among you, he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he will be unclean until the evening. Then he will be clean.¹⁶But if he does not wash his clothes or bathe his body, then he must carry his guilt.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'I am Yahweh your God.³You must not do the things that the people do in Egypt, where you lived previously. You must not do the things that the people do in Canaan, the land to which I am taking you. Do not follow their customs.

⁴My laws are what you must do, and my commandments are what you must keep, so that you walk in them, because I am Yahweh your God.⁵Therefore you must keep my decrees and my laws. If a person obeys them, he will live because of them. I am Yahweh.

⁶Do not approach any close relatives to uncover nakedness, I am Yahweh.⁷Do not uncover the nakedness of your father by uncovering the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you must not uncover her nakedness.⁸Do not uncover the nakedness of your father's wives; it is your father's nakedness.

⁹Do not uncover the nakedness of your sister, whether she is the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother, whether she was born in your home or distant from you.¹⁰Do not uncover the nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness.¹¹Do not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, brought up in your father's family, since she is your sister.

¹²Do not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's relative.¹³Do not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, she is your mother's relative.¹⁴Do not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, that is, you must not approach his wife; she is your aunt.

¹⁵Do not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife; you must not uncover her nakedness.¹⁶Do not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; that is your brother's nakedness.

¹⁷Do not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; and you must not take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; that is wickedness.¹⁸You must not marry your wife's sister as a second wife and uncover her nakedness while your first wife is alive.

¹⁹Do not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during the impurity of her uncleanness.²⁰Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with her in this way.

²¹You must not give any of your children to put them into the fire, so that you sacrifice them to Molech, because you must not profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.

²²Do not lie with other men as with a woman; that is detestable.²³Do not lie with any animal and defile yourself with it. Neither should any woman present herself to an animal to lie with it; that is a perversion.

²⁴Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for in all these ways the nations are defiled, the nations that I will drive out from before you.²⁵The land became defiled, so I have punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

²⁶You, therefore, must keep my commandments and decrees, and you must not do any of these detestable things, neither the native-born Israelite nor the foreigner who lives among you.²⁷For these detestable things are what the people who lived in the land before you committed, and now the land is defiled.²⁸Therefore be careful so that the land does not vomit you up also after you have defiled it, as it vomited out the people who were before you.

²⁹Whoever does any of these detestable things, the persons who do such things will be cut off from among their people.³⁰Therefore you must keep my command not to practice any of these detestable customs which were practiced here before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am Yahweh your God.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Speak to all the assembly of the people of Israel and say to them, 'You must be holy, for I Yahweh your God am holy.³Everyone must respect his mother and his father, and you must keep my Sabbaths. I am Yahweh your God.⁴Do not turn to worthless idols, nor make for yourselves molten gods. I am Yahweh your God.

⁵When you offer a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to Yahweh, you must offer it that you may be accepted.⁶It must be eaten the same day you offer it, or on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it must be burned up with fire.⁷If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is a foul thing; it must not be accepted,⁸and everyone who eats it must carry his own guilt because he has defiled what is holy to Yahweh, and that person must be cut off from his people.

⁹When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not completely reap the corners of your field, neither will you gather all the gleanings of your harvest.¹⁰You must not gather every grape from your vineyard, nor gather the grapes that have fallen on the ground in your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.

¹¹Do not steal.

Do not lie.

Do not deceive each other.

¹²Do not swear by my name falsely and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.

¹³Do not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant must not stay with you all night until the morning.

¹⁴Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but fear your God. I am Yahweh.

¹⁵Do not cause judgment to be false. You must not exalt the poor nor favor the great. Instead, judge your neighbor justly.

¹⁶Do not walk around spreading slander among your people, but seek to protect your neighbor's life. I am Yahweh.

¹⁷Do not hate your brother in your heart. You should rebuke your neighbor frankly, and do not bring sin upon yourself because of him.

¹⁸Do not take vengeance or hold any grudge against any of your people, but instead love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.

¹⁹You must keep my commands.

Do not try to breed your animals with different kinds of other animals.

Do not mix two different kinds of seeds when planting your field.

Do not wear clothing made of two kinds of material mixed together.

²⁰Whoever lies with a slave girl who is promised to a husband, but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, must be punished. They must not be put to death because she was not free.

²¹A man must bring his guilt offering to Yahweh to the entrance to the tent of meeting—a ram as a guilt offering.²²Then the priest will make atonement for him with the ram for the guilt offering before Yahweh, for the sin that he has committed. Then the sin which he has committed will be forgiven.

²³When you come into the land and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you must regard the fruit they produce as forbidden to be eaten. The fruit must be forbidden to you for three years. It must not be eaten.²⁴But in the fourth year all the fruit will be holy, a sacrifice of praise to Yahweh.²⁵In the fifth year you may eat the fruit, having waited so that the trees might produce more. I am Yahweh your God.

²⁶Do not eat any meat with blood still in it.

Do not practice divination or sorcery.

²⁷You will not round off the corners of the hair on the sides of your head or shave off the edge of your beard.

²⁸Do not cut your body for the dead or put tattoo marks on your body. I am Yahweh.

²⁹Do not disgrace your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the nation will fall to prostitution and the land will become full of wickedness.

³⁰You must keep my Sabbaths and honor the sanctuary of my tabernacle. I am Yahweh.

³¹Do not turn to sorcerers or spiritists. Do not seek them out, or they will defile you. I am Yahweh your God.

³²You must rise before the gray-headed person and honor the presence of an old man. You must fear your God. I am Yahweh.

³³If a foreigner lives among you in your land, you must not do him any wrong.³⁴The foreigner who lives with you must be to you like the native-born Israelite who lives among you, and you must love him as yourself, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.

³⁵Do no injustice when measuring length, weight, or quantity.³⁶You must use just scales, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.³⁷You must obey all my decrees and all my laws, and do them. I am Yahweh.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Say to the people of Israel, 'Anyone among the people of Israel, or any foreigner who lives in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech, must certainly be put to death. The people in the land must stone him with stones.

³I also will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people because he has given his child to Molech, so as to defile my holy place and profane my holy name.⁴If the people of the land close their eyes to that man when he gives any of his children to Molech, if they do not put him to death,⁵then I myself will set my face against that man and his clan, and I will cut him off and everyone else who acts like a prostitute as he did in order to act like a prostitute with Molech.

⁶The person who turns to sorcerers and spiritists so as to prostitute themselves with them, I will set my face against that person; I will cut him off from among his people.⁷Therefore consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am Yahweh your God. ¹

⁸You must keep my commands and carry them out. I am Yahweh who sets you apart as holy.

⁹Everyone who curses his father or his mother must surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, so his blood is upon him.

¹⁰The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, that is, anyone who commits adultery with his neighbor's wife—the adulterer and the adulteress must both certainly be put to death.

¹¹If a man lies with his father's wife, he uncovers his father's nakedness. Both the son and his father's wife must certainly be put to death. Their blood is upon them.

¹²If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them must certainly be put to death. They have committed perversion. Their blood is upon them.

¹³If a man lies with another man, as with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them.

¹⁴If a man marries a woman and also marries her mother, this is wickedness. They must be burned, both he and the women, so that there will be no wickedness among you.

¹⁵If a man lies with an animal, he must surely be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

¹⁶If a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you must kill the woman and the animal. They must certainly be put to death. Their blood is upon them.

¹⁷If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and he sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a shameful thing. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister and he must carry his guilt.

¹⁸If a man lies with a woman during her menstrual period and has uncovered her nakedness, he has uncovered her flow, the fountain of her blood. Both the man and woman must be cut off from among their people.

¹⁹You must not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, or your father's sister, because you would disgrace your close relative. You must carry your own guilt.

²⁰If a man lies with his aunt, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness. They will bear responsibility for their sin, and they will die childless.

²¹If a man marries his brother’s wife, that is abhorrent. He has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they will be childless.

²²You must therefore keep all my statutes and all my decrees; you must obey them so that the land into which I am bringing you to live will not vomit you up.

²³You must not walk in the statutes of the nations that I will drive out before you, for they have done all these things, and I detest them.

²⁴I said to you, "You will inherit their land; I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am Yahweh your God, who has separated you from the other peoples.²⁵You must therefore distinguish between the clean animals and the unclean, and between the unclean birds and the clean. You must not make yourselves detestable with unclean animals or birds or with any creature that crawls along the ground, which I have separated as unclean from you.

²⁶You must be holy, for I, Yahweh, am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples, for you belong to me.

²⁷A man or a woman who is a sorcerer or spiritist must certainly be put to death. The people must stone them with stones. Their blood is upon them.'"

¹Several modern translations have ... because I, Yahweh your God, am holy.

¹Yahweh said to Moses: "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, 'No one among you should make himself unclean for those who die among his people,²except for his closest relatives—his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother,³or his virgin sister who is dependent on him, since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.

⁴But he must not make himself unclean for other relatives and so defile himself.

⁵Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the corners of their beards, nor cut their bodies.⁶They must be holy to their God and not disgrace the name of their God, because the priests offer Yahweh's food offerings, the bread of their God. Therefore the priests must be holy.

⁷They must not marry any woman who is a prostitute and who is defiled, and they must not marry a woman divorced from her husband, for he is holy to his God.

⁸You will set him apart, for he is the one who offers bread to your God. He must be holy to you, because I, Yahweh who makes you holy, am holy.

⁹Any daughter of any priest who defiles herself by becoming a prostitute disgraces her father. She must be burned.

¹⁰The one who is the high priest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the special garments of the high priest, must not wear his hair loose or tear his clothes.¹¹He must not go anywhere that a dead body is present and defile himself, even for his father or his mother.¹²The high priest must not leave the sanctuary area of the tabernacle or profane the sanctuary of his God, because he has been consecrated as high priest by the anointing oil of his God. I am Yahweh.

¹³The high priest must marry a virgin as his wife.¹⁴He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman who is a prostitute. He will not marry these kinds of women. He may only marry a virgin from his own people,¹⁵so he will not defile his children among his people, for I am Yahweh, who makes him holy.'"

¹⁶Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹⁷"Speak to Aaron and tell him, 'Whoever of your descendants throughout their generations has a bodily defect, he must not approach to offer the food to his God.

¹⁸Any man who has a bodily defect must not approach Yahweh, such as a blind man or a man who is unable to walk, one who is disfigured or deformed,¹⁹a man with a crippled hand or foot,²⁰a man who has a hump in his back or is abnormally thin or short, or a man with a defect in his eyes, or with a disease, sore, scabs, or whose testicles have been crushed.²¹No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest with a bodily defect may come near to perform the offerings made by fire for Yahweh. Such a man has a bodily defect; he must not come near to offer the bread of his God.

²²He may eat the food of his God, whether some of the most holy or some of the holy.²³However, he must not enter inside the curtain or come near the altar, because he has a bodily defect, so that he does not defile my holy place, for I am Yahweh, who makes them holy.'"²⁴So Moses spoke these words to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the people of Israel.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, tell them to keep away from the holy things of the people of Israel, which they set apart to me. They must not profane my holy name. I am Yahweh.³Say to them, 'If any of your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy things that the people of Israel have set apart to Yahweh, while he is unclean, that person must be cut off from before me: I am Yahweh.

⁴None of the descendants of Aaron who is leprous or has an infection flowing from his body may eat any of the sacrifices made to Yahweh until he is clean. Whoever touches anything unclean through contact with the dead, or by contact with a man who has a flow of semen,⁵or whoever touches any creeping animal that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever kind of uncleanness it may be—⁶then the priest who touches anything unclean will be unclean until evening. He must not eat any of the holy things, unless he has bathed his body in water.

⁷When the sun has set, he will then be clean. After sunset he may eat from the holy things, because they are his food.⁸He must not eat anything found dead or killed by wild animals, by which he would defile himself. I am Yahweh.

⁹The priests must follow my instructions, or they will be guilty of sin and could die for profaning me. I am Yahweh who makes them holy.

¹⁰No one outside the priest's family, including guests of a priest or his hired servants, may eat anything that is holy.¹¹But if a priest buys any slave with his own money, that slave may eat from the things set apart to Yahweh. The priest's family members and slaves born in his house, they also may eat with him from those things.

¹²If a priest's daughter married someone who is not a priest, she may not eat any of the holy contribution offerings.¹³But if a priest's daughter is a widow, or divorced, and if she has no child, and if she returns to live in her father's house as in her youth, she may eat from her father's food. But no one who is not in the priestly family may eat from the priest's food.

¹⁴If a man eats a holy food without knowing it, then he must repay the priest for it; he must add one-fifth to it and give it back to the priest.

¹⁵The people of Israel must not profane the holy things that they have raised high and presented to Yahweh,¹⁶and cause themselves to carry the sin that would make them guilty of eating the holy food, for I am Yahweh who makes them holy.'"

¹⁷Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹⁸"Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the people of Israel. Say to them, 'Any man from the house of Israel, or an alien living in Israel, when they present a sacrifice—whether it is to fulfill a vow, or whether it is a freewill offering, or they present to Yahweh a burnt offering,¹⁹if it is to be accepted, they must offer a male animal without blemish from the cattle, sheep, or goats.

²⁰But you must not offer whatever has a blemish. I will not accept it on your behalf.

²¹Whoever offers a sacrifice of fellowship offerings from the herd or the flock to Yahweh to fulfill a vow, or as a freewill offering, it must be unblemished to be accepted. There must be no defect in the animal.

²²You must not offer animals that are blind, disabled, or maimed, or that have warts, sores, or scabs. You must not offer these to Yahweh as a sacrifice by fire on the altar.²³You may present as a freewill offering an ox or a lamb that is deformed or small, but an offering like that will not be accepted for a vow.

²⁴Do not offer any animal to Yahweh that has bruised, crushed, torn, or cut testicles. Do not do this within your land.²⁵You must not present the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner. Those animals are deformed and have defects in them, they will not be accepted for you.'"

²⁶Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²⁷"When a calf or a sheep or a goat is born, it must remain seven days with its mother. Then from the eighth day on, it may be accepted as a sacrifice for an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

²⁸Do not kill a cow or ewe along with its young, both on the same day.²⁹When you sacrifice a thank offering to Yahweh, you must sacrifice it in an acceptable way.³⁰It must be eaten on the same day that it is sacrificed. You must leave none of it until the next morning. I am Yahweh.

³¹So you must keep my commandments and carry them out. I am Yahweh.

³²You must not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the people of Israel. I am Yahweh who makes you holy,³³who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am Yahweh."

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses:²"Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them, 'These are the appointed festivals for Yahweh, which you must proclaim as holy assemblies; they are my regular festivals.

³You may work for six days, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy assembly. You must do no work because it is a Sabbath for Yahweh in all the places where you live.

⁴These are the appointed festivals of Yahweh, the holy assemblies that you must announce at their appointed times:⁵In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is Yahweh's Passover.⁶On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread for Yahweh. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread.

⁷The first day you must set apart to gather together; you will not do any of your regular work.⁸You will present a food offering to Yahweh for seven days. The seventh day is an assembly set apart to Yahweh, and on that day you must not do any regular work.'"

⁹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹⁰"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you have come into the land that I will give you, and when you reap its harvest, then you must bring a bundle of the firstfruit of the grain to the priest.¹¹He will raise the bundle of grain before Yahweh and present it to him, for it to be accepted on your behalf. It is on the day after the Sabbath that the priest will raise it and present it to me.

¹²On the day when you raise the bundle of grain and present it to me, you must offer a male lamb one year old and without blemish as a burnt offering to Yahweh.¹³The grain offering must be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, to produce a sweet aroma, and with it a drink offering of wine, a fourth of a hin.¹⁴You must eat no bread, nor roasted or fresh grain, until the same day you have brought this offering to your God. This will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations, in every place that you live.

¹⁵Beginning from the day after the Sabbath—that was the day you brought the bundle of grain as the wave offering—count seven full weeks.¹⁶You must count fifty days, which would be the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you must present an offering of new grain to Yahweh.

¹⁷You must bring out of your houses two loaves made from two-tenths of an ephah. They must be made from fine flour and baked with yeast; they will be a wave offering of the firstfruits to Yahweh.¹⁸You must present with the bread seven lambs one year old and without blemish, one young bull from the herd, and two rams. They must be a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire and producing a sweet aroma for Yahweh.

¹⁹You must offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old for a sacrifice, as fellowship offerings.²⁰The priest must wave them together with the bread of the firstfruits before Yahweh, and present them to him as an offering with the two lambs. They will be holy offerings to Yahweh for the priest.²¹You must make a proclamation on that same day. There will be a holy assembly, and you must do no ordinary work. This will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations in all the places where you live.

²²When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not completely reap the corners of your fields, and you must not gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.'"

²³Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²⁴"Speak to the people of Israel and say, 'In the seventh month, the first day of that month will be a solemn rest for you, a memorial with the blowing of trumpets, and a holy assembly.²⁵You must do no ordinary work, and you must offer a sacrifice made by fire to Yahweh.'"

²⁶Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²⁷"Now the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It is to be a holy assembly, and you must humble yourselves and present to Yahweh an offering by fire.

²⁸You must do no work on that day because it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for yourselves before Yahweh your God.²⁹Whoever does not humble himself on that day must be cut off from his people.

³⁰Whoever does any work on that day, I, Yahweh, will destroy him from among his people.³¹You must do no work of any kind on that day. This will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations in all the places where you live.³²This day must be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you must humble yourselves the ninth day of the month at the evening. From evening to evening you are to observe your Sabbath."

³³Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,³⁴"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month will be the Festival of Shelters for Yahweh. It will last seven days.

³⁵On the first day there must be a holy assembly. You must do no ordinary work.³⁶For seven days you must offer a sacrifice made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day there must be a holy assembly, and you must make a sacrifice offered with fire to Yahweh. This is a solemn assembly, and you must not do any ordinary work.

³⁷These are the appointed festivals for Yahweh, which you must proclaim as holy assemblies to offer sacrifice by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering and a grain offering, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its own day.³⁸These festivals will be in addition to the Sabbaths of Yahweh and your gifts, all your vows, and all your freewill offerings that you give to Yahweh.

³⁹Regarding the Festival of Shelters, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you must keep this festival of Yahweh for seven days. The first day will be a solemn rest, and the eighth day will also be a solemn rest.

⁴⁰On the first day you must take the best fruit from the trees, branches of palm trees, and leafy branches of thick trees, and willows from streams, and you will rejoice before Yahweh your God for seven days.⁴¹For seven days each year, you must celebrate this festival for Yahweh. This will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations in all the places where you live. You must celebrate this festival in the seventh month.

⁴²You must live in small shelters for seven days. All who were born in Israel must live in small shelters for seven days,⁴³so that your descendants, generation after generation, may learn how I made the people of Israel live in such shelters when I led them out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.'"⁴⁴In this way, Moses announced to the people of Israel the appointed festivals for Yahweh.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,²"Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil beaten from olives to be used in the lamp, that the light may burn continually.

³Outside the curtain before the covenant decrees in the tent of meeting, Aaron must continually, from evening to morning, keep the lamp lit before Yahweh. This will be a permanent statute throughout your people's generations.⁴The high priest must always keep the lamps lit before Yahweh, the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold.

⁵You must take fine flour and bake twelve loaves with it. There must be two-tenths of an ephah in each loaf.⁶Then you must set them in two rows, six in a row, on the table of pure gold before Yahweh.

⁷You must put pure incense along each row of loaves as a representative offering. This incense will be an offering made by fire for Yahweh.⁸Every Sabbath day the high priest must regularly set out the bread before Yahweh on behalf of the people of Israel, as a sign of an everlasting covenant.⁹This offering will be for Aaron and his sons, and they are to eat it in a place that is holy, for it is a portion from the offerings to Yahweh made by fire."

¹⁰Now it happened that the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the people of Israel. This son of the Israelite woman fought against a man of Israel in the camp.¹¹The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the name of Yahweh and cursed God, so the people brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, from the tribe of Dan.¹²They held him in custody until Yahweh himself should declare his will to them.

¹³Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,¹⁴"Take the man who has cursed God outside the camp. All who heard him must lay their hands on his head, and then the entire assembly must stone him.

¹⁵You must explain to the people of Israel and say, 'Whoever curses his God must carry his own sin.¹⁶He who blasphemes the name of Yahweh must surely be put to death. All the assembly must certainly stone him, whether he is a foreigner or a native-born Israelite. If anyone blasphemes the name of Yahweh, he must be put to death.

¹⁷If anyone strikes down another human being, he must certainly be put to death.¹⁸If anyone strikes down someone's animal, he must pay it back, life for life.

¹⁹If anyone injures his neighbor, it must be done to him as he did to his neighbor:²⁰fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has caused an injury to a person, so must it also be done to him.²¹Anyone who kills an animal must pay it back, and anyone who kills a person must be put to death.

²²You must have the same law for both the foreigner and the native-born Israelite, for I am Yahweh your God.'"²³So Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and the people brought the man outside the camp, the one who had cursed Yahweh. They stoned him with stones. The people of Israel carried out the command of Yahweh to Moses.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying,²"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you come into the land that I give you, then the land must be made to keep a Sabbath for Yahweh.

³You must plant your field for six years, and for six years you must prune your vineyard and gather the produce.⁴But in the seventh year, a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land must be observed, a Sabbath for Yahweh. You must not plant your field or prune your vineyard.

⁵You must not conduct an organized harvest of whatever grows by itself, and you must not conduct an organized harvest of whatever grapes grow on your unpruned vines. This will be a year of solemn rest for the land.⁶Whatever the unworked land grows during the Sabbath year will be food for you. You, your male and female servants, your hired servants and the foreigners who live with you may gather food,⁷and your livestock and also wild animals may eat whatever the land produces.

⁸You must count off seven Sabbaths of years, that is, seven times seven years, so that there will be seven Sabbaths of years, totaling forty-nine years.⁹Then you must blow a loud ram's horn everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you must blow a ram's horn throughout all your land.

¹⁰You must set apart the fiftieth year to Yahweh and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a Jubilee for you, in which property and slaves must be returned to his own clan.

¹¹The fiftieth year will be a Jubilee for you. You must not plant or conduct an organized harvest, and you must not gather the grapes that grow on the unpruned vines.¹²For it is a Jubilee, which will be holy for you. You must eat the produce that grows by itself out of the fields.

¹³You must return everyone to his own property in this year of Jubilee.

¹⁴If you sell any land to your neighbor or buy any land from your neighbor, you must not cheat or wrong each other.

¹⁵If you buy land from your neighbor, consider the number of years and crops that can be harvested until the next Jubilee. Your neighbor selling the land must consider that also.¹⁶A larger number of years until the next Jubilee will increase the value of land, and a smaller number of years until the next Jubilee will decrease the value, because the number of harvests the land will produce for the new owner is related to the number of years before the next Jubilee.¹⁷You must not cheat or wrong one another; instead, you must honor your God, for I am Yahweh your God.

¹⁸Therefore you must obey my decrees, keep my laws, and carry them out. Then you will live in the land in safety.¹⁹The land will yield its produce, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.

²⁰You might say, "What will we eat during the seventh year? Look, we cannot plant or gather our produce."²¹I will command my blessing to come upon you in the sixth year, and it will produce harvest enough for three years.²²You will plant in the eighth year and continue to eat from the previous years' produce and the stored food. Until the harvest of the ninth year comes in, you will be able to eat from the provisions stored in the previous years.

²³The land must not be sold to a new permanent owner, because the land is mine. You are all foreigners and sojourners on my land.²⁴You must observe the right of redemption for all the land that you acquire; you must allow the land to be bought back by the family from whom you bought it.²⁵If your fellow Israelite became poor and for that reason sold some of his property, then his nearest relative must come and redeem what his brother has sold.

²⁶If a man has no relative to redeem his property, but if he has prospered and has the ability to redeem it,²⁷then he may calculate the years since the land was sold and repay the balance to the man to whom he sold it. Then he may return to his own property.²⁸But if he is not able to get the land back for himself, then the land he has sold will remain in the ownership of the one who bought it until the year of Jubilee. At the year of Jubilee, the land will be returned to the man who sold it, and the original owner will return to his property.

²⁹If a man sells a house in a walled city, then he may buy it back within a whole year after it was sold. For a full year he will have the right of redemption.³⁰If the house is not redeemed within a full year, then the house in the walled city will become the permanent property of the buyer throughout his generations. It is not to be returned in the year of Jubilee.

³¹But the houses of the villages that have no wall around them will be considered as the field of the land. They may be redeemed, and they must be returned during the year of Jubilee.³²As for the cities of the Levites, the houses owned by the Levites in the cities they possess may be redeemed at any time.

³³If one of the Levites does not redeem a house he sold, then the house that was sold in the city where it is located must be returned in the year of Jubilee, for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their property among the people of Israel.³⁴But the fields around their cities may not be sold because they are the permanent property of the Levites.

³⁵If your fellow countryman becomes poor, so that he can no longer provide for himself, then you must help him as you would help a foreigner or a sojourner so that he may live among you.³⁶Do not take from him interest or usury, but honor your God so that your brother may keep living with you.³⁷You must not give him a loan of money and charge interest, nor sell him your food to earn a profit.³⁸I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, in order that I might give you the land of Canaan, and that I might be your God.

³⁹If your fellow countryman has become poor and sells himself to you, you must not make him work like a slave.⁴⁰Treat him as a hired servant. He must be like a sojourner. He will serve with you until the year of Jubilee.⁴¹Then he will go away from you, he and his children with him, and he will return to his own clan and to his fathers' property.

⁴²For they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They will not be sold as slaves.⁴³You must not rule over them severely, but you must honor your God.⁴⁴As for your male and female slaves, whom you can obtain from the nations who live around you, you may buy slaves from them.

⁴⁵You may also buy slaves from the foreigners who are living among you and from their clans who are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may become your property.⁴⁶You may provide such slaves as an inheritance for your children after you, to hold as property, and make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your brothers among the people of Israel severely.

⁴⁷If a foreigner or someone living temporarily with you has become wealthy, and if one of your fellow Israelites has become poor and sells himself to that foreigner, or to a member of a foreigner's clan,⁴⁸after your fellow Israelite has been bought, he may be bought back. Someone in his family may redeem him.

⁴⁹It might be the person's uncle, or his uncle's son, who redeems him, or anyone who is in his clan. Or, if he has become prosperous, he may redeem himself.⁵⁰He must bargain with the man who bought him; they must count the years from the year he sold himself to his purchaser until the year of Jubilee. The price of his redemption must be figured in keeping with the rate paid to a hired servant, for the number of years he might continue to work for the one who bought him.

⁵¹If there are still many years until the year of Jubilee, he must pay back as the price for his redemption an amount of money that is in proportion to the number of those years.⁵²If there are only a few years to the year of Jubilee, then he must bargain with his purchaser to reflect the number of years left before the year of Jubilee, and he must pay for his redemption in keeping with the number of years.

⁵³He is to be to the purchaser like a man hired year by year. The purchaser is not to rule over him severely.⁵⁴If he is not redeemed by these means, then he must serve until the year of Jubilee, he and his children with him.⁵⁵To me the people of Israel are servants. They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.'"

¹"You must make no idols, and you must not lift up a carved figure or a sacred stone pillar, and you must not place any carved stone image in your land to which you bow down, for I am Yahweh your God.²You must keep my Sabbaths and honor my sanctuary. I am Yahweh.

³If you walk in my laws and keep my commandments and obey them,⁴then I will give you rain in its season; the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will yield their fruit.

⁵Your threshing will continue to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will extend to the planting season. You will eat your bread to the full and live safely where you make your home in the land.⁶I will give peace in the land; you will lie down with nothing to make you afraid. I will take the dangerous animals away from the land, and the sword will not pass through your land.

⁷You will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword.⁸Five of you will chase away a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand; your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

⁹I will look at you with favor and make you fruitful and multiply you; I will establish my covenant with you.¹⁰You will eat food stored a long time. You will have to bring out the stored food because you will need the room for the new harvest.

¹¹I will place my tabernacle among you, and I will not detest you.¹²I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.¹³I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you would not be their slaves. I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you to walk standing up straight.

¹⁴But if you will not listen to me, and will not obey all these commandments,¹⁵and if you reject my decrees and detest my laws, so that you will not obey all my commandments, but break my covenant—

¹⁶if you do these things, then I will do this to you: I will inflict terror on you, diseases and fever that will destroy the eyes and will drain away your life. You will plant your seeds in vain, because your enemies will eat their produce.¹⁷I will set my face against you, and you will be overpowered by your enemies. Men who hate you will rule over you, and you will run away, even when no one is chasing you.

¹⁸If after all this you do not listen to me, then I will punish you seven times as severely for your sins.¹⁹I will break your pride in your power. I will make the sky over you like iron and your land like bronze.²⁰Your strength will be used up in vain, because your land will not produce its harvest, and your trees in the land will not produce their fruit.

²¹If you walk against me and will not listen to me, I will bring seven times more blows on you, in proportion to your sins.²²I will send wild animals against you, which will rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you so few in number that your roads will be desolate.

²³If in spite of these things you still do not accept my correction and you continue to walk in opposition to me,²⁴then I will also walk in opposition to you, and I myself will punish you seven times because of your sins.

²⁵I will bring a sword on you that will execute vengeance for breaking the covenant. You will be gathered together inside your cities, and I will send a plague among you there, and then you will be delivered into the hand of your enemy.²⁶When I cut off your staff of food, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will distribute your bread by weight. You will eat but not be satisfied.

²⁷If you do not listen to me despite these things, but continue to walk against me,²⁸then I will walk against you in anger, and I will punish you even seven more times as much for your sins.

²⁹You will eat the flesh of your sons; you will eat the flesh of your daughters.³⁰I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and throw your corpses on the corpses of your idols, and I myself will abhor you.

³¹I will turn your cities into ruins and destroy your sacred places. I will not be pleased with the aroma of your offerings.³²I will devastate the land. Your enemies who will live there will be shocked at the devastation.³³I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out my sword and follow you. Your land will be devastated, and your cities will be ruined.

³⁴Then the land will enjoy its Sabbaths for as long as it lies desolate and you are in your enemies' lands. During that time, the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths.³⁵As long as it lies desolate, it will have rest, which will be the rest that it did not have with your Sabbaths, when you lived in it.

³⁶As for those of you who are left in your enemies' lands, I will send fear into your hearts so that even the sound of a leaf blowing in the wind will startle you, and you will flee as though you were fleeing from the sword. You will fall, even when no one is chasing you.

³⁷You will stumble over each other as though you were running from the sword, even though no one is chasing you. You will have no power to stand before your enemies.³⁸You will perish among the nations, and your enemies' land will itself devour you.³⁹Those who are left among you will waste away in their iniquity, there in your enemies' lands, and because of their fathers' iniquities they will waste away as well.

⁴⁰Yet if they confess their iniquity and their fathers' iniquity, and the unfaithfulness that they committed against me, and also their walking against me—⁴¹which caused me to turn against them and I brought them into the land of their enemies—if their uncircumcised hearts become humbled, and if they accept the punishment for their sins,⁴²then will I call to mind my covenant with Jacob, my covenant with Isaac, and my covenant with Abraham; also, I will call the land to mind.

⁴³The land will be abandoned by them, so it will be pleased with its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will have to pay the penalty for their iniquity because they themselves rejected my decrees and detested my laws.

⁴⁴Yet despite all this, when they are in their enemies' land, I will not reject them, neither will I detest them so as to completely destroy them and do away with my covenant with them, for I am Yahweh their God.⁴⁵But for their sakes I will call to mind the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, so that I might be their God. I am Yahweh."

⁴⁶These are the commandments, decrees, and laws that Yahweh made between himself and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai through Moses.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'If anyone makes a special vow to Yahweh, use the following valuations.

³Your standard value for a male from twenty to sixty years old must be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.⁴For a female of the same ages your standard value must be thirty shekels.

⁵From five years to twenty years old your standard value for a male must be twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.⁶From one month old to five years your standard value for a male must be five shekels of silver, and for a female three shekels of silver.

⁷From sixty years old and up for a male your standard value must be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels.⁸But if the person making the vow cannot pay the standard value, then the person being given must be presented to the priest, and the priest will value that person by the amount the one making the vow is able to afford.

⁹If what is vowed is an animal that people can give as an offering to Yahweh, any part of that animal that is given to Yahweh becomes holy.¹⁰The person must not exchange it or substitute a good one for a bad one, or a bad for a good one. If he substitutes one animal for another, both it and the substitute become holy.

¹¹However, if what is vowed is an unclean animal that people cannot give as an offering to Yahweh, then the person must bring the animal to the priest.¹²The priest will value it, by the market value of the animal. Whatever value the priest places on the animal, that will be its value.¹³If the owner wishes to redeem it, then a fifth of its value is to be added to its redemption price.

¹⁴When a man sets apart his house as a holy gift to Yahweh, then the priest will set its value as either good or bad. Whatever the priest values it, so it will be.¹⁵But if the owner who set apart his home wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth of its value to its redemption price, and it will belong to him.

¹⁶If a man sets apart to Yahweh some of the fields of his property, then the valuation of it will be in proportion to the amount of seed required to plant it—a homer of barley will be valued at fifty shekels of silver.

¹⁷If he sets apart his field during the year of Jubilee, the valuation of it will stand.¹⁸But if he sets apart his field after the year of Jubilee, then the priest must calculate the value of the field by the number of years that remain until the next year of Jubilee, and the valuation of it must be reduced.

¹⁹If the man who set apart the field wishes to redeem it, then he must add a fifth to the valuation, and it will belong to him.²⁰If he does not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it cannot be redeemed any more.²¹Rather, the field, when it is released in the year of Jubilee, will be a holy gift to Yahweh, like the field that has been completely given to Yahweh. It will belong to the priest.

²²If a man sets apart a field that he has bought, but that field is not part of his family's land,²³then the priest will figure the valuation of it up to the year of Jubilee, and the man must pay its value on that day as a holy gift to Yahweh.

²⁴In the year of Jubilee, the field will return to the man from whom it was bought, to the one whose property the land is.²⁵All the valuations must be set by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Twenty gerahs must be the equivalent of one shekel.

²⁶No one may set apart the firstborn among animals, since the firstborn already belongs to Yahweh; whether ox or sheep, it is Yahweh's.²⁷If it is an unclean animal, then the owner may buy it back at the valuation of it, and a fifth must be added to that value. If the animal is not redeemed, then it is to be sold at the set value.

²⁸But nothing that a man devotes to Yahweh, from all that he has, whether man or animal, or his family land, may be sold or redeemed. Everything that is devoted is very holy to Yahweh.²⁹No ransom may be paid for the person who is devoted for destruction. That person must be put to death.

³⁰All the tithe of the land, whether grain grown on the land or fruit from the trees, is Yahweh's. It is holy to Yahweh.³¹If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth to its value.

³²As for every tenth of the herd or the flock, whatever passes under the shepherd's rod, one-tenth must be set apart to Yahweh.³³The shepherd must not search for the better or the worse animals, and he must not substitute one for another. If he changes it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed will be holy. It cannot be redeemed.'"

³⁴These are the commandments that Yahweh gave at Mount Sinai to Moses for the people of Israel.

Numbers

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the wilderness of Sinai. This happened on the first day of the second month during the second year after the people of Israel had come out from the land of Egypt. Yahweh said,²"Conduct a census of the whole congregation of the men of Israel by their clans, by their ancestral households. Number them by name. Count all the males man by man,³who is twenty years old or older. Count all who can fight as soldiers for Israel. You and Aaron must record the number of men in their armed groups.

⁴A man from each tribe, a clan head, must serve with you as his tribe's leader. Each leader must lead the men who will fight for his ancestors' household.⁵These are the names of the leaders who must fight with you:

From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

⁶from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

⁷from the tribe of Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

⁸from the tribe of Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

⁹from the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

¹⁰from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph, Elishama son of Ammihud;

from the tribe of Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

¹¹from the tribe of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

¹²from the tribe of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

¹³from the tribe of Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;

¹⁴from the tribe of Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

¹⁵and from the tribe of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan."

¹⁶These were the men appointed from the people. They led their ancestors' tribes. They were the leaders of the clans in Israel.

¹⁷Moses and Aaron took these men, who were recorded by name,¹⁸and they assembled the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The men twenty years old and older registered their ancestry by name, by their clans, by their ancestral households. They were numbered man by man.¹⁹Then Moses recorded their numbers in the wilderness of Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

²⁰From the descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted man by man.²¹They counted 46,500 men from the tribe of Reuben.

²²From the descendants of Simeon, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the mustered men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted man by man.²³They counted 59,300 men from the tribe of Simeon.

²⁴From the descendants of Gad, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.²⁵They counted 45,650 men from the tribe of Gad.

²⁶From the descendants of Judah, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.²⁷They counted 74,600 men from the tribe of Judah.

²⁸From the descendants of Issachar, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.²⁹They counted 54,400 men from the tribe of Issachar.

³⁰From the descendants of Zebulun, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.³¹They counted 57,400 men from the tribe of Zebulun.

³²From the descendants of Ephraim son of Joseph, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.³³They counted 40,500 men from the tribe of Ephraim.

³⁴From the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.³⁵They counted 32,200 men from the tribe of Manasseh.

³⁶From the descendants of Benjamin, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.³⁷They counted 35,400 men from the tribe of Benjamin.

³⁸From the descendants of Dan, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.³⁹They counted 62,700 from the tribe of Dan.

⁴⁰From the descendants of Asher, from the records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.⁴¹They counted 41,500 men from the tribe of Asher.

⁴²From the descendants of Naphtali, from the genealogical records, by their clans, by their ancestral households, the names of all the men twenty years old or older, able to go to war, were counted.⁴³They counted 53,400 from the tribe of Naphtali.

⁴⁴Moses and Aaron counted all these men, together with the twelve men who were leading Israel, each from his ancestor's household.⁴⁵So all the men of Israel from twenty years old and older, all who could fight in war, were counted in each of their ancestral households.⁴⁶They counted 603,550 men.

⁴⁷But the Levites were not counted according to their ancestors' tribes⁴⁸because Yahweh had said to Moses,⁴⁹"You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the total of the people of Israel.

⁵⁰Rather, assign the Levites to care for the tabernacle of the covenant decrees, and to care for all the furnishings in the tabernacle and for everything in it. The Levites must carry the tabernacle, and they must carry the tabernacle's furnishings. They must care for the tabernacle and make their camp around it.

⁵¹When the tabernacle is to move to another place, the Levites must take it down. When the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites must set it up. Any stranger who comes near the tabernacle must be killed.⁵²When the people of Israel set up their tents, each man must do so near the banner that belongs to his armed group.

⁵³However, the Levites must set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant decrees so that my anger does not come upon the people of Israel. The Levites must perform the duties of the tabernacle of the covenant decrees."⁵⁴The people of Israel did all these things. They did everything that Yahweh commanded through Moses.

¹Yahweh spoke again to Moses and Aaron. He said,²"Each one of the people of Israel must camp around his standard, with the banners of their fathers' houses. They will camp around the tent of meeting on every side.

³Those will be camping on the east of the tent of meeting, where the sun rises, they are the camp of Judah by their armed groups, and they are camping under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab is the leader of the people of Judah.⁴The number of the host of the people of Judah is 74,600.

⁵The tribe of Issachar must camp next to Judah. Nethanel son of Zuar must lead the army of Issachar.⁶The number of the host of the people of Issachar is 54,400 men.

⁷The tribe of Zebulun must camp next to Issachar. Eliab son of Helon must lead the army of Zebulun.⁸The number of the host of the people of Zebulun is 57,400.

⁹All the number of the camp of Judah is 186,400. They will set out first.

¹⁰On the south side will be the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the camp of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.¹¹The number of the host of the people of Reuben is 46,500.

¹²Simeon is camping next to Reuben. The leader of the tribe of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.¹³The number of the host of the people of Simeon is 59,300.

¹⁴The tribe of Gad is next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel.¹⁵The number of the host of the people of Gad is 45,650.

¹⁶The number of all the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, is 151,450. They will set out second.

¹⁷Next, the tent of meeting must go out from the camp with the Levites in the middle of all the camps. They must go out from the camp in the same order as they come into the camp. Every man must be in his place, by his banner.

¹⁸On the west side will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud.¹⁹The number of the host of the people of Ephraim is 40,500.

²⁰Next to them is the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.²¹The number of the host of the people of Manasseh is 32,200.

²²Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni.²³The number of the host of the people of Benjamin is 35,400.

²⁴All those numbered in the camp of Ephraim is 108,100. They will set out third.

²⁵On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.²⁶The number the host of the people of Dan is 62,700.

²⁷The people of the tribe of Asher camp next to Dan. The leader of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran.²⁸The number the host of the people of Asher is 41,500.

²⁹The tribe of Naphtali is next. The leader of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan.³⁰The number of the host of the people of Naphtali is 53,400.

³¹All those numbered in the camp with Dan is 157,600. They will go out from the camp last, under their banner."

³²These are the descendants of Israel, numbered according to their ancestral households. All those counted in their camps, by their divisions, are 603,550.³³But the Levites were not counted along with the people of Israel, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

³⁴The people of Israel did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses. They camped by their banners. They went out from the camp by their clans, in the order of their ancestor's households.

¹Now this is the history of the descendants of Aaron and Moses when Yahweh spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.²The names of Aaron's sons were Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

³These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed and who were ordained to serve as priests.⁴But Nadab and Abihu fell dead before Yahweh when they offered to him unacceptable fire in the wilderness of Sinai. Nadab and Abihu had no children, so just Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests with Aaron their father.

⁵Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,⁶"Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest for them to help him.

⁷They must perform the duties on behalf of Aaron and the whole community before the tent of meeting. They must serve in the tabernacle.⁸They must care for all the furnishings in the tent of meeting, and they must help the tribes of Israel to carry out the tabernacle service.

⁹You must give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are wholly given to help him serve the people of Israel.¹⁰You must appoint Aaron and his sons as priests, but any foreigner who comes near must be put to death."

¹¹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,¹²"Look, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel. I have done this instead of taking each firstborn, who opens the womb, from among the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me,¹³for all the firstborn belong to me. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both men and animals. They belong to me. I am Yahweh."

¹⁴Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said,¹⁵"Count the descendants of Levi in each family, in their clans. Count every male who is one month old and older."¹⁶Moses counted them, following the word of Yahweh, just as he was commanded to do.

¹⁷The names of the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

¹⁸These are the names of the sons of Gershon, by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

¹⁹The sons of Kohath, by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

²⁰The sons of Merari, by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, listed clan by clan.

²¹The clans of the Libnites and the Shimeites come from Gershon. These are the clans of the Gershonites.²²All the males from a month old and older were counted, totaling 7,500.²³The clans of the Gershonites must camp on the west side of the tabernacle.

²⁴Eliasaph son of Lael must lead the clans of the descendants of the Gershonites.²⁵The family of Gershon must care for the tent of meeting including the tabernacle. They must care for the tent, its covering, and the curtain used as the entrance to the tent of meeting.²⁶They must care for the courtyard hangings, the curtain at the courtyard entrance—the courtyard that surrounds the sanctuary and the altar. They must care for the ropes of the tent of meeting and for everything in it.

²⁷These clans come from Kohath: the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites. These clans belong to the Kohathites.²⁸8,600 males have been counted aged one month old and older to perform the duties of the sanctuary.²⁹The Kohath clans must camp on the south side of the tabernacle.

³⁰Elizaphan son of Uzziel must lead the ancestral households of the Kohathites.³¹They must care for the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the holy things that are used in their service, the curtain, and all the work around it.³²Eleazar son of Aaron the priest must lead the men who lead the Levites. He must supervise the men who perform the duties of the holy place.

³³Two clans have come from Merari: the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites. These clans have come from Merari.³⁴6,200 males have been counted aged one month old and older.³⁵Zuriel son of Abihail must lead the ancestral households of Merari. They must camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

³⁶The descendants of Merari must care for the framing of the tabernacle, the crossbars, posts, bases, all the hardware, and everything related to them, including³⁷the pillars and posts of the courtyard that surround the tabernacle, with their sockets, pegs, and ropes.

³⁸Moses and Aaron and his sons must camp on the east side of the tabernacle, in front of the tent of meeting, toward the sunrise. They are responsible for performing the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the people of Israel. Any foreigner who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death.

³⁹Moses and Aaron counted all the males in the clans of Levi who were aged one month old and older, just as Yahweh commanded. They counted twenty-two thousand men.

⁴⁰Yahweh said to Moses, "Count all the firstborn males of the people of Israel who are aged one month old and older. List their names.⁴¹You must take the Levites for me—I am Yahweh—instead of all the firstborn of the people of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of the firstborn of the livestock of the descendants of Israel."

⁴²Moses counted all the firstborn people of Israel as Yahweh had commanded him to do.⁴³He counted all the firstborn males by name, aged one month old and older. He counted 22,273 men.

⁴⁴Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,⁴⁵"Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and take the Levites' livestock instead of the people's livestock. The Levites belong to me—I am Yahweh.

⁴⁶For the redemption of the 273 firstborn sons of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites⁴⁷you must collect five shekels for each of them. You must use the shekel of the sanctuary as your standard weight. The shekel equals twenty gerahs.⁴⁸You must give the redemption money that you paid to Aaron and his sons."

⁴⁹So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those redeemed by the Levites.⁵⁰Moses collected the money from the firstborn of the people of Israel. He collected 1,365 shekels, weighing with the shekel of the sanctuary.⁵¹Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons. Moses did everything he was told to do by Yahweh's word, as Yahweh had commanded him.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,²"Conduct a census of the male descendants of Kohath from among the Levites, by their clans and ancestral households.³Count all the men who are thirty to fifty years old. These men must join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.⁴The descendants of Kohath must take care of the most holy things reserved for me in the tent of meeting.

⁵When the camp prepares to move forward, Aaron and his sons must go into the tent, take down the screening curtain that separates the most holy place from the holy place and cover the ark of the testimony with it.⁶They must cover the ark with a piece of fine leather. They must spread a cloth that is completely blue over it. They must insert the poles to carry it.

⁷They are to spread a blue cloth on the table of the bread of the presence. On it they must put the dishes, spoons, bowls, and jars for the drink offering. Bread must always continue to be on the table.⁸They are to spread over them a scarlet cloth and cover the same with hides of fine leather. They must insert poles to carry the table.

⁹They must take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand, along with its lamps, tongs, trays, and all the jars of oil for the lamps.¹⁰They must put the lampstand and all its accessories into a covering of fine leather, and they must put it on a carrying frame.¹¹They must spread a cloth of blue on the gold altar. They must cover it with a covering of fine leather, and then insert the carrying poles.

¹²They must take all the equipment for the ministry, with which they serve in the sanctuary, and wrap it in a blue cloth. They must cover that with the hides of fine leather and put the equipment on the carrying frame.¹³They must clear away the ashes of fat from the altar and spread a purple cloth on the altar.¹⁴They must put on the carrying frame all the equipment that they use in the work of the altar. These objects are the firepans, forks, shovels, bowls, and all the other equipment for the altar. They must cover the altar with fine leather hides and then insert the carrying poles.

¹⁵When Aaron and his sons have completely covered the holy place and all its equipment, and when the camp moves forward, then the descendants of Kohath must come to carry the holy place. If they touch the holy instruments, they must die. This is the work of the descendants of Kohath, to carry the furnishings in the tent of meeting.¹⁶Eleazar son of Aaron the priest oversees the care of the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil. He oversees the care of the entire tabernacle and all that is in it, the holy place and its equipment."

¹⁷Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,¹⁸"Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites.¹⁹So do this for them that they may live and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons must go in, and assign each man to his work and his responsibility.²⁰But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy place, even for a moment, or they must die."

²¹Yahweh spoke again to Moses. He said,²²"Conduct a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by their ancestor's families and by their clans.²³Count those who are thirty years old to fifty years old. Count all of them who will join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

²⁴This is the work of the clans of the Gershonites, when they serve and what they carry.²⁵They must carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, its covering, the covering of fine leather hides that is on it, and the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting.²⁶They must carry the curtains of the court, the curtain for the doorway of the court's gate, which is near the tabernacle and near the altar, their ropes, and all the instruments for their service. Whatever should be done with these things, they must do it.

²⁷Aaron and his sons must direct all the service of the descendants of the Gershonites, in everything that they transport, and in all their service. You must assign them to all their responsibilities.²⁸This is the service of the clans of the descendants of the Gershonites for the tent of meeting. Ithamar son of Aaron the priest must lead them in their service.

²⁹You must count the descendants of Merari by their clans, and order them by their ancestor's families,³⁰from thirty years old and older up to fifty years old. Count everyone who is going to join the company and serve in the tent of meeting.

³¹This is their responsibility and their burden in all their service for the tent of meeting. They must care for the framing of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and sockets,³²along with the posts of the courtyard around the tabernacle, their sockets, pegs, and their ropes, with all their hardware. List by name the articles they must carry.

³³This is the service of the clans of the descendants of Merari, what they are to do for the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

³⁴Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the descendants of the Kohathites by the clans of their ancestor's families.³⁵They counted them from thirty years old and older up to fifty years old. They counted everyone who would join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.³⁶They counted 2,750 men by their clans.

³⁷This was the list of the clans of the Kohathites who served in the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to Yahweh's command that was given through Moses.

³⁸The descendants of Gershon were counted in their clans, by their ancestor's families,³⁹from thirty to fifty years old, everyone who would join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.⁴⁰All the men, counted by their clans and their ancestor's families, numbered 2,630.

⁴¹Moses and Aaron counted the clans of the descendants of Gershon who would serve in the tent of meeting. In doing this, they obeyed what Yahweh had commanded them to do through Moses.

⁴²The descendants of Merari were counted in their clans by their ancestor's families,⁴³from thirty to fifty years old, everyone who would join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.⁴⁴All the men, counted by their clans and their ancestor's families, numbered 3,200.

⁴⁵This was the list of the clans of the descendants of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to Yahweh's command that came by the hand of Moses.

⁴⁶So Moses, Aaron, and the chiefs of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans in their ancestral families⁴⁷from thirty to fifty years old. They counted everyone who would do work in the tabernacle, and who would carry and care for the items in the tent of meeting.⁴⁸They counted 8,580 men.

⁴⁹At Yahweh's command, Moses counted each man, keeping count of each by the type of work he was assigned to do. He counted each man by the kind of responsibility he would bear. In doing this, they obeyed what Yahweh had commanded them to do through Moses.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Command the people of Israel to send away from the camp every leper, everyone who has an oozing sore, and whoever is unclean through touching a dead body.³Whether male or female, you must send them out of the camp. They must not defile the camp, because I live in it."⁴The people of Israel did so. They sent them out of the camp, as Yahweh commanded Moses. The people of Israel obeyed Yahweh.

⁵Again Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,⁶"Speak to the people of Israel. When a man or woman commits any sin such as people do to one another, and is unfaithful to me, that person is guilty.⁷Then he must confess the sin that he has done. He must completely pay back the price of his guilt and add to the price one-fifth more. He must give this to the one he has wronged.

⁸But if the wronged person has no close relative to receive the payment, he must pay the price for his guilt to me through a priest, along with a ram to atone for himself.⁹Every contribution, everything the people of Israel have set apart, which they have brought to the priest, will belong to him.¹⁰The offerings of every person will be for the priest; if anyone gives anything to the priest, it will belong to him."

¹¹Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,¹²"Speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'Suppose that a man's wife turns away and is unfaithful to her husband.

¹³If a man lies with her and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and her impurity is undetected even though she defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not caught in the act,¹⁴nevertheless, a spirit of jealousy might still inform the husband that his wife is defiled. However, a spirit of jealousy might falsely come on a man when his wife is not defiled.

¹⁵In such cases, the man must bring his wife to the priest. The husband must take an offering required on her behalf, a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He must pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering for remembering, as a reminder of the iniquity.

¹⁶The priest must bring her near and place her before Yahweh.¹⁷The priest must take a jar of holy water and take dust from the floor of the tabernacle. He must put the dust into the water.

¹⁸The priest will set the woman before Yahweh and he will untie the hair on the woman's head. He will put into her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. The priest will hold in his hand the bitter water that can bring a curse.¹⁹The priest will put the woman under an oath and say to her, 'If no other man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray and committed uncleanness, then you will be free from this bitter water that can bring a curse.

²⁰But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband's authority and you have defiled yourself, and some other man has had sexual relations with you,²¹then, (the priest must cause the woman to swear an oath that can bring down a curse on her, and then he must continue speaking to the woman) 'Yahweh will make you into a curse that will be shown to your people to be such. This will happen if Yahweh causes your thigh to waste away and your abdomen to swell.²²This water that brings the curse will go into your stomach and make your abdomen swell and your thighs waste away.' The woman is to reply, 'Amen. Amen.'

²³The priest must write these curses on a scroll, and then he must wash away the written curses into the bitter water.

²⁴The priest must make the woman drink the bitter water that brings the curse. The water that brings the curse will enter her and become bitter.²⁵The priest must take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand. He must hold up the grain offering before Yahweh and bring it to the altar.²⁶The priest must take a handful of the grain offering as a representative offering, and burn it on the altar. Then he must give the woman the bitter water to drink.

²⁷When he gives her the water to drink, if she is defiled because she has committed a sin against her husband, then the water that brings the curse will enter her and become bitter. Her abdomen will swell and her thigh will waste away. The woman will be cursed among her people.²⁸But if the woman is not defiled and if she is clean, then she must be free. She will be able to conceive children.

²⁹This is the law of jealousy. It is the law for a woman who goes astray from her husband and is defiled.³⁰It is the law for a man with a spirit of jealousy when he is jealous of his wife. He must bring the woman before Yahweh, and the priest must do to her everything that this law of jealousy describes.

³¹The man will be free from guilt for bringing his wife to the priest. The woman must bear any guilt she might have."

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'When a man or a woman consecrates himself to Yahweh with the special vow of a Nazirite,³he must abstain from wine and strong drink. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or from strong drink. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.⁴In all the days of his consecration, he must eat nothing that is made from the grape vine, including everything from the seeds to the skins.

⁵During all the time of his vow of consecration, no razor is to be used on his head until the days of his consecration to Yahweh are fulfilled. He must be set apart to Yahweh. He must let the hair grow long on his head.

⁶During all the time that he sets himself apart to Yahweh, he must not come near a dead body.⁷He must not make himself unclean even for his father, mother, brother, or sister, if they die. This is because he is consecrated to God, as everyone can see by his long hair.⁸During all the time of his consecration he is holy, reserved for Yahweh.

⁹If someone very suddenly dies beside him and defiles his consecrated head, then he must shave his head on the day of his purification—on the seventh day he must shave it.

¹⁰On the eighth day he must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.¹¹The priest must offer one bird as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. These will atone for him because he sinned by being near the dead body. He must consecrate his head again on that day.

¹²He must set himself apart to Yahweh for the days of his consecration. He must bring a male lamb one year old as a guilt offering. The days before he defiled himself must not be counted, because his consecration was defiled.

¹³This is the law about the Nazirite for when the time of his consecration is complete. He must be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting.¹⁴He must present his offering to Yahweh. He must offer as a burnt offering a male lamb one year old and without blemish. He must bring as a sin offering a female lamb one year old and without blemish. He must bring a ram as a fellowship offering that is without blemish.¹⁵He must also bring a basket of bread made without yeast, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, wafers without yeast rubbed with oil, together with their grain offering and drink offerings.

¹⁶The priest must present them before Yahweh. He must offer his sin offering and burnt offering.¹⁷With the basket of unleavened bread, he must present the ram as a sacrifice, the fellowship offering to Yahweh. The priest must present also the grain offering and the drink offering.

¹⁸The Nazirite must shave his consecrated head at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He must take the hair from his head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of fellowship offerings.

¹⁹The priest must take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one loaf of bread without yeast out of the basket, and one wafer without yeast. He must place them into the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated hair.²⁰The priest must wave them as an offering before Yahweh, a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was the contribution for the priest. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.

²¹This is the law for the Nazirite who vows his offering to Yahweh for his consecration. Whatever else he may give, he must keep the obligations of the vow he has taken, to keep the promise indicated by the law of his consecration.'"

²²Again Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²³"Speak to Aaron and to his sons. Say, 'You must bless the people of Israel in this way. You must say to them,

²⁴"May Yahweh bless you

and keep you.

²⁵May Yahweh make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you.

²⁶May Yahweh look on you with favor

and give you peace."'

²⁷It is in this way that they must give my name to the people of Israel. Then I will bless them."

¹On the day that Moses completed the tabernacle, he anointed it and set it apart to Yahweh, together with all of its furnishings. He did the same for the altar and all its utensils. He anointed them and set them apart to Yahweh.²On that day, the leaders of Israel, the heads of their ancestor's families, offered sacrifices. These men were leading the tribes. They had overseen the counting of the men in the census.³They brought their offerings before Yahweh. They brought six covered carts and twelve oxen. They brought one cart for every two leaders, and each leader brought one ox. They presented these things in front of the tabernacle.

⁴Then Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,⁵"Accept the offerings from them and use the offerings for the work in the tent of meeting. Give the offerings to the Levites, to each one as his work needs them."

⁶Moses took the carts and the oxen, and he gave them to the Levites.⁷He gave two carts and four oxen to the descendants of Gershon, because of what their work needed.⁸He gave four carts and eight oxen to the descendants of Merari, in the care of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. He did this because of what their work required.

⁹But he gave none of those things to the descendants of Kohath, because theirs would be the work related to the things that belong to Yahweh that they would carry on their own shoulders.

¹⁰The leaders offered their goods for the dedication of the altar on the day that Moses anointed the altar. The leaders offered their sacrifices in front of the altar.¹¹Yahweh said to Moses, "Each leader must offer on his own day his sacrifice for the dedication of the altar."

¹²On the first day, Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah, offered his sacrifice.

¹³His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.¹⁴He gave one gold dish that weighed ten shekels and was full of incense.

¹⁵He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.¹⁶He gave one male goat as a sin offering.¹⁷He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, offered his sacrifice.

¹⁹He offered as his sacrifice one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.

²⁰He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.²¹He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.²²He gave one male goat as a sin offering.²³He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴On the third day, Eliab son of Helon, leader of the descendants of Zebulun, offered his sacrifice.

²⁵His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.²⁶He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

²⁷He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.²⁸He gave one male goat as a sin offering.²⁹He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰On the fourth day, Elizur son of Shedeur, leader of the descendants of Reuben, offered his sacrifice.

³¹His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.³²He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

³³He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.³⁴He gave one male goat as a sin offering.³⁵He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶On the fifth day, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, leader of the descendants of Simeon, offered his sacrifice.

³⁷His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.³⁸He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

³⁹He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁴⁰He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁴¹He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴²On the sixth day, Eliasaph son of Deuel, leader of the descendants of Gad, offered his sacrifice.

⁴³His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁴⁴He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁴⁵He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁴⁶He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁴⁷He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸On the seventh day, Elishama son of Ammihud, leader of the descendants of Ephraim, offered his sacrifice.

⁴⁹His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁵⁰He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁵¹He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁵²He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁵³He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴On the eighth day, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, leader of the descendants of Manasseh, offered his sacrifice.

⁵⁵His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁵⁶He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁵⁷He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁵⁸He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁵⁹He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰On the ninth day, Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the descendants of Benjamin, offered his sacrifice.

⁶¹His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁶²He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁶³He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁶⁴He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁶⁵He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶On the tenth day, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, leader of the descendants of Dan, offered his sacrifice.

⁶⁷His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁶⁸He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁶⁹He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb..⁷⁰He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁷¹He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷²On the eleventh day, Pagiel son of Okran, leader of the descendants of Asher, offered his sacrifice.

⁷³His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁷⁴He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁷⁵He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁷⁶He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁷⁷He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Pagiel son of Okran.

⁷⁸On the twelfth day, Ahira son of Enan, leader of the descendants of Naphtali, offered his sacrifice.

⁷⁹His sacrifice was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. Both of these objects were full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering.⁸⁰He also gave one gold dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense.

⁸¹He gave as a burnt offering one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old male lamb.⁸²He gave one male goat as a sin offering.⁸³He gave two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs that were a year old, as the sacrifice for a fellowship offering. This was the sacrifice of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day that it was anointed: the chiefs of Israel set apart the twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold dishes.⁸⁵Each silver platter weighed 130 shekels and each bowl weighed seventy shekels. All the silver vessels weighed 2,400 shekels, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel.⁸⁶Each of the twelve gold dishes, full of incense, weighed ten shekels by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel. All the gold dishes weighed 120 shekels.

⁸⁷They set apart all the animals for the burnt offerings, twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve year-old male lambs. They gave their grain offering. They gave twelve male goats as a sin offering.⁸⁸From all their cattle, they gave twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old, as the sacrifice for the fellowship offering. This was for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

⁸⁹When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Yahweh, he heard his voice speaking to him. Yahweh spoke to him from above the atonement lid on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim. He spoke to him.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Speak to Aaron. Say to him, 'The seven lamps must give light in front of the lampstand when you light them.'"

³Aaron did this. He lit the lamps on the lampstand to give light toward the front of it, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.⁴The lampstand was made in this way and Yahweh showed Moses the pattern for it. It was to be hammered gold from its base to its top, with hammered cups like blossoms.

⁵Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,⁶"Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and purify them.

⁷Do this to them to purify them: Sprinkle the water of atonement on them. Make them shave their entire body, wash their clothes, and purify themselves.⁸Then have them take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil. Let them take another young bull as a sin offering.

⁹You will bring the Levites in front of the tent of meeting and assemble the whole community of the people of Israel.¹⁰When you bring the Levites before Yahweh, the people of Israel must lay their hands on the Levites.¹¹Aaron must offer the Levites before Yahweh, as a wave offering from the people of Israel so that they may do the service of Yahweh.

¹²The Levites must place their hands on the heads of the bulls. You must offer one bull for a sin offering and the other bull for a burnt offering to me, to atone for the Levites.¹³Present the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and lift them up as a wave offering to me.

¹⁴In this way you must separate the Levites from among the people of Israel. The Levites will belong to me.¹⁵After that, the Levites must go in to serve in the tent of meeting. You must purify them. You must offer them as a wave offering.

¹⁶Do this, because they are entirely mine from among the people of Israel. They will take the place of each firstborn, the first issue of the womb, of all the descendants of Israel. I have taken the Levites for myself.¹⁷All the firstborn from among the people of Israel are mine, both man or animal. On the day that I took the lives of all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

¹⁸I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of all the firstborn.¹⁹I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons. I have taken them from among the people of Israel to do the work of the people of Israel in the tent of meeting. I have given them to atone for the people of Israel so that no plague will harm the people when they come near to the holy place."

²⁰Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of the people of Israel did this with the Levites. They did everything that Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites. The people of Israel did this with them.²¹The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothing, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering to Yahweh and he made atonement for them to cleanse them.

²²After that, the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before Aaron's sons. This was as Yahweh had commanded Moses about the Levites. They treated all the Levites in this way.

²³Yahweh spoke again to Moses. He said,²⁴"All of this is for the Levites who are twenty-five years old and more. They must join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

²⁵They must stop serving in this way at the age of fifty years. At that age they must not serve any longer.²⁶They may help their brothers who continue to work at the tent of meeting, to perform their duties, but they must serve no more. This is how you must deal with the Levites in all their responsibilities."

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt. He said,²"Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its fixed time of year.³On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you must keep the Passover at its fixed time of year. You must keep it, follow all the regulations, and obey all the decrees that are related to it."

⁴So, Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Festival of the Passover.⁵So they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the wilderness of Sinai. The people of Israel obeyed everything that Yahweh commanded Moses to do.

⁶There were certain men who became unclean by the body of a dead man. They could not keep the Passover on that day. They went before Moses and Aaron on that same day.⁷Those men said to Moses, "We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why do you keep us from offering the sacrifice to Yahweh at the fixed time of year among the people of Israel?"⁸Moses said to them, "Wait for me to hear what Yahweh will instruct about you."

⁹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,¹⁰"Speak to the people of Israel. Say, 'If any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body, or are on a long journey, he may still keep the Passover to Yahweh.'

¹¹In the second month on the fourteenth day at evening, they will eat the Passover meal. They must eat the Passover lamb with bread that is made without yeast and with bitter herbs.¹²They must not leave any of it until the morning, or break any of its bones. They must follow all the regulations for the Passover.

¹³But any person who is clean and is not on a journey, but who fails to keep the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people because he did not bring the offering that Yahweh requires at the fixed time of year. That man must carry his sin.¹⁴If a stranger lives among you and keeps the Passover to Yahweh, he must keep it according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule. You must have one statute both for the sojourner and for the one who was born in the land."

¹⁵On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant decrees. At evening the cloud was over the tabernacle. It appeared like fire until morning.¹⁶It continued that way. The cloud covered the tabernacle and appeared like fire at night.¹⁷Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent, the people of Israel would set out on their journey. Wherever the cloud stopped, the people would camp.

¹⁸At Yahweh's command, the people of Israel would travel, and at his command, they would camp. While the cloud stopped over the tabernacle, they would stay in their camp.¹⁹When the cloud remained on the tabernacle for many days, then the people of Israel would obey Yahweh's instructions and not travel.

²⁰Sometimes the cloud remained a few days on the tabernacle. In that case, they would obey Yahweh's command—they would make camp and then travel on again at his command.²¹Sometimes the cloud was present in camp from evening until morning. When the cloud lifted in the morning, they journeyed. If it continued for a day and for a night, only when the cloud lifted would they journey on.

²²Whether the cloud stayed on the tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, for as long as it stayed there, the people of Israel would stay in their camp and not travel. But whenever the cloud was taken up, they would set out on their journey.²³They would camp at Yahweh's command, and they would travel at his command. They obeyed Yahweh's command given through Moses.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Make two silver trumpets. Hammer the silver to make them. You must use the trumpets to call the community together and to call the community to move their camps.

³The priests must blow the trumpets to call all the community together in front of you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.⁴If the priests blow only one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, must gather to you.⁵When you blow a loud signal, the tribes camped on the east side must begin their journey.

⁶When you blow a loud signal the second time, the tribes camped on the south side must begin their journey. They must blow a loud signal for their journeys.⁷When the community gathers together, blow the trumpets, but not loudly.⁸The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. This will always be an ordinance for you throughout your people's generations.

⁹When you go to war in your land against an adversary who oppresses you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets. I, Yahweh your God, will call you to mind and save you from your enemies.

¹⁰Also, at the times of celebration, both your regular festivals and at the beginnings of the months, you must blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices for your fellowship offerings. These will act as a reminder of you to me, your God. I am Yahweh your God."

¹¹In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted from the tabernacle of the covenant decrees.¹²The people of Israel then went on their journey from the wilderness of Sinai. The cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.¹³They made their first journey, following Yahweh's command given through Moses.

¹⁴The camp under the banner of Judah's descendants went out first, moving out their individual armies. Nahshon son of Amminadab led Judah's army.¹⁵Nethanel son of Zuar led the army of the tribe of Issachar's descendants.¹⁶Eliab son of Helon led the army of the tribe of Zebulun's descendants.

¹⁷The descendants of Gershon and of Merari, who cared for the tabernacle, took down the tabernacle and then set out on their journey.¹⁸Next, the armies under the banner of Reuben's camp set out on their journey. Elizur son of Shedeur led Reuben's army.¹⁹Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai led the army of the tribe of Simeon's descendants.²⁰Eliasaph son of Deuel led the army of the tribe of Gad's descendants.

²¹The Kohathites set out. They carried the sanctuary's holy equipment. Others would set up the tabernacle before the Kohathites arrived at the next camp.²²The armies under the banner of Ephraim's descendants set out next. Elishama son of Ammihud led Ephraim's army.²³Gamaliel son of Pedahzur led the army of the tribe of Manasseh's descendants.²⁴Abidan son of Gideoni led the army of the tribe of Benjamin's descendants.

²⁵The armies that camped under the banner of Dan's descendants set out last. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai led Dan's army.²⁶Pagiel son of Okran led the army of the tribe of Asher's descendants.²⁷Ahira son of Enan led the army of the tribe of Naphtali's descendants.²⁸This is the way that the armies of the people of Israel set out on their journey.

²⁹Moses spoke to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite. Reuel was the father of Moses' wife. Moses spoke to Hobab and said, "We are traveling to a place that Yahweh described. Yahweh said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us and we will do you good. Yahweh has promised to do good for Israel."³⁰But Hobab said to Moses, "I will not go with you. I will go to my own land and my own relatives."

³¹Then Moses replied, "Please do not leave us. You know how to camp in the wilderness. You must watch out for us.³²If you go with us, we will do for you the same good that Yahweh does to us."

³³They journeyed from the mountain of Yahweh for three days. The ark of the covenant of Yahweh went before them for three days to find a place for them to rest.³⁴Yahweh's cloud was over them in the daytime as they journeyed.

³⁵Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, "Rise up, Yahweh. Scatter your enemies. Make those who hate you run from you."³⁶Whenever the ark stopped, Moses would say, "Return, Yahweh, to Israel's many tens of thousands."

¹Now the people complained about their troubles as Yahweh listened. Yahweh heard the people and became angry. Fire from Yahweh burned among them and consumed some of the camp on its edges.²Then people called out to Moses, so Moses prayed to Yahweh, and the fire stopped.³That place was named Taberah, because Yahweh's fire burned among them.

⁴Some foreign people began to camp with Israel's descendants. They wanted better food to eat. Then the people of Israel began to weep and say, "Who will give us meat to eat?⁵We remember the fish that we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.⁶Now our appetite is gone, because all we can see is this manna."

⁷Manna was like coriander seed. It looked like resin.⁸The people walked around and gathered it. They ground it in mills, beat it in mortars, boiled it in pots, and made it into cakes. It tasted like a delicacy baked with olive oil.

⁹When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna also fell.¹⁰Moses heard the people weeping in their families, and every man was at the entrance to his tent. Yahweh was very angry, and in Moses' eyes their complaining was wrong.

¹¹Moses said to Yahweh, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why are you not pleased with me? You make me carry the load of all these people.¹²Did I conceive all these people? Have I given them birth so that you should say to me, 'Carry them closely to your chest as a father carries a baby?' Should I carry them to the land that you swore to their ancestors to give them?

¹³Where can I find meat to give to all this people? They are weeping in front of me and are saying, 'Give us meat to eat.'¹⁴I cannot bear all these people alone. They are too much for me.¹⁵Since you are treating me this way, kill me now—if I find favor in your eyes—do not let me see my misery."

¹⁶Yahweh said to Moses, "Bring to me seventy of Israel's elders. Be sure that they are elders and officers of the people. Bring them to the tent of meeting to stand there with you.¹⁷I will come down and talk with you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will bear the burden of the people with you. You will not have to bear it alone.

¹⁸Say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow you will indeed eat meat, for you have wept and Yahweh has heard. You said, "Who will give us meat to eat? It was good for us in Egypt." Therefore Yahweh will give you meat, and you will eat it.¹⁹You will not eat meat for only one day, two days, five days, ten days, or twenty days,²⁰but you will eat meat for a whole month until it comes out of your nostrils. It will disgust you because you have rejected Yahweh, who is among you. You have wept before him. You said, "Why did we leave Egypt?"'"

²¹Then Moses said, "The people I am with are 600,000 footmen, and you have said, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month.'²²Should we kill flocks and herds to satisfy them? Should we catch all the fish in the sea to satisfy them?"²³Yahweh said to Moses, "Is my hand short? Now you will see whether or not my word is true."

²⁴Moses went out and told the people Yahweh's words. He gathered seventy of the people's elders and positioned them around the tent.²⁵Yahweh came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Yahweh took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but only on that occasion and not again.

²⁶Two men remained in the camp, named Eldad and Medad. The Spirit also rested on them. Their names were written on the list, but they had not gone out to the tent. Nevertheless, they prophesied in the camp.²⁷A young man in the camp ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."

²⁸Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant, one of his chosen men, said to Moses, "My master Moses, stop them."²⁹Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all of Yahweh's people were prophets and that he would put his Spirit on them all!"³⁰Then Moses and the elders of Israel went back to the camp.

³¹Then a wind came from Yahweh and brought quail from the sea. They fell near the camp, about a day's journey on one side and a day's journey on the other side. The quail surrounded the camp about two cubits above the ground.³²The people were busy gathering quail all that day, all the night, and all the next day. No one gathered less than ten homers of quail. They shared the quail all through the camp.

³³While the meat was still between their teeth, while they were chewing it, the anger of Yahweh was kindled at them. He attacked the people with a very great disease.³⁴That place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved meat.³⁵From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth, where they stayed.

¹Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married.²They said, "Has Yahweh spoken only with Moses? Has he not spoken also with us?" Now Yahweh heard what they said.³Now the man Moses was very humble, humbler than anyone else on earth.

⁴Right away Yahweh spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: "Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting." So the three of them went out.⁵Then Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud. He stood at the entrance to the tent and called Aaron and Miriam. They both came forward.

⁶Yahweh said, "Now listen to my words.

When a prophet of mine is with you,

I will reveal myself to him in visions

and speak to him in dreams.

⁷My servant Moses is not like that.

He is faithful in all my house.

⁸I speak to Moses directly, not with visions or riddles.

He sees my form.

So why are you unafraid

to speak against my servant, against Moses?"

⁹Yahweh's anger burned against them, and then he left them.¹⁰The cloud rose from over the tent, and Miriam was suddenly leprous—she was as white as snow. When Aaron turned toward Miriam, he saw that she had leprosy.

¹¹Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my master, please do not hold this sin against us. We have spoken foolishly, and we have sinned.¹²Please do not let her be like a dead newborn whose flesh is half consumed when it emerges from its mother's womb."

¹³So Moses called out to Yahweh. He said, "Please heal her, God, please."¹⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "If her father had spit in her face, she would be disgraced for seven days. Shut her outside the camp for seven days. After that bring her in again."¹⁵So Miriam was shut outside the camp for seven days. The people did not journey until she had returned to the camp.

¹⁶After that, the people journeyed from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Send some men to examine the land of Canaan, which I have given to the people of Israel. Send a man from every tribe of their ancestors. Each man must be a leader among them."

³Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, so that they might obey Yahweh's command. All of them were leaders among the people of Israel.⁴These were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zakkur;

⁵from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;

⁶from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

⁷from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

⁸from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;

⁹from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

¹⁰from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

¹¹from the tribe of Joseph (that is to say, from the tribe Manasseh), Gaddi son of Susi;

¹²from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;

¹³from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

¹⁴from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi;

¹⁵from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki.

¹⁶These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to examine the land. Moses called Hoshea son of Nun by the name of Joshua.

¹⁷Moses sent them to examine the land of Canaan. He said to them, "Approach from the Negev and go up into the hill country.¹⁸Examine the land to see what it is like. Observe the people who live there, whether they are strong or weak, and whether they are few or many.¹⁹See what the land is like where they live. Is it good or bad? What cities are there? Are they like camps, or are they fortified cities?²⁰See what the land is like, whether it is good for growing crops or not, and whether there are trees there or not. Be brave and bring back samples of the land's produce." Now the time was the season for the first ripe grapes.

²¹So the men went up and examined the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo Hamath.²²They went up from the Negev and arrived at Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.

²³When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut down a branch with a cluster of grapes. They carried it on a staff between two of their group. They also brought pomegranates and figs.²⁴That place was named the Valley of Eshkol, because of the grape cluster that the people of Israel cut down there.

²⁵After forty days, they returned from examining the land.²⁶They came back to Moses, Aaron, and all the community of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the community, and showed them the produce from the land.

²⁷They told Moses, "We reached the land to which you sent us. It certainly flows with milk and honey. Here is some produce from it.²⁸However, the people who make their homes there are strong. The cities are fortified and very large. We also saw descendants of Anak there.²⁹The Amalekites live in the Negev. The Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites have their homes in the hill country. The Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan River."

³⁰Then Caleb silenced the people who were before Moses and said, "Let us go up and take possession of the land, for we are certainly able to conquer it."³¹But the other men who had gone with him said, "We are not able to attack the people because they are stronger than we are."

³²So they spread around a discouraging report to the people of Israel about the land that they had examined. They said, "The land that we looked at is a land that eats up its inhabitants. All the people whom we saw there are people of great height.³³There we saw the Nephilim, descendants of Anak, people who came from giants. In our own sight we were like grasshoppers in comparison with them, and this is what we were in their sight, too."

¹That night all the community wept loudly.²All the people of Israel criticized Moses and Aaron. The whole community said to them, "We wish we had died in the land of Egypt, or here in this wilderness!³Why did Yahweh bring us to this land to die by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become victims. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?"

⁴They said to one another, "Let us choose another leader, and let us return to Egypt."⁵Then Moses and Aaron lay facedown before all the assembly of the community of the people of Israel.

⁶Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were some of those sent to examine the land, tore their clothes.⁷They spoke to all the community of the people of Israel. They said, "The land that we passed through and examined is a very good land.⁸If Yahweh is pleased with us, then he will take us into this land and give it to us. The land flows with milk and honey.

⁹But do not rebel against Yahweh, and do not fear the people in the land, for they are bread to us. Their protection will be removed from them, because Yahweh is with us. Do not fear them."¹⁰Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of Yahweh appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.

¹¹Yahweh said to Moses, "How long must this people despise me? How long must they fail to trust me, despite all the signs of my power that I have done among them?¹²I will attack them with plague, disinherit them, and make from your own clan a nation that will be greater and mightier than they are."

¹³Moses said to Yahweh, "If you do this, then the Egyptians will hear about it, because you rescued this people from them by your power.¹⁴They will tell it to this land's inhabitants. They have heard that you, Yahweh, are present with this people, because you are seen face to face. Your cloud stands over our people. You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.

¹⁵Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations that have heard this report about you will say,¹⁶'Because Yahweh could not take this people into the land that he swore to give them, he has killed them in the wilderness.'

¹⁷Now, I beg you, may the power of my Lord be great. For you have said,¹⁸'Yahweh is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He forgives iniquity and transgression. He will by no means clear the guilty when he brings the punishment of the ancestors' sin on their descendants, to the third and fourth generation.'¹⁹Pardon, I plead with you, this people's iniquity because of the greatness of your covenant faithfulness, just as you have always forgiven this people from the time they were in Egypt until now."

²⁰Yahweh said, "I have pardoned them in keeping with your request,²¹but truly, as I live, and as all the earth will be filled with my glory,²²all those people who saw my glory and the signs of power that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness—they have still tested me these ten times and have not listened to my voice.

²³So I say that they will certainly not see the land about which I made an oath to their ancestors. Not one of them who despised me will see it,²⁴except for my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly. I will bring him into the land where he had gone, and his descendants will take possession of it.²⁵(Now the Amalekites and Canaanites lived in the valley.) Tomorrow turn and go to the wilderness by the way of the Sea of Reeds."

²⁶Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,²⁷"How long must I tolerate this evil community that criticizes me? I have heard the complaining of the people of Israel against me.

²⁸Say to them, 'As I live—this is Yahweh's declaration—as you have spoken in my hearing, I will do this to you:²⁹Your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, all you who complained against me, you who were counted in the census, the whole number of the people from twenty years old and upward.³⁰You will certainly not go into the land that I promised to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

³¹But your little ones who you said would be victims, I will take them into the land. They will experience the land that you have rejected!³²As for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness.³³Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years. They must bear the punishment for your acts of rebellion until the end of your corpses in the wilderness.

³⁴According to the number of the days during which you examined the land, forty days, you will bear the punishment for your sins for forty years, one year for every day, and you will know my opposition.³⁵I, Yahweh, have spoken. I will certainly do this to all this evil community that is gathered together against me. They will be completely cut off in this wilderness, and here they will die.'"

³⁶So the men Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made the entire community grumble against Moses by spreading a bad report about the land—³⁷these men who had brought out a bad report about the land were struck down, and they died of a plague before Yahweh.³⁸Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.

³⁹When Moses reported these words to all the people of Israel, they mourned very deeply.⁴⁰They rose up early in the morning and went to the top of the mountain and said, "Look, we are here, and we will go to the place that Yahweh has promised, for we have sinned."

⁴¹But Moses said, "Why are you now violating Yahweh's command? You will not succeed.⁴²Do not go, because Yahweh is not with you to prevent you from being defeated by your enemies.⁴³The Amalekites and Canaanites are there, and you will die by the sword because you turned back from following Yahweh. So he will not be with you."

⁴⁴But they arrogantly went up into the hill country; however, neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of Yahweh left the camp.⁴⁵Then the Amalekites came down, and also the Canaanites who lived on those hills. They attacked the Israelites and beat them down all the way to Hormah.

¹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you go into the land where you will live, which Yahweh will give to you,³you are to prepare an offering by fire to Yahweh, either a burnt offering or a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or a freewill offering, or an offering at your feasts, to produce a pleasing aroma for Yahweh from the herd or the flock.

⁴You must offer to Yahweh a burnt offering as well as a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil.⁵You must also offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, one-fourth of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb.

⁶If you are offering a ram, you must prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil.⁷For the drink offering, you must offer a third of a hin of wine. It will produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh.

⁸When you prepare a bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or as a fellowship offering to Yahweh,⁹then you must offer with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil.¹⁰You must offer as the drink offering half a hin of wine, as an offering made by fire, to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh.

¹¹It must be done this way for each bull, for each ram, and for each of the male lambs or young goats.¹²Every sacrifice that you prepare and offer must be done as described here.¹³All who are native-born must do these things in this way, when anyone brings an offering made by fire, to produce an aroma that is pleasing to Yahweh.

¹⁴If a sojourner is staying with you, or whoever may live among you throughout your people's generations, he must make an offering made by fire, to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. He must act as you act.¹⁵There must be the same law for the community and for the foreigner who stays with you, a permanent law throughout your people's generations. As you are, so also must be the sojourner staying with you. He must act as you act before Yahweh.¹⁶The same law and decree must apply to you and to the foreigner who is staying with you.'"

¹⁷Again Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,¹⁸"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you come into the land where I will take you,¹⁹when you eat the food produced in the land, you must lift up a contribution to Yahweh.

²⁰From the first of your dough you must offer a loaf to lift it up as a contribution, a contribution from the threshing floor. You must lift it up in this way.²¹You must give to me a lifted contribution throughout your people's generations from the first of your dough.

²²You will sometimes sin without intending to do so, when you do not obey all these commands that I have spoken to Moses—²³everything that I have commanded you through Moses from the day that I began to give you commands and onward throughout your people's generations.²⁴In the case of unintentional sin without the community's knowledge, then all the community must offer one young bull as a burnt offering to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. Along with this must be made a grain offering and drink offering, as commanded by the decree, and one male goat as a sin offering.

²⁵The priest must make atonement for all the community of the people of Israel. They will be forgiven because the sin was an error. They have brought their sacrifice, an offering made by fire to me. They have brought their sin offering before me for their error.²⁶Then all the community of the people of Israel will be forgiven, and also the foreigners who are staying with them, because all the people committed the sin unintentionally.

²⁷If a person sins unintentionally, then he must offer a female goat a year old as a sin offering.²⁸The priest must make atonement before Yahweh for the person who goes astray and sins unintentionally. That person will be forgiven when atonement has been made.²⁹You must have the same law for the one who does anything unintentionally, the same law for the one who is native born among the people of Israel and for the foreigners who are staying among them.

³⁰But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native born or a foreigner, blasphemes me. That person must be cut off from among his people.³¹Because he has despised my word and has broken my commandment, that person must be cut off completely. His iniquity will be on him.'"

³²While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.³³Those who found him brought him to Moses, Aaron, and all the community.³⁴They kept him in custody because it had not been declared what should be done with him.

³⁵Then Yahweh said to Moses, "The man must surely be put to death. All the community must stone him with stones outside the camp."³⁶So all the community brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

³⁷Again Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,³⁸"Speak to the descendants of Israel and command them to make for themselves tassels to hang from the borders of their garments, to hang them from each border by a blue cord. They must do this throughout their people's generations.³⁹It will be a special reminder to you, when you may look at it, of all my commandments, to carry them out so that you do not look to your own heart and your own eyes and prostitute yourselves to them.

⁴⁰Do this so that you may call to mind and obey all my commandments, and so that you may be holy, reserved for me, your God.⁴¹I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to become your God. I am Yahweh your God."

¹Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, descendants of Reuben, gathered some men.²They rose up against Moses, along with other men from the people of Israel, 250 leaders of the community who were men of reputation in the community.³They assembled themselves together to confront Moses and Aaron. They said to them, "You have gone too far! All the community is set apart, every one of them, and Yahweh is among them. Why do you lift up yourselves above the rest of Yahweh's community?"

⁴When Moses heard that, he lay facedown.⁵He spoke to Korah and all his companions, "In the morning Yahweh will make known who belongs to him and who is set apart to him. He will bring that person near to him. The one he chooses he will bring near to himself.

⁶Do this, Korah and all your group. Take censers⁷tomorrow and put fire and incense in them before Yahweh. The one whom Yahweh chooses, that man will be set apart to Yahweh. You have gone too far, you descendants of Levi."

⁸Again, Moses said to Korah, "Now listen, you descendants of Levi:⁹is it a small thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the community of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do work in Yahweh's tabernacle, and to stand before the community to serve them?¹⁰He has brought you near, and all your kinfolk, the descendants of Levi, with you, yet you are seeking the priesthood also!¹¹Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh. Who is Aaron that you grumble against him?"

¹²Then Moses called for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up.¹³Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness? Now you want to make yourself ruler over us!¹⁴In addition, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, or given us the fields and vineyards as an inheritance. Now do you want to blind us with empty promises? We will not come to you."

¹⁵Moses was very angry and said to Yahweh, "Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed any of them."¹⁶Then Moses said to Korah, "Tomorrow you and all your companions must go before Yahweh—you and they, and Aaron.¹⁷Each of you must take his censer and put incense in it. Then each man must bring before Yahweh his censer, 250 censers. You and Aaron, also, must each bring your censer."

¹⁸So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense in it, and stood at the entrance to the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron.¹⁹Korah assembled all the community against Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and Yahweh's glory appeared to all the community.

²⁰Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron:²¹"Separate yourselves from among this community that I may consume them immediately."²²Moses and Aaron lay facedown and said, "God, the God of the spirits of all humanity, if one man sins, must you be angry with all the community?"

²³Yahweh replied to Moses. He said,²⁴"Speak to the community. Say, 'Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'"

²⁵Then Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him.²⁶He spoke to the community and said, "Now leave the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be consumed by all their sins."²⁷So the community on every side of the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram left them. Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance to their tents, with their wives, sons, and their little ones.

²⁸Then Moses said, "By this you will know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own accord.²⁹If these men die a natural death such as normally happens, then Yahweh has not sent me.³⁰But if Yahweh creates something new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that they possess, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you must understand that these men have despised Yahweh."

³¹As soon as Moses finished speaking all these words, the ground opened under those men.³²The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their families, and all the people who belonged to Korah, as well as all their possessions.

³³So they and all that they possessed went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed over them, and they perished from among the community.³⁴All Israel around them fled from their cries. They exclaimed, "The earth may swallow us up also!"³⁵Then fire flashed out from Yahweh and devoured the 250 men who had offered incense.

³⁶Again Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,³⁷"Speak to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest and let him take up the censers out of the flames, for the censers are set apart to me. Then let him scatter the burning coals at a distance.³⁸Take the censers of those who lost their lives because of their sin. Let them be made into hammered plates as a covering over the altar. Those men did offer them before me, so they are set apart to me. They will be a sign of my presence to the people of Israel."

³⁹Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been used by the men who were burned up, and they were hammered out into a covering for the altar,⁴⁰to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider who was not descended from Aaron should come up to burn incense before Yahweh, so they might not become like Korah and his group—just as Yahweh had commanded through Moses.

⁴¹But the next morning all the community of the people of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron. They said, "You have killed Yahweh's people."⁴²Then it happened, when the community had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they looked toward the tent of meeting and, behold, the cloud was covering it. Yahweh's glory appeared,⁴³and Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting.

⁴⁴Then Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,⁴⁵"Go away from in front of this community so that I may consume them immediately." Then Moses and Aaron lay down with their faces to the ground.⁴⁶Moses said to Aaron, "Take the censer, put fire in it from off the altar, put incense in it, carry it quickly to the community, and make atonement for them, because anger is coming from Yahweh. The plague has begun."

⁴⁷So Aaron did as Moses directed. He ran into the middle of the community. The plague had quickly started to spread among the people, so he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.⁴⁸Aaron stood between the dead and the living; in this way the plague was stopped.

⁴⁹Those who died by the plague were 14,700 in number, besides those who had died in the matter of Korah.⁵⁰Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and the plague ended.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,²"Speak to the people of Israel and get staffs from them, one for each ancestral tribe, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff.

³You must write Aaron's name on Levi's staff. There must be one staff for each leader from his ancestors' tribe.⁴You must place the staffs in the tent of meeting in front of the covenant decrees, where I meet with you.⁵It will happen that the staff of the man whom I choose will bud. I will cause the complaints from the people of Israel to stop, which they are speaking against you."

⁶So Moses spoke to the people of Israel. All the tribal leaders gave him staffs, one staff from each leader, selected from each of the ancestral tribes, twelve staffs in all. Aaron's staff was among them.⁷Then Moses deposited the staffs before Yahweh in the tent of the covenant decrees.

⁸The next day Moses went into the tent of the covenant decrees and, behold, Aaron's staff for the tribe of Levi had budded. It grew buds and produced blossoms and ripe almonds!⁹Moses brought out all the staffs from before Yahweh to all the people of Israel, and each man took his staff.

¹⁰Yahweh said to Moses, "Put Aaron's staff in front of the covenant decrees. Keep it as a sign of guilt against the people who rebelled so that you may end complaints against me, or they will die."¹¹Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded him.

¹²The people of Israel spoke to Moses and said, "We will die here. We will all perish!¹³Everyone who comes up, who approaches Yahweh's tabernacle, will die. Must we all perish?"

¹Yahweh said to Aaron, "You, your sons, and your ancestor's clan will be responsible for all sins committed against the sanctuary. But only you and your sons with you will be responsible for all sins committed by anyone in the priesthood.²As for your fellow members of the tribe of Levi, your ancestors' tribe, you must bring them with you so they may join you and help you when you and your sons serve in front of the tent of the covenant decrees.

³They must perform your duties and the duties of the whole tent. However, they must not come near to anything in the holy place or connected with the altar, or they and also you will die.⁴They must join you and perform the duties connected with the tent of meeting, for all the work connected with the tent. A foreigner must not come near you.⁵You must perform the duties for the holy place and for the altar so that my anger does not come on the people of Israel again.

⁶Look, I myself have chosen your fellow members of the Levites from among the descendants of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to me to do the work connected to the tent of meeting.⁷But only you and your sons may exercise the priesthood regarding everything connected with the altar and everything inside the curtain. You yourselves must fulfill those responsibilities. I am giving you the priesthood as a gift. Any foreigner who approaches must be put to death."

⁸Then Yahweh said to Aaron, "Look, I have given you the duty of handling the contributions lifted up to me, and all the holy offerings that the people of Israel give to me. I have given these offerings to you as a consecrated portion and to your sons as your assigned portion for all time.⁹This will belong to you from the most holy things that are kept from the fire. From every offering of theirs—every grain offering, every sin offering, and every guilt offering—they are set apart to you and to your sons.

¹⁰These offerings are very holy; every male must eat it, for they are holy to you.¹¹These are the contributions that will belong to you, set apart out of all their gifts of the wave offerings of the people of Israel. I have given them to you, your sons, and your daughters, as your portion forever. Everyone who is ceremonially clean in your family may eat any of these offerings.

¹²All the best of the oil, all the best of the new wine and grain, the firstfruits that the people give to me—all these things I have given to you.¹³The first ripe produce of all that is in their land, which they bring to me, will be yours. Everyone who is clean in your family may eat these things.

¹⁴Every devoted thing in Israel will be yours.¹⁵Every first issue of the womb, all the firstborn that the people offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal, will be yours. Nevertheless, the people must certainly redeem every firstborn son, and they must redeem the firstborn male of unclean animals.¹⁶Those that are to be redeemed by the people must be redeemed after becoming one month old. Then the people may redeem them for the price of five shekels of silver, by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs.

¹⁷But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat—you must not redeem these animals; they are set apart to me. You must sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to Yahweh.¹⁸Their meat will be yours. Like the breast and the right thigh that are lifted as an offering, their meat will be yours.

¹⁹All the holy contributions that the people of Israel present to Yahweh, I have given to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a continual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt, a binding covenant forever, before Yahweh for both you and your descendants with you."²⁰Yahweh said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in the people's land, nor will you have any share of property among the people. I am your share and inheritance among the people of Israel.

²¹To the descendants of Levi, look, I have given all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the service that they provide in working at the tent of meeting.²²From now on the people of Israel must not come near the tent of meeting, or they will be responsible for this sin and die.

²³The Levites must do the work connected to the tent of meeting. They will be responsible for any iniquity regarding it. This will be a permanent law throughout your people's generations. Among the people of Israel they must have no inheritance.²⁴For the tithes of the people of Israel, which they offer as a contribution to Yahweh—it is these that I have given to the Levites as their inheritance. That is why I said to them, 'They must have no inheritance among the people of Israel.'"

²⁵Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²⁶"You must speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive from the people of Israel the tenth that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, you will present a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tenth of the tithe.²⁷Your contribution must be considered by you as if it were a tenth of the grain from the threshing floor or of the production from the winepress.

²⁸So you also must make a contribution to Yahweh from all the tithes that you receive from the people of Israel. From them you must give his contribution to Aaron the priest.²⁹Out of all the gifts you receive, you must make every contribution to Yahweh. You must do this from all the best and the holiest things that have been given to you.'

³⁰Therefore you must say to them, 'When you present the best of it, then it must be credited to the Levites as the product from the threshing floor and the winepress.³¹You may eat the rest of your gifts in any place, you and your families, because it is your pay in return for your work in the tent of meeting.³²You will not bear any sin by eating and drinking it, if you have presented to Yahweh the best of what you have received. But you must not profane the holy offerings of the people of Israel, or you will die.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said,²"This is a statute, a law which Yahweh is commanding you: Say to the people of Israel that they must bring to you a red heifer without flaw or blemish, and which has never carried a yoke.

³Give the heifer to Eleazar the priest. He must bring it outside the camp, and someone must kill it in front of him.⁴Eleazar the priest must take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting.⁵The heifer must be burned in his sight—its hide, its flesh, and its blood with its dung, must be burned.⁶The priest must take cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet wool, and throw it all into the middle of the burning heifer.

⁷Then he must wash his clothes and bathe in water. Then he may come into the camp, where he will remain unclean until the evening.⁸The one who has burned the heifer must wash his clothes in water and bathe in water. He will remain unclean until the evening.

⁹A man who is clean must gather up the heifer's ashes and put them outside the camp in a clean place. These ashes must be kept for the community of the people of Israel. They will mix the ashes with water for purification from sin, since the ashes were from a sin offering.¹⁰The one who gathered the heifer's ashes must wash his clothes. He will remain unclean until the evening. This will be a permanent law for the people of Israel and the foreigners who stay with them.

¹¹Whoever touches the dead body of any man will be unclean for seven days.¹²Such a person must purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day. Then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself the third day, then he will not be clean on the seventh day.¹³Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and does not purify himself—this person defiles Yahweh's tabernacle. That person must be cut off from Israel because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him. He will remain unclean; his uncleanness will remain on him.

¹⁴This is the law for when someone dies in a tent. Everyone who goes into the tent and everyone who is already in the tent will be unclean for seven days.¹⁵Every open container with no cover becomes unclean.¹⁶In the same way, anyone outside a tent who touches someone who has been killed with a sword, any other dead body, a human bone, or a grave—that person will be unclean for seven days.

¹⁷Do this for the unclean person: Take some ashes from the burnt sin offering and mix them in a jar with fresh water.¹⁸Someone who is clean must then take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the containers inside the tent, on the persons who were there, and on anyone who touched the bone, the one who was killed, the one who died, or the grave.¹⁹On the third day and on the seventh day, the clean person must sprinkle the unclean person. On the seventh day the unclean person must purify himself. He must wash his clothes and bathe in water. At evening he will become clean.

²⁰But anyone who remains unclean, who refuses to purify himself—that person will be cut off from the community, because he has defiled Yahweh's sanctuary. The water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him; he remains unclean.²¹This will be an ongoing law concerning these situations. The one who sprinkles the water for impurity must wash his clothes. The one who touches the water for impurity will become unclean until evening.²²Whatever the unclean person touches will become unclean. The person who touches it will become unclean until evening."

¹So the people of Israel, the whole community, went into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

²There was no water for the community, so they assembled together against Moses and Aaron.³The people complained against Moses. They said, "It would have been better if we had died when our fellow Israelites died in front of Yahweh!

⁴Why have you brought Yahweh's community into this wilderness to die here, we and our animals?⁵Why did you make us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this horrible place? There is no place for seed, figs, vines, or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."

⁶So Moses and Aaron went away from in front of the assembly. They went to the entrance of the tent of meeting and lay facedown. There Yahweh's brilliant glory appeared to them.

⁷Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,⁸"Take the staff and assemble the community, you, and Aaron your brother. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and command it to flow with water. You will produce water for them out of that rock, and you must give it to the community and their livestock to drink."⁹Moses took the staff from before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

¹⁰Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock. Moses said to them, "Listen now, you rebels. Must we bring water out of this rock for you?"¹¹Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, and much water came out. The community drank, and their livestock drank.

¹²Then Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me or honor me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them."¹³This place was called the waters of Meribah because the people of Israel had quarreled with Yahweh there, and he showed himself to them as holy.

¹⁴Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: Your brother Israel says this: "You know all the hardship that has found us.¹⁵You know that our ancestors went down to Egypt and lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians treated us harshly and also our ancestors.¹⁶When we called out to Yahweh, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the border of your land.

¹⁷I am asking you to let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, nor will we drink the water in your wells. We will go along the king's highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed your border."

¹⁸But the king of Edom replied to him, "You may not pass through here. If you do, I will come with the sword to attack you."

¹⁹Then the people of Israel said to him, "We will go along the highway. If we or our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us walk through on foot, without doing anything else."

²⁰But the king of Edom replied, "You may not pass through." So the king of Edom came against Israel with a strong hand with many soldiers.²¹The king of Edom refused to allow Israel to cross over their border. Because of this, Israel turned away from the land of Edom.

²²So the people journeyed from Kadesh. The people of Israel, the whole community, came to Mount Hor.²³Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on Edom's border. He said,²⁴"Aaron must be gathered to his people, for he will not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel. This is because you both rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

²⁵Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor.²⁶Take Aaron's priestly garments off him and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron must die and be gathered to his people there."

²⁷Moses did as Yahweh commanded. They went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the community.²⁸Moses took Aaron's priestly garments off him and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down.²⁹When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the entire house of Israel wept for Aaron for thirty days.

¹When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was traveling by the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive.²Israel vowed to Yahweh and said, "If you give us victory over these people, then we will completely destroy their cities."³Yahweh listened to Israel's voice and he gave them victory over the Canaanites. They completely destroyed them and their cities. That place was named Hormah.

⁴They traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Reeds to go around the land of Edom. The people became very discouraged on the way.⁵The people spoke against God and Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, no water, and we hate this miserable food."

⁶Then Yahweh sent poisonous snakes among the people. The snakes bit the people; many people of Israel died.⁷The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned because we have spoken against Yahweh and you. Pray to Yahweh for him to take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸Yahweh said to Moses, "Make a snake and attach it to a pole. It will happen that everyone who is bitten will survive, if he looks at it."⁹So Moses made a bronze snake and attached it to a pole. When a snake bit any person, if he looked at the bronze snake, he survived.

¹⁰Then the people of Israel traveled on and camped at Oboth.¹¹They traveled from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the east.

¹²From there they traveled on and camped in the Valley of Zered.¹³From there they traveled on and camped on the other side of the Arnon River, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites. The Arnon River forms the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

¹⁴That is why it says in the scroll of the Wars of Yahweh,

"... Zahab ¹ in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,

¹⁵the slope of the valleys that lead toward the town of Ar

and lie along the border of Moab."

¹⁶From there they traveled to Beer, the well where Yahweh said to Moses, "Gather the people together for me to give them water."

¹⁷Then Israel sang this song:

"Spring up, well!

Sing about it,

¹⁸about the well that our leaders dug,

the well the nobles of the people dug,

with the scepter and their staffs."

Then from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah.

¹⁹From Mattanah they traveled to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,²⁰and from Bamoth to a valley in the land of Moab. That is where the top of Mount Pisgah looks down on the wilderness.

²¹Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites saying,²²"Let us pass through your land. We will not turn into any field or vineyard. We will not drink the water from your wells. We will travel by the king's highway until we have crossed your border."

²³But King Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border. Instead, Sihon gathered all his army together and went out into the wilderness against Israel. He came to Jahaz, where he fought against Israel.

²⁴Israel attacked the army of Sihon with the edge of the sword and took their land from the Arnon to the Jabbok river, as far as the land of the people of Ammon. Now the border of the people of Ammon was fortified.²⁵Israel took all the Amorite cities and lived in all of them, including Heshbon and all of its villages.²⁶Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab. Sihon had taken all his land from his territory to the Arnon River.

²⁷That is why those who speak in proverbs say,

"Come to Heshbon.

Let the city of Sihon be rebuilt and established again.

²⁸A fire blazed from Heshbon,

a flame from the city of Sihon

that devoured Ar of Moab,

and the owners of the high places of Arnon.

²⁹Woe to you, Moab!

You have perished, people of Chemosh.

He has made his sons to be fugitives

and his daughters to be prisoners

of Sihon king of the Amorites.

³⁰But we have conquered Sihon.

Heshbon is devastated all the way to Dibon.

We have defeated them all the way to Nophah,

which reaches to Medeba."

³¹So Israel began to live in the Amorites' land.³²Then Moses sent men to look at Jazer. They took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

³³Then they turned and went up by the road of Bashan. Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his army, to fight them at Edrei.³⁴Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Do not fear him, because I have given you victory over him, all his army, and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon."³⁵So they killed him, his sons, and all his army, until none of his people were left alive. Then they took over his land.

¹Some modern English translations read, Waheb .

22¹The people of Israel traveled on until they camped in the plains of Moab near Jericho, on the other side of the Jordan River from the city.

²Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.³Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was in terror of the people of Israel.⁴The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, "This multitude will eat up all that is around us as an ox eats up the grass in a field." Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

⁵He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor which is by the Euphrates River, in the land of his nation and his people. He called him and said, "Look, a nation has come here from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and they are right now next to me.⁶Please come now and curse this nation for me, because they are too strong for me. Perhaps then I can manage to attack them and drive them out of the land. I know that those you bless will be blessed, and that those you curse will be cursed."

⁷So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian left, taking payment for divination. They came to Balaam and spoke to him Balak's words.⁸Balaam said to them, "Stay here tonight. I will bring you what Yahweh says to me." So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam that night.

⁹God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men who came to you?"¹⁰Balaam answered God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me. He said,¹¹'Look, the people who have come from Egypt cover the surface of my land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I will manage to fight them and drive them out.'"

¹²God replied to Balaam, "You must not go with those men. You must not curse the people of Israel because they have been blessed."¹³Balaam rose up in the morning and said to Balak's leaders, "Go back to your land because Yahweh refuses to allow me to go with you."¹⁴So the leaders of Moab left and went back to Balak. They said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

¹⁵Balak sent again more leaders who were even more honored than the first group.¹⁶They came to Balaam and said to him, "Balak son of Zippor says this, 'Please let nothing stop you from coming to me,¹⁷because I will pay you extremely well and give you great honor, and I will do whatever you tell me to do. So please come and curse this people for me.'"

¹⁸Balaam answered and said to Balak's servants, "Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yahweh, my God, and do less or more than what he tells me.¹⁹Now then, please wait here tonight too, so that I may learn anything further that Yahweh says to me."²⁰God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you to do."

²¹Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.²²But because he went, God's anger was kindled. The angel of Yahweh placed himself in the road as someone hostile to Balaam, who was riding on his donkey. Balaam's two servants were also with him.²³The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. The donkey turned off the road and went into a field. Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back to the road.

²⁴Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow part of the road between some vineyards, with a wall on his right side and another wall on his left side.²⁵The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh again. She went against the wall and pinned Balaam's foot against it. Balaam struck her again.

²⁶The angel of Yahweh went further and stood in another narrow place where there was no way to turn to either side.²⁷The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

²⁸Then Yahweh opened the donkey's mouth so she could talk. She said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that induced you to strike me these three times?"²⁹Balaam replied to the donkey, "It was because you acted so stupidly with me. I wish there were a sword in my hand. If there were, by now I would have killed you."³⁰The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life long to this present day? Have I ever been in the habit of doing such things to you before?" Balaam said, "No."

³¹Then Yahweh opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed down and lay facedown.³²The angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come as someone hostile to you because your actions before me have been wicked.³³The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would certainly have killed you and spared her life."

³⁴Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, "I have sinned. I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back."³⁵But the angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go on ahead with the men. But you must only speak the words that I tell you." So Balaam went with the leaders of Balak.

³⁶When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at a city in Moab at the Arnon, which is on the border.³⁷Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send men to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"

³⁸Then Balaam replied to Balak, "See, I have come to you. Do I now have any power to say anything? I can only say the words that God puts into my mouth."³⁹Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.⁴⁰Then Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and gave some meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.

⁴¹In the morning, Balak took Balaam up to the high place of Baal. From there Balaam could see only a part of the Israelites in their camp.

¹Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars here for me and prepare seven bulls and seven rams."²So Balak did as Balaam requested. Then Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on every altar.³Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand at your burnt offering and I will go. Perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you." So he went away to a hilltop with no trees.

⁴Then God met Balaam, and Balaam said to him, "I have built seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each one."⁵Yahweh put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak and speak to him."⁶So Balaam returned to Balak, who was standing by his burnt offering, and all the leaders of Moab were with him.

⁷Then Balaam began to speak his proverb and said,

"Balak has brought me from Aram,

the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.

'Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said.

'Come, denounce Israel.'

⁸How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?

How can I denounce those whom Yahweh does not denounce?

⁹For from the top of the rocks I see him;

from the hills I look at him.

See, there is a people who live alone

and do not consider themselves as just an ordinary nation.

¹⁰Who can count the dust of Jacob

or number even only one-fourth of Israel?

Let me die the death of a righteous person,

and let my life's end be like his!"

¹¹Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have blessed them."¹²Balaam answered and said, "Should I not be careful to say only what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"

¹³So Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the nearest of them, not all of them. There you will curse them for me."¹⁴So he took Balaam into the field of Zophim, to the top of Mount Pisgah, and built seven more altars. He offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.¹⁵Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet with Yahweh over there."

¹⁶So Yahweh met Balaam and put a message in his mouth. He said, "Return to Balak and give him my message."¹⁷Balaam returned to him, and look, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab were with him. Then Balak said to him, "What has Yahweh said?"

¹⁸Balaam began his prophecy. He said,

"Rise up, Balak, and hear.

Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

¹⁹God is not a man, that he should lie,

or a human being, that he should change his mind.

Has he promised anything without doing it?

Has he said he would do something without carrying it out?

²⁰Look, I have been commanded to bless.

God has given a blessing, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹He has not looked upon disaster in Jacob,

and he has not seen trouble in Israel.

Yahweh their God is with them,

and the shout of the king is among them.

²²God brought them out of Egypt

with strength like that of a wild ox.

²³There is no sorcery that works against Jacob,

and no divination harms Israel.

Now it must be said about Jacob and Israel,

'Look what God has done!'

²⁴Look, the people rise like a lioness,

as a lion emerges and attacks.

He does not lie down until he eats his victim

and drinks the blood of what he has killed."

²⁵Then Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them or bless them at all."²⁶But Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Did I not tell you that I must say all that Yahweh tells me to say?"²⁷So Balak replied to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God for you to curse them there for me."

²⁸So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wilderness.²⁹Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams."³⁰So Balak did as Balaam had said; he offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he did not go, as at the other times, to use sorcery. Instead, he looked toward the wilderness.

²Balaam raised his eyes and saw that Israel was camped, each in their own tribe, and the Spirit of God came on him.³He received this prophecy and said,

"This is the declaration of Balaam son of Beor,

the declaration of the man whose eyes are wide open,

⁴the declaration of the one who hears the words of God,

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

who bows down with his eyes open.

⁵How delightful are your tents, Jacob,

the place where you live, Israel!

⁶Like valleys they spread out,

like gardens by the riverside,

like aloes planted by Yahweh,

like cedars beside the waters.

⁷Water will flow from their buckets,

and their seed will have abundant water.

Their king will be greater than Agag,

and their kingdom will be honored.

⁸God will bring him out of Egypt.

He will have strength like a wild ox.

He will eat up the nations who fight against him.

He will break their bones to pieces.

He will shoot them with his arrows.

⁹He crouches down like a lion,

like a lioness. Who dares disturb him?

May everyone who blesses him be blessed;

may everyone who curses him be cursed."

¹⁰Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam and he struck his hands together in anger. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but look, you have blessed them three times.¹¹So flee home now. I said I would greatly reward you, but Yahweh has kept you from getting any reward."

¹²Then Balaam replied to Balak, "I said to the messengers that you sent to me,¹³'Even if Balak gave me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond Yahweh's word and anything bad or good, or anything at all that I might want to do. I can say only what Yahweh tells me to say.' Did I not say this to them?¹⁴So now, look, I will go back to my people. But first let me advise you about what this people will do to your people in the days ahead."

¹⁵Balaam began this prophecy. He said,

"This is the declaration of Balaam son of Beor,

the declaration of the man whose eyes are wide open.

¹⁶This is the declaration of someone who hears words from God,

who has knowledge from the Most High,

who sees visions from the Almighty,

who bows down with open eyes.

¹⁷I see him, but he is not here now.

I look at him, but he is not near.

A star will come out of Jacob,

and a scepter will rise out of Israel.

He will shatter Moab's leaders

and destroy all the descendants of Seth.

¹⁸Then Edom will become a possession of Israel,

and Seir will also become their possession,

enemies of Israel,

whom Israel will conquer with force.

¹⁹Out of Jacob a king will come who will have dominion,

and he will destroy the survivors of their city."

²⁰Then Balaam looked at Amalek and began his prophecy. He said,

"Amalek was once the greatest of nations,

but his end will be eternal destruction."

²¹Then Balaam looked toward the Kenites and began his prophecy. He said,

"The place where you live is strong,

and your nest is in the rocks.

²²Nevertheless you Kenites will be consumed by fire

when Assyria carries you away captive."

²³Then Balaam began his final prophecy. He said,

"Woe! Who will survive when God does this?

²⁴Ships will come from the coast of Cyprus ¹;

they will attack Assyria and will conquer Eber,

but they, too, will end in destruction."

²⁵Then Balaam got up and left. He returned to his home, and Balak also went away.

¹Some modern English translations read, Kittim .

¹Israel stayed in Shittim, and the men began to prostitute themselves with women of Moab,²for the Moabites had invited the people to the sacrifices to their gods. So the people ate and bowed down to Moabite gods.³The men of Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel.

⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "Kill all the leaders of the people and hang them up before me to expose them in the daylight, so that my fierce anger may turn away from Israel."⁵So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you must kill his people who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor."

⁶Then one of the men of the sons of Israel came and brought among his family members a Midianite woman. This happened in the sight of Moses and all the community of the people of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.⁷When Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saw that, he rose up from among the community and took a spear in his hand.

⁸He followed the man of Israel into the tent and thrust the spear through both of their bodies, both the man of Israel and the woman. So a plague that God had sent on the people of Israel stopped.⁹Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand in number.

¹⁰Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,¹¹"Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, has turned my rage away from the people of Israel because he was passionate with my zeal among them. So I have not consumed the people of Israel in my jealousy.

¹²Therefore say, 'Yahweh says, "Look, I am giving to Phinehas my covenant of peace.¹³For him and his descendants after him, it will be a covenant of an everlasting priesthood because he was zealous for me, his God. He has atoned for the people of Israel."'"

¹⁴Now the name of the man of Israel who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of an ancestor's family among the Simeonites.¹⁵The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Kozbi daughter of Zur, who was head of a tribe and ancestral household in Midian.

¹⁶So Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,¹⁷"Treat the Midianites as enemies and attack them,¹⁸for they treated you like enemies with their deceitfulness. They led you into evil in the case of Peor and in the case of their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a leader in Midian, who was killed on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor."

¹It came about after the plague that Yahweh spoke to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He said,²"Count all the community of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and up, by their ancestor's families, all who are able to go to war for Israel."

³So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke to them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho and said,⁴"Count the people, from twenty years old and up, as Yahweh commanded Moses and the people of Israel, who came out of the land of Egypt."

⁵Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. From his son Hanok came the clan of the Hanokites. From Pallu came the clan of the Palluites.

⁶From Hezron came the clan of the Hezronites. From Karmi came the clan of the Karmites.

⁷These were the clans of Reuben, who numbered 43,730 men.

⁸Eliab was a son of Pallu.⁹Eliab's sons were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These were the same Dathan and Abiram who were in the company of Korah when they rebelled against Moses and Aaron and rebelled against Yahweh.

¹⁰The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when all his company died. At that time, fire devoured 250 men, who became a warning sign.¹¹But Korah's line did not die out.

¹²The clans of Simeon's descendants were these:

Through Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites,

through Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites,

through Jakin, the clan of the Jakinites,

¹³through Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites,

through Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.

¹⁴These were the clans of Simeon's descendants, who numbered 22,200 men.

¹⁵The clans of Gad's descendants were these:

Through Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites,

through Haggi, the clan of the Haggites,

through Shuni, the clan of the Shunites,

¹⁶through Ozni, the clan of the Oznites,

through Eri, the clan of the Erites,

¹⁷through Arod, the clan of the Arodites,

through Areli, the clan of the Arelites.

¹⁸These were the clans of Gad's descendants, who numbered 40,500 men.

¹⁹Judah's sons were Er and Onan, but these men died in the land of Canaan.

²⁰The clans of Judah's other descendants were these:

through Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites,

through Perez, the clan of the Perezites, and

through Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites.

²¹The descendants of Perez were these:

Through Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites,

through Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites.

²²These were the clans of Judah's descendants, who numbered 76,500 men.

²³The clans of Issachar's descendants were these:

Through Tola, the clan of the Tolaites,

through Puah, the clan of the Puites,

²⁴through Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites,

through Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.

²⁵These were the clans of Issachar, who numbered 64,300 men.

²⁶The clans of Zebulun's descendants were these:

Through Sered, the clan of the Seredites,

through Elon, the clan of the Elonites,

through Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.

²⁷These were the clans of the Zebulunites, who numbered 60,500 men.

²⁸The clans of Joseph's descendants were Manasseh and Ephraim.²⁹The descendants of Manasseh were these:

through Makir, the clan of the Makirites (Makir was Gilead's father),

through Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites.

³⁰Gilead's descendants were these:

Through Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites,

through Helek, the clan of the Helekites,

³¹through Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites,

through Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites,

³²through Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites,

through Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.

³³Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters.

The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.

³⁴These were the clans of Manasseh, who numbered 52,700 men.

³⁵The clans of Ephraim's descendants were these:

Through Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites,

through Beker, the clan of the Bekerites,

through Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.

³⁶The descendants of Shuthelah were, by Eran, the clan of the Eranites.

³⁷These were the clans of Ephraim's descendants, who numbered 32,500 men. These were Joseph's descendants, counted in each of their clans.

³⁸The clans of Benjamin's descendants were these:

Through Bela, the clan of the Belaites,

through Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites,

through Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites,

³⁹through Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites,

through Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.

⁴⁰The descendants of Bela were Ard and Naaman. From Ard came the clan of the Ardites, and from Naaman came the clan of the Naamites.

⁴¹These were the clans of Benjamin's descendants. They numbered 45,600 men.

⁴²The clans of Dan's descendants were, by Shuham, the clans of the Shuhamites. These were the clans of Dan's descendants.⁴³All the clans of the Shuhamites numbered 64,400 men.

⁴⁴The clans of Asher's descendants were these:

Through Imnah, the clan of the Imnites,

through Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites,

through Beriah, the clan of the Beriites.

⁴⁵The descendants of Beriah were these:

Through Heber, the clan of the Heberites,

through Malkiel, the clan of the Malkielites.

⁴⁶The name of Asher's daughter was Serah.

⁴⁷These were the clans of Asher's descendants, who numbered 53,400 men.

⁴⁸The clans of Naphtali's descendants were these:

Through Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites,

through Guni, the clan of the Gunites,

⁴⁹through Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites,

through Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites.

⁵⁰These were the clans of Naphtali's descendants, who numbered 45,400 men.

⁵¹This was the complete count of men of Israel: 601,730.

⁵²Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,⁵³"The land must be divided among these men as an inheritance according to the number of their names.

⁵⁴To the larger clans you must give more inheritance, and to the smaller clans you must give less inheritance. To every family you must give an inheritance according to the number of men who were counted.⁵⁵However, the land must be divided by random lots. They must inherit the land according to the names of their ancestors' tribes.⁵⁶Their inheritance must be divided among the larger and the smaller clans, distributed to them by random lot."

⁵⁷The Levite clans, counted clan by clan, were these:

Through Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites,

through Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites,

through Merari, the clan of the Merarites.

⁵⁸The clans of Levi were these:

the clan of the Libnites,

the clan of the Hebronites,

the clan of the Mahlites,

the clan of the Mushites,

and the clan of the Korahites.

Kohath was Amram's ancestor.

⁵⁹The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to Levites in Egypt. She bore to Amram their children, who were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister.

⁶⁰To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.⁶¹Nadab and Abihu died when they offered before Yahweh unacceptable fire.

⁶²The males who were counted among them numbered twenty-three thousand, all males one month old and up. But they were not counted among Israel's descendants because no inheritance was given to them among the people of Israel.

⁶³These are the ones who were counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest. They counted the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.⁶⁴But among these there was no man who had been counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when the descendants of Israel were counted in the wilderness of Sinai.

⁶⁵For Yahweh had said that all of those people would certainly die in the wilderness. There was not a man left among them, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

¹Then to Moses came the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Makir son of Manasseh, of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.

²They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and before all the community at the entrance to the tent of meeting. They said,³"Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company that gathered themselves together to oppose Yahweh, in the company of Korah. He died for his own sin, and he had no sons.

⁴Why should our father's name be taken away from among his clan members because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's relatives."⁵So Moses brought their case before Yahweh.

⁶Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,⁷"Zelophehad's daughters are speaking correctly. You must certainly give them a possession as an inheritance among their father's relatives, and you must ensure that their father's inheritance passes on to them.⁸You must speak to the people of Israel and say, 'If a man dies and has no son, then you must cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

⁹If he has no daughter, then you must give his inheritance to his brothers.¹⁰If he has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his father's brothers.¹¹If his father has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his clan, and he must take it for his own. This will be a law established by decree for the people of Israel, as Yahweh has commanded me.'"

¹²Yahweh said to Moses, "Go up this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel.¹³After you have seen it, you, too, must be gathered to your people, like Aaron your brother.¹⁴This will happen because you two rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin during the strife of the congregation. There, when the water flowed from the rock, in your anger you failed to honor me as holy before the eyes of the whole community." These are the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

¹⁵Then Moses spoke to Yahweh and said,¹⁶"May you, Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all humanity, appoint a man over the community,¹⁷a man who may go out and come in before them and lead them out and bring them in, so that your community is not like sheep that have no shepherd."

¹⁸Yahweh said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom my Spirit lives, and lay your hand on him.¹⁹Place him before Eleazar the priest and before all the community, and command him before their eyes to lead them.

²⁰You must put some of your authority on him, so that all the community of the people of Israel may obey him.²¹He will go before Eleazar the priest to seek my will for him by the decisions of the Urim. It will be at his command that the people will go out and come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole community."

²²So Moses did as Yahweh had commanded him. He took Joshua and placed him before Eleazar the priest and all the community.²³Moses laid his hands on him and commanded him to lead, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²"Command the people of Israel and say to them, 'You must offer sacrifices to me at the appointed times, the food of my offerings made by fire to produce a sweet aroma for me.'

³You must also say to them, 'This is the offering made by fire that you must offer to Yahweh—male lambs a year old without blemish, two each day, as a regular burnt offering.⁴One lamb you must offer in the morning, and the other lamb you must offer in the evening.⁵You must offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil.

⁶This is the regular burnt offering that was commanded at Mount Sinai to produce a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.⁷The drink offering with it must be one-fourth of a hin for one of the lambs. You must pour out in the holy place a drink offering of strong drink to Yahweh.⁸The other lamb you must offer in the evening along with another grain offering like the one offered in the morning. You must also offer another drink offering with it, an offering made by fire, to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh.

⁹On the Sabbath day you must offer two male lambs, each a year old without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, and the drink offering with it.¹⁰This is to be the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and the drink offering with it.

¹¹At the beginning of each month, you must offer a burnt offering to Yahweh. You must offer two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old without blemish.¹²You must also offer three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with oil for each bull, and two-tenths of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with oil for the one ram.¹³You must also offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb. This is to be the burnt offering, to produce a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

¹⁴The people's drink offerings must be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is to be the burnt offering for every month throughout the months of the year.¹⁵One male goat as a sin offering to Yahweh must be offered. This will be in addition to the regular burnt offering and the drink offering with it.

¹⁶During the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, comes Yahweh's Passover.¹⁷On the fifteenth day of this month a feast is to be held. For seven days, bread without yeast must be eaten.¹⁸On the first day, there must be a holy assembly to honor Yahweh. You must not do regular work on that day.

¹⁹However, you must offer a sacrifice made by fire, a burnt offering to Yahweh. You must offer two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, without blemish.²⁰Along with the bull, you must offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, and along with the ram, two-tenths.²¹With each of the seven lambs, you must offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil,²²and one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves.

²³You must offer these in addition to the regular burnt offering required each morning.²⁴As described here, you must offer these sacrifices daily, for the seven days of the Passover, the food of the offering made by fire, a sweet aroma for Yahweh. It must be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering and the drink offering with it.²⁵On the seventh day you must have a holy assembly to honor Yahweh, and you must not do regular work on that day.

²⁶Also on the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a new grain offering to Yahweh in your Festival of Weeks, you must have a holy assembly to honor Yahweh, and you must not do regular work on that day.²⁷You must offer a burnt offering to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. You must offer two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old.²⁸Offer also grain offering to go with them: Fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for each bull and two-tenths for the one ram.

²⁹Offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for each of the seven lambs,³⁰and one male goat to make atonement for yourselves.³¹When you offer those animals without blemish, along with their drink offerings, this must be in addition to the regular burnt offering and the grain offering with it.

¹In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you must have a holy assembly to honor Yahweh. You must not do regular work on that day. It will be a day when you blow trumpets.

²You must offer a burnt offering to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. You must offer one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, each without blemish.

³You must offer with them their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram,⁴and one-tenth for each lamb of the seven lambs.⁵You must offer one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves.

⁶Make these offerings in the seventh month in addition to all of the offerings you will make on the first of each month: the special burnt offering and the grain offering to go with it. These must be in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings. As you make these offerings, you will obey what has been decreed to produce a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

⁷On the tenth day of the seventh month you must have a holy assembly to honor Yahweh. You must humble yourselves and do no work.⁸You must offer a burnt offering to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. You must offer one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. They must each be without blemish.

⁹You must offer with them a grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram,¹⁰and a tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs.¹¹You must offer one male goat as a sin offering. This will be in addition to the sin offering of atonement, the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

¹²On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you must have a holy assembly to honor Yahweh. You must not do regular work on that day, and you must celebrate the festival for him seven days.¹³You must offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. You must offer thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old. Each must be without blemish.

¹⁴You must offer with them a grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each ram of the two rams,¹⁵and a tenth of an ephah for each of the fourteen lambs.¹⁶You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and the drink offering with it.

¹⁷On the second day of the assembly, you must offer twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, each without blemish.¹⁸You must make with them a grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.¹⁹You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁰On the third day of the assembly, you must offer eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, each without blemish.²¹You must make with them a grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.²²You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

²³On the fourth day of the assembly, you must offer ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, each without blemish.²⁴You must make with them a grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.²⁵You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁶On the fifth day of the assembly, you must offer nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, each without blemish.²⁷You must make with them a grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.²⁸You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁹On the sixth day of the assembly, you must offer eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, each without blemish.³⁰You must make with them a grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.³¹You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

³²On the seventh day of the assembly, you must offer seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, each without blemish.³³You must make with them a grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.³⁴You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

³⁵On the eighth day you must have another solemn assembly. You must not do regular work on that day.³⁶You must make a burnt offering, an offering made by fire to produce a sweet aroma for Yahweh. You must offer one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, each without blemish.

³⁷You must offer their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, making as many offerings as were commanded.³⁸You must offer one male goat as a sin offering in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

³⁹These are what you must offer to Yahweh at your fixed festivals. These must be in addition to your vows and freewill offerings. You must offer these as your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, and fellowship offerings.'"⁴⁰Moses told the people of Israel everything that Yahweh had commanded him to say.

¹Moses spoke to the leaders of the tribes of the people of Israel. He said, "This is what Yahweh has commanded.²When a man makes a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind himself with a binding promise, he must not break his word. He must keep his promise to do everything that comes out of his mouth.

³When a young woman living in her father's house makes a vow to Yahweh and binds herself with a promise, while within the house of her father,⁴if her father hears the vow and the promise by which she has bound herself, and if he says nothing to reverse her, then all her vows will remain in force, and every pledge by which she has bound herself will stand.

⁵But if her father overrules her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; Yahweh will forgive her because her father has forbidden her.

⁶If she marries a husband after she makes a vow or her lips uttered a rash promise by which she has bound herself,⁷and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows will stand, and the pledges by which she bound herself will stand.

⁸But if her husband stops her on the day that he hears about it, then he cancels the vow that she has made, the rash talk of her lips with which she has bound herself, and Yahweh will forgive her.

⁹But any vow of a widow or a divorced woman will stand against her.¹⁰If a woman made a vow in her husband's house or bound herself by a promise with an oath,¹¹and her husband hears of it but he says nothing to her and he does not oppose her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself will stand.

¹²But if her husband cancels them on the day that he heard about them, then whatever came out of her lips about her vows or promises will not stand. Her husband has canceled them, and Yahweh will forgive her.

¹³Any vow and any binding oath to afflict her, her husband may make it stand or her husband may cancel it.¹⁴But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows and binding promises that she has made, and they will stand, because he has said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them.

¹⁵If her husband cancels his wife's vow after he has heard about them, then he will be responsible for her guilt."¹⁶These are the statutes that Yahweh commanded Moses to announce—statutes for what is between a man and his wife and between a father and his daughter when she is in her youth in her father's family.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²"Take vengeance on the Midianites for what they did to the people of Israel. After doing that, you will die and be gathered to your people."

³So Moses spoke to the people. He said, "Arm some of your men for war so they may go against Midian and carry out Yahweh's vengeance on it.⁴Every tribe throughout Israel must send a thousand soldiers to war."⁵So out of Israel's thousands of men, one thousand from each tribe were provided from the clans of Israel, twelve thousand men armed for war.

⁶Then Moses sent them to battle, a thousand from every tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and with some articles from the holy place and the trumpets in his possession for sounding signals.⁷They fought against Midian, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. They killed every man.⁸They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their dead: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.

⁹The army of Israel took captive the women of Midian, their children, all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods. They took these as plunder.¹⁰They burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps.

¹¹They took all the plunder and prisoners, both people and animals.¹²They brought the prisoners, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the community of the people of Israel. They brought these to the camp in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan near Jericho.

¹³Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.¹⁴But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from serving in the battle.¹⁵Moses said to them, "Have you let all the women live?

¹⁶Look, these women caused the people of Israel, through Balaam's advice, to commit faithlessness against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, when the plague spread among Yahweh's community.¹⁷Now then, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man by lying with him.

¹⁸But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man by lying with him.¹⁹All of you who have killed anyone or touched anyone who was killed must stay outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you must purify yourselves and your captives.²⁰You must purify every garment and everything made of animal hide and goats' hair, and everything made of wood."

²¹Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone to war, "This is a decreed law that Yahweh has commanded Moses:²²The gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead,²³and everything that resists fire, you must put it through the fire, and it will become clean. You must then purify those things with the water of cleansing. Whatever cannot go through the fire you must cleanse with that water.²⁴You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and then you will become clean. Afterward you may come into Israel's camp."

²⁵Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²⁶"You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the community's ancestral clans are to count all the plundered things that were captured, both men and animals. ²⁷Divide the plunder into two parts. Divide it between the soldiers who went out to battle and all the rest of the community.

²⁸Then levy a tax to be given to me from the soldiers who went out to battle. This tax must be one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or goats.²⁹Take this tax from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest for a contribution to Yahweh.

³⁰Also from the people of Israel's half, you must take one out of every fifty—from the persons, cattle, donkeys, and sheep—from all the animals. Give these to the Levites who perform the duties of my tabernacle."³¹So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

³²Now the booty that remained of the spoil that the men of war had plundered was 675,000 sheep,³³seventy-two thousand cattle,³⁴sixty-one thousand donkeys,³⁵and thirty-two thousand women who had not known a man by lying with him.

³⁶The half that was kept for the soldiers numbered 337,000 sheep,³⁷and the tax for Yahweh of the sheep was 675.

³⁸The cattle were thirty-six thousand, from which the tax for Yahweh was seventy-two.

³⁹The donkeys were 30,500 from which the tax for Yahweh was sixty-one.

⁴⁰The persons were sixteen thousand women, from which the tax for Yahweh was thirty-two.

⁴¹Moses took the tax that was to be a contribution presented to Yahweh. He gave it to Eleazar the priest, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

⁴²As for the people of Israel's half that Moses had taken from the soldiers who had gone to war—⁴³the community's half was 337,500 sheep,⁴⁴thirty-six thousand oxen,⁴⁵30,500 donkeys,⁴⁶and sixteen thousand women.

⁴⁷From the people of Israel's half, Moses took one out of every fifty, both of people and animals. He gave them to the Levites who performed the duties of Yahweh's tabernacle, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

⁴⁸Then the officers of the army, the commanders over thousands and the captains over hundreds, came to Moses.⁴⁹They said to Moses, "Your servants have counted the soldiers who are under our command, and not one man is missing.

⁵⁰We have brought Yahweh's offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before Yahweh."⁵¹Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them the gold—all the articles of craftsmanship.

⁵²All the gold of the contribution that they gave to Yahweh—the offerings from the commanders of thousands and from the captains of hundreds—weighed 16,750 shekels.⁵³Each soldier had taken plunder, each man for himself.⁵⁴Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the commanders of thousands and captains of hundreds. They took it into the tent of meeting as a reminder of the people of Israel for Yahweh.

¹Now the descendants of Reuben and of Gad had large numbers of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and Gilead, the land was a wonderful place for livestock.²So the descendants of Gad and Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the community. They said,³"This is a list of places we have surveyed: Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon.

⁴These are the lands that Yahweh attacked before the community of Israel, and they are good places for livestock. We, your servants, have a lot of livestock."⁵They said, "If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to us, your servants, as a possession. Do not make us cross over the Jordan."

⁶Moses replied to the descendants of Gad and Reuben, "Should your brothers go to war while you settle down here?⁷Why discourage the hearts of the people of Israel from going over into the land that Yahweh has given them?

⁸Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to examine the land.⁹They went up to the Valley of Eshkol. They saw the land and then discouraged the hearts of the people of Israel so that they refused to enter the land that Yahweh had given them.

¹⁰Yahweh's anger was kindled on that day. He took an oath and said,¹¹'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and up, will see the land about which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not completely followed me, except for¹²Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun. Only Caleb and Joshua have completely followed me.'

¹³So Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel. He made them wander around in the wilderness for forty years until all the generation who had done evil in his sight was destroyed.¹⁴Look, you have risen up in your fathers' place, like just more sinful men, to add to Yahweh's burning anger toward Israel.¹⁵If you turn away from following him, he will again leave Israel in the wilderness and you will have destroyed all this people."

¹⁶So they came near Moses and said, "Allow us to build fences here for our livestock and cities for our families.¹⁷However, we ourselves will be ready and armed to go with Israel's army until we have led them into their place. But our families will live in the fortified cities because of the other people who still live in this land.

¹⁸We will not return to our houses until every one of the people of Israel has obtained his inheritance.¹⁹We will not inherit the land with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance is here on the east side of the Jordan."

²⁰So Moses replied to them, "If you do what you say, if you arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to war,²¹then every one of your armed men must cross over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him²²and the land is subdued before him. Then afterward you may return. You will be guiltless toward Yahweh and toward Israel. This land will be your possession before Yahweh.

²³But if you do not do so, look, you will have sinned against Yahweh. Be sure that your sin will find you out.²⁴Build cities for your families and pens for your sheep; then do what you have said."²⁵The descendants of Gad and Reuben spoke to Moses and said, "Your servants will do as you, our master, commands.

²⁶Our little ones, our wives, our cattle, and all our livestock will stay there in the cities of Gilead.²⁷However, we, your servants, every man who is armed for war, will cross over before Yahweh to battle, as our master says."

²⁸So Moses gave instructions concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the leaders of the ancestor's clans in the tribes of the people of Israel.²⁹Moses said to them, "If the descendants of Gad and Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man who is armed to battle before Yahweh, and if the land is subdued before you, then you will give them the land of Gilead as a possession.³⁰But if they do not cross over with you armed, then they will acquire their possessions among you in the land of Canaan."

³¹So the descendants of Gad and Reuben answered and said, "As Yahweh has said to us, your servants, this is what we will do.³²We will cross over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, but our possessed inheritance will remain with us on this side of the Jordan."

³³So to the descendants of Gad and Reuben, and also to the half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph, Moses gave the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and of Og, king of Bashan. He gave to them the land, and distributed to them all its cities with their borders, the cities of the land around them.

³⁴The descendants of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,³⁵Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,³⁶Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities with pens for sheep.

³⁷The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,³⁸Nebo, Baal Meon—their names were later changed, and Sibmah. They gave other names to the cities that they rebuilt.³⁹The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it away from the Amorites who were in it.

⁴⁰Then Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, the descendants of Manasseh, and his people settled there.⁴¹Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured its towns and called them Havvoth Jair.⁴²Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.

¹These were the movements of the people of Israel after they left the land of Egypt by their armed groups under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.²Moses wrote down the places from where they left to where they went, as commanded by Yahweh. These were their movements, departure after departure.

³They traveled from Rameses during the first month, leaving on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the morning after the Passover, the people of Israel left openly, in the sight of all the Egyptians.⁴This happened while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, those whom Yahweh had killed among them, for he also made judgments against their gods.

⁵The people of Israel set out from Rameses and camped at Sukkoth.⁶They set out from Sukkoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.⁷They set out from Etham and turned back to Pi Hahiroth, which is opposite Baal Zephon, where they camped opposite Migdol.

⁸Then they set out from opposite Pi Hahiroth and passed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They traveled three days' journey into the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.⁹They set out from Marah and arrived at Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. That is where they camped.¹⁰They set out from Elim and camped by the Sea of Reeds.

¹¹They set out from the Sea of Reeds and camped in the wilderness of Sin.¹²They set out from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah.¹³They set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush.¹⁴They set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where no water was found for the people to drink.

¹⁵They set out from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.¹⁶They set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.¹⁷They set out from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.¹⁸They set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.

¹⁹They set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez.²⁰They set out from Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah.²¹They set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah.²²They set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.

²³They set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.²⁴They set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.²⁵They set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.²⁶They set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.

²⁷They set out from Tahath and camped at Terah.²⁸They set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah.²⁹They set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.³⁰They set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.

³¹They set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan.³²They set out from Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Haggidgad.³³They set out from Hor Haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.³⁴They set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.

³⁵They set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber.³⁶They set out from Ezion Geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin at Kadesh.³⁷They set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.

³⁸Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at Yahweh's command and died there in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.³⁹Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

⁴⁰The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the southern wilderness in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.

⁴¹They set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.⁴²They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.⁴³They set out from Punon and camped at Oboth.

⁴⁴They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, on the border of Moab.⁴⁵They set out from Iye Abarim and camped at Dibon Gad.⁴⁶They set out from Dibon Gad and camped at Almon Diblathaim.

⁴⁷They set out from Almon Diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, opposite Nebo.⁴⁸They set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.⁴⁹They camped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.

⁵⁰Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho and said,⁵¹"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,⁵²then you must drive out all the land's inhabitants before you. You must destroy all their carved figures. You must destroy all their cast metal images and demolish all their high places.

⁵³You must take possession of the land and settle in it, because I have given you the land to possess.⁵⁴You must inherit the land by lot, according to each clan. To the larger clans you must give a larger share of land, and to the smaller clans you must give a smaller share of land. Wherever the lot falls to each clan, that land will belong to it. You will inherit the land according to your ancestors' tribes.

⁵⁵But if you do not drive out the land's inhabitants before you, then the people you allow to stay will become like objects in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will make your lives difficult in the land where you settle.⁵⁶Then it will happen that what I now intend to do to those people, I will do also to you.'"

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,²"Command the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land of Canaan, the land that will belong to you, the land of Canaan and its borders,

³your southern border will extend from the wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom. The eastern end of the southern border will be on a line that ends at the southern end of the Salt Sea.

⁴Your border will turn south from the hill of Akrabbim and pass along through the wilderness of Zin. From there, it will run south of Kadesh Barnea and continue to Hazar Addar and further to Azmon.⁵From there, the border will turn from Azmon toward the brook of Egypt and follow it to the sea.

⁶The western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea. This will be your western border.

⁷Your northern border will extend along a line that you must mark out from the Great Sea to Mount Hor,⁸then from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath, then on to Zedad.⁹Then the border will continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your northern border.

¹⁰Then you must mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan south to Shepham.¹¹Then the eastern border will go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain. The border will continue along the east side of the Sea of Kinnereth.¹²Then the border will continue south along the Jordan River to the Salt Sea and continue down the eastern border of the Salt Sea. This will be your land, following its borders all around.'"

¹³Then Moses commanded the people of Israel and said, "This is the land that you will receive by lot as a possession, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half tribe.¹⁴The tribe of the descendants of Reuben, following the assignment of property to their ancestor's tribe, and the tribe of the descendants of Gad, following the assignment of property to their ancestor's tribe, and the half tribe of Manasseh have all received their land.¹⁵The two tribes and the half tribe have received their possession beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise."

¹⁶Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,¹⁷"These are the names of the men who will divide the land for your inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun.¹⁸You must choose one leader from every tribe to divide the land as their possession.

¹⁹These are the names of the men:

From the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh.

²⁰From the tribe of the descendants of Simeon, Shemuel son of Ammihud.

²¹From the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Kislon.

²²From of the tribe of the descendants of Dan a leader, Bukki son of Jogli.

²³From the descendants of Joseph, of the tribe of the descendants of Manasseh a leader, Hanniel son of Ephod.

²⁴From the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim a leader, Kemuel son of Shiphtan.

²⁵From the tribe of the descendants of Zebulun a leader, Elizaphan son of Parnak.

²⁶From the tribe of the descendants of Issachar a leader, Paltiel son of Azzan.

²⁷From the tribe of the descendants of Asher a leader, Ahihud son of Shelomi.

²⁸From the tribe of the descendants of Naphtali a leader, Pedahel son of Ammihud."

²⁹Yahweh commanded these men to divide the land of Canaan and to give it to each of the tribes of Israel as their possession.

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho and said,²"Command the people of Israel to give some of their own shares of the inheritance that they possess to the Levites. They must give them cities to live in and pastureland surrounding those cities.

³The Levites will have these cities to live in. The pastureland will be for their cattle, their flocks, and all their other animals.⁴The pasturelands around the cities that you will give to the Levites must extend from the city walls for one thousand cubits in every direction.

⁵You must measure two thousand cubits from outside the city on the east side, and two thousand cubits to the south side, two thousand cubits to the west side, and two thousand cubits to the north side. This will be the pasturelands for their cities. The cities will be in the center.

⁶Six of the cities that you will give to Levites must serve as cities of refuge. You must provide these as places to which a person who has killed someone can flee. Also provide forty-two other cities.⁷The cities that you give to the Levites will total forty-eight. You must give their pasturelands with them.

⁸As for the cities which you will give from the possession of the children of Israel, from tribes with many you shall take many, and from tribes with few you shall take few. Every tribe according to its inheritance shall give some of his cities to the Levites."

⁹Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,¹⁰"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,¹¹then you must choose cities to serve as cities of refuge for you, a place to which a person who has killed someone unintentionally may flee.

¹²These cities must be your refuge from the avenger, so that the killer will not die without first standing trial before the community.¹³You must choose six cities as cities of refuge.

¹⁴You must provide three cities beyond the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan. They will be cities of refuge.¹⁵For the people of Israel, for the foreigner, and for the sojourner, these six cities will serve as a refuge to which anyone who kills someone unintentionally can flee.

¹⁶But if an accused man has struck his victim with an instrument of iron, and if his victim dies, then the accused is indeed a murderer. He must certainly be put to death.¹⁷If an accused man has struck his victim with a stone in his hand that might kill the victim, and if his victim dies, then the accused is indeed a murderer. He must certainly be put to death.¹⁸If an accused man has struck his victim with a wooden weapon that might kill the victim, and if the victim dies, then the accused is indeed a murderer. He must certainly be put to death.

¹⁹The avenger of blood must put the murderer to death. When he meets him, the avenger of blood must put him to death.²⁰If he strikes another in hatred or throws something at him, while hiding to ambush him, so that the victim dies,²¹or if he strikes him down in hatred with his hand so that the victim dies, then the accused who struck him must surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood may put the murderer to death when he meets him.

²²But if an accused man suddenly hits a victim without premeditated hate or throws something that hits the victim without lying in wait²³or if he throws a stone that could kill a victim without seeing the victim, then the accused was not the victim's enemy; he was not trying to hurt the victim. But this is what to do if the victim dies anyway.

²⁴In that case, the community must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood on the basis of these rules.²⁵The community must rescue the killer from the power of the avenger of blood. The community must return the accused to the city of refuge to which he had originally fled. He must live there until the death of the current high priest, the one who was anointed with the holy oil.

²⁶But if the killer at any time goes beyond the border of the city of refuge to which he fled,²⁷and if the avenger of blood finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and if he kills the killer, the avenger of blood will not be guilty of murder.²⁸This is because the accused man should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. After the death of the high priest, the killer may return to the land where he has his own property.

²⁹These laws must be statutes for you through all your people's generations in all the places where you live.³⁰Whoever kills any person, the murderer must be killed, as testified to by the words of witnesses. But one witness's word alone may not cause any person to be put to death.

³¹Also, you must not accept ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of murder. He must certainly be put to death.³²You must not accept ransom for the one who has fled to a city of refuge. You must not in this way allow him to reside on his own property until the high priest dies.

³³Do not pollute in this way the land where you live, because blood from murder pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land when blood has been shed on it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.³⁴So you must not defile the land in which you live because I am living in it. I, Yahweh, live among the people of Israel.'"

¹Then the leaders of the ancestors' families of the clan of Gilead son of Makir (who was Manasseh's son), who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph, came and spoke before Moses and before the leaders who were the heads of the ancestor's families of the people of Israel.²They said, "Yahweh commanded you, our master, to give a share of land by lot to the people of Israel. You were commanded by Yahweh to give the possession of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.

³But if his daughters marry men in another tribe of the people of Israel, then their share of land will be removed from our ancestor's share. It will be added to the share of the tribes that they join. In that case, it will be removed from the assigned share of our inheritance.⁴In that case, when the year of Jubilee of the people of Israel comes, then their possession will be joined to the possession of the tribe that they have joined. In this way, their possession will be taken away from the possession of our ancestors' tribe."

⁵So Moses gave a command to the people of Israel, at Yahweh's word. He said, "What the tribe of Joseph's descendants says is right.⁶This is what Yahweh commands concerning Zelophehad's daughters. He says, 'Let them be married to whom they think best, but they must marry only within the clan of the tribe of their father.'

⁷No possession of the people of Israel must change from one tribe to another. Each one of the people of Israel must continue with the possession of his ancestor's tribe.

⁸Every woman of the people of Israel who has a possession in her tribe must marry someone from the clans belonging to her father's tribe. This is so that everyone of the people of Israel may own an inheritance from his ancestors.⁹No share may change hands from one tribe to another. Everyone of the tribes of the people of Israel must keep his own inheritance."

¹⁰So Zelophehad's daughters did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.¹¹Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, married descendants of Manasseh.¹²They married into the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph. In this way, their inheritances remained in the tribe to which their father's clan belonged.

¹³These are the commands and the decrees that Yahweh gave by Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Deuteronomy

¹These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain of the Jordan River valley over against Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.²It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.

³It happened in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the people of Israel, telling them all that Yahweh commanded him concerning them.⁴This was after Yahweh had attacked Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth at Edrei.

⁵Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses began to announce these instructions, saying,

⁶"Yahweh our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, 'You have lived long enough in this hill country.

⁷Turn and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the places near there in the plain of the Jordan River valley, in the hill country, in the lowlands, in the Negev, and by the seashore—the land of the Canaanites, and in Lebanon as far as the great river, the Euphrates.⁸Look, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land that Yahweh swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—to give to them and to their descendants after them.'

⁹I spoke to you at that time, saying, 'I am not able to carry you myself alone.¹⁰Yahweh your God has multiplied you, and, look, you are today as the multitude of the stars of heaven.¹¹May Yahweh, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as he has promised you!

¹²But how can I myself alone carry your loads, your burdens, and your disputes?¹³Take wise men, understanding men, and men of good repute from each tribe, and I will make them heads over you.'¹⁴You answered me and said, 'The thing that you have spoken is good for us to do.'

¹⁵So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and men of good repute, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, captains of tens, and officers, tribe by tribe.¹⁶I commanded your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the foreigner who is with him.

¹⁷You will not show partiality to anyone in a dispute; you will hear the small and the great alike. You will not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's. The dispute that is too hard for you, you will bring to me, and I will hear it.'¹⁸I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.

¹⁹We journeyed away from Horeb and went through all that great and terrible wilderness that you saw, on our way to the hill country of the Amorites, as Yahweh our God had commanded us; and we came to Kadesh Barnea.

²⁰I said to you, 'You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which Yahweh our God is giving to us.²¹Look, Yahweh your God has set the land before you; go up, take possession, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you; do not be afraid, neither be discouraged.'

²²Every one of you came to me and said, 'Let us send men ahead of us, so that they may search out the land for us, and bring us word about the way by which we should attack, and about the cities to which we will come.'²³The advice pleased me well; I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe.²⁴They turned and went up into the hill country, came to the Valley of Eshkol, and scouted it.

²⁵They took some of the produce of the land in their hands and brought it down to us. They also brought us word and said, 'It is a good land that Yahweh our God is giving to us.'

²⁶Yet you refused to attack, but rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your God.²⁷You complained in your tents and said, "It is because Yahweh hated us that he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us.²⁸Where can we go now? Our brothers have made our heart to melt, saying, 'Those people are bigger and taller than we are; their cities are large and are fortified up to the heavens; moreover, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.'"

²⁹Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, neither be afraid of them.³⁰Yahweh your God, who goes before you, he will fight for you, like everything that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes,³¹and also in the wilderness, where you have seen how Yahweh your God carried you, as a man carries his son, everywhere you went until you came to this place.'

³²Yet in spite of this word you did not believe Yahweh your God,³³who went before you on the way to find a place for you to make camp, in fire by night and in a cloud by day.

³⁴Yahweh heard the sound of your words and was angry; he swore and said,³⁵'Surely not one of these men of this evil generation will see the good land that I swore to give to your ancestors,³⁶except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it and I will give him and his descendants the land that he has stepped on, because he wholly followed Yahweh.'

³⁷Also Yahweh was angry with me because of you, saying, 'You also will not go in there;³⁸Joshua son of Nun, who stands before you, he will go in there; encourage him, for he will lead Israel to inherit it.

³⁹Moreover, your little children, the ones you said would be victims, who today have no knowledge of good or evil—they will go in there. To them I will give it, and they will possess it.⁴⁰But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness along the way to the Sea of Reeds.'

⁴¹Then you answered and said to me, 'We have sinned against Yahweh; we will go up and fight, and we will follow all that Yahweh our God has commanded us to do.' Every man among you girded on his weapons of war, and you were ready to attack the hill country.⁴²Yahweh said to me, 'Say to them, "Do not attack and do not fight, for I will not be with you, and you will be defeated by your enemies.'

⁴³I spoke to you in this way, but you did not listen. You rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh; you were arrogant and attacked the hill country.⁴⁴But the Amorites, who lived in that hill country, came out against you and chased you like bees, and crushed you in Seir, as far as Hormah.

⁴⁵You returned and wept before Yahweh; but Yahweh did not listen to your voice, nor did he pay attention to you.⁴⁶So you stayed in Kadesh many days, all the days that you stayed there.

¹Then we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way to the Sea of Reeds, as Yahweh had spoken to me; we went around Mount Seir for many days.²Yahweh spoke to me, saying,³'You have gone around this mountain long enough; turn northward.

⁴Command the people, saying, "You are to pass through the border of your brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; they will be afraid of you. Therefore be careful⁵not to fight with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not even enough for the sole of a foot to step on; for I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.

⁶You will purchase food from them for money, so that you may eat; you will also buy water from them for money, so that you may drink.⁷For Yahweh your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand; he has known your walking through this great wilderness. For these forty years Yahweh your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing."'

⁸So we passed by our brothers, the descendants of Esau who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road, from Elath and from Ezion Geber. Then we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

⁹Yahweh said to me, 'Do not trouble Moab, and do not fight with them in battle. For I will not give you his land for your own possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot, for their possession.'

¹⁰(The Emites lived there previously, a people as great, as many, and as tall as the Anakim;¹¹these also are considered to be the Rephaim, like the Anakim; but the Moabites call them the Emites.

¹²The Horites also lived in Seir previously, but the descendants of Esau succeeded them. They destroyed them from before them and lived in their place, like Israel did to the land of his possession that Yahweh gave to them.)

¹³"'Now rise up and go over the brook Zered.' So we went over the brook Zered.¹⁴Now the days from when we came from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the brook Zered, were thirty-eight years. It was by that time that all that generation of the men fit for fighting were gone from the people, as Yahweh had sworn to them.¹⁵Moreover, the hand of Yahweh was against that generation in order to destroy them from the people until they were gone.

¹⁶So it happened, when all the men fit for fighting were dead and gone from among the people,¹⁷that Yahweh spoke to me, saying,¹⁸'You are today to pass over Ar, the border of Moab.¹⁹When you come near opposite the people of Ammon, do not trouble them or fight them; for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession; because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.'"

²⁰(That also is considered to be a land of the Rephaim. The Rephaim lived there previously—but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim—²¹a people as great, as many, and as tall as the Anakim. But Yahweh destroyed them before the Ammonites, and they succeeded them and lived in their place.²²This Yahweh also did for the people of Esau, who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them, and the descendants of Esau succeeded them and have lived in their place even until today.

²³As for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place.)

²⁴"'Now rise up, go on your journey, and pass over the Valley of the Arnon; look, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and fight with him in battle.²⁵Today I will begin to put the fear and terror of you on the peoples that are under the whole sky; they will hear a report about you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.'

²⁶I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon, king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying,²⁷'Let me pass through your land; I will go along the highway; I will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left.

²⁸You will sell me food for money, so that I may eat; give me water for money, so that I may drink; only let me pass through on my feet;²⁹as the descendants of Esau who live in Seir, and as the Moabites who live in Ar, did for me; until I pass over the Jordan into the land that Yahweh our God is giving us.'

³⁰But Sihon, king of Heshbon, would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God had hardened his mind and made his heart obstinate, that he might defeat him by your might, which he has now done today.³¹Yahweh said to me, 'Look, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you; begin to possess it, in order that you may inherit his land.'

³²Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.³³Yahweh our God gave him over to us and we defeated him and his sons and all his people.

³⁴We took all his cities at that time and completely destroyed every city—men and the women and the little ones; we left no survivor.³⁵Only the livestock we took as booty for ourselves, along with the spoil of the cities that we had taken.

³⁶From Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, all the way to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. Yahweh our God gave them into our hands.³⁷It was only to the land of the descendants of Ammon that you did not go, as well as all the side of the Jabbok River, and the cities of the hill country—wherever Yahweh our God had forbidden us to go.

¹Then we turned and went up the way to Bashan. Og, the king of Bashan, came and attacked us, he and all his people, to fight at Edrei.²Yahweh said to me, 'Do not fear him; for I have given you victory over him and have put all his people and his land under your control. You will do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.'

³So Yahweh our God also gave us victory over Og the king of Bashan, and all his people were put under our control. We struck them down until not one survivor remained for him.⁴We took all his cities at that time. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them—all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

⁵These were all cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars; this was besides very many unwalled villages.⁶We completely destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, completely destroying every city—men and the women and the little ones.⁷But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.

⁸At that time we took the land out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, from the Valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon⁹(Mount Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians, and the Amorites call it Senir)¹⁰and all the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, all the way to Salekah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan."

¹¹(For of the remnant of the Rephaim, only Og king of Bashan had remained. Look! His bed was a bed of iron. Was it not in Rabbah, where the descendants of Ammon live? It was nine cubits long and four cubits wide, the way people measure.)

¹²"This land that we took in possession at that time—from Aroer, that is by the Valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead, and its cities—I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites.¹³The rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh. (All the region of Argob in Bashan was called the land of Rephaim.

¹⁴Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took all the region of Argob to the border of the Geshurites and the Maakathites. He called the region, even Bashan, by his own name, Havvoth Jair, to this day.)

¹⁵I gave Gilead to Makir.¹⁶To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave territory from Gilead to the Valley of the Arnon—the middle of the valley is the territory's border—and to the Jabbok River, which is the border with the descendants of Ammon.

¹⁷Another of its borders is also the plain of the Jordan River valley, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Salt Sea) to the slopes of Mount Pisgah eastward.

¹⁸I commanded you at that time, saying, 'Yahweh your God has given you this land to possess it; you, all the men of war, will pass over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel.

¹⁹But your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock), will stay in your cities that I have given you,²⁰until Yahweh gives rest to your brothers, as he has to you, until they also possess the land that Yahweh your God is giving them beyond the Jordan; then will you return, every man of you, to your own property that I have given you.'

²¹I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, 'Your eyes have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to these two kings; Yahweh will do the same to all the kingdoms where you go over.²²You will not fear them, for Yahweh your God is the one who will fight for you.'

²³I earnestly appealed to Yahweh at that time, saying,²⁴'O Lord Yahweh, you have begun to show your servant your greatness and your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or in earth that can do the same works as you have done, and the same mighty acts?²⁵Let me go over, I beg you, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that good hill country, and also Lebanon.'

²⁶But Yahweh was angry with me because of you; he did not listen to me. Yahweh said to me, 'Let this be enough for you—speak no more to me about this matter:²⁷go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward, northward, southward, and eastward; look with your eyes, for you will not go over the Jordan.

²⁸Instead, instruct Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will go over before this people, and he will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.'²⁹So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor.

¹Now, Israel, listen to the laws and the decrees that I am about to teach you, to do them; so that you may live and go in and possess the land that Yahweh, the God of your fathers, is giving you.²You will not add to the words that I command you, neither will you diminish them, so that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God that I am about to command you.

³Your eyes have seen what Yahweh did because of Baal Peor; for all the men who followed the Baal of Peor, Yahweh your God has destroyed them from among you.⁴But you who clung to Yahweh your God are alive today, every one of you.

⁵Look, I have taught you laws and decrees, as Yahweh my God had commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land which you are going into in order to possess it.⁶Therefore keep them and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear about all these statutes and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

⁷For what other great nation is there that has a god so near to them, as Yahweh our God is whenever we call upon him?⁸What other great nation is there that has laws and decrees so righteous as all this law that I am setting before you today?

⁹Only pay attention and carefully guard yourself, so that you do not forget the things that your eyes have seen, so that they do not leave your heart for all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children.¹⁰On the day that you stood before Yahweh your God at Horeb, when Yahweh said to me, 'Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.'

¹¹You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.¹²Yahweh spoke to you out of the middle of the fire; you heard the voice with its words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice.

¹³He declared to you his covenant that he commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments. He wrote them on two tablets of stone.¹⁴Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules, so that you might do them in the land that you are crossing over to take possession of it.

¹⁵So watch yourselves carefully—for you saw no kind of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb out of the middle of the fire—¹⁶that you do not corrupt yourselves by making a carved image in the form of any figure, in the likeness of male or female,¹⁷the likeness of any animal on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the heavens,¹⁸the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, or the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth.

¹⁹You must not lift your eyes up to the heavens and look at the sun, the moon, or the stars—all the host of the heavens—and be drawn away to worship them and adore them—those things of which Yahweh your God has given a share to all the peoples under all the heavens.²⁰But Yahweh has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of his own inheritance, as you are today.

²¹Yahweh was angry with me because of you; he swore that I would not go over the Jordan, and that I would not go into the good land that Yahweh your God is giving to you as an inheritance.²²Rather, I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you will go over and possess that good land.

²³Pay attention to yourselves, so that you do not forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything that Yahweh your God has forbidden you to make.²⁴For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

²⁵When you beget children and children's children, and when you will have been in the land for a long time, and if you corrupt yourselves and make a carved figure in the form of anything, and do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, to provoke him to anger—²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that you will soon utterly perish from off the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but you will be completely destroyed.

²⁷Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations, where Yahweh will lead you away.²⁸There you will serve other gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, hear, eat, nor smell.

²⁹But from there you will seek Yahweh your God, and you will find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

³⁰When you are in distress, and when all these things will have come on you, in those later days you will return to Yahweh your God and listen to his voice.³¹For Yahweh your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers that he swore to them.

³²Ask now about the days that are past, which were before your time, since the day that God created man on the earth, ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether there has been anything so great as this, or has anything like it ever been heard?³³Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

³⁴Or has God ever attempted to go and take for himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, as everything that Yahweh your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

³⁵To you these things were shown, so that you might know that Yahweh is God, and that there is no one else besides him.³⁶Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, so that he might instruct you; on earth he made you see his great fire; you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

³⁷Because he loved your fathers, he chose their descendants after them, and brought you out of Egypt with his presence, with his great power;³⁸in order to drive out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as today.

³⁹Know therefore today, and lay it on your heart, that Yahweh is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no one else.⁴⁰You will keep his statutes and his commandments that I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you forever."

⁴¹Then Moses selected three cities on the east side of the Jordan,⁴²so that anyone might flee to one of them if he killed another person accidentally, without being his enemy previously. By fleeing to one of these cities, he might survive.⁴³They were: Bezer in the wilderness, the plain country, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

⁴⁴This is the law that Moses placed before the people of Israel;⁴⁵these are the covenant decrees, laws, and ordinances that he spoke to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt,⁴⁶when they were east of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the people of Israel had defeated when they came out of Egypt.

⁴⁷They took his land as a possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan—these, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the east.⁴⁸This territory went from Aroer, on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, to Mount Siyon (or Mount Hermon),⁴⁹and included all of the plain of the Jordan River valley, eastward beyond the Jordan, to the Sea of the Arabah, to the slopes of Mount Pisgah.

¹Moses called to all Israel and said to them, "Listen, Israel, to the statutes and the decrees that I will speak in your ears today, that you may learn them and keep them.²Yahweh our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.³Yahweh did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with us, all of us alive here today.

⁴Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mount out of the middle of the fire⁵(I stood between Yahweh and you at that time, to reveal to you his word; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain). Yahweh said,

⁶'I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

⁷You will have no other gods before me.

⁸You will not make for yourself a carved figure nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water below.

⁹You will not bow down to them or serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God. I punish the ancestors' wickedness by bringing punishment on the children, to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,¹⁰and showing steadfast love to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments.

¹¹You will not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.

¹²Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you.¹³For six days you will labor and do all your work;¹⁴but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. On it you will not do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your animals, nor any foreigner who is within your gates. This is so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

¹⁵You will call to mind that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore Yahweh your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

¹⁶Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God has commanded you to do, that you may live a long time in the land that Yahweh your God gives you, and so that it may go well with you.

¹⁷You will not murder.

¹⁸You will not commit adultery.

¹⁹You will not steal.

²⁰You will not give false witness against your neighbor.

²¹You will not covet your neighbor's wife, you will not covet your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'

²²These words Yahweh spoke in a loud voice to all your assembly on the mountain out of the middle of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness; he did not add any more words. He wrote them down on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

²³It came about, when you heard the voice out of the middle of the darkness, while the mountain was burning, that you came near to me—all your elders and the heads of your tribes.²⁴You said, 'Look, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the middle of the fire; we have seen today that when God speaks with people, they can live.

²⁵But why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of Yahweh our God any longer, we will die.²⁶For who besides us is there among all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speak out of the middle of the fire and lived, as we have done?²⁷As for you, you should go and listen to everything that Yahweh our God says; repeat to us everything that Yahweh our God says to you; we will listen to it and obey it.'

²⁸Yahweh heard your words when you spoke to me. He said to me, 'I have heard the words of this people, what they said to you. What they said was good.²⁹Oh, that there were such a heart in them, that they would honor me and always keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children forever!³⁰Go say to them, "Return to your tents."

³¹But as for you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes, and the decrees that you will teach them, so that they may keep them in the land that I will give them to possess.'

³²You will keep, therefore, what Yahweh your God has commanded you; you will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.³³You will walk in all the ways that Yahweh your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and so that it may go well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

¹Now these are the commandments, statutes, and decrees that Yahweh your God has commanded me to teach you, so that you might keep them in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess;²so that you might honor Yahweh your God, so as to keep all his statutes and commandments that I am commanding you—you, your sons, and your sons' sons, all the days of your lives, so that your days may be prolonged.

³Therefore listen to them, Israel, and keep them, so that it may go well with you, so that you may greatly multiply, in a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you would do.

⁴Listen, Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one.⁵You will love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

⁶The words that I am commanding you today will be in your heart;⁷and you will diligently teach them to your children; you will talk about them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.

⁸You will tie them as a sign upon your hand, and they will serve as frontlets between your eyes.⁹You will write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

¹⁰When Yahweh your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, that he would give you, with large and very good cities that you did not build,¹¹and houses full of all kinds of good things that you did not make, cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant, you will eat and be satisfied—¹²then be careful so that you do not forget Yahweh, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

¹³You will honor Yahweh your God; him you will worship, and you will swear by his name.¹⁴You will not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you—¹⁵for Yahweh your God in the midst of you is a jealous God—if you do, the anger of Yahweh your God will be kindled against you and he will destroy you from the surface of the earth.

¹⁶You will not test Yahweh your God as you tested him at Massah.¹⁷You will diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, his solemn commands, and his statutes, that he has commanded you.

¹⁸You will do what is right and good in the sight of Yahweh, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land that Yahweh swore to your fathers,¹⁹to drive out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has said.

²⁰When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What are the covenant decrees, the statutes, and the other decrees that Yahweh our God commanded you?'²¹then you will say to your son, 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt; Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand,²²and he displayed signs and wonders, great and severe, on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes;²³and he brought us out from there, so that he might bring us in, to give us the land that he swore to our fathers.

²⁴Yahweh commanded us to always keep all these statutes, to fear Yahweh our God for our good, so that he might keep us alive, as we are today.²⁵If we keep all these commands before Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us, this will be our righteousness.'

¹When Yahweh your God brings you into the land that you go to possess, he will drive out many nations before you—the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—seven nations greater and mightier than you.

²It is Yahweh your God who gives them over to you when you defeat them, and then you must completely destroy them. You will make no covenant with them, and show them no mercy.³Neither will you arrange any marriages with them. You will not give your daughters to their sons, and you will not take their daughters for your sons.

⁴For they will turn away your sons from following me, so that they may worship other gods. So the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and he will destroy you quickly.⁵This is how you will deal with them: You will break down their altars, dash their stone pillars in pieces, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their cast idols.

⁶For you are a nation that is set apart to Yahweh your God. He has chosen you to be a people for him to possess, more than all the other peoples that are on the face of the earth.

⁷Yahweh did not set his love upon you or choose you because you were more in number than any people—for you were the fewest of all peoples—⁸but because he loves you, and he wished to keep the oath that he had sworn to your fathers. This is why Yahweh has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

⁹Therefore know that Yahweh your God—he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenants and faithfulness for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments,¹⁰but repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them; he will not be lenient on whoever hates him; he will repay him to his face.

¹¹You will therefore keep the commandments, the statutes, and the decrees that I command you today, so that you will do them.

¹²If you listen to these decrees, and keep and do them, it will happen that Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the faithfulness that he swore to your fathers.¹³He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground—your grain, your new wine, and your oil—the calves of your herds and the young of your flocks in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.

¹⁴You will be blessed more than all other peoples; there will not be a childless male or a barren female among you or among your livestock.¹⁵Yahweh will take away from you all sickness; none of the evil diseases of Egypt that you have known will he put on you, but he will put them on all those who hate you.

¹⁶You will consume all the peoples whom Yahweh your God will give over to you, and your eye will not pity them. You will not worship their gods, for that will be a trap for you.

¹⁷If you say in your heart, 'These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?'—¹⁸do not be afraid of them; you will call to mind what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt;¹⁹the great sufferings that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm by which Yahweh your God brought you out. Yahweh your God will do the same to all the peoples whom you fear.

²⁰Moreover, Yahweh your God will send the hornet among them, until those who are left and who hide themselves from you perish from your presence.²¹You will not be frightened at them, for Yahweh your God is among you, a great and fearsome God.²²Yahweh your God will drive out those nations before you little by little. You will not defeat them all at once, or the wild animals would become very many around you.

²³But Yahweh your God will give you victory over them when you meet them in battle; he will greatly confuse them until they are destroyed.²⁴He will put their kings under your power, and you will make their name perish from under heaven. No one will be able to stand before you, until you have destroyed them.

²⁵You will burn the carved figures of their gods—do not covet the silver or the gold that covers them and take it for yourself, because if you do, you will become trapped by it—for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God.²⁶You will not bring any abomination into your house and start to worship it. You will utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction.

¹You must keep all the commands that I am giving you today, so that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that Yahweh swore to your fathers.²You will call to mind all the ways that Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order that he might humble you, that he might test you to know what was in your heart, as to whether you would keep his commandments or not.

³He humbled you, and made you hunger, and fed you with manna, which you had not known and which your fathers had not known. He did that to make you know that it is not by bread alone that people live; rather, it is by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh that people live.

⁴Your clothing did not wear out and fall off you, and your feet did not swell up during those forty years.⁵You will think about in your heart, how, as a man disciplines his son, so Yahweh your God disciplines you.⁶You will keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, so that you might walk in his ways and honor him.

⁷For Yahweh your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out into valleys and among hills;⁸a land of wheat and barley, of vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey.

⁹It is a land in which you will not eat bread in poverty and in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are made of iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.¹⁰You will eat and be full, and you will bless Yahweh your God for the good land that he has given you.

¹¹Be careful that you do not forget Yahweh your God, by failing to keep his commandments and his rules and statutes that I am commanding you today.¹²Otherwise, when you eat and are full, and when you build good houses and live in them, your heart will be lifted up.

¹³Be careful when your herds and flocks multiply and when your silver and gold increase, and all that you have is multiplied,¹⁴then your heart becomes lifted up and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

¹⁵Do not forget him who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the rock of flint.¹⁶He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors had never known, so that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end,¹⁷but you may say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand acquired all this wealth.'

¹⁸But you will call to mind Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is today.¹⁹It will happen that, if you will forget Yahweh your God and walk after other gods, worship them, and reverence them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.²⁰Like the nations that Yahweh is making to perish before you, so will you perish, because you would not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.

¹Hear, Israel; you are about to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, and cities that are great and fortified up to heaven,²a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard people say, 'Who can stand before the sons of Anak?'

³Know therefore today that Yahweh your God is he who goes over before you like a devouring fire; he will destroy them, and he will subdue them before you; so will you drive them out and make them to perish quickly, as Yahweh has said to you.

⁴Do not say in your heart, after Yahweh your God has thrust them out from before you, 'It was because of my righteousness that Yahweh has brought me in to possess this land,' for it was because of the wickedness of these nations that Yahweh is driving them out from before you.

⁵It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that your God is driving them out from before you, and so that he may make come true the word that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

⁶Know therefore, that Yahweh your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.

⁷Remember and do not forget how you provoked Yahweh your God to anger in the wilderness; from the day that you left the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against Yahweh.⁸Also at Horeb you provoked Yahweh to anger, and Yahweh was angry enough with you to destroy you.

⁹When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that Yahweh made with you, I stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water.¹⁰Yahweh gave to me the two tablets of stone written with his finger; on them was written everything just like all the words that Yahweh announced to you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire on the day of the assembly.

¹¹It happened at the end of those forty days and forty nights that Yahweh gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.¹²Yahweh said to me, 'Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned aside out of the path that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a cast figure.'

¹³Furthermore, Yahweh spoke to me and said, 'I have seen this people; they are a stubborn people.¹⁴Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven, and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.'

¹⁵So I turned around and came down the mountain, and the mountain was burning. The two tablets of the covenant were in my hands.¹⁶I looked, and behold, you had sinned against Yahweh your God. You had molded for yourselves a calf. You had quickly turned aside out of the path that Yahweh had commanded you.

¹⁷I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands. I broke them before your eyes.¹⁸Again I lay facedown before Yahweh for forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin that you had committed, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, so as to provoke him to anger.

¹⁹For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which Yahweh was angry enough against you to destroy you. But Yahweh listened to me that time also.²⁰Yahweh was very angry with Aaron so as to destroy him; I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.

²¹I took your sin, the calf that you had made, and burned it, beat it, and crushed it and ground it very small, until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the stream that came down from the mountain.

²²At Taberah, at Massah, and at Kibroth Hattaavah, you provoked Yahweh to wrath.²³When Yahweh sent you from Kadesh Barnea and said, 'Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,' then you rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your God, and you did not believe or listen to his voice.²⁴You have been rebellious against Yahweh from the day that I knew you.

²⁵So I lay facedown before Yahweh those forty days and forty nights, because he had said that he would destroy you.²⁶I prayed to Yahweh and said, 'O Lord Yahweh, do not destroy your people or your inheritance whom you have redeemed through your greatness, which you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

²⁷Call to mind your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look at the stubbornness of this people, nor at their wickedness, nor at their sin,²⁸so that the land from where you brought us should say, "Because Yahweh was not able to bring them into the land that he promised to them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness."²⁹Yet they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out by your great strength and by the display of your power.'

¹At that time Yahweh said to me, 'Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood.²I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets that you broke, and you will put them in the ark.'

³So I made an ark of acacia wood, and I carved two tablets of stone like the first, and I went up the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand.⁴He wrote on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Commandments which Yahweh had spoken to you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire on the day of the assembly; then Yahweh gave them to me.

⁵I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark that I had made; there they are, as Yahweh commanded me."

⁶(The people of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; Eleazar, his son, served in the priest's office in his place.⁷From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of streams of water.

⁸At that time Yahweh chose the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to serve him, and to bless people in his name, as today.⁹Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance of land with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, as Yahweh your God spoke to him.)

¹⁰"I stayed on the mountain as at the first time, forty days and forty nights. Yahweh listened to me that time also; Yahweh did not wish to destroy you.¹¹Yahweh said to me, 'Arise, go before the people to lead them on their journey; they will go in and possess the land that I swore to their ancestors to give to them.'

¹²Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, except to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to worship Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,¹³to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today for your own good?

¹⁴Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is in them.¹⁵Only Yahweh took pleasure in your fathers so as to love them, and he chose you, their descendants, after them, more than any of the other peoples, as he does today.

¹⁶Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and no longer stiffen your necks.¹⁷For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the Great God, the Mighty One and the Fearsome One, who favors no one and takes no bribes.

¹⁸He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and he shows love for the foreigner by giving him food and clothing.¹⁹Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

²⁰You will fear Yahweh your God; him will you worship. To him you must cling, and by his name will you swear.²¹He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and fearsome things, which your eyes have seen.

²²Your fathers went down into Egypt as seventy persons; now Yahweh your God has made you as many as the stars of the heavens.

¹Therefore you will love Yahweh your God and always keep his instructions, his statutes, his decrees, and his commandments.

²Notice that I am not speaking to your children, who have not known nor have they seen the punishment of Yahweh your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, or his outstretched arm,³the signs and deeds that he did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to all his land.

⁴Neither did they see what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses, or to their chariots, how he made the water of the Sea of Reeds overwhelm them as they pursued after you, and how Yahweh has destroyed them until today,⁵or what he did for you in the wilderness until you came to this place.

⁶They had not seen what Yahweh had done to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the middle of all Israel.⁷But your eyes have seen all the great works of Yahweh that he did.

⁸Therefore keep all the commandments that I am commanding you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land where you are going over to possess it,⁹and that you may prolong your days in the land that Yahweh swore to your fathers to give to them and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.

¹⁰For the land, where you go in to possess it, is not like the land of Egypt, from where you came, where you sowed your seed and watered it with your foot, like a garden of herbs;¹¹but the land, where you go over to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinks water of the rain of the heavens,¹²a land that Yahweh your God cares for; the eyes of Yahweh your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

¹³It will happen, if you will listen diligently to my commandments that I command you today, to love Yahweh your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,¹⁴that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.¹⁵I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be full.

¹⁶Pay attention to yourselves so that your heart is not deceived, and you turn aside and worship other gods and bow down to them;¹⁷so that the anger of Yahweh is not kindled against you; and so that he does not shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain, and the land will not yield its fruit, and so that you perish quickly from off the good land that Yahweh is giving you.

¹⁸Therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and soul, bind them as a sign on your hand, and let them be as frontlets between your eyes.¹⁹You will teach them to your children and talk about them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.

²⁰You will write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates,²¹that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that Yahweh swore to your ancestors to give them for as long as the heavens are above the earth.

²²For if you diligently keep all these commandments that I am commanding you, so as to do them, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cling to him,²³then Yahweh will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and mightier than yourselves.

²⁴Every place where the sole of your foot will tread will be yours; from the wilderness to Lebanon, from the river, the Euphrates River, to the western sea will be your border.²⁵No man will be able to stand before you. Yahweh your God will lay the fear of you and the terror of you upon all the land that you tread on, as he has said to you.

²⁶Look, I set before you today a blessing and a curse:²⁷the blessing, if you obey the commandments of Yahweh your God that I command you today,²⁸and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside from the way that I command you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.

²⁹It will happen, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, that you will set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal.³⁰Are they not beyond the Jordan, west of the western road, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, over against Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh?

³¹For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to possess the land that Yahweh your God is giving you, and you will possess it and live in it.³²You will keep all the statutes and the decrees that I set before you today.

¹These are the statutes and the decrees that you will keep in the land that Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth.²You will surely destroy all the places where the nations that you will dispossess worshiped their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.

³You must break down their altars, dash in pieces their stone pillars, and burn their Asherah poles. You must cut down the carved figures of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.⁴You will not worship Yahweh your God like that.

⁵But to the place where Yahweh your God chooses out of all your tribes to establish his name, that will be the place where he lives, and it is there that you will go.⁶It is there that you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offerings presented by your hand, your offerings for vows, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

⁷It is there that you will eat before Yahweh your God and rejoice about everything that you have put your hand to, you and your households, where Yahweh your God has blessed you.

⁸You will not do all the things that we are doing here today; now everyone is doing whatever is right in his own eyes;⁹for you have not yet come to the rest, to the inheritance that Yahweh your God is giving you.

¹⁰But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that Yahweh your God is causing you to inherit, he will give you rest from all your enemies round about so that you live in safety.¹¹Then to the place where Yahweh your God will choose to cause his name to live there—there you will bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offerings presented by your hand, and all your choice offerings for vows that you will vow to Yahweh.

¹²You will rejoice before Yahweh your God—you, your sons, your daughters, your male servants, your female servants, and the Levites who are within your gate, because he has no portion or inheritance among you.

¹³Pay attention to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings at every place that you see;¹⁴but it is at the place that Yahweh will choose among one of your tribes that you will offer your burnt offerings, and there you will do everything that I command you.

¹⁵However, you may kill and eat animals within all your gates, as you desire, receiving the blessing of Yahweh your God for all that he has given you; the unclean and the clean persons both may eat of it, animals such as the gazelle and the deer.¹⁶But you will not eat the blood; you will pour it out on the earth like water.

¹⁷You must not eat within your gates from the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock; and you must not eat any of the meat you sacrifice along with any of your vows that you make, nor that of your freewill offerings, nor that of the offering you present with your hand.

¹⁸Instead, you will eat them before Yahweh your God in the place that Yahweh your God will choose—you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; you will rejoice before Yahweh your God about everything to which you put your hand.¹⁹Pay attention to yourself so that you do not abandon the Levite as long as you live on your land.

²⁰When Yahweh your God enlarges your borders, as he has promised you, and you say, 'I will eat flesh,' because of your desire to eat meat, you may eat meat, as your soul desires.

²¹If the place where Yahweh your God chooses to establish his name is too far from you, then you will kill some of your herd and your flock that Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; you may eat within your gates, as your soul desires.²²Like the gazelle and the deer are eaten, so you will eat of it; the unclean and the clean persons may eat of it alike.

²³Only be sure that you do not consume the blood, for the blood is the life; you will not eat the life with the meat.²⁴You will not eat it; you will pour it out on the earth like water.²⁵You will not eat it, so that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, when you will do what is right in the eyes of Yahweh.

²⁶But the things that belong to Yahweh that you have and the offerings for your vows—you will take these and go to the place that Yahweh chooses.²⁷There you will offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, on the altar of Yahweh your God; the blood of your sacrifices will be poured out on the altar of Yahweh your God, and you will eat the flesh.

²⁸Observe and listen to all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

²⁹When Yahweh your God cuts off the nations from before you, when you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them, and live in their land,³⁰pay attention to yourself that you are not trapped into following them, after they are destroyed from before you—trapped into investigating their gods, into asking, 'How do these nations worship their gods? I will do the same.'

³¹You must not worship Yahweh your God in that way, for everything that is an abomination to Yahweh, things that he hates—they have done these with their gods; they even burn their sons and their daughters in fire for their gods.

³²Whatever I command you, observe it. Do not add to it or take away from it.

¹If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and if he gives you a sign or a wonder,²and if the sign or the wonder comes about, of which he spoke to you and said, 'Let us go after other gods, that you have not known, and let us worship them,'³do not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for Yahweh your God is testing you to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

⁴You will walk after Yahweh your God, honor him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you will worship him and cling to him.⁵That prophet or that dreamer of dreams will be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and who redeemed you out of the house of bondage. That prophet wants to draw you out of the way in which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk. So completely remove the evil from among you.

⁶Suppose that your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is to you like your own soul, secretly entices you and says, 'Let us go and worship other gods' which you have not known, neither you nor your ancestors—⁷any of the gods of the peoples that are round about you, near to you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other end of the earth.'

⁸You must not give in to him or listen to him, and you must not permit your eye to pity him, and you must not spare him or conceal him.⁹Instead, you will surely kill him; your hand will be the first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

¹⁰You will stone him to death with stones, because he has tried to draw you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.¹¹All Israel will hear and fear, and will not continue to do this kind of wickedness among you.

¹²If you hear anyone say about one of your cities, that Yahweh your God gives you to live in:¹³Some wicked fellows have gone out from among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city and said, 'Let us go and worship other gods that you have not known.'¹⁴Then you will examine the evidence, make search, and investigate it thoroughly. When you discover that it is true and certain that such an abominable thing has been done among you, then you will take action.

¹⁵You will surely attack the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, completely destroy it and all the people who are in it, along with its livestock, with the edge of the sword.¹⁶You will gather all the spoil from it into the middle of its street and will burn the city, as well as all its booty, as a burnt offering for Yahweh your God. The city will be a heap of ruins forever; it must never be built again.

¹⁷None of those things set apart for destruction must stick in your hand. This must be the case, so that Yahweh will turn from the burning of his anger, show you mercy, have compassion on you, and make you increase in numbers, as he has sworn to your fathers.¹⁸He will do this because you are listening to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep all his commandments that I am commanding you today, to do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

¹You are the people of Yahweh your God. Do not cut yourselves, nor shave any part of your face for the dead.²For you are a nation that is set apart to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, more than all peoples that are on the surface of the earth.

³You must not eat any abominable thing.⁴These are the animals that you may eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,⁵the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, and ibex, and the antelope, and the mountain sheep.

⁶You may eat any animals that parts the hoof, that is, that has the hoof divided in two, and that chews the cud.⁷Nevertheless, you must not eat some animals that chew the cud or that have the hoof divided in two: the camel, the rabbit, and the rock badger; because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, they are unclean to you.

⁸The pig is unclean to you as well because he parts the hoof but does not chew the cud; he is unclean to you. Do not eat pig meat, and do not touch their carcasses.

⁹Of these things that are in water you may eat: whatever has fins and scales;¹⁰but whatever has no fins and scales you must not eat; they are unclean to you.

¹¹All clean birds you may eat.¹²But these are the birds that you must not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,¹³the red kite and black kite, any kind of falcon.

¹⁴You must not eat any kind of raven,¹⁵and the ostrich, and the night hawk, the sea gull, any kind of hawk,¹⁶the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,¹⁷the pelican, the osprey, the cormorant.

¹⁸You must not eat the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.¹⁹All winged, swarming things are unclean to you; they must not be eaten.²⁰You may eat all clean flying things.

²¹You must not eat of anything that dies of itself; you may give it to the foreigner who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a nation that is set apart to Yahweh your God. You must not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

²²You must surely tithe all the yield of your seed, that which comes out from the field year after year.²³You must eat before Yahweh your God, in the place where he will choose to make a dwelling for his name, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock; that you may learn to always honor Yahweh your God.

²⁴If the journey is too long for you so that you are not able to carry it, because the place where Yahweh your God will choose to establish his name is too far from you, then, when Yahweh God blesses you,²⁵you will convert the offering into money, tie up the money in your hand, and go to the place that Yahweh your God will choose.

²⁶There you will spend the money for whatever you desire: cattle, sheep, wine or strong drink, or for whatever you desire. Then you will eat there before Yahweh your God and rejoice, you and your household.²⁷The Levite who is within your gates—do not abandon him, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you.

²⁸At the end of every three years you will present all the tithe of your produce in the same year, and you will store it up within your gates;²⁹and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates, will come and eat and be satisfied. Do this so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand that you do.

¹At the end of every seven years, you must cancel debts.²This is the manner of the release: Every creditor will cancel that which he has lent to his neighbor; he will not demand it from his neighbor or his brother because Yahweh's cancellation of debts has been proclaimed.³From a foreigner you may demand it; but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand must release.

⁴However, there should be no poor among you (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land that he gives you as an inheritance to possess),⁵if only you diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep all these commandments that I am commanding you today.⁶For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you; you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

⁷If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land that Yahweh your God is giving you, you must not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother;⁸but you must surely open your hand to him and surely lend him sufficient for his need.

⁹Be careful not to have a wicked thought in your heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of release, is near,' so that you will not be stingy in regard to your poor brother and give him nothing; he might cry out to Yahweh about you, and it would be sin for you.¹⁰You must surely give to him, and your heart must not be sorry when you give to him, because in return for this Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to.

¹¹For the poor will never cease to exist in the land; therefore I command you and say, 'You must surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land.'

¹²If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you for six years, then in the seventh year you must let him go free from you.¹³When you let him go free from you, you must not let him go empty-handed.¹⁴You must liberally provide for him out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As Yahweh your God has blessed you, you must give to him.

¹⁵You must remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that Yahweh your God redeemed you; therefore I am commanding you today to do this.¹⁶It will happen that if he says to you, 'I will not go away from you,' because he loves you and your house, and because he is well off with you,¹⁷then you must take an awl and thrust it through his ear to a door, and he will be your servant for life. You must do the same with your female servant.

¹⁸It must not seem difficult for you to let him go free from you, because he has served you for six years and given twice the value of a hired person. Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do.

¹⁹All the firstborn males in your herd and your flock you must set apart to Yahweh your God. You will do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.²⁰You must eat the firstborn before Yahweh your God year by year in the place that Yahweh will choose, you and your household.²¹If it has any blemish—for example, if it is lame or blind, or has any blemish whatever—you must not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.

²²You will eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean persons alike must eat it, as you would eat a gazelle or a deer.²³Only you must not eat its blood; you must pour its blood out on the ground like water.

¹Observe the month of Aviv, and keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, for in the month of Aviv Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by night.²You will sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh your God with some of the flock and the herd in the place where Yahweh will choose to make a dwelling for his name.

³You will eat no leavened bread with it; seven days will you eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction; for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste. Do this all the days of your life so that you may call to mind the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.⁴No yeast must be seen among you within all your borders during seven days; nor must any of the meat that you sacrifice in the evening on the first day remain until the morning.

⁵You must not sacrifice the Passover within any of your city gates that Yahweh your God is giving you.⁶Instead, sacrifice at the place where Yahweh your God will choose to make a dwelling for his name. There you will perform the sacrifice of the Passover in the evening at the going down of the sun, at the time of year that you came out of Egypt.

⁷You must roast it and eat it at the place that Yahweh your God will choose; in the morning you will turn and go to your tents.⁸For six days you will eat unleavened bread; on the seventh day there will be a solemn assembly for Yahweh your God; on that day you must do no work.

⁹You will count seven weeks for yourselves; from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain you must start counting seven weeks.¹⁰You must keep the Festival of Weeks for Yahweh your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand that you will give, according as Yahweh your God has blessed you.

¹¹You will rejoice before Yahweh your God—you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your city gates, and the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place where Yahweh your God will choose to make a dwelling for his name.¹²You will call to mind that you were a slave in Egypt; you must observe and do these statutes.

¹³You must keep the Festival of Shelters for seven days after you have gathered in the harvest from your threshing floor and from your winepress.¹⁴You will rejoice during your festival—you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, and the foreigner, and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates.

¹⁵For seven days you must observe the festival for Yahweh your God at the place that Yahweh will choose, because Yahweh your God will bless you in all your harvest and all the work of your hands, and you must be completely joyful.

¹⁶Three times in a year all your males must appear before Yahweh your God at the place that he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, at the Festival of Weeks, and at the Festival of Shelters. No one will appear before Yahweh empty-handed.¹⁷Rather, every man will bring a gift as he is able, that you might know the blessing that Yahweh your God has given to you.

¹⁸You must make judges and officers within all your city gates that Yahweh your God is giving you; they will be taken from each of your tribes, and they must judge the people with righteous judgment.¹⁹You must not take justice away by force; you must not show partiality nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.²⁰You must follow after justice, after justice alone, so that you may live and inherit the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

²¹You must not set up for yourselves an Asherah, any sort of pole, beside the altar of Yahweh your God that you will make for yourself.²²Neither must you set up for yourself any sacred stone pillar, which Yahweh your God hates.

¹You must not sacrifice to Yahweh your God an ox or a sheep in which is any blemish or anything bad, for that would be an abomination to Yahweh your God.

²If there is found among you, within any of your city gates that Yahweh your God is giving you, any man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God and transgresses his covenant,³anyone who has gone and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, either the sun, the moon, or any of the host of heaven—nothing that I have commanded—⁴and if you are told about this, or if you have heard of it, then you must make a careful investigation. If it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel, this is what you should do.

⁵You must bring that man or woman, who has done this evil thing, to your city gates, that very man or woman, and you must stone that person to death.⁶At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, will he who must die be put to death; but at the mouth of only one witness he must not be put to death.⁷The hand of the witnesses must be the first to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people; and you will remove the evil from among you.

⁸If a matter arises that is too hard for you to judge—perhaps a question of one kind of bloodshed or another, of one kind of lawsuit or another, or of one kind of wound or another—matters of controversy within your city gates—then you must go up to the place that Yahweh your God chooses.⁹You must go to the priests, the descendants of Levi, and to the judge who will be serving at that time; you will seek their advice, and they will give you the verdict.

¹⁰Then you must do according to what they order you to do, at the place Yahweh will choose. Be careful to do all that they teach you.¹¹Follow the law they teach you, and do according to the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right hand or to the left.

¹²Anyone who acts in arrogance, listening neither to the priest who is standing to serve before Yahweh your God nor to the judge—that man will die; you will completely remove the evil from Israel.¹³All the people must hear and fear, and act arrogantly no more.

¹⁴When you have come to the land that Yahweh your God gives you, and when you take possession of it and begin to live in it, and then you say, 'I will set a king over myself, like all the nations that are round about me,'¹⁵then you must surely set as king over yourself someone whom Yahweh your God will choose. You must set as king over yourself someone from among your brothers. You must not put a foreigner, who is not your brother, over yourself.

¹⁶But he must not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt so that he may multiply horses, for Yahweh had said to you, 'You will never return that way again.'¹⁷He must not take many wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

¹⁸When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he must write for himself in a scroll a copy of this law, from the law that is before the priests, who are Levites.¹⁹The scroll must be with him, and he must read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to honor Yahweh his God, so as to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to observe them.

²⁰He must do this so that his heart is not lifted up above his brothers, and so that he does not turn away from the commandments, to the right hand or to the left, so he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his descendants in the midst of Israel.

¹The priests, who are Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, will have no portion nor inheritance with Israel; they must eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire as their inheritance.²They must have no inheritance among their brothers; Yahweh is their inheritance, as he said to them.

³This is the share given to the priests, given to them from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether it be an oxen or a sheep: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts.⁴The firstfruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you must give him.⁵For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to serve in the name of Yahweh, him and his sons forever.

⁶If a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel where he is living and desires with all his soul to come to the place Yahweh will choose,⁷then he must serve in the name of Yahweh his God as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh.⁸They must have similar portions to eat, besides of what comes of the sale of his family's inheritance.

⁹When you have come into the land that Yahweh your God is giving you, you must not learn to observe the abominations of those nations.¹⁰There must not be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or his daughter in the fire, or anyone who uses divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer¹¹or one who casts spells or a sorcerer or a spiritist or one who seeks the dead.

¹²For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh; it is because of these abominations that Yahweh your God is driving them out from before you.¹³You must be blameless before Yahweh your God.¹⁴For these nations that you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and divination; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you to do so.

¹⁵Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet from among you, one of your brothers, like me. You must listen to him.¹⁶This is what you asked from Yahweh your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let us not hear again the voice of Yahweh our God, nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.'

¹⁷Yahweh said to me, 'What they have said is good.¹⁸I will raise up a prophet for them from among their brothers, just like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them all that I command him.¹⁹It will happen that if anyone does not listen to the words of mine that he speaks in my name, I will require it of him.

²⁰But the prophet who speaks a word arrogantly in my name, a word that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that very prophet must die.'²¹This is what you must say in your heart: 'How will we recognize a message that Yahweh has not spoken?'

²²You will recognize a message that Yahweh has spoken when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh. If that thing does not occur nor happen, then that is something that Yahweh has not spoken and the prophet has spoken it in arrogance, and you must not be afraid of him.

¹When Yahweh your God cuts off the nations, those whose land Yahweh your God is giving you, and when you come after them and live in their cities and houses,²you must select three cities for yourself in the middle of your land that Yahweh your God is giving you to possess.³You must build a road and divide the borders of your land into three parts, the land that Yahweh your God is causing you to inherit, so that everyone who kills another person may flee there.

⁴This is the instruction concerning the one who kills another and flees from there in order to save his own life—the one who unintentionally kills his neighbor without hating him at the time of the accident.⁵For example, if a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and he chops with the ax to cut down a tree, and the ax head slips off of the handle and strikes his neighbor and kills him—then that man must flee to one of these cities and save his life.

⁶Otherwise the avenger of blood might go after the one who took a life, and in the heat of his anger overtake him, if the distance is too great, strike him and kill him, even though that man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past.⁷Therefore I command you to select three cities for yourself.

⁸If Yahweh your God enlarges your borders, as he has sworn to your ancestors to do, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your ancestors;⁹if you keep all these commandments to do them, which I am commanding you today—commandments to love Yahweh your God and to always walk in his ways, then you must add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.¹⁰Do this so that innocent blood is not shed in the midst of the land that Yahweh your God is giving you for as an inheritance, so that no bloodguilt may be on you.

¹¹But if anyone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, and mortally wounds him so that he dies, and if he then flees into one of these cities—¹²then the elders of his city must send and bring him back from there, and turn him over to the hand of the avenger of blood, so that he may die.¹³Your eye must not pity him; instead, you must completely remove the bloodguilt from Israel so that it may go well with you.

¹⁴You must not remove your neighbor's landmark that they set in place a long time ago, in your inheritance that you will inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you to possess.

¹⁵One sole witness must not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any matter that he sins; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, must any matter be confirmed.¹⁶Suppose that an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing.

¹⁷Then both men, the ones between whom the controversy exists, must stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.¹⁸The judges must make diligent inquiries; see, if the witness is a false witness and has testified falsely against his brother,¹⁹then must you do to him, as he had wished to do to his brother; and you will remove the evil from among you.

²⁰Then those who remain will hear and fear, and will from then on commit no longer any such evil among you.²¹Your eyes must not pity; life will pay for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

¹When you march out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you must not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, he who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

²When you are about to enter into battle, the priest must approach and speak to the people.³He must say to them, 'Listen, Israel, you are going to battle against your enemies. Do not let your hearts faint. Do not fear or tremble. Do not be afraid of them.⁴For Yahweh your God is the one who is going with you to fight for you against your enemies and to save you.'

⁵The officers must speak to the people and say, 'What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not die in battle and another man dedicates it.

⁶Is there anyone who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go home, so he will not die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.⁷What man is there who is betrothed to a woman but has not yet married her? Let him go home so that he does not die in battle and another man marry her.'

⁸The officers must speak further to the people and say, 'What man is there who is fearful or fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, so that his brother's heart does not melt like his own heart.'⁹When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they must appoint commanders of armies over them.

¹⁰When you march up to attack a city, make those people an offer of peace.¹¹If they answer peaceably and open their gates to you, all the people who are found in it must become forced labor for you and must serve you.

¹²But if it makes no offer of peace to you, and instead makes war against you, then you must besiege it,¹³and when Yahweh your God gives you victory and puts them under your control, you must strike every man in the town with the edge of the sword.

¹⁴But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and everything that is in the city, and all its spoil, you will take as booty for yourself. You will consume the booty of your enemies, whom Yahweh your God has given to you.¹⁵You must act in this way toward all the cities that are very far from you, cities that are not of the cities of these following nations.

¹⁶In the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must keep alive nothing that breathes.¹⁷You must completely destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Yahweh your God has commanded you.¹⁸Do this so that they do not teach you to act in any of their abominable ways, as they have done for their gods. If you do, you will sin against Yahweh your God.

¹⁹When you will besiege a city for a long time, as you wage war against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them. For you may eat from them, so you must not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man whom you should besiege?²⁰Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you may destroy and cut down; you will build siege works against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.

¹If someone is found killed in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you to possess, lying in the field, and it is not known who has attacked him;²then your elders and your judges must go out, and they must measure to the cities that are around him who has been killed.

³Then the elders of the town nearest to the dead man's body must take a heifer from the herd, one that has never been put to work, and that has not borne the yoke.⁴Then they must lead the heifer down to a valley with running water, a valley that has been neither plowed nor sown, and there in the valley they must break the heifer's neck.

⁵The priests, descendants of Levi, must come forward, for Yahweh your God has chosen them to serve him and give blessing in the name of Yahweh and to decide every case of dispute and assault by their word.

⁶All the elders of the city that is the nearest to the killed man must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;⁷and they must answer to the case and say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

⁸Forgive, Yahweh, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not put guilt for innocent bloodshed in the midst of your people Israel.' Then the bloodshed will be forgiven them.⁹In this way you will completely remove the innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of Yahweh.

¹⁰When you go out to do battle against your enemies and Yahweh your God gives you victory and puts them under your control, and you take them away as captives,¹¹if you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you delight in her and wish to take her for yourself as a wife,¹²then you will bring her home to your house; she will shave her head and cut her nails.

¹³Then she will take off the clothes she was wearing when she was taken captive and she will remain in your house and mourn for her father and her mother a full month. After that you may go to her and be her husband, and she will be your wife.¹⁴But if you take no delight in her, then you may let her go where she wishes. But you must not sell her at all for money, and you must not treat her like a slave, because you have humiliated her.

¹⁵If a man has two wives and one is loved and the other is hated, and they have both borne him children—both the beloved wife and the hated wife—if the firstborn son is of her that is hated,¹⁶then on the day that the man causes his sons to inherit what he possesses, he may not make the son of the beloved wife the firstborn before the son of the hated wife, the son who is actually the firstborn.¹⁷Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he possesses, for that son is the beginning of his strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

¹⁸If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, even though they correct him, will not listen to them;¹⁹then his father and his mother must lay hold on him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his city.

²⁰They must say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.'²¹Then all the men of his city must stone him to death with stones; and you will remove the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and fear.

²²If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,²³then his body must not remain all night on the tree. You must surely bury him the same day; for whoever is hanged is cursed by God. You must not defile the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance.

¹You must not watch your fellow Israelite's ox or his sheep go astray and hide yourself from them; you must surely bring them back to him.²If your fellow Israelite is not near to you, or if you do not know him, then you must bring the animal home to your house, and it must be with you until he looks for it, and then you must restore it to him.

³You must do the same with his donkey; you must do the same with his garment; you must do the same with every lost thing of your fellow Israelite's, anything that he has lost and you have found; you must not hide yourself.⁴You must not see your fellow Israelite's donkey or his ox fallen down in the road and hide yourself from them; you must surely help him to lift it up again.

⁵A woman must not wear what pertains to a man, and neither must a man put on women's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh your God.

⁶If a bird's nest happens to be in front of you on the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs in it, and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you must not take the mother along with the young.⁷You must surely let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself. Obey this command so that it may go well with you, and that you may prolong your days.

⁸When you build a new house, then you must make a railing for your roof so that you do not bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.

⁹You must not plant your vineyard with two kinds of seed, so that the whole harvest is not confiscated by the holy place, the seed that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard.¹⁰You must not plow with an ox and a donkey together.¹¹You must not wear fabric made of wool and linen together.

¹²You must make yourself fringes on the four corners of the cloak with which you clothe yourself.

¹³Suppose a man takes a wife, and he goes to her, and then hates her,¹⁴and then accuses her of shameful deeds and puts a bad reputation on her, and says, 'I took this woman, but when I came near to her, I found no proof of virginity in her.'

¹⁵Then the father and mother of the girl must take proof of her virginity to the elders at the city gate.

¹⁶The girl's father must say to the elders, 'I gave my daughter to this man as a wife, and he hates her.¹⁷See, he has accused her of shameful things and said, "I did not find in your daughter the proof of virginity." But here is the proof of my daughter's virginity.' Then they will spread the garment out before the elders of the city.

¹⁸The elders of that city must take that man and punish him;¹⁹and they must force him to pay a fine of one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the girl, because the man has caused a bad reputation for a virgin of Israel. She must be his wife; he may not send her away during all his days.

²⁰But if this thing is true, that the proof of virginity was not found in the girl,²¹then they must bring out the girl to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city must stone her to death with stones, because she has committed a disgraceful action in Israel, to act as a prostitute in her father's house; and you will remove the evil from among you.

²²If a man is found lying with a woman who is married to another man, then they must both die, the man who was lying with the woman and the woman herself; and you will remove the evil from Israel.

²³If there is a girl who is a virgin, betrothed to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her,²⁴take both of them to the city gate, and stone them to death. You must stone the girl, because she did not cry out, even though she was in the city. You must stone the man, because he violated his neighbor's wife; and you will remove the evil from among you.

²⁵But if the man finds the betrothed girl in the field, and if he seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her must die.²⁶But to the girl you must do nothing; there is no sin worthy of death in the girl. For this case is like when a man attacks his neighbor and kills him.²⁷For he found her in the field; the betrothed girl cried out, but there was no one to save her.

²⁸If a man finds a girl who is a virgin but who is not betrothed, and if he seizes her and lies with her, and if they are discovered,²⁹then the man who lay with her must give fifty shekels of silver to the girl's father, and she must become his wife, because he has violated her. He may not send her away during all his days.

³⁰A man must not take his father's wife as his own; he must not take away his father's marriage rights.

¹No man whose genitals are crushed or cut off may enter the assembly of Yahweh.

²No illegitimate child may belong to the assembly of Yahweh; as far as to the tenth generation of his descendants, none of them may belong to the assembly of Yahweh.

³An Ammonite or a Moabite may not belong to the assembly of Yahweh; as far as to the tenth generation of his descendants, none of them may belong to the assembly of Yahweh.⁴This is because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the road when you had come out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim, to curse you.

⁵But Yahweh your God would not listen to Balaam; instead, Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because Yahweh your God loved you.⁶You must never seek their peace or prosperity, during all your days.

⁷You must not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother; you must not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a foreigner in his land.⁸The descendants of the third generation that are born to them may belong to the assembly of Yahweh.

⁹When you march out as an army against your enemies, then you must keep yourselves from every evil thing.¹⁰If there is among you any man who is unclean because of a nighttime accident, then he must go out of the army's camp; he must not come back into the camp.¹¹When evening comes, he must bathe himself in water; when the sun goes down, he will come back inside the camp.

¹²You must have a place also outside the camp to which you will go;¹³and you will have something among your tools to dig with; when you squat down to relieve yourself, you must dig with it and then put back the earth and cover up what has come out from you.¹⁴For Yahweh your God walks in the midst of your camp to give you victory and to give your enemies into your hand. Therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see any unclean thing among you and turn away from you.

¹⁵You must not give back to his master a slave who has escaped from his master.¹⁶Let him live with you, in whatever town he chooses. Do not oppress him.

¹⁷There must be no cultic prostitute among any of the daughters of Israel, neither must there be a cultic prostitute among the sons of Israel.¹⁸You must not bring the wages of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both these are abominations to Yahweh your God.

¹⁹You must not lend on interest to your fellow Israelite—interest of money, interest of food, or the interest of anything that is lent on interest.²⁰To a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your fellow Israelite you must not lend on interest, so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land which you are going in to possess.

²¹When you make a vow to Yahweh your God, you must not be slow in fulfilling it, for Yahweh your God will surely require it of you; it would be sin for you not to fulfill it.²²But if you will refrain from making a vow, it will be no sin for you.²³That which has gone out from your lips you must observe and do; according as you have vowed to Yahweh your God, anything that you have freely promised with your mouth.

²⁴When you go into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you desire, but do not put any in your basket.²⁵When you go into your neighbor's ripe grain, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but do not put a sickle to your neighbor's ripe grain.

¹When a man takes a wife and marries her, if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found something shameful about her, then he must write her a certificate of divorce, put it into her hand, and send her out of his house.²When she has gone out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

³If the second husband hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it into her hand, and sends her out of his house; or if the second husband dies, the man who took her to be his wife—⁴then her former husband, the one who had first sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has become unclean; for that would be an abomination to Yahweh. You must not cause the land to become guilty, the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance.

⁵When a man takes a new wife, he will not go to war with the army, neither may he be commanded to go on any forced duty; he will be free to be at home for one year and will bring joy to his wife whom he has taken.

⁶No man may take a mill or an upper millstone as a pledge, for that would be taking a person's life as a pledge.

⁷If a man is found kidnapping any of his brothers from among the people of Israel, and treats him as a slave and sells him, that thief must die; and you will remove the evil from among you.

⁸Be careful regarding any plague of leprosy, so that you carefully observe and follow every instruction given to you which the priests, the Levites, teach you; as I commanded them, so you will act.⁹Call to mind what Yahweh your God did to Miriam as you were coming out of Egypt.

¹⁰When you make your neighbor any kind of loan, you must not go into his house to fetch his pledge.¹¹You will stand outside, and the man to whom you have lent will bring the pledge outside to you.

¹²If he is a poor man, you must not lie down with his pledge in your possession.¹³You must surely restore to him the pledge by the time the sun goes down, so that he may lie down in his cloak and bless you; it will be righteousness for you before Yahweh your God.

¹⁴You must not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is of your fellow Israelites or of the foreigners who are in your land within your city gates.¹⁵Each day you must give him his wage; the sun must not go down on this unsettled matter, for he is poor and is counting on it. Do this so that he does not cry out against you to Yahweh, and so that it not be a sin that you have committed.

¹⁶The parents must not be put to death for their children, neither must the children be put to death for their parents. Everyone must be put to death for his own sin.

¹⁷You must not twist the justice that is due the foreigner or the fatherless, nor take the widow's cloak as a pledge.¹⁸Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that Yahweh your God rescued you from there. Therefore I instruct you to obey this command.

¹⁹When you reap your harvest in your field, and if you have forgotten an omer of grain in the field, you must not go back to get it; it must be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, or for the widow, so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.²⁰When you beat the olives off your olive tree, you must not go over the branches again; it will be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, or for the widow.

²¹When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you must not glean it again. What is left over will be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow.²²You must call to mind that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I instruct you to obey this command.

¹If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges judge them, then they will acquit the righteous and condemn the wicked.²If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, then the judge will make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the ordered number of blows, according to his wickedness.

³The judge may give him forty blows, but he may not exceed that number; for if he should exceed that number and beat him with many more blows, then your fellow Israelite would be humiliated before your eyes.

⁴You must not muzzle the ox when he threshes the grain.

⁵If brothers live together and one of them dies, not having any son, then the wife of the dead man must not be married off to someone else outside the family. Instead, her husband's brother must go to her and take her to himself as a wife, and do the duty of a husband's brother to her.⁶This is so that the firstborn that she bears will succeed in the name of that man's dead brother, so that his name will not perish from Israel.

⁷But if the man does not wish to take his brother's wife for himself, then his brother's wife must go up to the gate to the elders and say, 'My husband's brother refuses to raise up for his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me.'⁸Then the elders of his city must call him and speak to him. But suppose that he insists and says, 'I do not wish to take her.'

⁹Then his brother's wife must come up to him in the presence of the elders, take off his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. She must answer him and say, 'This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.'¹⁰His name will be called in Israel, 'The house of him whose sandal has been taken off.'

¹¹If men fight with each other, and the wife of one comes to rescue her husband out of the hand of him who struck him, and if she stretches out her hand and takes him by the private parts,¹²then you must cut off her hand; your eye must have no pity.

¹³You must not have in your bag different weights, a large and a small.¹⁴You must not have in your house different measures, a large and a small.

¹⁵A perfect and just weight you must have; a perfect and just measure you must have, so that your days may be long in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.¹⁶For all who do such things, all that act unrighteously, are an abomination to Yahweh your God.

¹⁷Call to mind what Amalek did to you on the road as you came out of Egypt,¹⁸how he met you on the road and attacked those of you at the rear, all who were feeble in your rear, when you were faint and weary; he did not honor God.¹⁹Therefore, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you must not forget that you must blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

¹When you have come into the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance, and when you possess it and live in it,²then you must take some of the first of all the produce of the land that you have brought in from the land that Yahweh your God is giving you. You must put it in a basket and go to the place where Yahweh your God will choose to make a dwelling for his name.

³You must go to the priest who will be serving in those days and say to him, 'I acknowledge today to Yahweh your God that I have come to the land that Yahweh swore to our ancestors to give us.'⁴The priest must take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of Yahweh your God.

⁵You must say before Yahweh your God, 'My ancestor was a wandering Aramean. He went down into Egypt and stayed there, and his people were few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation.

⁶The Egyptians treated us badly and afflicted us. They put hard labor on us.⁷We cried out to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and he heard our voice and saw our affliction, our labor, and our oppression.

⁸Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, with great fearsomeness, with signs, and with wonders;⁹and he has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land that flows with milk and honey.

¹⁰Now look, I have brought the first of the produce of the land that you, Yahweh, have given me.' You must set it down before Yahweh your God and worship before him;¹¹and you must rejoice in all the good that Yahweh your God has done for you, for your house—you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is among you.

¹²When you have finished giving all the tithe of your harvest in the third year, that is, the year of tithing, then you must give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, so that they may eat within your city gates and be filled.¹³You must say before Yahweh your God, 'I have completely removed from my house the things that belong to Yahweh, and have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandments that you have given me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

¹⁴I have not eaten any of it in my mourning, nor have I put it somewhere else when I was unclean, nor have I given any of it in honor of the dead. I have listened to the voice of Yahweh my God; I have obeyed everything you have commanded me to do.¹⁵Look down from the holy place where you live, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the land that you have given us, as you had sworn to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.'

¹⁶Today Yahweh your God is commanding you to obey these statutes and decrees; you will therefore keep them and do them with all your heart and with all your soul.¹⁷You have declared today that Yahweh is your God, and that you will walk in his ways and keep his statutes, his commandments, and his decrees, and that you will listen to his voice.

¹⁸Today Yahweh has declared that you are a people who are his own possession, as he had promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,¹⁹and he will set you high above all the other nations that he has made, and you will receive praise, fame, and honor. You will be a people that is set apart to Yahweh your God, just as he said."

¹Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people and said, "Keep all the commandments that I command you today.²On the day when you will pass over the Jordan to the land that Yahweh your God is giving you, you must set up some large stones and plaster them with plaster.³You must write on them all the words of this law when you have passed over, so that you may go into the land that Yahweh your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

⁴When you have passed over the Jordan, set up these stones that I am commanding you about today, on Mount Ebal, and plaster them with plaster.⁵There you must build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones; but you must raise no iron tool to work the stones.

⁶You must build the altar of Yahweh your God of unworked stones; you must offer burnt offerings on it to Yahweh your God,⁷and you will sacrifice fellowship offerings and will eat there; you will rejoice before Yahweh your God.⁸You will write on the stones all the words of this law. Write them very plainly."

⁹Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel and said, "Be silent and listen, Israel: Today you have become the people of Yahweh your God.¹⁰You must therefore obey the voice of Yahweh your God and obey his commandments and statutes that I am commanding you today."

¹¹Moses commanded the people the same day and said,¹²"These tribes must stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people after you have passed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

¹³These are the tribes that must stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.¹⁴The Levites will answer and say to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:

¹⁵'May the man be cursed who makes a a carved image or a cast metal figure, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of a craftsman, and who sets it up in secret.' Then all the people must answer and say, 'Amen.'

¹⁶'May the man be cursed who dishonors his father or his mother.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

¹⁷'May the man be cursed who removes his neighbor's landmark.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

¹⁸'May the man be cursed who misleads the blind on the road.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

¹⁹'May the man be cursed who uses force to take away the justice due to a foreigner, fatherless, or widow.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²⁰'May the man be cursed who lies with his father's wife, because he has taken away his father's rights.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²¹'May the man be cursed who lies with any animal.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²²'May the man be cursed who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or with the daughter of his mother.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²³'May the man be cursed who lies with his mother-in-law.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²⁴'May the man be cursed who kills his neighbor secretly.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²⁵'May the man be cursed who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

²⁶'May the man be cursed who does not confirm the words of this law, that he will obey them.' Then all the people must say, 'Amen.'

¹If you listen carefully to the voice of Yahweh your God so as to keep all his commandments that I am commanding you today, Yahweh your God will set you above all the other nations of the earth.²All these blessings will come on you and overtake you, if you listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.

³Blessed will you be in the city and blessed will you be in the field.⁴Blessed will be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock, and the increase of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

⁵Blessed will be your basket and your kneading trough.⁶Blessed will you be when you come in, and blessed will you be when you go out.

⁷Yahweh will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck down before you; they will come out against you one way but will flee before you seven ways.⁸Yahweh will command the blessing to come on you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to; he will bless you in the land that he is giving you.

⁹Yahweh will establish you as a people that is set apart for himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways.¹⁰All the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of Yahweh, and they will be afraid of you.

¹¹Yahweh will make you very prosperous in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.¹²Yahweh will open to you his storehouse of the heavens to give the rain for your land at the right time, and to bless all the work of your hand; you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.

¹³Yahweh will make you the head, and not the tail; you will be only above, and you will never be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God that I am commanding you today, so as to observe and to do them,¹⁴and if you do not turn away from any of the words that I am commanding you today, to the right hand or to the left, so as to go after other gods to serve them.

¹⁵But if you do not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, so as to keep all his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today, then all these curses will come on you and overtake you.

¹⁶Cursed will you be in the city, and cursed will you be in the field.¹⁷Cursed will be your basket and your kneading trough.

¹⁸Cursed will be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.¹⁹Cursed will you be when you come in, and cursed will you be when you go out.

²⁰Yahweh will send on you curses, confusion, and rebukes in all that you put your hand to, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly because of the evil of your deeds by which you will have abandoned me.²¹Yahweh will make the plague cling to you until he destroys you from off the land that you are going in to possess.

²²Yahweh will attack you with infectious diseases, with fever, with inflammation, with drought, with sword, with scorching winds, and with mildew. These will pursue you until you perish.

²³Your skies that are over your head will be bronze, and the earth that is under you will be iron.²⁴Yahweh will make the rain of your land into powder and dust; from the heavens will it come down on you, until you are destroyed.

²⁵Yahweh will cause you to be struck down before your enemies; you will go out one way against them but will flee before them seven ways. You will be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth.²⁶Your dead body will be food to all the birds of the heavens and to the wild animals of the earth; there will be no one to frighten them away.

²⁷Yahweh will attack you with the boils of Egypt and with ulcers, scurvy, and itch, from which you cannot be healed.²⁸Yahweh will attack you with madness, with blindness, and with mental confusion.²⁹You will grope about at noonday like the blind grope in the darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; you will be always oppressed and robbed, and there will be no one to save you.

³⁰You will betroth a woman, but another man will seize her and rape her. You will build a house but not live in it; you will plant a vineyard but not enjoy its fruit.³¹Your ox will be killed before your eyes, but you will not eat its meat; your donkey will be forcibly taken away from before you and will not be restored to you. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and you will have no one to deliver you.

³²Your sons and your daughters will be given to other peoples; your eyes will look for them the entire day, but will fail with longing for them. There will be no strength in your hand.

³³The produce of your land and of all your labors—a nation that you do not know will eat it up; you will always be oppressed and crushed,³⁴so that you will become insane by what you have to see happen.³⁵Yahweh will attack you in the knees and legs with severe boils from which you cannot be cured, from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.

³⁶Yahweh will take you and the king whom you will place over yourself to a nation that you have not known, neither you nor your ancestors; there you will worship other gods of wood and stone.³⁷You will become a source of horror, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples where Yahweh will lead you away.

³⁸You will take much seed out into the field, but will gather little seed in, for the locusts will consume it.³⁹You will plant vineyards and cultivate them, but you will neither drink any of the wine, nor even gather in the grapes, for worms will eat them.

⁴⁰You will have olive trees within all your territory, but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olive trees will drop their fruit.⁴¹You will have sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, for they will go into captivity.

⁴²All your trees and the produce of your ground—the locusts will take them over.⁴³The foreigner who is among you will rise up above you higher and higher; you yourself will come down lower and lower.⁴⁴He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he will be the head, and you will be the tail.

⁴⁵All these curses will come on you and will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. This will happen because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, so as to keep his commandments and his regulations that he commanded you.⁴⁶These curses will be on you as signs and wonders, and on your descendants forever.

⁴⁷Because you did not worship Yahweh your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart when you were in prosperity,⁴⁸therefore will you serve the enemies that Yahweh will send against you; you will serve them in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in poverty. He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he destroys you.

⁴⁹Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle flies to its victim, a nation whose language you do not understand;⁵⁰a nation with a fierce face that does not respect the aged and does not show favor to the young.⁵¹They will eat the young of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave for you no grain, new wine, or oil, no calves of your herds or the lambs of your flock, until they have caused you to perish.

⁵²They will besiege you in all your city gates, until your high and fortified walls come down everywhere in your land, walls in which you had trusted. They will besiege you within all your city gates throughout all the land that Yahweh your God had given you.⁵³You will eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God gave you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies will oppress you.

⁵⁴The man who is timid and very delicate among you—he will be envious of his brother and his own dear wife, and of whatever children he has left.⁵⁵So he will not give to any of them the flesh of his own children that he is going to eat, because he will have nothing left for himself in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will oppress you within all your city gates.

⁵⁶The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to put the bottom of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness—she will be envious of her own dear husband, of her son, and of her daughter,⁵⁷and of her own newborn that comes out from between her legs, and of the children whom she will bear. She will eat them in private for lack of anything else, during the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will oppress you within your city gates.

⁵⁸If you do not keep all the words of this law that are written in this book, so as to honor this glorious and fearful name, Yahweh your God,⁵⁹then Yahweh will make your plagues terrible, and those of your descendants; they will be great plagues, of long duration, and severe diseases, of long duration.

⁶⁰He will bring on you again all the diseases of Egypt that you were afraid of; they will cling to you.⁶¹Also every sickness and plague that is not written in the book of this law, those also Yahweh will bring on you until you are destroyed.⁶²You will be left few in number, although you were like the stars of the heavens in number, because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.

⁶³As Yahweh once rejoiced over you in doing you good, and in multiplying you, so he will rejoice over you in making you perish and in destroying you. You will be plucked off the land that you are going into to possess.⁶⁴Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples from the one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; there you will worship other gods that you have not known, neither you nor your ancestors, gods of wood and stone.

⁶⁵Among these nations will you find no ease, and there will be no rest for the bottoms of your feet; Yahweh will give you there a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a soul that mourns.⁶⁶Your life will hang in doubt before you; night and day you will be afraid and will have no assurance of your life.

⁶⁷In the morning you will say, 'I wish it were evening!' and in the evening you will say, 'I wish it were morning!' because of the fear in your hearts and the things your eyes will have to see.⁶⁸Yahweh will bring you into Egypt again by ships, by the route about which I had said to you, 'You will not see Egypt again.' There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male slaves and female slaves, but no one will purchase you."

¹These are the words that Yahweh commanded Moses to tell the people of Israel in the land of Moab, words that were added to the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb.

²Moses called to all Israel and said to them, "You have seen everything that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land—³the great sufferings that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders.⁴But until today Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

⁵I have led you for forty years in the wilderness; your clothes did not wear out on you, and your sandals did not wear out on your feet.⁶You did not eat any bread, and you did not drink any wine or other strong drink, so that you might know that I am Yahweh your God.

⁷When you came to this place, Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, came out against us to fight, and we struck them down.⁸We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh.⁹Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, so that you may prosper in everything that you do.

¹⁰You stand today, all of you, before Yahweh your God; your chiefs, your tribes, your elders, and your officers—all the men of Israel,¹¹your little ones, your wives, and the foreigner who is among you in your camp, from him who cuts your wood to him who draws your water.

¹²You are here in order to enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God and into the oath that Yahweh your God is making with you today,¹³so that he may make you today into a people for himself, and that he may be God for you, as he spoke to you, and as he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

¹⁴For it is not only with you that I am making this covenant and this oath—¹⁵with everyone standing here with us today before Yahweh our God—but also with those who are not here with us today.

¹⁶You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed.

¹⁷You have seen their disgusting idols made of wood and stone, silver and gold, that were among them.¹⁸Make sure there is not among you any man, woman, clan, or tribe whose heart is turning away today from Yahweh our God, so as to go worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is not among you any root that produces poison fruit and wormwood.¹⁹When that person hears the words of this curse, he will bless himself in his heart and say, 'I will have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' This would destroy the wet together with the dry.

²⁰Yahweh will not pardon him. Instead, the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smolder against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book will come on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under heaven.²¹Yahweh will set him apart for disaster out of all the tribes of Israel, in keeping with all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law.

²²The generation to come, your children who will rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a distant land, will speak when they see the plagues on this land and the diseases with which Yahweh has made it sick—²³and when they see that the whole land has become sulfur and burning salt, where nothing is sown or bears fruit, where no vegetation grows, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, that Yahweh destroyed in his anger and wrath—²⁴they will say together with all the other nations, 'Why has Yahweh done this to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?'

²⁵Then people will say, 'It is because they abandoned the covenant of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, that he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt,²⁶and because they went and served other gods and bowed down to them, gods that they had not known and that he had not given to them.

²⁷Therefore the anger of Yahweh has been kindled against this land, so as to bring on it all the curses that are written in this book.²⁸Yahweh has uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great fury, and has thrown them into another land, as today.'

²⁹The secret matters belong alone to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong forever to us and to our descendants, so that we may do all the words of this law.

¹When all these things have come on you, the blessings and the curses that I have set before you, and when you call them to mind among all the other nations where Yahweh your God has banished you,²and when you return to Yahweh your God and obey his voice, following all that I am commanding you today—you and your children—with all your heart and with all your soul,³then Yahweh your God will reverse your captivity and have compassion on you; he will return and gather you from all the peoples where Yahweh your God has scattered you.

⁴If any of your exiled people are in the farthest places under the heavens, from there Yahweh your God will gather you, and from there he will bring you.⁵Yahweh your God will bring you into the land that your forefathers possessed, and you will possess it again; he will do you good and will multiply you more than he did your forefathers.

⁶Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so you will love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.⁷Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, those who persecuted you.⁸You will return and obey the voice of Yahweh, and you will do all his commandments that I am commanding you today.

⁹Yahweh your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for prosperity. For Yahweh will again delight in making you prosperous, as he rejoiced over your fathers.¹⁰He will do this if you will obey the voice of Yahweh your God, so as to keep his commandments and regulations that are written in this book of the law, if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart and all your soul.

¹¹For this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, neither is it too far for you to reach.¹²It is not in heaven, so that you should have to say, 'Who will go up for us to heaven and bring it down to us and make us able to hear it, so that we may do it?'

¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, so that you should have to say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us and make us to hear it, so that we may do it?'¹⁴But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and your heart, so that you may do it.

¹⁵See, today I have placed before you life and good, death and evil.¹⁶If you obey the decrees of Yahweh your God, in which I am commanding you today to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, his regulations, and his statutes, you will live and multiply, and Yahweh your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.

¹⁷But if your heart turns away, and you do not listen and are drawn away and bow down to other gods and worship them,¹⁸then I declare to you today that you will surely perish; you will not prolong your days in the land that you are passing over the Jordan to go into and possess.

¹⁹I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life so that you may live, you and your descendants.²⁰Do this so as to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him. For he is your life and the length of your days; do this so that you may live in the land that Yahweh swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

¹Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.²He said to them, "I am now one hundred twenty years old; I can no more go out and come in; Yahweh has said to me, 'You will not go over this Jordan.'³Yahweh your God, he will go over before you; he will destroy these nations from before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua, he will go over before you, as Yahweh has spoken.

⁴Yahweh will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, which he destroyed.⁵Yahweh will deliver them over to you, and you will do to them according to all that I commanded you.⁶Be strong and of good courage, fear not, and do not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God, he it is who goes with you; he will not fail you nor abandon you."

⁷Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you will go with this people into the land that Yahweh has sworn to their ancestors to give them; you will cause them to inherit it.⁸Yahweh, he it is who goes before you; he will be with you; he will not fail you nor abandon you; do not be afraid, do not be discouraged."

⁹Moses wrote this law and gave it out to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; he also gave copies of it to all the elders of Israel.¹⁰Moses commanded them and said, "At the end of every seven years, at the time fixed for the cancellation of debts, during the Festival of Shelters,¹¹when all Israel has come to appear before Yahweh your God in the place that he will choose for his sanctuary, you will read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

¹²Assemble the people, the men, the women, and the little ones, and your foreigner who is within your city gates, so that they may hear and learn, and so that they may honor Yahweh your God and keep all the words of this law.¹³Do this so that their children, who have not known, may hear and learn to honor Yahweh your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess."

¹⁴Yahweh said to Moses, "Look, the day is coming when you must die; call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, so that I may give him a command." Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.¹⁵Yahweh appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud; the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the tent.

¹⁶Yahweh said to Moses, "Look, you will lie down with your fathers; this people will rise up and act like a prostitute going after the strange gods that are among them in the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I have made with them.

¹⁷Then, on that day, my anger will be kindled against them and I will abandon them. I will hide my face from them and they will be devoured. Many disasters and troubles will find them so that they will say on that day, 'Have these disasters not come upon us because our God is not in our midst?'¹⁸I will surely hide my face from them on that day because of all the evil that they will have done, because they will have turned to other gods.

¹⁹Now therefore write this song for yourselves and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel.²⁰For when I will have brought them into the land that I swore to give to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey, and when they have eaten and become satisfied and prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and they will serve them and they will despise me and they will break my covenant.

²¹When many evils and troubles come upon this people, this song will testify before them as a witness (for it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants). For I know the plans that they are forming today, even before I have brought them into the land that I swore to them."

²²So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.²³Yahweh gave Joshua son of Nun a command and said, "Be strong and of good courage; for you will bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to them, and I will be with you."

²⁴It happened that when Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book,²⁵that he commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and he said,²⁶"Take this book of the law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, so that it may be there as a witness against you.

²⁷For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck; look, while I am still alive with you even today, you have been rebellious against Yahweh; how much more after my death?²⁸Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, so that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them.²⁹For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside out of the path that I have commanded you; disaster will come on you in the following days. This will happen because you will do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh, so as to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands."

³⁰Moses recited in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were finished.

¹Give ear, you heavens, and let me speak.

Let the earth listen to the words of my mouth.

²Let my teaching drop down like the rain,

let my speech distill like the dew,

like the gentle rain on the tender grass,

and like the showers on the plants.

³For I will proclaim the name of Yahweh,

and ascribe greatness to our God.

⁴The Rock, his work is perfect;

for all his paths are just.

He is the faithful God, without iniquity.

He is just and upright.

⁵They have acted corruptly against him.

They are not his children. It is their disgrace.

They are a perverted and crooked generation.

⁶Do you reward Yahweh in this way,

you foolish and unwise people?

Is he not your Father, the one who has created you?

He made you and established you.

⁷Call to mind the days of ancient times,

think about the years of generations past.

Ask your father and he will show you,

your elders and they will tell you.

⁸When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance—

when he divided all of mankind,

he set the boundaries of the peoples

according to the number of the children of Israel.

⁹For Yahweh's portion is his people;

Jacob is his apportioned inheritance.

¹⁰He found him in a desert land,

and in the barren and howling wilderness;

he shielded him and cared for him,

he guarded him as the apple of his eye.

¹¹As an eagle that guards her nest

and flutters over her young,

Yahweh spread out his wings and took them,

and carried them on his pinions.

¹²Yahweh alone led him;

no foreign god was with him.

¹³He made him ride on high places of the land,

and he fed him the fruits of the field;

he nourished him with honey from the rock,

and oil from the flinty crag.

¹⁴He ate butter from the herd and drank milk from the flock,

with fat of lambs,

rams of Bashan and goats,

with the finest of the wheat—

and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of grapes.

¹⁵But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked—

you grew fat, you were too fat, and you had eaten your fill—

he abandoned the God who made him,

and he rejected the Rock of his salvation.

¹⁶They made Yahweh jealous by their strange gods;

with their abominations they angered him.

¹⁷They sacrificed to demons, which are not God—

gods they had not known,

gods that recently appeared,

gods your fathers did not fear.

¹⁸You have deserted the Rock, who became your father,

and you forgot the God who gave you birth.

¹⁹Yahweh saw this and he rejected them,

because his sons and his daughters provoked him so.

²⁰"I will hide my face from them," he said,

"and I will see what their end will be;

for they are a perverse generation,

children in whom is no faithfulness.

²¹They have made me jealous by what is not god

and angered me by their worthless things.

I will make them envious by those who are not a people;

by a foolish nation I will make them angry.

²²For a fire is kindled by my anger

and is burning to the lowest Sheol;

it is devouring the earth and its produce;

it is setting on fire the foundations of the mountains.

²³I will heap disasters on them;

I will shoot all my arrows at them;

²⁴They will be wasted by hunger and devoured by burning heat

and bitter destruction;

I will send on them the teeth of wild animals,

with the poison of things that crawl in the dust.

²⁵Outside the sword will bereave,

and in the bedrooms terror will do so.

It will destroy both young man and virgin,

the nursing baby, and the man of gray hairs.

²⁶I said that I would scatter them far away,

that I would make the memory of them to cease from among mankind.

²⁷Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy,

and that their enemies would judge mistakenly,

and that they would say, 'Our hand is exalted,'

I would have done all this.

²⁸For Israel is a nation devoid of counsel,

and there is no understanding in them.

²⁹Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this,

that they would consider their coming fate!

³⁰How could one chase a thousand,

and two put ten thousand to flight,

unless their Rock had sold them,

and Yahweh had given them up?

³¹For our enemies' rock is not like our Rock,

just as even our enemies have concluded.

³²For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom,

and from the fields of Gomorrah;

their grapes are grapes of poison;

their clusters are bitter.

³³Their wine is the poison of serpents

and the cruel venom of asps.

³⁴Is not this plan secretly kept by me,

sealed up among my treasures?

³⁵Vengeance is mine to give, and recompense,

at the time when their foot slips;

for the day of disaster for them is near,

and the things that are to come on them will hurry to happen."

³⁶For Yahweh will give justice to his people,

and he will pity his servants.

He will see that their power is gone,

and no one remains, either slaves or free people.

³⁷Then he will say, "Where are their gods,

the rock in whom they took refuge,

³⁸the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices

and drank the wine of their drink offerings?

Let them rise up and help you;

let them be your protection.

³⁹See now that I, even I, am God,

and that there is no god besides me;

I kill, and I make alive;

I wound, and I heal,

and there is no one who can save you from my might.

⁴⁰For I lift up my hand to heaven

and say, 'As I live forever, I will act.

⁴¹When I sharpen my glittering sword,

and when my hand begins to bring justice,

I will render vengeance on my enemies,

and I will pay back those who hate me.

⁴²I will make my arrows drunk with blood,

and my sword will devour flesh

with the blood of the killed and the captives,

and from the heads of the leaders of the enemy.'"

⁴³Rejoice, you nations, with God's people,

for he will avenge the blood of his servants;

he will render vengeance on his enemies,

and he will make atonement for his land, for his people.

⁴⁴Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Joshua son of Nun.⁴⁵Then Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel.

⁴⁶He said to them, "Fix your mind on all the words that I have witnessed to you today, so that you may command your children to keep them, all the words of this law.⁴⁷For this is no trivial matter for you, because it is your life, and through this thing you will prolong your days in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess."

⁴⁸Yahweh spoke to Moses on that same day and said,⁴⁹"Go up into this range of the mountains of Abarim, up Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho. You will look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel as their possession.

⁵⁰You will die on the mountain that you go up, and you will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your fellow Israelite died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.⁵¹This will happen because you were unfaithful to me among the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you did not treat me with honor and respect among the people of Israel.⁵²For you will see the land before you, but you will not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel."

¹This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death.²He said:

Yahweh came from Sinai

and rose from Seir upon them.

He shined out from Mount Paran,

and he came with ten thousands of holy ones.

In his right hand were flashes of lightning.

³Indeed, he loves the peoples;

all his holy people are in your hand,

and they bowed down at your feet;

they received your words.

⁴Moses commanded us a law,

an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

⁵Then there was a king in Jeshurun,

when the heads of the people had gathered,

all the tribes of Israel together.

⁶Let Reuben live and not die,

but may his men be few.

⁷This is the blessing for Judah. Moses said:

Listen, Yahweh, to the voice of Judah,

and bring him to his people again.

Fight for him;

be a help against his enemies.

⁸About Levi, Moses said:

Your Thummim and your Urim belong to your faithful one,

the one whom you tested at Massah,

with whom you struggled at the waters of Meribah,

⁹who said about his father and mother, "I have not seen them."

Neither did he acknowledge his brothers,

nor did he take account of his own children.

For he guarded your word

and kept your covenant.

¹⁰He teaches Jacob your decrees

and Israel your law.

He will put incense before you

and whole burnt offerings on your altar.

¹¹Bless, Yahweh, his possessions,

and accept the work of his hands.

Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him,

and those of the people who hate him, so that they do not rise up again.

¹²About Benjamin, Moses said:

The one loved by Yahweh lives in security beside him;

Yahweh shields him all the day long,

and he lives between Yahweh's arms.

¹³About Joseph, Moses said:

May his land be blessed by Yahweh

with the precious things of heaven, with the dew,

and with the deep that lies beneath.

¹⁴May his land be blessed with the precious things of the harvest of the sun,

with the precious things of the produce of the months,

¹⁵with the finest things of the ancient mountains,

and with the precious things of the everlasting hills.

¹⁶May his land be blessed with the precious things of the earth and its abundance,

and with the good will of him who was in the bush.

Let the blessing come on the head of Joseph,

and on the top of the head of him who was prince over his brothers.

¹⁷The firstborn of an ox, majestic is he,

and his horns are the horns of a wild ox.

With them he will push the peoples,

all of them, to the ends of the earth.

These are the ten thousands of Ephraim;

these are the thousands of Manasseh.

¹⁸About Zebulun, Moses said:

Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,

and you, Issachar, in your tents.

¹⁹They will call the peoples to the mountains.

There will they offer sacrifices of righteousness.

For they will suck the abundance of the seas,

and from the sand on the seashore.

²⁰About Gad, Moses said:

Blessed be he who enlarges Gad.

He will live there like a lioness,

and he will tear off an arm or a head.

²¹He provided the best part for himself,

for there was the leader's portion of land reserved.

He came with the heads of the people.

He carried out the justice of Yahweh

and his decrees with Israel.

²²About Dan, Moses said:

Dan is a lion cub

that leaps out from Bashan.

²³About Naphtali, Moses said:

Naphtali, satisfied with favor,

and full of the blessing of Yahweh,

take possession of the land to the west and south.

²⁴About Asher, Moses said:

Blessed be Asher more than the other sons;

let him be acceptable to his brothers,

and let him dip his foot in olive oil.

²⁵May your city bars be iron and bronze;

as long as will be your days, so long will your security be.

²⁶There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,

who rides through the heavens to your help,

and in his majesty on the clouds.

²⁷The eternal God is a refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

He thrust out the enemy from before you,

and he said, "Destroy!"

²⁸Israel dwelt in safety.

Jacob's spring was secure

in a land of grain and new wine;

indeed, let his heavens drop dew on him.

²⁹Your blessings are many, Israel!

Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh,

the shield of your help,

and the sword of your majesty?

Your enemies will come trembling to you;

you will trample down their high places.

¹Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. There Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan,²and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the western sea,³and the Negev, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar.

⁴Yahweh said to him, "This is the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have allowed you to look at it with your eyes, but you will not go over there."⁵So Moses the servant of Yahweh, died there in the land of Moab, as the word of Yahweh promised.⁶Yahweh buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor, but no one knows where his grave is to this day.

⁷Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.⁸The people of Israel mourned for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days, and then the days of mourning for Moses were finished.

⁹Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. The people of Israel listened to him and did what Yahweh had commanded Moses.

¹⁰There has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face.¹¹There has never been any prophet like him in all the signs and wonders that Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land.¹²There has never been any prophet like him in all the mighty, fearsome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Joshua

¹Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' chief assistant, saying,²"Moses, my servant, is dead. Now therefore, arise, cross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them—to the people of Israel.³I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will walk. I have given it to you, just as I promised to Moses.

⁴From the wilderness and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea, where the sun goes down, will be your land.⁵No one will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not abandon you or leave you.

⁶Be strong and courageous. You will cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their ancestors I would give to them.⁷Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go.

⁸This book of the law must not leave your mouth. You must meditate on it day and night so that you can be careful to do all that is written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go."

¹⁰Then Joshua commanded the leaders of the people,¹¹"Go through the camp and command the people, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves. In three days you will cross over this Jordan and go in and possess the land that Yahweh your God is giving you to possess.'"

¹²To the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,¹³"Call to mind the word that Moses the servant of Yahweh, commanded you when he said, 'Yahweh your God is giving you rest, and he is giving you this land.'

¹⁴Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock will stay in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan. But your mighty warriors will go over with your brothers and help them¹⁵until Yahweh has given your brothers rest just as he has given it to you. Then they also will take possession of the land Yahweh your God gives them. Then you will return to your own land and possess it, the land that Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan, where the sun rises."

¹⁶Then they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.¹⁷We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. Only may Yahweh your God be with you, as he was with Moses.¹⁸Whoever rebels against your commands and disobeys the words you have commanded them will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous."

¹Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men out from Shittim as spies. He said, "Go, look over the land, especially Jericho." They went away and came to the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and they lodged there.²It was told to the king of Jericho, "Look, men of Israel have come here to spy on the land."³The king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, "Bring out the men who have come to you who entered your house, for they have come to spy on the whole land."

⁴But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She replied, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.⁵They left when it was dusk, when it was time for the city gate to shut. I do not know where they went. You will probably catch them if you hurry after them."

⁶But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof.⁷So the men pursued them on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan. The gate was shut as soon as the pursuers went out.

⁸The men had not yet lain down for the night, when she came up to them on the roof.⁹She said, "I know that Yahweh has given you the land and that the fear of you has come upon us. All those who live in the land will melt away before you.

¹⁰We have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Sea of Reeds for you when you came out of Egypt. We also heard what you did to the two kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan—Sihon and Og—whom you completely destroyed.¹¹As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted and there was no courage left in anyone—for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

¹²Now then, please swear to me by Yahweh that, just as I have been kind to you, you will also deal kindly with my father's house. Give me a sure sign¹³that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters and all their families, and that you will deliver our souls from death."

¹⁴The men said to her, "Our life for yours, even to death! If you do not speak about our business, then, when Yahweh gives us this land we will be merciful and faithful to you."

¹⁵So she let them down out through the window using a rope. The house in which she lived was built into the wall of the city.¹⁶She said to them, "Go in the hills and hide or the pursuers will find you. Hide there for three days until the pursuers have returned. Then go on your way."¹⁷The men said to her, "We will be be free from the oath you made us swear to if you do not do this.

¹⁸When we come into the land, you must tie this scarlet rope in the window through which you let us down, and you will gather into the house your father and mother, your brothers and all your father's household.¹⁹Whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, their blood will be upon their own heads and we will be guiltless. But if a hand is laid upon any who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head.

²⁰But if you speak about our business, we will be free from the oath you made us swear."²¹Rahab replied, "May what you say be done." She sent them away and they left. Then she tied the scarlet rope in the window.

²²They left and went up into the hills and they stayed there three days until their pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the road and found nothing.

²³The two men returned and crossed over and came back to Joshua son of Nun, and they told him everything that had happened to them.²⁴They said to Joshua, "Truly Yahweh has given this land to us. All the inhabitants of the land are melting away because of us."

¹Joshua got up early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim. They came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and they camped there before they crossed over.

²After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp;³they commanded the people, "When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and the priests from the Levites carrying it, you must leave this place and follow it.⁴There must be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits. Do not come close to it, so that you can see which way to go, since you have not gone this way before."

⁵Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves tomorrow, for Yahweh will do wonders among you."⁶Then Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass in front of the people." So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went in front of people.

⁷Yahweh said to Joshua, "This day I will make you a great man in the eyes of all Israel. They will know that as I was with Moses, I will be with you.⁸You will command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant, 'When you have come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you must stand still in the Jordan River.'"

⁹Then Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here, and listen to the words of Yahweh your God."¹⁰And Joshua said, "By this you will know that the living God is among you and will drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.¹¹Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth crosses over ahead of you into the Jordan.

¹²Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each.¹³When the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and even the waters that flow down from upstream will stop flowing and they will stand in one heap."

¹⁴So when the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests who carried the ark of the covenant went ahead of the people.¹⁵As soon as those who were carrying the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who carried the chest were dipped in the edge of the water—now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest—¹⁶the waters that flowed down from upstream stood up in one heap. The water stopped flowing from a great distance. The waters stopped flowing from Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, all the way down to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea. The people crossed over near Jericho.

¹⁷The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until all the people of Israel crossed over on dry ground.

¹When all the people crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh said to Joshua,²"Choose twelve men for yourselves from among the people, one man from each tribe.³Give them this command: 'Take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing on the dry ground, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you will spend the night tonight.'"

⁴Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had chosen from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.⁵Joshua said to them, "Go over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel.

⁶This will be a sign in your midst for you when your children ask in days to come, 'What do these stones mean to you?'⁷Then you will say to them, 'The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones will be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.'"

⁸The people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded, and they picked up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, as Yahweh said to Joshua. They set the stones up according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel. They carried the stones with them, over to the place where they camped and they set them down there.⁹Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River, in the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. The memorial is there to this day.

¹⁰The priests who carried the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything that Yahweh commanded Joshua to tell the people was completed, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried and they crossed over.¹¹When all the people had finished crossing over, the ark of Yahweh and the priests crossed over before the people.

¹²The tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh passed before the people of Israel formed up as an army, just as Moses said to them.¹³About forty thousand men equipped for war passed before Yahweh, for battle on the plains of Jericho.¹⁴On that day Yahweh made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel. They honored him—just as they honored Moses—all his days.

¹⁵Then Yahweh spoke to Joshua,¹⁶"Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan."

¹⁷So, Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."¹⁸When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of their feet were lifted up out on dry ground, then the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed its banks, just as they were four days before.

¹⁹The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They camped in Gilgal, east of Jericho.²⁰The twelve stones that they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.²¹He said to the people of Israel, "When your descendants ask their fathers in times to come, 'What are these stones?'

²²tell your children, 'This is where Israel crossed over the Jordan on dry ground.'²³Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you, until you had crossed over, just as Yahweh your God did to the Sea of Reeds, which he dried up for us until we passed over,²⁴so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of Yahweh is mighty, and that you will honor Yahweh your God forever."

¹As soon as all the kings of the Amorites on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were along the coast of the Great Sea, heard that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan until the people of Israel had crossed over, their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel. ¹

²At that time Yahweh said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and once more circumcise all the sons of Israel."³Then Joshua made himself flint knives and he circumcised all the sons of Israel at Gibeath Haaraloth.

⁴This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the males who had come out of Egypt, including all the men of war, had died in the wilderness along the way, after they came out from Egypt.⁵Though all the males who came out of Egypt were circumcised, still, none of the boys born in the wilderness on the way out of Egypt had been circumcised.

⁶For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness until all the people, that is, all the men of war who had come out of Egypt, died, because they did not obey the voice of Yahweh. Yahweh swore to them that he would not let them see the land that he had sworn to their ancestors that he would give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.⁷It was their children that Yahweh raised up in their place that Joshua circumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

⁸When they were all circumcised, they remained where they were in the camp until they healed.⁹Then Yahweh said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you." So, the name of that place has been called Gilgal until this present day.

¹⁰The people of Israel camped at Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, on the plains of Jericho.¹¹On the day after Passover, that same day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened bread and roasted grain.

¹²The manna stopped on the day after they ate the produce of the land. There was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate the produce of the land of Canaan that year.

¹³When Joshua was near Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing in front of him; he had drawn his sword and it was in his hand. Joshua went to him and said, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

¹⁴He said, "Neither. For I am the commander of the army of Yahweh. Now I have come." Then Joshua lay facedown on the ground to worship and said to him, "What does my master say to his servant?"¹⁵The commander of Yahweh's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, because the place you are standing is holy." That is what Joshua did.

¹Some modern translations have until the people of Israel had crossed over, and others have, until we had crossed over . The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have we, but a note in their margin instructs readers to say they .

¹Now all the entrances to Jericho were closed because of the army of Israel. No one went out and no one came in.²Yahweh said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, its king, and its mighty warriors.

³You must march around the city, all the men of war going around the city one time. You must do this for six days.⁴Seven priests must carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you must march around the city seven times, and the priests must sound blasts on the trumpets.

⁵Then they must sound a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet all the people must shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat. The soldiers must attack, each one going straight ahead."

⁶Then Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark of Yahweh."⁷He said to the people, "Go over and march around the city, and the armed men will go ahead of the ark of Yahweh."

⁸Just as Joshua had said to the people, the seven priests carried the seven trumpets of rams' horns before Yahweh. As they advanced, they gave a blast on the trumpets. The ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed after them.⁹Armed men walked before the priests, and they made a blast on their trumpets, but then the rear guard walked up behind the ark, and the priests blew their trumpets continually.

¹⁰But Joshua commanded the people, saying, "Do not shout. No sound must leave your mouths until the day I tell you to shout. Only then you must shout."¹¹So he caused the ark of Yahweh to go around the city one time that day. Then they entered their camp, and they stayed the night in the camp.

¹²Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests picked up the ark of Yahweh.¹³The seven priests, who were carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark of Yahweh, walked steadily and gave blasts on the trumpets. Armed soldiers were walking in front of them. But when the rear guard walked after the ark of Yahweh, then the trumpets gave out continual blasts.¹⁴They marched around the city one time the second day and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵It was on the seventh day that they got up early, as dawn was breaking, and they marched around the city in the same way that was their pattern, this time for seven times. It was on this day that they marched around the city seven times.¹⁶It was on the seventh day, when the priests gave a blast with the trumpets, that Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For Yahweh has given you the city.

¹⁷The city and all that is in it will be set apart to Yahweh for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute will live—she and all the ones with her in her house—because she hid the messengers we sent.¹⁸But as for you, be on guard about taking the things set apart for destruction, so that after you mark them for destruction, you do not then take any of them. If you do this, you will make the camp of Israel something that must be destroyed and you will bring trouble on it.¹⁹All the silver, gold, and the things made of bronze and iron are set apart to Yahweh. They must go into the treasury of Yahweh."

²⁰So the people gave a great shout, and they blew on the trumpets. Now when the people heard the trumpet sound, they gave a great shout, the wall fell down flat, and every man charged straight in and captured the city.²¹They completely destroyed all that was in the city by the edge of the sword—man and woman, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

²²Then Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house. Bring out the woman and all who are with her, as you swore to her."

²³So the young men who had been spies went in and brought Rahab out. They brought out her father, mother, brothers, and all the relatives that were with her. They brought them to a place outside the camp of Israel.²⁴They burned the city and everything in it. Only the silver, gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron were put into the treasury of the house of Yahweh.

²⁵But Joshua allowed Rahab the prostitute, her father's household, and all that were with her to live. She lives in Israel to this day because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy on Jericho.

²⁶Then Joshua commanded them at that time with an oath, and he said, "Cursed is the man in Yahweh's sight who rebuilds this city, Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son, he will lay the foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son, he will set up its gates."

²⁷So Yahweh was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

¹But the people of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things that were set apart for destruction. Achan son of Karmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some things that were set apart for destruction, and Yahweh's anger burned against the people of Israel.

²Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.³When they returned to Joshua, they said to him, "Do not send all the people up to Ai. Send only two or three thousand men to go up and attack Ai. Do not make all the people labor in battle, for they are few in number."

⁴So only about three thousand men went up from the army, but these ran away from the men of Ai.⁵The men of Ai killed about thirty-six men as they pursued them from the city gate as far as to the stone quarries, and they killed them as they were going down a hill. The hearts of the people melted and became like water.

⁶Then Joshua tore his garments. He and the elders of Israel put dust on their heads and lay facedown on the ground in front of the ark of Yahweh, remaining there until evening.⁷Then Joshua said, "Ah, Yahweh Lord, why have you brought this people across the Jordan at all? To give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we made a different decision and we had stayed on the other side of the Jordan!

⁸Lord, what can I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?⁹For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it. They will surround us and make the people of the earth forget our name. What will you do for your great name?"

¹⁰Yahweh said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you lying there on your face?¹¹Israel has sinned. They have broken my covenant which I commanded them. They have stolen some of the things that were set apart. They have stolen and then also hidden their sin by putting what they have taken among their own belongings.¹²As a result, the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turned their backs from their enemies because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will not be with you any more unless you destroy the things that should have been destroyed, but are still among you.

¹³Get up! Consecrate the people to me and say to them, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow. For Yahweh, the God of Israel says, "There are things set apart to be destroyed that are still among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove from among you all the things that were set apart to be destroyed."

¹⁴In the morning, you must present yourselves by your tribes. The tribe that Yahweh selects will come near by their clans. The clan that Yahweh selects must come near by each household. The household that Yahweh selects must come near one by one.¹⁵It will happen that the one who is selected and who has those things that were set apart for destruction, he will be burned, he and all he has, because he has broken the covenant of Yahweh and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.'"

¹⁶So, Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel near, tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.¹⁷Joshua brought the clans of Judah near, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He brought near the clan of the Zerahites person by person, and Zabdi was selected.¹⁸He brought Zabdi's household near, person by person, and Achan son of Karmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected.

¹⁹Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and give praise to him. Please tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me."²⁰Achan answered Joshua, "Truly, I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel. This is what I did:²¹When I saw among the plunder a beautiful coat from Babylon, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I desired them and took them. They are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, and the silver is under it."

²²Joshua sent messengers, who ran to the tent and there were the things. When they looked, they found them hidden in his own tent, and the silver under them.²³They took the items from the middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. They poured them out before Yahweh.

²⁴Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, the coat, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, sheep, and his tent and all that he had, and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.

²⁵Then Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today." All Israel stoned him with stones. Then they stoned the rest with stones and burned them with fire.²⁶They set up over him a great heap of stones that is here until this day. Yahweh turned away his burning anger. Therefore the name of the place has been called the Valley of Achor until this present day.

¹Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not fear; do not be discouraged. Take with you all the people of war. Go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.²You will do to Ai and her king as you have done to Jericho and her king, except that you will take the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city."

³So Joshua got up and took all the men of war up to Ai. Then Joshua chose thirty thousand men—mighty warriors—and he sent them out at night.⁴He commanded them, "Look, you will lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

⁵I and all the men with me will approach the city, and when they come out to attack us, we will run away from them just as before.⁶They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city. They will say, 'They are running away from us as they did the last time.' So we will run away from them.⁷Then you come up out of your place of hiding, and you will capture the city. Yahweh your God will give it into your hand.

⁸When you capture the city, you will set it on fire. You will do this when you obey the command given in the word of Yahweh. See, I have commanded you."⁹Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of ambush, and they hid between Bethel and Ai to the west of Ai. But Joshua slept that night among the people.

¹⁰Joshua got up early in the morning and got his soldiers ready, Joshua and the elders of Israel, and they attacked the people of Ai.¹¹All the fighting men who were with him went up and approached the city. They came near the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between them and Ai.¹²He took about five thousand men and set them in ambush on the west side of the city between Bethel and Ai.

¹³They positioned all the soldiers, the main army on the north side of the city, and the rear guard on the west side of the city. Joshua spent that night in the valley.¹⁴It came about when the king of Ai saw it, he and his army got up early and rushed out to attack Israel at a certain place that was overlooking the Jordan River valley. He did not know that an ambush was waiting to attack from behind the city.

¹⁵Joshua and all Israel let themselves be defeated before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.¹⁶All the people who were in the city were called together to go after them, and they went after Joshua and they were drawn away from the city.¹⁷There was not a man left in Ai and Bethel who had not gone out to pursue Israel. They abandoned the city and left it open as they pursued Israel.

¹⁸Yahweh said to Joshua, "Point that spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will give Ai into your hand." Joshua held out the spear that was in his hand toward the city.¹⁹The soldiers hiding in ambush quickly rushed out of their place as he reached out with his hand. They ran and entered the city and captured it. They quickly set the city on fire.

²⁰The men of Ai turned and looked back. They saw the smoke from the city rising into the sky, and they could not escape this way or that. For the Israelite soldiers who had fled into the wilderness now turned back to face those who were pursuing them.²¹When Joshua and all Israel saw the ambush had captured the city with the smoke rising, they turned around and killed the men of Ai.

²²The others came out from the city against them, so that they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side. Israel attacked the men of Ai; none remained of those who survived or escaped.²³They kept the king of Ai, whom they captured alive, and they brought him to Joshua.

²⁴It came about when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field near the wilderness where they pursued them, and when all of them, to the very last one, had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai. They attacked it with the edge of the sword.²⁵All those who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, all the people of Ai.²⁶Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he had reached out while holding his spear, until he had completely destroyed all the people of Ai.

²⁷Israel took only the livestock and the plunder from the city for themselves, just as Yahweh had commanded Joshua.²⁸Joshua burned Ai and turned it into a heap of ruins forever. It is a devastated place to this day.

²⁹He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. When the sun was going down, Joshua gave the command and they took the king's body down from the tree and threw it in front of the city gate. There they set up a great heap of stones on top of it. That heap remains there to this day.

³⁰Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,³¹just as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded the people of Israel, as it was written in the book of the law of Moses: "An altar from uncut stones, on which no one has wielded an iron tool." He offered on the altar burnt offerings to Yahweh, and they sacrificed peace offerings.³²There, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses.

³³All Israel, their elders, officers, and their judges stood on both sides of the ark before the priests and Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh—the foreigner as well as the native born—half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half stood in front of Mount Ebal. They blessed the people of Israel, just as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded them at first.

³⁴Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, just as they had been written in the book of the law.³⁵There was not one word from all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read in front of the assembly of Israel, including the women, the little children, and the foreigners who lived among them.

¹Then all the kings who lived beyond the Jordan in the hill country, and in the lowlands along the shore of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites—²these gathered themselves together under one command, to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

³When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,⁴they acted with a cunning plan. They went as messengers. They took worn-out sacks and put them on their donkeys. They also took old wineskins that were worn, torn, and had been repaired. ¹⁵They put old and patched sandals on their feet, and dressed in old, worn-out clothing. All the bread in their food supply was dry and moldy.

⁶Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have traveled from a very far country, so now make a covenant with us."⁷The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a covenant with you?"⁸They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

⁹They said to him, "Your servants have come here from a land very far away, because of the fame of Yahweh your God. We have heard a report about him and about everything that he did in Egypt—¹⁰and everything that he did to the two kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth.

¹¹Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey. Go to meet them and say to them, "We are your servants. Make a treaty with us."¹²This is our bread, it was still warm when we took it from our houses on the day we set out to come to you. But now, see, it is dry and moldy.¹³These wineskins were new when we filled them, and look, now they are leaking. Our garments and our sandals are worn out from a very long journey.'"

¹⁴So the Israelites took some of their provisions, but they did not consult with Yahweh for guidance.¹⁵Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The leaders of the people also swore a vow to them.

¹⁶Three days after the Israelites made this covenant with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and that they lived nearby.¹⁷Then the people of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

¹⁸The people of Israel did not attack them because their leaders had taken an oath about them before Yahweh, the God of Israel. The whole community was grumbling against their leaders.¹⁹But all the leaders said to all the people, "We have taken an oath concerning them by Yahweh, the God of Israel, and now we cannot harm them.

²⁰This is what we will do to them: To avoid any wrath that may come on us because of the oath we swore to them, we will let them live."²¹The leaders said to their people, "Let them live." So, the Gibeonites became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the Israelites, just as the leaders said about them.

²²Joshua called for them and said, "Why did you deceive us when you said, 'We are very far from you', when you live right here among us?²³Now, because of this, you are cursed and some of you will always be slaves, those who cut wood and draw water for the house of my God."

²⁴They answered Joshua and said, "Because it was told to your servants that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you—so we were very afraid for our lives because of you. That is why we did this thing.²⁵Now, look, you hold us in your power. Whatever seems good and right for you to do to us, do it."

²⁶So Joshua did this for them: He delivered them out of the control of the people of Israel, so that the people of Israel did not kill them.²⁷That day Joshua made the Gibeonites cutters of wood and drawers of water for the community, and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that Yahweh chooses.

¹Instead of They went as messengers, some Hebrew copies and some ancient translations of the Hebrew copies have, They got provisions ready and loaded their donkeys .

¹Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and had completely destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king), he also heard how the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living among them.²The people of Jerusalem were very afraid because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty warriors.

³So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent a message to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon:⁴"Come up to me and help me. Let us attack Gibeon because they have made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel."

⁵The five kings of the Amorites—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—came up, they and all of their armies. They encamped near Gibeon, and they attacked it.

⁶The people of Gibeon sent a message to Joshua and to the army at Gilgal. They said, "Hurry! Do not withdraw your hands from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us. Help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have gathered together to attack us."⁷Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the men of war with him, and all the mighty warriors.

⁸Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to stop your attack."

⁹Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.¹⁰Yahweh confused the enemy before Israel, and Israel killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and pursued them on the road going up to Beth Horon, and they killed them on the road to Azekah and Makkedah.

¹¹As they ran away from Israel, down the hill from Beth Horon, Yahweh threw large stones down from heaven upon them all the way to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than who were killed with the sword by the men of Israel.

¹²Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh on the day Yahweh gave the men of Israel victory over the Amorites. This is what Joshua said to Yahweh before Israel,

"Sun, be still at Gibeon,

and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon."

¹³The sun stood still,

and the moon stopped moving

until the nation took vengeance

on their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar?

The sun stayed

in the middle of the sky;

it did not go down

for about a whole day.

¹⁴There has been no other day like it before or after it, when Yahweh obeyed the voice of a human being. For Yahweh was waging war on behalf of Israel.

¹⁵Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.

¹⁶Now the five kings had escaped and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.¹⁷It was told to Joshua, "They have been found!—the five kings hidden in the cave at Makkedah!"

¹⁸Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and place soldiers there to guard them.¹⁹Do not stay yourselves. Pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear. Do not permit them to enter into their cities, because Yahweh your God has given them into your hand."

²⁰Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished slaughtering them with a very great slaughter, until they were almost completely destroyed; only a few survivors who escaped reached the fortified cities.²¹Then the whole army returned in peace to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah. No one dared to say one word against any of the people of Israel.

²²Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and out of the cave bring to me these five kings."²³They did as he said. They brought to him these five kings from the cave—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

²⁴When they brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned every man of Israel. He said to the commanders of the soldiers who had gone into battle with him, "Put your feet on their necks." So they came up and put their feet on their necks.²⁵Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Be strong and courageous. This is what Yahweh will do to all your enemies you are going to fight."

²⁶Then Joshua struck the kings. He hung them on five trees. They hung on the trees until evening.²⁷When it was sunset, Joshua gave orders, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves. They put large stones over the mouth of the cave. Those stones remain there to this very day.

²⁸In this way, Joshua captured Makkedah on that day and killed everyone there with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivor in it. He did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

²⁹Joshua and all Israel passed on from Makkedah to Libnah. He went into battle against Libnah.³⁰Yahweh also gave it into the hand of Israel—along with their king. Joshua struck it with the edge of the sword and every person in it. He left no survivor in it. He did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

³¹Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish. He camped by it and waged war against it.³²Yahweh gave Lachish into the hand of Israel. Joshua captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, just as he had done to Libnah.

³³Then Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish. Joshua attacked him and his army until there was not even one survivor left.

³⁴Then Joshua and all Israel passed on from Lachish to Eglon. They camped by it and waged war against it,³⁵and captured it that same day. They struck it with the edge of the sword and they completely destroyed everyone in it, as Joshua had done to Lachish.

³⁶Then Joshua and all Israel passed on from Eglon to Hebron. They waged war against it.³⁷They captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword, together with its king and its villages, and all the people in it. They left no survivors. Just as they had done to Eglon, they totally destroyed it and every person in it.

³⁸Then Joshua turned, and all the army of Israel with him, and they passed on to Debir and waged war against it.³⁹They captured it, its king and all its nearby villages. They struck them with the edge of the sword and completely destroyed every person in it. They left no survivor. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

⁴⁰Joshua conquered all the land, the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, and the foothills. Of all their kings he left not one survivor. He completely destroyed everything that breathed, just as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded.⁴¹Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen to Gibeon.

⁴²Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.⁴³Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, returned to the camp at Gilgal.

¹When Jabin, king of Hazor, heard this, he sent a message to Jobab, king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Akshaph.²He also sent the message to the kings who were in the northern hill country, in the Jordan River valley south of Kinnereth, in the lowlands, and in Naphoth Dor to the west.³He also sent a message to the Canaanites to the east and west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites by Mount Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

⁴All their armies came out with them, a great number of soldiers, in number like the sand on the seashore. They had a great number of horses and chariots.⁵All these kings met at the appointed time, and they camped at the waters of Merom to wage war with Israel.

⁶Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid in their presence, because tomorrow at this time I am giving them all to Israel as dead men. You will hamstring their horses, and you will burn their chariots."⁷Joshua and all the men of war came. They arrived suddenly at the waters of Merom, and attacked the enemy.

⁸Yahweh gave the enemy into the hand of Israel, and they struck them and pursued them to Sidon, Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah to the east. They struck them until not even one survivor of them was left.⁹Joshua did to them just as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung the horses and burned the chariots.

¹⁰Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor. He struck its king with the sword. (Hazor had been head of all these kingdoms.)¹¹They struck with the sword every living creature that was there, and he set them apart to be destroyed, so there was not any living creature left alive. Then he burned Hazor.

¹²Joshua captured all the cities of these kings. He also captured all their kings and struck them with the edge of the sword. He completely destroyed them with the edge of the sword, just as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded.¹³Israel did not burn any of the cities built on mounds, except Hazor. It alone Joshua burned.

¹⁴The army of Israel took all the plunder from these cities along with the livestock for themselves. They killed every human being with the edge of the sword until all were dead. They left alive no creature that breathed.¹⁵Just as Yahweh had commanded his servant Moses, in the same way, Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did it. He left nothing undone of all that Yahweh commanded Moses to do.

¹⁶Joshua took all that land: the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the foothills, the Jordan River valley, the hill country of Israel and its lowlands.¹⁷From Mount Halak near Edom, and going north as far as Baal Gad in the valley near Lebanon below Mount Hermon, he captured all their kings and put them to death.

¹⁸Joshua waged war for a long time with all the kings.¹⁹Not one city made peace with the army of Israel except the Hivites who lived in Gibeon. Israel captured all the rest of the cities in battle.²⁰For it was Yahweh who hardened their hearts so they would wage war against Israel, so that they might be devoted to destruction without mercy, just as he had instructed Moses.

²¹Then Joshua came at that time and he destroyed the Anakim. He did this in the hill country, at Hebron, Debir, Anab, and in all the hill country of Judah, and in all the hill country of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them and their cities.²²None of the Anakim were left in the land of Israel except at Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

²³So Joshua captured the whole land, just as Yahweh said to Moses. Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel, assigned to each of their tribes. Then the land had rest from the wars.

¹Now these are the kings of the land, whom the men of Israel conquered. The people of Israel took possession of the land on the east side of the Jordan where the sun rises, from the Valley of the Arnon River to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east.

²Sihon, king of the Amorites, lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer, which is on the rim of the Arnon Gorge from the middle of the valley, and half of Gilead down to the Jabbok River on the border of the Ammonites.

³Sihon also ruled over the Arabah to the Sea of Kinnereth, to the east, to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) eastward, all the way to Beth Jeshimoth and southward, toward the foot of the slopes of Mount Pisgah.

⁴Og, king of Bashan, one of the remnant of the Rephaim, lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

⁵He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, and all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maakathites, and half of Gilead, to the border of Sihon, king of Heshbon.

⁶Moses the servant of Yahweh, and the people of Israel had defeated them, and Moses the servant of Yahweh, gave the land as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

⁷These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the valley near Lebanon to Mount Halak near Edom. Joshua gave land to the tribes of Israel for them to possess.⁸He gave them the hill country, the lowlands, the Arabah, the sides of the mountains, the wilderness, and the Negev—the land of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

⁹The kings included the king of Jericho, the king of Ai which is beside Bethel,¹⁰the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron,¹¹the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish,¹²the king of Eglon, the king of Gezer,

¹³the king of Debir, the king of Geder,¹⁴the king of Hormah, the king of Arad,¹⁵the king of Libnah, the king of Adullam,¹⁶the king of Makkedah, the king of Bethel,

¹⁷the king of Tappuah, the king of Hepher,¹⁸the king of Aphek, the king of Lasharon,¹⁹the king of Madon, the king of Hazor,²⁰the king of Shimron Meron, the king of Akshaph,

²¹the king of Taanach, the king of Megiddo,²²the king of Kedesh, the king of Jokneam in Carmel,²³the king of Dor in Naphoth Dor, the king of Goyim in Gilgal,²⁴and the king of Tirzah. The number of kings was thirty-one in all.

¹Now Joshua was very old when Yahweh said to him, "You are very old, but there is still very much land to capture.

²This is the land that still remains: All the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites,³from Shihor, which is east of Egypt, and northward to the border of Ekron, which is considered property of the Canaanites; the five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites

⁴in the south; all the lands of the Canaanites, from Arah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek which is on the border of the Amorites;⁵the land of Byblos,¹ all of Lebanon toward the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.

⁶Also, all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth Maim, including all the people of Sidon—I will drive them out before the army of Israel. Be sure to assign the land to Israel as an inheritance, as I commanded you.⁷Divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and to the half tribe of Manasseh."

⁸With the other half of the tribe of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites had received their inheritance that Moses, the servant of Yahweh, gave them on the east side of the Jordan,

⁹from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Arnon River gorge (including the city that is in the middle of the gorge), to all the plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon;

¹⁰all the cities of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, to the border of the Ammonites;¹¹Gilead, and the region of the Geshurites and Maakathites, all of Mount Hermon, all Bashan to Salekah;¹²all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei—these are what was left of the remnant of the Rephaim—Moses struck them and drove them out.

¹³But the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maakathites, and so Geshur and Maakah live in the midst of Israel to this day.

¹⁴To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance. The offerings of Yahweh, the God of Israel, made by fire, are their inheritance, as God said to Moses.

¹⁵Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan.

¹⁶Their territory was from Aroer, on the edge of the Arnon River gorge, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plateau by Medeba.

¹⁷Reuben also received Heshbon and all its cities that are in the plateau, Dibon, and Bamoth Baal, and Beth Baal Meon,¹⁸and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,¹⁹and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zereth Shahar on the hill of the valley.

²⁰Reuben also received Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth,²¹all the cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had defeated together with the leaders of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who had lived in the land.

²²The people of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination, among the rest of those they had killed.²³The border of the tribe of Reuben is the Jordan River; this is their boundary. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Reuben, given to each of their clans, with their cities and villages.

²⁴This is what Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, clan by clan:

²⁵Their territory was Jazer, all the cities of Gilead and half the land of the Ammonites, to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah,²⁶from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir.

²⁷In the valley, Moses gave them Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan as a border, to the lower end of the Sea of Kinnereth, eastward beyond the Jordan.²⁸This is the inheritance of the tribe of Gad, clan by clan, with their cities and villages.

²⁹Moses gave an inheritance to the half tribe of Manasseh. It was assigned to the half tribe of the descendants of Manasseh, clan by clan.

³⁰Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities;³¹half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan). These were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh—half of the people of Makir, clan by clan.

³²This is the inheritance that Moses assigned to them on the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan east of Jericho.³³Moses did not give an inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he said to them.

¹Some modern English translations read, land of Gebalites .

¹These are the areas of land that the people of Israel received as their inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them.

²Their inheritance was selected by lot for the nine and one-half tribes, just as Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses.³For Moses had given the inheritance of the two and one-half tribes beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance.⁴The tribe of Joseph was actually two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were given no portion of the inheritance in the land, but only certain cities to live in, with their pasturelands for livestock and for their own material resources.⁵The people of Israel did as Yahweh commanded Moses, so they assigned the land.

⁶Then the tribe of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, said to him, "You know what Yahweh said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me at Kadesh Barnea.⁷I was forty years old when Moses the servant of Yahweh sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land. I brought him a report again as it was in my heart to make.

⁸But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear. But I completely followed Yahweh my God.⁹Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has walked will be an inheritance for you and for your children forever, because you have completely followed Yahweh my God.'

¹⁰Now, look! Yahweh has kept me alive these forty-five years, just as he said—from the time when Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, look! I am this day eighty-five years old.¹¹I am still as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me out. My strength is now as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.

¹²Now therefore give me this hill country, which Yahweh promised me on that day. For you heard on that day that the Anakim were there with great fortified cities. It may be that Yahweh will be with me and that I will drive them out, just as Yahweh said."

¹³Then Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron as an inheritance to Caleb son of Jephunneh.¹⁴Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he completely followed Yahweh, the God of Israel.¹⁵Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath Arba. (Arba had been the greatest man among the Anakim.) Then the land had rest from war.

¹The assignment of land for the tribe of the people of Judah, clan by clan, extended south to the border of Edom, with the wilderness of Zin being the farthest point to the south.²Their border on the south ran from the end of the Salt Sea, from the bay that faces to the south.

³Their boundary next went out to the south of the hill of Akrabbim and passed along to Zin, and went up south of Kadesh Barnea, along by Hezron, and up to Addar, where it turned about to Karka.⁴It passed along to Azmon, went by the brook of Egypt, and came to its end at the sea. This was their south boundary.

⁵The eastern boundary was the Salt Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan. The border on the north ran from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.⁶It went up to Beth Hoglah and passed along north of Beth Arabah. Then it went up to the Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

⁷Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and so northward, turning toward Gilgal, which is opposite the hill of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley. Then the border passed along to the springs of En Shemesh and went to En Rogel.⁸Then the border went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the south side of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). Then it went up to the top of the hill that lies over the Valley of Hinnom, on the west, which is at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.

⁹Then the border extended from the top of the hills to the spring of Nephtoah, and went out from there to the cities of Mount Ephron. Then the border bends around to Baalah (the same as Kiriath Jearim).¹⁰Then the border circled around west of Baalah to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (the same as Kesalon), went down to Beth Shemesh, and crossed over to Timnah.

¹¹The border went out beside the northern hill of Ekron, and then it bent around to Shikkeron and passed along to Mount Baalah, and from there it went to Jabneel. The border ended at the sea.¹²The western boundary was the Great Sea and its coastline. This is the border around the tribe of Judah, clan by clan.

¹³In keeping with the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh an assignment of land among the tribe of Judah, Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak).¹⁴Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, descendants of Anak.¹⁵He went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath Sepher).

¹⁶Caleb said, "The man who attacks Kiriath Sepher and captures it, to him I will give Aksah my daughter as a wife."¹⁷When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, captured it, Caleb gave him Aksah his daughter as a wife.

¹⁸Soon after that, Aksah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb said to her, "What do you want?"

¹⁹Aksah replied, "Do me a special favor, since you have given me the land of the Negev: Also give me some springs of water." Then Caleb gave her the upper springs and lower springs.

²⁰This was the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, clan by clan.

²¹The cities belonging to the tribe of Judah in the extreme south, toward the border of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,²²Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,²³Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,²⁴Ziph, Telem, Bealoth.

²⁵Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (this was also known as Hazor),²⁶Amam, Shema, Moladah,²⁷Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,²⁸Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah.

²⁹Baalah, Iyim, Ezem,³⁰Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,³¹Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,³²Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. These were twenty-nine cities in all, including their villages.

³³In the lowlands there were Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,³⁴Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,³⁵Jarmuth, Adullam, Sokoh, Azekah,³⁶Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (that is, Gederothaim). These were fourteen cities in number, including their villages.

³⁷Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,³⁸Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,³⁹Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon.

⁴⁰Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,⁴¹Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, Makkedah. These were sixteen cities in number, including their villages.

⁴²Libnah, Ether, Ashan,⁴³Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,⁴⁴Keilah, Akzib, Mareshah. These were nine cities, including their villages.

⁴⁵Ekron, with its surrounding towns and villages;⁴⁶from Ekron to the Great Sea, all the settlements that were near Ashdod, including their villages.

⁴⁷Ashdod, its surrounding towns, including their villages; Gaza, its surrounding towns including their villages; to the brook of Egypt, and to the Great Sea with its coastline.

⁴⁸In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Sokoh,⁴⁹Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),⁵⁰Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,⁵¹Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. These were eleven cities, including their villages.

⁵²Arab, Dumah, Eshan,⁵³Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,⁵⁴Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior. These were nine cities, including their villages.

⁵⁵Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,⁵⁶Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,⁵⁷Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah. These were ten cities, including their villages.

⁵⁸Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,⁵⁹Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon. These were six cities, including their villages.

⁶⁰Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah. These were two cities, including their villages.

⁶¹In the wilderness, there were Beth Arabah, Middin, Sekakah,⁶²Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi. These were six cities, including their villages.

⁶³But as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the tribe of Judah could not drive them out, so the Jebusites live there with the tribe of Judah to this day.

¹The assignment of land for the tribe of Joseph extended from the Jordan at Jericho, east of the springs of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country of Bethel.²Then it went from Bethel to Luz and passed along to Ataroth, the territory of the Arkites.

³Then it went down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth Horon, and then on to Gezer; it ended at the sea.

⁴It was in this way that the tribes of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim received their inheritance.

⁵The territory of the tribe of Ephraim, clan by clan: The border of their inheritance on the east went from Ataroth Addar as far as Upper Beth Horon,⁶and from there it continued to the sea. From Mikmethath on the north it turned eastward toward Taanath Shiloh and passed beyond it on the east to Janoah.⁷Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, and then reached Jericho, ending at the Jordan.

⁸From Tappuah the border went westward to the brook of Kanah and ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraim, clan by clan,⁹together with the cities that were chosen for the tribe of Ephraim within the inheritance of the tribe of Manasseh—all the cities, including their villages.

¹⁰They did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so that the Canaanites live within Ephraim to this day, but these people were made to do forced labor.

¹This was the assignment of land for the tribe of Manasseh (who was the firstborn of Joseph)—that is, for Makir, who was Manasseh's firstborn and who himself was the father of Gilead. Makir's descendants were assigned the land of Gilead and Bashan, because Makir had been a man of war.²Land was assigned to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, given to their clans—Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, presented by their clans.

³Now Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Makir son of Manasseh had no sons, but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.⁴They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and they said, "Yahweh commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance along with our brothers." So, following the commandment of Yahweh, he gave those women an inheritance among the brothers of their father.

⁵Ten parcels of land were assigned to Manasseh in Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan,⁶because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was assigned to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

⁷The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Mikmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the border went southward to those living near the spring of Tappuah.⁸(The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the people of Ephraim.)

⁹The border went down to the brook of Kanah. These cities south of the brook among the towns of Manasseh belonged to Ephraim. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and it ended at the sea.¹⁰The land to the south belonged to Ephraim, and the land to the north was Manasseh's; the sea was the border. On the north side Asher can be reached, and to the east, Issachar.

¹¹Also in Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh possessed Beth Shan and its villages, Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Endor and its villages, the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages (and the third city is Napheth).

¹²Yet the tribe of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, for the Canaanites continued to live in this land.

¹³When the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not completely drive them out.

¹⁴Then the descendants of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one assignment of land and one portion for an inheritance, since we are a people great in number, and all along Yahweh has blessed us?"¹⁵Joshua said to them, "If you are a people great in number, go up by yourselves to the forest and there clear the ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim. Do this, since the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you."

¹⁶The descendants of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us. But all the Canaanites who live in the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shan and its villages, and those who are in the Valley of Jezreel."¹⁷Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You are a people great in number, and you have great power. You must not have only one piece of land assigned to you.¹⁸The hill country will also be yours. Though it is a forest, you will clear it and take possession of it to its farthest borders. You will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron, and even though they are strong."

¹Then the whole assembly of the people of Israel met together at Shiloh. They set up the tent of meeting there and they conquered the land before them.²There were still seven tribes among the people of Israel whose inheritance had not been assigned.

³Joshua said to the people of Israel, "How long will you put off going into the land that Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, has given you?⁴Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe, and I will send them out. They will set out and survey the land up and down. They will write out a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then they will come back to me.

⁵They will divide it into seven sections. Judah will remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph will continue in their territory in the north.⁶You will describe the land in seven sections and bring the description here to me. I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God.

⁷The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance, beyond the Jordan. This is the inheritance that Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them."

⁸So the men got up and went. Joshua commanded those who went to write the description of the land, saying, "Go up and down in the land and write a description of it and return to me. I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh at Shiloh."⁹The men left and walked up and down in the land and wrote a description of it in a scroll by its cities in seven sections, listing the cities in each section. Then they returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.

¹⁰Then Joshua cast lots for them at Shiloh before Yahweh. It was there that Joshua assigned the land to the people of Israel, and to each was given his portion of the land.

¹¹The assignment of land for the tribe of Benjamin came up clan by clan. The territory of their assigned land was located between the descendants of Judah and the descendants of Joseph.¹²On the north side, their border began at the Jordan. The border went up to the ridge north of Jericho, and then up through the hill country westward. There it reached the wilderness of Beth Aven.

¹³From there the border passed along south in the direction of Luz (the same place as Bethel). Then the border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies south of Beth Horon.¹⁴The boundary then went in another direction: On the western side it turned toward the south, heading toward the mountain across from Beth Horon. This boundary ended at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city that belonged to the tribe of Judah. This formed the border on the western side.

¹⁵The south side began just outside of Kiriath Jearim. The border went from there to Ephron, to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.¹⁶The boundary then went down to the border of the mountain which was opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom, which was at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. It then went down to the Valley of Hinnom, south of the slope of the Jebusites, and continued down to En Rogel.

¹⁷It turned northward, going in the direction of En Shemesh, and from there it went out to Geliloth, which was opposite the ascent of Adummim. Then it went down to the Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.¹⁸It passed on to the north of the shoulder of Beth Arabah and down to the Arabah.

¹⁹The border passed on to the north shoulder of Beth Hoglah. The border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the southern end of the Jordan. This was the boundary on the south.²⁰The Jordan formed its border on the eastern side. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin, and it was given clan by clan, border after border, all around.

²¹Now the cities of the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,²²Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,²³Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,²⁴Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba. There were twelve cities, including their villages.

²⁵There were also the cities of Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,²⁶Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,²⁷Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,²⁸Zelah, Haeleph, Jebus (the same as Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath. There were fourteen cities, including their villages. This was the inheritance of Benjamin for their clans.

¹The second casting of lots fell to Simeon, clan by clan. Their inheritance was in the middle of the inheritance that belonged to the tribe of Judah.

²They had for their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah,³Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,⁴Eltolad, Bethul, and Hormah.

⁵Simeon also had Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah,⁶Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen. These were thirteen cities, including their villages.⁷Simeon also had Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan. These were four cities, including their villages.

⁸These were together, including the villages around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (the same as Ramah in the Negev). This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon, clan by clan.⁹The inheritance of the tribe of Simeon formed part of the territory of the tribe of Judah. Because the portion of land assigned to the tribe of Judah was too large for them, the tribe of Simeon received their inheritance out of the middle of their portion.

¹⁰The third casting of lots fell to the tribe of Zebulun, clan by clan. The border of their inheritance began at Sarid.¹¹Their border went up westward toward Maralah and touched Dabbesheth; then it extended to the brook that was opposite Jokneam.

¹²From Sarid the border turned eastward toward the sunrise and went to the border of Kisloth Tabor. From there it went to Daberath and then up to Japhia.¹³From there it passed on eastward to Gath Hepher, and then to Eth Kazin; next it went to Rimmon and turned toward Neah.

¹⁴The border made a turn to the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.¹⁵This region included the cities of Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. There were twelve cities, including their villages.

¹⁶This was the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun, clan by clan, including these cities, including their villages.

¹⁷The fourth casting of lots fell to Issachar, clan by clan.¹⁸Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,¹⁹Hapharaim, Shion, and Anaharath.

²⁰It also included Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,²¹Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez.²²Their border also touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen cities, including their villages.

²³This was the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to their clans—the cities, including their villages.

²⁴The fifth casting of lots fell to the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.²⁵Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph,²⁶Allammelek, Amad, and Mishall. On the west the boundary extended to Carmel and Shihor Libnath.

²⁷Then it turned eastward to Beth Dagon and went as far as Zebulun, and then to the Valley of Iphtah El, northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. Then it continued on to Kabul toward the north.²⁸It then went on to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.

²⁹The border turned back to Ramah, and then to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the border turned to Hosah and ended at the sea, in the region of Akzib,³⁰Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities, including their villages.

³¹This was the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, clan by clan—the cities, including their villages.

³²The sixth casting of lots fell to the tribe of Naphtali, clan by clan.³³Their border ran from Heleph, from the oak at Zaanannim, on to Adami Nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; it ended at the Jordan.³⁴The border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor and went on to Hukkok; it touched Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west and Judah on the east at the Jordan River.

³⁵The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,³⁶Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,³⁷Kedesh, Edrei, and En Hazor.

³⁸There were also Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. There were nineteen cities, including their villages.

³⁹This was the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, clan by clan—the cities, including their villages.

⁴⁰The seventh casting of lots fell to the tribe of Dan, clan by clan.⁴¹The territory of its inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh,⁴²Shaalabbin, Aijalon, and Ithlah.

⁴³It also included Elon, Timnah, Ekron,⁴⁴Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,⁴⁵Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,⁴⁶Me Jarkon, and Rakkon along with the territory across from Joppa.

⁴⁷When the territory of the tribe of Dan was lost to them, Dan attacked Leshem and took it. They struck it with the sword, took possession of it, and settled in it. They called Leshem Dan, after the name of their ancestor Dan.

⁴⁸This was the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, clan by clan—the cities, including their villages.

⁴⁹When they finished the allocation of the land as an inheritance, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among themselves to Joshua son of Nun.⁵⁰By the command of Yahweh they gave him the city for which he asked, Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt the city and lived there.

⁵¹These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh, before Yahweh, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished assigning the land.

¹Then Yahweh said to Joshua,²"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'Appoint the cities of refuge of which I spoke to you by the hand of Moses.³Do this so that one who kills a person by accident or unknowingly can go there. These cities will be a place of refuge from the avenger of blood.

⁴He will run to one of those cities and will stand at the entrance of the city gate, and explain his case to the elders of that city. Then they will take him into the city and give him a place for him to live among them.

⁵If the avenger of blood pursues him there, then the people of the city must not hand the one who killed him over to the authorities. They must not do this because he killed his neighbor by accident, and he had no hatred toward him in the past.⁶He must stay in that city until he has stood before the assembly for judgment, until the death of the one who was serving as high priest in those days. Then the one who had accidentally killed the person may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.'"

⁷So the Israelites selected Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (the same as Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.⁸Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they selected Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau from the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth Gilead, from the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.

⁹These were the cities selected for all the people of Israel and for the foreigners sojourning among them, so that anyone who killed a person unintentionally could run to them for safety. This person would not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until the accused person would first stand before the assembly.

¹Then the tribal leaders of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the leaders of the families of their ancestors within the people of Israel.²They said to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, "Yahweh commanded you by the hand of Moses to give to us cities to live in, with the pasturelands for our livestock."

³So by the command of Yahweh, the people of Israel gave out of their inheritance the following cities, including their pasturelands, to the Levites.

⁴The casting of lots for the clans of the Kohathites gave this result: The priests—the descendants of Aaron who were from the Levites—received thirteen cities given from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin.

⁵The rest of Kohath’s descendants received by lot ten cities from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and from the half tribe of Manasseh.

⁶Then the people descended from Gershon were given, by the casting of lots, thirteen cities from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁷The people who were descendants of Merari, clan by clan, received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

⁸So the people of Israel gave, by casting lots, these cities (including their pasturelands) to the Levites, just as Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses.

⁹From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they assigned land to the following cities, here listed by name.¹⁰These cities were given to the descendants of Aaron, who were among the clans of the Kohathites, who in turn were from the tribe of Levi. For the first casting of lots had fallen to them.

¹¹The Israelites gave them Kiriath Arba (Arba had been the father of Anak), the same place as Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the pasturelands around it.¹²But the fields of the city, including their villages, were already given to Caleb son of Jephunneh, as his possession.

¹³To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasturelands—which was a city of refuge for anyone who killed another unintentionally—and Libnah with its pasturelands,¹⁴Jattir with its pasturelands, and Eshtemoa with its pasturelands.¹⁵They also gave Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands,¹⁶Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasturelands. There were nine cities that were given from these two tribes.

¹⁷From the tribe of Benjamin were given Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands,¹⁸Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands—four cities.

¹⁹The cities given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were thirteen cities in all, including their pasturelands.

²⁰As for the rest of the Kohathites who belong to the Kohathite clans of the Levites—they had cities given to them from the tribe of Ephraim by the casting of lots.²¹To them were given Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim—a city of refuge for anyone who killed a person unintentionally—Gezer with its pasturelands,²²Kibzaim with its pasturelands, and Beth Horon with its pasturelands—four cities in all.

²³From the tribe of Dan, the clan of Kohath was given Eltekeh with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands,²⁴Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands—four cities in all.

²⁵From the half tribe of Manasseh, the clan of Kohath was given Taanach with its pasturelands and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands—two cities.

²⁶There were ten cities in all for the rest of the clans of the Kohathites, including their pasturelands.

²⁷From the half tribe of Manasseh, to clans of Gershon, these were other Levite clans, and they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands—a city of refuge for anyone who killed another unintentionally, along with Be Eshterah with its pasturelands—two cities in all.

²⁸To the clans of Gershon they also gave Kishion from the tribe of Issachar, along with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands,²⁹Jarmuth with its pasturelands, and En Gannim with its pasturelands—four cities.

³⁰From the tribe of Asher, they gave Mishal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands,³¹Helkath with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands—four cities in all.

³²From the tribe of Naphtali, they gave the clans of Gershon Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands—a city of refuge for anyone who killed another unintentionally; Hammoth Dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands—three cities in all.

³³There were thirteen cities in all, out of the clans of Gershon, including their pasturelands.

³⁴To the rest of the Levites—the clans of Merari—were given out of the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam with its pasturelands, Kartah with its pasturelands,³⁵Dimnah with its pasturelands, and Nahalal with its pasturelands—four cities in all.

³⁶To the clans of Merari were given from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer with its pasturelands, Jahaz with its pasturelands,³⁷Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands—four cities.

³⁸Out of the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands—a city of refuge for anyone who killed another unintentionally—and Mahanaim with its pasturelands.

³⁹The clans of Merari were also given Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands. These were four cities in all.

⁴⁰All these were the cities of the several clans of Merari, who were from the tribe of Levi—twelve cities in all were given to them by the casting of lots.

⁴¹The cities of the Levites taken from the middle of the land possessed by the people of Israel were forty-eight cities, including their pasturelands.⁴²These cities each had its surrounding pasturelands. It was this way with all these cities.

⁴³So Yahweh gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their ancestors. The Israelites took possession of it and settled there.⁴⁴Then Yahweh gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies could defeat them. Yahweh gave all their enemies into their hand.⁴⁵Not one thing among all the good promises that Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel failed to come true. All of them came to be.

¹At that time Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.²He said to them, "You have done everything that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you. You have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.³You have not deserted your brothers these many days, down to this present day, and you have fulfilled the duties required by the commandments of Yahweh your God.

⁴Now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, just as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land you possess, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you on the other side of the Jordan.⁵Just be very careful to observe the commandments and the law that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to cling to him and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul."⁶So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went back to their tents.

⁷Now to one-half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given an inheritance in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua gave an inheritance beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. Joshua sent them away to their tents; he blessed them⁸and said to them, "Return to your tents with much money, and with very much livestock, and with silver and gold, and with bronze and iron, and with very many garments. Divide the plunder from your enemies with your brothers."

⁹So the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh returned home, leaving the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. They left to go to the region of Gilead, to their own land, which they themselves possessed, in obedience to the commandment of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses.

¹⁰When they came to the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh built an altar beside the Jordan, a very large and prominent altar.¹¹The people of Israel heard about this and said, "Look! The people of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the front of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth, in the region near the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel."

¹²When the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go up to make war against them.

¹³Then the people of Israel sent messengers to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead. They also sent Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest,¹⁴and with him ten leaders, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, and every one of them was the head of a family among the clan of Israel.

¹⁵They came to the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they spoke to them:¹⁶"The whole assembly of Yahweh says this, 'What is this unfaithfulness that you have committed against the God of Israel, by turning this day from following Yahweh by building yourself an altar this day in rebellion against Yahweh?

¹⁷Was the iniquity of Peor not enough for us? Yet we have not even now cleansed ourselves from it. There was a plague on the assembly of Yahweh for that sin.¹⁸Must you also turn away from following Yahweh at this present day? If you also rebel against Yahweh today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole assembly of Israel.

¹⁹If the land that you possess is defiled, then you should pass over into the land where Yahweh's tabernacle stands and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against Yahweh, nor rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves other than the altar of Yahweh our God.²⁰Did not Achan son of Zerah, act faithlessly in the matter of those things that had been reserved for God? Did not wrath fall on the entire community of Israel? That man did not perish alone for his iniquity.'"

²¹Then the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh replied in answer to the heads of the clans of Israel:²²"The Mighty One, God, Yahweh! The Mighty One, God, Yahweh!—He knows, and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in unfaithfulness against Yahweh, do not deliver us on this day²³for having built an altar to turn ourselves away from following Yahweh. If we built that altar in order to offer on it burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices of peace offerings, then let Yahweh make us pay for it.

²⁴No! We did it for fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel?

²⁵For Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you. You people of Reuben and people of Gad, you have nothing to do with Yahweh.' So your children might make our children cease to worship Yahweh.

²⁶So we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offerings nor for any sacrifices,²⁷but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we will perform the service of Yahweh before him, with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your children will never say to our children in time to come, "You have no share in Yahweh."'

²⁸So we said, 'If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we would say, "Look! This is a copy of the altar of Yahweh, which our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you."²⁹May it be far from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and today turn away from following him by building an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, other than the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tabernacle.'"

³⁰When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the people, that is, the heads of the clans of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh said, that it was good in their eyes.³¹Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, "Today we know that Yahweh is among us, because you have not committed this act of faithlessness against him. Now you have rescued the people of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh."

³²Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and the leaders returned from the Reubenites and the Gadites, out of the land of Gilead, back to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them.³³Their report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel. The people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more about making war against the Reubenites and the Gadites, in order to destroy the land where they had settled.

³⁴The Reubenites and the Gadites named the altar "Witness," for they said, "It is a witness between us that Yahweh is God."

¹After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their enemies that were around them, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,²Joshua called for all Israel—for their elders, for their leaders, for their judges, and for their officials—and he said to them, "I am old and well advanced in years.³You have seen everything that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is Yahweh your God who has fought for you.

⁴Look! I have assigned to you the nations that remain to be conquered as an inheritance for your tribes, along with all the nations I have already destroyed, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west.⁵Yahweh your God will drive them out. He will push them out from you. He will seize their land, and you will take possession of their land, just as Yahweh your God promised to you.

⁶So be very strong, so that you keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left,⁷so you may not mix with these nations that remain among you or mention the names of their gods, swear by them, worship them, or bow down to them.⁸Instead, you must cling to Yahweh your God just as you have done to this day.

⁹For Yahweh has driven out before you large, strong nations. As for you, no one has been able to stand before you to this present day.¹⁰Any single man of your number will make a thousand run away, for Yahweh your God, is the one who fights for you, just as he promised you.¹¹Pay particular attention, so that you love Yahweh your God.

¹²But if you turn back and cling to the survivors of these nations who remain among you, or if you intermarry with them, or if you come together with them and they with you,¹³then know for certain that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations out from among you. Instead, they will become a snare and a trap for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.

¹⁴Now I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your hearts and souls that not one word has failed to come true of all the good things that Yahweh your God promised about you. All these things have come about for you. Not one of them has failed.¹⁵But just as every word Yahweh your God promised you has been fulfilled, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things until he has destroyed you from this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.

¹⁶He will do this if you break the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you to keep. If you go and worship other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land that he has given you."

¹Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their leaders, for their judges, and for their officers, and they presented themselves before God.²Joshua said to all the people, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Your ancestors long ago lived beyond the Euphrates River—Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—and they worshiped other gods.

³But I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan and gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.⁴Then to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

⁵I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians with plagues. After that, I brought you out.⁶I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Sea of Reeds.

⁷When your ancestors called out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians. He brought the sea to come over them and cover them. You saw what I did in Egypt. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

⁸I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.

⁹Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, got up and attacked Israel. He sent and called for Balaam son of Beor, to curse you.¹⁰But I did not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I rescued you out of his hand.

¹¹You went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. The leaders of Jericho fought against you, along with the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. I gave you victory over them and put them under your control.¹²I sent the hornet before you, which drove them and the two kings of the Amorites out before you. It did not happen by your sword or by your bow.

¹³I gave you land on which you had not worked and cities that you had not built, and now you live in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'

¹⁴Now fear Yahweh and worship him with all integrity and faithfulness; get rid of the gods that your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh.¹⁵If it seems wrong in your eyes for you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live. But as for me and my house, we will worship Yahweh."

¹⁶The people answered and said, "We would never abandon Yahweh to serve other gods,¹⁷for it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight, and who preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the nations through whom we passed.¹⁸Then Yahweh drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship Yahweh, for he is our God."

¹⁹But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve Yahweh, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions and sins.²⁰If you abandon Yahweh and worship foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm. He will consume you, after he has done good to you."

²¹But the people said to Joshua, "No, we will worship Yahweh."²²Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves Yahweh, to worship him." They said, "We are witnesses."²³"Now put away the foreign gods that are with you, and turn your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel."

²⁴The people said to Joshua, "We will worship Yahweh our God. We will listen to his voice."²⁵Joshua made a covenant with the people that day. He put in place decrees and laws at Shechem.²⁶Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the law of God. He took a large stone and set it up there beneath the oak tree that was beside Yahweh's sanctuary.

²⁷Joshua said to all the people, "Look, this stone will be a testimony against us. It has heard all the words Yahweh said to us. So it will be a witness against you, should you ever deny your God."²⁸So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.

²⁹After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being 110 years old.³⁰They buried him within the border of his own inheritance, at Timnath Serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

³¹Israel worshiped Yahweh all of Joshua's days, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, those who had experienced the deeds that Yahweh had done for Israel.

³²The bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up out of Egypt—they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. He bought it for one hundred pieces of silver, and it became an inheritance for the descendants of Joseph.³³Eleazar son of Aaron also died. They buried him at Gibeah, the city of Phinehas his son, which had been given to him. It was in the hill country of Ephraim.

Judges

¹After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel asked Yahweh, saying, "Who first will attack the Canaanites for us, to fight against them?"²Yahweh said, "Judah will attack. See, I have given them control of this land."³The men of Judah said to men of Simeon, their brothers, "Come up with us into our territory that was assigned to us that together we may fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you to the territory that was assigned to you." So the tribe of Simeon went with them.

⁴The men of Judah attacked, and Yahweh gave them victory over the Canaanites and the Perizzites. They killed ten thousand of them at Bezek.⁵They found Adoni-Bezek at Bezek, and they fought against him and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

⁶But Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him and caught him, and they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.⁷Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings, who had their thumbs and their big toes cut off, picked up food from under my table. As I have done, even so God has done to me." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

⁸The men of Judah fought against the city of Jerusalem and took it. They attacked it with the edge of the sword and they set the city on fire.⁹After that, the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negev, and the lowlands.¹⁰Judah advanced against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron was previously Kiriath Arba), and they defeated Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

¹¹From there the men of Judah advanced against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir was previously Kiriath Sepher).¹²Caleb said, "Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I will give him Aksah, my daughter, to be his wife."¹³Othniel, son of Kenaz (Caleb's younger brother) captured Debir, so Caleb gave him Aksah, his daughter, to be his wife.

¹⁴Soon Aksah came to Othniel, and she urged him to ask her father to give her a field. As she was getting off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?"¹⁵She said to him, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negev, also give me springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

¹⁶The descendants of Moses' father-in-law the Kenite went up from the City of Palms with the people of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the Negev, to live with the people of Judah near Arad.¹⁷The men of Judah went with the men of Simeon their brothers and they attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath and they completely destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.

¹⁸The people of Judah also captured Gaza and the land around it, Ashkelon and the land around it, and Ekron and the land around it.¹⁹Yahweh was with the people of Judah and they took possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had iron chariots.

²⁰Hebron was given to Caleb (like Moses had said), and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak.²¹But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem. So the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

²²The house of Joseph prepared to attack Bethel, and Yahweh was with them.²³They sent out men to spy on Bethel (the city that was formerly named Luz).²⁴The spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, "Show us, please, how to get into the city, and we will be kind to you."

²⁵He showed them a way into the city, and so they attacked the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family get away.²⁶Then the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

²⁷The people of Manasseh did not drive out the people living in the cities of Beth Shan and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or those who lived in Dor and its villages, or those who lived in Ibleam and its villages, or those who lived in Megiddo and its villages, because the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.²⁸When Israel became strong, they forced the Canaanites to serve them with hard labor, but they never drove them out completely.

²⁹Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites continued to live in Gezer among them.

³⁰Zebulun did not drive out the people living in Kitron, or the people living in Nahalol, and so the Canaanites continued to live among them, but Zebulun forced the Canaanites to serve them with hard labor.

³¹Asher did not drive out the people living in Akko, or the people living in Sidon, or those living in Ahlab, Akzib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.³²So the tribe of Asher lived among the Canaanites (those who lived in the land), because they did not drive them out.

³³The tribe of Naphtali did not drive out those who were living in Beth Shemesh, or those living in Beth Anath. So the tribe of Naphtali lived among the Canaanites (the people who were living in that land). However, the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced into hard labor for Naphthali.

³⁴The Amorites forced the tribe of Dan out into the hill country, not allowing them to come down to the plain.³⁵So the Amorites lived at Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the military might of the house of Joseph conquered them, and they were forced to serve them with hard labor.³⁶The border of the Amorites ran from the hill of Akrabbim at Sela up into the hill country.

¹The angel of Yahweh went up from Gilgal to Bokim, and said, "I brought you up from Egypt, and have brought you to the land I swore to give to your fathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you.²You must make no covenant with those who live in this land. You must break down their altars.' But you have not listened to my voice. What is this that you have done?

³So now I say, 'I will not drive the Canaanites out before you, but they will become thorns in your sides, and their gods will become a trap for you.'"⁴When the angel of Yahweh spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people shouted and wept.⁵They called the name of that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to Yahweh.

⁶Now when Joshua had sent the people on their way, the people of Israel went, each to his own property, to take ownership of the land.⁷The people served Yahweh during the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, those who had seen all of Yahweh's great deeds he had done for Israel.⁸Joshua son of Nun the servant of Yahweh, died at the age of 110 years old.

⁹They buried him within the border of his property in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.¹⁰All that generation was also gathered to their fathers. Another generation grew up after them who did not know Yahweh or the deeds he had done for Israel.

¹¹The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and they served the Baals.¹²They broke away from Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, the very gods of the peoples who were around them, and they bowed down to them. They provoked Yahweh to anger because¹³they broke away from Yahweh and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.

¹⁴The anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, and he gave them to the raiders who stole their possessions from them. He sold them as slaves who were held by the strength of their enemies around them, so they could no longer defend themselves against their enemies.¹⁵Wherever Israel went out to fight, Yahweh's hand was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them and they were in terrible distress.

¹⁶Then Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who were stealing their possessions.¹⁷Yet they would not listen to their judges. They were unfaithful to Yahweh and gave themselves like prostitutes to other gods and worshiped them. They soon turned aside from the way their fathers had lived—those who had obeyed the commandments of Yahweh—but they themselves did not do so.

¹⁸When Yahweh raised up judges for them, Yahweh helped the judges and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days the judge lived. Yahweh had pity on them as they groaned because of those who oppressed them and afflicted them.¹⁹But when the judge died, they would turn away and do things that were even more corrupt than their fathers had done. They would go after other gods to serve them and worship them. They refused to give up any of their evil deeds or their stubborn ways.

²⁰The anger of Yahweh burned against Israel; he said, "Because this nation has broken the terms of my covenant that I had set in place for their fathers—because they have not listened to my voice—²¹I will not, from now on, drive out from before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died.²²I will do this so that I may test Israel, whether or not they will keep the way of Yahweh and walk in it, as their fathers kept it."²³That is why Yahweh left those nations and did not drive them out quickly and give them into the hand of Joshua.

¹Now Yahweh left these nations to test Israel, namely everyone in Israel who had not experienced any of the wars fought in Canaan.²(He did this to teach warfare to the new generation of the people of Israel who had not known it before.)³These are the nations: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon mountains, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. ¹

⁴These nations were left as a means by which Yahweh would test Israel, to confirm whether they would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.⁵So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.⁶Their daughters they took to be their wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.

⁷The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and forgot Yahweh their God. They worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.⁸Therefore, the anger of Yahweh was set on fire against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. The people of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.

⁹When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up someone who would come to help the people of Israel, and who would rescue them: Othniel son of Kenaz (Caleb's younger brother).¹⁰Yahweh's Spirit empowered him, and he judged Israel and he went out to war. Yahweh gave him victory over Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram. The hand of Othniel defeated Cushan-Rishathaim.¹¹The land had peace for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

¹²After that, the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave strength to Eglon king of Moab to overpower Israel.¹³Eglon joined with the Ammonites and the Amalekites and they went and defeated Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.¹⁴The people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab for eighteen years.

¹⁵When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent him, with their tribute payment, to Eglon king of Moab.

¹⁶Ehud made himself a sword that had two edges, one cubit in length; he bound it to his right thigh under his clothing.¹⁷He gave the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)¹⁸After Ehud had presented the tribute payment, he left with those who had carried it in.

¹⁹As for Ehud himself, however, when he reached the place where the carved images were made near Gilgal, he turned and went back, and he said, "I have a secret message for you, my king." Eglon said, "Silence!" So all those serving him left the room.²⁰Ehud came to him. The king was sitting by himself, alone in the coolness of the upper room. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." The king got up out of his seat.

²¹Ehud reached with his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and he stabbed it into the king's body.²²The hilt of the sword also went into him following the blade. The tip of the sword came out of his back and the fat closed over it, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly.²³Then Ehud went out on the porch and closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

²⁴After Ehud had gone, the king's servants came; they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, so they thought, "Surely he is relieving himself in the coolness of the upper room."²⁵They were growing more concerned until they felt they were neglecting their duty when the king still did not open the doors to the upper room. So they took the key and opened them, and there lay their master, fallen to the floor, dead.

²⁶While the servants were waiting, wondering what they should do, Ehud escaped and passed beyond the place where there were carved images of idols, and so he escaped to Seirah.²⁷When he arrived, he blew a ram's horn in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hills, and he was leading them.

²⁸He said to them, "Follow me, for Yahweh is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites." They followed him and they captured the fords of the Jordan across from the Moabites, and they did not allow anyone to cross the river.²⁹At that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, and all were strong and capable men. Not one escaped.³⁰So that day Moab was subdued by the strength of Israel, and the land had rest for eighty years.

³¹After Ehud the next judge was Shamgar son of Anath who killed 600 men of the Philistines with a stick used to goad oxen. He also delivered Israel from danger.

¹Some modern English translations read, Hamath Pass

¹After Ehud died, the people of Israel once again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.²Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was named Sisera, and he lived in Harosheth Haggoyim.³The people of Israel called out to Yahweh for help, because Sisera had nine hundred iron chariots and he oppressed the people of Israel with force for twenty years.

⁴Now Deborah, a prophetess (the wife of Lappidoth), was a leading judge in Israel at that time.⁵She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came to her to settle their disputes.

⁶She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said to him, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, commands you, 'Go to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun.⁷I will draw out Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Kishon River, with his chariots and his army, and I will give you victory over him.'"

⁸Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go, but if you do not go with me, I will not go."⁹She said, "I will certainly go with you. However, the road on which you are going will not lead to your honor, for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

¹⁰Barak called for the men of Zebulun and Naphtali to come together at Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah went along with him.

¹¹Now Heber (the Kenite) had separated himself from the Kenites—they were the descendants of Hobab (Moses' father-in-law)—and he pitched his tent by the oak in Zaanannim near Kedesh.

¹²When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,¹³Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the soldiers who were with him, from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River.

¹⁴Deborah said to Barak, "Go! For this is the day in which Yahweh has given you victory over Sisera. Is not Yahweh leading you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

¹⁵Yahweh confused Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and ran away on foot.¹⁶But Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth Haggoyim, and the whole army of Sisera was killed by the edge of the sword, and not a man survived.

¹⁷But Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite.¹⁸Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn aside, my master; turn aside to me and do not be afraid." So he turned aside to her and came into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

¹⁹He said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty." She opened a leather bag of milk and gave him drink, and then she covered him up again.²⁰He said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent. If someone comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?', say 'No'."

²¹Then Jael (the wife of Heber) took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand and went in secretly to him, for he was in a deep sleep, and she hammered the tent peg into the side of his head until it went down into the ground, and he died.²²As Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael want out to meet him and said to him, "Come, I will show you the man you are looking for." So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in the side of his head.

²³So on that day God subdued Jabin, the king of Canaan, before the people of Israel.²⁴The might of the people of Israel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed him.

¹On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

²"When the leaders take the lead in Israel,

when the people volunteer—

praise Yahweh!

³Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you rulers!

I, I will sing to Yahweh;

I will sing praises to Yahweh,

the God of Israel.

⁴Yahweh, when you went out from Seir,

when you marched from Edom,

the earth shook, and the skies also trembled;

also the clouds poured down water.

⁵The mountains quaked before the face of Yahweh;

even Mount Sinai quaked before the face of Yahweh,

the God of Israel.

⁶In the days of Shamgar (son of Anath),

in the days of Jael,

the main roads were abandoned,

and those who walked only used the winding paths.

⁷There were few rural people in Israel,

until I, Deborah, arose—

arose as a mother in Israel!

⁸When they chose new gods,

there was fighting at the city gates

and yet there were no shields or spears seen

among forty thousand in Israel.

⁹My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,

along with the people who gladly volunteered—

we bless Yahweh for them!

¹⁰Think about this—you who ride on white donkeys

sitting on rugs for saddles,

and you who walk along the road.

¹¹Hear the voices of those who sing

at the watering places.

There they tell again of Yahweh's righteous deeds,

and the righteous actions of his warriors in Israel.

Then the people of Yahweh went down to the city gates.

¹²Awake, awake, Deborah!

Awake, awake, sing a song!

Get up, Barak,

and capture your prisoners, you son of Abinoam.

¹³Then the survivors came down to the nobles;

the people of Yahweh came down to me with the warriors.

¹⁴They came from Ephraim, whose root is in Amalek;

the people of Benjamin followed you.

From Makir commanders came down,

and from Zebulun those who carry an officer's staff.

¹⁵My princes in Issachar were with Deborah;

and Issachar was with Barak

rushing after him into the valley under his command.

Among the clans of Reuben

there were great searchings of heart.

¹⁶Why did you sit between the fireplaces,

listening to the shepherds playing their pipes for their flocks?

As for the clans of Reuben

there were great searchings of heart.

¹⁷Gilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan;

and Dan, why did he wander about on ships?

Asher remained on the coast

and lived close to his harbors.

¹⁸Zebulun was a people who despised their lives to the point of death,

and Naphtali, also, on the field of battle.

¹⁹The kings came, they fought;

the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach

by the waters of Megiddo.

But they took away no silver as plunder.

²⁰From heaven the stars fought,

from their paths across the heavens they fought against Sisera.

²¹The Kishon River swept them away,

that old river, the Kishon River.

March on my soul, be strong!

²²Then came the sound of horses' hooves—

galloping, the galloping of his mighty ones.

²³'Curse Meroz!' says the angel of Yahweh.

'Surely curse its inhabitants!—

because they did not come to help Yahweh—

to help Yahweh in the battle against the mighty warriors.'

²⁴Jael is blessed more than all other women,

Jael (the wife of Heber the Kenite),

she is more blessed than all the women who live in tents.

²⁵The man asked for water, and she gave him milk;

she brought him butter in a dish fit for princes.

²⁶She put her hand to the tent peg,

and her right hand to the laborer's hammer;

with the hammer she struck Sisera, she crushed his head.

She smashed his skull into pieces when she pierced him through the side of his head.

²⁷He collapsed between her feet, he fell and he lay there.

Between her feet he fell limp.

The place he collapsed is where he was violently killed.

²⁸Out of a window she looked—

the mother of Sisera looked through the lattice and she called out in sadness,

'Why has it taken his chariot so long to come?

Why have the hoofbeats of the horses that pull his chariots been delayed?'

²⁹Her wisest princesses replied,

and she gave herself the same answer:

³⁰'Have they not found and divided up the plunder—

a womb, two wombs for every man;

the plunder of dyed fabric for Sisera,

the plunder of dyed fabric embroidered,

two pieces of dyed fabric embroidered for the necks of those who plunder?'

³¹So may all your enemies perish, Yahweh!

But your friends be like the sun when it rises in its might."

Then the land had peace for forty years.

¹The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years.²The power of Midian oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the people of Israel made shelters for themselves from the dens in the hills, the caves, and the strongholds.

³It happened that any time the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people from the east would attack the Israelites.⁴They would set up their camp on the land and destroy the crops, all the way to Gaza. They would leave no food in Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.

⁵Whenever they and their livestock and tents came up, they would come as a swarm of locusts, and it was impossible to count either the people or their camels. They invaded the land in order to destroy it.⁶Midian weakened the people of Israel so severely that the people of Israel called out to Yahweh.

⁷When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh because of Midian,⁸Yahweh sent a prophet to the people of Israel. The prophet said to them, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought you up from Egypt; I brought you out of the house of slavery.

⁹I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who were oppressing you. I drove them out before you, and I gave you their land.¹⁰I said to you, "I am Yahweh your God; I commanded you not to worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living." But you have not obeyed my voice.'"

¹¹Now the angel of Yahweh came and sat under the oak in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash (the Abiezrite), while Gideon, Joash's son, was threshing wheat in the winepress—to hide it from the Midianites.¹²The angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said to him, "Yahweh is with you, you strong warrior!"

¹³Gideon said to him, "Oh, my master, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers told us about, when they said, 'Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?' But now Yahweh has abandoned us and gave us into the hand of Midian."

¹⁴Yahweh looked at him and said, "Go in the strength you already have. Deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?"¹⁵Gideon said to him, "Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? See, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least important in my father's house."

¹⁶Yahweh said to him, "I will be with you, and you will defeat the entire Midianite army as one man."¹⁷Gideon said to him, "If you are pleased with me, then give me a sign that it is you who is speaking to me.¹⁸Please, do not leave here, until I come to you and bring out my gift and set it before you." Yahweh said, "I will wait until you return."

¹⁹Gideon went and prepared a young goat and from an ephah of flour he made unleavened bread. He put the meat in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot and brought them to him under the oak tree, and presented them.²⁰The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and put them on this rock, and pour out the broth over them." That is what Gideon did.

²¹Then the angel of Yahweh reached out with the end of the staff in his hand. With it he touched the flesh and the unleavened bread; a fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of Yahweh went away and Gideon could no longer see him.

²²Gideon understood that this was the angel of Yahweh. Gideon said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! For I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face!"²³Yahweh said to him, "Peace to you! Do not be afraid, you will not die."²⁴So Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh. He called it, "Yahweh is Peace." To this day it still stands at Ophrah of the clan of Abiezer.

²⁵That night Yahweh said to him, "Take your father's bull, and a second bull that is seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it.²⁶Build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this place of refuge, and construct it the correct way. Offer the second bull as a burnt offering, using the wood from the Asherah that you cut down."

²⁷So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as Yahweh had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father's household and the men of the town to do it during the day, he did it at night.

²⁸In the morning when the men of the town got up, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull had been offered on the altar that had been built.²⁹The men of the city said to one another, "Who has done this?" When they talked with others and searched for answers, they said, "Gideon son of Joash has done this thing."

³⁰Then the men of the town said to Joash, "Bring out your son so that he may be put to death, because he broke down the altar of Baal, and because he cut down the Asherah beside it."

³¹Joash said to all who opposed him, "Will you plead the case for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever pleads the case for him, let him be put to death while it is still morning. If Baal is a god, let him defend himself when someone breaks his altar down."³²Therefore on that day they called Gideon "Jerub-Baal," because he said, "Let Baal defend himself against him," because Gideon broke down Baal's altar.

³³Now all the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the east gathered together. They crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

³⁴But the Spirit of Yahweh clothed Gideon. Gideon blew a trumpet, calling out the clan of Abiezer, so they might follow him.³⁵He sent messengers all throughout Manasseh, and they too, were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet him.

³⁶Gideon said to God, "If you intend to use me to save Israel, as you have said—³⁷Look, I am putting a woolen fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said."

³⁸This is what happened—Gideon rose early the next morning, he pressed the fleece together, and wrung out the dew from the fleece, enough to fill a bowl with water.

³⁹Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me, I will speak one more time. Please allow me one more test using the fleece. This time make the fleece dry, and let there be dew on all the ground around it."⁴⁰God did what he asked for that night. The fleece was dry, and there was dew on all the ground around it.

¹Then Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) rose up early, and all the people who were with him, and they encamped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was to their north in the valley near the hill of Moreh.

²Yahweh said to Gideon, "There are too many soldiers for me to give you victory over the Midianites, so that Israel may not boast over me, saying, 'Our own power has saved us.'³Now therefore, proclaim in the ears of the people and say, 'Whoever is afraid, whoever trembles, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.'" So twenty-two thousand people went away, and ten thousand remained.

⁴Yahweh said to Gideon, "The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will make their number smaller for you there. If I say to you, 'This one will go with you,' he will go with you; but if I say, 'This one will not go with you,' he will not go."

⁵So Gideon brought the people down to the water, and Yahweh said to him, "Separate everyone who laps up the water, as a dog laps, from those who kneel down to drink."⁶Three hundred men lapped. The rest of the men kneeled down to drink water.

⁷Yahweh said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men who lapped, I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Let every other man go back to his own place."⁸So those who were chosen took their supplies and their trumpets. Gideon sent away all the men of Israel, every man to his tent, but he kept the three hundred men. Now the Midian camp was down below him in the valley.

⁹That same night Yahweh said to him, "Get up! Attack the camp, for I am going to give you victory over it.¹⁰But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant,¹¹and listen to what they are saying, and your courage will be strengthened to attack the camp." So Gideon went with Purah his servant, down to the guard posts of the camp.

¹²The Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the people of the east settled along in the valley, as thick as a cloud of locusts. Their camels were more than could be counted; they were more in number than the grains of the sand on the seashore.

¹³When Gideon arrived there, a man was telling a dream to his companion. The man said, "Look! I had a dream, and I saw a round loaf of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian. It came to the tent, and hit it so hard that it fell down and turned it upside down, so that it lay flat."¹⁴The other man said, "This is nothing other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has given him victory over Midian and all their army."

¹⁵When Gideon heard the retelling of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down in worship. He went back to the camp of Israel and said, "Get up! Yahweh has given you victory over the Midian army."¹⁶He divided the three hundred men into three groups, and he gave them all rams' horns and empty jars, with torches inside each jar.

¹⁷He said to them, "Look at me and do what I do. Watch! When I come to the edge of the camp, you must do what I do.¹⁸When I blow the ram's horn, I and all who are with me, then blow your ram's horns also on every side of the entire camp and shout, 'For Yahweh and for Gideon!'"

¹⁹So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the edge of the camp, right at the beginning of the middle watch. Just as the Midianites were changing guard, they blew the rams' horns and broke the jars that were in their hands.

²⁰The three companies blew the rams' horns and broke the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the rams' horns in their right hands to blow them. They shouted out, "The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon."²¹Every man stood in his place around the camp and all the Midianite army ran. They shouted and ran away.

²²When they blew the three hundred rams' horns, Yahweh set every Midianite man's sword against his comrades and against all their army. The army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, near Tabbath.²³The men of Israel from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh were called out, and they went after Midian.

²⁴Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Go down against Midian and take control of the Jordan River, as far as Beth Barah, to stop them." So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and took control of the waters, as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan River.²⁵They captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They went after the Midianites, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was on the other side of the Jordan.

¹The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "What is this you have done to us? You did not call us when you went to fight against Midian." Then they had a violent argument with him.

²He said to them, "What have I done now compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?³God has given you victory over the princes of Midian—Oreb and Zeeb! What have I accomplished compared to you?" Their anger toward him died down when he said this.

⁴Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over it, he and the three hundred men who were with him. They were exhausted, yet they still kept up the pursuit.⁵He said to the men of Sukkoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

⁶Then the officials of Sukkoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand? Why should we give bread to your army?"⁷Gideon said, "When Yahweh has given us victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers."

⁸He went up from there to Peniel and spoke to the people there in the same way, but the men of Peniel answered him just as the men of Sukkoth had answered.⁹He spoke also to the men of Peniel and said, "When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower."

¹⁰Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about fifteen thousand men, all who remained out of the entire army of the people of the East, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword.

¹¹Gideon went up the road taken by tent dwellers, past Nobah and Jogbehah. He defeated the enemy army, because they were not expecting an attack.¹²Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and as Gideon pursued them, he captured the two kings of Midian—Zebah and Zalmunna—and set their whole army into a panic.

¹³Gideon, son of Joash, returned from the battle going through the pass of Heres.¹⁴He caught a young man of Sukkoth and questioned him. The young man wrote down the names of seventy-seven officials and elders of Sukkoth.

¹⁵Gideon came to the men of Sukkoth and said, "Look at Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you mocked me and said, 'Have you already conquered Zebah and Zalmunna? We do not know that we should give bread to your army.'"¹⁶Gideon took the elders of the city, and he punished the men of Sukkoth with the desert thorns and briers.¹⁷Then he broke down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of that city.

¹⁸Then Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?" They answered, "As you are, so were they. Every one of them looked like the son of a king."¹⁹Gideon said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you."

²⁰He said to Jether (his firstborn), "Get up and kill them!" But the young man did not draw his sword for he was afraid, because he was still a young boy.²¹Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Get up yourself and kill us! For as the man is, so is his strength." Gideon rose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna. He also took off the crescent-shaped ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

²²Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian."²³Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, neither will my son rule over you. Yahweh will rule over you."

²⁴Gideon said to them, "Let me make a request of you, that every one of you give me the earrings from his plunder."(The Midianites had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)²⁵They answered, "We are glad to give them to you." They spread out a cloak and every man threw on it the earrings from his plunder.

²⁶The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold. This plunder was in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple clothing that was worn by the kings of Midian, and in addition to the chains that had been around their camels' necks.

²⁷Gideon made an ephod out of the earrings and put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there. It became a trap for Gideon and for those in his house.²⁸So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel and they did not raise their heads up again. So the land had peace for forty years in the days of Gideon.

²⁹Jerub-Baal, son of Joash, went and lived in his own house.³⁰Gideon had seventy sons who were his descendants, for he had many wives.³¹His concubine, who was in Shechem, also bore him a son, and Gideon gave him the name Abimelek.

³²Gideon, son of Joash, died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the clan of Abiezer.

³³It came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel turned again and prostituted themselves by worshiping the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.

³⁴The people of Israel did not remember to honor Yahweh, their God, who had rescued them from the hand of all their enemies on every side.³⁵They did not keep their promises to the house of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon), in return for all the good he had done in Israel.

¹Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's relatives at Shechem and he said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family,²"Please say this, so that all the leaders in Shechem may hear, 'Which is better for you, that all seventy sons of Jerub-Baal rule over you, or that just one rule over you?' Remember that I am your bone and your flesh."

³His mother's relatives spoke for him to the leaders of Shechem, and they agreed to follow Abimelek, for they said, "He is our brother."⁴They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used the silver to hire worthless and reckless men, who traveled with him.

⁵Abimelek went to his father's house at Ophrah, and upon one stone he murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. Only Jotham was left, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, for he hid himself.⁶All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo came together and they went and made Abimelek king, beside the oak near the pillar which is in Shechem.

⁷When Jotham was told about this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted and said to them, "Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.⁸The trees once went out to anoint a king over them. For they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'

⁹But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I give up my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, to sway over the other trees?'¹⁰The trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and reign over us.'¹¹But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I give up my sweetness and my good fruit, just so I could return and sway over the other trees?'

¹²The trees said to the vine, 'Come and reign over us.'¹³The vine said to them, 'Should I give up my new wine, which makes gods and mankind glad, and return and sway over the other trees?'¹⁴Then said all the trees to the thornbush, 'Come and reign over us.'

¹⁵The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you truly want to anoint me as king over you, then come and find refuge under my shade. If not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and let it burn up the cedars of Lebanon.'¹⁶Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and honesty, when you made Abimelek king, and if you have done well concerning Jerub-Baal and his house, and if you have punished him as he deserves—

¹⁷and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian—¹⁸but today you have risen up against my father's house and have killed his sons, seventy persons, upon one stone. Then you have made Abimelek, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative.

¹⁹If you acted with faithfulness and integrity with Jerub-Baal and his house, then you should rejoice in Abimelek, and let him also rejoice in you.²⁰But if not, let fire come out from Abimelek and burn up the men of Shechem and Beth Millo. Let fire come out from the men of Shechem and Beth Millo, to burn up Abimelek."²¹Jotham fled and ran away, and he went to Beer. He lived there because it was far away from Abimelek, his brother.

²²Abimelek ruled over Israel for three years.²³God sent an evil spirit between Abimelek and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem betrayed the trust they had with Abimelek.²⁴God did this so the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerub-Baal might be avenged and their blood be laid on Abimelek their brother, and the men of Shechem would be held responsible because they helped him murder his brothers.

²⁵So the leaders of Shechem positioned men to lie in wait on the hilltops that they might ambush him, and they robbed all who passed by them along that road. This was reported to Abimelek.

²⁶Gaal son of Ebed came with his relatives and they went over to Shechem. The leaders of Shechem had confidence in him.²⁷They went out into the field and gathered grapes from the vineyards, and they trampled on them. They held a festival in the house of their god, where they ate and drank, and they cursed Abimelek.

²⁸Gaal son of Ebed, said, "Who is Abimelek, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal? Is Zebul not his overseer? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve Abimelek?²⁹I wish that this people were under my command! Then would I remove Abimelek. I would say to Abimelek, 'Call out all your army.'"

³⁰When Zebul, the official of the city, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed his anger was kindled.³¹He sent messengers to Abimelek in order to deceive, saying, "See, Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives are coming to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you.

³²Now, get up during the night, you and the soldiers with you, and prepare an ambush in the fields.³³Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and make a raid on the city. When he and the people with him come out against you, do whatever you can to them."

³⁴So Abimelek got up during the night, he and all the men who were with him, and they set an ambush against Shechem—dividing into four units.³⁵Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate. Abimelek and the men who were with him came out of their hiding place.

³⁶When Gaal saw the men, he said to Zebul, "See, men are coming down from the hilltops!" Zebul said to him, "You are seeing the shadows on the hills like they are men."³⁷Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, men are coming down in the middle of the land, and one unit is coming by way of the oak of the diviners."

³⁸Then Zebul said to him, "Where are your proud words now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelek that we should serve him?' Are these not the men you despised? Go out now and fight against them."³⁹Gaal went out and he was leading the men of Shechem, and he fought Abimelek.⁴⁰Abimelek chased him, and Gaal fled before him. Many fell with deadly wounds before the entrance to the city gate.

⁴¹Abimelek stayed in Arumah. Zebul forced Gaal and his relatives out of Shechem.⁴²On the next day the people of Shechem went out into the field, and this was reported to Abimelek.⁴³He took his people, divided them into three units, and they set an ambush in the fields. He looked and saw the people coming out from the city and he attacked and killed them.

⁴⁴Abimelek and the units that were with him attacked and blocked the entrance to the city gate. The other two units attacked all who were in the field and killed them.⁴⁵Abimelek fought against the city all that day. He captured the city, and killed the people who were in it. He broke down the city walls and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-Berith.⁴⁷Abimelek was told that all the leaders had gathered together at the tower of Shechem.

⁴⁸Abimelek went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the men who were with him. Abimelek took an ax and cut off branches. He put it on his shoulder and ordered the men with him, "What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done."⁴⁹So every one cut off branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the wall of the tower, and they set the stronghold on fire, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰Then Abimelek went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and captured it.⁵¹But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in. Then they went up to the roof of the tower.

⁵²Abimelek came to the tower and fought against it, and he came up near to the door of the tower to burn it.⁵³But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelek's head and it crushed his skull.⁵⁴Then he called urgently to the young man who was his armor-bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, so no one will say about me, 'A woman killed him.'" So his young man pierced him through, and he died.

⁵⁵When the men of Israel saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.⁵⁶So God avenged the evil of Abimelek that he did to his father by killing his seventy brothers.⁵⁷God made all the evil of the men of Shechem turn back on their own heads and on them came the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal.

¹After Abimelek, Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man from Issachar who lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim, arose to deliver Israel.²He judged Israel twenty-three years. He died and was buried in Shamir.

³He was followed by Jair the Gileadite. He judged Israel twenty-two years.⁴He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.⁵Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

⁶The people of Israel added to the evil they had done in the sight of Yahweh and worshiped the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned Yahweh and no longer worshiped him.⁷Yahweh burned with anger toward Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites.

⁸They crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year, and for eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.⁹Then the Ammonites crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed.

¹⁰Then the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, saying, "We have sinned against you, because we abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals."¹¹Yahweh said to the people of Israel, "Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,¹²and also from the Sidonians? The Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you; you called out to me, and I delivered you from their power.

¹³Yet you abandoned me again and worshiped other gods. Therefore, I will not keep adding to the times I deliver you.¹⁴Go and call out to the gods that you have worshiped. Let them rescue you when you have trouble."

¹⁵The people of Israel said to Yahweh, "We have sinned. Do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please, rescue us this day."¹⁶They got rid of the foreign gods among them and they worshiped Yahweh. Then Yahweh could bear Israel's misery no longer.

¹⁷Then the Ammonites were summoned and set up camp in Gilead. The people of Israel came together and set up their camp at Mizpah.¹⁸The leaders of the people of Gilead said one to another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight the Ammonites? He will become the leader over all those who are living in Gilead."

¹Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father.²Gilead's wife also gave birth to his other sons. When his wife's sons grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave the house and said to him, "You are not going to inherit anything from our father's household. You are the son of another woman."³So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and worthless men gathered around Jephthah and they traveled with him.

⁴Some days later, the people of Ammon made war against Israel.⁵When the people of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob.⁶They said to Jephthah, "Come and be our leader that we may fight with the people of Ammon."

⁷Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "You hated me and forced me to leave my father's house. Why do you come to me now when you are in trouble?"⁸The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "That is why we are turning to you now; come with us and fight with the people of Ammon, and you will become the leader over all who live in Gilead."

⁹Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight against the people of Ammon, and if Yahweh gives us victory over them, I will be your leader."¹⁰The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "May Yahweh be witness between us if we do not do as we say!"¹¹So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him leader and commander over them. When he was before Yahweh in Mizpah, Jephthah repeated all the promises he made.

¹²Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, "What is this conflict between us? Why have you come with force to take our land?"¹³The king of the people of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, "Because when Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, over to the Jordan. Now give back those lands in peace."

¹⁴Again Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon,¹⁵and he said, "This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab and the land of the people of Ammon,¹⁶but they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds and on to Kadesh.

¹⁷When Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Please let us pass through your land,' the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he refused. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.¹⁸Then they went through the wilderness and turned away from the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and they went along the east side of the land of Moab and they camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not go into the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was Moab's border.

¹⁹Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon; Israel said to him, 'Please, let us pass through your land to the place that is ours.'²⁰But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his army together and camped at Jahaz, and there he fought against Israel.

²¹Then Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel and they defeated them. So Israel took all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country.²²They took over everything within the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness to the Jordan.

²³So then Yahweh, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites before his people Israel, and should you now take possession of their land?²⁴Will you not take over the land that Chemosh, your god, gives you? So whatever land Yahweh our God has given us, we will take over.²⁵Now are you really better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he dare to have an argument with Israel? Did he ever wage war against them?

²⁶While Israel lived for three hundred years in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are along the banks of the Arnon—why then did you not take them back during that time?²⁷I have not done you wrong, but you are doing me wrong by attacking me. Yahweh, the judge, will decide today between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon."

²⁸But the king of the people of Ammon rejected the warning Jephthah sent him.

²⁹Then the Spirit of Yahweh came on Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed through to the people of Ammon.³⁰Jephthah made a vow to Yahweh and said, "If you give me victory over the people of Ammon,³¹then whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the people of Ammon will belong to Yahweh, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering."

³²So Jephthah passed through to the people of Ammon to fight against them, and Yahweh gave him victory.³³He attacked them and caused a great slaughter from Aroer as far as Minnith—twenty cities—and to Abel Keramim. So the people of Ammon were subdued before the people of Israel.

³⁴Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah, and there his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. She was his only child, and besides her he had neither son nor daughter.³⁵As soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Oh! My daughter! You have crushed me with sorrow, and you have become one who troubles me! For I have opened my mouth to Yahweh, and I cannot turn back on my promise."

³⁶She said to him, "My father, you have made a vow to Yahweh, do to me everything you promised, because Yahweh has taken vengeance for you against your enemies, the Ammonites."³⁷She said to her father, "Let this promise be kept for me. Leave me alone for two months, that I may leave and go down to the hills and grieve over my virginity, I and my companions."

³⁸He said, "Go." He sent her away for two months. She left him, she and her companions, and they grieved her virginity in the hills.³⁹At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did with her according to the promise of the vow he had made. Now she had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel⁴⁰that the daughters of Israel every year, for four days, would retell the story of the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

¹A call went out to the men of Ephraim; they passed through Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you pass through to fight against the people of Ammon and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you."²Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were in a great conflict with the people of Ammon. When I called you, you did not rescue me from them.

³When I saw that you did not rescue me, I put my life in my own hand and passed through against the people of Ammon, and Yahweh gave me victory. Why have you come to fight against me today?"⁴Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and he fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead attacked the men of Ephraim because they said, "You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim—in Ephraim and Manasseh."

⁵The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. When any of the survivors of Ephraim said, "Let me go over the river," the men of Gilead would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"⁶then they would say to him, "Say: Shibboleth," and if he said "Sibboleth" (for he could not pronounce the word correctly), the Gileadites would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.

⁷Jephthah served as a judge over Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

⁸After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem served as a judge over Israel.⁹He had thirty sons. He gave away thirty daughters in marriage and he brought from the outside thirty daughters of other men for his sons. He judged Israel for seven years.

¹⁰Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.¹¹After him Elon the Zebulunite served as judge over Israel. He judged Israel for ten years.¹²Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

¹³After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite served as a judge over Israel.¹⁴He had forty sons and thirty grandsons. They rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel for eight years.¹⁵Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the hill country of the Amalekites.

¹The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

²There was a man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and so she had not given birth.

³The angel of Yahweh appeared to the woman and said to her, "See now, you have been barren, and you have not given birth, but you will conceive and you will give birth to a son.⁴Now be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean.

⁵Look, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son. No razor will be used upon his head, for the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines."

⁶Then the woman came and told her husband, "A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like that of an angel of God, very terrible. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.⁷He said to me, 'Look! You will become pregnant, and you will give birth to a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and do not eat any food that the law declares to be unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the time he is in your womb until the day of his death.'"

⁸Then Manoah prayed to Yahweh and said, "Oh, Lord, please let the man of God you sent come again to us so that he may teach us what we are to do for the child who soon will be born."⁹God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came to the woman again when she was sitting in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her.

¹⁰So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, "Look! The man has appeared to me—the one who came to me the other day!"¹¹Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, "Are you the man who spoke with my wife?" The man said, "I am."

¹²So Manoah said, "Now may your words come true. What will be the rules for the child, and what will be his work?"¹³The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, "She must carefully do everything that I said to her.¹⁴She may not eat anything that comes from the vines, and do not let her drink wine or strong drink or eat anything unclean. She must obey everything I have commanded her to do."

¹⁵Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, "Please stay for a while, to give us time to prepare a young goat for you."¹⁶The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to Yahweh." (Manoah did not know that he was the angel of Yahweh.)

¹⁷Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, "What is your name, so we may honor you when your words come true?"¹⁸The angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why do you ask my name? It is wonderful!"

¹⁹So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered them on the rock to Yahweh. He did something marvelous while Manoah and his wife were watching.²⁰When the flame went up from the altar toward the sky, the angel of Yahweh went up in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife saw this and lay facedown on the ground.

²¹The angel of Yahweh did not appear again to Manoah or his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Yahweh.²²Manoah said to his wife, "We are sure to die, because we have seen God!"

²³But his wife said to him, "If Yahweh wanted to kill us, he would not have received the burnt offering and the grain offering we gave him. He would not have shown us all these things, nor at this time would he have let us hear such things."

²⁴Later the woman gave birth to a son, and called his name Samson. The boy grew up and Yahweh blessed him.²⁵Yahweh's Spirit began to stir him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

¹Samson went down to Timnah, and there he saw a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines.²When he returned, he told his father and mother, "I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me to be my wife."

³His father and mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people? Are you going to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for when I look at her, she pleases me."⁴But his father and his mother did not know that this matter came from Yahweh, for he desired to create a conflict with the Philistines (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).

⁵Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And, look, there one of the young lions came up and was roaring at him.⁶Yahweh's Spirit suddenly came on him, and he tore the lion apart as easily as he would have torn apart a small goat, and he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

⁷He went and spoke with the woman, and when he looked at her, she pleased Samson.⁸A few days later when he returned to marry her, he turned aside to look for the carcass of the lion. And, look, there was a swarm of bees and honey in what was left of the lion's body.⁹He scraped up the honey in his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and his mother, he gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them he had taken the honey out of what was left of the lion's body.

¹⁰Samson's father went down to where the woman was, and Samson gave a feast there, for this was the custom of the young men.¹¹As soon as her relatives saw him, they brought him thirty of their friends to be with him.

¹²Samson said to them, "Let me now tell you a riddle. If one of you can find it out and tell me the answer during the seven days of the feast, I will give out thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.¹³But if you cannot tell me the answer, then you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes." They said to him, "Tell us your riddle, so we may hear it."

¹⁴He said to them,

"Out of the eater was something to eat;

out of the strong was something sweet."

But his guests could not find the answer in three days.

¹⁵On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Trick your husband so that he may tell us the answer to the riddle, or we will burn up you and your father's house. Did you invite us here in order to make us poor?"

¹⁶Samson's wife started to weep in front of him; she said, "All you do is hate me! You do not love me. You have told a riddle to some of my people, but you have not told me the answer." Samson said to her, "Look here, if I have not told my father or my mother, should I tell you?"¹⁷She cried during the seven days that their feast lasted. On the seventh day he told her the answer because she pressured him very much. She told the answer to the relatives of her people.

¹⁸Before the sun went down on the seventh day the men of the city said to him,

"What is sweeter than honey?

What is stronger than a lion?"

Samson said to them,

"If you had not plowed with my heifer,

you would not have found the answer to my riddle."

¹⁹Then Yahweh's Spirit suddenly came on Samson with power. Samson went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men. He took their plunder, and he gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he went up to his father's house.²⁰Samson's wife was given to his best friend.

¹After some days, during the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said to himself, "I will go to my wife's room." But her father would not allow him to go in.²Her father said, "I really thought you hated her, so I gave her to your friend. Her younger sister is more beautiful than she is, is she not? Take her instead."

³Samson said to them, "This time I will be innocent in regard to the Philistines when I hurt them."⁴Samson went and caught three hundred foxes and he tied together each pair, tail to tail. Then he took torches and tied them in the middle of each pair of tails.

⁵When he had set the torches on fire, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and they set fire to both the stacked grain and the grain standing in the field, along with the vineyards and the olive orchards.⁶The Philistines asked, "Who did this?" They were told, "Samson, the Timnite's son-in-law, did this because the Timnite took Samson's wife and gave her to his friend." Then the Philistines went and burned up her and her father.

⁷Samson said to them, "If this is what you do, I will get my revenge against you, and after that is done, I will stop."⁸Then he cut them to pieces, hip and thigh, with a great slaughter. Then he went down and lived in a cave in the cliff of Etam.

⁹Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah and spread out in Lehi.¹⁰The men of Judah said, "Why have you come up against us?" They said, "We have come up so we may capture Samson, and do to him as he has done to us."

¹¹Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in the cliff of Etam, and they said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this you have done to us?" Samson said to them, "They did to me, and so I have done to them."

¹²They said to Samson, "We have come down to tie you up and give you into the hands of the Philistines." Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves."¹³They said to him, "No, we will only tie you with ropes and hand you over to them. We promise we will not kill you." Then they tied him up with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

¹⁴When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting as they met him. Then Yahweh's Spirit came on him with power. The ropes on his arms became like burnt flax, and they fell off his hands.

¹⁵Samson found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and he picked it up and killed a thousand men with it.¹⁶Samson said,

"With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps,

with the jawbone of a donkey I have killed a thousand men."

¹⁷When Samson finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone, and he called the place Ramath Lehi.¹⁸Samson was very thirsty and called on Yahweh and said, "You have given this great victory to your servant. But now will I die of thirst and fall into the hands of those who are uncircumcised?"

¹⁹God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi and water came out. When he drank, his strength returned and he revived. So he called the name of that place En Hakkore, and it is at Lehi to this day.²⁰Samson judged Israel in the days of the Philistines for twenty years.

¹Samson went to Gaza and saw a prostitute there, and he went to her.²The Gazites were told, "Samson has come here." The Gazites surrounded the place and in secret, they waited for him all night at the city gate. They kept silent all night. They had said, "Let us wait until daylight, and then let us kill him."

³Samson lay in bed until midnight. At midnight he got up and he took hold of the city gate and its two posts. He pulled them up out of the ground, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the hill, in front of Hebron.

⁴After this, Samson came to love a woman who lived in the Valley of Sorek. Her name was Delilah.⁵The rulers of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, "Trick Samson to see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him in order to humiliate him. Do this, and each one of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver."

⁶Then Delilah said to Samson, "Please, tell me how is it that you are so strong, and how could anyone bind you, so you might be controlled?"⁷Samson said to her, "If they tie me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

⁸Then the rulers of the Philistines brought up to Delilah seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied Samson up with them.⁹Now she had men hiding in secret, staying in her inner room. She said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he broke the bowstrings like a thread of yarn when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

¹⁰Then Delilah said to Samson, "This is how you have deceived me and told me lies. Please, tell me how you can be overpowered."¹¹He said to her, "If they tie me up with new ropes which have never been used for work, I will become weak and like any other man."¹²So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them, and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" The men lying in wait were in the inner room. But Samson tore off the ropes from his arms like they were a piece of thread.

¹³Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have deceived me and told me lies. Tell me how you may be overpowered." Samson said to her, "If you weave seven locks of my hair into a fabric on a loom, and then nail that to the loom, I will be like any other man."¹⁴While he slept, Delilah wove seven locks of his hair into the fabric on the loom and nailed it to the loom, and she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" He woke from his sleep and he pulled out the fabric and the pin from the loom.

¹⁵She said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you do not share your secrets with me? You have mocked me these three times and have not told me how you have such great strength."¹⁶Every day she pressed him hard with her words, and she pressured him so much that he wished he would die.

¹⁷So Samson told her everything and said to her, "I have never had a razor cut the hair on my head, for I have been a Nazirite for God from my mother's womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I will become weak and be like every other man."

¹⁸When Delilah saw that he had told her the truth about everything, she sent and called for the rulers of the Philistines, saying, "Come up again, for he has told me everything." Then the rulers of the Philistines went up to her, bringing the silver in their hands.¹⁹She had him fall asleep in her lap. She called for a man to shave off the seven locks of his head, and she began to subdue him, for his strength had left him.

²⁰She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" He woke up out of his sleep and said, "I will get out like the other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that Yahweh had left him.²¹The Philistines captured him and put out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. He turned the millstone at the prison house.²²But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

²³The rulers of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. They said, "Our god has conquered Samson, our enemy, and put him in our hands."²⁴When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, "Our god has conquered our enemy and given him to us—the destroyer of our country, who killed many of us."

²⁵When they were celebrating, they said, "Call for Samson, that he may make us laugh." They called for Samson out of the prison and he made them laugh. They made him stand between the pillars.²⁶Samson said to the boy who held his hand, "Permit me to touch the pillars on which the building rests, so that I can lean against them."

²⁷Now the house was full of men and women. All the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who were looking on while Samson was entertaining them.

²⁸Samson called to Yahweh and said, "Lord Yahweh, call me to mind! Please strengthen me only this once, God, so that I may have revenge in one blow on the Philistines for taking my two eyes."²⁹Samson held on to the two middle pillars on which the building rested, and he leaned against them, one pillar with his right hand, and the other with his left.

³⁰Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" He stretched out with his strength and the building fell on the rulers and on all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed when he died were more than those he killed during his life.³¹Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down. They took him, brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial place of Manoah, his father. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.

¹There was a man in the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Micah.²He said to his mother, "The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you spoke a curse, and which I heard—look here! I have the silver with me. I stole it." His mother said, "May Yahweh bless you, my son!"

³He restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother and his mother said, "I set apart this silver to Yahweh, for my son to make a carved image and a cast metal figure. So now, I restore it to you."⁴When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to a metal worker who made them into a carved image and a cast metal figure, and they were placed in the house of Micah.

⁵The man Micah had a house of idols and he made an ephod and household gods, and he hired one of his sons to become his priest.⁶In those days there was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

⁷Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah, who was a Levite. He stayed there to fulfill his duties.⁸The man left Bethlehem in Judah to go and find a place to live. As he journeyed, he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.⁹Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" The man said to him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am traveling to find a place where I might live."

¹⁰Micah said to him, "Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your food." So the Levite went into his house.¹¹The Levite was content to live with the man, and the young man became to Micah like one of his sons.

¹²Micah set apart the Levite for sacred duties, and the young man became his priest, and was in Micah's house.¹³Then Micah said, "Now I know that Yahweh will do good for me, because this Levite has become my priest."

¹In those days there was no king in Israel. The tribe of the descendants of Dan was looking for a territory to live in, for up to that day they had not received any inheritance from among the tribes of Israel.²The people of Dan sent five men from the whole number of their tribe, men who were experienced warriors from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to scout the land on foot, and to look it over. They said to them, "Go and look over the land." They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and they spent the night there.

³When they were near Micah's house, they recognized the speech of the young Levite. So they stopped and asked him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?"⁴He said to them, "This is what Micah has done for me: He has hired me to become his priest."

⁵They said to him, "Please seek the advice of God, so we may know whether the journey we are going on will be successful."⁶The priest said to them, "Go in peace. Yahweh will lead you in the way you should go."

⁷Then the five men left and came to Laish, and they saw that the people were living in safety, in the same way the Sidonians lived, undisturbed and secure. There was no one who conquered them or who oppressed them in any way in the land. They lived far away from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.⁸They returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol. Their relatives asked them, "What is your report?"

⁹They said, "Come! Let us attack them! We have seen the land and it is very good. Are you doing nothing? Do not be slow to attack and conquer the land.¹⁰When you go, you will come to a secure people, and the land is wide! God has given it to you—a place that does not lack anything in the land."

¹¹Six hundred men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.¹²They went up and camped at Kiriath Jearim, in Judah. This is why people called that place Mahaneh Dan to this day; it is west of Kiriath Jearim.

¹³They went away from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.

¹⁴Then the five men who had gone to scout the country of Laish said to their relatives, "Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a cast metal figure? Decide now what you will do."

¹⁵So they turned in there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, at the house of Micah, and they greeted him.¹⁶Now the six hundred Danites, armed with weapons of war, stood at the entrance of the gate.

¹⁷The five men who had gone to scout out the land went there and they took the carved figure, the ephod, the household gods, and the cast metal figure, while the priest stood by the opening of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.¹⁸When these went into Micah's house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the cast metal figure, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"

¹⁹They said to him, "Be quiet! Put your hand on your mouth and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest for the house of one man, or to be priest for a tribe and a clan in Israel?"²⁰The priest's heart was glad. He took the ephod, the household gods, and the carved figure, and went along with the people.

²¹So they turned and went away, putting the little children, their livestock and their valuable possessions in front of them.²²When they were a good distance from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house were called together, and they caught up with the Danites.²³They shouted to the Danites, and they turned and said to Micah, "Why have you been called together?"

²⁴He said, "You stole the gods that I made, you have taken my priest, and you are leaving. What else do I have left? How can you ask me, 'What is bothering you?'"²⁵The people of Dan said to him, "You should not let us hear you say anything, or some very angry men will attack you, and you and your family will be killed."²⁶Then the people of Dan went their way. When Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

²⁷The people of Dan took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and they came to Laish, to a people who were undisturbed and secure and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city.²⁸There was no one to rescue them because it was a long way from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that is near Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.²⁹They named the city Dan, the name of Dan their ancestor, who was one of Israel's sons. But the name of the city used to be Laish.

³⁰The people of Dan set up the carved figure for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of the Danites until the day of the land's captivity.³¹So they worshiped Micah's carved figure that he made as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.

¹In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a man, a Levite, living for a while in the most remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. He took for himself a woman, a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.²But his concubine acted like a prostitute against him; she left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem of Judah. She stayed there for four months.

³Then her husband got up and went after her in order to persuade her to come back. His servant was with him, and a yoke of donkeys. She brought him into her father's house. When the girl's father saw him, he was glad to meet him.⁴His father-in-law, the girl's father, persuaded him to stay for three days. They ate and drank, and they spent the night there.

⁵On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a bit of bread, then you may go."⁶So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Then the girl's father said, "Please be willing to spend the night and have a good time."

⁷When the Levite got up to leave, the father of the young woman urged him to stay, so he changed his plan and spent the night there again.⁸On the fifth day he woke up early to leave, but the girl's father said, "Strengthen yourself, and wait until the afternoon." So the two of them had a meal.

⁹When the Levite and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl's father said to him, "See now, the day is advancing toward evening. Please stay another night, and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and go back home."

¹⁰But the Levite was not willing to spend the night. He got up and left. He went toward Jebus (that is Jerusalem). He had a pair of saddled donkeys—and his concubine was with him.¹¹When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, "Come, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it."

¹²His master said to him, "We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who do not belong to the people of Israel. We will go on to Gibeah."¹³The Levite said to his young man, "Come, let us go to one of those other places, and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah."

¹⁴So they went on, and the sun set as they came near to Gibeah, in the territory of Benjamin.¹⁵They turned aside there to spend the night in Gibeah. They went and sat down in the city square, but no one took them into his house for the night.

¹⁶But then an old man was coming from his work in the field that evening. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was staying for a while in Gibeah. But the men living in that place were Benjamites.¹⁷He raised his eyes and saw the traveler in the city square. The old man said, "Where are you going? Where are you coming from?"

¹⁸The Levite said to him, "We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to the most remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, which is where I come from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of Yahweh, but there is no one who will take me into his house.¹⁹We have straw and feed for our donkeys, and there is bread and wine for me and your female servant here, and for this young man with your servants. We lack nothing."

²⁰The old man greeted them, "Peace be with you! I will take care of all your needs. Only do not spend the night in the square."²¹So the man brought the Levite into his house and gave feed to the donkeys. They washed their feet and ate and drank.

²²While they were making their hearts glad, some men of the city, worthless men, surrounded the house, beating on the door. They spoke to the old man, the master of the house, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house, so we can know him."²³The man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, please do not do this evil thing! Since this man is a guest in my house, do not do this act of disgraceful folly!

²⁴See, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them whatever you like. But do not do such an act of disgraceful folly to this man!"²⁵But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them. They raped her and abused her all throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.²⁶At dawn the woman came and she fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, and she lay there until it was light.

²⁷Her master rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way. He could see his concubine lying there at the door, with her hands on the threshold.²⁸The Levite said to her, "Get up. Let us go." But there was no answer. He put her on the donkey, and the man set out for home.

²⁹When the Levite came to his house, he took a knife, and he took hold of his concubine, and cut her up, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent the pieces everywhere throughout Israel.³⁰All who saw this said, "Such a thing has never been done or seen from the day the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this present day. Think about it! Give us advice! Tell us what to do!"

¹Then all the people of Israel—from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead also—came out, and the congregation assembled together as one man before Yahweh at Mizpah.²The leaders of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, took their places in the assembly of the people of God—400,000 footmen ready to fight with the sword.

³Now the people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. The people of Israel said, "Tell us how this wicked thing happened."⁴The Levite, the husband of the woman who had been murdered, answered, "I came to Gibeah in the territory that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.

⁵During the night, the leaders of Gibeah attacked me, surrounding the house, intending to kill me. They raped my concubine, and she died.⁶I took my concubine and cut her body into pieces, and sent them into each region of Israel's inheritance, because they have committed wickedness and an act of disgraceful folly in Israel.⁷Now, all you people of Israel, give your advice and counsel here."

⁸All the people arose together as one man, and they said, "None of us will go to his tent, and none of us will return to his house!⁹But now this is what we must do to Gibeah: We will attack it as the lot directs us.

¹⁰We will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of a thousand, and one thousand of ten thousand, to get provisions for these people, so that when they come to Gibeah in Benjamin, they may punish them for the act of disgraceful folly they committed in Israel."¹¹So all the men of Israel assembled against the city, united as one man.

¹²The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this wickedness that was done among you?¹³Therefore, give us those wicked men of Gibeah, so we may put them to death, and so we will completely remove this evil from Israel." But the Benjamites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.¹⁴Then the sons of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to get ready to fight against the sons of Israel.

¹⁵The people of Benjamin brought together from their cities to fight on that day twenty-six thousand soldiers who were trained to fight with the sword. In addition, there were seven hundred of their chosen men from the inhabitants of Gibeah.¹⁶Among all these soldiers were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Each of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

¹⁷The people of Israel, not counting the number from Benjamin, numbered 400,000 men, who were trained to fight with the sword. All of these were men of war.¹⁸The people of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked for advice from God. They asked, "Who first will attack the people of Benjamin for us?" Yahweh said, "Judah will attack first."

¹⁹The sons of Israel got up in the morning and they moved their camp near Gibeah.²⁰The men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin. They set up their battle positions against them at Gibeah.²¹The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and they killed twenty-two thousand men from among Israel on that day.

²²But the men of Israel strengthened themselves and they formed the battle line in the same place where they had taken positions on the first day.²³Then the people of Israel went up and they wept before Yahweh until evening, and they sought direction from Yahweh. They said, "Should we go again to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?" Yahweh said, "Attack them!"

²⁴So the people of Israel went against the soldiers of Benjamin the second day.²⁵On the second day, Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah and they killed eighteen thousand men from the people of Israel. All were men who trained to fight with the sword.

²⁶Then all the people of Israel, all the people, went up to Bethel and wept, and there they sat before Yahweh and they fasted that day until the evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

²⁷The people of Israel asked Yahweh—for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,²⁸and Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron, was serving before the ark in those days—"Should we go out to battle once more against the people of Benjamin, our brothers, or stop?" Yahweh said, "Attack, for tomorrow I will help you defeat them."

²⁹So Israel set men in secret places around Gibeah.³⁰The people of Israel fought against the people of Benjamin for the third day, and they formed their battle lines against Gibeah as they had done before.

³¹The people of Benjamin went and fought against the people, and they were drawn away from the city. They began to kill some of the people. There were about thirty men of Israel who died in the fields and on the roads. One of the roads went up to Bethel, and the other went to Gibeah.

³²Then the people of Benjamin said, "They are defeated and they are running away from us, just as at first." But the people Israel said, "Let us run back and draw them away from the city to the roads."³³All the men of Israel rose up out of their places and formed themselves into lines for battle at Baal Tamar. Then the people of Israel who had been hiding in secret places ran out from their places from Maareh Gibeah.

³⁴Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came out against Gibeah, and the fighting was fierce, but the Benjamites did not know that disaster was close to them.³⁵Yahweh defeated Benjamin before Israel. On that day, the people of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin. All these who died were those who had been trained to fight with the sword.

³⁶So the people of Benjamin saw they were defeated. The men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin, because they were trusting in the men they had placed in hidden positions outside Gibeah.³⁷Then the men who were hiding got up and hurried, and they rushed into Gibeah, and they struck all the city with the edge of the sword.³⁸The arranged signal between the men of Israel and the men hiding in secret would be that a great cloud of smoke would rise up out of the city.

³⁹When the signal was sent the men of Israel would turn from the battle. Now Benjamin began to attack and they killed about thirty men of Israel, and they said, "It is sure that they are defeated before us, as in the first battle."

⁴⁰But when a pillar of smoke began to rise up out of the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the smoke rising to the sky from the whole city.⁴¹Then the men of Israel turned against them. The men of Benjamin were terrified, for they saw that disaster had come on them.

⁴²So they ran away from the men of Israel, escaping on the way to the wilderness. But the fighting overtook them. The men of Israel came out of the cities and destroyed them where they stood.

⁴³They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them and trampled them down at Nohah, all the way to the east side of Gibeah.⁴⁴From the tribe of Benjamin, eighteen thousand people died, all of them men who were distinguished in battle.

⁴⁵They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. The Israelites killed five thousand more of them along the roads. They kept going after them, following them closely all the way to Gidom, and there they killed two thousand more.⁴⁶All the soldiers of Benjamin who fell that day were twenty-five thousand—men who were trained to fight with the sword; all of them were distinguished in battle.

⁴⁷But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness, toward the rock of Rimmon. For four months they stayed at the rock of Rimmon.⁴⁸And the men of Israel turned back against the descendants of Benjamin and struck down with the edge of the sword the entire city, the animals and everything that they found. They also burned down every town in their path.

¹Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, "None of us will give his daughter to marry a Benjamite."²Then the people went to Bethel and sat there before God until the evening, and with loud voices they wept bitterly.³They called out, "Why, Yahweh, God of Israel, has this happened to Israel, that one of our tribes should be missing today?"

⁴The next day the people got up early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.⁵The people of Israel said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to Yahweh?" For they had made an important oath concerning anyone who did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah. They said, "He would certainly be put to death."

⁶The people of Israel had compassion for their brother Benjamin. They said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel.⁷Who will provide wives for those who are left, since we have made an oath to Yahweh that we will not let any of them marry our daughters?"

⁸They said, "Which of the tribes of Israel did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah?" It was found that no one had come to the assembly from Jabesh Gilead.⁹For when the people were set out in an orderly manner, behold, none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.¹⁰The assembly sent twelve thousand of their bravest men with instructions to go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children.

¹¹"Do this: Every male and every woman who has known a man by lying with him you will devote to destruction."¹²The men found among those living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan.

¹³The entire assembly sent a message and told the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon that they were offering them peace.¹⁴The Benjamites returned at that time and they were given the women of Jabesh Gilead who had been kept alive, but there were not enough women for all of them.¹⁵The people had compassion on Benjamin, because Yahweh had made a division between the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶Then the elders of the assembly said, "How will we arrange wives for the Benjamites who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been killed?"¹⁷They said, "There must be an inheritance for the escaped remnant of Benjamin, so that a tribe is not destroyed from Israel.

¹⁸We cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the people of Israel had sworn, saying, 'Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin.'"¹⁹So they said, "You know there is a feast for Yahweh every year at Shiloh (which is north of Bethel, east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah)."

²⁰They instructed the men of Benjamin, saying, "Go and hide in secret and wait in the vineyards.²¹Watch for the time when the girls from Shiloh come out to dance, then rush out of the vineyards and each one of you should grab a wife from the girls of Shiloh, then go back to the land of Benjamin.

²²When their fathers or their brothers come to protest to us, we will say to them, 'Show us favor! Let them remain because we did not get wives for each man during the war. You are innocent, since you did not give your daughters to them.'"

²³The people of Benjamin did so. They took the number of wives that they needed from the girls who were dancing and they carried them off to be their wives. They went and returned to the place of their inheritance. They rebuilt the towns and lived in them.²⁴Then the people of Israel left that place and went home, each one to his own tribe and clan, and each one to his own inheritance.

²⁵In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

¹Some modern translations read Please let me glean and gather among the bundle of grain after the reapers .

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have, Put on your best piece of clothing . However, a marginal note instructs readers to read, Put on your best clothes. Translators are free to choose for themselves.

1 Samuel

¹There was a certain man of Ramathaim of the Zuphites, of the hill country of Ephraim; his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ¹²He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

³This man went from his city year after year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.⁴When the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice each year, he always gave portions of the meat to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.

⁵But to Hannah he always gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although Yahweh had closed her womb.⁶Her rival provoked her severely in order to irritate her, because Yahweh had closed her womb.

⁷So year after year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh with her family, her rival always provoked her. Therefore she used to weep and eat nothing.⁸Elkanah her husband always said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

⁹On one of these occasions, Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the doorway to the temple of Yahweh.¹⁰She was deeply distressed; she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly.

¹¹She made a vow and said, "Yahweh of hosts, if you will look on the affliction of your servant and call me to mind, and do not forget your servant, but give your servant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor will ever touch his head."

¹²As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli watched her mouth.¹³Hannah spoke in her heart. Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.¹⁴Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine."

¹⁵Hannah answered, "No, my master, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before Yahweh.¹⁶Do not consider your servant to be a worthless woman; I have been speaking out of the abundance of my great concern and provocation."

¹⁷Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace; may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked him for."¹⁸She said, "Let your servant find favor in your eyes." Then the woman went her way and ate; her face was no longer sad.

¹⁹They rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh, and then they returned again to their house in Ramah. Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.²⁰When the time came, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from Yahweh."

²¹Once again, Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.²²But Hannah did not go; she had said to her husband, "I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before Yahweh and live there forever."²³Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only, may Yahweh confirm his word." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.

²⁴When she had weaned him, she took him with her, along with a three-year-old bull, ² one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh. Now the child was still young.²⁵They killed the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.

²⁶She said, "Oh, my master! As you live, my master, I am the woman who stood here next to you praying to Yahweh.²⁷For this child I prayed and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him.²⁸I have given him to Yahweh, as long as he lives he is lent to Yahweh." Then he worshiped Yahweh there. ³

¹Some modern translations have Ramathaim Zophim, but it is understood that Zophim really refers to the region in which the clan descended from Zuph resided.

²Some translations of the copies of the ancient Hebrew text have three bulls instead of a three-year-old bull .

³Some modern translations have Then they worshiped Yahweh there .

¹Hannah prayed and said,

"My heart rejoices in Yahweh.

My horn is exalted in Yahweh.

My mouth boasts over my enemies,

because I rejoice in your salvation.

²There is no one holy like Yahweh,

for there is none besides you;

there is no rock like our God.

³Boast no more so very proudly;

let no arrogance come out of your mouth.

For Yahweh is a God of knowledge;

by him acts are weighed.

⁴The bows of the mighty men are broken,

but those who stumble are girded with strength.

⁵Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread;

those who were hungry have stopped being hungry.

Even the barren one gives birth to seven,

but the woman who has many children becomes weak.

⁶Yahweh kills and brings to life.

He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

⁷Yahweh makes some people poor and some rich.

He humbles, but he also lifts up.

⁸He raises up the poor out of the dust.

He lifts the needy from the ash heap

to make them sit with princes

and inherit the seat of honor.

For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh's

and he has set the world upon them.

⁹He will guard the feet of his faithful people,

but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness,

for no one will prevail by strength.

¹⁰Those who oppose Yahweh will be broken to pieces;

he will thunder against them from heaven.

Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

and exalt the horn of his anointed."

¹¹Then Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house. The child served Yahweh in the presence of Eli the priest.

¹²Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know Yahweh.¹³The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand, while the meat was boiling.¹⁴He would stick it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. They did this in Shiloh with all of Israel that came there.

¹⁵Worse, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who was sacrificing, "Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw."¹⁶If the man said to him, "They must burn the fat first, and then take as much as you want." Then he would say, "No, you will give it me now; if not, I will take it by force."¹⁷The sin of these young men was very great before Yahweh, for they despised Yahweh's offering.

¹⁸But Samuel served Yahweh as a child clothed with a linen ephod.¹⁹His mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

²⁰Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May Yahweh give you more children by this woman because of the request she made of Yahweh." Then they would return to their own home.²¹Yahweh again helped Hannah, and again she conceived. She bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the child Samuel grew before Yahweh.

²²Now Eli was very old; he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they were lying with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.²³He said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil actions from all these people.²⁴No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear. You make Yahweh's people disobey.

²⁵If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will speak for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.²⁶The child Samuel grew up, and increased in favor with Yahweh and also with men.

²⁷Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "Yahweh says, 'Did I not reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to the house of Pharaoh?²⁸I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, and to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me. I gave to the house of your father all the offerings of the people of Israel made with fire.

²⁹Why, then, do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings, which I commanded in the place where I live? Why do you honor your sons above me by making yourselves fat with the best of every offering of my people Israel?'³⁰Therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, declares, 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever.' But now Yahweh declares, 'Far be it from me to do this, for I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be lightly esteemed.

³¹See, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will no longer be any old man in your house.³²You will see distress in the place where I live. Although good will be given to Israel, there will no longer be any old man in your house.³³Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your eyes to fail, and I will cause grief in your heart, then all the increase of your house will die while men.

³⁴This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.³⁵I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build him a sure house; and he will walk before my anointed king forever.

³⁶Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him, asking for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, "Please assign me to one of the priests' positions so I can eat a piece of bread."'"

¹The child Samuel served Yahweh under Eli. Yahweh's word was rare in those days; there was no frequent prophetic vision.²At that time, Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see well, was lying down in his own bed.³The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was.⁴Yahweh called to Samuel, who said, "Here I am."

⁵Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Eli said, "I did not call you; lie down again." So Samuel went and lay down.⁶Yahweh called again, "Samuel." Again Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son; lie down again."

⁷Now Samuel did not yet have any experience of Yahweh, nor had any message from Yahweh ever been revealed to him.⁸Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. Again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli realized that Yahweh had called the boy.

⁹Then Eli said to Samuel, "Go and lie down again; if he calls you again, you must say, 'Speak, Yahweh, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his own place once more.

¹⁰Yahweh came and stood; he called as at the other times, "Samuel, Samuel." Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."¹¹Yahweh said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

¹²On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have said about his house, from beginning to end.¹³I have told him that I am about to judge his house once for all for the iniquity that he knew about, because his sons brought a curse upon themselves and he did not stop them.¹⁴Because of this I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of his house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering."

¹⁵Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.¹⁶Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." Samuel said, "Here I am."

¹⁷He said, "What was the word he spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and even more, if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you."¹⁸Samuel told him everything; he hid nothing from him. Eli said, "It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him."

¹⁹Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him, and he let none of his prophetic words fall to the ground.²⁰All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was appointed to be a prophet of Yahweh.²¹Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for he revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by his word.

¹The word of Samuel came to all of Israel.

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They set up camp at Ebenezer, and the Philistines set up camp at Aphek.

²The Philistines lined up for battle against Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.

³When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh here from Shiloh, that it may be here with us, that it might keep us safe from the hands of our enemies."⁴So the people sent men to Shiloh; from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts, who sits above the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

⁵When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all of the people of Israel gave a great shout of joy, and the earth resounded.⁶When the Philistines heard the noise of the joyful shouting, they said, "What does this loud joyful shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" Then they realized that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp.

⁷The Philistines were afraid; they said, "A god has come into the camp." They said, "Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before!⁸Woe to us! Who will protect us from the strength of these mighty gods? These are the gods who attacked the Egyptians with many different kinds of plagues in the wilderness.⁹Take courage, and be men, you Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you. Be men, and fight."

¹⁰The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated. Every man fled to his tent, and the slaughter was very great; for thirty thousand footmen from Israel fell.¹¹The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

¹²A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, arriving with his clothes torn and earth on his head.¹³When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching because his heart trembled with concern for the ark of God. When the man entered the city and told the news, the whole city cried out.

¹⁴When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, "What is the meaning of this uproar?" The man quickly came and told Eli.¹⁵Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; his eyes did not focus, and he could not see.

¹⁶The man said to Eli, "I am the one who came from the battle line. I fled from the battle today." Eli said, "How did it go, my son?"¹⁷The man who brought the news answered and said, "Israel fled from the Philistines. Also, there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken."

¹⁸When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate. His neck was broken, and he died, because he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.

¹⁹Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she knelt down and gave birth, but her labor pains overwhelmed her.²⁰About the time of her death the women attending to her said, "Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer or take what they said to heart.

²¹She called the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has gone away from Israel!" for the ark of God had been captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.²²She said, "The glory has gone away from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured."

¹Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.²The Philistines took the ark of God, brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it up beside Dagon.³When the people of Ashdod got up early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen facedown on the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they took Dagon and set him up in his place again.

⁴But when they got up early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen facedown on the ground before the ark of Yahweh. The head of Dagon and both of his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon remained.⁵This is why, even today, the priests of Dagon and anyone who comes into Dagon's house does not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod.

⁶Yahweh's hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod. He destroyed them and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.⁷When the men of Ashdod realized what was happening, they said, "The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, because his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god."

⁸So they sent for and gathered together all of the rulers of the Philistines; they said to them, "What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." So they carried the ark of the God of Israel there.⁹But after they brought it around, Yahweh's hand was against the city, causing a very great tumult. He afflicted the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.

¹⁰So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came into Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people."

¹¹So they sent for and gathered together all of the rulers of the Philistines; they said to them, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people." For there was a deathly tumult throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.¹²The men who did not die were afflicted with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to the heavens.

¹Now the ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines for seven months.²Then the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners; they said to them, "What should we do with the ark of Yahweh? Tell us how we should send it back to its own country."

³The priests and diviners said, "If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it without a gift; by all means send him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted off of you until now."⁴Then they said, "What should the guilt offering be that we are returning to him?" They replied, "Five golden tumors and five golden mice, five being the number that is the same as the number of the rulers of the Philistines. For the same plague afflicted you and your rulers.

⁵So you must make models of your tumors, and models of your mice that are ruining the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you, from your gods, and from your land.⁶Why should you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? That was when the God of Israel dealt severely with them; did not the Egyptians send away the people, and they left?

⁷Now then, prepare a new cart with two nursing cows that have never been yoked. Tie the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them.⁸Take the ark of Yahweh and place it on the cart, and put the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering, in a box beside it. Send it off and let it go its way,⁹but watch. If it goes up the road to its own land toward Beth Shemesh, then it is Yahweh who has caused us this great harm. But if not, then we will know that it is not his hand that afflicted us; it happened to us by chance."

¹⁰The men did as they were told; they took two nursing cows, tied them to the cart, and confined their calves at home.¹¹They put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, together with a box containing the golden mice and the castings of their tumors.¹²The cows went straight in the direction of Beth Shemesh. They went along one highway, lowing as they went, and they did not turn aside either to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

¹³Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley. When they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced.

¹⁴The cart came into the field of Joshua from the town of Beth Shemesh and stopped there. A great stone was there, and they split the wood from the cart, and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Yahweh.¹⁵The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh and the box that was with it, where the golden figures were, and put them on the great stone. The men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.

¹⁶When the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they returned that day to Ekron.

¹⁷These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to Yahweh—one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron.¹⁸The golden mice were the same in number as the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five rulers, both fortified cities and country villages. The great stone, beside which they set down the ark of Yahweh, remains a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Bethshemite.

¹⁹Yahweh attacked some of the men of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh. He killed 50,070 men. The people mourned, because Yahweh had given the people a great blow. ¹²⁰The men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from us?"

²¹They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come down and take it back with you."

¹Instead of 50,070 men , some later copies and modern translations have, seventy men .

¹The men of Kiriath Jearim came, took the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill. They set apart his son Eleazar to keep the ark of Yahweh.²From the day the ark remained in Kiriath Jearim, a long time passed, twenty years. All the house of Israel lamented and wished to turn to Yahweh.

³Samuel said to the entire house of Israel, "If you return to Yahweh with your whole heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, turn your hearts to Yahweh, and worship him only, then he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines."⁴Then the people of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and worshiped Yahweh only.

⁵Then Samuel said, "Bring together all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you."⁶They gathered at Mizpah, drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted that day and said, "We have sinned against Yahweh." It was there that Samuel decided disputes for the people of Israel and led the people.

⁷Now when the Philistines heard the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines attacked Israel. When the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.⁸Then the people of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not stop calling out to Yahweh our God for us, so he will save us from the hand of the Philistines."

⁹Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Then Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.

¹⁰As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But Yahweh thundered with a loud sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.¹¹The men of Israel went from Mizpah, and they pursued the Philistines and killed them as far as below Beth Kar.

¹²Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far Yahweh has helped us."

¹³So the Philistines were subdued and they did not enter the border of Israel. The hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.¹⁴The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; Israel brought back their territory from the Philistines. Then there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.¹⁶Each year he went on a circuit to Bethel, to Gilgal, and to Mizpah. He decided disputes for Israel in all these places.¹⁷Then he would return to Ramah, because his house was there; and there also he decided disputes for Israel. He also built an altar there to Yahweh.

¹When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.²The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.³His sons did not walk in his ways, but chased after dishonest gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.⁵They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations."

⁶But it displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to Yahweh.⁷Yahweh said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in everything they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.

⁸The same deeds they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt—abandoning me and serving other gods—they are now doing also to you.⁹Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know by what ordinances the king will reign over them."

¹⁰So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who were asking for a king.¹¹He said, "These will be the ordinances of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots.¹²He will appoint for himself captains of thousands and captains of fifties. He will make some plow his ground, some reap his harvest, and some make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.

¹³He will also take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.¹⁴He will take the very best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, and give them to his servants.¹⁵He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give to his officers and his servants.

¹⁶He will take your male servants and your female servants and the best of your cattle ¹ and your donkeys; he will put them all to work for him.¹⁷He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.¹⁸Then on that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves; but Yahweh will not answer you on that day."

¹⁹But the people refused to listen to Samuel; they said, "No! There must be a king over us²⁰so that we might be like all the other nations, and so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

²¹When Samuel heard all the words of the people he repeated them in the ears of Yahweh.²²Yahweh said to Samuel, "Obey their voice and cause a king to reign over them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man must go to his own city."

¹The Hebrew text can be read as: young men instead of cattle.

¹There was a man from Benjamin, a man of great wealth. His name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Bekorath son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite.²He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no man among the people of Israel who was a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

³Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, "Take one of the servants with you; arise and go search for the donkeys."⁴So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and went through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

⁵When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, let us go back, or my father may stop caring for the donkeys and become anxious about us."⁶But the servant said to him, "See now, there is a man of God in this city. He is a man who is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; maybe he can tell us which way we should go on our journey."

⁷Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sack is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"⁸The servant answered Saul and said, "Here, I have with me one-fourth of a shekel of silver that I will give to the man of God, to tell us which way we should go."

⁹(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to seek the knowledge of God's will, he said, "Come, let us go to the seer." For today's prophet was formerly called a seer.)¹⁰Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said. Come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

¹¹As they went up the hill to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water; Saul and his servant said to them, "Is the seer here?"

¹²They answered, and said, "He is; see, he is just ahead of you. Hurry up, for he is coming to the city today, because the people are sacrificing today at the high place.¹³As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the sacrifice; afterwards those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will find him immediately."

¹⁴So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them, to go up to the high place.

¹⁵Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had revealed to Samuel:¹⁶"Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people with pity because their cry for help has come to me."

¹⁷When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, "Here is the man I told you about! He is the one who will rule over my people."¹⁸Then Saul came close to Samuel in the gate and said, "Tell me where is the house of the seer?"¹⁹Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you will eat with me. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you everything that is on your mind.

²⁰As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Then on whom are all the desires of Israel set? Is it not on you and all your father's house?"²¹Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? Is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this manner?"

²²So Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them at the head place of those who had been invited, who were about thirty people.

²³Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, 'Put it aside.'"²⁴So the cook took up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, "See what has been kept is set before you. Eat it, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, from the time when I said, 'I have invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.²⁶Then at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the rooftop and said, "Get up, so I can send you on your way." So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

²⁷As they were going to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go ahead of us"—and he went ahead—"but you must stay here awhile, that I may announce the message of God to you."

¹Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul's head, and kissed him. He said, "Has not Yahweh anointed you to be a ruler over his inheritance?²When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel's tomb, in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will say to you, 'The donkeys that you were looking for have been found. Now your father has stopped caring about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, "What should I do about my son?"'

³Then you will go on further from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.⁴They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will take from their hands.

⁵After that, you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; they will be prophesying.⁶The Spirit of Yahweh will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into a different man.

⁷Now, when these signs come to you, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.⁸Go down before me to Gilgal. Then I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you must do."

⁹When Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. Then all these signs came to pass that day.¹⁰When they came to the hill, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him so that he prophesied with them.

¹¹When everyone who knew him before saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people said to each other, "What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul one of the prophets now?"¹²A man who was from that same place answered, "Then who is their father?" Because of this, it became a saying, "Is Saul also one of the prophets?"¹³When he finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

¹⁴Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" He replied, "To search for the donkeys. When we saw that we could not find them, we went to Samuel."¹⁵Saul's uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you."¹⁶Saul replied to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken.

¹⁷Now Samuel called the people together before Yahweh at Mizpah.¹⁸He said to the people of Israel, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.'¹⁹But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all of your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your clans."

²⁰So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.²¹Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their clans; and the clan of the Matrites was chosen; and Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they went looking for him, he could not be found.

²²Then the people wanted to ask God more questions, "Is there still another man to come?" Yahweh answered, "He has hidden himself among the baggage."²³Then they ran and retrieved Saul from there. When he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

²⁴Then Samuel said to the people, "Do you see the man whom Yahweh has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people!" All the people shouted, "Long live the king!"

²⁵Then Samuel told the people the customs and rules of kingship, wrote them down in a book, and placed it before Yahweh. Samuel then sent all the people away, each man to his own house.

²⁶Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went some strong men, whose hearts God had touched.²⁷But some worthless men said, "How can this man save us?" These people despised Saul and did not bring him any gifts. But Saul kept silent. ¹

¹Some modern translations add to this verse the following paragraph: Nahash king of the Ammonites had severely oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites. He dug out the right eye of each man and did not allow anyone to rescue Israel. Across the Jordan River was left no Israelites whose right eye Nahash king of the Ammonites had not dug out. But seven thousand men had escaped from the Ammonites and had gone into Jabesh Gilead .

¹Then Nahash the Ammonite went and besieged Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."²Nahash the Ammonite replied, "On this condition will I make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all of your right eyes, and in this way bring disgrace on all Israel."

³Then the elders of Jabesh replied to him, "Leave us alone for seven days, so that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you."

⁴The messengers came to Gibeah, where Saul lived, and told the people what had happened. All the people wept loudly.⁵Now Saul was following the oxen out of the field. Saul said, "What is wrong with the people that they are weeping?" They told Saul what the men of Jabesh had said.

⁶When Saul heard what they said, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he was very angry.⁷He took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel with the messengers. He said, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, this is what will be done to his oxen." Then the terror of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out together as one man.⁸When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹They said to the messengers that came, "You will tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, deliverance will be yours.'" So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.¹⁰Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you."

¹¹The next day Saul put the people in three groups. They came into the middle of the camp during the morning watch, and they attacked and defeated the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

¹²Then the people said to Samuel, "Who was it who said, 'Will Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, so we can put them to death."¹³But Saul said, "No one must be put to death this day, because today Yahweh has brought about deliverance in Israel."

¹⁴Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there."¹⁵So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before Yahweh, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

¹Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set a king to reign over you.²Now, here is the king walking before you; and I am old and gray; and, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until today.

³Here I am; testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you."

⁴They said, "You have not defrauded us, oppressed us, or stolen anything from any man's hand."⁵He said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand." They replied, "Yahweh is witness."

⁶Samuel said to the people, "It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.⁷Now then, present yourself, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh about all of the righteous deeds of Yahweh, which he did for you and your fathers.

⁸When Jacob came to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and they settled in this place.⁹But they forgot Yahweh their God; he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the armies of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; these all fought against your ancestors.

¹⁰They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we have abandoned Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'¹¹So Yahweh sent Jerub-Baal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and gave you victory over your enemies all around you, so that you lived in security.

¹²When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, a king must rule over us'—even though Yahweh your God was your king.¹³Now here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as king over you.

¹⁴If you fear Yahweh, serve him, obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be followers of Yahweh your God.¹⁵If you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commands of Yahweh, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

¹⁶Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh will do before your eyes.¹⁷Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves a king."¹⁸So Samuel called to Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.

¹⁹Then all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil in asking for a king for ourselves."²⁰Samuel replied, "Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, but do not turn away from Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.²¹Do not turn away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.

²²For the sake of his great name, Yahweh will not reject his people, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.²³As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the way that is good and right.

²⁴Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the great things he has done for you.²⁵But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be destroyed."

¹Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; when he had reigned forty years over Israel,²he chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with him in Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the soldiers he sent home, each man to his tent.

³Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the ram's horn throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."⁴All Israel heard that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a rotten smell to the Philistines. Then the soldiers were summoned together to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They came up and encamped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven.

⁶When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble—for the people were distressed, the people hid in caves, in the underbrush, in rocks, in wells, and in pits.⁷Some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

⁸He waited seven days, the time Samuel had set. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from Saul.⁹Saul said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." Then he offered the burnt offering.¹⁰As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.

¹¹Then Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul replied, "When I saw that the people were leaving me, and that you did not come within the set time, and that the Philistines had assembled at Mikmash,¹²I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of Yahweh.' So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering."

¹³Then Samuel said to Saul, "You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the command of Yahweh your God that he commanded you. For then Yahweh would have established your rule over Israel forever.¹⁴But now your rule will not continue. Yahweh has sought out a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not obeyed what he commanded you."

¹⁵Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.

Then Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

¹⁶Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped at Mikmash.

¹⁷Raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One group turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual.¹⁸Another group turned toward Beth Horon, and another group turned toward the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboyim toward the wilderness.

¹⁹No blacksmith could be found throughout all of Israel, because the Philistines said, "Otherwise the Hebrews would make swords or spears for themselves."²⁰But all the men of Israel used to go down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plow points, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle.²¹The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plow points, and the mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening axes and for straightening the goads.

²²So on the day of battle, there were no swords or spears found in the hands of any of the soldiers who were with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.²³The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Mikmash.

¹One day, Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who was his armor bearer, "Come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

²Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron. About six hundred men were with him,³including Ahijah son of Ahitub (Ichabod's brother) son of Phinehas son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh, who wore an ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

⁴On each side of the pass through which Jonathan wanted to go in order to get to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky cliff on one side and another rocky cliff on the other side. One rocky cliff was named Bozez and the other rocky cliff was named Seneh.⁵One rocky cliff stood on the north in front of Mikmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

⁶Jonathan said to his young armor bearer, "Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised fellows. It may be that Yahweh will work on our behalf, for nothing can stop Yahweh from saving by many or by few people."⁷His armor bearer replied, "Do everything that is in your heart. Go ahead, see, I am with you, to obey all your commands."

⁸Then Jonathan said, "We will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them.⁹If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come over to you'—then we will stay in our place and will not cross over to them.¹⁰But if they reply, 'Come over to us,' then we will cross over; because Yahweh has given them into our hand. This will be the sign to us."

¹¹So both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. The Philistines said, "Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves."¹²Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Follow after me, because Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel."

¹³Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor bearer followed behind him. The Philistines were put to death before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death behind him.¹⁴That first attack that Jonathan and his armor bearer made, killed about twenty men within an area of half an acre.

¹⁵There was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among the people. Even the garrison and the raiders panicked. The earth quaked, and there was a great panic.

¹⁶Then Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; the crowd of Philistine soldiers was dispersing, and they were going here and there.¹⁷Then Saul said to the people that were with him, "Count and see who is missing from us." When they had counted, Jonathan and his armor bearer were missing.

¹⁸Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here," for at that time it was with the people of Israel.¹⁹While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines was continuing and increasing. Then Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."

²⁰Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into battle. Every Philistine's sword was against his fellow countrymen, and there was very great tumult.²¹Now those Hebrews who previously had been with the Philistines, and who had gone with them into the camp, even they joined with Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²²When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hills near Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, even they chased after them in battle.²³So Yahweh saved Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Beth Aven.

²⁴That day the men of Israel were distressed because Saul had put the people under an oath and said, "Cursed be the man that eats any food until evening and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the troops tasted food.²⁵Then all the people entered the forest and there was honey upon the ground.²⁶When the people entered into the forest, the honey flowed, but no one put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the curse.

²⁷But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with an oath. He reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.²⁸Then one of the people, answered, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, by saying, 'Cursed be the man that eats food on this day,' even though the people are weak from hunger."

²⁹Then Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the land. See how my eyes have become brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.³⁰How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the plunder from their enemies that they found? Because now the slaughter has not been great among the Philistines."

³¹They attacked the Philistines that day from Mikmash to Aijalon. The people were very weary.³²The people rushed greedily on the plunder and took sheep, cattle and calves, and killed them on the ground. The people ate them with the blood.

³³Then they told Saul, "Look, the people are sinning against Yahweh by eating with the blood." Saul said, "You have acted unfaithfully. Now, roll a big stone here to me."³⁴Saul said, "Go out among the people, and tell them, 'Let every man bring his cattle and his sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against Yahweh by eating meat with the blood.'" So each of the people brought his own ox with him that night and killed it there.

³⁵Saul built an altar to Yahweh, which was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.

³⁶Then Saul said, "Let us pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave one of them alive." They replied, "Do whatever seems good to you." But the priest said, "Let us approach God here."³⁷Saul asked God, "Should I pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But God did not answer him that day.

³⁸Then Saul said, "Come here, all you leaders of the people; learn and see how this sin has happened today.³⁹For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will surely die." But none of the men among all the people answered him.

⁴⁰Then he said to all Israel, "You must stand on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other." The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."⁴¹Saul said, "Yahweh, God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, Yahweh, God of Israel, give the Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, give the Thummim." ¹ Then Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, but the army was exonerated.⁴²Then Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." Then Jonathan was taken by lot.

⁴³Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die."⁴⁴Saul said, "God do so and more also to me, if you do not die, Jonathan."

⁴⁵Then the people said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great salvation for Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today." So the people ransomed Jonathan so that he did not die.⁴⁶Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

⁴⁷When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side. He fought against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.⁴⁸He acted with great courage and defeated the Amalekites. He rescued Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

⁴⁹The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. The names of his two daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger.⁵⁰The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam; she was the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul's uncle.⁵¹Kish was Saul's father; and Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel.

⁵²There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. When Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.

¹The ULB is following the ancient Greek translation in the quotation. The Hebrew copies have: Give me the right answer .

¹Samuel said to Saul, "Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now listen to the words of Yahweh.²This is what Yahweh of hosts says, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way, when they came up from Egypt.³Now go and attack Amalek and completely destroy all that they have. Do not spare them, but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, cattle and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

⁴Saul summoned the people and numbered them at the city of Telaim—two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.⁵Then Saul came to the city of Amalek and waited in the valley.

⁶Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, come out from among the Amalekites, so I do not destroy you along with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel, when they came from Egypt." So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.⁷Then Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.

⁸Then he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive; he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.⁹But Saul and the people spared Agag, as well as the best of the sheep and cattle, fattened calves and the lambs. Everything that was good, they did not destroy. But they completely destroyed anything that was despised and worthless.

¹⁰Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying,¹¹"I regret that I have set Saul to reign as king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; he cried out to Yahweh all night.

¹²Samuel got up early to meet Saul in the morning. Samuel was told, "Saul came to Carmel and he set up a monument to himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal."¹³Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you by Yahweh! I have fulfilled the command of Yahweh."

¹⁴Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle that I hear?"¹⁵Saul replied, "They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. The rest we have completely destroyed."¹⁶Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me tonight." Saul said to him, "Speak!"

¹⁷Samuel said, "Though you are little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel? Then Yahweh anointed you king over Israel,¹⁸and Yahweh sent you on your way and said, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are destroyed.'¹⁹Why did you not obey the voice of Yahweh? Why did you rush to the plunder and do what was evil in the sight of Yahweh?"

²⁰Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have indeed obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone on the way that Yahweh sent me. I have captured Agag, the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.²¹But the people took some of the booty—sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal."

²²Samuel replied, "Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.²³For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king."

²⁴Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have broken Yahweh's commandment and your words, because I was afraid of the people and obeyed their voice.²⁵Now, please pardon my sin, and return with me so that I may worship Yahweh."

²⁶Samuel said to Saul, "I will not go back with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel."²⁷As Samuel turned to leave, Saul took hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.

²⁸Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours, one who is better than you.²⁹Also, the Strength of Israel will not lie nor change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."

³⁰Then Saul said, "I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God."³¹So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Yahweh.

³²Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me." Agag came to him confined with chains and said, "Surely death is bitter."³³Samuel replied, "As your sword has made women childless, so must your mother be childless among women." Then Samuel chopped Agag to pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal.

³⁴Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.³⁵Samuel did not see Saul until the day of his death, for he mourned for Saul. Yahweh regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

¹Yahweh said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected for myself a king among his sons."

²Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." Yahweh said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.'³Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you will do. You will anoint for me the one whom I tell you."

⁴Samuel did as Yahweh said and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the city were trembling as they came to meet him and said, "Are you coming in peace?"⁵He said, "In peace; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Prepare to set yourselves apart and come with me to the sacrifice." Then he set apart Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶When they came, he looked at Eliab and said to himself that Yahweh's anointed was certainly standing before him.⁷But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Do not look at his outward appearance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him. For Yahweh does not see as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks on the heart."

⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. Then Samuel said, "Neither has Yahweh chosen this one."⁹Jesse then made Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Neither has Yahweh chosen this one."¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Yahweh has not chosen any of these."

¹¹Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are these all the boys?" He replied, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is tending the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."¹²Jesse sent and brought him in. Now this son was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. Yahweh said, "Arise, anoint him; for he is the one."

¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. The Spirit of Yahweh rushed on David from that day forward. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

¹⁴Now the Spirit of Yahweh left Saul, and a harmful spirit from Yahweh tormented him instead.¹⁵Saul's servants said to him, "See now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.¹⁶Let our master now command your servants who are before you to search for a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the harmful spirit from God is on you, he will play it and you will be well."

¹⁷Saul said to his servants, "Find me a man that can play well and bring him to me."¹⁸Then one of the young men answered, and said, "I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a strong, courageous man, a man of war, one prudent in speech, a handsome man; and Yahweh is with him."¹⁹So Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."

²⁰Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them with his son David to Saul.²¹Then David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.

²²Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes."²³Whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the harp and played it. So Saul would be refreshed and well, and the harmful spirit would depart from him.

¹Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. They were gathered at Sokoh, which belongs to Judah. They had encamped between Sokoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.

²Saul and the men of Israel gathered and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.³The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side with a valley between them.

⁴A strong man came out of the Philistines' camp, a man named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.⁵He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was clothed in scale armor of bronze that weighed five thousand shekels.

⁶He had bronze armor on his legs and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders.⁷The staff of his spear was large, with a loop of cord for throwing it like the cord on a weaver's beam. His spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.

⁸He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.⁹If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us."

¹⁰Again the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man so we may fight together."¹¹When Saul and all Israel heard what the Philistine said, they were discouraged and greatly afraid.

¹²Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons. Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul, very old among men.¹³The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

¹⁴David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul.¹⁵Now David went back and forth between Saul's army and his father's sheep at Bethlehem, in order to feed them.¹⁶For forty days the Philistine strong man came near morning and evening to present himself for battle.

¹⁷Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take to your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp for your brothers.¹⁸Also bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. Look to the well-being of your brothers, and bring back some evidence that they are doing well.

¹⁹Your brothers are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting the Philistines."²⁰David got up early in the morning and left the flock in the care of a shepherd. He took the supplies and left, as Jesse commanded him. He came to the camp as the army was going out to the battlefield shouting the war cry.²¹Then Israel and the Philistines lined up for battle, army against army.

²²David left his belongings with the keeper of supplies, ran to the army, and greeted his brothers.²³As he talked with them, the strong man, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came out of the ranks of the Philistines and said the same words as before, and David heard them.²⁴When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very afraid.

²⁵The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? He has come to defy Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and he will give his daughter to him in marriage, and will make his father's house free from taxation in Israel."

²⁶David said to the men who stood by him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"²⁷Then the people repeated what they had been saying and told him, "So it will be done for the man who kills him."

²⁸Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the mischief in your heart; for you have come down here so that you might see the battle."²⁹David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?"³⁰He turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way. The people answered the same thing as before.

³¹When the words that David said were heard, soldiers repeated them to Saul, and he sent for David.³²Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of that Philistine; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."³³Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are only a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."

³⁴But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to shepherd his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,³⁵I chased after him and attacked him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he rose up against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and put him to death.

³⁶Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God."

³⁷David said, "Yahweh rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Then Saul said to David, "Go, and may Yahweh be with you."³⁸Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he clothed him with a coat of chainmail.

³⁹David strapped his sword on his armor. But he was not able to walk, because he had not trained with them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go out to fight with these, for I have not trained with them." So David put them off.⁴⁰He took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook; he put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand as he approached the Philistine.

⁴¹The Philistine came and approached David, with his shield bearer in front of him.⁴²When the Philistine looked around and saw David, he despised him, for he was only a boy, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.⁴³Then the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?," and the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

⁴⁴The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the wild animals of the field."⁴⁵David replied to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

⁴⁶Today Yahweh will give me victory over you, and I will kill you and remove your head from your body. Today I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the heavens and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,⁴⁷and that all this gathering may know that Yahweh does not save with sword or spear. For the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand."

⁴⁸When the Philistine rose and approached David, then David ran quickly toward the enemy army to meet him.⁴⁹David put his hand in his bag, took a stone from it, slung it, and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into the Philistine's forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

⁵⁰David defeated the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. He hit the Philistine and put him to death. There was no sword in David's hand.⁵¹Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword, drew it out of the sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their mighty man was dead, they fled.

⁵²Then the men of Israel and of Judah rose with a shout, and chased after the Philistines as far as the valley and the gates of Ekron. The dead Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, all the way to Gath and Ekron.⁵³The people of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.⁵⁴David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

⁵⁵When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" Abner said, "As you live, king, I do not know."⁵⁶The king said, "Ask those who might know, whose son the boy is."

⁵⁷When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.⁵⁸Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

¹When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.²Saul took David into his service that day; he did not let him return to his father's house.

³Then Jonathan and David made a covenant of friendship because Jonathan loved him as his own soul.⁴Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David with his armor, as well as his sword, bow, and belt.

⁵David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he succeeded. Saul set him over the men of war. This was pleasing in the eyes of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

⁶As they came home from defeating the Philistines, the women came from all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.⁷The women sang one to another as they played. They sang:

"Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his ten thousands."

⁸Saul was very angry, and this song displeased him. He said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but they have ascribed only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingship?"⁹Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

¹⁰The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied within the house. So David played his instrument, as he did each day. Saul had a spear in his hand.¹¹Saul threw the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from Saul's presence twice in this way.¹²Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, but was no longer with Saul.

¹³So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him a commander of a thousand. In this way David went out and came in before the people.¹⁴David was prospering in all his ways, for Yahweh was with him.

¹⁵When Saul saw that he prospered, he stood in awe of him.¹⁶But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

¹⁷Then Saul said to David, "Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife. Only be courageous for me and fight Yahweh's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him."¹⁸David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who are my relatives, or my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"

¹⁹But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

²⁰But Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. They told Saul, and this pleased him.²¹Then Saul thought, "I will give her to him, so that she can be a trap for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David a second time, "You will be my son-in-law."

²²Saul commanded his servants, "Speak with David in private, and say, 'See, the king takes pleasure in you, and all his servants love you. Now then, become the king's son-in-law.'"

²³So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. Then David said, "Is it a small matter to you to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?"²⁴The servants of Saul reported to him the words which David spoke.

²⁵Then Saul said, "Say this to David, 'The king does not desire any price for the bride except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged from the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.²⁶When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to be the king's son-in-law.

²⁷Before those days had expired, David went with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife.²⁸When Saul saw, and he knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,²⁹Saul was even more afraid of David. Saul was continually David's enemy.

³⁰Then the princes of the Philistines came out for battle, and as often as they came out, David behaved more prudently than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly regarded.

¹Saul said to Jonathan his son and to all his servants that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, took great pleasure in David.²So Jonathan told David, "Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning and hide yourself in a secret place.³I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. If I learn anything, I will tell you."

⁴Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, "Do not let the king sin against his servant David. For he has not sinned against you, and his deeds have brought you good.⁵For he took his life in his hand and killed the Philistine. Yahweh brought about great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?"

⁶Saul listened to Jonathan. Saul swore, "As Yahweh lives, he will not be put to death."⁷Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

⁸There was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines and defeated them with a great slaughter. They fled before him.⁹A harmful spirit from Yahweh came on Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and as David was playing his instrument.

¹⁰Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul's presence, so that Saul drove the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night.¹¹Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him that he might kill him in the morning. Michal, David's wife, told him, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."

¹²So Michal let David down through the window. He went and fled, and escaped.¹³Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed. Then she put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes.

¹⁴When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."¹⁵Then Saul sent the messengers to see David; he said, "Bring him up to me in the bed, so that I may kill him."

¹⁶When the messengers came in, behold, the household idol was in the bed along with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.¹⁷Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go. Why should I kill you?'"

¹⁸Now David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel in Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.¹⁹It was told to Saul, saying, "See, David is at Naioth in Ramah."²⁰Then Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

²¹When Saul was told this, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.²²Then he also went to Ramah and came to the deep well that is in Seku. He asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" Someone said, "See, they are at Naioth in Ramah."

²³Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.²⁴He stripped off his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why they ask, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

¹Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks to take my life?"²Jonathan said to David, "Far from it; you will not die. My father does nothing either great or small without telling it to me. Why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."

³Yet David vowed again and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes. He has said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.' But as truly as Yahweh lives, and as you live, there is but a step between me and death."

⁴Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you say, I will do for you."⁵David said to Jonathan, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, so that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening.

⁶If your father misses me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.'⁷If he says, 'It is well,' your servant will have peace. But if he is very angry, then know that he has decided on evil.

⁸Therefore deal kindly with your servant. For you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?"⁹Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I learned my father decided harm to come upon you, would I not tell you?"

¹⁰Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if by chance your father should answer you roughly?"¹¹Jonathan said to David, "Come, let us go out into the field." So they both went out into the field.

¹²Jonathan said to David, "May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be witness. When I have questioned my father around this time tomorrow, or the third day, see, if there is good will toward David, will I not then send to you and make it known to you?¹³If it pleases my father to do you harm, may Yahweh do to Jonathan and more also if I do not make it known to you and send you away, so that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father.

¹⁴If I am still alive, will you not show me the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh, that I may not die?¹⁵Do not cut off your covenant faithfulness from my house forever—not even when Yahweh cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth."¹⁶So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David and said, "May Yahweh require an accounting from the hand of the enemies of David."

¹⁷Jonathan made David vow again because of the love that he had for him, because he loved him as he loved his own soul.¹⁸Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon. You will be missed because your seat will be empty.¹⁹When you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself when this matter began, and stay by the stone Ezel.

²⁰I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.²¹Then I will send my young man and say to him, 'Go find the arrows.' If I say to the young boy, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them," then come; for there will be safety for you and not harm, as Yahweh lives.

²²"But if I say to the young man, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go your way, for Yahweh has sent you away.²³As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, see, Yahweh is between you and me forever.'"

²⁴So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.²⁵The king sat on his seat, as usual, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side. But David's place was empty.

²⁶Yet Saul did not say anything that day, because he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean."²⁷But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal either yesterday or today?"

²⁸Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked permission from me to go to Bethlehem.²⁹He said, 'Please let me go. For our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has ordered me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table."

³⁰Then Saul's anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?³¹For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now then, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die."

³²Jonathan answered Saul his father, "For what reason should he be put to death? What has he done?"³³Then Saul threw his spear at him to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.³⁴Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved over David, because his father had dishonored him.

³⁵In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and a young man was with him.³⁶He said to his young man, "Run and find the arrows that I shoot." As the young man ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.³⁷When the young man came to the place where the arrow that Jonathan shot had landed, Jonathan called after the young man, and said, "Is not the arrow beyond you?"

³⁸Then Jonathan called after the young man, "Hurry, be quick, do not stay!" So Jonathan's young man gathered up the arrows and came to his master.³⁹But the young man did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.⁴⁰Jonathan gave his weapons to his young man and said to him, "Go, take them to the city."

⁴¹As soon as the young man was gone, David stood up from behind the mound, lay facedown on the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept together, with David weeping the more. ¹⁴²Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of Yahweh and said, 'May Yahweh be between you and me, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.'" Then David stood up and left, and Jonathan returned to the city.

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text read, David came out from beside the south . Modern translations interpret this passage in different ways because the text is difficult to understand.

¹Then David came to Nob to see Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek came to meet David trembling and said to him, "Why are you alone and have no one with you?"²David said to Ahimelek the priest, "The king has sent me on a mission and has said to me, 'Let no one know anything about the business I am sending you, and what I have commanded you.' I have directed the young men to a certain place.

³Now then what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here."⁴The priest answered David and said, "There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women."

⁵David answered the priest, "Surely women have been kept from us for the past three days, as usual when I set out. The things belonging to the young men have been set apart even on ordinary missions. How much more today will what they have be set apart!"⁶So the priest gave him the bread that was set apart. For there was no bread there except the bread of the presence, which was removed from before Yahweh, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day it was taken away.

⁷Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.

⁸David said to Ahimelek, "Now is there not here on hand any spear or sword? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business was urgent."⁹The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take that, take it, for there is no other weapon here." David said, "There is no other sword like that one; give it to me."

¹⁰David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish, the king of Gath.¹¹Achish's servants said to him, "Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another about him in dances,

'Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his ten thousands?'"

¹²David took these words to heart and was very afraid of Achish, the king of Gath.¹³He changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands; he made marks on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

¹⁴Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me?¹⁵Do I lack madmen, so that you have brought this fellow to behave like one in my presence? Will this fellow really come into my house?"

¹So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.²Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented—they all gathered to him. David became captain over them. There were about four hundred men with him.

³Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab. He said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother go out with you until I know what God will do for me." ¹⁴He left them with the king of Moab. His father and mother stayed with him the whole time that David was in his stronghold.⁵Then the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in your stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah." So David left there and went into the forest of Hereth.

⁶Saul heard that David had been discovered, along with the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on a hill, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

⁷Saul said to his servants who stood around him, "Listen now, people of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,⁸in exchange for all of you plotting against me? None of you informs me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me. None of you informs me that my son has incited my servant David against me. Today he hides and waits for me so he may attack me."

⁹Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered, "I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob, to Ahimelek son of Ahitub.¹⁰He prayed to Yahweh that he might help him, and he gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

¹¹Then the king sent someone to summon the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob. All of them came to the king.¹²Saul said, "Listen now, son of Ahitub." He answered, "Here I am, my master."¹³Saul said to him, "Why have you plotted against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have prayed to God that he might help him, so that he might rise up against me, to hide in secret, as he does today?"

¹⁴Then Ahimelek answered the king and said, "Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law and is over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house?¹⁵Is today the first time I have prayed to God to help him? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father. For your servant knows nothing of this whole matter."

¹⁶The king replied, "You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and all your father's house."¹⁷The king said to the guard that stood around him, "Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh. Because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, but did not reveal it to me." But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to kill the priests of Yahweh.

¹⁸Then the king said to Doeg, "Turn and kill the priests." So Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests; he killed eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod that day.¹⁹He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, both men and women, children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep, he put to the sword.

²⁰But one of the sons of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.²¹Abiathar told David that Saul had killed Yahweh's priests.

²²David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for every death in your father's family!²³Stay with me and do not be afraid. For the one who seeks your life seeks mine as well. You will be safe with me."

¹Some ancient translations have, Please let my father and my mother stay with you, and some modern translations read this way.

¹They told David, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors."²So David prayed to Yahweh for help and asked him, "Should I go and attack these Philistines?" Yahweh said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

³David's men said to him, "See, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"⁴Then David prayed to Yahweh for help yet again. Yahweh answered him, "Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will give you victory over the Philistines."

⁵David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. He led away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.⁶When Abiathar son of Ahimelek had fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.

⁷Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. Saul said, "God has given him into my hand. For he is shut in because he has entered a city that has gates and bars."⁸Saul summoned all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.⁹David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

¹⁰Then David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has indeed heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.¹¹Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, please tell your servant." Yahweh said, "He will come down."

¹²Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?" Yahweh said, "They will surrender you."

¹³Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, got up and went away from Keilah, and they went from place to place. It was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, and he stopped the pursuit.¹⁴David stayed in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul looked for him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

¹⁵David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; now David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.¹⁶Then Jonathan, Saul's son, got up and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

¹⁷He said to him, "Do not be afraid. For the hand of Saul my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you. Saul my father also knows this."¹⁸They made a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

¹⁹Then Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon?²⁰Now come down, king! According to your desire, come down! Our part will be to surrender him into the king's hand."

²¹Saul said, "May you be blessed by Yahweh. For you have had compassion on me.²²Go, make even more sure. Learn and find out where his hiding place is and who has seen him there. It is told to me that he is very crafty.²³So look, and learn all of the places where he hides himself. Come back to me with sure information, and then I will return with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."

²⁴Then they rose up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.²⁵Saul and his men went to seek him. But David was told of it, so he went down to a rocky hill and lived in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard it, he chased David in the wilderness of Maon.

²⁶Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men were going on the other side of the mountain. David hurried to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to take them,²⁷a messenger came to Saul and said, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land."

²⁸So Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called Sela Hammahlekoth.²⁹David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

¹When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the wilderness of En Gedi."²Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

³He came to sheep pens on the way, where there was a cave. Saul went inside to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting far back in the cave.⁴David's men said to him, "This is the day of which Yahweh spoke when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hand, for you to do with him as you wish.'" Then David arose and quietly crept forward and cut off the corner of Saul's robe.

⁵Afterward David's heart afflicted him because he had cut a corner off Saul's robe.⁶He said to his men, "May Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Yahweh's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh's anointed."⁷So David rebuked his men with these words, and did not permit them to attack Saul. Saul stood up, left the cave, and went on his way.

⁸Afterward, David also stood up, left the cave, and called out after Saul: "My master the king." When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and showed him respect.⁹David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the men who say, 'See, David is seeking your harm?'

¹⁰Today your eyes have seen how Yahweh put you into my hand when we were in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my master; for he is Yahweh's anointed.'¹¹See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no evil or treason in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, even though you hunt my life to take it.

¹²May Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh avenge me against you, but my hand must not be against you.¹³As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness.' But my hand will not be against you.

¹⁴After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!¹⁵May Yahweh be judge and give judgment between you and me, and see to it, and plead my cause and permit me to escape from your hand."

¹⁶When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

¹⁷He said to David, "You are more righteous than I am. For you have repaid me good, where I have repaid you evil.¹⁸You have declared today how you have done good to me, for you did not kill me when Yahweh had put me at your mercy.

¹⁹For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go safely? May Yahweh reward you with good for what you have done to me today.²⁰Now, I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

²¹Swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."²²So David made an oath to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

¹Now Samuel died. All Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

²There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel. The man was very wealthy. He had three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel.³The man's name was Nabal, and the name of his wife was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance. But the man was harsh and evil in his dealings. He was a descendant of the house of Caleb.

⁴David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.⁵So David sent ten young men. David said to the young men, "Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.⁶You will say to him, 'Live in prosperity. Peace to you and peace to your house, and peace be to all that you have.

⁷I hear that you have shearers. Your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing the whole time they were in Carmel.⁸Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Now let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you have on hand to your servants and to your son David.'"

⁹When David's young men arrived, they said all of this to Nabal in David's name and then waited.¹⁰Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters.¹¹Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I do not know where?"

¹²So David's young men turned away and came back, and told him everything that was said.¹³David said to his men, "Every man strap on his sword." So every man strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men followed after David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.

¹⁴But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife; he said, "David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he screamed at them.¹⁵Yet the men were very good to us. We were not harmed and did not miss anything as long as we went with them when we were in the fields.

¹⁶They were a wall to us both day and night, all the while we were with them tending the sheep.¹⁷Therefore know this and consider what you will do, for evil is plotted against our master, and against his whole house. He is such a worthless fellow that one cannot reason with him."

¹⁸Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves, two bottles of wine, five sheep already prepared, five measures of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.¹⁹She said to her young men, "Go on before me, and I will come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

²⁰As she rode on her donkey and came down by the cover of the mountain, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.

²¹Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good.²²May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by the morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him."

²³When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from her donkey and lay before David facedown and bowed herself to the ground.²⁴She lay at his feet and said, "On me alone, my master, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak to you, and listen to the words of your servant.

²⁵Let not my master regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my master, whom you sent.²⁶Now then, my master, as Yahweh lives, and as you live, since Yahweh has restrained you from bloodshed, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and those who seek to do evil to my master, be like Nabal.

²⁷Now let this present that your servant has brought to my master be given to the young men who follow my master.²⁸Please forgive the trespass of your servant, for Yahweh will certainly make my master a sure house, because my master is fighting the battles of Yahweh; and evil will not be found in you so long as you live.

²⁹Though men rise up to pursue you to take your life, yet the life of my master will be bound in the bundle of the living by Yahweh your God; and he will sling away the lives of your enemies, as from the pocket of a sling.

³⁰Yahweh will have done for my master everything he promised you, and has appointed you leader over Israel.³¹This will not cause grief or a troubled heart to my master—that you have poured out innocent blood, or because my master attempted to rescue himself. For when Yahweh will do good for my master, remember your servant."

³²David said to Abigail, "May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be blessed, he who sent you to meet me today.³³Your wisdom is blessed and you are blessed, because you have kept me today from bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand!

³⁴For in truth, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, he who has kept me from hurting you, unless you had hurried to come meet me, there would certainly have not been left to Nabal so much as one male baby by the morning light."³⁵So David received from her hand what she had brought him; he said to her, "Go up in peace to your house; see, I have listened to your voice and have accepted you."

³⁶Abigail went back to Nabal; behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.

³⁷It came about in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things; his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.³⁸It came about ten days later that Yahweh attacked Nabal so that he died.

³⁹When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "May Yahweh be blessed, who has avenged the scorn I have received from the hand of Nabal and has kept back his servant from doing wrong. He has turned Nabal's evil action back on his own head." Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.⁴⁰When David's servants had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her and said, "David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife."

⁴¹She arose, bowed herself with her face to the ground, and said, "See, your female servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my master."⁴²Abigail hurried and arose, and rode on a donkey with five servant girls of hers who followed her; and she followed David's messengers and became his wife.

⁴³Now David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel as a wife; both of them became his wives.⁴⁴Also, Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

¹The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding in the hill of Hakilah, which is before Jeshimon?"²Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

³Saul camped on the hill of Hakilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the road. But David was staying in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul was coming after him into the wilderness.⁴So David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.

⁵David arose and went to the place where Saul had camped; he saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army; Saul lay in the camp, and the people were camped around him, all asleep.

⁶Then David said to Ahimelek the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, "Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?" Abishai said, "I! I will go down with you."⁷So David and Abishai went to the army by night. Saul was there sleeping inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head. Abner and his soldiers lay around him.⁸Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has put your enemy into your hand. Now please let me pin him to the ground with the spear with just one blow. I will not strike him a second time."

⁹David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can extend his hand against Yahweh's anointed one and be guiltless?"¹⁰David said, "As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will kill him, or his day will come to die, or he will go into battle and perish.

¹¹May Yahweh forbid that I should extend my hand against his anointed one; but now, I beg you, take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."¹²So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head, and they got away. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.

¹³Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain far off; a great distance was between them.¹⁴David shouted out to the people and to Abner son of Ner; he said, "Do you not answer, Abner?" Then Abner answered and said, "Who are you who is shouting to the king?"

¹⁵David said to Abner, "Are not you a courageous man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your master the king? For someone came in to destroy the king your master.¹⁶This thing you have done is not good. As Yahweh lives, you deserve to die because you have not kept watch over your master, Yahweh's anointed one. Now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was near his head!"

¹⁷Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" David said, "It is my voice, my master, king."¹⁸He said, "Why does my master pursue his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?

¹⁹Now therefore, I beg you, let my master the king listen to the words of his servant. If it is Yahweh who has stirred you up against me, may he be pleased with an offering; but if it is human beings, may they be cursed in the sight of Yahweh, for they have today driven me out, that I should not cling to the inheritance of Yahweh; they have said to me, 'Go worship other gods.'²⁰Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth away from Yahweh's presence; for the king of Israel has come out to search for the one flea as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains."

²¹Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, David, my son; for I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes today. See, I have played the fool and have made a very bad mistake."

²²David answered and said, "See, your spear is here, king! Let one of the young men come over and get it and bring it to you.²³May Yahweh pay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh put you into my hand today, but I would not strike his anointed.

²⁴See, as your life was precious in my eyes today, so may my life be much valued in the eyes of Yahweh, and may he rescue me out of all trouble."²⁵Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, David my son! You will certainly do great things and you will succeed in them." So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

¹David said in his heart, "I will now perish one day by Saul's hand; there is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines; Saul will give up looking for me any more within all the borders of Israel; in this way I will escape out of his hand."

²David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Maok, the king of Gath.³David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his own household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman, and Abigail the Carmelite woman, Nabal's wife.⁴Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he looked for him no longer.

⁵David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"⁶So that day Achish gave him Ziklag; that is why Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this very day.⁷The number of days that David lived in the land of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

⁸David and his men attacked various places, making raids on the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, as you go to Shur, as far as the land of Egypt. They had been living there in the land from ancient times. ¹⁹David attacked the land and saved neither man nor woman alive. He took away the sheep and cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and went back to Achish.

¹⁰Achish would say, "Against whom have you made a raid today?" David would answer, "Against the south of Judah," or "Against the south of the Jerahmeelites," or "Against the south of the Kenites."

¹¹David would keep neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, saying, "So that they cannot say about us, 'David did such and such.'" This was what he did all the while he was living in the country of the Philistines.¹²Achish believed David, saying, "He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; he will therefore be my servant forever."

¹Instead of the Girzites which is found in some ancient copies of the Hebrew text, some modern translations have the Gizrites which is found in the margin of some Hebrew copies.

¹It came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for battle to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, "Know for certain that you will go out with me in the army, you and your men."²David said to Achish, "That being the case, you will know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Then I will make you my bodyguard all your days."

³Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. Also, Saul had banned sorcerers and spiritists from the land.⁴Then the Philistines gathered themselves together and came and camped at Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped at Gilboa.

⁵When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled very much.⁶Saul prayed to Yahweh for help, but Yahweh did not answer him—neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.⁷Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a sorceress, so that I may go to her and seek her advice." His servants said to him, "See, there is a woman in Endor who is a sorceress."

⁸So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothing and went, he and two men with him. They went to the woman by night. He said, "Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me the one I name."⁹The woman said to him, "See, you know what Saul has done, how he has banned sorcerers and spiritists from the land. So why are you setting a trap for my life, to make me die?"¹⁰Saul swore to her by Yahweh and said, "As Yahweh lives, no punishment will happen to you for this thing."

¹¹Then the woman said, "Whom should I bring up to you?" Saul said, "Bring up Samuel for me."¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice and spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul."

¹³The king said to her, "Do not be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth."¹⁴He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man is coming up; he is clothed with a robe." Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and showed him respect.

¹⁵Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me and brought me up?" Saul answered, "I am very distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has left me and does not answer me any more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I will do."

¹⁶Samuel said, "What then do you ask me, since Yahweh has left you, and he has become your enemy?¹⁷Yahweh has done to you what he said he would. Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand and he has given it to someone else—to David.

¹⁸Because you did not obey the voice of Yahweh and did not carry out his fierce wrath on Amalek, he has therefore done this today to you.¹⁹Yahweh will give Israel along with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Yahweh will also give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."

²⁰Then Saul immediately fell his full length on the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel. There was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all that day, neither that whole night.²¹The woman came to Saul and saw that he was very troubled, She said to him, "See, your woman servant has listened to your voice; I have put my life in my hand and have listened to the words that you said to me.

²²Now therefore, I beg you, listen also to the voice of your woman servant, and let me set a little food in front of you. Eat so that you may gain strength for when you go on your way."²³But Saul refused and said, "I will not eat." But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him, and he listened to their voice. So he rose from the ground and sat on the bed.

²⁴The woman had a fatted calf in the house; she hurried and killed it; she took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread with it.²⁵She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left that night.

¹Now the Philistines gathered together all their army at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring that is in Jezreel.²The princes of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; David and his men passed on in the rear guard with Achish.

³Then the princes of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish said to the other princes of the Philistines, "Is not this David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault with him since he came away to me to this day?"

⁴But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him and said, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He will not go down with us into battle, for he will become our adversary during the fighting. For how else could he make himself acceptable to his master than by taking the heads of our own men?

⁵Is this not David of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying,

'Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his ten thousands'?"

⁶Then Achish called David and said to him, "As Yahweh lives, you have been good, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my view; for I have found nothing wrong with you since the day of your coming to me to this very day. Nevertheless, the princes are not favorable to you.⁷So now return and go in peace, so that you do not displease the princes of the Philistines."

⁸David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant as long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my master the king?"⁹Achish answered and said to David, "I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.'

¹⁰So now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your master who have come with you; as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, go away."¹¹So David rose up early, he and his men, to leave in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

¹It came about, when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the Negev and on Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag, burned it,²and captured the women and everyone who was in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off as they went on their way.

³When David and his men came to the city, it was burned, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters were taken captive.⁴Then David and the people that were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.

⁵David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.⁶David was greatly distressed, for the people were talking about stoning him, for all the people were bitter in spirit, each man for his sons and daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh, his God.

⁷David said to Abiathar son of Ahimelek, the priest, "I beg you, bring the ephod here for me." Abiathar brought the ephod to David.⁸David prayed to Yahweh for direction, saying, "If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?" Yahweh answered him, "Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will surely recover everything."

⁹So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him; they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.¹⁰But David kept pursuing, he and four hundred men; for two hundred had stayed behind, who were so weak that they could not go over the brook Besor.

¹¹They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David; they gave him bread, and he ate; they gave him water to drink;¹²and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, he gained strength again, for he had eaten no bread nor drunk any water for three days and three nights.

¹³David said to him, "To whom do you belong? Where do you come from?" He said, "I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; my master left me because three days ago I fell sick.¹⁴We made a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, and what belongs to Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag."

¹⁵David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this raiding party?" The Egyptian said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or betray me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this raiding party."

¹⁶When the Egyptian had brought David down, the raiders were spread out over all the ground, eating and drinking and celebrating because of all the booty they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.¹⁷David attacked them from the twilight to the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped except for four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled.

¹⁸David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.¹⁹Nothing was missing, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither booty, nor anything that the raiders had taken for themselves. David brought back everything.²⁰David took all the flocks and the herds, which the men drove ahead of the other livestock. They said, "This is David's booty."

²¹David came to the two hundred men who had been too weak to follow him, the ones the others had made to stay at the brook Besor. These men went ahead to meet David and the people who were with him. When David came to these people, he greeted them.²²Then all the wicked men and worthless fellows among those who had gone with David said, "Because these men did not go with us, we will not give them any of the booty that we have recovered. However, each man may lead away his wife and children and go."

²³Then David said, "You must not act like this, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given to us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the marauding band that came against us.²⁴Who will listen to you in this matter? For as the share is for anyone who goes into battle, so also will the share be for anyone who waits by the baggage; they will share and share alike."²⁵It has been so from that day to this day, for David made it a statute and a decree for Israel.

²⁶When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the booty to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "See, here is a present for you from the booty from Yahweh's enemies."²⁷He also sent some to the elders who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir,²⁸and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa.

²⁹He also sent some to the elders who were in Rakal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,³⁰and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Bor Ashan, and to those who were in Athak,³¹and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men habitually went.

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down dead on Mount Gilboa.²The Philistines closely pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, his sons.³The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers overtook him. He was in severe pain because of them.

⁴Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and thrust me through with it. Otherwise, these uncircumcised will come and abuse me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword in the same way and died with him.⁶So Saul died, his three sons, and his armor bearer—these men all died together that same day.

⁷When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and lived in them.⁸It came about on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

⁹They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent messengers into the land of the Philistines throughout to carry the news to their idols' temples and to the people.¹⁰They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the city wall of Beth Shan.

¹¹When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul,¹²all the fighting men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan. They went to Jabesh and burned them there.¹³Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.

2 Samuel

¹After the death of Saul, David returned from attacking the Amalekites and remained in Ziklag for two days.²On the third day, a man came from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. When he came to David he fell to the ground and bowed down.

³David said to him, "Where did you come from?" He answered, "I escaped from the camp of Israel."⁴David said to him, "Please tell me how things went." He answered, "The people fled from the battle. Many have fallen and many are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are also dead."⁵David said to the young man, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"

⁶The young man replied, "By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there Saul was leaning on his spear, and chariots and riders were about to catch up with him.⁷Saul turned around and saw me and called out to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'

⁸He said to me, 'Who are you?' I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'⁹He said to me, 'Please stand over me and kill me, for great suffering has taken hold of me, but life is still in me.'¹⁰So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that he would not live after he had fallen. Then I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and brought them here to you, my master."

¹¹Then David tore his clothes, and all the men with him did the same.¹²They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul, for Jonathan his son, for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel because they had fallen by the sword.¹³David said to the young man, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I am the son of a foreigner in the land, an Amalekite."

¹⁴David said to him, "Why were you not afraid to destroy Yahweh's anointed king with your own hand?"¹⁵David called one of the young men and said, "Go and kill him." So that man went and struck him down, and the Amalekite died.¹⁶Then David said to the dead Amalekite, "Your blood is on your head because your own mouth has testified against you and said, 'I have killed Yahweh's anointed king.'"

¹⁷Then David sang this lament about Saul and Jonathan his son.¹⁸He commanded the people to teach this Song of the Bow to the sons of Judah, which has been written in the Book of Jashar.

¹⁹"Your glory, Israel, is dead, killed on your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!

²⁰Do not tell it in Gath,

do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,

so that the daughters of the Philistines may not rejoice,

so that the daughters of the uncircumcised may not celebrate.

²¹Mountains of Gilboa,

let there not be dew or rain on you,

nor fields giving grain for offerings,

for there the shield of the mighty was defiled.

The shield of Saul is no longer anointed with oil.

²²From the blood of those who have been killed,

from the bodies of the mighty,

the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

²³Saul and Jonathan were loved and gracious in life,

and in their death they were not separated.

They were swifter than eagles,

they were stronger than lions.

²⁴You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

who clothed you in scarlet as well as jewels,

and who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

²⁵How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan is killed on your high places.

²⁶I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.

You were very dear to me.

Your love to me was wonderful,

exceeding the love of women.

²⁷How the mighty have fallen,

and the weapons of war perished!"

¹After this David asked Yahweh and said, "Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" Yahweh replied to him, "Go up." David said, "To which city should I go?" Yahweh replied, "To Hebron."²So David went up with his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel, and Abigail from Carmel, the widow of Nabal.³David brought the men who were with him, who each brought his family, to the cities of Hebron, where they began to live.

⁴Then men from Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah.

They told David, "The men of Jabesh Gilead have buried Saul."

⁵So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, "You are blessed by Yahweh, since you have shown this loyalty to your master Saul and have buried him.

⁶Now may Yahweh show you steadfast love and faithfulness. I also will show you this goodness because you have done this thing.⁷Now then, let your hands be strong; be courageous for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

⁸But Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him to Mahanaim.⁹He made Ish-Bosheth king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and over all Israel.

¹⁰Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.¹¹The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

¹²Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.¹³Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. There they sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other on the other side.

¹⁴Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." Then Joab said, "Let them arise."¹⁵Then the young men got up and gathered together, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from servants of David.

¹⁶Each man seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into the side of his opponent, and they fell down together. Therefore that place was called "Helkath Hazzurim," or "Field of Swords," which is in Gibeon.¹⁷The battle was very severe that day and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.

¹⁸The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was swift in his feet like a wild gazelle.¹⁹Asahel closely pursued Abner and followed him without turning away in any direction.

²⁰Abner looked behind him and said, "Is that you Asahel?" He answered, "It is I."²¹Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his armor." But Asahel would not turn aside.

²²So Abner said again to Asahel, "Stop pursuing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I hold up my face to Joab, your brother?"²³But Asahel refused to turn aside, and so Abner stabbed him in the body with the blunt end of his spear, so that the spear came out the other side. Asahel fell down and died there. So it came about that anyone who arrived at the place where Asahel fell down and died, he stopped and stood still.

²⁴But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. When the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is near Giah by the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.²⁵The men of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and stood on the top of the hill.

²⁶Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know it will be bitter in the end? How long will it be before you tell your men to stop pursuing their brothers?"²⁷Joab replied, "Just as God lives, if you had not said that, my soldiers would have pursued their brothers until the morning!"

²⁸So Joab blew the ram's horn, and all his men stopped and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore.²⁹Abner and his men traveled all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all the next morning, and then reached Mahanaim.

³⁰Joab returned from pursuing Abner. He assembled all his people, from whom were missing Asahel and nineteen of David's servants.³¹But the servants of David had slaughtered from Benjamin and of Abner's men 360 men who died.³²Then they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men traveled all night, and the day dawned on them at Hebron.

¹Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

²Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel.

³His second son, Kileab, was born to Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third, Absalom, was son of Maakah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

⁴David's fourth son, Adonijah, was the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah son of Abital,

⁵and the sixth, Ithream, was the son of David's wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

⁶It came about during the war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.⁷Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone to my father's concubine?"

⁸Then Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-Bosheth and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I am showing faithfulness to the house of Saul, your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, by not delivering you into the hand of David. But now you accuse me of iniquity concerning this woman?

⁹May God do so to me, Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as Yahweh has sworn to him,¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."¹¹Ish-Bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹²Then Abner sent messengers to David to speak for him saying, "Whose land is this? Make a covenant with me, and you will see that my hand is with you, to bring all Israel to you."¹³David answered, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require from you is that you cannot see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me."

¹⁴Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I betrothed to myself at the price of one hundred Philistine foreskins."¹⁵So Ish-Bosheth sent for Michal and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.¹⁶Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Return home now." So he returned.

¹⁷Abner spoke with the elders of Israel saying, "In the past you were trying to have David be king over you.¹⁸Now do it. For Yahweh has spoken of David saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'"

¹⁹Abner also spoke personally to the people of Benjamin. Then Abner went also to speak with David in Hebron to explain everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin desired to accomplish.²⁰When Abner and twenty of his men arrived in Hebron to see David, David had a feast prepared for them.

²¹Abner explained to David, "I will arise and gather all Israel to you, my master the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, so that you may reign over all that you desire." So David sent Abner away, and Abner left in peace.

²²Then the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much plunder with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. David had sent him away, and Abner had left in peace.²³When Joab and all the army with him arrived, they told Joab, "Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king has sent him away, and Abner left in peace."

²⁴Then Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! Why have you sent him away, and he is gone?²⁵Do you not know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to discover your plans and learn everything you are doing?"²⁶When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah, but David did not know this.

²⁷When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly. There Joab stabbed him in the stomach and so that Abner died. In this way, Joab avenged the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸When David heard about this he said, "I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever regarding the blood of Abner son of Ner.²⁹May his blood fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house! May Joab's house never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who is lame and must walk with a staff or who is killed by the sword or does not have enough food."³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.

³¹David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner's body." Now King David walked behind the body in the funeral procession.³²They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept and cried loudly at the tomb of Abner, and all the people also wept.

³³The king lamented for Abner and sang,

"Should Abner die as a fool dies?

³⁴Your hands were not bound.

Your feet were not shackled.

As a man falls before the sons of injustice, so you have fallen."

Once more all the people wept over him.

³⁵All the people came to make David eat while it was still day, but David swore, "May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down."³⁶All the people took notice of David's grief, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased them.

³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's desire to kill Abner son of Ner.³⁸The king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?³⁹Now I am weak today, though I am an anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too severe for me. May Yahweh repay the evildoer by punishing him for his wickedness, as he deserves."

¹When Ish-Bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became weak, and all Israel was troubled.²Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of groups of soldiers. The name of one was Baanah and the other Rekab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who was from the people of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin,³and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been living there until this very time).

⁴Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up to flee, but in her hurry, Jonathan's son fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

⁵So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rekab and Baanah, traveled during the heat of the day to the house of Ish-Bosheth, as he was resting at noon.⁶The woman guarding the door had fallen asleep while sifting wheat, and Rekab and Baanah walked in quietly and passed her.⁷So after they entered the house, they attacked him and killed him as he was lying on his bed in his room. Then they cut off his head and carried it away, traveling on the road all night to the Arabah.

⁸They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, "Look, this is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. Today Yahweh has avenged our master the king against Saul and his descendants."⁹David answered Rekab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite; he said to them, "As Yahweh lives, who delivered my life from every trouble,¹⁰when someone told me, 'Look, Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news.

¹¹How much more, when wicked men have killed an innocent person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand and completely remove you from the earth?"¹²Then David gave orders to the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

¹Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "Look, we are your flesh and bone.²In the recent past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led the Israelite army. Yahweh said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become ruler over Israel.'"

³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel.⁴David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.⁵In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

⁶The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. They said to David, "You will not come here except to be turned away by the blind and the lame. David cannot come here."⁷Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which now is the city of David.

⁸At that time David said, "Those who attack the Jebusites will have to go through the water shaft to reach the 'lame and the blind' who are David's enemies." That is why people say, "The 'blind and the lame' must not enter the palace."⁹So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. He fortified around it, from the terrace toward the inside.¹⁰David became very powerful because Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.

¹¹Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters, and masons. They built a house for David.¹²David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³After David left Hebron and came to Jerusalem, he took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.¹⁴These were the names of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,¹⁶Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

¹⁷Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over Israel, they all went out looking for him. But David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.¹⁸Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹Then David asked for help from Yahweh. He said, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you give victory over them?" Yahweh said to David, "Attack, for I will certainly give you victory over the Philistines."²⁰So David attacked at Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He commented, "Yahweh has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood of water." So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.²¹The Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

²²Then the Philistines came up again and spread out once more in the Valley of Rephaim.²³So David sought help from Yahweh again, and Yahweh said to him, "You must not attack their front, but rather circle around behind them and come on them through the balsam woods.

²⁴When you hear the sound of marching in the wind blowing through the balsam treetops, then attack with force. Do this because Yahweh will have gone out before you to attack the army of the Philistines."²⁵So David did as Yahweh had commanded him. He killed Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

¹Now David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.²David arose and went with all his men who were with him from Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of Yahweh of hosts, who sits enthroned over the cherubim.

³They set the ark of God on a new cart. They brought it out of Abinadab's house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, his sons, were guiding the new cart.⁴They brought the cart out of Abinadab's house on the hill with the ark of God on it. Ahio was walking in front of the ark.⁵Then David and all the house of Israel began to play before Yahweh, celebrating with instruments made of fir wood, harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.

⁶When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out with his hand to grab the ark of God, and he took hold of it.⁷Then the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzzah. God attacked him there for his sin. Uzzah died there by the ark of God.

⁸David was angry because Yahweh had attacked Uzzah, and he called the name of that place Perez Uzzah. That place is called Perez Uzza to this day.⁹David was afraid of Yahweh that day. He said, "How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?"

¹⁰So David was not willing to take the ark of Yahweh with him into the city of David. Instead, he put it aside in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.¹¹The ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. So Yahweh blessed him and all his household.

¹²Now King David was told, "Yahweh has blessed Obed-Edom's house and everything that belongs to him because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from Obed-Edom's house to the city of David with joy.¹³When those who were carrying the ark of Yahweh had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

¹⁴David danced before Yahweh with all his might; he was wearing only a linen ephod.¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting and the sound of rams' horns.

¹⁶Now as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, Michal, daughter of Saul, looked out the window. She saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh. Then she despised him in her heart.¹⁷They brought in the ark of Yahweh and put it in its place, in the middle of the tent that David had set up for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before Yahweh.

¹⁸When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts.¹⁹Then he distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people left; each one returned to his own house.

²⁰Then David returned to bless his family. Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David and said, "How honored the king of Israel was today, who undressed himself today before the eyes of the slave girls among his servants, like one of the crude fellows who shamelessly undresses himself!"

²¹David responded to Michal, "I did that before Yahweh, who chose me above your father and above all his family, who appointed me leader over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Before Yahweh I will be joyful!²²I will be even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you have spoken about, I will be honored."²³So Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no children to the day of her death.

¹It happened that after the king had settled in his house, and after Yahweh had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,²the king said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is staying in the middle of a tent."

³Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do what is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you."

⁴But that same night the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying:⁵"Go and tell David my servant, 'This is what Yahweh says: Will you build me a house in which to live?

⁶For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up the people of Israel out of Egypt until this present day. Rather, I have been moving about in a tent, a tabernacle.⁷In all places where I have moved among all the people of Israel, did I ever say anything to anyone from the tribes of Israel whom I appointed to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'

⁸"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what Yahweh of hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, so that you would be ruler over my people Israel.⁹I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the great ones of the earth.

¹⁰I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place and be troubled no more. No longer will wicked people oppress them, as they did before,¹¹as they were doing from the days that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Now I will give you rest from all your enemies.

"Moreover, Yahweh declares to you that Yahweh will make you a house.

¹²When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up a descendant after you, one who will come out from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.¹³He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he will be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the whipping of the sons of men.

¹⁵But my covenant faithfulness will not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.¹⁶Your house and kingdom will be confirmed forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.'"

¹⁷Nathan spoke to David and reported to him all these words, and he told him about the entire vision.

¹⁸Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh and said, "Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my family that you have brought me to this point?¹⁹Now this was a small thing in your sight, Lord Yahweh. You have even spoken about your servant's family for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, Lord Yahweh!

²⁰"What more can I, David, say to you? You have known your servant, Lord Yahweh.

²¹For your word's sake, and to fulfill your own purpose, you have done this great thing and revealed it to your servant.

²²"Therefore you are great, Lord Yahweh, for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as we have heard with our own ears.²³What nation is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom you, God, went and rescued for yourself? You did this so that they would become a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself, and to do great and fearful deeds for your land. You drove out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you rescued from Egypt.

²⁴You established Israel as your own people forever, and you, Yahweh, became their God.

²⁵"So now, Yahweh God, may the promise that you made concerning your servant and his family be established forever. Do as you have spoken.²⁶May your name be forever great, so the people will say, 'Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel,' while the house of me, David, your servant is established before you.

²⁷"For you, Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. That is why I, your servant, have found courage to pray to you.²⁸Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are trustworthy, and you have made this good promise to your servant.²⁹Now then, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, Lord Yahweh, have said these things, and with your blessing your servant's house will be blessed forever."

¹After this it came about that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. So David took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

²Then he defeated Moab and measured their men with a line by making them lie down on the ground. He measured off two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. So the Moabites became servants to David and began to pay him tribute.

³David then defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, the king of Zobah, as Hadadezer was traveling to recover his rule by the Euphrates River.⁴David captured from him 1,700 chariots and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for a hundred chariots.

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand Aramean men.⁶Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to him and brought him tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷David took the golden shields that were on Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem.⁸From Tebah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

⁹When Tou, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer,¹⁰Tou sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, and because Hadadezer had waged war against Tou. Hadoram brought with himself objects of silver, gold, and bronze.

¹¹King David dedicated these objects to Yahweh, together with the silver and gold that he had dedicated, which came from all the nations that he had conquered—¹²from Aram, Moab, the people of Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek, along with all of the plundered goods of Hadadezer son of Rehob, the king of Zobah.

¹³David's name was well known when he returned from conquering the Arameans in the Valley of Salt, with their eighteen thousand men.¹⁴He placed garrisons throughout all of Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to him. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁵David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and righteousness to all his people.¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was the commander of the army, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder.¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was scribe.¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Kerethites and Pelethites, and David's sons were the priests. ¹

¹The ancient Greek translations and some modern translations have this as it is in 1 Chronicles 18:17, were the chief officials .

¹David said, "Is there anyone left in Saul's family to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"²There was in Saul's family a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. The king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" He replied, "Yes. I am your servant."

³So the king said, "Is there not anyone left of Saul's family to whom I may show the kindness of God?" Ziba replied to the king, "Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet."⁴The king said to him, "Where is he?" Ziba replied to the king, "Look, he is in the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

⁵Then King David sent and had him brought out of the house of Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar.⁶So Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul, came to David and bowed down his face to the floor in honor of David. David said, "Mephibosheth." He answered, "See, I am your servant!"

⁷David said to him, "Do not be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather, and you will always eat at my table."⁸Mephibosheth bowed and said, "What is your servant, that you should look with favor on such a dead dog as I am?"

⁹Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and his family I have given to your master's grandson.¹⁰You, your sons, and your servants must till the land for him and you must harvest the crops so that your master's grandson will have food to eat. For Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, must always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do all that my master the king commands his servant." The king added, "As for Mephibosheth he will eat at my table, as one of the king's sons."¹²Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mika. All who lived in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth.¹³So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, and he always ate at the king's table, though he was lame in both his feet.

¹It came about later that the king of the people of Ammon died, and that Hanun his son became king in his place.²David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent his servants to comfort Hanun concerning his father. His servants entered the land of the people of Ammon.³But the leaders of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their master, "Do you really think that David is honoring your father because he has sent men to comfort you? Has not David sent his servants to you to look at the city, to spy it out, in order to overthrow it?"

⁴So Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half their beards, cut off their garments up to their buttocks, and sent them away.⁵When they explained this to David, he sent to meet with them, for the men were deeply ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return."

⁶When the people of Ammon saw that they had become a stench to David, the people of Ammon sent messengers and hired the Arameans of Beth Rehob and Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.⁷When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of soldiers.⁸The Ammonites came out and formed a line of battle at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maakah, stood by themselves in the open fields.

⁹When Joab saw the battle lines facing him both in front and behind, he chose some of Israel's best fighters and arranged them against the Arameans.¹⁰The rest of his people he put into the hand of Abishai his brother, and he set them out in position to fight against the army of Ammon.

¹¹Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you, Abishai, must rescue me. But if the army of Ammon is too strong for you, then I will come and rescue you.¹²Be strong, and let us show ourselves to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, for Yahweh will do what is good for his purpose."

¹³So Joab and the soldiers of his army advanced to the battle against the Arameans, who were forced to flee before the army of Israel.¹⁴When the army of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Abishai and went back into the city. Then Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went back to Jerusalem.

¹⁵When the Arameans saw that they were being defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together again.¹⁶Then Hadarezer sent for Aramean troops from beyond the Euphrates River. They came to Helam, and Shobak, the commander of Hadarezer's army, went before them.

¹⁷When David was told this, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Helam. The Arameans arranged themselves in battle lines against David and fought him.¹⁸The Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their men in chariots and forty thousand horsemen. Shobak the commander of their army was wounded and died there.¹⁹When all the kings who were servants of Hadarezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. So the Arameans were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.

¹It came about in the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally go to war, that David sent out Joab, his servants, and all the army of Israel. They destroyed the army of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

²So it came about one evening that David got up from his bed and walked on the roof of his palace. From there he happened to see a woman who was bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.³So David sent and he asked people who would know about the woman. Someone said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, and is she not the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

⁴David sent messengers and took her; she came to him, and he lay with her (for she had just purified herself from her uncleanness). Then she returned to her house.⁵The woman conceived, and she sent and told David; she said, "I am pregnant."

⁶Then David sent to Joab saying, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David.⁷When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab was, how the army was doing, and how the war was going.⁸David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the king's palace, and the king sent a gift for Uriah after he left.

⁹But Uriah lay down at the door of the king's palace with all the servants of his master, and he did not go down to his house.¹⁰When they told David, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"¹¹Uriah answered David, "The ark, and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my master's servants are camped in an open field. How then can I go into my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As sure as you are alive, I will not do this."

¹²So David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you leave." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next day.¹³When David called him, he ate and drank before him, and David made him drunk. At evening Uriah went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his master; he did not go down to his house.

¹⁴So in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.¹⁵David wrote in the letter saying, "Set Uriah at the very front of the most severe battle, and then withdraw from him, that he may be hit and die."

¹⁶So as Joab watched the siege upon the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers would be fighting.¹⁷When the men of the city went out and fought against Joab's army, some of the servants of David fell, and Uriah the Hittite was also killed there.

¹⁸When Joab sent word to David about everything concerning the war,¹⁹he commanded the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,²⁰it may happen that the king will become angry, and he will say to you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?

²¹Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?' Then you must answer, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"

²²So the messenger left and went to David and told him everything that Joab had sent him to say.²³Then the messenger said to David, "The enemy were stronger than we were at first; they came out to us into the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

²⁴Then their shooters shot at your soldiers from off the wall, and some of the king's servants were killed, and your servant Uriah the Hittite was killed too."²⁵Then David said to the messenger, "Say this to Joab, 'Do not let this displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle even stronger against the city, and overthrow it,' and encourage him."

²⁶So when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented deeply for her husband.²⁷When her sorrow passed, David sent and took her home to his palace, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But what David had done displeased Yahweh.

¹Then Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said, "There were once two men in a city. One man was rich and the other poor.²The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,³but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and fed and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. The lamb even ate with him and drank from his own cup, and it lay in his bosom and was like a daughter to him.

⁴One day a visitor came to the rich man, but the rich man was unwilling to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for him. Instead, he took the poor man's ewe lamb and cooked it for his visitor."⁵David was hot with anger against the rich man, and he raged to Nathan, "As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves to be put to death.⁶He must pay back the lamb four times over because he did such a thing, and because he had no pity on the poor man."

⁷Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you out of the hand of Saul.⁸I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. But if that had been too little, I would have given you many other things in addition.

⁹So why have you despised the commands of Yahweh, so as to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your own wife. You killed him with the sword of the army of Ammon.¹⁰So now the sword will never leave your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your wife.'

¹¹Yahweh says, 'Look, I will raise up disaster against you out of your own house. Before your own eyes, I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.¹²For you committed your sin secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, in the sunlight.'"¹³Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against Yahweh." Nathan replied to David, "Yahweh also has passed over your sin. You will not be killed.

¹⁴However, because by this act you have despised Yahweh, the child who is born to you will surely die."¹⁵Then Nathan left and went home.

Yahweh attacked the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he was very sick.

¹⁶David then implored God for the boy. David fasted and went inside and lay all night on the floor.¹⁷The elders of his house arose and stood beside him, to raise him up from the floor, but he would not get up, and he would not eat with them.¹⁸It came about on the seventh day that the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Look, while the child was still alive we spoke to him, and he did not listen to our voice. What might he do to himself if we tell him that the boy is dead?!"

¹⁹But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David realized that the child was dead. He said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They answered, "He is dead."²⁰Then David arose from the floor and washed himself, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went to the tabernacle of Yahweh and worshiped there, and then he came back to his own palace. When he asked for it, they set food before him, and he ate.

²¹Then his servants said to him, "Why have you done this? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you got up and ate."²²David answered, "While the child was still alive I fasted and wept. I said, 'Who knows whether or not Yahweh will be gracious to me, that the child may live?'²³But now he is dead, so why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

²⁴David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went to her and lay with her. Later she gave birth to a son, and the child was named Solomon. Yahweh loved him²⁵and he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah, because Yahweh loved him.

²⁶Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and he captured the royal city.²⁷So Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city's water supply.²⁸Now therefore gather the rest of the army together and camp against the city and take it, because if I take the city, it will be named after me."

²⁹So David gathered all the army together and went to Rabbah; he fought against the city and captured it.³⁰David took the crown from their king's head—it weighed a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it. The crown was placed on David's own head. Then he brought out the plunder of the city in large quantities.

³¹He brought out the people who were in the city and forced them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes; he also made them work at brick kilns. David required all the cities of the people of Ammon to do this labor. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

¹It came about after this that David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and David's son Amnon loved her.²Amnon was so frustrated that he became sick because of his sister Tamar. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.

³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man.⁴Jonadab said to Amnon, "Why, son of the king, are you depressed every morning? Will you not tell me?" So Amnon answered him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

⁵Then Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him, 'Would you please send my sister Tamar to give me something to eat and cook it before me, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand?'"⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please send my sister Tamar to make some food for my sickness in front of me so that I may eat from her hand."

⁷Then David sent word to Tamar at his palace, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house and prepare food for him."⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house where he was lying down. She took dough and kneaded it and formed bread in his sight, and then she baked it.⁹She took the pan and gave the bread to him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said to the others present, "Send everyone out, away from me." So everyone went out from him.

¹⁰So Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into my room that I may eat from your hand." So Tamar took the bread that she had made, and brought it into the room of Amnon her brother.¹¹When she had brought the food to him, he took hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."¹²She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me, for nothing like this should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

¹³How could I be rid of my shame? What about you? You would be like one of the fools in Israel! Now, please speak to the king, for he would not keep me from you."¹⁴However Amnon would not listen to her, and he was stronger than she was, and he overpowered her, and he lay with her.

¹⁵Then Amnon hated Tamar with extreme hatred. The hatred with which he hated her was even greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and go."¹⁶But she responded to him, "No! Because this great evil of making me leave is even worse than what you did to me!" But Amnon did not listen to her.¹⁷Instead, he called his personal servant and said, "Take this woman away from me, and bolt the door after her."

¹⁸Then his servant brought her out and bolted the door after her. Tamar was wearing a beautifully decorated garment because the king's daughters who were virgins dressed in such robes.¹⁹Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her beautifully decorated garment. She put her hands on her head and walked away, crying aloud as she went.

²⁰Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar remained alone in her brother Absalom's house.²¹But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.²²Absalom said nothing to Amnon, for Absalom hated him for what he had done to her and how he had disgraced his sister Tamar.

²³It came about after two full years that Absalom had sheep shearers working at Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons to visit there.²⁴Absalom went to the king and said, "See now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please, may the king and his servants go with me, your servant."

²⁵The king answered Absalom, "No, my son, all of us should not go because we would be a burden to you." Absalom begged the king, but he would not go, but he gave him his blessing.²⁶Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." So the king said to him, "Why should Amnon go with you?"

²⁷Absalom pressed David, and so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.²⁸Absalom commanded his servants saying, "Listen closely. When Amnon begins to be affected by the wine, and when I say to you, 'Attack Amnon,' then put him to death. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and brave."²⁹So Absalom's servants did to Amnon as he had commanded them. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man mounted his mule and fled.

³⁰So it came about, while they were on the road, that the news came to David saying, "Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left."³¹Then the king arose and tore his clothes, and lay on the floor; all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

³²Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, "Let not my master believe that they have killed all the young men who are the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. Absalom has planned this from the day that Amnon violated his sister Tamar.³³So therefore let not my master the king take this report to heart, so as to believe that all the king's sons are dead, for Amnon only is dead."

³⁴Absalom fled away. A servant keeping watch raised his eyes and saw many people coming on the road on the hillside west of him.³⁵Then Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons are coming. It is just as your servant said."³⁶So it came about when he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived and raised their voices and wept. The king and all his servants also wept bitterly.

³⁷But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.³⁸So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, where he was for three years.³⁹The mind of King David longed to go out to see Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon and his death.

¹Now Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart went out to Absalom.²So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought to him. He said to her, "Please pretend you are a mourner and put on mourning clothes. Please do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.³Then go to the king and speak to him about what I will describe." So Joab told her the words she was to say to the king.

⁴When the woman from Tekoa spoke to the king, she lay facedown on the ground and said, "Help me, king."⁵The king said to her, "What is wrong?" She answered, "The truth is that I am a widow, and my husband is dead.⁶I, your servant, had two sons, and they fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.

⁷Now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, 'Give into our hand the man who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death, to pay for the life of his brother whom he killed.' So they would also destroy the heir. Thus they will put out the burning coal that I have left, and they will leave for my husband neither name nor descendant on the surface of the earth."

⁸So the king said to the woman, "Go to your house, and I will command something to be done for you."⁹The woman of Tekoa replied to the king, "My master, king, may the guilt be on me and on my father's family. The king and his throne are guiltless."

¹⁰The king replied, "Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore."¹¹Then she said, "Please, may the king call to mind Yahweh your God, so that the avenger of blood will not destroy anyone further, so that they will not destroy my son." The king replied, "As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground."

¹²Then the woman said, "Please let your servant speak a further word to my master the king." He said, "Speak on."¹³So the woman said, "Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in saying this thing, the king is like someone who is guilty, because the king has not brought back home again his banished son.¹⁴For we all must die, and we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life. Rather, he devises a way for those who were driven away not to remain outcast.

¹⁵Now then, seeing that I have come to speak this thing to my master the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. So your servant said to herself, 'I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.¹⁶Perhaps the king will listen to me and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together, out of the inheritance God gave us.'¹⁷Then your servant prayed, 'Yahweh, please let the word of my master the king give me relief, for as an angel of God, so is my master the king in telling good from evil.' May Yahweh your God be with you."

¹⁸Then the king answered and said to the woman, "Please do not hide from me anything that I will ask you." The woman replied, "Let my master the king now speak."¹⁹The king said, "Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this?" The woman answered and said, "As you live, my master the king, no one can escape to the right hand or to the left from anything that my master the king has spoken. It was your servant Joab who commanded me and told me to say these things that your servant has spoken.²⁰Your servant Joab has done this to change the course of what is happening. My master is wise, like the wisdom of an angel of God, and he knows everything that is happening in the land."

²¹So the king said to Joab, "See now, I will do this thing. Go then, and bring the young man Absalom back."²²So Joab lay facedown on the ground in honor and gratitude to the king. Joab said, "Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your eyes, my master, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant."

²³So Joab arose, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.²⁴The king said, "He may return to his own house, but he may not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king's face.

²⁵Now in all Israel there was no one praised for his handsomeness more than Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him.²⁶When he cut the hair of his head at the end of every year, because it was heavy on him, he weighed his hair; it would weigh about two hundred shekels, which is measured by the weight of the king's standard.²⁷To Absalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.

²⁸Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without seeing the king's face.²⁹Then Absalom sent word for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. So Absalom sent word a second time, but Joab still did not come.

³⁰So Absalom said to his servants, "See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.³¹Then Joab arose and came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?"

³²Absalom answered Joab, "Look, I sent word to you saying, 'Come here so I may send you to the king to say, "Why did I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to still be there. Now therefore let me see the king's face, and if I am guilty, let him kill me."'"³³So Joab went to the king and told him. When the king called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed low to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

¹It came about after this that Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, with fifty men to run before him.²Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. When any man had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city have you come?" Then the man would answer, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."

³So Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case is good and in the right, but there is no one empowered by the king to hear your case."⁴Absalom would add, "I wish that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who had any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would bring him justice!"

⁵So it came about that when any man came to Absalom to honor him, Absalom would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.⁶Absalom acted in this way to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷It came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay a vow that I have made to Yahweh in Hebron.⁸For your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying,' If Yahweh will indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'"

⁹So the king said to him, "Go in peace." So Absalom arose and went to Hebron.¹⁰But then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the ram's horn, then you must say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'"

¹¹With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited. They went in their innocence, not knowing anything that Absalom had planned.¹²While Absalom offered sacrfices, he sent for Ahithophel from his hometown of Giloh. He was David's counselor. Absalom's conspiracy was strong, for the people following Absalom were constantly increasing.

¹³A messenger came to David saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are following after Absalom."¹⁴So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Prepare to leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us, and he will bring down disaster on us and attack the city with the edge of the sword."¹⁵The king's servants said to the king, "Look, your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides."

¹⁶The king left and all his family after him, but the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the palace.¹⁷After the king went out and all the people after him, they stopped at the last house.¹⁸All his servants marched with him, and before him went all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him from Gath marched with the king.

¹⁹Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why will you come with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.²⁰Since you just left yesterday, why should I make you wander all over with us? I do not even know where I am going. So return and take your fellow countrymen with you, and may steadfast love and faithfulness go with you."

²¹But Ittai answered the king and said, "As Yahweh lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in whatever place where my master the king goes, there also will your servant go, whether that means living or dying."²²So David said to Ittai, "Go ahead and continue with us." So Ittai the Gittite marched with the king, along with all his men and all the families who were with him.²³All the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by over the Kidron Valley, and as the king also himself crossed over. All the people traveled on the road toward the wilderness.

²⁴Even Zadok with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God, were present. They set the ark of God down, and then Abiathar joined them. They waited until all the people had passed by out of the city.²⁵The king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me back here and show me again the ark and the place where he lives.²⁶But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' look, here am I, let him do to me whatever seems good to him."

²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar.²⁸See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."²⁹So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem, and they stayed there.

³⁰But David ascended barefoot and weeping up the Mount of Olives, and he had his head covered. Every man of the people who were with him covered his head, and they went up weeping as they walked.³¹Someone told David saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." So David prayed, "O Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness."

³²It came about that when David arrived at the top of the road, where God used to be worshiped, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head.³³David said to him, "If you travel with me, then you will be a burden to me.³⁴But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant,' then you will confuse Ahithophel's advice for me.

³⁵Will you not have the priests Zadok and Abiathar with you? So whatever you hear in the king's palace, you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.³⁶See that they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. You must send to me by their hand everything that you hear."³⁷So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city as Absalom arrived and entered into Jerusalem.

¹When David had gone a short distance over the summit of the hill, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys; on them were two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred bunches of figs, and a skin of wine.²The king said to Ziba, "Why did you bring these things?" Ziba replied, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and fig cakes are for your young men to eat, and the wine is for anyone who is faint in the wilderness to drink."

³The king said, "Then where is your master's grandson?" Ziba replied to the king, "Look, he has stayed behind in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore my father's kingdom to me.'"⁴Then the king said to Ziba, "Look, all that belonged to Mephibosheth now belongs to you." Ziba answered, "I bow in humility to you, my master, king. Let me find favor in your eyes."

⁵When King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the clan of Saul came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. ⁶He threw stones at David and at all of the king's servants, in spite of the people and mighty men who were on the king's right and left.

⁷Shimei called out in cursing, "Go away, get out of here, you man of blood, you worthless man!⁸Yahweh has repaid all of you for the blood you shed within the family of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood."

⁹Then Abishai son of Zeruiah, said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."¹⁰But the king said, "What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? Perhaps he is cursing me because Yahweh has said to him, 'Curse David.' Who then could say to him, 'Why are you cursing the king?'"

¹¹So David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Look, my son, who was born from my body, wants to take my life. How much more may this Benjamite now desire my ruin? Leave him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh has commanded him to do it.¹²Perhaps Yahweh will look at the misery unleashed on me, and repay me with good for his cursing me today."

¹³So David and his men traveled on the road, while Shimei went beside him up on the hillside, cursing and throwing dust and stones at him as he went.¹⁴Then the king and all the people who were with him became weary, and he rested when they stopped for the night.

¹⁵As for Absalom and all the people of the men of Israel who were with him, they came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.¹⁶It came about when Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

¹⁷Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with him?"¹⁸Hushai said to Absalom, "No! The one whom Yahweh and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, that is the man to whom I will belong, and I will stay with him.

¹⁹Also, what man should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, I will serve in your presence."

²⁰Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice about what we should do."²¹Ahithophel answered Absalom, "Go to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace, and all Israel will hear that you have become a stench to your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong."

²²So they spread for Absalom a tent on the top of the palace, and Absalom went to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.²³Now the advice of Ahithophel that he gave in those days was as if a man heard from the mouth of God himself. That was how all of Ahithophel's advice was viewed by both David and Absalom.

¹Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight.²I will come on him while he is weary and weak and will surprise him with fear. The people who are with him will flee, and I will attack only the king.³I will bring back all the people to you, like a bride coming to her husband, and all the people will be at peace under you."⁴What Ahithophel said pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

⁵Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Arkite, too, and let us hear what he says."⁶When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom explained to him what Ahithophel had said and then asked Hushai, "Should we do what Ahithophel has said? If not, tell us what you advise."⁷So Hushai said to Absalom, "The advice that Ahithophel has given this time is not good."

⁸Hushai added, "You know your father and his men are strong warriors, and that they are bitter, and they are like a bear robbed of her cubs in a field. Your father is a man of war; he will not sleep with the army tonight.⁹Look, right now he is probably hidden in some pit or in some other place. It will happen that when some of your men have been killed at the beginning of an attack, that whoever hears it will say, 'A slaughter has taken place among the soldiers who follow Absalom.'¹⁰Then even the bravest soldiers, whose hearts are like the heart of a lion, will be afraid because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that the men who are with him are very strong.

¹¹So I advise you that all Israel should be gathered together to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as numerous as the sands that are by the sea, and that you go to battle in person.¹²Then we will come on him wherever he may be found, and we will cover him as the dew falls on the ground. We will not leave even one of his men, or him himself, alive.

¹³If he retreats into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city and we will drag it into the river, until there is no longer even a small stone found there."¹⁴Then Absalom and the men of Israel said, "Hushai the Arkite's advice is better than Ahithophel's." Yahweh had ordained the rejection of Ahithophel's good advice in order to bring destruction on Absalom.

¹⁵Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, "Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel in such and such a way, but I have advised something else.¹⁶Now then, go quickly and report to David; say to him, 'Do not camp tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or the king will be swallowed up along with all the people who are with him.'"

¹⁷Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at the spring of Rogel. A female servant used to go and inform them what they needed to know, for they could not risk being seen going into the city. When the message came, then they were to go and tell King David.¹⁸But a young man saw them this time and told Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz went away quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, into which they descended.

¹⁹The man's wife took the covering for the well and spread it over the well's opening, and tossed grain over it, so no one knew Jonathan and Ahimaaz were in the well.²⁰Absalom's servants came to the woman of the house and said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman told them, "They have crossed over the river." So after they had looked around and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹It came about after they had left that Jonathan and Ahimaaz came up out of the well. They went to report to King David; they said to him, "Get up and cross quickly over the water because Ahithophel has given such and such advice about you."²²Then David arose and all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan. By morning daylight not one of them had failed to cross over the Jordan.

²³When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and went to his house in his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

²⁴Then David came to Mahanaim. As for Absalom, he crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.²⁵Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether the Ishmaelite ¹, who went to Abigail, who was the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.²⁶Then Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷It came about when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,²⁸brought sleeping mats and blankets, bowls and pots, and wheat, barley flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,²⁹honey, butter, sheep, and milk curds from the herd, so that David and the people with him could eat. These men had said, "The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness."

¹Scholars disagree about whether the word describing Jether should be "Ishmaelite," as it is in the ancient Greek translation, or "Israelite," as it is in the ancient Hebrew text. Some scholars believe that "Israelite" is a scribal error in the Hebrew. "Ishmaelite" is the word used in a parallel passage, 1 Chronicles 2:17, in both the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts.

¹David counted the soldiers who were with him and appointed captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.²Then David sent out the army, one-third under the command of Joab, another third under the command of Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and still another third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the army, "I will certainly go out with you myself, too."

³But the men said, "You must not go to battle, for if we flee away they will not care about us, or if half of us die they will not care. But you are worth ten thousand of us! Therefore it is better that you be ready to help us from the city."⁴So the king answered them, "I will do whatever seems best to you." The king stood by the city gate while all the army went out by hundreds and by thousands.

⁵The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Absalom." All the people heard that the king had given the captains this command about Absalom.

⁶So the army went out into the countryside against Israel; the battle spread into the forest of Ephraim.⁷The army of Israel was defeated there before the servants of David; there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.⁸The battle spread throughout the whole countryside, and more men were consumed by the forest than by the sword.

⁹Absalom happened to meet some of David's servants. Absalom was riding his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak tree, and his head was caught up in the tree branches. He was left dangling between the ground and the sky while the mule he was riding kept going.¹⁰Someone saw this and told Joab, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!"¹¹Joab said to the man who told him about Absalom, "Look! You saw him! Why did you not strike him down to the ground? I would have given you ten silver shekels and a belt."

¹²The man replied to Joab, "Even if I received a thousand silver shekels, still I would not have reached out my hand against the king's son, because we all heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'No one must touch the young man Absalom.'¹³If I had risked my life by a falsehood (and there is nothing hidden from the king), you would have abandoned me."

¹⁴Then Joab said, "I will not wait for you." So Joab took three javelins in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was still alive and hanging from the oak.¹⁵Then ten young men who carried Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, attacked him, and killed him.

¹⁶Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and the army returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held back the army.¹⁷They took Absalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest; they buried his body under a very large pile of stones, while all Israel fled, every man to his own tent.

¹⁸Now Absalom, while still alive, had built for himself a large stone pillar in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to carry along the memory of my name." He named the pillar after his own name, so it is called Absalom's Monument to this very day.

¹⁹Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me now run to the king with the good news, how Yahweh has rescued him from the hand of his enemies."²⁰Joab answered him, "You will not be the bearer of news today; you must do it another day. Today you will bear no news because the king's son is dead."

²¹Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed down to Joab, and ran.²²Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said again to Joab, "Regardless of what may happen, please let me also run and follow the Cushite." Joab replied, "Why do you want to run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?"²³"Whatever happens," said Ahimaaz, "I will run." So Joab answered him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

²⁴Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates. The watchman had gone up to the roof of the gate to the wall and raised his eyes. As he looked, he saw a man approaching, running alone.²⁵The watchman shouted out and told the king. Then the king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." The runner came closer and neared the city.

²⁶Then the watchman noticed another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper; he said, "Look, there is another man running alone." The king said, "He is also bringing news."²⁷So the watchman said, "I think the running of the man in front is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man and is coming with good news."

²⁸Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "All is well." He bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Blessed be Yahweh your God! He has delivered the men who lifted up their hand against my master the king."²⁹So the king replied, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent me, the king's servant, to you, king, I saw a great disturbance, but I did not know what it was."³⁰Then the king said, "Turn aside and stand here." So Ahimaaz turned aside, and stood still.

³¹Immediately then the Cushite arrived and said, "There is good news for my master the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today from all who rose up against you."³²Then the king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "The enemies of my master the king, and all who rise up against you to do harm to you, should be as that young man is."³³Then the king was deeply unnerved, and he went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went he grieved, "My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!"

¹Joab was told, "Look, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom."²So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the army, for the army heard it said that day, "The king is mourning for his son."

³The soldiers had to sneak quietly into the city that day, like people who are ashamed sneak away when they run from battle.⁴The king covered his face and cried in a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!"

⁵Then Joab entered into the house to the king and said to him, "You have shamed the faces of all your servants today, who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines,⁶because you love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. For today you have shown that commanders and servants are nothing to you. Today I believe that if Absalom had lived, and we all had died, then that would have pleased you.

⁷Now therefore get up and go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go, not one man will remain with you tonight. That would be worse for you than all the disasters that have ever happened to you from your youth until now."⁸So the king got up and sat in the city gate, and all the people were told, "Look, the king is sitting in the gate," and all the people came before the king.

So Israel fled, every man to his tent.

⁹All the people were arguing with each other throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, "The king rescued us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines, but now he has run out of the land because of Absalom.¹⁰Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

¹¹King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, since the talk of all Israel favors the king, to bring him back to his palace?¹²You are my brothers, my flesh and bone. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?'

¹³Then say to Amasa, 'Are you not my flesh and my bone? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of my army from now on in the place of Joab.'"¹⁴So he won the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man. They sent to the king saying, "Return, you and all your servants."¹⁵So the king returned and came to the Jordan. Now the men of Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king and then to bring the king across the Jordan.

¹⁶Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.¹⁷There were one thousand men from Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They crossed through the Jordan in the presence of the king.¹⁸They crossed to bring over the king's family and to do whatever he thought good. Shimei son of Gera bowed down before the king just before he began to cross the Jordan.

¹⁹Shimei said to the king, "Do not, my master, find me guilty or call to mind the wrong your servant did the day my master the king left Jerusalem. Please, may the king not take it to heart.²⁰For your servant knows that I have sinned. See, that is why I have come today as the first from all the family of Joseph to come down to meet my master the king."

²¹But Abishai son of Zeruiah answered and said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?"²²Then David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today be adversaries to me? Will any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?"²³So the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." So the king promised him with an oath.

²⁴Then Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had not dressed his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came home in peace.²⁵So when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?"

²⁶He answered, "My master the king, my servant deceived me, for I said, 'I will saddle a donkey so I may ride on it and go with the king, because your servant is lame.'²⁷My servant Ziba has slandered me, your servant, to my master the king. But my master the king is like an angel of God. Therefore, do what is good in your eyes.²⁸For all my father's house were dead men before my master the king, but you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I that I should still cry any more to the king?"

²⁹Then the king said to him, "Why explain anything further? I have decided that you and Ziba will divide the fields."³⁰So Mephibosheth replied to the king, "Yes, let him take it all, since my master the king has come safely to his own home."

³¹Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim to cross over the Jordan with the king, and he accompanied the king over the Jordan.³²Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old. He had furnished the king with provisions while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.³³The king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for you to stay with me in Jerusalem."

³⁴Barzillai replied to the king, "How many days are left in the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?³⁵I am eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a burden to my master the king?³⁶Your servant would like to just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?

³⁷Please let your servant return back home, so I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and my mother. But see, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my master the king, and do for him what seems good to you."

³⁸The king answered, "Kimham will go over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me, I do that for you."³⁹Then all the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed over, and the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Then Barzillai returned to his own home.

⁴⁰So the king crossed over to Gilgal, and Kimham crossed over with him. All the army of Judah brought the king over, and also half the army of Israel.⁴¹Soon all the men of Israel began to come to the king and say to the king, "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his family over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?"

⁴²So the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "It is because the king is more closely related to us. Why then are you angry about this? Have we eaten anything that the king had to pay for? Has he given us any gifts?"⁴³The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten tribes related to the king, so we have even more right to David than you. Why then did you despise us? Was not our proposal to bring back our king the first to be heard?" But the words of the men of Judah were even more severe than the words of the men of Israel.

¹There also happened to be at the same place a worthless man whose name was Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite. He blew the ram's horn and said, "We have no part in David, neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Let every man go back to his tent, Israel!"

²So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah followed closely their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.

³When David came to his palace at Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines whom he had left to keep the palace, and he put them in a house under guard. He provided for their needs, but he did not go to them any longer. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living as if they were widows.

⁴Then the king said to Amasa, "Call the men of Judah together within three days; you must be here, too."⁵So Amasa went to call Judah, but he was delayed beyond the time that the king had appointed for him.

⁶So David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's servants and pursue after him, or he will find fortified cities and escape out of our sight."⁷Then Joab's men went out after him, along with the Kerethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty warriors. They left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

⁸When they were at the great stone which is at Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing the battle armor that he had put on, which included a belt around his waist with a sheathed sword fastened to it. As he walked forward, the sword fell out.

⁹So Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my cousin?" Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.¹⁰Amasa did not notice the dagger that was in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed Amasa in the stomach and his bowels spilled out to the ground. Joab did not strike him again, and Amasa died.

So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

¹¹Then one of Joab's young men stood by Amasa, and the man said, "He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab."¹²Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa off of the road and into a field. He threw a garment over him because he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.¹³After Amasa was taken off the road, all the men followed on after Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.

¹⁴Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah, and through all the land of the Bikrites, who gathered together and also pursued Sheba.¹⁵They caught up with him and besieged him in Abel Beth Maakah. They built up a siege ramp against the city against the wall. All the army who were with Joab were wreaking destruction to break down the wall.¹⁶Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Listen, please listen, Joab! Come near me so I may speak with you."

¹⁷So Joab came near to her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He answered, "I am listening."¹⁸Then she spoke, "They used to say in old times, 'Surely seek advice at Abel,' and that advice would end the matter.¹⁹We are a city that is one of the most peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?"

²⁰So Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.²¹That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba son of Bikri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman said to Joab, "His head will be thrown to you over the wall."²²Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew the ram's horn and Joab's men left the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

²³Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites.²⁴Adoniram was over the men who did forced labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.²⁵Sheva was scribe and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.²⁶Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

¹There was a famine in David's time for three years in a row, and David sought the face of Yahweh. So Yahweh said, "This famine is on you because of Saul and his murderous family, because he put the Gibeonites to death."

²So the king called together the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not from the people of Israel; they were from what remained of the Amorites. The people of Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul tried to kill them all anyway in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.³David said to them, "What should I do for you? How can I make atonement, so that you may bless the people of Yahweh, who inherit his goodness and promises?"

⁴The Gibeonites responded to him, "It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his family. In the same way it is not for us to put to death any man in Israel." David replied, "What are you saying that I should do for you?"

⁵They answered the king, "The man who tried to kill us all, who schemed against us, so that we are now destroyed and have no place within the borders of Israel—⁶let seven men from his descendants be handed over to us, and we will hang them before Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the one chosen by Yahweh." So the king said, "I will give them to you."

⁷But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul, because of Yahweh's oath between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul.⁸But the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, sons whom she bore to Saul—the two sons were named Armoni and Mephibosheth; and David also took the five sons of Merab ¹ daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.⁹He handed them over into the hands of the Gibeonites. They hanged them on the mountain before Yahweh, and they died all seven together. They were put to death during the time of harvest, during the first days at the beginning of barley harvest.

¹⁰Then Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the mountain beside the dead bodies, from the beginning of harvest until the rain poured down on them from the sky. She did not allow the birds of the sky to disturb the bodies by day or the wild animals by night.¹¹It was told to David what Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

¹²So David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, after the Philistines had killed Saul in Gilboa.¹³David took away from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gathered the bones of the seven men who had been hanged, as well.

¹⁴They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. They performed all that the king commanded. After that God answered their prayers for the land.

¹⁵Then the Philistines went to war again with Israel. So David went down with his servants and fought against the Philistines. David was overcome with battle fatigue.¹⁶Ishbi-Benob, a descendant of the Rapha, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels, and who was armed with a new sword, intended to kill David.¹⁷But Abishai son of Zeruiah rescued David, attacked the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You must not go to battle anymore with us, so that you do not put out the lamp of Israel."

¹⁸It came about after this that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob, when Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the Rapha.¹⁹It came about again in a battle with the Philistines at Gob, that Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

²⁰It came about in another battle at Gath that there was a man of great height who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number. He also was descended from the Rapha.²¹When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him.²²These were descendants of the Rapha in Gath, and they were killed by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

¹Some Hebrew copies and other ancient translations of the Hebrew copies read: Michal, but see 1 Samuel 18:19, and compare 2 Samuel 6:23, which has Michal had no children . It may be that Michal was another name for Merab.

¹David sang to Yahweh the words of this song on the day that Yahweh rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.²He prayed,

"Yahweh is my rock, my fortress,

the one who rescues me.

³God is my rock.

I take refuge in him.

He is my shield, the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold, and my refuge,

the one who saves me from violence.

⁴I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised,

and I will be saved from my enemies.

⁵For the waves of death surrounded me,

the rushing waters of destruction overwhelmed me.

⁶The cords of Sheol surrounded me;

the snares of death trapped me.

⁷In my distress I called to Yahweh;

I called to my God;

he heard my voice from his temple,

and my cry for help went into his ears.

⁸Then the earth shook and trembled.

The foundations of the heavens trembled

and were shaken, because God was angry.

⁹Smoke went up from out of his nostrils,

and blazing fire came out of his mouth.

Coals were kindled by it.

¹⁰He opened the heavens and came down,

and thick darkness was under his feet.

¹¹He rode on a cherub and flew.

He was seen on the wings of the wind.

¹²He made darkness a tent around him,

gathering heavy rain clouds in the skies.

¹³From the lightning before him

coals of fire fell.

¹⁴Yahweh thundered from the heavens.

The Most High shouted.

¹⁵He shot arrows and scattered his enemies—

lightning bolts and threw them into confusion.

¹⁶Then the channels of the sea were seen;

the foundations of the world were laid bare

at the rebuke of Yahweh,

at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

¹⁷He reached down from above; he took hold of me!

He pulled me out of the surging water.

¹⁸He rescued me from my strong enemy,

from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

¹⁹They came against me on the day of my distress,

but Yahweh was my support.

²⁰He also brought me out to a wide open place.

He saved me because he was pleased with me.

²¹Yahweh has rewarded me to the measure of my righteousness;

he has restored me to the measure of the cleanness of my hands.

²²For I have kept the ways of Yahweh

and have not acted wickedly by turning from my God.

²³For all his righteous decrees have been before me;

as for his statutes, I have not turned away from them.

²⁴I have also been innocent before him,

and I have kept myself from my iniquity.

²⁵Therefore Yahweh has restored me to the measure of my righteousness,

to the degree of my cleanness in his sight.

²⁶To the faithful one, you show yourself to be faithful;

to a man who is blameless, you show yourself to be blameless.

²⁷With the pure you show yourself pure,

but you are perverse to the twisted.

²⁸You save afflicted people,

but your eyes are against the proud, and you humiliate them.

²⁹For you are my lamp, Yahweh.

Yahweh lights up my darkness.

³⁰For by you I can run over a troop;

by my God I can leap over a wall.

³¹As for God, his way is perfect.

The word of Yahweh is pure.

He is a shield

to everyone who takes refuge in him.

³²For who is God except Yahweh,

and who is a rock except our God?

³³God is my refuge,

and he leads the blameless person on his path.

³⁴He makes my feet swift like a deer

and places me on the high hills.

³⁵He trains my hands for war,

and my arms to bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your favor has made me great.

³⁷You have made a wide place for my feet beneath me,

so my feet have not slipped.

³⁸I pursued my enemies and destroyed them.

I did not turn back until they were destroyed.

³⁹I devoured them and smashed them; they cannot rise.

They have fallen under my feet.

⁴⁰You girded me with strength for battle;

you put under me those who rise up against me.

⁴¹You gave me the back of my enemies' necks;

I annihilated those who hated me.

⁴²They cried for help, but no one saved them;

they cried out to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

⁴³I beat them into fine pieces like dust on the ground,

I trampled them like mud in the streets.

⁴⁴You also have rescued me from the disputes of my own people.

You have kept me as the head of nations.

A people that I have not known serves me.

⁴⁵Foreigners were forced to bow to me.

As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.

⁴⁶The foreigners came trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁷Yahweh lives! May my rock be praised.

May God be exalted, the rock of my salvation.

⁴⁸This is the God who executes vengeance for me,

the one who brings down peoples under me.

⁴⁹He sets me free from my enemies.

Indeed, you lifted me up above those who rose up against me.

You rescue me from violent men.

⁵⁰Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations;

I will sing praises to your name.

⁵¹God gives great victory to his king,

and he shows his covenant loyalty to his anointed one,

to David and to his descendants forever."

¹Now these are the last words of David—

the declaration of David son of Jesse,

the declaration of the man who was highly honored,

the one anointed by the God of Jacob,

the sweet psalmist of Israel.

²"The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me,

and his word was on my tongue.

³The God of Israel spoke,

the Rock of Israel said to me,

'The one who rules righteously over men,

who rules in the fear of God.

⁴He will be like the morning light when the sun rises,

a morning without clouds,

when the tender grass springs up from the earth

through bright sunshine after rain.

⁵Indeed, is my family not like this before God?

Has he not made an everlasting covenant with me,

ordered and sure in every way?

Does he not increase my salvation and fulfill my every desire?

⁶But the worthless will all be like thorns to be thrown away,

because they cannot be gathered by one's hands.

⁷The man who touches them

must use an iron tool or the shaft of a spear.

They must be burned up where they lie.'"

⁸These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tahkemonite, was the leader of the officers. He killed eight hundred men on one occasion. ¹

⁹After him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered together to do battle, and when the men of Israel had retreated.¹⁰Eleazar stood and fought the Philistines until his hand became weary and his hand stiffened to the grip of his sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The army returned after Eleazar, only to strip the bodies.

¹¹After him was Shammah son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together where there was a field of lentils, and the army fled from them.¹²But Shammah stood in the middle of the field and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory.

¹³Three of the thirty soldiers went down to David at harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.¹⁴At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at Bethlehem.

¹⁵David was longing for water and said, "If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!"¹⁶So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.¹⁷Then he said, "Yahweh, far be it from me, that I should do this. Should I drink the blood of men who have risked their lives?" So he refused to drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty.

¹⁸Abishai, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was captain over the three. He once fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them. He was renowned along with the three soldiers.¹⁹Was he not even more famous than the three? He was made their captain. However, his fame did not equal the fame of the three most famous soldiers.

²⁰Benaiah from Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada; he was a strong man who did mighty feats. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion while it was snowing.²¹Then he killed a very large Egyptian man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah fought against him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and then killed him with his own spear.

²²Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.²³He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁴The thirty included the following men: Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

²⁵Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

²⁶Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

²⁷Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai ² the Hushathite,

²⁸Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;

²⁹Heled ³ son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,

³⁰Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash.

³¹Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

³²Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite,

³³Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

³⁴Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

³⁵Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

³⁶Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad, ⁴

³⁷Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah,

³⁸Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

³⁹Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

¹Instead of Josheb-Basshebeth , some Hebrew copies and some ancient translations have Ishbaal , or Ish-Bosheth . These all are probably forms of the same name.

²Some copies of the ancient Greek translation taken from the ancient Hebrew copies, have the name Sibbekai, see also 2 Samuel 21:18 and 1 Chronicles 11:29. Come of the copies have Mebunnai .

³Some ancient copies have the spelling of this name to read, Heleb .

⁴Some modern translations have a different name at this place in the text: Zobah the son of Hagri .

¹Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them saying, "Go, count Israel and Judah."²The king said to Joab the commander of the army, who was with him, "Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count all the people, so that I may know the total number of men fit for battle."

³Joab said to the king, "May Yahweh your God multiply the number of people a hundred times, and may the eyes of my master the king see it take place. But why does my master the king want this?"⁴Nevertheless, the king's word was final against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders went out from the king's presence to count the people of Israel.

⁵They crossed over the Jordan and encamped near Aroer, south of the city in the valley. Then they traveled on through Gad to Jazer.⁶They came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi, then on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.⁷They reached the stronghold of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to the Negev in Judah at Beersheba.

⁸When they had gone throughout all the land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.⁹Then Joab reported the total of the census of the fighting men to the king. There were in Israel 800,000 brave men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000 men.

¹⁰Then David's heart afflicted him after he had counted the men. So he said to Yahweh, "I have greatly sinned by doing this. Now, Yahweh, take away your servant's guilt, for I have acted very foolishly."

¹¹When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,¹²"Go say to David: 'This is what Yahweh says: "I am giving you three choices. Choose one of them."'"

¹³So Gad went to David and said to him, "Will three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months from your enemies while they pursue you? Or will there be three days of plague in your land? Now decide what answer I should return to him who sent me."¹⁴Then David said to Gad, "I am in deep trouble. Let us fall into Yahweh's hands rather than into the hand of man, for his merciful actions are very great."

¹⁵So Yahweh sent a plague on Israel from the morning to a fixed time, and seventy thousand people died from Dan to Beersheba.¹⁶When the angel reached out with his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh changed his mind because of the harm it would cause, and he said to the angel who was destroying people, "Enough! Now draw back your hand." At that time the angel of Yahweh was standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

¹⁷Then David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who had attacked the people, and said, "I have sinned, and I have acted perversely. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand punish me and my father's family!"

¹⁸Then Gad came that day to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar for Yahweh at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."¹⁹So David went up as Gad instructed him to do, as Yahweh had commanded.²⁰Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants approaching. So Araunah went out and bowed to the king with his face to the ground.

²¹Then Araunah said, "Why has my master the king come to me, his servant?" David replied, "To buy your threshing floor, so I can build an altar for Yahweh, so that the plague may be removed from the people."²²Araunah said to David, "Take it as your own, my master the king. Do with it what is good in your sight. Look, here are oxen for the burnt offering and threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.²³All this, my king, I, Araunah, will give to you." Then he said to the king, "May Yahweh your God accept you."

²⁴The king said to Araunah, "No, I insist on buying it at a price. I will not offer as a burnt offering to Yahweh anything that costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.²⁵David built an altar for Yahweh there and offered on it burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So Yahweh answered the prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was confined.

1 Kings

¹When King David was old and advanced in years, they covered him with blankets, but he could not keep warm.²So his servants said to him, "Let us look for a young virgin for our master the king. Let her serve the king and take care of him. Let her lie in his arms so that our master the king may keep warm."

³So they searched for a beautiful girl within all the borders of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.⁴The girl was very beautiful. She served the king and took care of him, but the king did not know her.

⁵At that time, Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run ahead of him.⁶His father had never troubled him, saying, "Why have you done this or that?" Adonijah was also a very handsome man, born next after Absalom.

⁷He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They followed Adonijah and helped him.⁸But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David did not follow Adonijah.

⁹Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants.¹⁰But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

¹¹Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and David our master does not know it?¹²Now therefore let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

¹³Go to King David; say to him, 'My master the king, did you not swear to your servant, saying, "Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?" Why then is Adonijah reigning?'¹⁴While you are there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."

¹⁵So Bathsheba went into the king's room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.¹⁶Bathsheba bowed down and showed respect before the king. Then the king said, "What do you desire?"¹⁷She said to him, "My master, you swore to your servant by Yahweh your God, saying, 'Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.'

¹⁸Now, see, Adonijah is king, and you, my master the king, do not know it.¹⁹He has sacrificed many cattle, fatted calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant.

²⁰As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to tell them who will sit on the throne after you, my master.²¹Otherwise it will happen, when my master the king lies down with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals."

²²While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.²³The servants told the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." When he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

²⁴Nathan said, "My master the king, have you said, 'Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?'²⁵For he has gone down today and sacrificed a great number of cattle, fatted calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king's sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking before him, and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

²⁶But as for me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he has not invited us.²⁷Has my master the king done this without telling us, your servants, who should sit on the throne after him?"

²⁸Then King David answered and said, "Call Bathsheba back to me." She came into the king's presence and stood before the king.²⁹The king made an oath and said, "As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all trouble,³⁰as I vowed to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, 'Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,' I will do this today."³¹Then Bathsheba bowed down and put her face to the ground and she showed honor to the king and said, "May my master King David live forever!"

³²King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." So they came before the king.³³The king said to them, "Take with you the servants of your master, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.³⁴Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel and blow the ram's horn and say, 'Long live King Solomon!'

³⁵Then you will come up after him, and he will come and sit on my throne; for he will be king in my place. I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah."³⁶Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, "Let it be so! May Yahweh, the God of my master the king, confirm it.³⁷As Yahweh has been with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my master King David."

³⁸So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride upon King David's mule; they brought him to Gihon.³⁹Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram's horn, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!"⁴⁰Then all the people went up after him, and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.

⁴¹Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, he said, "Why is there an uproar in the city?"⁴²While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news."

⁴³Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "Our master King David has made Solomon the king,⁴⁴and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites. They have had Solomon ride on the king's mule.⁴⁵Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.

⁴⁶Also, Solomon is sitting on the throne of the kingdom.⁴⁷Moreover, the king's servants came to bless our master King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed down on the bed.⁴⁸The king also said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given a person to sit on my throne this day, and that my own eyes should see it.'"

⁴⁹Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified. They stood up and each man went his way.⁵⁰Adonijah was afraid of Solomon and rose up, went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.⁵¹Then it was told Solomon, saying, "See, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'"

⁵²Solomon said, "If he will show himself a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he will die."⁵³So King Solomon sent men, who brought Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, "Go to your house."

¹As the day of David's death approached, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,²"I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.³Keep the commands of Yahweh your God to walk in his ways, to obey his statutes, his commandments, his decisions, and his covenant decrees, being careful to do what is written in the law of Moses, so you may prosper in all you do, wherever you go,⁴so that Yahweh may fulfill his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your descendants carefully watch their conduct, to walk before me faithfully with all their heart and with all their soul, you will never cease to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

⁵You know also what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether, whom he killed. He shed the blood of war in peace and put the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.⁶Deal with Joab by the wisdom you have learned, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

⁷However, show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

⁸Look, there is with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. Shimei came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'⁹Now therefore do not let him go free from punishment. You are a wise man, and you will know what you ought to do to him. You will bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood."

¹⁰Then David lay down with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David.¹¹The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He had reigned for seven years in Hebron and for thirty-three years in Jerusalem.¹²Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

¹³Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, "Do you come peacefully?" He replied, "Peacefully."¹⁴Then he said, "I have something to say to you." So she replied, "Speak."¹⁵Adonijah said, "You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel expected me to be king. But things changed, and the kingdom was given to my brother, for it was his from Yahweh.

¹⁶Now I have one request of you, and do not turn away from my face." Bathsheba said to him, "Speak."¹⁷He said, "Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not turn away from your face, so that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."¹⁸Bathsheba said, "Very well, I will speak to the king."

¹⁹Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a throne brought for the king's mother. She sat at his right hand.²⁰Then she said, "I wish to ask one small request of you, for you will not turn away from my face." The king answered her, "Ask, my mother, for I will not turn away from your face."²¹She said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife."

²²King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Why do you not ask the kingdom for him also, for he is my elder brother—for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah?"²³Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, "May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

²⁴Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah will be put to death today."²⁵So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Benaiah found Adonijah and put him to death.

²⁶Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your own fields. You are worthy of death, but I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father and suffered in every way my father suffered." ¹²⁷So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

²⁸The news came to Joab, for Joab had supported Adonijah, though he had not supported Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of Yahweh and took hold of the horns of the altar.²⁹It was told King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of Yahweh and was now beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go, execute him."

³⁰So Benaiah came to the tent of Yahweh and said to him, "The king says, 'Come out.'" Joab replied, "No, I will die here." So Benaiah returned to the king, saying, "Joab said he wanted to die at the altar."³¹The king said to him, "Do as he has said. Kill him and bury him so that you may take away from me and from my father's house the blood that Joab shed without cause.

³²May Yahweh return his blood on his own head, because without the knowledge of my father David he attacked two men more righteous and better than himself and killed them with the sword, Abner son of Ner, the captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, the captain of the army of Judah.³³So may their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But to David and his descendants, and to his house, and to his throne, may there be peace forever from Yahweh."

³⁴Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and attacked Joab and killed him. He was buried in his own house in the wilderness.³⁵The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and he put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.

³⁶Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there to any other place.³⁷For on the day you go out, and pass over the Kidron Valley, know you for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head."³⁸So Shimei said to the king, "What you say is good. As my master the king has said, so your servant will do." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.

³⁹But at the end of three years, two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maakah, the king of Gath. So they told Shimei, saying, "See, your servants are in Gath."⁴⁰Then Shimei arose, saddled his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to seek his servants. He went and brought his servants back from Gath.

⁴¹When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,⁴²the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by Yahweh and testify to you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any other place, you will surely die'? Then you said to me, 'What I have heard is good.'

⁴³Why then have you not kept your oath to Yahweh and the command that I gave you?"⁴⁴The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to my father David. Therefore Yahweh will return your wickedness on your own head.

⁴⁵But King Solomon will be blessed and the throne of David will be established before Yahweh forever."⁴⁶Then the king gave a command to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He went out and put Shimei to death.

So the kingdom was well established in Solomon's hand.

¹The ancient Greek translation simply has, the ark of Yahweh .

¹Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house, the house of Yahweh, and the wall around Jerusalem.²The people were sacrificing at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of Yahweh.³Solomon showed his love for Yahweh by walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

⁴The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place there. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.⁵Yahweh appeared at Gibeon to Solomon in a dream by night; he said, "Ask! What should I give you?"

⁶So Solomon said, "You have shown great covenant faithfulness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you in trustworthiness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart. You have kept for him this great covenant faithfulness and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.

⁷Now Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father, though I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.⁸Your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.⁹So give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, so that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?"

¹⁰This request of Solomon pleased the Lord.¹¹So God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,¹²see, now I will do all you asked of me when you gave me your request. I give you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and no one like you will rise up after you.

¹³I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.¹⁴If you will walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."

¹⁵Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. He came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

¹⁶Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.¹⁷One woman said, "Oh, my master, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child with her in the house.

¹⁸It happened on the third day after I gave birth that this woman also gave birth. We were together. There was no one else with us in the house, but only the two of us in the house.¹⁹Then this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him.²⁰So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son at my breast.

²¹When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, he was dead. But when I had looked at him carefully in the morning, he was not my son, whom I had borne."²²Then the other woman said, "No, the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son." The first woman said, "No, the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son." This is how they spoke before the king.

²³Then the king said, "One of you says, 'This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,' and the other says, 'No, your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'"²⁴The king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king.²⁵Then the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to this woman and half to the other."

²⁶Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king, for her heart was full of compassion for her son, and she said, "Oh, my master, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other woman said, "He will be neither mine nor yours. Divide him."²⁷Then the king answered and said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother."²⁸When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered, they feared the king, because they saw that the wisdom of God was in him for giving judgments.

¹King Solomon was king over all Israel.²These were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.

³Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha, were secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.

⁴Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests. ¹

⁵Azariah son of Nathan was over the officers. Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and the king's friend.

⁶Ahishar was over the household. Adoniram son of Abda was over the men who were subjected to forced labor.

⁷Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for one month in the year.⁸These were their names: Ben-Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

⁹Ben-Deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Bethhanan;

¹⁰Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Sokoh and all the land of Hepher);

¹¹Ben-Abinadab, in all Naphoth Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

¹²Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shan that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah as far as the other side of Jokmeam;

¹³Ben-Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him belonged the towns of Jair son of Manasseh, that are in Gilead, and the region of Argob belonged to him, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze gate bars);

¹⁴Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

¹⁵Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also married Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

¹⁶Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

¹⁷Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;

¹⁸Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin;

¹⁹and Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan, and he was the only deputy who was in the land.

²⁰Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea. They were eating and drinking and were rejoicing.²¹Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.²²Solomon's provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal,²³ten head of cattle fattened in the stall, twenty head of cattle taken from the pastures, and one hundred sheep, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

²⁴For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River, from Tiphsah as far as to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River, and he had peace on all sides around him.²⁵Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

²⁶Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.²⁷Those officers provided food for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon's table, every man in his month. They let nothing be lacking.²⁸They also brought to the proper place barley and straw for the chariot horses and riding horses, each one bringing in what he was able.

²⁹God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and wideness of understanding like the sand on the seashore.³⁰Solomon's wisdom exceeded the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.³¹He was wiser than all men—than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol—and his fame reached all the surrounding nations.

³²He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs were 1,005 in number.³³He described the plants, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He explained also about animals, birds, creeping things, and fish.³⁴People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon. They came from all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

¹The ancient Greek translation supports the opinion of some modern scholars that Zadok and Abiathar were priests was a later addition to the text.

¹Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon for he had heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father; for Hiram had always loved David.²Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying,³"You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars that surrounded him, for during his lifetime Yahweh was putting his enemies under the soles of his feet.

⁴But now, Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor disaster.⁵So I intend to build a temple for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, will build the temple for my name.'

⁶Now therefore command that they cut cedars from Lebanon for me. My servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants so that you are paid fairly for everything you agreed to do. For you know there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."

⁷When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, "May Yahweh be blessed today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people."⁸Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I will provide all the wood of cedar and cypress that you desire.

⁹My servants will bring the trees down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you direct me. I will have them broken up there, and you will take them away. You will do what I desire by giving food for my household."

¹⁰So Hiram gave Solomon all the timber of cedar and fir that he desired.¹¹Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat for food to his household and twenty thousand baths of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. ¹¹²Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

¹³King Solomon conscripted labor out of all Israel. The forced laborers numbered thirty thousand men.¹⁴He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts. One month they were in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was over the men who were subjected to forced labor.

¹⁵Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens and eighty thousand who were stonecutters in the mountains,¹⁶besides Solomon's 3,300 chief officers who were over the work and who supervised the workers.

¹⁷At the king's command they quarried large precious stones with which to lay the foundation of the temple.¹⁸So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the men from Byblos ² did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stones to build the temple.

¹Some ancient Hebrew copies have: twenty thousand cors ... twenty thousand cors . Other ancient copies read: twenty thousand cors ... twenty thousand baths , which we are following here.

²Some modern English translations read, Gebalites .

¹So Solomon began to build the temple of Yahweh. This happened in the 480th year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month.²The temple that King Solomon built for Yahweh was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.

³The portico in front of the temple's main hall was twenty cubits in length, equal to the width of the temple, and ten cubits deep in front of the temple.⁴For the house he made windows with frames that made them more narrow at the outside than on the inside.

⁵Against the walls of the main chamber he built rooms around it, around both the outer room and the inner room. He built rooms all around the sides.⁶The lowest story was five cubits wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide. For on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around so that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house.

⁷The house was built of stones prepared at the quarry. No hammer, ax, or any iron tool was heard in the house while it was being built.⁸On the south side of the temple there was an entrance at the ground level, then one went up by stairs to the middle level, and from the middle to the third level.

⁹So Solomon built the temple and finished it; he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar.¹⁰He built the side rooms against the inner chambers of the temple, each side five cubits high; they were joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

¹¹The word of Yahweh came to Solomon, saying,¹²"Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in my statutes and do justice, keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will confirm my promise with you that I had made to David your father.¹³I will live among the people of Israel and will not abandon them."

¹⁴So Solomon built the house and finished it.¹⁵Then he built the interior walls of the house with boards of cedar. From the floor of the house to the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with cypress boards.

¹⁶He built twenty cubits onto the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling. He built this room to be the inner room, the most holy place.¹⁷The main hall, that is, the holy place that was in front of the most holy place, was forty cubits long.¹⁸There was cedar inside the house, carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar inside. No stonework was visible on the inside.

¹⁹Solomon prepared the inner room inside the house in order to place the ark of the covenant of Yahweh there.²⁰The inner room was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height. Solomon overlaid the walls with pure gold and covered the altar with cedar wood.

²¹Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he placed chains of gold across the front of the inner room, and overlaid the front with gold.²²He overlaid the entire interior with gold until all the temple was finished. He also overlaid with gold the whole altar that belonged to the inner room.

²³Solomon made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high, for the inner room.²⁴One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and its other wing was also five cubits long. So from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other there was a distance of ten cubits.²⁵The other cherub also had a wingspan of ten cubits. Both the cherubim were of the same dimensions and shape.²⁶The height of one cherub was ten cubits and the other cherub was the same.

²⁷Solomon placed the cherubim in the innermost room. The wings of the cherubim were stretched out so that the wing of one touched one wall and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. Their wings touched one another in the middle of the most holy place.²⁸Solomon overlaid the cherubim with gold.

²⁹He carved all the walls of the house around about with figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, in the outer and inner rooms.³⁰Solomon overlaid the floor of the house with gold, in both the outer and inner rooms.

³¹Solomon made doors of olivewood for the entrance to the inner room. The lintel and doorposts had five indented sections.³²So he made two doors of olivewood, and he made on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and he spread the gold on the cherubim and palm trees.

³³In this way, Solomon also made for the temple entrance doorposts of olive wood having four indented sections³⁴and two doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding and the two leaves of the other door were folding.³⁵He carved on them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and he evenly overlaid gold on the carved work.

³⁶He built the inner courtyard with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.

³⁷The foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv.³⁸In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts and conforming to all its specifications. Solomon took seven years to build the temple.

¹Solomon took thirteen years to build his own palace.²He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was one hundred cubits, its width was fifty cubits, and its height was thirty cubits. The palace was built with four rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams on the pillars.

³The house was roofed with cedar that rested on beams. Those beams were supported by pillars. There were forty-five beams, fifteen in a row.⁴There were beams in three rows, and each window was opposite another window in three sets.⁵All the doors and posts were made square with beams, and window was opposite window in three sets.

⁶There was a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, with a portico in front and pillars and a roof.

⁷Solomon built the hall of the throne where he was to judge, the hall of justice. It was covered with cedar from the floor to the ceiling. ¹

⁸Solomon's house in which he was to live, in another courtyard within the palace grounds, was designed in a similar way. He also built a house like this for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken as a wife.

⁹These buildings were adorned with costly hewn stones, precisely measured and cut with a saw and smoothed on all sides. These stones were used from the foundation to the stones on top, and also on the outside to the great court.¹⁰The foundation was constructed with very large, costly stones of eight and ten cubits in length.

¹¹Above were costly hewn stones precisely cut to size, and cedar beams.¹²The great courtyard surrounding the palace had three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams like the courtyard of the temple of Yahweh and the temple portico.

¹³King Solomon sent for Huram and brought him from Tyre.¹⁴Huram was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali; his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill to do great work with bronze. He came to King Solomon to work with bronze for the king.

¹⁵Huram fashioned the two pillars of bronze, each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference.¹⁶He made two capitals of polished bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of each capital was five cubits.¹⁷Checker latticework and wreaths of chain work for the capitals decorated the top of the pillars, seven for each capital.

¹⁸So Huram made two rows of pomegranates around the top of each pillar to decorate their capitals.¹⁹The capitals on the tops of the portico pillars were decorated with lilies, four cubits high.

²⁰The capitals on these two pillars also included, close to their very top, two hundred pomegranates in rows all around.²¹He raised up the pillars at the temple portico. The pillar on the right was named Jakin, and the pillar on the left was named Boaz.²²On the top of the pillars were decorations like lilies. The fashioning of the pillars was done in this way.

²³Huram made the round sea of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim. Its height was five cubits, and it was thirty cubits in circumference.²⁴Under the brim encircling the sea were gourds, ten in each cubit, cast in one piece with it when that basin was cast.

²⁵The sea stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. It was set on top of them, and all their hindquarters were toward the inside.²⁶The sea was as thick as the width of a hand, and its brim was forged like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. The sea held two thousand baths of water.

²⁷Huram made the ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long and four cubits wide, and the height was three cubits.²⁸The work of the stands was like this. They had panels that stood between frames,²⁹and on the panels and on the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. Above and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hammered work.

³⁰Every stand had four bronze wheels and axles, and its four corners had supports beneath for the basin. The supports were cast with wreaths on the side of each one.³¹The opening was round like a pedestal, a cubit and a half wide, and was within a crown that rose up a cubit. On the opening were engravings, and their panels were square, not round.

³²The four wheels were underneath the panels, and the axles of the wheels and their housings were in the stand. The height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.³³The wheels were forged like chariot wheels. Their housings, rims, spokes, and hubs were all cast metal.

³⁴There were four handles at the four corners of each stand, forged into the stand itself.³⁵In the top of the stands there was a round band half a cubit deep, and on the top of the stand its supports and panels were attached.

³⁶On the surfaces of the supports and on the panels Huram engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees that covered the space available, and they were surrounded by wreaths.³⁷He made the ten stands in this manner. All of them were cast in the same molds, and they had one size, and the same shape.

³⁸Huram made ten basins of bronze. One basin could hold forty baths of water. Each basin was four cubits across and there was one basin on each of ten stands.³⁹He made five stands on the south-facing side of the temple and five on the north-facing side of the temple. He set the sea on the east corner, facing toward the south of the temple.

⁴⁰Huram made the basins and the shovels and the sprinkling bowls. Then he finished all the work that he did for King Solomon in the temple of Yahweh:

⁴¹the two pillars, and the bowl-like capitals that were on top of the two pillars, and the two sets of decorative latticework to cover the two bowl like capitals that were on top of the pillars.

⁴²He made the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of decorative latticework (two rows of pomegranates for each set of latticework to cover the two bowl-like capitals that were on the pillars);

⁴³the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands.

⁴⁴He made the large basin called the sea with its twelve oxen under it;

⁴⁵also the pots, shovels, basins, and all the other implements. Huram made them out of polished bronze, for King Solomon, for the temple of Yahweh.

⁴⁶The king had cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Sukkoth and Zarethan.⁴⁷Solomon did not weigh all the utensils because there were too many to weigh, because the weight of the bronze could not be measured.

⁴⁸Solomon had made all the furnishings that were in the temple of Yahweh out of gold: the golden altar and the table on which the bread of the presence was to be placed;

⁴⁹the lampstands, five on the right side and five on the left, in front of the inner room, were of pure gold, and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs were of gold.

⁵⁰Solomon also had made the cups, lamp trimmers, basins, spoons, and incense burners, all of which were made of pure gold; he had sockets of gold made for the doors of the inner room (which was the most holy place), and for the doors of the main hall of the temple.

⁵¹In this way, all the work that King Solomon directed for the house of Yahweh was finished. So Solomon brought in the things that were set apart by David, his father, and the silver, the gold, and the furnishings, and put them into the storerooms of the house of Yahweh.

¹There was a repetition of the word for floor in the Hebrew copies, but see 1 Kings 6:16 for a similiar expression, that reads from the floor to the rafters and which appears to have been intended here.

¹Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the families of the people of Israel, before himself in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David, that is, Zion.²All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the feast, in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

³All the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.⁴They brought up the ark of Yahweh, the tent of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought these things up.⁵King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel came together before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted.

⁶The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the inner room of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim.⁷For the cherubim spread out their wings to the place of the ark, and they covered the ark and the poles by which it was carried.⁸The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place in front of the inner room, but they could not be seen from outside. They are there to this day.

⁹There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses had put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the people of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.¹⁰It came about that when the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of Yahweh.¹¹The priests could not stand to serve because of the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled his house.

¹²Then Solomon said, "Yahweh has said

that he would live in thick darkness,

¹³But I have built you a lofty residence,

a place for you to live in forever."

¹⁴Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.¹⁵He said, "May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised, who spoke to David my father, and has fulfilled it with his own hands, saying,¹⁶'Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, in order for my name to be there. However, I chose David to rule over my people Israel.'

¹⁷Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.¹⁸But Yahweh said to David my father, 'In that it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well for it to be in your heart.¹⁹Nevertheless you will not build the house; instead, your son, one who will be born from your loins, will build the house for my name.'

²⁰Yahweh has carried out the word that he had said, for I have arisen in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised. I have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.²¹I have made a place for the ark there, in which is Yahweh's covenant, which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."

²²Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh, before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward the heavens.²³He said, "Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens above or on the earth below, who keeps his covenant faithfulness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart;²⁴you who have kept with your servant David my father, what you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.

²⁵Now then, Yahweh, God of Israel, carry out what you have promised to your servant David my father, when you said, 'You will not fail to have a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful to walk before me, as you have walked before me.'²⁶Now then, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

²⁷But will God actually live on the earth? Look, the entire universe and heaven itself cannot contain you—how much less can this temple that I have built!²⁸Yet please respect this prayer of your servant and his humble request, Yahweh my God; listen to the cry and prayer that your servant prays before you today.

²⁹May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, to the place about which you have said, 'My name and my presence will be there'—in order to listen to the prayers that your servant will pray toward this place.³⁰So listen to the humble request of your servant and of your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, listen from the place where you live, from the heavens; and when you listen, forgive.

³¹If a man sins against his neighbor and is required to swear an oath, and if he comes and swears an oath before your altar in this house,³²listen from the heavens and act. Judge your servants, condemning the wicked and bringing what he has done upon his own head. Declare the innocent not guilty and give to him according to his righteousness.

³³When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, if they turn back to you, confess your name, pray, and seek your favor in this temple—³⁴then please listen in the heavens and forgive the sin of your people Israel; bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors.

³⁵When the skies are shut up and there is no rain because the people have sinned against you—if they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin when you have afflicted them—³⁶then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk. Send rain on your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

³⁷Suppose there is famine in the land, or suppose that there is disease, blight or mildew, locusts or caterpillars; or suppose that an enemy attacks the city gates in their land, or that there is any plague or sickness—³⁸and suppose then that prayers and humble requests are made by a person or by all your people Israel—each knowing the plague in his own heart as he spreads out his hands toward this temple.

³⁹Then listen from heaven, the place where you live, forgive and act, and reward every person for all he does; you know his heart, because you and you only know the hearts of all human beings.⁴⁰Do this so that they may fear you all the days that they live on the land that you gave to our ancestors.

⁴¹In addition, concerning the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel: When he comes from a distant country because of your name—⁴²for they will hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your raised arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple,⁴³then please listen from heaven, the place where you live, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you. Do this so that all the peoples on earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel. Do this so they might know that this house I have built is called by your name.

⁴⁴Suppose that your people go out to battle against an enemy, by whatever way you may send them, and suppose that they pray to you, Yahweh, toward the city that you have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name.⁴⁵Then listen in the heavens to their prayer and their request, and help their cause.

⁴⁶Suppose that they sin against you, since there is no one who does not sin, and suppose that you are angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, so that the enemy takes them away captive to their land, whether distant or near.⁴⁷Then suppose that they realize they are in the land where they have been exiled, and suppose that they repent and seek favor from you from the land of their captors. Suppose that they say, 'We have acted perversely and sinned. We have behaved wickedly.'

⁴⁸Suppose that they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who captured them, and suppose that they pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their ancestors, and toward the city that you chose, and toward the house that I have built for your name.

⁴⁹Then from heaven, the place where you live, listen to their prayer and their request for help, and you will make matters right for them.⁵⁰Forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, and cause their captors to have compassion on them.

⁵¹They are your people and your inheritance, whom you rescued out of Egypt as if from the middle of a furnace where iron is forged.⁵²May your eyes be open to the humble request of your servant and to the requests of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to you.⁵³For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to belong to you and receive your promises, just as you explained by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh."

⁵⁴So it was that when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and request for favor to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread out toward the heavens.⁵⁵He stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying,⁵⁶"May Yahweh be praised, who has given rest to his people Israel, keeping all his promises. Not one word has failed out of all Yahweh's good promises that he made with Moses his servant.

⁵⁷May Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us,⁵⁸that he may incline our hearts to him, to live in all his ways and keep his commandments and his regulations and his statutes, which he commanded our fathers.

⁵⁹Let these words I have spoken, by which I have sought the favor of Yahweh, be near Yahweh our God day and night, so that he may help the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as every day will require;⁶⁰that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh, he is God, and there is no other God!⁶¹Therefore let your heart be true to Yahweh our God, to walk in his statutes and keep his commandments, as on this day."

⁶²So the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices to Yahweh.⁶³Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to Yahweh: twenty-two thousand cattle and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh.

⁶⁴The same day the king set apart the middle of the courtyard in front of the temple of Yahweh, for there he offered the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that was before Yahweh was too small to receive the burnt offering, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings.

⁶⁵So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh our God for seven days and also for another seven days, a total of fourteen days.⁶⁶On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their tents with joyful and glad hearts for all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, his servant, and to Israel, his people.

¹After Solomon had finished building the house of Yahweh and the king's palace, and after he had accomplished all that he desired to do,²Yahweh appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

³Then Yahweh said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your request for favor that you have made before me. I have set apart this house, which you have built, to myself, to put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

⁴As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked in integrity of heart and in uprightness, obeying all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my decrees,⁵then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'A descendant of yours will never fail to be on the throne of Israel.'

⁶But if you turn away, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have placed before you, and if you go and worship other gods and bow down to them,⁷then will I cut off Israel from off the ground that I have given them; and this house that I have set apart to my name, I will cast it out of my sight, and Israel will become an example to be mocked and an object of ridicule among all peoples.

⁸This temple will become a heap of ruins, and everyone who passes by it will be shocked and will hiss. They will ask, 'Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?'⁹Others will answer, 'Because they abandoned Yahweh, their God, who had brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and they laid hold of other gods and bowed down to them and worshiped them. That is why Yahweh has brought all this disaster on them.'"

¹⁰It came about at the end of twenty years that Solomon had finished building the two buildings, the temple of Yahweh and the king's palace.¹¹Now Hiram, the king of Tyre, had furnished Solomon with cedar and cypress trees, and with gold—all that Solomon desired—so King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

¹²Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, but they did not please him.¹³So Hiram said, "What cities are these which you have given me, my brother?" Hiram called them the Land of Kabul, which they are still called today.¹⁴Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents of gold.

¹⁵This is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon imposed to build the temple of Yahweh and his own palace, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.¹⁶Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer. He burned it and killed the Canaanites in the city. Then Pharaoh gave the city to his daughter, Solomon's wife, as a wedding gift.

¹⁷So Solomon rebuilt Gezer and Beth Horon the Lower,¹⁸Baalath and Tamar ¹ in the wilderness in the land of Judah,¹⁹and all the store cities that he possessed, and the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever he wished to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the lands under his rule.

²⁰As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel,²¹their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were not able to totally destroy—Solomon made them into forced laborers, which they are to this day.

²²However, Solomon made no forced laborers of the people of Israel. They were his soldiers, his servants, his officials, his officers, and commanders of his chariot forces and his horsemen.

²³These were also the chief officers managing the supervisors who were over Solomon's works, 550 of them, who supervised the people who did the work.

²⁴Pharaoh's daughter moved from the city of David to the house that Solomon had built for her. Later, Solomon built the Millo.

²⁵Three times each year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built for Yahweh, burning incense with them on the altar that was before Yahweh. So he completed the temple and was now using it.

²⁶King Solomon built a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.²⁷Hiram sent servants to Solomon's fleet, sailors who were familiar with the sea, with Solomon's own servants.²⁸They went to Ophir with servants of Solomon. From there they brought back 420 talents of gold for King Solomon.

¹Tamar is also pronounced Tadmor .

¹When the queen of Sheba heard the report about Solomon concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to test him with hard questions.²She came to Jerusalem with a very long caravan, with camels loaded with spices, much gold, and many precious gemstones. When she arrived, she told Solomon all that was in her heart.

³Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing she asked that the king did not answer.⁴When the queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom, the palace that he had built,⁵the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the work of his servants and their clothing, also his cupbearers, and the manner in which he offered burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh, there was no more breath in her.

⁶She said to the king, "It is true, the report that I heard in my own land of your words and your wisdom.⁷I did not believe the message until I came here, and now my eyes have seen it. Not half was told me! In wisdom and wealth you have exceeded the report that I heard.

⁸How blessed are your wives, and how blessed are your servants who constantly stand before you, because they hear your wisdom. ¹⁹May Yahweh your God be praised, who has taken pleasure in you, who placed you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, he has made you king, for you to do justice and righteousness!"

¹⁰She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a large amount of spices and precious stones. No greater amount of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon was ever given to him again.

¹¹The fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a large amount of almug wood and precious stones.¹²The king made almug wood pillars for the temple of Yahweh and for the king's palace, and harps and lutes for the singers. No such quantity of almug wood has ever come or been seen again to this day.

¹³King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba everything she wished for, whatever she asked, in addition to what Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she returned to her own land with her servants.

¹⁴Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,¹⁵besides the gold that the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors in the country also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

¹⁶King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went into each one.¹⁷He also made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went into each shield; the king put them into the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

¹⁸Then the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.¹⁹There were six steps to the throne, and the back of it had a rounded top. There were armrests on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.²⁰Twelve lions stood on the steps, one on each side of each of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any other kingdom.

²¹All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the drinking cups in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were silver, because silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's days.²²The king had at sea a fleet of ships of Tarshish, along with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet brought gold, silver, and ivory, as well as apes and baboons.

²³So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.²⁴All the earth sought the presence of Solomon in order to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.²⁵Those who visited brought tribute, vessels of silver and of gold, and clothes, armor, and spices, as well as horses and mules, year after year.

²⁶Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with himself in Jerusalem.²⁷The king had silver in Jerusalem, as much as the stones on the ground. He made cedar wood to be as abundant as the sycamore fig trees that are in the lowlands.

²⁸The horses that belonged to Solomon were imported from Egypt, and Kue and the king's merchants purchased them from Kue.²⁹Chariots were brought up from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver each, and horses for 150 shekels each. Many of these were then sold to all the kings of the Hittites and Aram.

¹Some Hebrew copies have: How blessed are your men . The ancient Greek translation has How blessed are your wives . Many think it is probable that women was misread as men , because two Hebrew words are very similar.

¹Now King Solomon loved many foreign women including the daughter of Pharaoh—women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites.²They were from the nations about which Yahweh said to the people of Israel, "You will not go among them to marry, neither will they come among you, for they will certainly turn your heart to their gods." In spite of this command, Solomon was affectionate toward these women in love.

³Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away.⁴For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; his heart was not fully surrendered to Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father.

⁵For Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and he followed Molech, the disgusting idol of the Ammonites.⁶Solomon did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he did not fully follow Yahweh as David his father had done.

⁷Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting idol of Moab, on a hill east of Jerusalem, and also for Molech, the disgusting idol of the people of Ammon.⁸He also built high places for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods at them.

⁹Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from him, the God of Israel, even though he had appeared to him twice¹⁰and commanded him about this very thing, that he should not go after other gods. But Solomon did not obey what Yahweh commanded.

¹¹Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, "Because you have done this and have not kept the covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.¹²However, for David your father's sake, I will not do it in your lifetime, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.¹³Yet I will not tear away all the kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for David my servant's sake, and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

¹⁴Then Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was from the royal family of Edom.¹⁵When David was in Edom, Joab the captain of the army had gone up to bury the dead, every man who had been killed in Edom.¹⁶Joab and all Israel remained there six months until he had killed every male in Edom.¹⁷But Hadad fled to Egypt with other Edomites, his father's servants, when Hadad was still a little child.

¹⁸They left Midian and came to Paran, from where they took men with them to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and land and food.¹⁹Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that Pharaoh gave him a wife, his own wife's sister, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

²⁰The sister of Tahpenes gave birth to Hadad's son. They named him Genubath. Tahpenes raised him in Pharaoh's palace. So Genubath lived in Pharaoh's palace among the children of Pharaoh.²¹While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David had lain down with his ancestors and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, "Let me depart, so I may go to my own country."²²Then Pharaoh said to him, "But what have you lacked with me, that you now seek to go to your own country?" Hadad answered, "Nothing. Please let me go."

²³God also raised up another adversary to Solomon, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah.²⁴Rezon gathered men to himself and became captain over a marauding band when David killed the men of Zobah. Rezon's men went to Damascus and lived there, and Rezon reigned in Damascus.²⁵He was an enemy of Israel all the days of Solomon, along with the trouble that Hadad caused. Rezon abhorred Israel and reigned over Aram.

²⁶Then Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.²⁷He lifted up his hand against the king because Solomon had built up the place located at Millo and repaired the opening in the city wall of David his father.

²⁸Jeroboam was a man of great ability. Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, so he appointed him over all the labor of the house of Joseph.²⁹At that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed in a new garment and the two men were alone in the field.³⁰Then Ahijah grabbed hold of the new garment that was on him and tore it into twelve pieces.

³¹He said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Look, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and I will give ten tribes to you³²(but Solomon will have one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake—the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),³³because they have abandoned me and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Molech the god of the people of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, to do what is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my decrees, as did David his father.

³⁴I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon's hand. I have made him ruler all the days of his life, for David my servant's sake whom I chose, the one who kept my commandments and my statutes.³⁵But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and I will give it to you, ten tribes.³⁶I will give one tribe to Solomon's son, so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city in which I have chosen to put my name.

³⁷I will take you, and you will rule to fulfill all that you desire, and you will be king over Israel.³⁸If you listen to all that I command you, and if you walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, then I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.³⁹I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.'"

⁴⁰So Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam got up and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and he remained in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

⁴¹As for the other matters concerning Solomon, all that he did and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the events of Solomon?⁴²Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.⁴³He lay down with his ancestors and he was buried in the city of David his father. Rehoboam his son became king in his place.

¹Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel was coming to Shechem to make him king.²It happened that Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), for Jeroboam had settled down in Egypt. ¹

³So they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam,⁴"Your father made our yoke heavy. Now make lighter the hard work of your father and make lighter the heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you."⁵Rehoboam said to them, "Go away for three days, then come back to me." So the people went away.

⁶King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he was alive, and he said, "How do you advise me to answer this people?"⁷They spoke to him and said, "If you will be a servant today to these people and serve them, and answer them by saying good words to them, then they will always be your servants."

⁸But Rehoboam ignored the advice that the old men had given him and he consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.⁹He said to them, "What advice do you give me that we may answer the people who spoke to me and said, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put on us'?"

¹⁰The young men who had grown up with Rehoboam spoke to him, saying, "Speak to these people who told you that your father Solomon made their yoke heavy but that you must make it lighter. You should say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.¹¹So now, although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.'"

¹²So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had instructed when he said, "Come back to me on the third day."¹³The king answered the people roughly and ignored the advice of the old men that they had given him.¹⁴He spoke to them following the advice of the young men; he said, "My father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions."

¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events brought about by Yahweh, that he might carry out his word that he had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

¹⁶When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered him and said,

"What share do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse!

Go to your tents, Israel.

Now see to your own house, David."

So Israel went back to their tents.

¹⁷But as for the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam became king over them.

¹⁸Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was over the forced laborers, but all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam fled quickly in his chariot to Jerusalem.¹⁹So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

²⁰It happened that when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to their assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed the family of David, except only the tribe of Judah.

²¹When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin; there were 180,000 chosen men who were soldiers, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

²²But the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God; it said,²³"Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people; say,²⁴'Yahweh says this: You must not attack or fight against your brothers the people of Israel. Each man must return to his home, for this thing has been made to happen by me.'" So they listened to the word of Yahweh and turned back and went their way, and they obeyed his word.

²⁵Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. He went out from there and built Peniel.²⁶Jeroboam thought in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.²⁷If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then the heart of these people will turn again to their master, to Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."

²⁸So King Jeroboam sought advice and made two calves of gold; he said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, these are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."²⁹He set up one in Bethel and the other in Dan.³⁰So this act became a sin. The people went to one or the other, all the way to Dan.

³¹Jeroboam made houses on high places and he also made priests from among all the people, who were not among the sons of Levi.³²Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places he had made.

³³Jeroboam went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month he had planned in his own mind; he ordained a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.

¹2 Chronicles 10:2 is very close to 1 Kings 12:2, that is, the Hebrew consonants are identical, and could support either reading, "settled down" or "returned." The alternate reading would be: then Jeroboam returned from Egypt .

¹A man of God came out of Judah by the word of Yahweh to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.²He cried against the altar by the word of Yahweh: "Altar, altar! This is what Yahweh says, 'See, a son named Josiah will be born to the family of David, and on you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now burn incense on you. On you they will burn human bones.'"³Then the man of God gave a sign the same day, saying, "This is the sign that Yahweh has spoken: 'Look, the altar will be split apart, and the ashes on it will be poured out.'"

⁴When the king heard what the man of God said, that he had cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam reached out with his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him." Then the hand with which he had reached out against the man dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself.⁵(The altar was also split apart and the ashes poured out from the altar, as described by the sign that the man of God had given by the word of Yahweh.)

⁶King Jeroboam answered and said to the man of God, "Plead for the favor of Yahweh your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored to me again." So the man of God prayed to Yahweh, and the king's hand was restored to him again, and it became as it was before.⁷The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward."

⁸The man of God said to the king, "Even if you give me half your possessions, I will not go with you, nor will I eat food or drink water in this place,⁹because Yahweh commanded me by his word, 'You will eat no bread nor drink water, nor return by the way that you came.'"¹⁰So the man of God left another way and did not return to his home by the way that he had come to Bethel.

¹¹Now there was an old prophet living in Bethel, and one of his sons came and told him all the things that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. His sons also told him the words that the man of God had spoken to the king.¹²Their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" Now his sons had seen the way the man of God from Judah had gone.¹³So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey and he rode off on it.

¹⁴The old prophet went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree; and he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" He answered, "I am."¹⁵Then the old prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat food."¹⁶The man of God answered, "I may not return with you nor go in with you, neither will I eat food nor drink water with you in this place,¹⁷because it was commanded to me by the word of Yahweh, 'You will eat no food nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'"

¹⁸So the old prophet said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat food and drink water.'" But he was lying to the man of God.¹⁹So the man of God went back with the old prophet and ate food in his house and drank water.

²⁰As they sat at the table, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet who had brought him back,²¹and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Yahweh says, 'Because you have been disobedient to the word of Yahweh and have not kept the command that Yahweh your God gave you,²²but came back and have eaten food and drunk water in the place about which Yahweh told you to eat no food and drink no water, your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.'"

²³After he had eaten food and after he had drunk, the prophet saddled the donkey of the man of God, the man who had come back with him.²⁴When the man of God was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left on the road. Then the donkey stood by it, and the lion also stood by the body.²⁵When men passed by and saw the body left on the road, and the lion standing by the body, they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

²⁶When the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, "It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of Yahweh. Therefore Yahweh gave him to the lion, which tore him to pieces and killed him, just as the word of Yahweh warned him."²⁷So the old prophet spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle my donkey," and they saddled it.²⁸He went and found the body left in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body, nor attacked the donkey.

²⁹The prophet lifted up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. He came to his own city to mourn and to bury him.³⁰He laid the body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, "Woe, my brother!"

³¹Then after he had buried him, the old prophet spoke to his sons, saying, "When I am dead, bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones.³²For the message he declared by the word of Yahweh, against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses on the high places in the cities of Samaria, will certainly happen."

³³After this Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but continued to appoint common priests for the high places from among all sorts of people. Any who would serve he consecrated as a priest.³⁴This matter became sin to the family of Jeroboam and caused his family to be destroyed and to be exterminated from the face of the earth.

¹At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became very sick.²Jeroboam said to his wife, "Please arise and disguise yourself, so you will not be recognized as my wife, and go to Shiloh, because Ahijah the prophet is there; he is the one who spoke about me, saying that I would become king over these people.³Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to Ahijah. He will tell you what will happen to the child."

⁴Jeroboam's wife did so; she left and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; he lost his sight because of old age.⁵Yahweh said to Ahijah, "Look, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to seek advice from you regarding her son, for he is sick. Say such and such to her, because when she comes, she will act as if she were some other woman."

⁶When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in at the door, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be someone you are not? I have been sent to you with severe news.⁷Go, tell Jeroboam that Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'I raised you from among the people to make you the leader over my people Israel.⁸I tore the kingdom away from the family of David and gave it to you, yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, to do only what was right in my eyes.

⁹Instead, you have done evil, more than all who were before you. You have made other gods, and you have cast metal images to provoke me to anger, and you have thrust me behind your back.¹⁰Therefore, look, I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam; I will cut off from you every male child in Israel, whether slave or free, and will completely remove the house of Jeroboam like someone who burns up dung until it is gone.

¹¹Anyone who belongs to Jeroboam who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the heavens, for I, Yahweh, have said it.'¹²So arise, wife of Jeroboam, and go back to your home; when your feet enter the city, the child Abijah will die.¹³All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one from Jeroboam's family who will go into a grave, because only in him, out of Jeroboam's house, was anything good found in the sight of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

¹⁴Also, Yahweh will raise up a king of Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam on that day. Today is that day, right now.¹⁵For Yahweh will attack Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and he will root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their ancestors. He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherah poles and provoked Yahweh to anger.¹⁶He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, the sins that he has committed, and through which he has led Israel to sin."

¹⁷So Jeroboam's wife arose and left, and came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of her house, the child died.¹⁸All Israel buried him and mourned for him, just as it was told to them by the word of Yahweh which he had spoken by his servant Ahijah the prophet.

¹⁹As for the other matters concerning Jeroboam, how he waged war and how he reigned, see, they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel.²⁰Jeroboam reigned twenty-two years and then lay down with his ancestors, and Nadab his son became king in his place.

²¹Now Rehoboam son of Solomon was reigning in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his name. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite woman.²²Judah did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh; they provoked him to jealousy with the sins that they committed, more than everything that their fathers had done.

²³For they also built for themselves high places, stone pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.²⁴There were also cultic prostitutes in the land. They did the same disgusting practices as the nations that Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel.

²⁵It happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.²⁶He took away the treasures in the house of Yahweh, and the treasures in the king's house. He took everything away; he also took all the shields of gold that Solomon had made.

²⁷King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and entrusted them into the hands of the commanders of the guard, who guarded the doors to the king's house.²⁸It happened that whenever the king entered the house of Yahweh, the guards would carry them; then they would bring them back into the guardhouse.

²⁹As for the other matters concerning Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?³⁰There was constant warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.³¹So Rehoboam lay down with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite woman. Abijah his son became king in his place.

¹In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah began to reign over Judah.²He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maakah. She was the daughter of Abishalom.³He walked in all the sins that his father had committed before his time; his heart was not devoted to Yahweh his God as the heart of David, his ancestor, had been.

⁴Nevertheless, for David's sake, Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up his son after him in order to strengthen Jerusalem.⁵God did this because David had done what was right in his eyes; for all the days of his life, he had not turned away from anything that he commanded him, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.⁶Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijah's life.

⁷As for the other matters of Abijah, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.⁸Abijah lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Asa his son became king in his place.

⁹In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.¹⁰He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother's name was Maakah, the daughter of Abishalom.¹¹Asa did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as David, his ancestor, had done.

¹²He expelled the cultic prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his ancestors had made.¹³He also removed Maakah, his grandmother, from being queen, because she had made a disgusting figure out of an Asherah pole. Asa cut down the disgusting figure and burned it at the Kidron Valley.

¹⁴But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, Asa's heart was completely devoted to Yahweh all his days.¹⁵He brought into the house of Yahweh the things that were set apart by his father, and his own things that had been set apart that were made of silver and gold, and vessels.

¹⁶There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel, all their days.¹⁷Baasha king of Israel, acted aggressively against Judah and built up Ramah, so that he might not allow anyone to leave or enter into the land of Asa king of Judah.

¹⁸Then Asa took all the silver and gold left in the storerooms in the house of Yahweh, and the storerooms of the king's palace. He put it into the hands of his servants and sent it to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who lived in Damascus. He said,¹⁹"Let there be a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I have sent to you a gift of silver and gold. Break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he may leave me alone."

²⁰Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies, and they attacked the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah, and all Kinnereth, together with all the land of Naphtali.²¹It came about that when Baasha heard this, he stopped building up Ramah and went back to Tirzah.²²Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah. No one was exempted. They carried away the stones and timbers of Ramah with which Baasha had been building up the city. Then King Asa used that building material to build up Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

²³As for the other matters of Asa, all his might, all that he did, and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah? But during his old age he was diseased in his feet.²⁴Then Asa lay down with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David his father. Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place.

²⁵Nadab son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; he reigned over Israel two years.²⁶He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the way of his father, and in his own sin, by which he led Israel to sin.

²⁷Baasha son of Ahijah, of the family of Issachar, conspired against Nadab; Baasha killed him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.²⁸In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha killed Nadab and became king in his place.

²⁹As soon as he was king, Baasha killed all the family of Jeroboam. He left none of Jeroboam's descendants breathing; in this way he destroyed his royal line, just as Yahweh had spoken by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite,³⁰for the sins of Jeroboam which he committed and by which he led Israel to sin, in his anger to which he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel.

³¹As for the other matters concerning Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?³²There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

³³In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah and he reigned twenty-four years.³⁴He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he led Israel to sin.

¹The word of Yahweh came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,²"Although I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, so as to provoke me to anger with their sins.

³See, I will consume Baasha and his family and I will make your family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat.⁴The dogs will eat anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat anyone who dies in the fields."

⁵As for the other matters concerning Baasha, what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?⁶Baasha lay down with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son became king in his place.

⁷So by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani the word of Yahweh came against Baasha and his family, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Yahweh, so as to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, like the family of Jeroboam, and also because he had killed all of Jeroboam's family.

⁸In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah; he reigned two years.⁹His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now Elah was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah.¹⁰Zimri went in, attacked him, and put him to death in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah and became king in his place.

¹¹When Zimri began to reign and was seated on his throne, he killed all the family of Baasha. He did not leave alive a single male belonging to Baasha's relatives or friends.¹²So Zimri destroyed all the family of Baasha, according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,¹³for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son that they committed, and by which they had led Israel to sin, so that they provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their idols.

¹⁴As for the other matters concerning Elah, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

¹⁵In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned only for seven days in Tirzah. Now the army was camped by Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.¹⁶The army camped there heard it said, "Zimri has plotted and has killed the king." So that day in the camp, all Israel declared Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel.¹⁷Omri went up from Gibbethon and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

¹⁸So when Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the fortress attached to the king's palace and set fire to the building over him; in this way he died in the flames.¹⁹This was for the sins that he had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, by walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin that he had committed, so as to lead Israel to sin.²⁰As for the other matters concerning Zimri, and the treason that he carried out, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

²¹Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.²²But the people who followed Omri were stronger than the people who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king.

²³Omri began to reign over Israel in the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He reigned from Tirzah for six years.²⁴He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver. He built a city on the hill and called the name of the city Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the past owner of the hill.

²⁵Omri did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and acted more wickedly than all who had been before him.²⁶For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins by which he led Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to be angry with their worthless idols.

²⁷As for the other matters concerning Omri which he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?²⁸So Omri lay down with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria and Ahab his son became king in his place.

²⁹In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.³⁰Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, more than all those who were before him.

³¹It was to Ahab a trivial thing to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, so he took as his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; he went and worshiped Baal and bowed down to him.³²He built an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.³³Ahab made an Asherah pole. Ahab did even more to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who had been before him.

³⁴During Ahab's rule, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. Hiel laid the foundation of the city at the cost of the life of Abiram, his firstborn son; and Segub, his youngest son, lost his life while he was building the gates of the city, in keeping with the word of Yahweh which he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.

¹Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As Yahweh, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there will not be dew or rain these years unless I say so."

²The word of Yahweh came to Elijah, saying,³"Leave from here and go eastward; hide yourself by the brook Kerith, east of the Jordan.⁴It will happen that you will drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

⁵So Elijah went and did as the word of Yahweh commanded. He went to live by the brook Kerith, east of the Jordan.⁶The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.⁷But after a while the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land.

⁸The word of Yahweh came to him, saying,⁹"Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there. Look, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."¹⁰So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city a widow was there gathering sticks. So he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a jar so that I may drink."

¹¹As she was going to get water he called to her, and said, "Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand."¹²She replied, "As Yahweh your God lives, I do not have any bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug. See, I am gathering two sticks so I may go in and cook it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."¹³Elijah said to her, "Do not fear. Go and do as you have said, but make me a little bread first and bring it out to me. Then afterward make some for you and for your son.

¹⁴For Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'The jar of meal will not empty, neither will the jug of oil stop flowing, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth."¹⁵So she did as Elijah had told her. She and Elijah, along with her household, ate for many days.¹⁶The jar of meal did not empty, neither did the jug of oil stop flowing, just as the word of Yahweh had said, as he had spoken by Elijah.

¹⁷After these things the woman's son, the woman who owned the house, fell sick. His sickness was so severe that there was no more breath left in him.¹⁸So his mother said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Have you come to me to remind me of my iniquity and to kill my son?"

¹⁹Then Elijah replied to her, "Give me your son." He took the boy from her arms and carried him up into the room where he was staying, and he laid the boy on his own bed.²⁰He cried to Yahweh and said, "Yahweh my God, have you also brought disaster on the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?"²¹Then Elijah stretched himself on the child three times; he cried out to Yahweh and said, "Yahweh my God, I beg you, please let this child's life return to him."

²²Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child returned to him, and he revived.²³Elijah took the child and brought him out of his room down into the house; he handed the boy to his mother and said, "See, your son is alive."²⁴The woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is true."

¹So after many days the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year of the drought, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab and I will send rain on the land."²Elijah went to show himself to Ahab; now the famine was severe in Samaria.

³Ahab called Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Now Obadiah honored Yahweh very much,⁴for when Jezebel was killing the prophets of Yahweh, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.

⁵Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the water springs and brooks. Perhaps we will find grass and save the horses and mules alive, so that we will not lose all the animals."⁶So they divided the land between them to pass through it and look for water. Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way.

⁷As Obadiah was on the road, Elijah unexpectedly met him. Obadiah recognized him and lay facedown on the ground. He said, "Is it you, my master Elijah?"⁸Elijah answered him, "It is I. Go tell your master, 'Look, Elijah is here.'"

⁹Obadiah replied, "How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, for him to kill me?¹⁰As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent men to find you. Whenever a nation or kingdom says, 'Elijah is not here,' Ahab makes them take an oath swearing that they could not find you.¹¹Yet now you say, 'Go, tell your master that Elijah is here.'

¹²As soon as I am gone from you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you some place I do not know. Then when I go and tell Ahab, and when he cannot find you, he will kill me. Yet I, your servant, have worshiped Yahweh from my youth.¹³Has it not been told to you, my master, what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred of Yahweh's prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?

¹⁴Now you say to me, 'Go and tell your master that Elijah is here,' so that he will kill me."¹⁵Then Elijah responded, "As Yahweh of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to Ahab today."

¹⁶So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him what Elijah said. Then the king went to meet Elijah.¹⁷When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is it you? You are the one who brings trouble to Israel!"

¹⁸Elijah answered, "I have not brought trouble to Israel, but you and your father's family are the ones who have caused trouble by abandoning the commandments of Yahweh and by following the Baals.¹⁹Now then, send word and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table."

²⁰So Ahab sent word to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.²¹Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you keep changing your mind? If Yahweh is God, follow him. But if Baal is God, then follow him." Yet the people did not answer him a word.

²²Then Elijah said to the people, "I, I alone, am left as a prophet of Yahweh, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.²³So let them give us two bulls. Let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.²⁴Then you will call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh, and the God who answers by fire, then let him be God." So all the people answered and said, "This is good."

²⁵So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many people. Then call on the name of your god, but put no fire under the bull."²⁶They took the bull that was given to them and prepared it, and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "Baal, hear us." But there was no voice, nor anyone who answered. They danced around the altar they had made.

²⁷At noon Elijah mocked them and said, "Shout out loudly! He is a god! Perhaps he is thinking, or is relieving himself, or he is traveling on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."²⁸So they shouted more loudly, and they cut themselves, as they usually did, with swords and spears, until their blood flowed out over themselves.²⁹Midday passed, and they were still raving until the time of offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no voice or anyone to answer; there was no one who paid any attention to their pleadings.

³⁰Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me," and all the people came near to him. Then he repaired the altar of Yahweh that was lying in ruin.³¹Elijah took twelve stones, each stone representing one of the tribes of the sons of Jacob—it was Jacob to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, "Israel will be your name."³²With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh and he dug a trench around the altar large enough to contain two seahs of seeds.

³³He arranged the wood for a fire, cut the bull in pieces, and laid the pieces of the bull on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."³⁴Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time. Once more he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.³⁵The water ran around the altar and filled the trench.

³⁶It happened at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.³⁷Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that these people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again to yourself."

³⁸Then the fire of Yahweh fell and consumed the burnt offering, as well as the wood, the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.³⁹When all the people saw this, they lay facedown on the ground and said, "Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is God!"⁴⁰So Elijah said to them, "Take the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them escape." So they took them, and Elijah brought the prophets of Baal down to the Kishon River and killed them there.

⁴¹Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of much rain."⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Then Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees.

⁴³He said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." His servant went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." So seven times Elijah said, "Go again."⁴⁴At the seventh time the servant said, "Look, there is a cloud going up from the sea, as small as a man's hand." Elijah replied, "Go up and say to Ahab, 'Make ready your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.'"

⁴⁵It happened that in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode and went to Jezreel,⁴⁶but the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah. He girded his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

¹Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.²Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of those dead prophets by tomorrow about this time."³When Elijah heard that, he arose and fled for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

⁴But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. He requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough, now, Yahweh; take away my life, for I am no better than my dead ancestors."⁵So he lay down and slept under a broom tree. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat."⁶Elijah looked, and near his head was bread that had been baked on coals and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷The angel of Yahweh came again a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, because the journey will be too much for you."⁸So he arose and ate and drank, and he traveled in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

⁹He went to a cave there and prepared to stay overnight in it. Then the word of Yahweh came to him and said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"¹⁰Elijah replied, "I have been very zealous for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I, only I, am left and they are also trying to take my life."

¹¹Yahweh replied, "Go out and stand on the mountain before me." Then Yahweh passed by, and a very strong wind struck the mountains and broke rocks into pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. Then after the wind, an earthquake came, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.¹²Then after the earthquake a fire came, but Yahweh was not in the fire. Then after the fire, a still small voice came.

¹³When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face in his cloak, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"¹⁴Elijah replied, "I have been very zealous for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I, only I, am left and they are also trying to take my life."

¹⁵Then Yahweh said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive you will anoint Hazael to be king over Aram,¹⁶and you will anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king over Israel, and you will anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.

¹⁷It will happen that Jehu will kill whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, and that Elisha will kill whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu.¹⁸But I will leave for myself seven thousand people in Israel, whose knees have not bent down to Baal, and whose mouths have not kissed him."

¹⁹So Elijah left from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he himself was plowing with the twelfth yoke. Elijah walked over to Elisha and draped his cloak on him.²⁰Then Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah; he said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." Then Elijah said to him, "Go back, but think about what I have done to you."

²¹So Elisha returned from Elijah and took the yoke of oxen, killed the animals, and cooked the meat with the wood from the ox yoke. Then he gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose, went after Elijah and served him.

¹Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army together. There were thirty-two lesser kings with him, and horses and chariots. He went up, besieged Samaria and fought against it.²He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, "Ben-Hadad says this:³'Your silver and your gold are mine. Also your wives and children, the best ones, are now mine.'"

⁴The king of Israel answered and said, "It is as you say, my master, king. I and all that I have are yours."⁵The messengers came again and said, "Ben-Hadad says this, 'I sent word to you saying that you must give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.⁶But I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house and your servants' houses. They will seize with their own hands and take away everything that delights your eyes.'"

⁷Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land together and said, "Please take note and see how this man seeks trouble. He has sent word to me in order to take my wives, children, and silver and gold, and I have not refused him."⁸All the elders and all the people said to Ahab, "Do not listen to him or consent to his demands."

⁹So Ahab said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, "Tell my master the king, 'I agree to everything that you sent your servant to do the first time, but I cannot accept this second demand.'" So the messengers left and took this response to Ben-Hadad.¹⁰Then Ben-Hadad sent his reply to Ahab, and said, "May the gods do so to me and more also, if even the ashes of Samaria will be enough for all the people who follow me to have a handful each."

¹¹The king of Israel answered and said, "Tell Ben-Hadad, 'No one who is girding on his armor should boast as if he were taking it off.'"¹²Ben-Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings under him who were in their tents. Ben-Hadad commanded his servants, "Line yourselves up in position for battle." So they prepared themselves in position of battle to attack the city.

¹³Then behold, a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, "Yahweh says, 'Have you seen this great army? Look, I will place it into your hand today, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'"¹⁴Ahab replied, "By whom?" Yahweh replied and said, "By the young officers who serve the governors of the provinces." Then Ahab said, "Who will begin the battle?" Yahweh answered, "You."¹⁵Then Ahab mustered the young officers who served the governors of the provinces. They numbered 232. After them he mustered all the soldiers, all the army of Israel; seven thousand in number.

¹⁶They went out at noon. Ben-Hadad had been drinking himself drunk in his tent, he and the thirty-two lesser kings who were supporting him.¹⁷The young officers who served the governors of the provinces went forward first. Then Ben-Hadad was informed by scouts that he had sent out, "Men are coming out from Samaria."

¹⁸Ben-Hadad said, "Whether they have come out for peace or war, take them alive."¹⁹So the young officers who served the governors of the provinces went out of the city and the army followed them.

²⁰Each man killed his opponent. The Arameans fled and Israel pursued them. Ben-Hadad the king of Aram escaped on a horse along with some horsemen.²¹Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.

²²So the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, strengthen yourself, and understand and plan what you are doing, because at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up against you again."²³The servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. But now let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they are.

²⁴So you must do this: Remove all the kings from their positions of authority and replace them with military commanders.²⁵Raise up an army like the army you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight them in the plain. Then surely we will be stronger than they are." So Ben-Hadad listened to their advice and did what they advised.

²⁶After the beginning of the new year, Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.²⁷The people of Israel were mustered and supplied to fight against them. The people of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the countryside.

²⁸Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, "Yahweh says: 'Because the Arameans have said that Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will place this great army into your hand, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'"

²⁹So the armies camped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle started. The people of Israel killed 100,000 Aramean footmen in one day.³⁰The rest fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner room.

³¹Ben-Hadad's servants said to him, "See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life."³²So they girded sackcloth on their waists and ropes around their heads and then went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-Hadad said, 'Please let me live.'" Ahab said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

³³Now the men were listening for any sign from Ahab, so they quickly answered him, "Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad is alive." Then Ahab said, "Go and bring him." Then Ben-Hadad came to him, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.³⁴Ben-Hadad said to Ahab, "I will restore to you the cities that my father took from your father, and you may make markets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Ahab replied, "I will let you go with this covenant." So Ahab made a covenant with him and then let him go.

³⁵A certain man, one of the sons of the prophets, said to one of his companions by the word of Yahweh, "Please hit me." But the man refused to hit him.³⁶Then the prophet said to his fellow prophet, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you." As soon as that man had left him, a lion came upon him and killed him.

³⁷Then the prophet found another man and said, "Please hit me." So the man hit him and wounded him.³⁸Then the prophet left and waited for the king by the road; he had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.

³⁹As the king passed by, the prophet cried out to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the heat of the battle, and a soldier stopped and brought a man to me and said, 'Watch this man. If by any means he goes missing, your life will be given for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.'⁴⁰But because your servant was busy going here and there, the man escaped." Then the king of Israel said to him, "This is what your punishment will be—you yourself have decided it."

⁴¹Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.⁴²The prophet said to the king, "Yahweh says, 'Because you have let go from your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, your life will take the place of his life, and your people for his people.'"⁴³So the king of Israel went to his house resentful and angry, and arrived in Samaria.

¹Now some time later, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.²Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, so I can have it as a vegetable garden, because it is near my house. In exchange, I will give you a better vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will pay you its value in money."

³Naboth replied to Ahab, "May Yahweh forbid that I should give the inheritance of my ancestors to you."⁴So Ahab went into his palace resentful and angry because of the answer Naboth the Jezreelite gave him when he said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors." He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and refused to eat any food.

⁵Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, "Why is your heart so sad, so that you eat no food?"⁶He replied to her, "I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money, or if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard to be yours.' Then he answered me, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"⁷So Jezebel his wife replied to him, "Do you not still rule the kingdom of Israel? Get up and eat; let your heart be happy. I will obtain for you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

⁸So Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and to the nobles who sat with him in meetings, and who lived near Naboth.⁹She wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth above the people.¹⁰Also place two worthless men with him and let them testify against him, saying, 'You cursed God and the king.'" Then take him out and stone him to death.

¹¹So the men of his city, the elders and the noblemen who lived in Naboth's city, did as Jezebel had described to them, as was written in the letters that she had sent to them.¹²They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth above the people.¹³The two dishonest men came in and sat before Naboth; they testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed both God and the king." Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death.¹⁴Then the elders sent word to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."

¹⁵So when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, because Naboth is not alive, but dead."¹⁶When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite and take possession of it.

¹⁷Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,¹⁸"Get up and go meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. He is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it.

¹⁹You must speak to him and say that Yahweh says, 'Have you killed and also taken possession?' Then you will tell him that Yahweh says, 'In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs will lick your blood, yes, your blood.'"²⁰Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?" Elijah answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh.

²¹Yahweh says this to you: 'See, I will bring disaster on you and will completely consume and cut off from Ahab every male child and slave and free man in Israel.²²I will make your family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have led Israel to sin.'

²³Yahweh has also spoken concerning Jezebel, saying, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel beside the wall of Jezreel.'²⁴Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat; and the birds of the sky will eat anyone who dies in the field."

²⁵There was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel his wife incited to sin.²⁶Ahab behaved abhorrently by following idols, just as all that the Amorites had done, those whom Yahweh had removed before the people of Israel.

²⁷When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body and fasted, and lay in sackcloth and became very sad.²⁸Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,²⁹"Do you see how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the coming disaster in his days; it is in his son's day that I will bring disaster on his family."

¹Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.²Then it came about that in the third year, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to the king of Israel.

³Now the king of Israel had said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, but that we are doing nothing to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?"⁴So he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to war at Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I am like you, my people are like your people, and my horses are like your horses."

⁵Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please seek direction from the word of Yahweh for what you should do first."⁶Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, "Should I go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I not?" They said, "Attack, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king."

⁷But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here yet another prophet of Yahweh from whom we might seek advice?"⁸The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man by whom we may seek advice from Yahweh to help, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him because he does not prophesy anything good about me, but only hardships." But Jehoshaphat said, "May the king not say that."⁹Then the king of Israel called an officer and commanded, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah, right away."

¹⁰Now Ahab the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on a throne, clothed in their robes, in a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.¹¹Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, "Yahweh says this: 'With these you will push the Arameans until they are consumed.'"¹²Then all the prophets prophesied the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead and win, for Yahweh has given it into the hand of the king."

¹³The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "See now, the words of the prophets declare good things to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like one of them and say good things."¹⁴Micaiah replied, "As Yahweh lives, it is what Yahweh says to me that I will say."¹⁵When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth Gilead for battle, or not?" Micaiah answered him, "Attack and win. Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king."

¹⁶Then the king said to him, "How many times must I require you to swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?"¹⁷So Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered to the mountains, like sheep who have no shepherd, and Yahweh said, 'These have no master. Let every man return to his house in peace.'"

¹⁸So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only disaster?"¹⁹Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven were standing by him on his right hand and on his left.²⁰Yahweh said, 'Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One of them said this and another one said that.

²¹Then a spirit came forward, stood before Yahweh, and said, 'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'²²The spirit replied, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Yahweh replied, 'You will entice him, and you will also be successful. Go now and do so.'²³Now see, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has decreed disaster for you."

²⁴Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, came up, slapped Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh take to go from me to speak to you?"²⁵Micaiah said, "Look, you will see on that day when you will go to hide in an inner room."

²⁶The king of Israel said to his servant, "Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, my son.²⁷Say to him, 'The king says, Put this man in prison, and feed him the bread of affliction and the water of affliction until I come safely.'"²⁸Then Micaiah said, "If you return safely, then Yahweh has not spoken by me." Then he added, "Listen to this, all you people."

²⁹So Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth Gilead.³⁰The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

³¹Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, "Do not attack unimportant or important soldiers. Attack only the king of Israel."³²It came about that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat they said, "Surely that is the king of Israel." They turned to attack him, so Jehoshaphat cried out.³³It came about that when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

³⁴But a certain man drew his bow at random and shot the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. Then Ahab said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded."

³⁵The battle grew worse that day and the king was held up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died in the evening. The blood ran out from his wound into the bottom of the chariot.³⁶Then about the time the sun was going down, a cry went up throughout the army, saying, "Every man should go back to his city; and every man should go back to his region!"

³⁷So King Ahab died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him in Samaria.³⁸They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood (this was where the prostitutes bathed), just as the word of Yahweh had declared.

³⁹As for the other matters concerning Ahab, all that he did, the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?⁴⁰So Ahab lay down with his ancestors, and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

⁴¹Then Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.⁴²Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

⁴³He walked in the ways of Asa, his father; he did not turn away from them; he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh. Yet the high places were not taken away. The people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.⁴⁴Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

⁴⁵As for the other matters concerning Jehoshaphat, and the might that he showed, and how he waged war, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?⁴⁶He completely removed from the land the rest of the cultic prostitutes who had remained in the days of his father Asa.⁴⁷There was no king in Edom, but a deputy ruled there.

⁴⁸Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish; they were to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.⁴⁹Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants sail with your servants in the ships." But Jehoshaphat would not allow it.⁵⁰Jehoshaphat lay down with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David, his ancestor; Jehoram his son became king in his place.

⁵¹Ahaziah son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.⁵²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the way of his father, in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he led Israel to sin.⁵³He served Baal and worshiped him and so he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.

2 Kings

¹Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.²Then Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and was injured. So he sent for messengers and said to them, "Go, ask Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury."

³But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to consult with Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?⁴Therefore Yahweh says, "You will not come down from the bed to where you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die."'" Then Elijah left.

⁵When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he said to them, "Why have you returned?"⁶They said to him, "A man came to meet us who said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Yahweh says this: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die.'"'"

⁷Ahaziah said to his messengers, "What sort of man was he, the one who came up to meet you and said these words to you?"⁸They answered him, "He wore a garment made of hair and had a leather belt wrapped around his waist." So the king replied, "That is Elijah the Tishbite."

⁹Then the king sent a captain with fifty soldiers to Elijah. The captain went up to Elijah where he was sitting on the top of a hill. The captain spoke to him, "You, man of God, the king has said, 'Come down.'"¹⁰Elijah answered and said to the captain, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

¹¹Again King Ahaziah sent to Elijah another captain with fifty soldiers. This captain also said to Elijah, "You, man of God, the king says, 'Come down quickly.'"¹²Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." Again the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

¹³Yet again the king sent a third group of fifty warriors. This captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and sought his favor and said to him, "You, man of God, I ask you, let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.¹⁴Indeed, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains with their men, but now let my life be precious in your sight."

¹⁵The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, "Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him." So Elijah arose and went down with him to the king.¹⁶Later Elijah said to Ahaziah, "This is what Yahweh says, 'You have sent messengers to consult with Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel from whom you can ask for information? So now, you will not come down from the bed where you have gone up; you will certainly die.'"

¹⁷So King Ahaziah died according to the word of Yahweh that Elijah had spoken. Joram began to reign in his place, in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son.¹⁸As for the other matters concerning Ahaziah, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

¹So it came about, when Yahweh was going to take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah left with Elisha from Gilgal.²Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, because Yahweh has sent me to Bethel." Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives, and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

³The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from you today?" Elisha replied, "Yes, I know it, but do not talk about it."⁴Elijah said to him, "Elisha, wait here, please, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho." Then Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives, and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho.

⁵Then the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from you today?" Elisha answered, "Yes, I know it, but do not talk about it."⁶Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan." Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives, and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two went on.

⁷Later, fifty of the sons of the prophets stood opposite them at a distance while the two stood by the Jordan.⁸Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The river divided on both sides so that the two of them walked over on dry ground.

⁹It came about, after they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you." Elisha replied, "Please let a double portion of your spirit come on me."¹⁰Elijah answered, "You have asked for a difficult thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, this will happen for you, but if not, it will not happen."

¹¹As they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared, which separated the two men from each other, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.¹²Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!"

He saw Elijah no more, and he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

¹³He picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen off him, and went back to stand by the bank of the Jordan.¹⁴He struck the water with Elijah's cloak that had fallen and said, "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the waters, they divided on both sides and Elisha crossed over.

¹⁵When the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him across from them, they said, "The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha!" So they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.¹⁶They said to him, "See now, among your servants there are fifty strong men. Let them go, we ask, and look for your master, in case the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up and thrown him onto some mountain or into some valley." Elisha answered, "No, do not send them."

¹⁷But when they urged Elisha until he was ashamed, he said, "Send them." Then they sent fifty men, and they looked for three days, but did not find him.¹⁸They came back to Elisha, while he stayed at Jericho, and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go'?"

¹⁹The men of the city said to Elisha, "See now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my master can see, but the water is bad and the land is not fruitful."²⁰Elisha replied, "Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it," so they brought it to him.

²¹Elisha went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it; then he said, "Yahweh says this, 'I have healed these waters. From this time on, there will be no more death or unfruitful land.'"²²So the waters were healed to this day, by the word which Elisha spoke.

²³Then Elisha went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up the road, young boys came out of the city and mocked him; they said to him, "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!"²⁴Elisha looked behind him and saw them; he cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys apart.²⁵Then Elisha went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

¹Now in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Joram son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned twelve years.²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like his father and his mother; for he removed the sacred stone pillar of Baal that his father had made.³Nevertheless he held on to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from them.

⁴Now Mesha king of Moab bred sheep. He had to give to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.⁵But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.⁶So King Joram left Samaria at that time to mobilize all Israel for war.

⁷He sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."⁸Then he said, "By which way should we attack?" Jehoshaphat answered, "By way of the wilderness of Edom."

⁹So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They wandered around for seven days, and then there was no water for the army or for the animals that went with them.¹⁰So the king of Israel said, "What is this? Has Yahweh called three kings to give them into the hand of Moab?"

¹¹But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may consult Yahweh by him?" One of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah."¹²Jehoshaphat said, "The word of Yahweh is with him." So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him.

¹³Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and mother." So the king of Israel said to him, "No, because Yahweh has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab."¹⁴Elisha replied, "As Yahweh of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if I did not honor the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you, or even look at you.

¹⁵But now bring me a musician." Then it came to pass when the harpist played, the hand of Yahweh came upon Elisha.¹⁶He said, "Yahweh says this, 'Make this dry river valley full of trenches.'¹⁷For Yahweh says this, 'You will not see wind, neither will you see rain, but this river valley will be filled with water, and you will drink, you and your livestock and all your animals.'

¹⁸This is an easy thing in the sight of Yahweh. He will also give you victory over the Moabites.¹⁹You will attack every fortified city and every good city, cut down every good tree, stop up all springs of water, and ruin every good piece of land with rocks."

²⁰So in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, waters came from the direction of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

²¹Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come to fight against them, they summoned everyone who was old enough to gird on armor and older, and they stood at the border.²²They awakened early in the morning and the sun reflected on the water. When the Moabites saw the water opposite them, it looked as red as blood.²³They exclaimed, "This is blood! The kings have certainly been destroyed, and they have killed each other! So now, Moab, let us go plunder them!"

²⁴When they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, who fled before them. The army of Israel drove the Moabites across the land, killing them.²⁵They destroyed the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a rock until it was covered up. They stopped up every spring of water and chopped down all the good trees. Only Kir Hareseth was left with its rocks in place. But the soldiers armed with slings surrounded and attacked it.

²⁶When King Mesha of Moab saw that the battle was lost, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed.²⁷Then he took his oldest son, who should have reigned after him, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall. So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelite army left King Mesha and returned to their own land.

¹Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets came crying to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves."²So Elisha said to her, "What can I do for you? Tell me what do you have in the house?" She said, "Your servant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil."

³Then Elisha said, "Go out to borrow jars from your neighbors, empty jars. Borrow as many as possible.⁴Then you must go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all those jars; set aside the jars that are full."

⁵So she left Elisha and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her, and she filled them with oil.⁶When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another jar." But he said to her, "There are no more jars." Then the oil stopped flowing.

⁷Then she came and told the man of God. He said, "Go, sell the oil; pay your debt, and live with your sons on the rest."

⁸One day Elisha walked to Shunem where an important woman lived; she urged him to eat food with her. So as often as Elisha passed by, he would stop there to eat.⁹The woman said to her husband, "See now, I realize that this is a holy man of God who is always passing by.

¹⁰Let us make a little room on the roof for Elisha, and let us put in it a bed, a table, a seat, and a lamp. Then when he comes to us, he will stay there."¹¹So when the day came again that Elisha stopped there, he stayed in the room and rested there.

¹²Elisha said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." When he had called her, she stood before him.¹³Elisha said to him, "Say to her, 'You have gone to all this trouble to care for us. What can be done for you? Can we speak for you to the king or to the army commander?'" She answered, "I live among my own people."

¹⁴So Elisha said, "What can we do for her, then?" Gehazi answered, "Indeed, she has no son, and her husband is old."¹⁵So Elisha answered, "Call her." When he had called her, she stood in the door.¹⁶Elisha said, "At this time of year, in one year's time, you will be holding a son." She said, "No, my master and man of God, do not lie to your servant."

¹⁷But the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at the same time in the following year, as Elisha had said to her.¹⁸When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father, who was with harvesters.¹⁹He said to his father, "My head, my head." His father said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother."²⁰When the servant had picked him up and brought the boy to his mother, the child sat on her knees until noon and then died.

²¹So the woman got up and laid the boy on the bed of the man of God, shut the door, and went out.²²She called to her husband, and said, "Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys so that I may hurry to the man of God and then come back."

²³Her husband said, "Why do you want to go to him today? It is not a new moon nor a Sabbath." She replied, "It will be all right."²⁴Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, "Drive on quickly; do not slow down for me unless I say so."

²⁵So she went and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

So when the man of God saw her in the distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, "Look, here comes the Shunammite woman.

²⁶Please run to meet her and say to her, 'Is everything alright with you and with your husband and child?'" She answered, "It is all right."

²⁷When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone, for she is very upset, and Yahweh has hidden the problem from me, and has told me nothing."

²⁸Then she said, "Did I ask you for a son, my master? Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me'?"²⁹Then Elisha said to Gehazi, "Gird your loins and take my staff in your hand. Go to her home. If you meet any man, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Lay my staff on the young man's face."

³⁰But the mother of the young man said, "As Yahweh lives, and as you live, I will not leave you." So Elisha arose and followed her.³¹Gehazi hurried on ahead of them and laid the staff on the young man's face, but the young man did not speak or hear. So then Gehazi returned to meet Elisha and told him saying, "The young man has not awakened."

³²When Elisha arrived at the house, the young man was dead and was still on the bed.³³So Elisha went in and shut the door on the two of them and prayed to Yahweh.³⁴He went up and lay on the child; he put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself out on the boy, and the boy's body grew warm.

³⁵Then Elisha got up and walked around the room and again went up and stretched himself out on the boy. The child sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes!³⁶So Elisha called Gehazi and said, "Call the Shunammite!" So he called her, and when she came into the room, Elisha said, "Pick up your son."³⁷Then she lay facedown on the ground at his feet and bowed to the ground, and then picked up her son and went out.

³⁸Then Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was famine in the land, and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him. He said to his servant, "Put the large pot on the fire and cook stew for the sons of the prophets."³⁹One of them went out into a field to gather vegetables. He found a wild vine and gathered enough wild gourds to fill the fold of his robe. They cut them up and put them into the stew, but did not know what kind they were.

⁴⁰So they poured out the stew for the men to eat. Later, as they were eating, they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" So they could not eat it anymore.⁴¹But Elisha said, "Bring some flour." He threw it into the pot and said, "Pour it out for the people, so that they may eat." Then there was no longer anything hurtful in the pot.

⁴²A man came from Baal Shalishah to the man of God and brought twenty loaves of barley bread in his sack from the firstfruits and fresh ears of grain. He said, "Give this to the people so they can eat."⁴³His servant said, "What, should I set this before a hundred men?" But Elisha said, "Give this to the people, so they can eat, because Yahweh says, 'They will eat and will have some left.'"⁴⁴So his servant set it before them; they ate, and left some remaining, just as the word of Yahweh promised.

¹Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great and honorable man in his master's view, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. He was also a mighty warrior, but he was a leper.²The Arameans had gone out in raiding parties and had captured a little girl from the land of Israel. She served Naaman's wife.

³The girl said to her mistress, "I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal my master of his leprosy."⁴So Naaman went in and told the king what the little girl from the land of Israel had said.

⁵So the king of Aram said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." Naaman left and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothes.⁶He also took the letter to the king of Israel that said, "Now when this letter is brought to you, you will see that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy."

⁷When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man wants me to cure a man of his leprosy? It seems he is seeking to start an argument with me."

⁸So when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel."⁹So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house.¹⁰Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and dip yourself into the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored; you will be clean."

¹¹But Naaman was angry and went away and said, "Look, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal my leprosy.¹²Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Can I not bathe in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.

¹³Then Naaman's servants came near and spoke to him, "My father, if the prophet had commanded you do some difficult thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he says to you, 'Dip yourself and be clean'?"¹⁴Then he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, obeying the instructions of the man of God. His flesh was restored again like the flesh of a little child, and he was healed.

¹⁵Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came and stood before him. He said, "See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So therefore, please take a gift from your servant."¹⁶But Elisha replied, "As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing." Naaman urged Elisha to take a gift, but he refused.

¹⁷So Naaman said, "If not, then I ask you to let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on, your servant will offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to any god but Yahweh.¹⁸In this one thing may Yahweh pardon your servant, that is, when my king goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter."¹⁹Elisha said to him, "Go in peace." So Naaman left.

²⁰He had traveled only a short distance, when Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said to himself, "Look, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean by not receiving from his hands gifts that he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and receive something from him."²¹So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from his chariot to meet him and said, "Is everything all right?"²²Gehazi said, "Everything is all right. My master has sent me, saying, 'See, now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.'"

²³Naaman replied, "I am very happy to give you two talents." Naaman urged Gehazi and tied two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothes, and laid them on two of his servants, who carried the bags of silver before Gehazi.²⁴When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the bags of silver from their hands and hid them in the house; he sent the men away, and they left.²⁵When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha said to him, "Where have you come from, Gehazi?" He answered, "Your servant went nowhere."

²⁶Elisha said to Gehazi, "Was not my spirit with you when the man turned his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and clothes, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants?²⁷So the leprosy of Naaman will be on you and your descendants forever." So Gehazi went out from his presence, a leper as white as snow.

¹The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See now, the place where we live with you is too small for us all.²Please let us go to the Jordan, and let every man cut down a tree there, and let us build us a place there where we may live." Elisha answered, "You may go ahead."³One of them said, "Please go with your servants." Elisha answered, "I will go."

⁴So he went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they began to cut down trees.⁵But as one was chopping, the ax head fell into the water; he cried out and said, "Oh no, my master, it was borrowed!"

⁶So the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" The man showed Elisha the place. He then cut off a stick, threw it in the water, and made the iron float.⁷Elisha said, "Pick it up." So the man reached out his hand and grabbed it.

⁸Now the king of Aram was waging war against Israel. He consulted with his servants, saying, "My camp will be in such and such a place."⁹So the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, "Be careful not to pass that place, for the Arameans are going down there."

¹⁰The king of Israel sent a message to the place about which the man of God had spoken and warned him. More than once or twice, when the king went there, he was on his guard.¹¹The king of Aram was enraged about these warnings, and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not tell me who among us is for the king of Israel?"

¹²So one of his servants said, "No, my master, king, for Elisha the prophet in Israel tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your own bedroom!"¹³The king replied, "Go and see where Elisha is so I may send men and capture him." It was told him, "See, he is in Dothan."

¹⁴So the king sent to Dothan horses, chariots, and a large army. They came by night and surrounded the city.¹⁵When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone outside, behold, a large army with horses and chariots surrounded the city. His servant said to him, "Oh, my master! What will we do?"¹⁶Elisha answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

¹⁷Elisha prayed and said, "Yahweh, I beg that you will open his eyes that he may see." Then Yahweh opened the servant's eyes, and he saw. Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha!¹⁸When the Arameans came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh and said, "Strike these people blind, I ask you." So Yahweh made them blind, just as Elisha had asked.¹⁹Then Elisha told the Arameans, "This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you are looking for." Then he led them to Samaria.

²⁰It came about that when they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, "Yahweh, open the eyes of these men that they may see." Yahweh opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the middle of the city of Samaria.²¹The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?"

²²Elisha answered, "You must not kill them. Would you kill those whom you had taken captive with your sword and bow? Put bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master."²³So the king prepared much food for them, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went back to their master. Those bands of Aramean soldiers did not return for a long time into the land of Israel.

²⁴Later after this Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army and attacked Samaria and besieged it.²⁵So there was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.²⁶As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, "Help, my master, king."

²⁷He said, "If Yahweh does not help you, how can I help you? Is there anything coming from the threshing floor or winepress?"²⁸The king continued, "What is troubling you?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son so that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.'"²⁹So we boiled my son and ate him, and I said to her on the next day, "Give your son that we may eat him, but she has hidden her son."

³⁰So when the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes (now he was passing by on the wall), and the people looked and saw that he had sackcloth underneath, against his skin.³¹Then he said, "May God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on him today."

³²But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a man from before him, but when the messenger came to Elisha, he said to the elders, "See how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?"³³While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. The king had said, "Behold, this trouble comes from Yahweh. Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?"

7¹Elisha said, "Hear the word of Yahweh. This is what Yahweh says: 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'"²Then the officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, "See, even if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, can this thing happen?" Elisha replied, "See, you will watch it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it."

³Now there were four men with leprosy right outside the city gate. They said one to another, "Why should we sit here until we die?⁴If we say that we should go into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we will die there. But if we still sit here, we will still die. Now then, come, let us go to the army of the Arameans. If they keep us alive, we will live, and if they kill us, we will only die."

⁵So they rose up at twilight to go into the Aramean camp; when they arrived at the outermost part of the camp, there was no one there.⁶For the Lord had made the Aramean army hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses—the noise of another large army, and they said to each other, "The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to come against us."

⁷So the soldiers arose and fled in the twilight; they left their tents, their horses, their donkeys, and the camp as it was, and fled for their lives.⁸When the men with leprosy came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried away silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them. They came back and entered into another tent and carried plunder away from there also, and went and hid it.

⁹Then they said to each other, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping quiet about it. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now then, come, let us go and tell the king's household."¹⁰So they went and called the gatekeepers of the city. They told them, saying, "We went to the camp of the Arameans, but there was no one there, not the sound of anyone, but there were the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were."¹¹Then the gatekeepers shouted out the news, and then it was told inside the king's household.

¹²Then the king arose at night and said to his servants, "I will tell you now what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry, so they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the fields. They are saying, 'When they come out of the city, we will take them alive, and get into the city.'"¹³One of the king's servants answered and said, "I beg you, let some men take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. They are like all the rest of the population of Israel who are left—most are now dead; let us send them and see."

¹⁴So they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the army of the Arameans, saying, "Go and see."¹⁵They went after them to the Jordan, and all the road was full of clothes and equipment that the Arameans had cast away in their hurry. So the messengers returned and told the king.

¹⁶The people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, just as the word of Yahweh had said.¹⁷The king had ordered the officer on whose hand he had leaned to be in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him down in the gateway. He died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king had come down to him.

¹⁸So it happened as the man of God had said to the king, saying, "About this time in the gate of Samaria, two measures of barley will be available for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel."¹⁹That officer had answered the man of God and said, "See, even if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, can this thing happen?" Elisha had said, "See, you will watch it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it."²⁰That is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died.

¹Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life. He said to her, "Arise, and go with your household, and stay wherever you can in another land, because Yahweh has called for a famine which will come on this land for seven years."²So the woman arose and she obeyed the word of the man of God. She went with her household and lived in the land of the Philistines seven years.

³It came about at the end of seven years that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to the king to cry to him for her house and for her land.⁴Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, "Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done."

⁵Then as he was telling the king how Elisha had restored to life the child who was dead, the very woman whose son he had restored to life came to cry to the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, "My master, king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life."⁶When the king asked the woman about her son, she explained it to him. So the king ordered a certain officer for her, saying, "Give back to her all that was hers and all the harvests of her fields since the day that she left the land until now."

⁷Elisha came to Damascus where Ben-Hadad the king of Aram was sick. The king was told, "The man of God has come here."⁸The king said to Hazael, "Take a gift in your hand and go meet the man of God, and consult with Yahweh through him, saying, 'Will I revive from this sickness?'"⁹So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift with him of every kind of good thing of Damascus, carried by forty camels. So Hazael came and stood before Elisha and said, "Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, 'Will I revive from this sickness?'"

¹⁰Elisha said to him, "Go, say to Ben-Hadad, 'You will surely revive,' but Yahweh has shown me that he will surely die."¹¹Then Elisha stared at Hazael until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept.¹²Hazael asked, "Why do you weep, my master?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, dash in pieces their little ones, and rip open their pregnant women."

¹³Hazael replied, "Who is your servant, that he should do this great thing? He is only a dog." Elisha answered, "Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Aram."¹⁴Then Hazael left Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, "What did Elisha say to you?" He answered, "He told me that you would certainly revive."¹⁵Then the next day Hazael took the blanket and dipped it in water, and spread it on Ben-Hadad's face so that he died. Then Hazael became king in his place.

¹⁶In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoram began to reign. He was the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He began to reign when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah.¹⁷Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

¹⁸Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab was doing; for he had Ahab's daughter as his wife, and he did what was evil in Yahweh's sight.¹⁹However, because of his servant David, Yahweh did not want to destroy Judah, since he had told David that he would always give him a lamp for his descendants.

²⁰In Jehoram's days, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah, and they set a king over themselves.²¹Then Jehoram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. When the Edomites surrounded Jehoram, his chariot commanders rose up and attacked them during the night; but Jehoram's army ran away and went back to their tents.

²²So Edom has been in rebellion against the rule of Judah to this present day. Libnah also revolted at the same time.²³As for the other matters concerning Jehoram, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?²⁴Jehoram lay down with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of David. Then Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

²⁵In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign.²⁶Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah; she was the daughter of Omri, king of Israel.²⁷Ahaziah walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as the house of Ahab was doing, for Ahaziah was a son-in-law to the house of Ahab.

²⁸Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab, to fight against Hazael, king of Aram, at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram.²⁹King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Arameans had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab, because Joram had been wounded.

¹Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, "Gird your loins, then take this little bottle of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth Gilead.²When you arrive, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi, and go in and make him arise up from among his companions, and conduct him to an inner chamber.³Then take the bottle of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Yahweh says this: "I have anointed you king over Israel."' Then open the door, and run off; do not delay."

⁴So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.⁵When he arrived, behold, the captains of the army were sitting. So the young prophet said, "I have come on an errand to you, captain." Jehu replied, "To which of us?" The young prophet answered, "To you, captain."⁶So Jehu arose and went into the house, and the prophet poured the oil on his head and said to Jehu, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: 'I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, over Israel.

⁷You must kill the family of Ahab your master so that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh who were murdered by the hand of Jezebel.⁸For the whole family of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male child in Israel, whether he is a slave or a free person.

⁹I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.¹⁰The dogs will eat Jezebel in Jezreel, and there will be no one to bury her.'" Then the prophet opened the door and ran off.

¹¹Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, "Is everything all right? Why did this mad fellow come to you?" Jehu answered them, "You know the man and the kinds of things he says."¹²They said, "That is a lie. Tell us." Jehu answered, "He said this and that to me, and he also said, 'This is what Yahweh says: I have anointed you as king over Israel.'"¹³Then each of them quickly took off his outer garment and put it under Jehu at the top of the steps. They blew the ram's horn and said, "Jehu is king."

¹⁴In this way Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram had been defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Aram,¹⁵but King Joram had gone back to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds that the Arameans had given him, when he had fought against Hazael king of Aram.

Jehu said to the servants of Joram, "If this is your opinion, then let no one escape and go out of the city, in order to go tell this news in Jezreel."

¹⁶So Jehu rode in a chariot to Jezreel; for Joram was resting there. Now Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

¹⁷The watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came at a distance; he said, "I see a group of men coming." Joram said, "Take a horseman, and send him out to meet them; tell him to say, 'Are you coming in peace?'"¹⁸So a man was sent on horseback to meet him; he said, "The king says this: 'Are you coming in peace?'" So Jehu said, "What have you to do with peace? Turn and ride behind me." Then the watchman told the king, "The messenger has met them, but he is not coming back."

¹⁹Then he sent out a second man on horseback, who came to them and said, "The king says this: 'Are you coming in peace?'" Jehu answered, "What have you to do with peace? Turn and ride behind me."²⁰Again the watchman reported, "He has met them, but he is not coming back. For the way that the chariot is being driven is the way that Jehu son of Nimshi drives; he is driving wildly."

²¹So Joram said, "Get my chariot ready." They prepared his chariot, and Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his chariot, to meet Jehu. They found him at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.²²When Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Are you coming in peace, Jehu?" He answered, "What peace is there, when the idolatrous acts of prostitution and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel are so many?"

²³So Joram turned his chariot and fled and said to Ahaziah, "There is treachery, Ahaziah."²⁴Then Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his shoulders; the arrow went through his heart, and he sank down in his chariot.

²⁵Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Pick him up and throw him in the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. Think about how when you and I rode together after Ahab his father, Yahweh placed this prophecy against him:²⁶'Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons—this is Yahweh's declaration—and I will surely make you pay for it on this field—this is Yahweh's declaration. Now then, pick him up and throw him on this field, according to the word of Yahweh."

²⁷When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. But Jehu followed him, and said, "Kill him also in the chariot," and they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Ahaziah fled to Megiddo and died there.²⁸His servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David.

²⁹Now it was in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab that Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah.

³⁰When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes, arranged her hair, and looked out the window.³¹As Jehu was entering the gate, she said to him, "Are you coming in peace, you Zimri, your master's murderer?"³²Jehu looked up at the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" Then two or three eunuchs looked out.

³³So Jehu said, "Throw her down." So they threw Jezebel down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and the horses, and Jehu trampled her underfoot.³⁴When Jehu entered the palace, he ate and drank. Then he said, "See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king's daughter."

³⁵They went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands.³⁶So they came back and told Jehu. He said, "This is the word of Yahweh which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'In the land at Jezreel the dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel,³⁷and the body of Jezebel will be like dung on the surface of the fields in the land at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, "This is Jezebel."'"

¹Now Ahab had seventy descendants in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, including the elders and the guardians of Ahab's descendants, saying,²"Your master's descendants are with you, and you also have chariots and horses and a fortified city and armor. So then, as soon as this letter comes to you,³select the best and most deserving of your master's descendants and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's royal line."

⁴But they were terrified and said among themselves, "See, the two kings could not stand before Jehu. So how can we stand?"⁵Then the man who was in charge of the palace, and the man who was over the city, and the elders also, and they who raised the children, sent word back to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants. We will do everything that you command us. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes."

⁶Then Jehu wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, you must take the heads of the men of your master's descendants, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's descendants, seventy in number, were with the important men of the city, who were bringing them up.⁷So when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and killed them, seventy persons, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

⁸A messenger came to Jehu, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." So he said, "Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."⁹In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, "You are innocent. See, I plotted against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

¹⁰Now you should certainly realize that no part of Yahweh's word, the word that he spoke concerning the family of Ahab, will fall to the ground, for Yahweh has done what he spoke about through his servant Elijah."¹¹So Jehu killed all who remained in the family of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his important men, his close friends, and his priests, until no survivor remained to him.

¹²Then Jehu arose and left; he went to Samaria. As he was arriving at Beth Eked of the Shepherds,¹³he met brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu said to them, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of Queen Jezebel."¹⁴Jehu said to his own men, "Take them alive." So they took them alive and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, all forty-two men. He did not leave any of them alive.

¹⁵When Jehu had left there, he met Jehonadab son of Rekab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart with me, as my heart is with yours?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave Jehu his hand, and Jehu took Jehonadab up with him into the chariot.¹⁶Jehu said, "Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh." So he had Jehonadab ride along with him in his chariot.¹⁷When he came to Samaria, Jehu killed all who remained from Ahab's descendants in Samaria, until he had destroyed Ahab's royal line, just as was told them before by the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken to Elijah.

¹⁸Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.¹⁹Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let no one be left out, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever does not come will not live." But Jehu did this deceitfully, with the intent to kill the worshipers of Baal.²⁰Jehu said, "Announce that there will be an assembly for Baal." So they announced it.

²¹Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. They came into the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to another.²²Jehu said to the man who kept the priest's wardrobe, "Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal." So the man brought out robes to them.

²³So Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Rekab into the house of Baal, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search and make sure that there is no one here with you from the servants of Yahweh, but the worshipers of Baal alone."²⁴Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had chosen eighty men who were standing outside, and he told them, "If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escapes, whoever lets that man escape, his life will be taken for the life of the one who escaped."

²⁵So then as soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he said to his bodyguards and to the officers, "Go in and kill them. Let no one come out." So they killed them with the edge of the sword, and the bodyguards and the officers threw them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal.²⁶They dragged out the stone pillars that were in the house of Baal, and they burned them.²⁷Then they broke down the pillar of Baal, and destroyed the house of Baal and made it a latrine, which it is to this day.²⁸That is how Jehu destroyed Baal worship from Israel.

²⁹But Jehu did not leave the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel sin—that is, the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan.³⁰So Yahweh said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in executing what was right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."³¹But Jehu took no care to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, by which he made Israel sin.

³²In those days Yahweh began to cut off regions from Israel, and Hazael defeated the Israelites at the borders of Israel,³³from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, through Gilead to Bashan.

³⁴As for the other matters concerning Jehu, and all that he did, and all his power, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?³⁵Jehu lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son became king in his place.³⁶The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

¹Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and killed all the royal children.²But Jehosheba, a daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and hid him away from among the king's sons who were killed, along with his nurse; she put them into a bedroom. They hid him from Athaliah so that he was not killed.³He remained with her six years, hidden in the house of Yahweh, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

⁴In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent messages and brought the commanders of hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to himself, into the temple of Yahweh. He made a covenant with them, and he made them swear an oath in the house of Yahweh. Then he showed them the king's son.⁵He commanded them, saying, "This is what you must do. A third of you who come on the Sabbath will keep watch over the king's house,⁶and a third will be at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guardhouse. You shall guard the guardhouse of the temple."

⁷The two other groups who are not serving on the Sabbath, you must keep the watch over the house of Yahweh for the king.⁸You must surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever enters within your ranks, let him be killed. You must stay with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.

⁹So the commanders of hundreds obeyed everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each one took his men, those who were to come in to serve on the Sabbath, and those who were to stop serving on that Sabbath; and they came to Jehoiada the priest.¹⁰Then Jehoiada the priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields that belonged to King David and that were in the house of Yahweh.

¹¹So the guards stood, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side, near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.¹²Then Jehoiada brought out the king's son Joash, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant decrees. Then they made him king and anointed him. They clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!"

¹³When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people in the house of Yahweh.¹⁴She looked, and, behold, the king was standing by the pillar, as the custom was, and the captains and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"

¹⁵Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds who were over the army, saying, "Bring her out between the ranks. Anyone who follows her, kill him with the sword." For the priest had said, "Do not let her be killed in the house of Yahweh."¹⁶So they seized her as she reached the horses' entrance to the king's house, and there she was killed.

¹⁷Then Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and people, that they should be Yahweh's people, and also between the king and the people.¹⁸So all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his idol figures to pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of those altars. Then Jehoida the priest appointed guards over the temple of Yahweh.

¹⁹Jehoida took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guard, and all the people of the land, and together they brought down the king from the house of Yahweh and they went into the king's house, entering by way of the gate of the guards. Joash took his place on the royal throne.²⁰So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king's house.

²¹Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

¹In the seventh year of Jehu, the reign of Joash began; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.²Joash did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the time, because Jehoiada the priest was instructing him.³But the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

⁴Joash said to the priests, "All the money that is brought in as sacred offerings into the house of Yahweh, that money for which each person is assessed—whether it is the money collected in the census, or the money received from personal vows, or the money brought in by people motivated by Yahweh in their hearts to give—⁵the priests should receive the money from one of their treasurers and repair whatever damage is found in the temple."

⁶But by the twenty-third year of King Joash, the priests had not repaired anything in the temple.⁷Then King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and for the other priests; he said to them, "Why have you not repaired anything in the temple? Now take no more money from your taxpayers, but take what has been collected for repairs of the temple and give it to those who can make the repairs."⁸So the priests consented to take no more money from the people and not repair the temple themselves.

⁹Then, Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Yahweh. The priests who were guarding the temple entrance put into it all the money that was brought to the house of Yahweh.¹⁰Whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king's scribe and the high priest would come and put the money in bags and then count it, the money found in the temple of Yahweh.

¹¹They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of men who took care of the temple of Yahweh. They paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the temple of Yahweh,¹²and to the masons and the stonecutters, for buying timber and cutting stone to repair the temple of Yahweh, and for all that was needed to be paid to repair it.

¹³But the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh did not pay to make for it any silver cups, lamp trimmers, basins, trumpets, or any gold or silver furnishing.¹⁴They gave this money to those who did the work of repairing the house of Yahweh.

¹⁵In addition, they did not require the money paid for repairs to be accounted for by the men who received it and paid it to the workmen, because these men practiced faithfulness.¹⁶But the money for the guilt offerings and the money for the sin offerings was not brought into the temple of Yahweh, because it belonged to the priests.

¹⁷Then Hazael king of Aram attacked and fought against Gath, and took it. Hazael then turned to attack Jerusalem.¹⁸Joash king of Judah took all the things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had set apart, and what he had set apart, and all the gold that was found in the storerooms of the houses of Yahweh and of the king and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.

¹⁹As for the other matters concerning Joash, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?²⁰His servants arose and plotted together; they attacked Joash in Beth Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.²¹Jozabad ¹ son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad son of Shomer, his servants, attacked him, and he died. They buried Joash with his ancestors in the city of David, and Amaziah, his son, became king in his place.

¹Some ancient copies have Jozacar .

¹In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned seventeen years.²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and followed the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; and Jehoahaz did not turn away from them.

³The anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Aram and into the hand of Ben-Hadad son of Hazael.⁴So Jehoahaz implored Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him because he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram was oppressing them.⁵So Yahweh gave Israel a rescuer, and they escaped from the hand of the Arameans, and the people of Israel began to live in their tents as they had before.

⁶Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin, and they continued in them; and the Asherah pole remained in Samaria.⁷The Arameans left Jehoahaz with only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the chaff at threshing time.

⁸As for the other matters concerning Jehoahaz, and all that he did and his power, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?⁹So Jehoahaz lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoash his son became king in his place.

¹⁰In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, the reign of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began over Israel in Samaria; he reigned sixteen years.¹¹He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. He did not leave behind any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he had made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.

¹²As for the other matters concerning Jehoash, and all that he did, and his might by which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?¹³Jehoash lay down with his ancestors, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

¹⁴Now Elisha became sick with an illness by which he later died, so Jehoash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him. He said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen are taking you away!"¹⁵Elisha said to him, "Pick up a bow and some arrows," so Joash picked up a bow and some arrows.¹⁶Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow," so he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.

¹⁷Elisha said, "Open the window eastward," so he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot!", and he shot. Elisha said, "This is Yahweh's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you will attack the Arameans in Aphek until you have consumed them."¹⁸Then Elisha said, "Take the arrows," so Joash took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground with them," and he struck the ground three times, then stopped.¹⁹But the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have hit the ground five or six times. Then you would have attacked Aram until you annihilated it, but now you will attack Aram only three times."

²⁰Then Elisha died, and they buried him. Now marauding bands of Moabites invaded the land at the beginning of the year.²¹As they were burying a certain man, they saw a marauding band of Moabites, so they threw the body into Elisha's grave. As soon as the man touched Elisha's bones, he revived and stood up on his feet.

²²Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.²³But Yahweh was gracious to Israel, and had compassion on them and concern for them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So Yahweh did not destroy them, and he still has not driven them away from his presence.

²⁴Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son became king in his place.²⁵Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the cities that had been taken from Jehoahaz his father by war. Jehoash attacked him three times, and he recovered those cities of Israel.

¹In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, began to reign.²He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.³He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, yet not like David his father. He did everything that Joash, his father, had done.

⁴But the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.⁵It came about that as soon as his rule was well established, he killed the servants who had murdered his father, the king.

⁶Yet he did not put to death the sons of the murderers, according to what was written in the book of the law of Moses, as Yahweh had commanded, saying, "Fathers must not be put to death because of their children, neither must the children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one must die for his own sin."⁷He killed ten thousand soldiers of Edom in the Valley of Salt; he also took Sela in war and called it Joktheel, which is what it is called to this day.

⁸Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us meet each other face to face in battle."⁹But Jehoash the king of Israel sent messengers back to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "A thistle that was in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son for a wife,' but a wild beast in Lebanon walked by and trampled down the thistle.¹⁰You have indeed attacked Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Take pride in your victory, but stay at home, for why should you cause yourself trouble and fall, both you and Judah with you?"

¹¹But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel attacked and he and Amaziah king of Judah met each other face to face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.¹²Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.

¹³Jehoash king of Israel, captured Amaziah, king of Judah son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. He came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits in distance.¹⁴He took all the gold and silver, all the objects that were found in the house of Yahweh, and the valuable things in the king's palace, with hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

¹⁵As for the other matters concerning Jehoash, all that he did, his power, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?¹⁶Then Jehoash lay down with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam, his son, became king in his place.

¹⁷Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.¹⁸As for the other matters concerning Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?¹⁹They made a conspiracy against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. He fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.

²⁰They brought him back on horses, and he was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem in the city of David.²¹All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.²²It was Azariah who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah, after King Amaziah lay down with his ancestors.

²³In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria; he reigned forty-one years.²⁴He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. He did not depart from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.²⁵He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, following the commands of the word of Yahweh, the God of Israel, which he had spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.

²⁶For Yahweh saw the suffering of Israel, that it was very bitter for everyone, both slave and free, and that there was no rescuer for Israel.²⁷But Yahweh had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he delivered them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

²⁸As for the other matters concerning Jeroboam, all that he did, his power, how he waged war and recovered Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?²⁹Jeroboam lay down with his ancestors, with the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son became king in his place.

¹In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign.²Azariah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jekoliah, and she was from Jerusalem.³He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, just as his father Amaziah had done.

⁴However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.⁵Yahweh afflicted the king so that he was a leper to the day of his death and lived in a separate house. Jotham, the king's son, was over the household and ruled the people of the land.

⁶As for the other matters concerning Azariah, all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?⁷So Azariah lay down with his ancestors; they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David. Jotham, his son, became king in his place.

⁸In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria for six months.⁹He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

¹⁰Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, attacked him in Ibleam, and put him to death. Then he became king in his place.¹¹As for the other matters concerning Zechariah, they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel.¹²This was the word of Yahweh that he spoke to Jehu, saying, "Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." That is what happened.

¹³Shallum son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned only one month in Samaria.¹⁴Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria. There he attacked Shallum son of Jabesh, in Samaria. He put him to death and became king in his place.

¹⁵As for the other matters concerning Shallum and the conspiracy that he formed, they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel.¹⁶Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were there, and the borders around Tirzah, because they did not open up the city to him. So he attacked it, and he ripped open all the pregnant women in that village. ¹

¹⁷In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi began to reign over Israel; he reigned ten years in Samaria.¹⁸He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. For his whole life, he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

¹⁹Then Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver, so that Pul's support might be with him to strengthen the kingdom of Israel in his hand.²⁰Menahem exacted this money from Israel by requiring each of the wealthy, powerful men to pay fifty shekels of silver to him to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land.

²¹As for the other matters concerning Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?²²So Menahem lay down with his ancestors, and Pekahiah his son became king in his place.

²³In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned two years.²⁴He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. He did not leave behind the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he had caused Israel to sin.

²⁵Pekahiah had an officer named Pekah son of Remaliah, who conspired against him. Along with fifty men of Gilead, Pekah killed Pekahiah as well as Argob and Arieh in Samaria, in the citadel of the king's palace. Pekah killed Pekahiah and became king in his place.²⁶As for the other matters concerning Pekahiah, all that he did, they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel.

²⁷In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned twenty years.²⁸He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

²⁹In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali. He carried away the people to Assyria.³⁰So Hoshea son of Elah formed a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked him and put him to death. Then he became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.³¹As for the other matters concerning Pekah, all that he did, they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel.

³²In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah began to reign.³³He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah; she was the daughter of Zadok.

³⁴Jotham did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, just as his father Uzziah had done.³⁵However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense at the high places. Jotham built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh.³⁶As for the other matters concerning Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?

³⁷In those days Yahweh began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remaliah.³⁸Jotham lay down with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, his ancestor. Then Ahaz, his son, became king in his place.

¹Instead of Tiphsah , one ancient translation and some modern translations read Tappuah .

¹In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah, began to reign.²Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of Yahweh his God, as David his ancestor had done.

³Instead, he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even made his son pass through the fire, following the detestable practices of the nations whom Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel.⁴He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops, and under every green tree.

⁵Then Rezin, king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to attack. They besieged Ahaz, but they could not conquer him.⁶At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram and drove the Jews out of Elath. Then the Arameans came to Elath, where they have lived to this day.

⁷So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who have attacked me."⁸So Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of Yahweh and among the treasures of the king's palace and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria.⁹Then the king of Assyria listened to him, and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, conquered it and carried off its people as prisoners to Kir. He also killed Rezin the king of Aram.

¹⁰King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. At Damascus he saw an altar. He sent to Uriah the priest a model of the altar and its pattern and the design for all the workmanship needed.¹¹So Uriah the priest built an altar to be just like the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. He finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus.¹²When the king came from Damascus he saw the altar; the king approached the altar and made offerings on it.

¹³He made his burnt offering and his grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings on the altar.¹⁴The bronze altar that was before Yahweh—he brought it from the front of the temple, from between his altar and the temple of Yahweh and put it on the north side of his altar.

¹⁵Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, saying, "On the large altar burn the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, and the king's burnt offering and his grain offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offerings. Sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice. But the bronze altar will be for me to consult for guidance."¹⁶Uriah the priest did just what King Ahaz commanded.

¹⁷Then King Ahaz removed the panels and the basins from the portable stands; he also took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone pavement.¹⁸He removed the covered walkway for the Sabbath that they had built at the temple, along with the king's entry outside the temple of Yahweh, because of the king of Assyria.

¹⁹As for the other matters concerning Ahaz and what he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?²⁰Ahaz lay down with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. Hezekiah his son became king in his place.

¹In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, the reign of Hoshea son of Elah began. He ruled in Samaria over Israel for nine years.²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.³Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his servant and brought him tribute.

⁴Then the king of Assyria realized that Hoshea had been plotting against him, for Hoshea had sent messengers to So king of Egypt; also, he offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. So the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.⁵Then the king of Assyria attacked throughout all the land, and attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years.⁶In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria. He put them in Halah, at the Habor River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

⁷This captivity happened because the people of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. The people had been worshiping other gods⁸and walking in the customs of the nations whom Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel that they had done.

⁹The people of Israel did secretly—against Yahweh their God—things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress.¹⁰They also set up stone pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

¹¹There they burned incense in all the high places, as the nations had done, those whom Yahweh had carried away before them. The Israelites performed wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;¹²they worshiped idols, about which Yahweh had said to them, "You will not do this thing."

¹³Yet Yahweh had testified to Israel and to Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, and be careful to keep all the law I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets."

¹⁴But they would not listen; instead they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not trust in Yahweh their God.¹⁵They rejected his statutes and the covenant that he had made with their ancestors, and the covenant decrees that he had given to them. They followed useless practices and they themselves became useless. They followed the pagan nations who were around them, those that Yahweh had commanded them not to imitate.

¹⁶They ignored all the commandments of Yahweh their God. They made cast metal figures of two calves to worship. They made an Asherah pole, and they worshiped all the host of the heavens and Baal.¹⁷They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire, they used divination and enchantments, they sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to anger.¹⁸Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. There was no one left but the tribe of Judah alone.

¹⁹Even Judah did not keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, and they followed the customs that Israel had practiced.²⁰So Yahweh rejected all the descendants of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hand of those who would take the possession as spoil, until he had cast them out of his sight.

²¹He tore Israel from the royal line of David, and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from following Yahweh and made them commit a great sin.²²The people of Israel followed all the sins of Jeroboam and they did not depart from them,²³so Yahweh removed Israel from his sight, as he had said through all his servants the prophets that he would. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria, and it is this way to this present day.

²⁴The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon and from Kuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria in place of the people of Israel. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities.²⁵It happened at the beginning of their residence there that they did not honor Yahweh. So Yahweh sent lions among them which killed some of them.²⁶So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the practices required by the god of the land. So he has sent lions among them, and, see, the lions are killing people there because they do not know the practices required by the god of the land."

²⁷Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Take one of the priests there whom you brought from there, and let him go and live there, and let him teach them the practices required by the god of the land."²⁸So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel; he taught them how they should honor Yahweh.

²⁹Every ethnic group made gods of their own, and put them in the high places that the Samaritans had made—every ethnic group in the cities where they lived.³⁰The people of Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth; the people of Kuthah made Nergal; the people of Hamath made Ashima;³¹the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of the Sepharvites.

³²They also honored Yahweh, and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the temples at the high places.³³They honored Yahweh and also worshiped their own gods, in the customs of the nations from among whom they had been taken away.

³⁴To this day they persist in their old customs. They neither honor Yahweh, nor do they follow the statutes, the customs, the law, or the commandments that Yahweh gave to the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.³⁵When Yahweh made a covenant with them, he commanded them, "You will not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor worship them, nor sacrifice to them.

³⁶But Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, it is him you will honor, it is to him you will bow down, and it is to him that you will sacrifice.³⁷The statutes and the decrees, the law and the commandments that he wrote for you, you will keep them forever. So you must not fear other gods,³⁸and the covenant that I have made with you, you will not forget; neither will you honor other gods.

³⁹But Yahweh your God is who you will honor. He will rescue you from the might of your enemies."⁴⁰They would not listen, because they continued to do what they had done in the past.⁴¹So these nations feared Yahweh and they also worshiped their carved figures, and their children did the same—as did their children's children. They continue to do what their ancestors did, up to this day.

¹Now in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz, king of Judah began to reign.²He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah; she was the daughter of Zechariah.³He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, just as David, his ancestor, had done.

⁴He removed the high places, destroyed the stone pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the people of Israel were burning incense to it; it was called "Nehushtan."⁵Hezekiah trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel, so that after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among the kings who were before him.

⁶For he held on to Yahweh. He did not stop following him but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses.⁷So Yahweh was with Hezekiah, and wherever he went he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.⁸He attacked the Philistines to Gaza and the borders around, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.

⁹In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it.¹⁰At the end of three years they took it, in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel; in this way Samaria was captured.

¹¹So the king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria and put them in Halah, and at the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.¹²He did this because they did not obey the voice of Yahweh their God, but they violated the terms of his covenant, all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded. They refused to listen to it or do it.

¹³Then in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.¹⁴So Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria, who was at Lachish, saying, "I have offended you. Withdraw from me. Whatever you put on me I will bear." The king of Assyria required Hezekiah king of Judah to pay three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.¹⁵So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Yahweh and in the treasuries of the king's palace.

¹⁶Then Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Yahweh and from the pillars that he had overlaid; he gave the gold to the king of Assyria.¹⁷But the king of Assyria mobilized his great army, sending Tartan and Rabsaris and the chief commander from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They traveled up the roads and arrived outside Jerusalem. They approached the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway of the launderers' field, and stood by it.¹⁸When they had called to King Hezekiah, Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, went out to meet them.

¹⁹So the chief commander said to them to tell Hezekiah what the great king, the king of Assyria, said: "What is the source of your confidence?²⁰You speak only useless words, saying you have counsel and strength for war. In whom are you trusting, that you should rebel against me?²¹Look, you trust in Egypt, this walking stick of crushed reed; if a man leans on it, it will stick into his hand and pierce it. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt is to anyone who trusts in him.

²²But if you say to me, 'We are trusting in Yahweh our God,' is not he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem'?²³Now therefore, I want to make you a good offer from my master the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to find riders for them.

²⁴How could you resist even one captain of the least of my master's servants? You have put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen!²⁵Have I traveled up here without Yahweh to fight against this place and destroy it? Yahweh said to me, 'Attack this land and destroy it.'"

²⁶Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah said to the chief commander, "Please speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah in the ears of the people who are on the wall."²⁷But the chief commander said to them, "Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, who will have to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?"

²⁸Then the chief commander stood and shouted in a loud voice in the language of Judah, saying, "Listen to the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.²⁹The king says, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to rescue you from my power.³⁰Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, "Yahweh will surely rescue us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."'

³¹Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: 'Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and from his own fig tree, and drink from the water in his own cistern.³²You will do this until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, so that you may live and not die.' Do not listen to Hezekiah when he tries to persuade you, saying, 'Yahweh will rescue us.'

³³Has any of the gods of the peoples rescued them out of the hand of the king of Assyria?³⁴Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria out of my hand?³⁵Among all the gods of the lands, is there any god who has rescued his land from my power? How could Yahweh save Jerusalem from my might?"

³⁶But the people remained silent and did not respond, for the king had commanded, "Do not answer him."³⁷Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household; Shebna the scribe; and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and reported to him the words of the chief commander.

¹It came about that when King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Yahweh.²He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, all covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet.

³They said to him, "Hezekiah says, 'This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, for the children have come to the time of birth, but there is no strength for them to be born.⁴It may be that Yahweh your God will hear all the words of the chief commander, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Now lift up your prayer for the remnant that is still here.'"

⁵So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah,⁶and Isaiah said to them, "Say to your master: 'Yahweh says, "Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have insulted me.⁷Look, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear a certain report and go back to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."'"

¹⁰"Say to Hezekiah king of Judah, 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem will not be given over into the hand of the king of Assyria."¹¹See, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them completely. So will you be rescued?

¹²Have the gods of the nations rescued them, the nations that my fathers destroyed: Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Tel Assar?¹³Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the cities of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?'"

¹⁴Hezekiah received this letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the house of Yahweh and spread it before him.¹⁵Then Hezekiah prayed before Yahweh and said, "Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, you who sit above the cherubim, you are God alone over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.

¹⁶Incline your ear, Yahweh, and listen. Open your eyes, Yahweh, and see, and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.¹⁷Truly, Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands.¹⁸They have put their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men's hands, just wood and stone. So the Assyrians have destroyed them.

¹⁹Now then, Yahweh our God, save us, I implore you, from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Yahweh, are God alone."

²⁰Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah, saying, "Yahweh, the God of Israel says, 'Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you.²¹This is the word that Yahweh has spoken about him:

"The virgin daughter of Zion

despises you and mocks you.

The daughter of Jerusalem

shakes her head at you.

²²Whom have you defied and slandered?

Against whom have you exalted your voice

and lifted up your eyes in pride?

Against the Holy One of Israel!

²³By your messengers

you have defied the Lord,

and have said,

'With the multitude of my chariots

I have gone up to the heights of the mountains,

to the highest elevations of Lebanon.

I will cut down the tall cedars

and the choice cypress trees there.

I will enter into its farthest parts,

its most fruitful forest.

²⁴I have dug wells

and have drunk foreign waters.

I dried up all the rivers of Egypt

under the soles of my feet.'

²⁵Have you not heard how I

determined it long ago,

and worked it out in ancient times?

Now I am bringing it to pass.

You are here to reduce impregnable cities

into heaps of ruins.

²⁶Their inhabitants, of little strength,

are shattered and ashamed.

They are plants in the field,

green grass,

the grass on the roof or in the field,

burned before it has grown up.

²⁷But I know your sitting down,

your going out, your coming in,

and your raging against me.

²⁸Because of your raging against me,

and because your arrogance has reached my ears,

I will put my hook in your nose,

and my bit in your mouth;

I will turn you back

the way you came."

²⁹This will be the sign for you:

This year you will eat what grows wild,

and in the second year what grows from that.

But in the third year you must plant and harvest,

plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

³⁰The remnant of the house of Judah that survives

will again take root and bear fruit.

³¹For from Jerusalem a remnant will come out,

from Mount Zion an escaped remnant will come. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

³²Therefore Yahweh says this about the king of Assyria:

"He will not come into this city

nor shoot an arrow here.

Neither will he come before it with shield

or build up a siege ramp against it.

³³The way by which he came

will be the same way he will leave;

he will not enter this city—

this is Yahweh's declaration."

³⁴For I will defend this city and rescue it,

for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.'"

³⁵It came about that night that the angel of Yahweh went out and attacked the camp of the Assyrians, putting to death 185,000 soldiers. When the men arose early in the morning, dead bodies lay everywhere.³⁶So Sennacherib king of Assyria left Israel and went home and stayed in Nineveh.³⁷Later, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisrok his god, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword. Then they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.

¹In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. So Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet came to him, and said to him, "Yahweh says, 'Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live.'"²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, saying,³"Please, Yahweh, I beg you, call to mind how I have faithfully walked before you with my whole heart, and how I have done what was good in your sight." Then Hezekiah wept loudly.

⁴Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle courtyard, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying,⁵"Turn back, and say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of David your ancestor, says: "I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. I am about to heal you on the third day, and you will go up to the house of Yahweh.

⁶I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake."'"⁷So Isaiah said, "Take a lump of figs." They did so and put it on his boil, and he recovered.

⁸Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I should go up to the temple of Yahweh on the third day?"⁹Isaiah replied, "This will be the sign for you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken. Will the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?"

¹⁰Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, let the shadow go backward ten steps."¹¹So Isaiah the prophet cried out to Yahweh, and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, from where it had moved on the stairway of Ahaz.

¹²At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.¹³Hezekiah listened to those letters, and then showed the messengers all the palace and his valuable things, the silver, the gold, the spices and precious oil, and the storehouse of his weapons, and all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his kingdom, that Hezekiah did not show them.

¹⁴Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did these men say to you? Where did they come from?" Hezekiah said, "They came from the distant country of Babylon."¹⁵Isaiah asked, "What have they seen in your house?" Hezekiah answered, "They have seen everything in my house. There is nothing among my valuable things that I have not shown them."

¹⁶So Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to the word of Yahweh:¹⁷'Look, the days are about to come when everything in your palace, the things that your ancestors stored away until this present day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says Yahweh.¹⁸Some of your descendants whom you will father will be taken away from you, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"

¹⁹Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of Yahweh that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "Will there not be peace and stability in my days?"²⁰As for the other matters concerning Hezekiah, and all his power, and how he constructed the pool and the conduit, and how he brought water into the city—are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?²¹Hezekiah lay down with his ancestors, and Manasseh his son became king in his place.

¹Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah.²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, like the disgusting things of the nations whom Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel.³For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he built altars for Baal, made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and he bowed down to all the host of heaven and worshiped them.

⁴Manasseh built altars in the house of Yahweh, although Yahweh had commanded, "It is in Jerusalem that my name will be forever."⁵He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courtyards of the house of Yahweh.⁶He caused his son to pass through the fire, he performed sorcery and divination and consulted with sorcerers and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of Yahweh, provoking him to anger.

⁷The carved figure of Asherah that he had made, he placed it in the house of Yahweh. It was about this house that Yahweh had spoken to David and Solomon his son; he had said: "It is in this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, that I will put my name forever.⁸I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land that I gave to their ancestors, if they will only be careful to obey all that I have commanded them, and to follow all the law that my servant Moses commanded them."⁹But the people did not listen, and Manasseh led them to do evil even more than the nations that Yahweh had destroyed before the people of Israel.

¹⁰So Yahweh spoke by his servants the prophets, saying,¹¹"Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these disgusting things, and has acted wickedly more than all that the Amorites who were before him did, and has also made Judah sin with his idols,¹²therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: Look, I am about to bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.

¹³I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria, and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab; I will wipe Jerusalem clean, as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.¹⁴I will throw off the remnant of my inheritance and give them into the hand of their enemies. They will become victims and plunder for all their enemies,¹⁵because they have done what is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their ancestors came out of Egypt, to this day."

¹⁶Moreover, Manasseh shed much innocent blood, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another with death. This was in addition to the sin by which he made Judah to sin, when they did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.¹⁷As for the other matters concerning Manasseh, all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?¹⁸Manasseh lay down with his ancestors and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place.

¹⁹Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth; she was the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.²⁰He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had done.

²¹Amon followed in all the way that his father had walked in and worshiped the idols that his father worshiped, and bowed down to them.²²He abandoned Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of Yahweh.²³The servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his own house.

²⁴But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.²⁵As for the other matters concerning Amon that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?²⁶The people buried him in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son became king in his place.

¹Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah (she was the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath).²He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh. He walked in all the way of David his ancestor, and he did not turn away either to the right or to the left.

³It came about that in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying,⁴"Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and tell him to count the money that has been brought into the house of Yahweh, which the temple guards have gathered from the people.⁵Let it be given into the hand of the workmen who are in charge of the house of Yahweh, and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of Yahweh, for them to make repairs to damage in the temple.

⁶Let them give money to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and also to buy timber and cut stone to repair the temple."⁷But no accounting was required for the money that was given to them, because they handled it faithfully.

⁸Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh." So Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.⁹Shaphan went and took the book to the king, and also reported to him, saying, "Your servants have spent the money that was found in the temple and they have given it into the hand of the workmen who supervise the care for the house of Yahweh."¹⁰Then Shaphan the scribe said to the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." Then Shaphan read it to the king.

¹¹It came about that when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.¹²The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, his own servant, saying,¹³"Go and consult with Yahweh for me, and for the people and for all Judah, because of the words of this book that has been found. For great is the anger of Yahweh that has been kindled against us because our ancestors have not listened to the words of this book so as to obey all that was written concerning us."

¹⁴So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke with her.¹⁵She said to them, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'Tell the man who sent you to me,¹⁶"This is what Yahweh says: 'See, I will bring disaster to this place and to its inhabitants, according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read.

¹⁷Because they have abandoned me and have burned incense to other gods, so that they might provoke me to anger with all the deeds they have committed—therefore my anger has been kindled against this place, and it will not be extinguished.'"¹⁸But to the king of Judah, who sent you to ask Yahweh's will, this is what you will say to him: "Yahweh, the God of Israel says this: 'About the words that you heard,¹⁹because your heart was tender, and because you have humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I said against this place and its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have listened to you—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁰See, I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.'"'" So the men took this message back to the king.

¹So the king sent messengers who gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.²Then the king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, prophets, and all the people, from small to great. He then read in their hearing all the words of the book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of Yahweh.

³The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh and to keep his commandments, his regulations, and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book. So all the people agreed to stand by the covenant.

⁴The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests under him, and the gatekeepers to bring out of the temple of Yahweh all the vessels that were made for Baal and Asherah, and for all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields in the Kidron Valley and carried their ashes to Bethel.⁵He got rid of the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had chosen to burn incense at the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon, to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

⁶He brought out the Asherah pole from the temple of Yahweh, outside Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley and burned it there. He crushed it to dust and threw that dust onto the graves of the common people.⁷He broke down the houses of the cultic prostitutes in the temple of Yahweh, where the women wove garments for Asherah.

⁸Josiah brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba. He destroyed the high places at the gates that were at the entrance to the gate of Joshua (the city governor), on the left side of the city gate.⁹Although the priests of those high places were not allowed to serve at the altar of Yahweh in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.

¹⁰Josiah defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so that no one might cause his son or his daughter to pass through the fire as a sacrifice to Molech.¹¹He took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun. They had been in an area at the entrance to the temple of Yahweh, near the room of Nathan-Melek, the chamberlain. Josiah burned the chariots of the sun.

¹²Josiah the king destroyed the altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars that Manasseh had made in the two courts of the temple of Yahweh. Josiah smashed them into pieces and threw them into the Kidron Valley.¹³The king ruined the high places east of Jerusalem, south of the mount of corruption that Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth, the detestable idol of the Sidonians; for Chemosh, the detestable idol of Moab; and for Molech, the detestable idol of the people of Ammon.¹⁴He broke the stone pillars into pieces and cut down the Asherah poles and he filled those places with the bones of human beings.

¹⁵Josiah also completely destroyed the altar that was at Bethel and the high place that Jeroboam son of Nebat (the one who made Israel to sin) had constructed. He also burned that altar and the high place and crushed it to dust. He also burned the Asherah pole.¹⁶As Josiah looked over the area, he noticed the graves that were on the hillside. He sent men to take the bones from the graves; then he burned them on the altar, which defiled it. This was according to the word of Yahweh which the man of God had spoken, the man who spoke of these things beforehand.

¹⁷Then he said, "What monument is that I see?" The men of the city told him, "That is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and spoke about these things that you have just done against the altar of Bethel."¹⁸So Josiah said, "Let it alone. No one should move his bones." So they let his bones alone, along with the bones of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

¹⁹Then Josiah removed all the houses on the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, and that provoked Yahweh to anger. He did to them exactly what had been done at Bethel.²⁰He slaughtered all the priests of the high places on the altars and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

²¹Then the king commanded all the people, saying, "Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant."²²Such a Passover celebration had never been held from the days of the judges who ruled Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel or Judah.²³But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover of Yahweh was celebrated in Jerusalem.

²⁴Josiah also completely removed the sorcerers and spiritists. He also completely removed the fetishes, the idols, and all the disgusting things that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, so as to confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh.²⁵Before Josiah, there had been no king like him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, all his soul, and all his might, who followed all the law of Moses. Nor did any king like Josiah arise after him.

²⁶Nevertheless, Yahweh did not turn away from the burning of his raging anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke him to anger.²⁷So Yahweh said, "I will also remove Judah out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will throw away this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, 'My name will be there.'"

²⁸As for the other matters concerning Josiah, everything that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?²⁹In his days, Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, went to fight against the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. King Josiah went to meet Necho in battle, and Necho killed him at Megiddo.³⁰Josiah's servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own grave. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.

³¹Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal; she was the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.³²Jehoahaz did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, like everything that his ancestors had done.³³Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath, so that he might not reign in Jerusalem. Then Necho imposed a fine on Judah of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

³⁴Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away to Egypt, and Jehoahaz died there.³⁵Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh. In order to meet the demand of Pharaoh, Jehoikim taxed the land and he forced each man among the people of the land to pay him the silver and gold according to their assessments.

³⁶Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah; she was the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.³⁷Jehoiakim did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, just as his ancestors had done.

¹In Jehoiakim's days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Judah; Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then Jehoiakim turned back and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.²Yahweh sent against Jehoiakim marauding bands of Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites; he sent them against Judah to destroy it. This was in conformity with the word of Yahweh that had been spoken through his servants the prophets.

³It was certainly at the mouth of Yahweh that this came on Judah, to remove them out of his sight, because of the sins of Manasseh, all that he did, ¹⁴and also because of the innocent blood that he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. Yahweh was not willing to pardon that.

⁵As for the other matters concerning Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?⁶Jehoiakim lay down with his ancestors, and Jehoiachin his son became king in his place.

⁷The king of Egypt did not attack any more out of his land, because the king of Babylon had conquered all the lands that had been controlled by the king of Egypt, from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

⁸Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta; she was the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.⁹He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he did all that his father had done.

¹⁰At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and besieged the city.¹¹Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it,¹²and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers. The king of Babylon captured him in the eighth year of his own reign.

¹³Nebuchadnezzar took out from there all the valuable things in the house of Yahweh, and those in the king's palace. He cut into pieces all the golden objects that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of Yahweh, as Yahweh had said would happen.¹⁴He took into exile all Jerusalem, all the leaders, and all the mighty warriors, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one was left except the poorest people in the land.

¹⁵Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin into exile at Babylon, as well as the king's mother, wives, officers, and the nobles of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.¹⁶All the fighting men, seven thousand in number, and one thousand craftsmen and blacksmiths, all of them strong and fit for fighting—the king of Babylon brought these men into exile at Babylon.¹⁷The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's father's brother, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

¹⁸Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal; she was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.¹⁹He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he did all that Jehoiakim had done.²⁰Through Yahweh's anger, all these events happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he drove them out of his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

¹Some ancient Hebrew copies read, It was certainly because of the wrath of Yahweh .

25¹It happened that in the ninth year of the reign of King Zedekiah, in the tenth month, and on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem. He camped opposite it, and they built a siege wall around it.²So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah's reign.³On the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

⁴Then the city was broken into, and all the fighting men fled at night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, although the Chaldeans were all around the city. The king went in the direction of the Arabah.⁵But the army of Chaldeans pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of the Jordan River valley near Jericho. All his army was scattered away from him.

⁶They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they passed sentence on him.⁷As for Zedekiah's sons, they slaughtered them before his eyes. Then he put out his eyes, bound him in bronze chains, and brought him to Babylon.

⁸Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, a servant of the king of Babylon and commander of his bodyguards, came to Jerusalem.⁹He burned the house of Yahweh, the king's palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; also every important building in the city he burned.¹⁰As for all the walls around Jerusalem, all the army of the Chaldeans who were under the commander of the bodyguard destroyed them.

¹¹As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the remainder of the population—Nebuzaradan, the commander of the bodyguard, took them away into exile.¹²But the commander of the bodyguard did leave some of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹³As for the bronze pillars that were in the house of Yahweh, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of Yahweh, the Chaldeans broke them into pieces and carried the bronze back to Babylon.¹⁴The pots, shovels, lamp trimmers, spoons, and all the utensils of bronze with which the priests had served in the temple—the Chaldeans took them all away.¹⁵The censers and the bowls that were made of gold and those made of silver—the captain of the king's guard took them away as well.

¹⁶The two pillars, the sea, and the stands that Solomon had made for the house of Yahweh contained more bronze than could be weighed.¹⁷The height of the first pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of bronze was on top of it. The capital was three cubits high, with latticework and pomegranates all around on the capital, all made of bronze. The other pillar and its latticework were the same as the first.

¹⁸The commander of the bodyguard took Seraiah the chief priest, together with Zephaniah, the second priest, and the three gatekeepers.¹⁹From the city he took prisoner an officer who was in charge of soldiers, and five men of those who advised the king, who were still in the city. He also took prisoner the king's army officer responsible for drafting men into the army, along with sixty important men from the land who were in the city.

²⁰Then Nebuzaradan, the commander of the bodyguard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.²¹The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. In this way, Judah went out of its land into exile.

²²As for the people who remained in the land of Judah, those whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he put Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, in charge of them.²³Now when all the commanders of the soldiers, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maakathite—they and their men.²⁴Gedaliah made an oath to them and to their men, and said to them, "Do not be afraid of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you."

²⁵But it happened that in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, from the royal family, came with ten men and attacked Gedaliah. Gedaliah died, along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.²⁶Then all the people, from the least to the greatest, and the commanders of the soldiers, arose and went to Egypt, because they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

²⁷It happened later in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Awel-Marduk king of Babylon released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. This happened in the year that Awel-Marduk began to reign.

²⁸He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat more honorable than that of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.²⁹Awel-Marduk removed Jehoiachin's prison clothes, and Jehoiachin ate regularly at the king's table for the rest of his life.³⁰A regular food allowance was given to him by the king every day for the rest of his life.

1 Chronicles

¹Adam, Seth, Enosh,²Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,³Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech.

⁴The sons of Noah were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ¹

⁵The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

⁶The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. ²

⁷The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.

⁸The sons of Ham were Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.

⁹The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteka. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

¹⁰Cush became the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty man on the earth.

¹¹Egypt became the ancestor of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites,¹²Pathrusites, Kasluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.

¹³Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and of the Hittites.¹⁴He also became the ancestor of the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,¹⁵Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,¹⁶Arvadites, Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

¹⁷The sons of Shem were Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.

¹⁸Arphaxad became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber.

¹⁹Eber had two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother's name was Joktan.

²⁰Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,²¹Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,²²Obal, Abimael, Sheba,²³Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were descendants of Joktan.

²⁴Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,

²⁵Eber, Peleg, Reu,

²⁶Serug, Nahor, Terah,

²⁷Abram, who was Abraham.

²⁸The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael.

²⁹These are their descendants: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,³⁰Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,³¹Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were Ishmael's sons.

³²The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.

³³Midian's sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were Keturah's descendants.

³⁴Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac were Esau and Israel.

³⁵The sons of Esau were Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

³⁶The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek.

³⁷The sons of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

³⁸The sons of Seir were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.

³⁹The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam, and Timna was Lotan's sister.

⁴⁰The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah.

⁴¹The son of Anah was Dishon. The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.

⁴²The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran.

⁴³These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

⁴⁴When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place.

⁴⁵When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

⁴⁶When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the land of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his city was Avith.

⁴⁷When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.

⁴⁸When Samlah died, Shaul of Rehoboth on the river reigned in his place.

⁴⁹When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Akbor reigned in his place.

⁵⁰When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad reigned in his place, and the name of his city was Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-Zahab.

⁵¹Hadad died.

The chiefs in Edom were Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth,

⁵²Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon,⁵³Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar,⁵⁴Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.

¹The Hebrew copies do not have the expression, The sons of Noah, but the ancient Greek translation includes this expression.

²Most Hebrew copies have Diphath instead of Riphath. However Diphath was probably a misspelling and other ancient copies corrected it to read Riphath. This last name is found in Genesis 10:3.

¹These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,²Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

³Judah's sons were Er, Onan, and Shelah, who were born to him by Shua's daughter, a Canaanite woman. Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and Yahweh killed him.⁴Tamar, his daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons.

⁵Perez's sons were Hezron and Hamul.

⁶Zerah's sons were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol, and Darda, five in all.

⁷Karmi's son was Achar, who brought trouble on Israel when he acted faithlessly in regard to what was devoted to God. ¹

⁸Ethan's son was Azariah.

⁹Hezron's sons were Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.

¹⁰Ram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, a leader among Judah's descendants.¹¹Nahshon became the father of Salmon, and Salmon became the father of Boaz.¹²Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse.

¹³Jesse became the father of his firstborn Eliab, Abinadab the second, Shimea the third,¹⁴Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,¹⁵Ozem the sixth, and David the seventh.

¹⁶Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three of them.¹⁷Abigail bore Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.

¹⁸Caleb son of Hezron became the father of children by Azubah, his wife, and by Jerioth. His sons were Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.¹⁹Azubah died, and then Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur.²⁰Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel.

²¹Later Hezron (when he was sixty years old) married the daughter of Makir, the father of Gilead. She bore him Segub.²²Segub became the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead.

²³Geshur and Aram took Havvoth Jair and Kenath, as well as sixty surrounding towns. All these inhabitants were descendants of Makir, the father of Gilead.

²⁴After the death of Hezron, Caleb went to Ephrathah, the wife of his father Hezron. She bore him Ashhur, the father of Tekoa. ²

²⁵The sons of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron, were Ram the firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah.²⁶Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah. She was the mother of Onam.

²⁷The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.

²⁸The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai were Nadab and Abishur.

²⁹The name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid.

³⁰The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim, but Seled died without children.

³¹The son of Appaim was Ishi. The son of Ishi was Sheshan. The son of Sheshan was Ahlai.

³²The sons of Jada, the brother of Shammai, were Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.

³³The sons of Jonathan were Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

³⁴Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.³⁵Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as his wife. She bore him Attai.

³⁶Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad.

³⁷Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed.

³⁸Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah.

³⁹Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah.

⁴⁰Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum.

⁴¹Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama.

⁴²The sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph. His second son, Mareshah, was the father of Hebron.

⁴³The sons of Hebron were Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema.⁴⁴Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam. Rekem became the father of Shammai.

⁴⁵The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.

⁴⁶Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran became the father of Gazez.

⁴⁷The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.

⁴⁸Maakah, Caleb's concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah.⁴⁹She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Makbenah and the father of Gibea. The daughter of Caleb was Aksah.

⁵⁰These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim,⁵¹Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

⁵²Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim had descendants: Haroeh, half of the Manahathites,⁵³and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites, and Mishraites. The Zorathites and Eshtaolites descended from these.

⁵⁴The descendants of Salma were Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, and half of the Manahathites—the Zorites,⁵⁵and the clans of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. These were the Kenites who came from Hammath, father of the house of Rekab.

¹Some Hebrew copies spell the name: Achan instead of Achar, a name which means trouble .

²Some translate the Hebrew to read, After Hezron's death in Caleb Ephrathah, his wife Abijah bore him a son, Ashhur the father of Tekoa .

¹Now these are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel; the second was Daniel, by Abigail from Carmel;

²the third was Absalom, whose mother was Maakah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith;

³the fifth was Shephatiah by Abital; the sixth was Ithream by Eglah his wife.

⁴These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. He then ruled thirty-three years in Jerusalem.⁵These four sons, by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel, were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. ¹

⁶David's other nine sons were: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet,⁷Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,⁸Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.⁹These were David's sons, not including the sons by his concubines. Tamar was their sister.

¹⁰Solomon's son was Rehoboam. Rehoboam's son was Abijah. Abijah's son was Asa. Asa's son was Jehoshaphat.

¹¹Jehoshaphat's son was Jehoram. Jehoram's son was Ahaziah. Ahaziah's son was Joash.

¹²Joash's son was Amaziah. Amaziah's son was Azariah. Azariah's son was Jotham.

¹³Jotham's son was Ahaz. Ahaz's son was Hezekiah. Hezekiah's son was Manasseh.

¹⁴Manasseh's son was Amon. Amon's son was Josiah.

¹⁵Josiah's sons were his firstborn Johanan, his second son Jehoiakim, his third son Zedekiah, and his fourth son Shallum.

¹⁶Jehoiakim's sons were Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.

¹⁷The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive, were Shealtiel,¹⁸Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

¹⁹Pedaiah's sons were Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel's sons were Meshullam and Hananiah; Shelomith was their sister.

²⁰His other five sons were Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed.

²¹Hananiah's sons were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah. His son was Rephaiah, and further descendants were Arnan, Obadiah, and Shekaniah.

²²The descendants of Shekaniah were Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat.

²³Neariah's three sons were Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam.

²⁴Elioenai's seven sons were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.

¹One ancient Hebrew copy and the ancient Latin translation have Bathseba, however, most ancient Hebrew copies have Bathshua. 1 Samuel 12:24 is clear that Bathsheba was Solomon's mother and so her name is spelled here, "Bathsheba," so as to avoid confusion.

¹Judah's descendants were Perez, Hezron, Karmi, Hur, and Shobal.

²Reaiah, the son of Shobal, was the father of Jahath. Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were of the clans of the Zorathites.

³These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister's name was Hazzelelponi.⁴Penuel was the father of Gedor. Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.

⁵Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

⁶Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.

⁷Helah's sons were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan,⁸and Koz, who became the father of Anub and Hazzobebah, and of the clans descended from Aharhel son of Harum.

⁹Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez. She said, "Because I bore him in pain."¹⁰Jabez called out to the God of Israel and said, "If only you would truly bless me, expand my territory, and your hand will be with me. When you do this you will keep me from harm, so that I may be free from pain!" So God granted him his prayer.

¹¹Kelub brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.¹²Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir Nahash. ¹ These were men who lived in Rekah.

¹³Kenaz's sons were Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel's sons were Hathath and Meonothai. ²¹⁴Meonothai became the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah became the father of Joab, the originator of Ge Harashim, whose people were craftsmen.

¹⁵The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh were Iru, Elah and Naam. Elah's son was Kenaz.

¹⁶Jehallelel's sons were Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

¹⁷Ezrah's sons were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered's Egyptian wife ³ conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, who became the father of Eshtemoa.¹⁸These were the sons of Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married. Mered's Judahite wife bore Jered, who became the father of Gedor; Heber, who became the father of Soko; and Jekuthiel, who became the father of Zanoah.

¹⁹Of the two sons of Hodiah's wife, sister of Naham, one became the father of Keilah the Garmite. The other was Eshtemoa the Maakathite.

²⁰The sons of Shimon were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi were Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

²¹The descendants of Shelah son of Judah, were Er father of Lekah, Laadah father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea,²²Jokim, the men of Kozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (This information is from ancient records.)²³These were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah and worked for the king.

²⁴Simeon's descendants were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul.

²⁵Shallum was Shaul's son, Mibsam was Shallum's son, and Mishma was Mibsam's son.

²⁶Mishma's descendants were Hammuel his son, Zakkur his grandson, and Shimei his great-grandson.

²⁷Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. His brothers did not have many children, so their clans did not increase greatly in numbers as the people of Judah did.²⁸They lived at Beersheba, Moladah, and at Hazar Shual.

²⁹They also live at Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,³⁰Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,³¹Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David.

³²Their five villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token, and Ashan,³³together with the outlying villages as far as Baalath. These were their settlements, and they kept the genealogical records.

³⁴Clan leaders were Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,³⁵Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah son of Seraiah son of Asiel,³⁶Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,³⁷and Ziza son of Shiphi son of Allon son of Jedaiah son of Shimri son of Shemaiah.

³⁸These mentioned by name were leaders in their clans, and their fathers' houses increased greatly.

³⁹They went near Gedor, on the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.⁴⁰They found abundant and good pasture. The land was broad, quiet, and peaceable. The Hamites had formerly lived there.⁴¹These just listed by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and attacked the Hamite tents and the Meunites, who were there also. They completely destroyed them and lived there because they found pasture for their flocks.

⁴²From them, from the sons of Simeon, five hundred men went to Mount Seir with Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, as their leader.⁴³They defeated the rest of the escaped remnant of Amalekites, and have lived there to this day.

¹Some modern translations read who settled in the town of Nahash .

²Most copies of the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew, and the ancient Latin translation of the Hebrew, insert: Meonothai into this verse, believing that it was omitted through a copyist's mistake.

³The Hebrew does not indicate here who the woman was. We understand from 4:18 that it was Mered's Egyptian wife.

¹The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—now Reuben was Israel's firstborn, but his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel because Reuben had defiled his father's couch. So he is not recorded in the genealogy as having the birthright.²Judah was the strongest of his brothers, and the leader would come from him. But the birthright was Joseph's—³the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel were Hanok, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi.

⁴The descendants of Joel were these: Joel's son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah's son was Gog. Gog's son was Shimei.⁵Shimei's son was Micah. Micah's son was Reaiah. Reaiah's son was Baal.

⁶Baal's son was Beerah, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader in the tribe of Reuben.

⁷His kinsmen according to their clans, enrolled in the genealogy by their generations: Jeiel the leader, Zechariah,⁸and Bela son of Azaz son of Shema son of Joel. They lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal Meon,⁹and eastward to the start of the wilderness that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in the land of Gilead.

¹⁰In the days of Saul, the tribe of Reuben attacked the Hagrites and defeated them. They lived in the Hagrites' tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.

¹¹The members of the tribe of Gad lived near them, in the land of Bashan as far as Salekah.

¹²Joel was their leader; Shapham was second; and Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.

¹³Their relatives, by their clans, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.

¹⁴These persons named above were the descendants of Abihail, and Abihail was the son of Huri. Huri was the son of Jaroah. Jaroah was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael. Michael was the son of Jeshishai. Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo. Jahdo was the son of Buz.

¹⁵Ahi son of Abdiel son of Guni, was head of their clan.

¹⁶They lived in Gilead, in Bashan, in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as its borders.¹⁷All these were listed by genealogical records in the days of Jotham king of Judah and of Jeroboam king of Israel.

¹⁸The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers skilled in battle, who carried shield and sword and who drew the bow, who could go out to war.¹⁹They attacked the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.

²⁰They received divine help against them. In this way, the Hagrites and all who were with them were defeated. This was because the Israelites cried out to God in the battle, and he responded to them, because they put their trust in him.²¹They captured their animals, including fifty thousand camels, 250,000 sheep, two thousand donkeys, and 100,000 men.²²Many fell because the battle was from God. They lived in their land until the captivity.

²³The sons of the half tribe of Manasseh lived in the land of Bashan as far as Baal Hermon and Senir (that is, Mount Hermon).²⁴These were the heads of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses.

²⁵But they were unfaithful to their ancestors' God. They acted like prostitutes with the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.²⁶The God of Israel stirred up Pul king of Assyria (also called Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria). He took into exile the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.

¹The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

²The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

³The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

⁴Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, and Phinehas became the father of Abishua.

⁵Abishua became the father of Bukki, and Bukki became the father of Uzzi.

⁶Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth.

⁷Meraioth became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub.

⁸Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz.

⁹Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Johanan.

¹⁰Johanan became the father of Azariah, who served as a priest in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem.

¹¹Azariah became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub.

¹²Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Shallum.

¹³Shallum became the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah became the father of Azariah.

¹⁴Azariah became the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah became the father of Jozadak.

¹⁵Jozadak went into captivity when Yahweh exiled Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁶The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

¹⁷The sons of Gershon were named Libni and Shimei.

¹⁸The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

¹⁹The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers.

²⁰The descendants of Gershon: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,²¹Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son.

²²The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,²³Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,

²⁴Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

²⁵The descendants of Elkanah were Amasai, Ahimoth,

²⁶Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son,²⁷Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son. ¹

²⁸The sons of Samuel were the firstborn, Joel, and Abijah, the second-born.

²⁹The descendants of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,

³⁰Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.

³¹These are the names of the men whom David put in charge of music in the house of Yahweh, after the ark came to rest there.³²They served by singing before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem. They fulfilled their duties according to the instructions given to them.

³³These were those who served with their sons. From the clans of the Kohathites came Heman the musician. Here were his ancestors, going back in time: Heman was the son of Joel. Joel was the son of Samuel.

³⁴Samuel was the son of Elkanah. Elkanah was the son of Jeroham. Jeroham was the son of Eliel. Eliel was the son of Toah.

³⁵Toah was the son of Zuph. Zuph was the son of Elkanah. Elkanah was the son of Mahath. Mahath was the son of Amasai. Amasai was son of Elkanah.

³⁶Amasai was the son of Elkanah. Elkanah was the son of Joel. Joel was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Zephaniah.

³⁷Zephaniah was the son of Tahath. Tahath was the son of Assir. Assir was the son of Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph was the son of Korah.

³⁸Korah was the son of Izhar. Izhar was the son of Kohath. Kohath was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Israel.

³⁹Heman's fellow worker was Asaph, who stood at his right hand. Asaph was the son of Berekiah. Berekiah was the son of Shimea.

⁴⁰Shimea was the son of Michael. Michael was the son of Baaseiah. Baaseiah was the son of Malkijah.⁴¹Malkijah was the son of Ethni. Ethni was the son of Zerah. Zerah was the son of Adaiah.

⁴²Adaiah was the son of Ethan. Ethan was the son of Zimmah. Zimmah was the son of Shimei.⁴³Shimei was the son of Jahath. Jahath was the son of Gershon. Gershon was the son of Levi.

⁴⁴At Heman's left hand were his fellow workers the sons of Merari. They included Ethan son of Kishi. Kishi was the son of Abdi. Abdi was the son of Malluk.⁴⁵Malluk was the son of Hashabiah. Hashabiah was the son of Amaziah. Amaziah was the son of Hilkiah.

⁴⁶Hilkiah was the son of Amzi. Amzi was the son of Bani. Bani was the son of Shemer.⁴⁷Shemer was the son of Mahli. Mahli was the son of Mushi. Mushi was the son of Merari. Merari was the son of Levi.

⁴⁸Their associates, the Levites, were assigned to do all the labor for the tabernacle, the house of God.

⁴⁹But Aaron and his descendants made the offerings on the altar for burnt offerings; and the offering on the incense altar for all the work on the most holy place. These offerings made atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

⁵⁰Aaron's descendants are reckoned as follows: Aaron's son was Eleazar. Eleazar's son was Phinehas. Phinehas' son was Abishua.⁵¹Abishua's son was Bukki. Bukki's son was Uzzi. Uzzi's son was Zerahiah.

⁵²Zerahiah's son was Meraioth. Meraioth's son was Amariah. Amariah's son was Ahitub.⁵³Ahitub's son was Zadok. Zadok's son was Ahimaaz.

⁵⁴These are the locations where Aaron's descendants were assigned to live, that is, for the descendants of Aaron who were from the clans of the Kohathites (the first lot was theirs).⁵⁵To them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its pasturelands,⁵⁶but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

⁵⁷To the descendants of Aaron they gave: Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah with its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands,⁵⁸Hilen with its pasturelands, and Debir with its pasturelands.

⁵⁹They also gave to the descendants of Aaron: Ashan with its pasturelands, Juttah, ² and Beth Shemesh with its pasturelands;⁶⁰and from the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasturelands, Alemeth with its pasturelands, and Anathoth with its pasturelands.

All their cities throughout their clans were thirteen cities.

⁶¹To the rest of Kohath's descendants were given by lot ten cities from the half tribe of Manasseh.⁶²To Gershon's descendants in their various clans were given thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁶³To Merari's descendants they gave by lot twelve cities, clan by clan, from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.⁶⁴So the people of Israel gave these cities with their pasturelands to the Levites.⁶⁵They assigned by lot these towns mentioned by name from the tribes of the sons of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

⁶⁶Some of the clans of the descendants of Kohath were given cities from the territory of the tribe of Ephraim.⁶⁷They gave them: Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands,⁶⁸Jokmeam with its pasturelands, Beth Horon with its pasturelands,⁶⁹Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands.

⁷⁰The half tribe of Manasseh gave the Kohathites Aner with its pasturelands and Bileam with its pasturelands. These became the possessions of the rest of the Kohathite clans.

⁷¹To Gershon's descendants out of the clans of the half tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands and Ashtaroth with its pasturelands.

⁷²The tribe of Issachar gave to Gershon's descendants Kedesh with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands,⁷³Ramoth with its pasturelands, and Anem with its pasturelands.

⁷⁴Issachar received from the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands,⁷⁵Hukok with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands.

⁷⁶They received from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, Hammon with its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim with its pasturelands.

⁷⁷The rest of Merari's descendants received from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, ³ and Rimmono with its pasturelands and Tabor with its pasturelands;

⁷⁸and from the tribe of Reuben, across the Jordan on the east side of Jericho, they received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah,⁷⁹Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands.

⁸⁰The Levites received from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands,⁸¹Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands.

¹The ancient Greek translation taken from the Hebrew copies adds to the list Samuel his son .

²The place name Juttah is not in the ancient Hebrew copies but is found in the Syriac translation of the Hebrew copies; also see Joshua 21:16.

³The names Jokneam and Kartah are not found in the Hebrew copies but are found in the ancient Greek translation taken from the Hebrew copies. Compare the list in Joshua 21:34.

¹Issachar's four sons were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

²The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Samuel. They were the heads of their clans, from the descendants of Tola and they were listed as mighty warriors among their generations. They numbered 22,600 in the days of David.

³Uzzi's son was Izrahiah. His sons were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Ishiah; all five of them were clan leaders.

⁴Along with them, according to the genealogical records of their clans, they had thirty-six thousand troops of the army for battle, for they had many wives and sons.

⁵Their relatives from all the clans of Issachar numbered in all eighty-seven thousand mighty warriors, as listed in their genealogy.

⁶Benjamin's three sons were Bela, Beker, and Jediael.

⁷Bela's sons were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five heads of clans and mighty warriors. There were 22,034 of them recorded in their genealogy.

⁸Beker's sons were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were his sons.⁹Recorded in their genealogy, according to their generations, were 20,200 heads of their clans, mighty warriors.

¹⁰The son of Jediael was Bilhan. Bilhan's sons were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar.

¹¹All these were sons of Jediael. Listed in their clan lists were 17,200 heads of houses and mighty warriors fit for military service.

¹²The Shuppites and the Huppites were descendants of Ir, and the Hushites were descendants of Aher.

¹³The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem—the descendants of Bilhah.

¹⁴The descendants of Manasseh were Asriel, who was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. (She gave birth to Makir, the father of Gilead.¹⁵Then Makir took a wife from the Huppites and Shuppites, and his sister's name was Maakah.) The name of the second was Zelophehad, who had only daughters.

¹⁶Then Maakah, wife of Makir, bore a son and she called him Peresh, and his brother's name was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.

¹⁷The son of Ulam was Bedan. These were the descendants of Gilead, who was the son of Makir, who was the son of Manasseh.¹⁸Gilead's sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.

¹⁹The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

²⁰The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son,²¹Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son. Ezer and Elead were killed by men of Gath, natives in the land, when they went to steal their livestock.²²Ephraim their father mourned for them many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.

²³He went to his wife. She conceived and bore a son. Ephraim named him Beriah, because tragedy had come to his family.²⁴His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen Sheerah.

²⁵Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son,

²⁶Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,²⁷Nun his son, and Joshua was his son.

²⁸Their possessions and residences were Bethel and its surrounding villages. They extended eastward to Naaran and westward to Gezer and its villages, and to Shechem and its villages to Ayyah and its villages.²⁹On the border with Manasseh were Beth Shan and its villages, Taanach and its villages, Megiddo and its villages, and Dor and its villages. In these towns the descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived.

³⁰Asher's sons were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister.

³¹Beriah's sons were Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.

³²Heber's sons were Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham. Shua was their sister.

³³Japhlet's sons were Pasak, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet's children.

³⁴Shomer, Japhlet's brother, had these sons: Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.

³⁵Shemer's brother, Helem, had these sons: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.

³⁶Zophah's sons were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah,³⁷Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.

³⁸Jether's sons were Jephunneh, Pispah, and Ara.

³⁹Ulla's sons were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.⁴⁰All these were descendants of Asher. They were heads of clans, distinguished men, mighty warriors, and chief among the leaders. There were twenty-six thousand men listed who were fit for military service recorded in their genealogy.

¹Benjamin's five sons were Bela his firstborn, Ashbel, Aharah,

²Nohah, and Rapha.

³Bela's sons were Addar, Gera, Abihud,⁴Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,⁵Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

⁶These were the descendants of Ehud who were heads of fathers' houses for the inhabitants of Geba, who were compelled to move to Manahath:

⁷Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. The last, Gera, led them in their move. He was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

⁸Shaharaim became the father of children in the land of Moab, after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara.⁹By his wife Hodesh, Shaharaim became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam,¹⁰Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' houses.¹¹He had already become the father of Abitub and Elpaal by Hushim.

¹²Elpaal's sons were Eber, Misham, and Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its surrounding villages).¹³There were also Beriah and Shema. They were heads of the fathers' houses of those living in Aijalon, who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.

¹⁴Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth,¹⁵Zebadiah, Arad, Eder,¹⁶Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

¹⁷Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber,¹⁸Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

¹⁹Jakim, Zikri, Zabdi,²⁰Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,²¹Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

²²Ishpan, Eber, Eliel,²³Abdon, Zikri, Hanan,²⁴Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,²⁵Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

²⁶Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah,²⁷Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zikri were the sons of Jeroham.²⁸These were heads of clans—according to the genealogical records they were heads. These were the chief men who dwelled in Jerusalem.

²⁹The father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife's name was Maakah, lived in Gibeon.³⁰His firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab,³¹Gedor, Ahio, and Zeker.

³²Another of Jeiel's sons was Mikloth, who became the father of Shimeah. They also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

³³Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.

³⁴The son of Jonathan was Merib-Baal. Merib-Baal was the father of Micah.

³⁵The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melek, Tarea, and Ahaz.

³⁶Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza.³⁷Moza was the father of Binea. Binea was the father of Raphah. Raphah was the father of Eleasah. Eleasah was the father of Azel.

³⁸Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were sons of Azel.

³⁹The sons of Eshek, his brother, were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.⁴⁰Ulam's sons were mighty warriors and archers. They had many sons and grandsons, a total of 150. All these belonged to the descendants of Benjamin.

¹So all Israel was recorded in genealogies. They were recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. As for Judah, they were carried away in exile to Babylon because of their faithlessness.²The first to resettle in their possessions, in their cities, were some Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.³Some descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem.

⁴The settlers included Uthai son of Ammihud son of Omri son of Imri son of Bani, one of the descendants of Perez son of Judah.

⁵Among the Shelanites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

⁶Among the descendants of Zerah was Jeuel. Their relatives numbered 690.

⁷Among the descendants of Benjamin was Sallu son of Meshullam son of Hodaviah son of Hassenuah.

⁸There were also Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi son of Mikri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah son of Reuel son of Ibnijah.

⁹Their kinsmen, according to the genealogical records, numbered 956. All these men were heads of fathers' houses for their fathers' houses.

¹⁰The priests were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jakin.

¹¹There was also Azariah son of Hilkiah son of Meshullam son of Zadok son of Meraioth son of Ahitub, the one in charge of the house of God.

¹²There was Adaiah son of Jeroham son of Pashhur son of Malkijah. There was also Maasai son of Adiel son of Jahzerah son of Meshullam son of Meshillemith son of Immer.

¹³Their relatives, who were leaders of their clans, numbered 1,760. They were very capable men for the work of service in the house of God.

¹⁴Among the Levites, there was Shemaiah son of Hasshub son of Azrikam son of Hashabiah, among the descendants of Merari.¹⁵There were also Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mika son of Zikri son of Asaph.¹⁶There were also Obadiah son of Shemaiah son of Galal son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

¹⁷The doorkeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was their leader.¹⁸Previously they stood guard at the king's gate on the east side for the camp of Levi's descendants.¹⁹Shallum son of Kore son of Ebiasaph, ¹ son of Korah, and his relatives from his clan, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the guard service. They guarded the door to the tent, as their ancestors had guarded the camp of Yahweh, and they also had guarded the entrance.

²⁰Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of them in the past, and Yahweh had been with him.²¹Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was guard of the entrance to the tent of meeting.

²²All those who were chosen as gatekeepers at the entrances numbered 212. Their names were recorded in the people's genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their positions of trust.²³So they and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the house of Yahweh, that is called the house of the tabernacle.²⁴The gatekeepers were posted on all four sides, toward the east, west, north, and south.

²⁵Their brothers, who lived in their villages, came in for seven-day rotations, in turn.²⁶But the four leaders of the gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and with the storerooms in the house of God.²⁷They would stay overnight in their posts all around the house of God, for they were responsible for guarding it. They would open it each morning.

²⁸Some of them were in charge of the temple's equipment; they counted the articles when they were brought in and when they were taken out.²⁹Some of them also were assigned to take care of the holy things, the equipment, and the supplies, including the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense, and the spices.

³⁰Some of the priests' sons mixed the spices.³¹Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was in charge of preparing bread for the offerings.³²Some of their brothers, descendants of the Kohathites, were in charge of the bread of the presence, to prepare it every Sabbath.

³³The singers and heads of the Levites' clans lived in rooms at the sanctuary when they were free from work, because they had to carry out their assigned tasks day and night.³⁴These were leaders of the clans of the Levites, according to the genealogical records, chief men. They lived in Jerusalem.

³⁵The father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife's name was Maakah, lived in Gibeon.³⁶His firstborn son was Abdon, then his sons Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,³⁷Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

³⁸Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They also lived near their brothers in Jerusalem.

³⁹Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.

⁴⁰The son of Jonathan was Merib-Baal. Merib-Baal was the father of Micah.

⁴¹The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melek, Tahrea, and Ahaz.

⁴²Ahaz was the father of Jadah. Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza.⁴³Moza became the father of Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.

⁴⁴Azel had six sons, and their names were Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were Azel's sons.

¹Ebiasaph is the same person referred to as Asaph in 1 Chronicles 26:1.

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel. Every man of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down dead on Mount Gilboa.²The Philistines closely pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, his sons.³The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers overtook him, and they wounded him.

⁴Then said Saul to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and thrust me through with it. Otherwise, these uncircumcised will come and abuse me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword in the same way and died.⁶So Saul died, and his three sons, so all his household members died together.

⁷When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in them.⁸It came about on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

⁹They stripped him and took his head and his armor. They sent messengers throughout Philistia to carry the news to their idols and to the people.¹⁰They put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his skull to the temple of Dagon.

¹¹When all Jabesh Gilead heard of all that the Philistines had done to Saul,¹²all the fighting men went and took away the body of Saul and those of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

¹³So Saul died for the faithless act with which he acted faithlessly against Yahweh. He did not obey Yahweh's instructions, but asked for advice from someone who talked with the dead.¹⁴He did not seek guidance from Yahweh, so Yahweh killed him and turned over the kingdom to David son of Jesse.

¹Then all Israel gathered together with David at Hebron and said, "Look, we are your flesh and bone.²In the recent past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led the Israelite army. Yahweh your God said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become a ruler over my people Israel.'"³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel. In this way, the word of Yahweh that had been declared by Samuel came true.

⁴David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). Now the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.⁵The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You will not come in here." But David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.⁶David had said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become chief and commander." So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first, so he was made the chief.

⁷Then David began to live in the stronghold. So they called it the city of David.⁸He built the city all around from the Millo and back to the surrounding wall. Joab restored the rest of the city.⁹David became greater and greater because Yahweh of hosts was with him.

¹⁰These were the leaders David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, obeying the word of Yahweh concerning Israel.¹¹This is a list of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, the son of a Hakmonite, was commander of the officers. ¹ He killed three hundred men with his spear on one occasion.

¹²After him was Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.¹³He was with David at Pas Dammim, and there the Philistines assembled together for battle, where there was a barley field and the army fled from the Philistines.¹⁴They stood in the middle of the field. They defended it and cut down the Philistines and Yahweh rescued them with a great victory.

¹⁵Then three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.¹⁶At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established their camp at Bethlehem.¹⁷David was longing for water and said, "If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!"

¹⁸So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.¹⁹Then he said, "Far be it for me before God that I should ever do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who have risked their lives?" Because they had put their lives at risk, David refused to drink it. These were the deeds of the three mighty men.

²⁰Abishai brother of Joab was captain over the Three. He once used his spear against three hundred and killed them. He had a name along with the Three.²¹Of the Three, he was given double honor and became their captain, even though he was not one of them.

²²Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel, who did great deeds. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a day when the snow was falling.²³He even killed an Egyptian, a man five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's beam, but he went down to him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

²⁴Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.²⁵He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁶The mighty warriors were Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

²⁷Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

²⁸Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

²⁹Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

³⁰Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

³¹Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah of Benjamin's descendants, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

³²Hurai of the valleys of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

³³Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

³⁴the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

³⁵Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,

³⁶Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

³⁷Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

³⁸Joel brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

³⁹Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah),

⁴⁰Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

⁴¹Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

⁴²Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites) and thirty with him,

⁴³Hanan son of Maakah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

⁴⁴Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

⁴⁵Jediael son of Shimri, Joha (his brother the Tizite),

⁴⁶Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,

⁴⁷Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

¹The Hebrew could also read, of the thirty, or, of the three .

¹These were the men who came to David to Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. They were among the soldiers, his helpers in battle.²They were armed with bows and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were Benjamites, Saul's kinsmen.

³The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite. There were Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth. There were also Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite,⁴Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a soldier among the thirty (and in command of the thirty); Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,

⁵Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,⁶the Korahites Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, and⁷Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were mighty warriors, men of war, ready for battle, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were as fierce as the faces of lions. They were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.

⁹There were Ezer the leader, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

¹⁰Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

¹¹Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

¹²Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

¹³Jeremiah the tenth, Makbannai the eleventh.

¹⁴These sons of Gad were leaders of the army. The least led a hundred, and the greatest led a thousand.¹⁵They crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it overflowed its banks, and caused all those living in the valleys to flee, both toward the east and toward the west.

¹⁶Some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.¹⁷David went out to meet them and addressed them: "If you have come in peace to me to help me, my heart will be joined with you. But if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, may the God of our ancestors see and rebuke you, since I have done no wrong."

¹⁸Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, who was chief of the thirty. Amasai said, "We are yours, David. We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace, may peace be to whoever helps you. May peace be to your helpers, for your God is helping you." Then David received them and made them commanders over his men.

¹⁹Some from Manasseh also deserted to David when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle. Yet they did not help the Philistines, because the Philistine lords consulted with each other and sent David away. They said, "He will desert to his master Saul at the risk of our lives."²⁰When he went to Ziklag, the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains over thousands of Manasseh.

²¹They helped David fight against the roving bands, for they were mighty warriors. Later they became commanders in the army.²²Day after day, men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³This is the record of the armed soldiers for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, which carried out Yahweh's word.

²⁴The men of Judah who carried shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war.

²⁵From the Simeonites there were 7,100 mighty warriors trained for war.

²⁶From the Levites there were 4,600 fighting men.²⁷Jehoiada was the leader of Aaron's descendants, and with him were 3,700.²⁸With Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior, were twenty-two leaders from his clan.

²⁹From Benjamin, Saul's kinsmen, were three thousand. Most of them had kept watch over the house of Saul until this time.

³⁰From the Ephraimites there were 20,800 mighty warriors, men who were famous in their clans.

³¹From the half tribe of Manasseh there were eighteen thousand famous men who came to make David king.

³²From Issachar, there were two hundred leaders who had understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do. All their relatives were under their command.

³³From Zebulun there were fifty thousand fighting men, prepared for battle, with all the weapons of war, and ready to give undivided loyalty.

³⁴From Naphtali there were one thousand officers, and with them thirty-seven thousand men with shields and spears.

³⁵From the Danites there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.

³⁶From Asher there were forty thousand men of war prepared for battle.

³⁷From the other side of the Jordan, from the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons for war.

³⁸All these soldiers, equipped for battle, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel were in agreement to make David king also.³⁹They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had sent them with provisions.⁴⁰In addition, those who were near to them, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, and cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

¹David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader.²David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if this comes from Yahweh our God, let us send messengers everywhere to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are in their cities. Let them be told to come together with us.³Let us bring the ark of our God back to ourselves, for we did not seek his will in the days of Saul's reign."⁴The whole assembly agreed to do these things, because in the eyes of all the people they seemed to be what was right.

⁵So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.⁶David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, Kiriath Jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by Yahweh's name, Yahweh, who sits enthroned over the cherubim.

⁷So they set the ark of God on a new cart. They brought it out of Abinadab's house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart.⁸David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might. They were singing with harps and lutes, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

⁹When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out with his hand to grab the ark, because the oxen stumbled.¹⁰Then the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzzah, and Yahweh killed him because Uzzah had reached out with his hand to the ark. He died there before God.¹¹David was angry because Yahweh had attacked Uzzah. That place is called Perez Uzzah to this day.

¹²David was afraid of God that day. He said, "How can I bring the ark of God home to me?"¹³So David did not move the ark to the city of David, but put it aside in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.¹⁴The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom's household in his house for three months. So Yahweh blessed his house and all that he possessed.

¹Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters, and masons. They built a house for him.²David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was exalted on high for the sake of his people Israel.

³In Jerusalem, David took more wives, and he became the father of more sons and daughters.⁴These were the names of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,⁶Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,⁷Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

⁸Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over all Israel, they all went out looking for him. But David heard about it and went out against them.⁹Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁰Then David asked for help from God. He said, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you give victory over them?" Yahweh said to him, "Attack, for I will certainly give them to you."¹¹So they came up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He commented, "God has burst through my enemies by my hand like a bursting flood of water." So the name of that place became Baal Perazim.¹²The Philistines abandoned their gods there, and David gave an order that they should be burned.

¹³Then the Philistines raided the valley yet again.¹⁴So David asked for help from God again. God said to him, "You must not attack their front, but rather circle around behind them and come on them through the balsam woods.

¹⁵When you hear the sound of marching in the wind blowing through the balsam treetops, then attack with force. Do this because God will have gone out before you to attack the army of the Philistines."¹⁶So David did as God had commanded him. He defeated the army of the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.¹⁷Then David's fame went out into all lands, and Yahweh caused all nations to fear him.

¹David built houses for himself in the city of David. He prepared a place for the ark of God and set up a tent for it.²Then David said, "Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for they had been chosen by Yahweh to carry the ark of Yahweh, and to serve him forever."³Then David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh to the place he had prepared for it.

⁴David gathered together Aaron's descendants and the Levites.

⁵From the descendants of Kohath, there was Uriel the leader and his relatives, 120 men.

⁶From the descendants of Merari, there was Asaiah the leader and his relatives, 220 men.

⁷From the descendants of Gershom, there was Joel the leader and his relatives, 130 men.

⁸From the descendants of Elizaphan, there was Shemaiah the leader and his relatives, 200 men.

⁹From the descendants of Hebron, there was Eliel the leader and his relatives, eighty men.

¹⁰From the descendants of Uzziel, there was Amminadab the leader and his relatives, 112 men.

¹¹David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.¹²He said to them, "You are the leaders of the Levite families. Consecrate yourselves, both you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

¹³You did not carry it the first time. That is why Yahweh our God broke out against us, for we did not seek him or obey his decree."¹⁴So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel.¹⁵So the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded—following the rules given by the word of Yahweh.

¹⁶David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to assign their brothers as singers who would play loudly on musical instruments, lutes and lyres and loud cymbals, to lift up sounds of joy.¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel and one of his brothers, Asaph son of Berekiah. They also appointed kinsmen from Merari's descendants and Ethan son of Kushaiah.¹⁸With them were their kinsmen of second rank: Zechariah, ¹ Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

¹⁹The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play loud bronze cymbals.²⁰Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played the lutes, set to Alamoth.²¹Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah led the way with harps set to the Sheminith.

²²Kenaniah, leader of the Levites, was the director of the singing because he was a teacher of music.²³Berekiah and Elkanah were guards for the ark.²⁴Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were guards for the ark.

²⁵So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Obed-Edom's house with rejoicing.²⁶While God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were the Levites who carried the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah, the leader of the song with the singers. David was wearing a linen ephod.²⁸So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with joyful shouting, and with the sound of horns and trumpets, with cymbals, and with lutes and harps.

²⁹But as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came to the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul, looked out the window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. Then she despised him in her heart.

¹Some ancient copies add the name or prefix, "ben," assuming perhaps the name of Zechariah's father was left out.

¹They brought in the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent that David had set up for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.²When David had finished offering up the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh.³He distributed to every man of Israel, to both men and women, a loaf of bread, and a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins.

⁴David appointed certain Levites to serve before the ark of Yahweh, and to celebrate, thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel.⁵These Levites were Asaph the leader, and second to him Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. These were to play with lutes and harps. Asaph was to sound the cymbals, sounding loudly.⁶Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly, before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷Then on that day David first appointed Asaph and his brothers to sing this song of thanksgiving to Yahweh.

⁸Give thanks to Yahweh, call on his name;

make known his deeds among the nations.

⁹Sing to him, sing praises to him;

speak of all his marvelous deeds.

¹⁰Boast in his holy name;

let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

¹¹Seek Yahweh and his strength;

seek his presence continually.

¹²Recall the marvelous things he has done,

his miracles and the decrees from his mouth,

¹³you descendants of Israel his servant,

you people of Jacob, his chosen ones.

¹⁴He is Yahweh, our God.

His decrees are on all the earth.

¹⁵Keep his covenant in mind forever,

the word that he commanded for a thousand generations.

¹⁶He calls to mind the covenant that he made with Abraham,

and his oath to Isaac.

¹⁷This is what he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

and to Israel as an everlasting covenant.

¹⁸He said, "I will give you the land of Canaan

as the assigned portion of your inheritance."

¹⁹When they were only few in number,

so very few, and they were strangers in the land,

²⁰they wandered from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another.

²¹He did not allow anyone to oppress them;

he punished kings for their sakes.

²²He said, "Do not touch my anointed ones,

and do not harm my prophets."

²³Sing to Yahweh, all the earth;

announce his salvation day after day.

²⁴Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all the nations.

²⁵For Yahweh is great and is to be praised greatly,

and he is to be feared above all other gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but it is Yahweh who made the heavens.

²⁷Splendor and majesty are in his presence.

Strength and joy are in his place.

²⁸Ascribe to Yahweh, you clans of peoples,

ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength!

²⁹Ascribe to Yahweh the glory his name deserves.

Bring an offering and come before him.

Bow down to Yahweh in the splendor of holiness.

³⁰Tremble before him, all the earth.

The world also is established; it cannot be shaken.

³¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let them say among the nations, "Yahweh reigns."

³²Let the sea roar, and that which fills it shout with joy.

Let the fields be joyful, and all that is in them.

³³Then let the trees in the forest shout for joy before Yahweh,

for he is coming to judge the earth.

³⁴Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

for his covenant faithfulness endures forever.

³⁵Then say, "Save us, God of our salvation.

Gather us together and rescue us from the other nations,

so that we may give thanks to your holy name

and glory in your praises."

³⁶May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised

from everlasting to everlasting.

All the people said, "Amen" and praised Yahweh.

³⁷So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to serve continually before the ark, as every day's work required.³⁸Obed-Edom with those sixty-eight relatives were included. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, along with Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.³⁹Zadok the priest and his fellow workers were to serve before the tabernacle of Yahweh at the high place in Gibeon.

⁴⁰They were to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar for burnt offerings continually morning and evening, according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which he gave as a command to Israel.⁴¹Heman and Jeduthun were with them, together with the rest who were chosen by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his covenant faithfulness endures forever.

⁴²Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of those who played trumpets, cymbals, and the other instruments for the sacred music. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the gate.⁴³Then all the people returned to their homes, and David returned to bless his own household.

¹It happened that after David had settled in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is staying under a tent."²Then Nathan said to David, "Go, do what is in your heart, for God is with you."

³But that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying,⁴"Go and tell David my servant, 'This is what Yahweh says: You will not build me a house in which to live.⁵For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up Israel to this present day. Rather, I have been living in a tent, a tabernacle, in various places.⁶In all places I have moved among all Israel, did I ever say anything to any of Israel's judges, whom I appointed to shepherd my people, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'"

⁷"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what Yahweh of hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, so that you would be ruler over my people Israel.⁸I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth.

⁹I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place and be troubled no more. No longer will wicked people oppress them, as they did before,¹⁰as they were doing from the days that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Then I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that I, Yahweh, will build you a house.

¹¹It will come about that when your days are fulfilled for you to go to your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, and for one of your own descendants, I will establish his kingdom.¹²He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

¹³I will be a Father to him, and he will be my son. I will not take my covenant faithfulness away from him, as I took it from Saul, who ruled before you.¹⁴I will set him over my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.'"

¹⁵Nathan spoke to David and reported to him all these words, and he told him about the entire vision.

¹⁶Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh; he said, "Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this point?¹⁷For this was a small thing in your sight, God. You have spoken of your servant's family for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, Yahweh God.¹⁸What more can I, David, say to you? You have honored your servant. You have given your servant special recognition.

¹⁹Yahweh, for your servant's sake, and to fulfill your own purpose, you have done this great thing to reveal all your great deeds.²⁰Yahweh, there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, just as we have always heard.²¹For what nation on earth is like your people Israel, whom you, God, rescued from Egypt as a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself by great and awesome deeds? You drove out nations from before your people, whom you rescued from Egypt.

²²You made Israel your own people forever, and you, Yahweh, became their God.²³So now, Yahweh, may the promise that you made concerning your servant and his family be established forever. Do as you have spoken.²⁴May your name be established forever and be great, so the people will say, 'Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel,' while the house of me, David, your servant is established before you.

²⁵For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. That is why I, your servant, have found courage to pray to you.²⁶Now, Yahweh, you are God, and have made this good promise to your servant:²⁷Now it has pleased you to bless your servant's house, that it may continue forever before you. You, Yahweh, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever."

¹After this it came about that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. He took Gath and its villages out of the Philistines' control.²Then he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and paid him tribute.

³David then defeated Hadadezer, king of Zobah at Hamath, as Hadadezer was traveling to establish his rule by the Euphrates River.⁴David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for a hundred chariots.

⁷David took the golden shields that were on Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem.⁸From Tebah and Kun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much bronze. It was with this bronze that Solomon later made the bronze basin called "The Sea," the pillars, and the bronze equipment.

⁹When Tou, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,¹⁰Tou sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him. He did this because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, and because Tou had often been at war with Hadadezer. Tou also sent David many different sorts of articles made of gold and silver and bronze.¹¹King David set these objects apart to Yahweh, together with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations: Edom, Moab, the people of Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.

¹²Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.¹³He placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's servants. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁴David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and righteousness to all his people.¹⁵Joab son of Zeruiah was the commander of the army, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder.¹⁶Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was scribe.¹⁷Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites, and David's sons were the chief officials at the hand of the king.

¹It came about later that Nahash, king of the people of Ammon, died, and that his son became king in his place.²David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. David's servants entered the land of the Ammonites and went to Hanun, in order to comfort him.³But the Ammonite princes said to Hanun, "Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent men to comfort you? Do not his servants come to you to explore and examine the land in order to overthrow it?"

⁴So Hanun seized David's servants, shaved them, cut off their robes in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.⁵When they explained this to David, he sent to meet with them, for the men were deeply ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return."

⁶When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire Aramean chariots and horsemen from Naharaim, Maakah, and Zobah.⁷They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maakah and his army, who came and encamped before Medeba. Then the Ammonites gathered themselves together from their cities and came out to battle.

⁸When David heard of it, he sent Joab and his entire host of mighty men.⁹The people of Ammon came out and lined up for battle at the city gate, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

¹⁰When Joab saw the battle lines facing him both in front and behind, he chose some of Israel's best fighters and arranged them against the Arameans.¹¹As for the rest of the army, he gave it into the command of Abishai his brother, and he put them into battle lines against the army of Ammon.

¹²Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you, Abishai, must rescue me. But if the army of Ammon is too strong for you, then I will come and rescue you.¹³Be strong, and let us show ourselves to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, for Yahweh will do what is good in his eyes."

¹⁴So Joab and the soldiers of his army advanced to the battle against the Arameans, who were forced to flee before the army of Israel.¹⁵When the army of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Joab's brother Abishai and went back into the city. Then Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went back to Jerusalem.

¹⁶When the Arameans saw that they were being defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought back Arameans from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer's army.¹⁷When David was told this, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, and came upon them. He arranged the army for battle against the Arameans, and they fought him.

¹⁸The Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak, the commander of the army.¹⁹When all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. So the people of Aram were no longer willing to rescue the Ammonites.

¹It came about in the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally go to war, that Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah. David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and completely destroyed it.

²David took the crown of their king from off his head, and he found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones. The crown was set on David's head, and he brought out the plunder of the city in large quantities.³He brought out the people who were in the city and forced them to work with saws and iron picks and axes. David required all the cities of the descendants of Ammon to do this labor. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

⁴It came about after this that there was a battle at Gezer with the Philistines. Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaim, and the Philistines were subdued.⁵It came about again in a battle with the Philistines at Gob, that Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed Lahmi brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

⁶It came about in another battle at Gath that there was a man of great height who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He also was descended from the Rapha.⁷When he mocked the army of Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.⁸These were descendants of the Rapha of Gath, and they were killed by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

¹An adversary arose against Israel and incited David to count Israel.²David said to Joab and to the commanders of the army, "Go, count the people of Israel from Beersheba to Dan and report back to me, that I may know their number."³Joab said, "May Yahweh make his army a hundred times greater than it is. But my master the king, do they not all serve my master? Why does my master want this? Why bring guilt on Israel?"

⁴But the king's word was enforced against Joab. So Joab left and went throughout all Israel. Then he came back to Jerusalem.⁵Then Joab reported the total of the census of the fighting men to David. There were in Israel 1,100,000 men who drew the sword. Judah alone had 470,000 soldiers.

⁶But Levi and Benjamin were not counted among them, for the king's command had disgusted Joab.⁷God was offended by this action, so he attacked Israel.⁸David said to God, "I have greatly sinned by doing this. Now take away your servant's guilt, for I have acted very foolishly."

⁹Yahweh told Gad, David's prophet,¹⁰"Go say to David, 'This is what Yahweh says: I am giving you three choices. Choose one of them.'"

¹¹So Gad went to David and said to him, "Yahweh says this, 'Choose one of these:¹²either three years of famine, three months being pursued by your enemies and being caught by their swords, or else three days of Yahweh's sword, that is, a plague in the land, with the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the land of Israel.' Now then, decide what answer I should take to the one who sent me."

¹³Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress! Let me fall into the hand of Yahweh rather than into the hand of man, for his merciful actions are very great."¹⁴So Yahweh sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand people died.¹⁵God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was about to destroy it, Yahweh watched and changed his mind about the harm. He said to the destroying angel, "Enough! Now draw back your hand." At that time the angel of Yahweh was standing at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

¹⁶David looked up and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand raised over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, lay facedown on the ground.¹⁷David said to God, "Is it not I that commanded that the army be numbered? I did this wicked thing. But these sheep, what have they done? Yahweh my God! Let your hand strike me and my clan, but do not let the plague remain on your people."

¹⁸So the angel of Yahweh commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar for Yahweh at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.¹⁹So David went up as Gad instructed him to do in the name of Yahweh.²⁰While Ornan was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel. He and his four sons with him hid themselves.

²¹When David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David. He left the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground.²²Then David said to Ornan, "Sell me this threshing floor, so I can build an altar for Yahweh. I will pay the full price, so that the plague may be removed from the people."

²³Ornan said to David, "Take it as your own, my master the king. Do with it what is good in your sight. Look, I will give you oxen for burnt offerings, threshing sledges for wood, and wheat for the grain offering; I will give it all to you."²⁴King David said to Ornan, "No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and offer it as a burnt offering to Yahweh if it costs me nothing."

²⁵So David paid six hundred shekels of gold for the place.²⁶David built an altar for Yahweh there and offered on it burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on Yahweh, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.²⁷Then Yahweh gave an order to the angel, and the angel put his sword back into its sheath.

²⁸When David saw that Yahweh had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he performed the sacrifice there at that same time.²⁹Now at that time, Yahweh's tabernacle, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar for burnt offerings, were at the high place at Gibeon.³⁰However, David could not go there to ask for God's direction, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

¹Then David said, "This is where the house of Yahweh God will be, with the altar for the burnt offerings of Israel."

²So David ordered his servants to gather together the foreigners living in the land of Israel. He assigned them to be stonecutters, to cut stone blocks, in order to build the house of God.

³David supplied a large amount of iron for the nails for the doors to go in the gateways, and for braces. He also supplied more bronze than could be weighed,⁴and more cedar trees than could be counted. (The Sidonians and the Tyrians brought too many cedar logs to David to count.)⁵David said, "My son Solomon is a young and inexperienced man, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be especially magnificent, so that it will be famous and glorious in all other lands. So I will prepare for its building." So David made extensive preparations before his death.

⁶Then he called for Solomon his son and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.⁷David said to Solomon, "My son, it was my intention to build a house myself, for the name of Yahweh my God.⁸But Yahweh came to me and said, 'You have shed much blood and have fought many battles. You will not build a house for my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

⁹However, you will have a son who will be a peaceful man. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.¹⁰He will build a house for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his Father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

¹¹Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and enable you to succeed. May you build the house of Yahweh your God, as he said you would.¹²Only may Yahweh give you insight and understanding, so that you may obey the law of Yahweh your God, when he places you in charge over Israel.¹³Then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the statutes and the decrees that Yahweh gave to Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be discouraged.

¹⁴Now, see, with great pains I have prepared for the house of Yahweh 100,000 talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron in large quantities. I have also provided timber and stone. You must add more to all this.

¹⁵You have many workmen with you: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and skillful craftsmen without number of every kind,¹⁶who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and begin the work, and may Yahweh be with you."

¹⁷David also ordered all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,¹⁸"Yahweh your God is with you and has given you peace on every side. He has given the region's inhabitants into my hand. The region is subdued before Yahweh and his people.¹⁹Now seek Yahweh your God with all your heart and your soul. Get up and build the holy place of Yahweh God. Then you can bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy things that belong to God into the house built for Yahweh's name."

¹When David was old and near the end of his life, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.²He gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and Levites.³The Levites who were thirty years old and older were counted in a census, and they numbered thirty-eight thousand.

⁴"Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work on the house of Yahweh, and six thousand were officers and judges.⁵Four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand were to praise Yahweh with the instruments that I made to give praise," David said.⁶David divided them into groups that corresponded to Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷From the clans descended from Gershon, there were Ladan and Shimei.

⁸There were three of Ladan's sons: Jehiel the leader, Zetham, and Joel.

⁹There were three of Shimei's sons: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. These were the leaders of the clans of Ladan.

¹⁰There were four of Shimei's sons: Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah.

¹¹Jahath was the oldest, and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were considered as one clan with the same duties.

¹²There were four of Kohath's sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

¹³These were Amram's sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was chosen to set apart the most holy things, that he and his descendants would offer incense before Yahweh, to serve him and to give blessings in his name forever.¹⁴But as for Moses the man of God, his descendants were counted with the tribe of Levi.

¹⁵Moses' sons were Gershom and Eliezer.

¹⁶Gershom's descendant was Shubael the oldest.

¹⁷Eliezer's descendant was Rehabiah. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many descendants.

¹⁸Izhar's son was Shelomith the leader.

¹⁹Hebron's descendants were Jeriah the oldest, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁰Uzziel's sons were Micah the oldest, and Ishiah the second.

²¹Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. Mahli's sons were Eleazar and Kish.

²²Eleazar died without having any sons. He had only daughters. So their kinsmen, the sons of Kish, married them.

²³Mushi's three sons were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

²⁴These were Levi's descendants corresponding to their clans. They were the leaders, counted and listed by name in the census, of the clans that did the work in the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and upward.²⁵For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people. He makes his home in Jerusalem forever.²⁶The Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all the equipment used in its service."

²⁷For by David's last words the Levites were counted, from twenty years old and upward.²⁸Their duty was to assist Aaron's descendants in the service of the house of Yahweh. They were to care for the courtyards, the rooms, the ceremonial purification of all the things that belong to Yahweh, and other work in the service of the house of God.²⁹They also took care of the bread of the presence, the fine flour for grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baked offerings, the offerings mixed with oil, and all the measuring of the amounts and sizes of things.

³⁰They also stood every morning to thank and praise Yahweh. They also did this in the evening³¹and whenever burnt offerings were offered to Yahweh, on the Sabbath and at the new moon festivals and feast days. A fixed number, assigned by decree, always had to be present before Yahweh.

³²They were in charge of the tent of meeting, the holy place, and helped their kinsmen the descendants of Aaron in the service of the house of Yahweh.

¹The work groups based on Aaron's descendants were these: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.²Nadab and Abihu died before their father died. They had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.³David, together with Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelek, a descendant of Ithamar, divided them into groups for their labor as priests.

⁴There were more leading men among Eleazar's descendants than among Ithamar's descendants, so they divided Eleazar's descendants into sixteen groups. They did this by heads of clans and by Ithamar's descendants. These divisions were eight in number, corresponding to their clans.⁵They divided them impartially by lot, for there were holy officials and officials of God, from both Eleazar's descendants and Ithamar's descendants.

⁶Shemaiah son of Nethanel the scribe, a Levite, wrote down their names in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelek son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the priestly and Levite families. One clan was drawn by lot from Eleazar's descendants, and then the next would be drawn from Ithamar's descendants.

⁷The first lot went to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

⁸the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

⁹the fifth to Malkijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shekaniah,

¹²the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

¹⁴the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷the twenty-first to Jakin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸the twenty-third to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹This was the order of their service, when they came into the house of Yahweh, following the ordinance given to them by Aaron their ancestor, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

²⁰These were the rest of the descendants of Levi: Of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah.

²¹As for Rehabiah, the sons of Rehabiah: Ishiah the leader.

²²From the Izharites: Shelomoth; from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

²³The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the leader, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴The son of Uzziel: Micah; from the sons of Micah: Shamir.

²⁵The brother of Micah: Ishiah. From the sons of Ishiah: Zechariah.

²⁶The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; from the son of Jaaziah: Beno.

²⁷The sons of Merari from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zakkur, and Ibri.

²⁸From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹From Kish: The son of Kish: Jerahmeel.

³⁰The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the Levites, listed by their clans.³¹These men who were the head of each clan and each of their younger brothers, cast lots in the presence of King David, and Zadok and Ahimelek, along with the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. They cast lots just as Aaron's descendants had done.

¹David and the leaders of the army selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with lutes and harps, and with cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:

²From the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, ¹ the sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the king's supervision.

³From the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, ² Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, playing the harp for giving thanks and praising Yahweh.

⁴From the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, ³ Shubael, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.⁵All these were the sons of Heman the king's prophet. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters to lift up his horn.

⁶All these were under the direction of their fathers. They were musicians in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, lutes and lyres, as they served in the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the king's supervision.⁷They and their brothers who were skilled and trained to make music to Yahweh numbered 288.⁸They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the same for the young as well as the old, the teacher as well as the student.

⁹Now regarding Asaph's sons: The first lot fell to Joseph's family; the second fell to Gedaliah's family, twelve persons in number;¹⁰the third fell to Zakkur, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹¹the fourth fell to Izri, ⁴ his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹²the fifth fell to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;

¹³the sixth fell to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹⁴the seventh fell to Jesarelah, ⁵ his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹⁵the eighth fell to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹⁶the ninth fell to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;

¹⁷the tenth fell to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹⁸the eleventh fell to Azarel, ⁶ his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;¹⁹the twelfth fell to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²⁰the thirteenth fell to Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;

²¹the fourteenth fell to Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²²the fifteenth fell to Jerimoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²³the sixteenth fell to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²⁴the seventeenth fell to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;

²⁵the eighteenth fell to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²⁶the nineteenth fell to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²⁷the twentieth fell to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;²⁸the twenty-first fell to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;

²⁹the twenty-second fell to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;³⁰the twenty-third fell to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;³¹the twenty-fourth fell to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number.

¹This is the same person referred to in 1 Chronicles 25:14 as Jesarelah.

²This is a variant of the name Izri , which is found in 1 Chronicles 25:11, and refers to the same person.

³Uzziel is the same person referred to in 1 Chronicles 25:18 as Azarel.

⁴This is a variant of Zeri , found in 1 Chronicles 25:3, and refers to the same person.

⁵This is the same person referred to in 1 Chronicles 25:2 as Asharelah.

⁶This is the same person referred to in 1 Chronicles 25:4 as Uzziel.

¹Here were the divisions of the gatekeepers: From the Korahites, Meshelemiah son of Kore, a descendant of Asaph ¹.

²Meshelemiah ² had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

³Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.

⁴Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sakar the fourth, and Nethanel the fifth,

⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth, for God had blessed Obed-Edom.

⁶To Shemaiah his son were born sons who ruled over their clans; they were men of great ability.

⁷The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. His relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also men with many abilities.⁸All these were descendants of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were men capable of doing their duties in the tabernacle service. There were sixty-two of them related to Obed-Edom.

⁹Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, capable men, eighteen in all.

¹⁰Hosah, a descendant of Merari, had sons: Shimri the leader (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him leader),¹¹Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth. All of Hosah's sons and kinsmen were thirteen in number.

¹²These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had responsibilities, like their relatives, to serve in the house of Yahweh.¹³They threw lots, both young and old, corresponding to their clans, for every gate.¹⁴When the lot was cast for the east gate, it fell to Shelemiah ³ . They then cast lots for Zechariah his son, a prudent advisor, and his lot came out for the north gate.

¹⁵To Obed-Edom was assigned the south gate, and his sons were assigned the storehouses.¹⁶Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate along with the gate of Shalleketh, on the upper road. The guards were very close to each other.

¹⁷On the east were six Levites, on the north four a day, on the south four a day, and at the storehouses two pairs.¹⁸At the pillar to the west there were four stationed at the road and two at the pillar ⁴¹⁹These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were the descendants of Korah and Merari.

²⁰Among the Levites, Ahijah was in charge of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the things that belong to Yahweh.²¹The descendants of Ladan, who were descendants of the Gershonites through Ladan, who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli²²and the sons of Jehieli: Zetham and Joel his brother. They were in charge of the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.

²³From the clans of Amram, the clans of Izhar, the clans of Hebron, and the clans of Uzziel:

²⁴Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was supervisor over the treasuries.²⁵His relatives from the clan of Eliezer were his son Rehabiah, Rehabiah's son Jeshaiah, Jeshaiah's son Joram, Joram's son Zikri, and Zikri's son Shelomith.

²⁶Shelomith and his relatives were over all the treasuries holding the dedicated things that David the king, the family leaders, commanders over thousands and hundreds, and the army commanders had dedicated.²⁷They set apart the plunder won in battles for the upkeep of the house of Yahweh.²⁸They were also in charge of everything that was set apart to Yahweh by Samuel the prophet, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah. Everything that was set apart to Yahweh was under the guard of Shelomith and his relatives.

²⁹Of Izhar's descendants, Kenaniah and his sons were in charge of the civil affairs of Israel. They were officers and judges.

³⁰Of Hebron's descendants, Hashabiah and his brothers, 1,700 capable men, were in charge of Yahweh's work and the king's work. They were on the west side of the Jordan.

³¹As for the Hebronites, Jeriah was the head of the clans, according to the genealogical records. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they examined the records and found among them men of great ability in Jazer of Gilead.³²Jeriah had 2,700 relatives, who were capable family leaders. David made them overseers over the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the king's affairs.

¹Asaph is the same person referred to as Ebiasaph in 1 Chronicles 9:19.

²Meshelemiah is the same person referred to as Shelemiah in 1 Chronicles 26:14.

³Shelemiah is the same person referred to as Meshelemiah in 1 Chronicles 26:2.

⁴The Hebrew word translated here as pillar is uncertain. Some translations simply write the Hebrew word as parbar . This word appears only here and in 2 Kings 23:11 in the Old Testament.

¹This is the list of the family leaders of the people of Israel, commanders of thousands and hundreds, as well as army officers who served the king in various ways. Each military division served month by month throughout the year. Each division had twenty-four thousand men.

²Over the division for the first month was Jashobeam son of Zabdiel. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.³He was among the descendants of Perez and in charge of all the army officers for the first month.

⁴Over the division for the second month was Dodai, from the clan descended from Ahoah. Mikloth was second in rank. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

⁵The commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a priest and leader. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.⁶This is the Benaiah who was the leader of the thirty, and over the thirty. Ammizabad his son was in his division.

⁷The commander for the fourth month was Asahel brother of Joab. Zebadiah his son became commander after him. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

⁸The commander for the fifth month was Shamhuth, a descendant of Izrah. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

⁹The commander for the sixth month was Ira son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹⁰The commander for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, from the people of Ephraim. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹¹The commander for the eighth month was Sibbekai the Hushathite, from the clan descended from Zerah. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹²The commander for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, from the tribe of Benjamin. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹³The commander for the tenth month was Maharai from the city of Netophah, from the clan descended from Zerah. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹⁴The commander for the eleventh month was Benaiah from the city of Pirathon, from the tribe of Ephraim. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹⁵The commander for the twelfth month was Heldai from the city of Netophah, from the clan descended from Othniel. In his division were twenty-four thousand men.

¹⁶These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel: For the tribe of Reuben, Eliezer son of Zichri was the leader. For the tribe of Simeon, Shephatiah son of Maakah was the leader.

¹⁷For the tribe of Levi, Hashabiah son of Kemuel was the leader, and Zadok led Aaron's descendants.

¹⁸For the tribe of Judah, Elihu, one of David's brothers, was the leader. For the tribe of Issachar, Omri son of Michael was the leader.

¹⁹For the tribe of Zebulun, Ishmaiah son of Obadiah was the leader. For the tribe of Naphtali, Jerimoth son of Azriel was the leader.

²⁰For the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Azaziah was the leader. For the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel son of Pedaiah was the leader.

²¹For the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo son of Zechariah was the leader. For the tribe of Benjamin, Jaasiel son of Abner was the leader.

²²For the tribe of Dan, Azarel son of Jeroham was the leader. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.

²³David did not count those twenty years old or younger, because Yahweh had promised to increase Israel like the stars of heaven.²⁴Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men, but did not finish. Wrath fell on Israel for this. This number was not written down in the Chronicles of King David.

²⁵Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the king's treasuries. Jonathan son of Uzziah was over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the fortified towers.²⁶Ezri son of Kelub was over the farmers, those who plowed the land.²⁷Shimei the Ramathite was over the vineyards, and Zabdi the Shiphmite was over the grapes and the wine cellars.

²⁸Over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the lowlands was Baal-Hanan from Geder, and over the storehouses of oil was Joash.²⁹Over the herds that were pastured in Sharon was Shitrai from Sharon, and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat son of Adlai.

³⁰Over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite, and over the female donkeys was Jehdeiah from Meronoth. Over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite.³¹Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the flocks. All these officials were in charge of the property of King David.

³²Jonathan, David's uncle, was an advisor, since he was a wise man and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hakmoni cared for the king's sons.³³Ahithophel was the king's advisor, and Hushai from the Arkite people was the king's private advisor.³⁴Ahithophel's position was taken by Jehoiada son of Benaiah, and by Abiathar. Joab was commander of the king's army.

¹David assembled all the officials of Israel at Jerusalem: the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king in their scheduled work, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, the managers over all the property and possessions of the king and of his sons, and the officers and fighting men, including the most skilled of them.

²Then David the king rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was my intention to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; a footstool for our God, and I have made preparations to build it.³But God said to me, 'You will not build a temple for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'

⁴Yet Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all my father's house to be king over Israel forever. He has chosen Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah he chose my father's house, and from all my father's sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.⁵From the many sons whom Yahweh has given me, he chose Solomon, my son, to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh, over Israel.

⁶He said to me, 'Solomon your son will build my house and my courtyards, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his Father.⁷I will establish his kingdom forever, if he remains committed to obey my commandments and decrees, as you are this day.'

⁸Now then, in the sight of all Israel, this assembly for Yahweh, and in the presence of our God, all of you must keep and try to carry out all the commandments of Yahweh your God. Do this so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants after you forever.

⁹As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with your whole heart and a willing spirit. Do this because Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every motivation of everyone's thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.¹⁰Realize that Yahweh has chosen you to build this temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it."

¹¹Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the temple portico, the temple buildings, the storerooms, the upper rooms, the inner rooms, and the room with the atonement lid.¹²He gave him the plans he had drawn for the courtyards of the house of Yahweh, all the surrounding rooms, the storerooms in the house of God, and the treasuries for the things that belong to Yahweh.

¹³He gave him regulations for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for the assigned responsibilities for the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the objects for the service in the house of Yahweh.¹⁴He determined the weight of all the gold vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service,¹⁵the weight of the gold for all the gold articles, to be lampstands and gold lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand, the weight of silver for each silver lampstand, according to the use of each lampstand in the service.

¹⁶He gave the weight of the gold for the tables of the bread of the presence, for every table, and the weight of the silver for the silver tables.¹⁷He gave the weight of pure gold for the meat forks, basins, and cups. He gave the weight for each of the gold bowls, and the weight of each of the silver bowls.

¹⁸He gave the weight of refined gold for the incense altar, and of the gold for the design of the chariot, the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.¹⁹David said, "I have put all this in writing as Yahweh directed me and gave me to understand regarding the design."

²⁰David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and brave. Do the work. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you nor abandon you until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.²¹See, here are the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the service in the house of God. They will be with you, together with all willing and skillful men, to assist you in the work and to perform the service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your commands."

¹King David said to the whole assembly, "Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced, and the task is great. For the temple is not for people but for Yahweh God.²So I have done my best to provide for the temple of my God. I am giving gold for the things to be made of gold, silver for the things to be made of silver, bronze for the things to be made of bronze, iron for the things to be made of iron, and wood for the things to be made of wood. I am also giving onyx stones, stones to be set, stones for inlaid work of various colors—all kinds of precious stones—and marble stone in abundance.

³Now, because of my delight in the house of my God, I am giving my personal treasure of gold and silver for it. I am doing this in addition to all that I have prepared for this holy temple:⁴three thousand talents of gold from Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, in order to overlay the walls of the buildings.⁵I am donating gold for the things to be made of gold, and silver for the things to be made of silver, and things for all kinds of work to be done by craftsmen. Who else wants to make a contribution to Yahweh today and give himself to him?"

⁶Then freewill offerings were made by the leaders of their ancestors' families, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and by the officials over the king's work.⁷They gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron.

⁸Those who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of Yahweh, under the supervision of Jehiel, a descendant of Gershon.⁹The people rejoiced because of these freewill offerings, because they had contributed wholeheartedly to Yahweh. King David also rejoiced greatly.

¹⁰David blessed Yahweh in front of all the assembly. He said, "May you be praised, Yahweh, God of Israel our ancestor, forever and ever.¹¹Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. For all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as ruler over all.

¹²Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all people. In your hand is power and might. You possess the strength and might to make people great and to give strength to anyone.¹³Now then, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name.

¹⁴But who am I, and who are my people, that we should have the ability to offer so willingly these things? Indeed, all things come from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours.¹⁵For we are sojourners and tenants before you, as all our ancestors were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope of remaining on earth.

¹⁶Yahweh our God, all this wealth that we have collected in order to build a temple to honor your holy name—it comes from you and belongs to you.¹⁷I know also, my God, that you examine the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things, and now I look with joy as your people who are present here willingly offer gifts to you.

¹⁸Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—our ancestors—keep this forever in the thoughts of the minds of your people. Direct their hearts toward you.¹⁹Give to Solomon my son a whole heart to keep your commandments, your covenant decrees, and your statutes, and to carry out all these plans to build the palace for which I have made provision."

²⁰David said to all the assembly, "Now bless Yahweh your God." All the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and they bowed down and showed honor to Yahweh and to the king.²¹On the next day, they made sacrifices to Yahweh and offered burnt offerings to him. They offered a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.

²²On that day, they ate and drank before Yahweh with great joy.

They made Solomon, David's son, king a second time, and anointed him with Yahweh's authority to be ruler. They also anointed Zadok to be priest.

²³Then Solomon sat on Yahweh's throne as king in place of David his father. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.

²⁴All the leaders, soldiers, and King David's sons gave allegiance to King Solomon.²⁵Yahweh greatly honored Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had never been given to any king before him in Israel.

²⁶David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.²⁷David had been king of Israel for forty years. He ruled for seven years in Hebron and for thirty-three years in Jerusalem.²⁸He died at a good old age, after enjoying a long life, wealth and honor. Solomon his son reigned after him.

²⁹King David's accomplishments are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the chronicles of Gad the seer.³⁰Recorded there are the deeds of his rule, his power and the events that affected him, Israel, and all the kingdoms of the other lands.

2 Chronicles

¹Solomon son of David was strengthened in his rule, and Yahweh his God was with him and made him very powerful.

²Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers' houses.³So Solomon and all the assembly with him went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for there was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Yahweh, had made in the wilderness.⁴But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place that he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.⁵In addition, the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur was there before the tabernacle of Yahweh; Solomon and the assembly went to it. ¹

⁶Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered one thousand burnt offerings on it.

⁷God appeared to Solomon that night and said to him, "Ask! What should I give you?"

⁸Solomon said to God, "You have shown great covenant faithfulness to David my father, and have made me king in his place.⁹Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to David my father be carried out, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.¹⁰Now give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people, for who can judge your people, who are so many in number?"¹¹God said to Solomon, "Because this was in your heart, and because you have not asked for riches, wealth, or honor, nor for the life of those who hate you, nor for long life for yourself, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you might rule my people, over whom I have made you king, this is what I will do.

¹²I will now give you wisdom and knowledge. I will also give you riches, wealth, and honor, as none of the kings had before you, and none after you will have."¹³So Solomon came to Jerusalem from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting; he reigned over Israel.

¹⁴Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen, and he had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen that he placed in the chariot cities, and with himself, the king in Jerusalem.¹⁵The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as the stones, and he made cedar wood as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowlands.

¹⁶As for the importation of horses from Egypt and Kue for Solomon, the king's merchants bought them from Kue at a price.¹⁷They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for 150 shekels. They also exported them to the kings of the Hittites and the Arameans.

¹Some of the ancient Hebrew copies have, the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, he placed there before the tabernacle of Yahweh , where he refers to David.

¹Now Solomon commanded the building of a house for Yahweh's name and the building of a palace for his kingdom.²Solomon assigned seventy thousand men to carry loads, and eighty thousand men as stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 men to supervise them.³Solomon sent a message to Hiram, the king of Tyre, saying, "As you did with David my father, sending him cedar logs to build a house to live in, do the same with me.

⁴See, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, to set it apart to him, to burn incense of sweet spices before him, to set out the bread of the presence, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and on the new moons, and on the appointed feasts for Yahweh our God. This is forever, for Israel.⁵The house that I will build will be very large, for our God is greater than all other gods.

⁶But who is able to build God a house, since the entire universe and even heaven itself cannot contain him? Who am I to build him a house, except to burn sacrifices before him?⁷So send me a man who is skilled at work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue wool, a man who knows how to make all kinds of engraved wood. He will be with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.

⁸Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum trees from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. See, my servants will be with your servants,⁹in order to prepare for me timber in abundance, for the house which I am about to build will be great and marvelous.¹⁰See, I will give to your servants, the men who will cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil." ¹

¹¹Then Hiram, the king of Tyre, answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon: "Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them."

¹²In addition, Hiram said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, gifted with prudence and understanding, who will build a house for Yahweh and a royal palace for himself.

¹³Now I have sent a skillful man, Huram-Abi, who is gifted with understanding.¹⁴He is the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan. His father was a man from Tyre. He is skilled at work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and in timber, and in purple, blue, and crimson wool, and fine linen. He is also skilled in making any kind of engraving and in making any kind of design. Let a place be made for him among your skilled workers, and with those of my master, David, your father.

¹⁵Now then, the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, of which my master has spoken, let him send these things to his servants.¹⁶We will cut wood from Lebanon, as much wood as you need. We will take it to you as rafts by sea to Joppa, and you will carry it up to Jerusalem."

¹⁷Solomon counted all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, following the method that David, his father, had counted them. They were found to be 153,600.¹⁸He assigned seventy thousand of them to carry loads, eighty thousand to be stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 to be supervisors to put the people to work.

¹Some translations compare this section with 1 Kings 5:11 where the Hebrew reads: twenty thousand cors of wheat as food .

¹Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh had appeared to David his father. He prepared the place that David had planned for it, at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.²He began to build on the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.³Now these are the dimensions of the foundation that Solomon laid for the house of God. Using the old style cubit, the length was sixty cubits, and the width was twenty cubits.

⁴The length of the portico at the front of the house was twenty cubits, matching the building's width. Its height was also twenty cubits, and Solomon overlaid its interior with pure gold.⁵He fashioned the ceiling of the main hall with cypress, which he overlaid with fine gold, and which he carved with palm trees and chains.

⁶He decorated the house with precious stones; the gold was gold from Parvaim.⁷He also overlaid its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold; he carved cherubim on its walls.

⁸He built the most holy place. Its length matched the house's width, twenty cubits, and its width was also twenty cubits. He overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.⁹The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid its high surfaces with gold.

¹⁰He made two images of cherubim for the most holy place; craftsmen overlaid them with gold. ¹¹¹The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long all together; the wing of one cherub was five cubits long, reaching to the wall of the room, and the other wing was five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.¹²The wing of the other cherub was also five cubits, reaching to the wall of the room; its other wing was also five cubits, touching the wing of the first cherub.

¹³The wings of these cherubim spread a total of twenty cubits. The cherubim stood on their feet, with their faces toward the main hall.¹⁴He made the curtain of blue, purple, and crimson wool and fine linen, and he fashioned cherubim on it.

¹⁵Solomon also made two pillars, each thirty-five cubits high, for in front of the house; the capitals that were on the top of them were five cubits high.¹⁶He made chains for the pillars and put them on top of them; he also made one hundred pomegranates and joined them to the chains.¹⁷He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; he named the pillar on the right Jakin, and the pillar on the left Boaz.

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew texts can be rendered in two ways. Some translate as: two forged metal images of cherubim ; and another as: two carved wooden images of cherubim.

¹Moreover he made an altar of bronze; its length was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits. Its height was ten cubits.²He also made the round sea of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim. Its height was five cubits, and the sea was thirty cubits in circumference.³Under the brim encircling the sea were bulls, ten to each cubit, cast in one piece with the sea when the sea itself was cast.

⁴The large basin known as "The Sea" was set upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. "The Sea" was set on top of them, and all their hindquarters were toward the inside.⁵"The Sea" was as thick as the width of a hand, and its brim was forged like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. "The Sea" held three thousand baths of water.⁶He made also ten basins for washing things; he put five on the south side, and five on the north; items used in performing the burnt offering were to be washed in them. The large basin known as "The Sea" was used by the priests for them to wash.

⁷He made the ten lampstands of gold that were made from the instructions for their design; he placed them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.⁸He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. He made one hundred basins of gold.

⁹Furthermore he made the courtyard of the priests, and the great court and the doors for the court and overlaid their doors with bronze.¹⁰He placed the basin known as "The Sea" on the east side of the temple, facing toward the south.

¹¹Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls.

So Huram finished the work that he did for King Solomon in the house of God:

¹²the two pillars, the bowl-like capitals that were on top of the two pillars, and the two sets of decorative latticework to cover the two bowl-like capitals that were on top of the pillars.

¹³He had made the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of decorative latticework: two rows of pomegranates for each set of latticework to cover the two bowl-like capitals that were on the pillars.

¹⁴He also made the stands and the basins to go on the stands;

¹⁵one sea and the twelve bulls under it,

¹⁶also the pots, shovels, meat forks, and all the other implements that Huram-Abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh. ¹

¹⁷The king had cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Sukkoth and Zarethan.¹⁸Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance; indeed, the weight of the bronze could not be known.

¹⁹Solomon made all the furnishings that were in the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables on which the bread of the presence was to be placed;

²⁰the lampstands with their lamps, that were designed to burn before the inner room—these were made of pure gold;

²¹and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, pure gold.

²²Also the lamp trimmers, basins, spoons, and incense burners were all made of pure gold. As for the entrance into the house, its inner doors into the most holy place and the doors of the house, that is, of the temple, were made of gold.

¹Instead of meat forks , some modern translations have bowls , which follows 1 Kings 7:45.

¹When all the work that Solomon did for the house of Yahweh was completed, Solomon brought in the things that David, his father, had set apart for this purpose, including the silver, the gold, and all the furnishings—he placed them into the treasuries of the house of God.

²Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the families of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David, that is, Zion.³All the men of Israel assembled before the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.

⁴All the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark.⁵They brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tent. The priests who were of the tribe of Levi brought these things up.⁶King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel came together before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted.

⁷The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the inner room of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim.⁸For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, and they covered the ark and the poles by which it was carried.

⁹The poles that extended from the ark were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place in front of the inner room, but they could not be seen from outside. They are there to this day.¹⁰There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

¹¹It came about that the priests came out of the holy place. All the priests who were present had consecrated themselves to Yahweh, regardless of their divisions.¹²Also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and brothers, clothed in fine linen and playing cymbals, lutes and harps, stood at the east end of the altar. With them were 120 priests blowing trumpets.

¹³It came about that the trumpeters and singers made music together, making one sound to be heard for praising and thanking Yahweh. They raised their voices with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments, and they praised Yahweh. They sang, "For he is good, for his covenant loyalty endures forever." Then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud.¹⁴The priests could not stand in order to serve because of the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled his house.

¹Then Solomon said, "Yahweh has said that he would live in thick darkness,²but I have built you a lofty residence, a place for you to live in forever."³Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.

⁴He said, "May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised, who spoke to David my father, and has fulfilled it with his own hands, saying,⁵'Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, in order for my name to be there. Neither did I choose any man to be prince over my people Israel.⁶However, I have chosen Jerusalem, so that my name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.'

⁷Now it was in the heart of David my father, to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.⁸But Yahweh said to David my father, 'In that it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well for it to be in your heart.⁹Nevertheless, you are not to build the house; instead, your son, one who will come from your loins, will build the house for my name.'

¹⁰Yahweh has carried out the word that he had said, for I have arisen in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised. I have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.¹¹I have placed the ark there, in which is Yahweh's covenant, which he made with the people of Israel."

¹²Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands.¹³For he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high. He had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it and knelt down before all the assembly of Israel, and then he spread out his hands toward the heavens.

¹⁴He said, "Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens or on the earth, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart;¹⁵you who have kept with your servant David my father, what you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.

¹⁶Now then, Yahweh, God of Israel, carry out what you have promised to your servant David my father, when you said, 'You will not fail to have a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful to walk in my law, as you have walked before me.'¹⁷Now then, Yahweh, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David.

¹⁸But will God actually live with mankind on the earth? Look, the entire universe and heaven itself cannot contain you—how much less can this temple that I have built!¹⁹Yet please respect this prayer of your servant and his plea, Yahweh my God; listen to the cry and prayer that your servant prays before you.²⁰May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, the place where you promised to put your name. May you listen to the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

²¹So listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, listen from the place where you live, from the heavens; and when you listen, forgive.

²²If a man sins against his neighbor and is required to swear an oath, and if he comes and swears an oath before your altar in this house,²³listen from the heavens and act. Judge your servants, condemning the wicked and bringing what he has done upon his own head. Declare the innocent not guilty and give to him according to his righteousness.

²⁴When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, if they turn back to you, confess your name, pray, and seek favor before you in this temple—²⁵then please listen from the heavens and forgive the sin of your people Israel; bring them back to the land that you gave to them and to their ancestors.

²⁶When the skies are shut up and there is no rain because the people have sinned against you—if they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin when you have afflicted them—²⁷then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel, when you direct them to the good way in which they should walk. Send rain on your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

²⁸Suppose there is famine in the land, or suppose that there is disease, blight or mildew, locusts or caterpillars; or suppose that its enemies attack the city gates in their land, or that there is any plague or sickness—²⁹and suppose then that prayers and pleas are made by a person or by all your people Israel—each knowing the plague and sorrow in his own heart as he spreads out his hands toward this temple.³⁰Then listen from heaven, the place where you live; forgive, and reward every person for all his ways; you know his heart, because you and you only know the hearts of human beings.³¹Do this so that they may fear you, so that they may walk in your ways all the days that they live on the land that you gave to our ancestors.

³²As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel, but who—because of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm—comes and prays toward this house,³³then please listen from heaven, the place where you live, and do all that the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and that they might know that this house I have built is called by your name.

³⁴Suppose that your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you may send them, and suppose that they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name.³⁵Then listen from the heavens to their prayer, their request, and help their cause.

³⁶Suppose they sin against you—since there is no one who does not sin—and suppose that you are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that the enemy carries them away and takes them as captives to their land, whether distant or near.³⁷Then suppose they realize they are in the land where they have been exiled, and suppose that they repent and seek favor from you in the land of their captivity. Suppose that they say, 'We have acted perversely and sinned. We have behaved wickedly.'³⁸Suppose that they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they took them as captives, and suppose that they pray toward their land, which you gave to their ancestors, and toward the city that you chose, and toward the house that I have built for your name.³⁹Then listen from the heavens, the place where you live, to their prayer and to their pleas, and help their cause. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you.

⁴⁰Now, my God, I beg you, let your eyes be open, and let your ears be attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

⁴¹Now then arise, Yahweh God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation, and let your faithful ones rejoice in your goodness.⁴²Yahweh God, do not turn the face of your anointed away from you. Keep in mind your acts of covenant loyalty for David, your servant."

¹Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glory of Yahweh filled the house.²The priests could not enter the house of Yahweh, because his glory filled his house.³When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of Yahweh over the house, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the stone pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to Yahweh. They said, "For he is good, for his covenant loyalty endures forever."

⁴So the king and all the people offered sacrifices to Yahweh.⁵King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.⁶The priests stood, each standing where they serve; the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yahweh in the song, "For his covenant faithfulness endures for ever." All the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

⁷Solomon set apart the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of Yahweh. There he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that he had made was not able to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat.

⁸So Solomon held the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo Hamath to the brook of Egypt.⁹On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they kept the dedication of the altar for seven days, and the feast for seven days.¹⁰On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people away to their tents with glad and joyful hearts because of the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, Solomon, and Israel, his people.

¹¹Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh and the king's house. Everything that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of Yahweh and in his own house, he successfully carried out.¹²Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.

¹³Suppose that I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send plague among my people,¹⁴then if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.¹⁵Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers that are made in this place.

¹⁶For I have now chosen and set apart this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there every day.¹⁷As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, obeying all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my decrees,¹⁸then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I said in a covenant with David your father, when I said, 'A descendant of yours will never fail to be ruler in Israel.'

¹⁹But if you turn away, and abandon my statutes and my commandments that I have placed before you, and if you go worship other gods and bow down to them,²⁰then I will uproot them from out of my ground that I have given them. This house that I have set apart for my name, I will cast away from before me, and I will make it a proverb and a joke among all the peoples.

²¹Even though this temple is so lofty now, everyone who passes by it will be appalled and will hiss. They will ask, 'Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?'²²Others will answer, 'Because they abandoned Yahweh, their God, who had brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and they laid hold of other gods and bowed down to them and worshiped them. That is why Yahweh has brought all this disaster on them.'"

¹It came about at the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the house of Yahweh and his own house,²that Solomon rebuilt the towns that Hiram had given to him, and he settled the people of Israel in them.

³Solomon attacked Hamath Zobah and defeated it.⁴He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath.

⁵Also he built Beth Horon the Upper and Beth Horon the Lower, cities fortified with walls, gates, and bars.⁶Solomon built Baalath and all the storage cities that he possessed, and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever he wished to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the lands under his rule.

⁷As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who did not belong to Israel,⁸their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed—Solomon made them into forced laborers, which they are to this day.

⁹However, Solomon did not makes slaves of the people of Israel for his work. Instead, they were soldiers, commanders of his officers, and commanders of his chariots and horsemen.¹⁰These were also the chief officers managing the supervisors who belonged to King Solomon, 250 of them, who ruled over the people who did the work.

¹¹Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, "My wife must not live in the house of David king of Israel, because wherever the ark of Yahweh has come is holy."

¹²Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on his altar that he had built in front of the portico.¹³He offered sacrifices just as the daily schedule required; he offered them, following the directions found in the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbath days, the new moons, and on the set festivals three times every year: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters.

¹⁴In keeping with the decrees of his father David, Solomon appointed the divisions of the priests to their work, and the Levites to their positions, in order to praise God and to serve before the priests, as the daily schedule required. He also appointed the gatekeepers by their divisions to every gate, for David, the man of God, had also commanded this.¹⁵These people did not deviate from the commands of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the storerooms.

¹⁶All the work ordered by Solomon was completed, from the day the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid until it was finished. The house of Yahweh was completed.

¹⁷Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and then to Elath on the coast, in the land of Edom.¹⁸Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers, men who knew the sea, and with the servants of Solomon they went to Ophir and they took from there 450 talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

¹When the queen of Sheba heard the report about Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She came with a very long caravan, with camels loaded with spices, much gold, and many precious gemstones. When she had come to Solomon, she told him all that was in her heart.²Solomon answered her all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon; there was no question that he did not answer.

³When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom and the palace that he had built,⁴the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the work of his servants and their clothing, also his cupbearers and their clothing, and the burnt offerings he made at ¹ the house of Yahweh, there was no more breath in her.

⁵She said to the king, "It is true, the report that I heard in my own land of your words and your wisdom.⁶I did not believe what I heard until I came here, and now my eyes have seen it. Not half was told me about the greatness of your wisdom and wealth! You have exceeded the report that I heard.

⁷How blessed are your men, and how blessed are your servants who constantly stand before you, because they hear your wisdom. ²⁸Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has taken pleasure in you, who placed you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God. Because your God loved Israel, in order to establish them forever, he had made you king over them, for you to do justice and righteousness!"

⁹She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a large amount of spices and precious stones. There had never been such spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹⁰The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum wood and precious stones.¹¹With the algum wood, the king made steps for the house of Yahweh and for his house, as well as harps and lutes for the musicians. No wood like this had been seen before in the land of Judah.¹²King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba everything she desired and whatever she asked for; he gave her more than what she had brought to the king. So she left and went back to her own land, she and her servants.

¹³Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,¹⁴besides the gold that the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors in the country also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

¹⁵King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went into each one.¹⁶He also made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went into each shield; the king put them into the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

¹⁷Then the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.¹⁸There were six steps to the throne, and a footstool of gold was attached to the throne. On each side of the throne there were armrests with two lions standing beside each of them.

¹⁹Twelve lions stood on the steps, one on each side of each of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any other kingdom.²⁰All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the drinking cups in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were silver because silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's days.²¹The king had at sea a fleet of ships of Tarshish, along with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish brought gold, silver, and ivory, as well as apes and baboons.

²²So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.²³All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon in order to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.²⁴Those who visited brought tribute, vessels of silver and of gold, clothes, weapons, and spices, as well as horses and mules, year after year.

²⁵Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with himself in Jerusalem.²⁶He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

²⁷The king had silver in Jerusalem, as much as the stones on the ground. He made cedar wood to be as abundant as the sycamore fig trees that are in the lowlands.²⁸They brought horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the lands.

²⁹As for the other matters concerning Solomon, first and last, are they not written in The History of Nathan the Prophet, in The Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in The Visions of Iddo the Seer (which also had information about Jeroboam son of Nebat)?³⁰Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.³¹He lay down with his ancestors and the people buried him in the city of David his father. Rehoboam, his son, became king in his place.

¹Some scholars suggest an alternative reading of the phrase the burnt offerings he made at to say, the ascent by which he went up to .

²Some translations have: How blessed are your wives , following 1 Kings 10:8. The spelling of "men" and "wives" is very close in Hebrew.

¹Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel was coming to Shechem to make him king.²When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard this (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt.

³So they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all Israel came; they spoke to Rehoboam and said,⁴"Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore, make your father's hard work easier, and lighten the heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you."⁵Rehoboam said to them, "Come again to me after three days." So the people left.

⁶King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he was alive; he said, "How would you advise me to bring an answer to these people?"⁷They spoke to him and said, "If you are good to this people and please them, and say good words to them, then they will always be your servants."

⁸But Rehoboam ignored the advice of the old men that they had given him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.⁹He said to them, "What advice do you give me, so that we may answer the people who spoke to me and said, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put on us'?"

¹⁰The young men who had grown up with Rehoboam spoke to him, saying, "This is how you should speak to the people who told you that your father Solomon made their yoke heavy, but that you must make it lighter. This is what you should say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.¹¹So now, although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.'"

¹²So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king said, "Come back to me on the third day."¹³King Rehoboam spoke to them harshly, ignoring the advice of the old men.¹⁴He spoke to them following the advice of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions."

¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn in events brought about by God, that Yahweh might carry out his word that Ahijah the Shilonite had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

¹⁶When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered him and said, "What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse! Each of you should go back to his tent, Israel. Now see to your own house, David." So all Israel returned to their tents.

¹⁷But as for the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.¹⁸Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was over the forced laborers, but the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam fled quickly in his chariot to Jerusalem.¹⁹So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

¹When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were soldiers, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

²But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,³"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,⁴'Yahweh says this, "You must not attack or make war against your brothers. Everyone must return to his own house, for I have caused this to happen."'" So they obeyed the words of Yahweh and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.

⁵Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities in Judah for defense.⁶He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,⁷Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam,⁸Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,⁹Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,¹⁰Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

¹¹He fortified the fortresses and put commanders in them, with stores of food, oil, and wine.¹²He put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

¹³The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel went over to him from within their borders.¹⁴For the Levites left their pasturelands and property in order to come to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had driven them away, so that they could no longer act as the priests of Yahweh.¹⁵Jeroboam appointed for himself priests for the high places and the goat and calf idols he had made.

¹⁶People from all the tribes of Israel came after them, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel; they came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.¹⁷So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam son of Solomon strong during three years, and they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

¹⁸Rehoboam took a wife for himself: Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.¹⁹She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

²⁰After Mahalath, Rehoboam took Maakah, Absalom's daughter; she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.²¹Rehoboam loved Maakah, Absalom's daughter, more than all his other wives and his concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).

²²Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah to be chief, a leader among his brothers; he had the thought of making him king.²³Rehoboam ruled wisely; he scattered all his sons throughout all the land of Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city. He also gave them food in abundance and looked for many wives for them.

¹It came about, when Rehoboam's reign was established and he was strong, that he abandoned the law of Yahweh—and all Israel with him.

²It happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, because the people had been unfaithful to Yahweh.³He came with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. Soldiers without number came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.⁴He captured the fortified cities that belonged to Judah and came to Jerusalem.

⁵Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah said to them, "This is what Yahweh says: You have abandoned me, so I have also given you over into Shishak's hand."⁶Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "Yahweh is righteous."

⁷When Yahweh saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves. I will not ruin them; I will deliver them to some extent, and my anger will not pour out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak's hand.⁸Nevertheless, they will be his servants, so that they may understand what it is to serve me and to serve the rulers of the other countries."

⁹So Shishak, king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures in the house of Yahweh, and the treasures in the king's house. He took everything away; he also took the shields of gold that Solomon had made.¹⁰King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and entrusted them into the hands of the commanders of the guard, who guarded the doors to the king's house.

¹¹It happened that whenever the king entered the house of Yahweh, the guards would carry them; then they would bring them back into the guards' room.¹²When Rehoboam humbled himself, Yahweh's anger turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; besides, there was still some good to be found in Judah.

¹³So King Rehoboam made his kingship strong in Jerusalem, and thus he reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Yahweh had chosen from all the tribes of Israel so that he might put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite woman.¹⁴He did what was evil, because he did not fix his heart to seek Yahweh.

¹⁵As for the other matters concerning Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the writings of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, which also have records of genealogies and the constant wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam?¹⁶Rehoboam lay down with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David; Abijah his son became king in his place.

¹In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.²He reigned for three years in Jerusalem; his mother's name was Macaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.³Abijah went into battle with an army of strong, courageous warriors, 400,000 chosen men. Jeroboam placed battle lines against him with 800,000 chosen men, mighty warriors.

⁴Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!⁵Do you not know that Yahweh the God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?

⁶Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.⁷Worthless men, base fellows, gathered to him. They came against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and timid at heart, and they were too strong for him.

⁸So now you plan to resist the kingdom of Yahweh that is held within the hand of the descendants of David, because you are a large army, and you have the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.⁹But did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the descendants of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own in the same way as the people of other lands do? Whoever comes to serve as a priest, sacrificing a young bull and seven rams, he becomes a priest of what are not gods.

¹⁰But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not abandoned him. We have priests, descendants of Aaron, serving Yahweh, and the Levites, who are at their work.¹¹Every morning and evening they burn for Yahweh burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also arrange the bread of the presence on the pure table; they also tend the lampstand of gold with its lamps, for them to burn every evening. We keep the commandments of Yahweh, our God, but you have abandoned him.

¹²See, God is with us at our head, and his priests are here with the trumpets to sound an alarm against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."

¹³But Jeroboam prepared an ambush behind them; his army was in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.¹⁴When Judah looked back, behold, the fighting was both in front of them and behind them. They cried out to Yahweh, and the priests blew the trumpets.¹⁵Then the men of Judah gave a shout; as they shouted, it came about that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

¹⁶The people of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into the hand of Judah.¹⁷Abijah and his army killed them with great slaughter; 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell dead.¹⁸In this way, the people of Israel were subdued at that time; the people of Judah won because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

¹⁹Abijah pursued Jeroboam; he took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.²⁰Jeroboam never recovered power again during the days of Abijah; Yahweh struck him, and he died.²¹But Abijah became powerful; he took fourteen wives for himself and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.²²The rest of Abijah's deeds, his behavior, and words are written in the history of the prophet Iddo.

¹Abijah lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Asa, his son, became king in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.²Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God,³for he took away the foreign altars and the high places. He broke down the stone pillars and cut down the Asherah poles.⁴He commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and to carry out the law and the commandments.

⁵Also he took away the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under him.⁶He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him peace.

⁷For Asa said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is still ours because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side." So they built and succeeded.⁸Asa had an army that carried shields and spears; from Judah he had 300,000 men, and from Benjamin, 280,000 men who carried shields and drew bows. All of these were mighty warriors.

⁹Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million soldiers and three hundred chariots; he came to Mareshah.¹⁰Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle lines in order in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.¹¹Asa cried to Yahweh, his God, and said, "Yahweh, there is no one but you to help one who has no strength when he is facing many. Help us, Yahweh our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast number. Yahweh, you are our God; do not let man defeat you."

¹²So Yahweh struck the Cushites before Asa and Judah; the Cushites fled.¹³Asa and the soldiers with him pursued them to Gerar. So many Cushites fell that they could not recover, for they were completely destroyed before Yahweh and his army. The army carried away very much plunder.

¹⁴The army destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for terror of Yahweh had come on the inhabitants. The army plundered all the villages, and there was much booty in them.¹⁵The army also destroyed the tents of those who owned livestock; they carried away sheep in abundance, as well as camels, and then they returned to Jerusalem.

¹The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded.²He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Yahweh is with you, while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

³Now for a long period, Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without the law.⁴But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.⁵In those times there was no peace for him who went out or for him who came in, for there were great disturbances on all the inhabitants of the lands.

⁶They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city, for God troubled them with all kinds of suffering.⁷But be strong, and do not let your hands be weak, for your work will be rewarded."

⁸When Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and drove away the disgusting figures from all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had captured from the hill country of Ephraim, and he rebuilt Yahweh's altar, which was in front of the portico of the house of Yahweh.⁹He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who stayed with them—people from Ephraim and Manasseh, and from Simeon. For they came from Israel to him in great numbers, when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him.

¹⁰So they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of Asa's reign.¹¹They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day some of the plunder that they had brought: seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats.

¹²They entered into a covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their soul.¹³They agreed that whoever refused to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether the person was small or great, whether man or woman.

¹⁴They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, with shouting, and with trumpets and rams' horns.¹⁵All Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart, and they sought God with their whole desire, and he was found by them. Yahweh gave them peace all around them.

¹⁶King Asa also removed Maakah, his grandmother, from being queen mother because she had made a disgusting figure out of an Asherah pole. He cut down the disgusting figure, crushed it to dust, and burned it at the Kidron Brook.¹⁷But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, Asa's heart was completely devoted all his days.

¹⁸He brought into the house of God his father's sacred gifts and his own sacred gifts, silver and gold and utensils.¹⁹There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign.

¹In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha, king of Israel, acted aggressively against Judah and built up Ramah, so that he might not allow anyone to leave or enter into the land of Asa, king of Judah.

²Then Asa brought the silver and gold out of the storerooms in the house of Yahweh and of the king's house, and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus. He said,³"Let there be a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I have sent to you silver and gold. Break your covenant with Baasha, king of Israel, so that he may leave me alone."

⁴Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim ¹ , and all the storage cities of Naphtali.⁵It came about that when Baasha heard this, he stopped building up Ramah and let his work cease.⁶Then Asa the king took all Judah with him. They carried away the stones and timbers of Ramah with which Baasha had been building up the city. Then King Asa used that building material to build up Geba and Mizpah.

⁷At that time Hanani the seer went to Asa, king of Judah, and said to him, "Because you have relied on the king of Aram, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.⁸Were not the Cushites and the Libyans a huge army, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he gave you victory over them.

⁹For the eyes of Yahweh run everywhere throughout the whole earth, so that he might show himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward him. But you have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, you will have war."¹⁰Then Asa was angry with the seer; he put him into prison, for he was enraged with him over this matter. At the same time, Asa oppressed some of the people.

¹¹Behold, the deeds of Asa, from first to last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.¹²In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was very severe, he did not seek help from Yahweh, but only from the healers.

¹³So Asa lay down with his ancestors, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.¹⁴They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by skilled perfumers. Then they made a very great fire in his honor.

¹The place named Abel Maim is the same as Abel Beth Maakah. See 2 Samuel 20:14-15.

¹Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king in his place. Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel.²He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had captured.

³Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David, and did not seek the Baals. ¹⁴Instead, he relied on the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, not according to the practices of Israel.

⁵So Yahweh established the rule in his hand; all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat. He had riches and honor in abundance.⁶His heart was committed to Yahweh's ways. He also removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

⁷In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.⁸With them were Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah; and with them were the priests Elishama and Jehoram.⁹They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Yahweh with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰Terror of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.¹¹Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver as tribute. Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams, and 7,700 goats.

¹²Jehoshaphat became very powerful. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah.¹³He had many supplies in the cities of Judah, and soldiers—mighty warriors—in Jerusalem.

¹⁴These were their divisions listed by the name of their fathers' houses: From Judah, the commanders of thousands; Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty warriors;

¹⁵next to him Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000 men;

¹⁶next to him Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve Yahweh; and with him 200,000 mighty warriors.

¹⁷From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty warrior, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields;

¹⁸next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 ready prepared for war.

¹⁹These were those who served the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

¹Some ancient copies do not have David , therefore, some modern translations leave it out.

¹Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; he allied himself with Ahab by having one of his family marry his daughter.²After some years, he went down to Ahab in Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and cattle for him and the people who were with him. Ahab also persuaded him to attack Ramoth Gilead with him.³Ahab, king of Israel, said to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, "Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered him, "I am like you, and my people are like your people. We will be with you in the war."

⁴Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please first seek the word of Yahweh for your answer."⁵Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, "Should we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I not?" They said, "Attack, for God will give it into the hand of the king."

⁶But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here still another prophet of Yahweh with whom we might seek advice?"⁷The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man by whom we may seek the advice of Yahweh, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil." But Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say that."⁸Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah."

⁹Now Ahab the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on a throne, clothed in their robes, on a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.¹⁰Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, "Yahweh says this: With these you will push the Arameans until they are consumed."¹¹All the prophets prophesied the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead and win, for Yahweh has given it into the hand of the king."

¹²The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the words of the prophets with one mouth are favorable to the king. Let your words agree with theirs, and speak favorably."¹³Micaiah replied, "As Yahweh lives, it is what God says that I will say."¹⁴When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth Gilead for battle, or not?" Micaiah answered him, "Attack and be victorious! For it will be a great victory."

¹⁵Then the king said to him, "How many times must I require you to swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?"¹⁶So Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep who have no shepherd, and Yahweh said, 'These have no shepherd. Let every man return to his house in peace.'"

¹⁷So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only disaster?"¹⁸Then Micaiah said, "Therefore all of you should hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven were standing on his right hand and on his left.

¹⁹Yahweh said, 'Who will entice Ahab, king of Israel, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said this and another that.

²⁰Then a spirit came forward and it stood before Yahweh and said, 'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'²¹The spirit replied, 'I will go out and I will become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Yahweh replied, 'You will entice him, and you will also be successful. Go now and do so.'

²²Now see, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has decreed disaster for you."

²³Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, came up, slapped Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh take to go from me to speak to you?"²⁴Micaiah said, "Look, you will know that on that day, when you run into some inner room to hide."

²⁵The king of Israel said to some servants, "You people seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, my son.²⁶You people will say to him, 'The king says: Put this man in prison and feed him with only a little bread and only a little water, until I return safely.'"²⁷Then Micaiah said, "If you return safely, then Yahweh has not spoken by me." Then he added, "Listen to this, all you people."

²⁸So Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up against Ramoth Gilead.²⁹The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.³⁰Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, "Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel."

³¹It came about that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat they said, "That is the king of Israel." They turned around to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him. God turned them away from him.³²It came about that when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

³³But a certain man drew his bow at random and shot the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. Then Ahab said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded."³⁴The battle grew worse that day, and the king of Israel was held up in his chariot facing the Arameans until the evening. About the time that the sun was going down, he died.

¹Jehoshaphat the king of Judah safely returned to his house in Jerusalem.²Then Jehu son of Hanani, the seer, went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Should you be helping the wicked? Should you be loving those who hate Yahweh? For this deed, anger from Yahweh is on you.³However, there is some good to be found in you, in that you have taken the Asherah poles out of the land, and you have fixed your heart to seek God."

⁴Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.⁵He placed judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city.

⁶He said to the judges, "Consider what you should do, because you are not judging for man, but for Yahweh; he is with you in the act of judging.⁷Now then, let the fear of Yahweh be upon you. Be careful when you judge, for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor is there any favoritism or bribe taking."

⁸Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and the priests, and some of the heads of the families of Israel, for carrying out judgment for Yahweh, and for the sake of disputes. They lived in Jerusalem.⁹He instructed them, saying, "You must serve in reverence for Yahweh, faithfully, and with your whole heart.

¹⁰Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, whether concerning bloodshed, whether about laws and commands, statutes or decrees, you must warn them, so they do not become guilty before Yahweh, or anger will come toward you and toward your brothers. If you do this, you will not be guilty.

¹¹See, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all the matters of Yahweh. Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the house of Judah, is in charge of all the matters of the king. Also, the Levites will be officers serving you. Be strong and obey your instructions, and may Yahweh be with those who are good."

¹It came about after this, that the people of Moab and Ammon, and with them some Meunites came against Jehoshaphat to do battle. ¹²Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A large multitude is coming against you from beyond the Dead Sea, from Edom. See, they are in Hazezon Tamar," that is, En Gedi. ²

³Jehoshaphat became afraid and set himself to seek Yahweh. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.⁴Judah gathered together to seek Yahweh; they came to seek Yahweh from all the cities of Judah.

⁵Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, at the house of Yahweh, in front of the new courtyard.⁶He said, "Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Are you not the ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so no one is able to resist you.⁷Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham?

⁸They lived in it and built you a holy place in it for your name, saying,⁹'If disaster comes on us—the sword, judgment, or plague, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you (for your name is in this house), and we will cry to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.' ³

¹⁰See now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; so, Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.¹¹See how they are rewarding us; they are coming to drive us out of your land that you have given us to inherit.

¹²Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power against this great army that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

¹³All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, wives, and children.

¹⁴Then in the middle of the assembly the Spirit of Yahweh came on Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and a descendant of Asaph.¹⁵Jahaziel said, "Listen, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what Yahweh says to you, 'Do not fear; do not be discouraged because of this great army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.

¹⁶You must go down against them tomorrow. See, they are coming up by way of the pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.¹⁷You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand in your positions, stand still, and see the rescue of Yahweh with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear nor be discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for Yahweh is with you.'"

¹⁸Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshiping him.¹⁹The Levites, those of the descendants of the Kohathites and Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

²⁰Early in the morning they arose and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Trust in Yahweh your God, and you will be supported. Trust in his prophets, and you will succeed."²¹After he consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to Yahweh and who praised him for his majestic splendor as they went out before the army, saying, "Give thanks to Yahweh, for his covenant faithfulness endures forever."

²²When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set men in ambush against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were coming against Judah. They were defeated.²³For the people of Ammon and Moab rose to fight the inhabitants of Mount Seir, in order to completely kill them and destroy them. When they had finished with the inhabitants of Mount Seir, they all helped to destroy each other.

²⁴When Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked out on the army. Behold, they were dead, fallen to the ground; none had escaped.

²⁵When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take plunder from them, they found among them abundant goods, clothing, and valuable articles, which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away. It took them three days to carry off the plunder, there was so much of it. ⁴²⁶On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah. There they praised Yahweh, so the name of that place is the "Valley of Berakah" to this day.

²⁷Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in their lead, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for Yahweh had made them rejoice over their enemies.²⁸They came to Jerusalem and to the house of Yahweh with lutes and harps and trumpets.

²⁹The terror of God was on all the kingdoms of the nations when they heard that Yahweh had fought against Israel's enemies.³⁰So Jehoshaphat's kingdom was quiet, for his God gave him peace all around him.

³¹Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.³²He walked in the ways of Asa, his father; he did not turn away from them; he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh.³³However, the high places were not taken away. The people still had not directed their hearts to the God of their ancestors.

³⁴As for the other matters concerning Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu son of Hanani, which is recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

³⁵After this Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, allied himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who committed much wickedness.³⁶He allied himself with him to build ships to go to Tarshish. They built the ships at Ezion Geber.³⁷Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat; he said, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works." The ships were wrecked so that they could not go to Tarshish.

¹The reading Meunites represents a correction to the Hebrew text, as was suggested by the ancient Greek translation. The ancient Hebrew copies read: Ammonites . Most modern translations agree that Meunites was original.

²Instead of Edom , the ancient Greek and Latin translations and some modern translations read Aram .

³Instead of judgment , some ancient and modern translations read flood .

⁴Instead of among them , some ancient and modern translations read cattle . Instead of clothing , some ancient and modern translations read dead bodies .

¹Jehoshaphat lay down with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David; Jehoram, his son, became king in his place.²Jehoram had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel.³Their father had given them large gifts of silver, gold, and other precious things, and also fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram.

⁴Now when Jehoram had risen up over his father's kingdom and had firmly established himself as king, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also various other leaders of Israel.⁵Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

⁶He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab was doing, for he had Ahab's daughter as his wife, and he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.⁷However, Yahweh did not wish to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David; he had promised that he would always give a lamp to him and his descendants.

⁸In Jehoram's days, Edom rebelled against the control of Judah, and they set a king to reign over themselves.⁹Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots. It was night when he rose up and fought against the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders.¹⁰So Edom has been in rebellion from the control of Judah to this present day. Libnah also revolted at the same time from his control, because Jehoram had abandoned Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.

¹¹In addition, Jehoram had also built high places in the mountains of Judah and he made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to live like prostitutes, and he led Judah astray.

¹²A letter from the prophet Elijah came to Jehoram. It said, "This is what Yahweh, the God of David, your ancestor, says: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat, your father, nor in the ways of Asa, king of Judah,¹³but have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to act like a prostitute, as the house of Ahab did—and because you have also killed your brothers in your father's house, men who were better than yourself—¹⁴see, Yahweh will strike your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions with a heavy blow.¹⁵You yourself will have much sickness with a disease in your intestines, until the disease causes your intestines to come out, and this will continue day after day."

¹⁶Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians who were near the Cushites.¹⁷They attacked Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the wealth that was found in the king's house. They also carried away his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

¹⁸After all this, Yahweh struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease.¹⁹It came about in due time, at the end of two years, that his intestines fell out because of his sickness, and that he died of severe disease. His people made no fire in his honor as they had done for his ancestors.²⁰He had begun to reign when he was thirty-two years old; he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years, and when he departed no one mourned him. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the royal tombs.

¹The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, king in his place, for the marauding band that came with the Arabians into the camp had killed all his older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, became king.²Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah; she was the daughter of Omri.³He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother was his advisor in doing wicked things.

⁴Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as the house of Ahab was doing, for they were his advisors after the death of his father, to his destruction.⁵He also followed their advice; he went with Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, to fight against Hazael, king of Aram, at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram.

⁶Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael, king of Aram. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab, because Joram had been wounded.

⁷Now the destruction of Ahaziah was brought about by God through Ahaziah's visit to Joram. When he had arrived, he went with Jehoram to attack Jehu son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.⁸It came about, when Jehu was carrying out God's judgment on the house of Ahab, that he found the leaders of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers serving Ahaziah. Jehu killed them.

⁹Jehu looked for Ahaziah; they caught him hiding in Samaria, brought him to Jehu, and killed him. Then they buried him, for they said, "He is a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought Yahweh with all his heart." So the house of Ahaziah had no more power to rule the kingdom.

¹⁰Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and killed all the royal children in the house of Judah.¹¹But Jehosheba, ¹ a daughter of the king, secretly took Joash son of Ahaziah away from the king's sons who were about to be killed. She put him and his nurse into a bedroom. So Jehosheba, a daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that Athaliah did not kill him.¹²He was with them, hidden in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

¹Jehosheba may be spelled differently in other translations, as: Jehoshaba .

¹In the seventh year, Jehoiada showed his strength and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri.²They went about in Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the heads of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.³All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, "See, the king's son will reign, as Yahweh has said concerning the descendants of David.

⁴This is what you must do: A third of you priests and Levites who come to serve on the Sabbath will be guards at the doors.⁵Another third will be at the king's house, and the other third will be at the Foundation Gate. All the people will be in the courtyard of the house of Yahweh.

⁶Allow no one to come into the house of Yahweh, except for the priests and the Levites who are serving. They may enter because they are consecrated. But all the other people must obey the commands of Yahweh.⁷The Levites must surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be killed. Stay with the king when he comes in and when he goes out."

⁸So the Levites and all Judah served in every way in the manner in which Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each one took his men, those who were to come in to serve on the Sabbath, and those who were to leave off serving on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed any of their divisions.⁹Then Jehoiada the priest brought to the commanders spears and small and large shields that had been King David's that were in the house of God.

¹⁰Jehoiada placed all the soldiers, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.¹¹Then they brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant decrees. Then they made him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him. Then they said, "Long live the king."

¹²When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in the house of Yahweh,¹³and she looked, and, behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the commanders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers were playing musical instruments and leading the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"

¹⁴Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were over the army and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks; anyone who follows her, let him be killed with the sword." For the priest had said, "Do not kill her in the house of Yahweh."¹⁵So they seized her as she went into the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king's house, and there they killed her.

¹⁶Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh's people.¹⁷So all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his images to pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of those altars.

¹⁸Jehoiada appointed officers for the house of Yahweh under the hand of the priests, who were Levites, whom David had assigned to the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings to Yahweh, as it was written in the law of Moses, together with rejoicing and singing, as David had given direction.¹⁹Jehoiada set guards at the gates of the house of Yahweh, so that no one that was unclean in any way should enter.

²⁰Jehoiada took with him the commanders of hundreds, the noblemen, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land. He brought down the king from the house of Yahweh; the people came through the Upper Gate to the king's house and sat the king on the throne of the kingdom. ¹²¹So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. As for Athaliah, they had killed her with the sword.

¹Some modern translations have, they brought down the king .

¹Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.²Joash did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the days of Jehoiada, the priest.³Jehoiada took for him two wives, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

⁴It came about after this, that Joash decided to restore the house of Yahweh.⁵He gathered together the priests and the Levites, and he said to them, "Go out every year to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God. Make sure that you start right away." The Levites did nothing at first.

⁶So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and said to him, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses the servant of Yahweh and by the assembly of Israel for the tent of the covenant decrees?"⁷For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God and had given all the holy things of the house of Yahweh to the Baals.

⁸So the king commanded, and they made a chest and placed it outside at the entrance to the house of Yahweh.⁹Then they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, for the people to bring in for Yahweh the tax that Moses the servant of God levied on Israel in the wilderness.¹⁰All the leaders and all the people rejoiced and brought money in and put it into the chest until they finished filling it.

¹¹It happened that whenever the chest was brought to the king's officials by the hand of the Levites, and whenever they saw that there was much money in it, the king's scribe and the high priest's official would come, empty the chest, and take it and carry it back to its place. They did this day after day, gathering large amounts of money.¹²The king and Jehoiada gave the money to those who did the work of serving in the house of Yahweh. These men hired stonemasons and carpenters to restore the house of Yahweh, and also those who worked in iron and bronze.

¹³So the workmen labored, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands; they set up the house of God in its original design and strengthened it.¹⁴When they finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada. This money was used to make furnishings for the house of Yahweh, utensils with which to serve and make offerings—spoons and utensils of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh continually for all the days of Jehoiada.

¹⁵Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and then he died; he was 130 years old when he died.¹⁶They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, toward God, and to the house of God.

¹⁷Now after the death of Jehoiada, the leaders of Judah came and did honor to the king. Then the king listened to them.¹⁸They abandoned the house of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped the Asherah gods and the idols. God's anger came on Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.¹⁹Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again to himself, Yahweh; the prophets testified against the people, but they refused to listen.

²⁰The Spirit of God clothed Zechariah son of Jehoiada, the priest; Zechariah stood above the people and said to them, "God says this: Why do you transgress the commandments of Yahweh, so that you cannot prosper? Since you have abandoned Yahweh, he has also abandoned you."²¹But they plotted against him; at the king's command, they stoned him with stones in the courtyard of the house of Yahweh.²²Joash the king, did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had done to him, and so he killed Jehoiada's son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, "May Yahweh see this and call you to account."

²³It came about at the end of the year, that the army of Aram came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem; they destroyed all the leaders of the people and sent all the plunder from them to the king of Damascus.²⁴Although the army of the Arameans had come with only a few soldiers, Yahweh gave them victory over a very great army, because Judah had abandoned Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. In this way the Arameans brought judgment on Joash.

²⁵By the time that the Arameans had gone, Joash had been severely wounded. His own servants plotted against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada, the priest. They killed him in his bed, and he died; they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.²⁶These were the persons who plotted against him: Zabad son of Shimeath, an Ammonite woman; and Jehozabad son of Shimrith, a Moabite woman.

²⁷Now the accounts about his sons, the important prophecies that were spoken about him, and the rebuilding of the house of God, see, they are written in the commentary on the book of the kings. Amaziah his son became king in his place.

¹Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.²He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a whole heart.

³It came about that as soon as his rule was well established, he killed the servants who had murdered his father, the king.⁴But he did not put their children to death, according to what was written in the law, in the book of Moses, as Yahweh had commanded, "The fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be put to death for their fathers. But, each one must die for his own sin."

⁵Moreover, Amaziah gathered Judah together, and registered them by their ancestors' houses, under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—all of Judah and Benjamin. He numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them to be 300,000 chosen men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield.⁶He hired also 100,000 mighty warriors from Israel for one hundred talents of silver.

⁷But a man of God came to him and said, "King, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for Yahweh is not with Israel—none of the people of Ephraim.⁸But even if you do go and are courageous and strong in battle, God will throw you down before the enemy, for God has power to help, and power to throw down."

⁹Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what will we do about the one hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "Yahweh is able to give you much more than that."¹⁰So Amaziah separated the army that had come to him from Ephraim; he sent them home again. So their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.

¹¹Amaziah took courage and led his people to go out to the Valley of Salt; there he defeated ten thousand men of Seir.¹²The army of Judah carried away alive another ten thousand. They took them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from there, so that they were all broken in pieces.

¹³But the men of the army which Amaziah sent back, so that they should not go with him to battle, attacked the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They struck down three thousand of the people and took much plunder.

¹⁴Now it came about, after that Amaziah had returned from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, and set them up to be his own gods. He bowed down before them and burned incense to them.¹⁵So Yahweh's anger was kindled against Amaziah. He sent a prophet to him, who said, "Why have you sought after the gods of a people who did not even save their own people from your hand?"

¹⁶It came about that as the prophet was speaking with him, the king said to him, "Have we made you an advisor to the king? Stop! Why should you be killed?" Then the prophet stopped and said, "I know that God has decided to destroy you because you have done this deed and have not listened to my advice."

¹⁷Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted with advisors and sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us meet each other face to face in battle."

¹⁸But Jehoash the king of Israel sent messengers back to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "A thistle that was in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son for a wife,' but a wild beast in Lebanon walked by and trampled down the thistle.¹⁹You have said, 'See, I have struck down Edom,' and your heart has lifted you up. Take pride in your victory, but stay at home, for why should you cause yourself trouble and fall, both you and Judah with you?"

²⁰But Amaziah would not listen, because this event was from God, so he might put the people of Judah into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought advice from the gods of Edom.²¹So Jehoash, king of Israel, attacked; he and Amaziah, king of Judah, met each other face to face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.²²Judah was struck down before Israel, and every man fled to his tent.

²³Jehoash, king of Israel, captured Amaziah son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, at Beth Shemesh. He brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits in distance.²⁴He took all the gold and silver, all the objects that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the valuable things in the king's house, with hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

²⁵Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.²⁶As for the other matters concerning Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

²⁷Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they began to make a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.²⁸They brought him back on horses and buried him with his ancestors in the city of Judah.

¹All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.²It was he who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah. After that the king lay down with his ancestors.³Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign. He reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.

⁴He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, just as his father Amaziah had done.⁵He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who taught him to honor God. ¹ As long as he sought Yahweh, God made him prosper.

⁶Uzziah went out and fought against the Philistines. He broke down the city walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod; he built cities in the country of Ashdod and among the Philistines.⁷God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gurbaal, and against the Meunites.⁸The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread, even to the entrance of Egypt, because he was becoming more powerful.

⁹In addition, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.¹⁰He built watchtowers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he had many herds in the lowlands and in the plains. He had farmers and vine growers in the hill country and in the fruitful fields, for he loved the soil.

¹¹In addition, Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war in groups which were organized by their number that were counted by Jeiel, the scribe, and Maaseiah, the officer, under the authority of Hananiah, one of the king's commanders.¹²The whole number of the leaders of the families who led the mighty warriors was 2,600.¹³Under their hand was an army of 307,500 men that made war with mighty power to help the king against the enemy.

¹⁴Uzziah prepared for them—for all the army—shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and stones for slinging.¹⁵In Jerusalem he built machines that were designed by skillful men to be on the towers and on the battlements to shoot arrows and large stones. His fame spread to distant lands, for he was greatly helped and so he became very powerful.

¹⁶But when Uzziah had become powerful, his heart was lifted up so that he acted corruptly; he acted faithlessly against Yahweh, his God, for he went into the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense.¹⁷Azariah, the priest, went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were brave men.¹⁸They confronted Uzziah the king, and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the holy place, for you have been unfaithful and you will not be honored by Yahweh God."

¹⁹Then Uzziah became angry. He was holding a censer in his hand to burn incense. While he was enraged against the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense.²⁰Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and, behold, he had become leprous on his forehead. They quickly drove him out of there. Indeed, he hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.

²¹Uzziah, the king, was a leper to the day of his death and lived in a separate house since he was a leper, for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh. Jotham, his son, was over the king's house and ruled the people of the land.

²²The other matters concerning Uzziah, from first to last, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.²³So Uzziah lay down with his ancestors; they buried him with his ancestors in a burial ground that belonged to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." Jotham, his son, became king in his place.

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text can be read either, to honor God , or in the fear of God or in seeing God . Scholars are divided.

¹Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah; she was the daughter of Zadok.²He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, just as his father Uzziah had done. He also refrained from going into the temple of Yahweh. But the people were still behaving corruptly.

³He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the hill of Ophel he built much.⁴Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers.

⁵He fought also with the king of the people of Ammon and defeated them. In that same year, the people of Ammon gave him one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand measures of barley. The people of Ammon gave him the same in the second and third years.

⁶So Jotham became powerful because he walked firmly before Yahweh his God.⁷As for the other matters concerning Jotham, all his wars, and his ways, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

⁸He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem.⁹Jotham lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Ahaz, his son, became king in his place.

¹Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as David his ancestor had done.²Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made cast metal figures for the Baals.

³In addition, he burned incense in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and he caused his children to pass through the fire, according to the idolatrous practices of the people that Yahweh forced out of their land before the people of Israel.⁴He sacrificed and burned incense at the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.

⁵Therefore Yahweh the God of Ahaz gave him into the hand of the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and carried away from him a great crowd of captives, bringing them to Damascus. Ahaz was also given into the hand of the king of Israel who defeated him in a great slaughter.⁶For Pekah son of Remaliah in one day killed 120,000 soldiers in Judah and all of them were powerful men, because they had abandoned Yahweh the God of their ancestors.

⁷Zikri, a powerful man from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam, the official over the palace, and Elkanah, who was next to the king.⁸The army of Israel took captive from their relatives 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also took much plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.

⁹But a prophet of Yahweh was there, his name was Oded. He went out to meet the army coming into Samaria. He said to them, "Because Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reached up to heaven.¹⁰And now you, people of Judah and Jerusalem, intend to make them your male slaves and female slaves. But are you not guilty of sins of your own against Yahweh your God?¹¹Now then, listen to me: Send the captives back, those whom you have captured of your own brothers, for Yahweh's burning anger is on you."

¹²Then certain leaders of the people of Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came back from the war.¹³They said to them, "You must not bring the captives here, for you intend something that will bring on us sin against Yahweh, to add to our sins and trespasses, for our trespass is great, and there is burning anger against Israel."

¹⁴So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly.¹⁵The men who were assigned by name got up and took the captives, and clothed all who were naked among them with the plunder. They clothed them and gave them sandals. They gave them food to eat and drink. They anointed them and put the weak ones on donkeys. They took them back to their families in Jericho, (called the City of Palms). Then they returned to Samaria.

¹⁶At that time King Ahaz sent messengers to the kings of Assyria to ask them to help him.¹⁷For once again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah, carrying captives away.¹⁸The Philistines also invaded the cities of the lowlands and of the Negev of Judah. They took Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soko with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and also Gimzo with its villages. They went to live in those places.

¹⁹For Yahweh humbled Judah because of Ahaz, king of Israel; for he had acted wickedly in Judah and had been very faithless against Yahweh.²⁰Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, came to him and troubled him instead of strengthening him.²¹For Ahaz plundered the house of Yahweh and the houses of the king and the leaders, to give the valuable things to the kings of Assyria. But doing this did not benefit him.

²²This same King Ahaz became even more faithless against Yahweh in his time of suffering.²³For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, gods that had defeated him. He said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them, so that they might help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.

²⁴Ahaz gathered together the furnishings of the house of God and cut them to pieces. He shut the doors of the house of Yahweh and he made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.²⁵In every city of Judah he made high places to burn sacrifices to other gods. He provoked Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, to anger.

²⁶Now the rest of his deeds, and all his ways, first and last, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.²⁷Ahaz lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Hezekiah, his son, became king in his place.

¹Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah; she was the daughter of Zechariah.²He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, just as David his father had done.

³In the first year of his reign, in the first month, Hezekiah opened the doors of the house of Yahweh and repaired them.⁴He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the courtyard on the east side.⁵He said to them, "Listen to me, you Levites! Consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, and carry away the filthiness from the holy place.

⁶For our ancestors were faithless and did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh our God; they abandoned him, turned away their faces from the place where Yahweh lives, and turned their backs on it.⁷Also they shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps; they did not burn incense or offer burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.

⁸Therefore the wrath of Yahweh had fallen on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them to be an object of terror, of horror, and of scorn, as you can see with your own eyes.⁹This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity for this.

¹⁰Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, so that his burning anger may turn away from us.¹¹My sons, do not be lazy now, for Yahweh has chosen you to stand before him, to worship him, and that you should be his servants and burn incense."

¹²Then the Levites arose: Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the people of the Kohathites; and of the people of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah;

¹³of the descendants of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the descendants of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;

¹⁴of the descendants of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the descendants of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

¹⁵They gathered their brothers, they consecrated themselves, and they went in, as the king commanded, following the words of Yahweh, to cleanse the house of Yahweh.¹⁶The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh to cleanse it; they brought out everything unclean that they found in the temple of Yahweh into the courtyard of the house. The Levites took it to carry it out to the Kidron Brook.¹⁷Now they began the consecration on the first day of the first month. By the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of Yahweh. Then for eight more days they consecrated the house of Yahweh. On the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

¹⁸Then they went to Hezekiah, the king, inside the palace and said, "We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh, the altar for burnt offerings with all its implements, and the table of the bread of the presence, with all its implements.¹⁹So we have prepared and we have consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed when he acted unfaithfully during his reign. See, they are in front of the altar of Yahweh."

²⁰Then Hezekiah the king rose early in the morning and gathered the leaders of the city; he went up to the house of Yahweh.²¹They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. He commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of Yahweh.

²²So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Then they killed the rams and sprinkled their blood on the altar; and they also killed the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar.²³They brought the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; they laid their hands on them.²⁴The priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, for the king had commanded that a burnt offering and a sin offering should be made for all Israel.

²⁵Hezekiah placed the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, lutes and harps, arranging them by the command of David, Gad, the king's seer, and Nathan, the prophet, for the command was from Yahweh by means of his prophets.²⁶The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

²⁷Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began also, with the trumpets, together with the instruments of David, king of Israel.²⁸All the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters played; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

²⁹When they had finished the offerings, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped.³⁰Moreover, Hezekiah, the king, and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David and of Asaph, the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.

³¹Then Hezekiah said, "Now you have consecrated yourselves to Yahweh. Come here and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Yahweh." The assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who had a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

³²The number of the burnt offerings that the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred male lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh.³³The consecrated offerings were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

³⁴But the priests were too few to skin all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was done, and until the priests could consecrate themselves, for the Levites had been more careful to consecrate themselves than the priests.

³⁵In addition, there were very many burnt offerings; they were performed with the fat of the fellowship offerings, and there were drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was set in order.³⁶Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people also, because of what God had prepared for the people, for the work had been done quickly.

¹Hezekiah sent messengers to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel.²For the king, his leaders, and all the assembly in Jerusalem had consulted together, deciding to celebrate the Passover in the second month.³They could not celebrate at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves for the celebration and the people had not gathered together in Jerusalem.

⁴This proposal seemed right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.⁵So they agreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to celebrate the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it with large numbers of people according to what was written.⁶So couriers went with the letters from the king and his leaders throughout all Israel and Judah, by the command of the king. They said, "You people of Israel, turn back to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may turn back to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

⁷Do not be like your ancestors or your brothers, who were faithless against Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.⁸Now do not stiffen your necks, as your ancestors did; instead, give yourselves to Yahweh and come into his holy place, which he has consecrated forever, and worship Yahweh your God, so that his burning anger may turn away from you.⁹For if you turn back to Yahweh, your brothers and children will find compassion before those who led them away as prisoners, and they will come back into this land. For Yahweh your God, is gracious and merciful, and will not turn his face away from you, if you return to him."

¹⁰So the couriers passed from city to city throughout the regions of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the way to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and mocked them.¹¹However, certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.¹²The hand of God also came on Judah, to give them one heart, to carry out the command of the king and leaders by the word of Yahweh.

¹³Many people, a very great assembly, gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month.¹⁴They rose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense; they threw them into the Kidron Brook.¹⁵Then they killed the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh.

¹⁶They stood in their place by their divisions, following the directions given in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites.¹⁷For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs for everyone who was not purified and could not consecrate their sacrifice to Yahweh.

¹⁸For a great many of the people, many of them from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover meal, against the written instructions. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Yahweh pardon everyone¹⁹who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though he is not purified by the purification standards of the holy place."²⁰So Yahweh listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

²¹The people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day after day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh.²²Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who understood the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the festival for the seven days, offering sacrifices of fellowship offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

²³The whole assembly then decided to celebrate for another seven days, and they did so with joy.²⁴For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep as an offering; and the leaders gave to the assembly one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A large number of priests consecrated themselves.

²⁵All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the people who came together from Israel, as well as the foreigners who came from the land of Israel and those who lived in Judah—they all rejoiced.²⁶So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there had not been anything like it in Jerusalem.²⁷Then the priests, the Levites, rose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer went up to heaven, the holy place where God lives.

¹Now when all this was finished, all the people of Israel who were there went out to the cities of Judah and broke to pieces the stone pillars and they cut down the Asherah poles, and they broke down the high places and the altars in all of Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned, every one to his own possession and his own city.

²Hezekiah assigned the divisions of the priests and the Levites organized by their divisions, each man assigned to his work, both the priests and the Levites. He assigned them to make the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise at the gates of the house of Yahweh.³He also assigned the king's portion for the burnt offerings from his own possessions, that is, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbath days, the new moons, and the fixed festivals, as it was written in the law of Yahweh.

⁴Moreover, he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion for the priests and the Levites, so that they might concentrate on obeying the law of Yahweh.⁵As soon as the command was sent out, the people of Israel generously gave the firstfruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and from all their harvest of the field. They brought in a tithe of everything, which was a great quantity.

⁶The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the holy things that were set apart to Yahweh their God, and they piled them up in heaps.⁷It was in the third month when they began piling up their contribution in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month.⁸When Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh and his people Israel.

⁹Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps.¹⁰Azariah, the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, "Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of Yahweh, we have eaten and had enough, and have plenty left over, for Yahweh has blessed his people. What was left over is this large amount here."

¹¹Then Hezekiah commanded storerooms to be prepared in the house of Yahweh, and they prepared them.¹²Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes and the things that belonged to Yahweh. Konaniah the Levite was the manager in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second to him.¹³Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were managers under the hand of Konaniah and Shimei his brother, by appointment of Hezekiah, the king, and Azariah, the official over the house of God.

¹⁴Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, in charge of distributing the offerings to Yahweh and the most holy offerings.¹⁵Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shekaniah, in the cities of the priests. They filled offices of trust, in order to give these offerings to their brothers division by division, to both the important and the unimportant.

¹⁶They also gave to those males three years old and up, who were recorded in the genealogies of their ancestors who entered the house of Yahweh, as required by the daily schedule, to do the work in their offices and their divisions. ¹

¹⁷They distributed to the priests who were recorded in the genealogies of their ancestors, and the same to the Levites twenty years old and more, according to their offices and their divisions.¹⁸They recorded in the genealogy all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, through the whole community, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy.¹⁹For the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who were in the fields of the villages belonging to their cities, or in every city, there were men assigned by name to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of their ancestors as being among the Levites.

²⁰Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah. He accomplished what was good, right, and faithful before Yahweh, his God.²¹In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, the law, and the commandments, to seek his God, he performed it with all his heart, and he succeeded.

¹Instead of males three years old and up , some modern translations have males thirty years old and up .

¹After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered Judah. He camped to attack the fortified cities, which he intended to capture for himself.

²When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem,³he consulted with his leaders and his powerful men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city; they helped him do so.⁴So many people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that was flowing through the middle of the land. They said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find a lot of water?"

⁵Hezekiah took courage and built up all the wall that was broken down. He built the towers higher, and also the other wall outside. He also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and he made large amounts of weapons and shields. ¹

⁶He placed military commanders over the people. He gathered them together to him in the broad place at the city gate and spoke to their hearts. He said,⁷"Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria and all the army that is with him, for someone is with us who is greater than those with him.⁸With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is Yahweh, our God, to help us, and to fight our battles." Then the people comforted themselves with the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

⁹After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (now he was in front of Lachish, and all his army was with him), to Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to all of Judah who were in Jerusalem. He said,¹⁰"This is what Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says: What are you trusting in so you can endure a siege in Jerusalem?

¹¹Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, 'Yahweh our God will rescue us from the hand of the king of Assyria'?¹²Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'On one altar you must worship, and on it you must burn your sacrifices'?

¹³Do you not know what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of the peoples of the surrounding lands able in any way to rescue their land from my power?¹⁴Among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed, was there any god who could rescue his people out of my hand? Why should your God be able to rescue you from my power?¹⁵Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand?"

¹⁶Sennacherib's servants spoke even more against Yahweh God and against his servant Hezekiah.¹⁷Sennacherib also wrote letters in order to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him. He said, "As the gods of the nations of the lands have not rescued their people out of my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people out of my hand."

¹⁸They cried out in the language of the Jews to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, in order that they might capture the city.¹⁹They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely the work of men's hands.

²⁰Hezekiah, the king, and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed because of this matter and he cried out to heaven.²¹Yahweh sent an angel, who killed the mighty warriors, the commanders, and the officers of the king of Assyria in the camp. So Sennacherib returned to his own land with shame on his face. When he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.

²²In this way, Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and gave them rest on every side. ²²³Many were bringing offerings to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was lifted up in the eyes of all nations from that time forward.

²⁴In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. He prayed to Yahweh, who spoke to him and gave him a sign that he would be healed.²⁵But Hezekiah did not pay back Yahweh for the help given to him, for his heart was lifted up. So anger came on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.²⁶Nevertheless, Hezekiah later humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh's anger did not come on them during Hezekiah's days.

²⁷Hezekiah had very many riches and much honor. He provided himself with storerooms for silver, gold, precious stones, and for spices, as well as for shields and for all kinds of valuable objects.²⁸He also had storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for various kinds of livestock. He also had flocks in their pens.²⁹In addition, he provided himself with cities and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very much wealth. ³

³⁰It was this same Hezekiah who also stopped up the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and who brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all his works.³¹However, in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to ask questions of those who knew, about the miraculous sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him, and to know all that was in his heart.

³²As for the other matters concerning Hezekiah, including his actions of covenant loyalty, you can see that they are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.³³Hezekiah lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him on the hill of the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son became king in his place.

¹Instead of He built the towers higher , some ancient and modern translations have, he built towers on it , that is, on the wall.

²Instead of gave them rest on every side , some ancient and modern translations have guided them on every side . The original reading is uncertain.

³Instead of cities , some modern translations have donkeys , and some other modern translations leave out the word entirely.

¹Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, like the disgusting things of the nations whom Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel.³For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he built altars for the Baals, he made Asherah poles, and he bowed down to all the host of heaven and worshiped them.

⁴Manasseh built altars in the house of Yahweh, although Yahweh had commanded, "It is in Jerusalem that my name will be forever."⁵He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courtyards of the house of Yahweh.⁶In the Valley of Ben Hinnom he caused his sons to pass through the fire. He practiced sorcery, divination and he read omens, and he consulted with sorcerers and spiritists. Manasseh did much evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he provoked him to anger.

⁷The carved figure he had made, he placed it in the house of God. It was about this house that God had spoken to David and Solomon his son; he had said, "It is in this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, that I will put my name forever.⁸I will not move the people of Israel any more out of the land that I assigned to their ancestors, if they will only be careful to keep all that I have commanded them, following all the law, statutes, and decrees which I gave them through Moses."⁹Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do evil even more than the nations that Yahweh had destroyed before the people of Israel.

¹⁰Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people, but they paid no attention.¹¹So Yahweh brought on them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and took him off to Babylon.

¹²When Manasseh was in distress, he implored Yahweh, his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.¹³He prayed to him; and God was moved by his plea, and God heard his humble request and brought him back to Jerusalem, into his kingship. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.

¹⁴After this, Manasseh built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, to the entrance at the Fish Gate. He surrounded the hill of Ophel with it and raised the wall up to a very great height. He put courageous commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.¹⁵He took away the foreign gods, the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built on the mount of the house of Yahweh and in Jerusalem, and threw them out of the city.

¹⁶He rebuilt the altar of Yahweh and offered on it sacrifices of fellowship offerings and thank offerings; he commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.¹⁷However, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to Yahweh, their God.

¹⁸As to the other matters concerning Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the deeds of the kings of Israel.¹⁹In that account there is history of his prayer, and how God was moved by his plea. There is also an account of all his sin and his trespasses, and the places where he had built high places and set up the Asherah poles and the carved figures, before he humbled himself—they are written about in the Chronicles of the Seers. ¹²⁰So Manasseh lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in his own house. Amon, his son, became king in his place.

²¹Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned two years in Jerusalem.²²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as Manasseh, his father, had done. Amon sacrificed to all the carved figures that Manasseh his father had made, and he worshiped them.²³He did not humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had done. Instead, Amon trespassed more and more.

²⁴His servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house.²⁵But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made Josiah, his son, king in his place.

¹Some modern translations have the Chronicles of Hozai , which is the reading of the original text. But many modern translations correct it to read the Chronicles of the Seers . Also, a few modern translations have the Chronicles of his seers .

¹Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.²He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in the ways of David his ancestor, and did not turn away either to the right or to the left.³For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek after the God of David, his ancestor. In the twelfth year, he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, and the carved figures and the cast metal figures.

⁴The people broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; he cut apart the incense altars that were above them. He broke the Asherah poles and the carved figures. He crushed the cast metal figures to dust and scattered the dust on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.⁵He burned the bones of their priests on their altars. In this way, he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

⁶He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, all the way to Naphtali, and in the ruins that surrounded them.⁷He broke down the altars, crushed the Asherah poles and the carved images into powder, and cut apart all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

⁸Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, after Josiah had cleansed the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary, to repair the house of Yahweh his God.⁹They went to Hilkiah, the high priest, and entrusted to him the money that had been brought into the house of God, that the Levites, the guards of the doors, had gathered from Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin, and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

¹⁰They entrusted the money to the men who supervised the work on the temple of Yahweh. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple.¹¹They paid it to the carpenters and builders to buy cut stone and timber for braces, and to make beams for the structures that some kings of Judah had allowed to become ruined.

¹²The men did the work faithfully. Their supervisors Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, from the sons of the Kohathites. Other Levites, all of whom were very good musicians, closely directed the workmen.¹³These Levites supervised those who carried building material and all other men who worked in any way. There were also Levites who were secretaries, administrators, and gate guards.

¹⁴When they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Yahweh that had been given through Moses.¹⁵Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh." Hilkiah brought the book to Shaphan.¹⁶Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported to him, saying, "Your servants are doing everything that has been entrusted to them.

¹⁷They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Yahweh, and they gave it into the hand of the supervisors and to the workmen."¹⁸Shaphan the scribe told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." Then Shaphan read in it to the king.¹⁹It came about that when the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

²⁰The king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, his own servant, saying,²¹"Go and ask Yahweh's will for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, because of the words of the book that has been found. For it is great, the anger of Yahweh that has been poured out on us. ¹ It is great, because our ancestors have not listened to the words of this book so as to obey all that was written in it."

²²So Hilkiah, and those whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (she lived in Jerusalem in the Second District), and they spoke with her in this way.

²³She said to them, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,²⁴'This is what Yahweh says: See, I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that have been written in the book that they have read before the king of Judah.²⁵This will happen because they have abandoned me and have burned incense to other gods, and they have provoked me to anger by all the works of their hands. Therefore, my anger will be poured out on this place, and it will not be extinguished.'

²⁶But to the king of Judah, who sent you to ask Yahweh what he should do, this is what you will say to him, 'Yahweh, the God of Israel says this: About the words that you heard,²⁷because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and because you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have listened to you—this is Yahweh's declaration—²⁸see, I will gather you to your ancestors. You will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see any of the disaster I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.'" The men took this message back to the king.

²⁹Then the king sent messengers and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.³⁰Then the king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, Levites, and all the people, from great to small. He then read in their hearing all the words of the book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of Yahweh.

³¹The king stood in his place and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, his regulations, and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to obey the words of the covenant that were written in this book.³²He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand by the covenant. The inhabitants of Jerusalem acted in obedience to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

³³Josiah took away all the disgusting things from the lands that belonged to the people of Israel. He made everyone in Israel worship Yahweh, their God. For all of his days, they did not turn away from following Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

¹Instead of that has been poured out on us , which is followed by most modern translations, some translations follow another rendering of the Hebrew, to read: that has been kindled against us .

¹Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and they killed the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.²He placed the priests in their positions and encouraged them in the service of the house of Yahweh.

³He said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were set apart to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon son of David, king of Israel built. It will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now worship Yahweh your God, and serve his people Israel.⁴Organize yourselves by your clans and your divisions, following the written instructions of David, king of Israel, and those of Solomon, his son.

⁵Stand in the holy place, taking your position with your divisions within the clans of your brothers, the descendants of the people, and taking your places with your divisions within the clans of the Levites.⁶Kill the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, prepare the lambs for your brothers, to do according to the word of Yahweh that was given by the hand of Moses."

⁷Josiah gave thirty thousand lambs and kids from flocks for the Passover offerings to all the people who were present, and he also gave three thousand head of cattle—all of these were from the king's own possessions.⁸His leaders gave a freewill offering to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the officials in charge of the house of God, gave to the priests 2,600 Passover offerings and three hundred head of cattle.⁹Also Konaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave five thousand Passover offerings to the Levites and five hundred head of cattle.

¹⁰So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their places, with the Levites by their divisions, in response to the king's command.¹¹They killed the Passover lambs, and the priests sprinkled the blood that they received from the Levites' hand, and the Levites skinned the lambs.¹²They removed the burnt offerings, in order to distribute them to the divisions of the clans of the people, to offer them to Yahweh, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle.

¹³They roasted the Passover lambs with fire following the instructions. As for the consecrated offerings, they boiled them in pots, cauldrons, and pans, and they quickly carried them to all the people.¹⁴They later prepared offerings for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were occupied in offering the burnt offerings and the fat until nightfall, so the Levites prepared the offerings for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

¹⁵The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were in their place, according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer, and the guards were at every gate. They did not have to leave their labors because their brothers the Levites made preparations for them.

¹⁶So, at that time the entire service of Yahweh was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of Yahweh, as King Josiah commanded.¹⁷The people of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and then the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.

¹⁸Such a Passover celebration had never been held in Israel from the days of the prophet Samuel, nor had any of the other kings of Israel ever celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did, along with the priests, Levites, and all the people of Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.¹⁹This Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.

²⁰After all this, after Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho, king of Egypt, went up to fight against Carchemish at the Euphrates River, and Josiah went to fight against him.²¹But Necho sent ambassadors to him, saying, "What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but against the house with which I am making war. God has commanded me to hurry, so refrain from interfering with God, who is with me, or he might destroy you."

²²However, Josiah refused to turn away from him. He disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Necho that had come from the mouth of God; so he went to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

²³Archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am badly wounded."²⁴So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in his extra chariot. They took him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

²⁵Jeremiah lamented for Josiah; all the male and female singers lament about Josiah to this day. These songs became customary in Israel; behold, they are written in the songs of lament.

²⁶As for the other matters concerning Josiah, and his good deeds done in obedience to what is written in the law of Yahweh—²⁷his deeds, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

¹Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's place in Jerusalem.²Jehoahaz ¹ was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

³The king of Egypt removed him at Jerusalem, and forced him to pay a fine on the land of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.⁴The king of Egypt made Eliakim, who was the brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem (and changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim). Then Necho took Eliakim's brother Jehoahaz and brought him to Egypt.

⁵Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God.⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked him and bound him in chains to lead him away to Babylon.⁷Nebuchadnezzar also carried some of the objects in the house of Yahweh to Babylon, and put them in his palace at Babylon.

⁸As for the other matters concerning Jehoiakim, the disgusting things that he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. Then Jehoiachin, his son, became king in his place.

⁹Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.¹⁰In the spring of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent men and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable things from the house of Yahweh, and made Zedekiah, his relative, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

¹¹Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.¹²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of Yahweh.

¹³Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear loyalty to him by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.¹⁴Moreover, all the leaders of the priests and the people were extremely unfaithful, and they followed the disgusting practices of the nations. They polluted the house of Yahweh which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

¹⁵Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them by his messengers again and again, because he had compassion on his people and on the place where he lives.¹⁶But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Yahweh arose against his people, until there was no help for it.

¹⁷So God brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and had no compassion on young men or virgins, old men or the gray-haired. God gave them all into his hand.

¹⁸All the furnishings of the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king and his officials—all these he took to Babylon.¹⁹They burned down the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces, and destroyed all the valuable things in it.

²⁰The king carried away to Babylon those who had escaped the sword. They became servants for him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia.²¹This happened to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land should have enjoyed its Sabbath rests. It observed its Sabbath for all the time of its desolation so that it might pass seventy years in this way.

²²Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, so that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be carried out, Yahweh motivated the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing. He said,

²³"This is what Cyrus, king of Persia, says: Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has commanded me to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you from all his people, may Yahweh your God, be with you. Let him go up to the land."

¹Jehoahaz is written in Hebrew as Joahaz, but refers to the same person.

¹There are some textual issues here regarding the phrase the sons of Judah or the descendants of Hodaviah and other matters.

¹The name Bani was missing in the ancient Hebrew copies, but was restored from the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew copies.

¹Instead of the second occurrence of Malkijah , some modern translations substitute Hashabiah .

²Instead of Bani , some modern translations have Bigvai .

³Instead of Among the descendants of Binnui: Shimei , some modern translations have Bani, Binnui, Shimei .

⁴Instead of Maknadebai , some modern translations have Among the descendants of Zaccai .

⁵Instead of and had children with some of them , some modern translations have but sent them away with their children .

Nehemiah

¹The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

Now it happened in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in the fortress of Susa,

²that one of my brothers, Hanani, and some men from Judah came, and I asked them about the Jews, the escaped remnant, those who had escaped from the captivity, and about Jerusalem.

³They said to me, "Those in the province who survived the captivity are in great trouble and disgrace because the wall of Jerusalem has been broken open, and its gates have been set on fire."

⁴As soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and for days I continued grieving and fasting and praying before the God of heaven.⁵Then I said, "Please, I beg you, Yahweh, God of heaven, the God who is great and awesome, who keeps the covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

⁶may your eyes be open and may your ear be attentive so you may hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants. I am confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my father's house have sinned.⁷We have acted very wickedly against you, and we have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules you commanded your servant Moses.

⁸Please call to mind the word you commanded your servant Moses, 'If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the peoples,⁹but if you return to me and follow my commandments and do them, though your people were scattered under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to that place where I have chosen to make my name remain.'

¹⁰Now they are your servants and your people, whom you have rescued by your great power and by your strong hand.¹¹Please, I beg you, Lord, may your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight to honor your name. Now give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."

I served as cupbearer to the king.

¹In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, he selected wine, and I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never before been sad in his presence.²But the king said to me, "Why is your face so sad? You do not appear to be ill. This must be sadness of heart." Then I became very much afraid.

³I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad? The city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire."

⁴Then the king said to me, "What do you want me to do?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.⁵I replied to the king, "If it seems good to the king, and if your servant has done well in your sight, you could send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."⁶The king replied to me (and the queen was also sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone and when will you return?" The king was glad to send me when I gave him an appointed time.

⁷Then I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors in the Province Beyond the River so that they may permit me to pass through their territories on my way to Judah.⁸May there also be a letter for Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, so that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress next to the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house in which I will live."

So because the good hand of God was on me, the king granted me my requests.

⁹I came to the governors in the Province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me commanders of the army and horsemen.¹⁰When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, they were greatly displeased that someone had come who was seeking to help the people of Israel.

¹¹So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.¹²I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me, other than the one I was riding.

¹³I went out by night by the Valley Gate, toward the Jackal's Well and to the Dung Gate, and inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken open, and the wooden gates were destroyed by fire.¹⁴Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool. The place was too narrow for the animal I was riding to pass through.

¹⁵So I went up that night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned.¹⁶The rulers did not know where I went or what I did, and I had not yet informed the Jews, nor the priests, nor the nobles, nor the rulers, nor the rest who did the work.

¹⁷I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so we will no longer be in disgrace."¹⁸I told them that the good hand of my God was on me and also about the king's words that he had spoken to me. They said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

¹⁹But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian heard about it, they mocked and showed us contempt, and they said, "What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"²⁰Then I answered them, "The God of heaven will give us success. We are his servants and we will arise and build. But you have no share, no right, and no historic claim in Jerusalem."

¹Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brother priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors in place. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel.²Next to him the men of Jericho worked, and next to them Zakkur son of Imri worked.

³The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They made beams for it, and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.⁴Meremoth repaired the next section. He is the son of Uriah son of Hakkoz. Next to them Meshullam repaired. He is the son of Berekiah son of Meshezabel. Next to them Zadok repaired. He is the son of Baana.⁵Next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles refused to do the labor ordered by their supervisors.

⁶Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate. They made beams for it, and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.⁷Next to them were men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite—the throne of the governor of the Province Beyond the River.

⁸Next to him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired, and next to him was Hananiah, a maker of perfumes. They rebuilt Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.⁹Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur repaired. He was the official over half the district of Jerusalem.¹⁰Next to them Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired next to his house. Next to him Hattush son of Hashabneiah repaired.

¹¹Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section along with the Tower of the Furnaces.¹²Next to them Shallum son of Hallohesh, the official over half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, along with his daughters.

¹³Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. They repaired a thousand cubits as far as the Dung Gate.

¹⁴Malkijah son of Rekab, the official over the district of Beth Hakkerem, repaired the Dung Gate. He built it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

¹⁵Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, the official over the district of Mizpah, rebuilt the Fountain Gate. He built it, and put a cover on it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. He also rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam by the king's garden, as far as the stairs leading down from the city of David.

¹⁶Nehemiah son of Azbuk, the official over half the district of Beth Zur, repaired to the place across from the tombs of David, to the man-made pool, and to the house of the mighty men.¹⁷After him the Levites repaired, including Rehum son of Bani and next to him, Hashabiah, the official over half the district of Keilah, for his district.

¹⁸After him their brothers repaired, including Binnui son of Henadad, the official over half the district of Keilah.¹⁹Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, the official over Mizpah, repaired another section that faced the ascent to the armory at the corner of the wall.

²⁰After him Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the corner of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.²¹After him Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.

²²Next to him the priests, the men from the area around Jerusalem, repaired.²³After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their own house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah son of Ananiah repaired next to his own house.²⁴After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the corner of the wall.

²⁵Palal son of Uzai repaired over against the corner of the wall and the tower that extends upward from the upper house of the king at the courtyard of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh repaired.²⁶Now the temple servants living in Ophel repaired to the point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.²⁷After him the Tekoites repaired another section that was opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

²⁸The priests repaired above the Horse Gate, each opposite his own house.²⁹After them Zadok son of Immer repaired the section opposite his own house. Then after him Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the keeper of the east gate, repaired.³⁰After him Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam son of Berekiah repaired opposite his living chambers.

³¹After him Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired to the house of the temple servants and the merchants that was opposite the Appointment Gate and the upper living chambers on the corner.³²The goldsmiths and the merchants repaired between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate.

¹Now when Sanballat heard we were building the wall, anger burned within him, and he was furiously angry, and he mocked the Jews.²In the presence of his brothers and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore the city for themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish the work in a day? Will they bring to life the stones from the piles of rubble after they were burned?³Tobiah the Ammonite was with him, and he said, "If only a fox went up on what they are building, it would break down their stone wall!"

⁴Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunts on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land of captivity.⁵Do not cover over their iniquity and let their sin not be blotted out from before you, for they have provoked the builders to anger.

⁶So we built the wall and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a desire to work.

⁷But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the work of repairing the walls of Jerusalem was going forward, and that the broken places in the wall were being closed up, a great anger burned within them.⁸They all conspired together, and they came to fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.⁹But we prayed to our God and set a guard as protection against them day and night because of their threat.

¹⁰Then the people of Judah said, "The strength of those who carry the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble, and we are not able to rebuild the wall."

¹¹Our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come among them and kill them, and stop the work."

¹²At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and spoke to us ten times, warning us about the schemes they were making against us.¹³So I positioned people in the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I positioned each family with their swords, spears, and bows.¹⁴Then I looked, and stood up, and I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Call to mind the Lord, who is great and awesome. Fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

¹⁵It came about when our enemies heard that their plans were known to us, and God had frustrated their plans, all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.¹⁶So from that time half of my servants worked only on rebuilding the wall, and half of them held spears, shields, bows, and wore armor, while the leaders stood behind all the people of Judah

¹⁷and those who were building the wall. Those who carried burdens carried their loads such that each did his work with one hand, and with the other hand he held his weapon.¹⁸Every builder wore his sword girded at his side, and that is how he worked. The one who sounded the ram's horn stayed beside me.

¹⁹I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.²⁰You must rush to the place where you hear the ram's horn sound and assemble there. Our God will fight for us."

²¹So we were doing the work. Half of them were holding spears from the rising of the dawn until the coming out of the stars.²²I also said to the people at that time, "Let every man and his servant spend the night in the middle of Jerusalem, so they may be for us a guard during the night and a worker in the day."²³So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us changed our clothes, and each of us carried his weapon, even if he went for water.

¹Then the people and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews.²For there were some who said, "With our sons and daughters we are many. So let us get grain that we may eat and stay alive."³There were also some who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain during the famine."

⁴Some also said, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.⁵Yet now our flesh and blood is the same as our brothers, and our children are the same as their children. We are forced to sell our sons and our daughters to become slaves. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved. But it is not in our power to help it because other men now own our fields and our vineyards."

⁶I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.⁷Then I thought about this, and earnestly appealed to the nobles and officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his own brother." I held a great assembly against them⁸and said to them, "As for us, we have, according to our ability, bought back from slavery our Jewish brothers who had been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold back to us!" They were silent and never found a word to say.

⁹Also I said, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations that are our enemies?¹⁰I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. But we must stop charging interest on these loans.¹¹Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses and the percentage of the money, the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you exacted from them."

¹²Then they said, "We will return what we took from them, and will require nothing from them. We will do as you say." Then I called the priests, and made them swear to do as they had promised.¹³I shook out the fold of my robe and said, "So may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep his promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied."

All the assembly said, "Amen," and they praised Yahweh and the people did as they had promised.

¹⁴So from the time I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food provided for the governor.¹⁵But the former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took from them forty shekels of silver for their daily food and wine. Even their servants were lords over the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God.

¹⁶I also continued to work on the wall, and we bought no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.¹⁷At my table were the Jews and the officials, 150 men, besides those who came to us from among the nations who were around us.

¹⁸Now what was prepared each day was one ox, six choice sheep, and also birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance, yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the labor was heavy on this people.

¹⁹Call me to mind, my God, for good, because of all that I have done for this people.

¹Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no longer any sections left broken open, although I had not yet set up the doors in the gates,²Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do harm to me.

³I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"⁴They sent me the same message four times, and I answered them the same way each time.

⁵Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.⁶In it was written,

⁷You have also appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' You can be sure the king will hear these reports. Therefore come, let us discuss the matter with one another."

⁸Then I sent word to him saying, "No such things have occurred as you say, for within your heart you invented them."⁹For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and the work will not be done." But now, God, please strengthen my hands.

¹⁰I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his home. He said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. At night they are coming to kill you."¹¹I replied, "Would a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple just so he could save his own life? I will not go in!"

¹²I realized that it was not God who sent him, but that he had prophesied against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.¹³They hired him to make me afraid, so that I might do what he said and sin, so they could give me a bad name in order to humiliate me.

¹⁴Call to mind Tobiah and Sanballat, my God according to their deeds. Also call to mind the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who tried to make me be afraid.

¹⁵So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, after fifty-two days.¹⁶When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us, they became afraid and they fell greatly in their own eyes. For they knew the work was done with the help of our God.

¹⁷At this time the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.¹⁸For there were many in Judah who were bound by an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shekaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.¹⁹They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him.

Letters were sent to me from Tobiah to frighten me.

¹When the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in place, and the gatekeepers and singers and Levites had been appointed,²I put my brother Hanani in charge over Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, the overseer of the fortress, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.

³I said to them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are on guard, you may shut the doors and bar them. Appoint guards from those who live in Jerusalem, some at the place of their guard station, and some in front of their own homes."⁴Now the city was wide and large, but there were few people within it, and no houses had yet been rebuilt.

⁵My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, the officials, and the people to enroll them by families. I found the book of the genealogy of those who returned at the first and found the following written in it.

⁶"These are the people of the province who went up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his city.⁷They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel included the following.

⁸The descendants of Parosh, 2,172.⁹The descendants of Shephatiah, 372.¹⁰The descendants of Arah, 652.

¹¹The descendants of Pahath-Moab, through the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818.¹²The descendants of Elam, 1,254.¹³The descendants of Zattu, 845.¹⁴The descendants of Zakkai, 760.

¹⁵The descendants of Binnui, 648.¹⁶The descendants of Bebai, 628.¹⁷The descendants of Azgad, 2,322.¹⁸The descendants of Adonikam, 667.

¹⁹The descendants of Bigvai, 2,067.²⁰The descendants of Adin, 655.²¹The descendants of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98.²²The descendants of Hashum, 328.

²³The descendants of Bezai, 324.²⁴The descendants of Hariph, 112.²⁵The descendants of Gibeon, 95.²⁶The men from Bethlehem and Netophah, 188.

²⁷The men from Anathoth, 128.²⁸The men of Beth Azmaveth, 42.²⁹The men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743.³⁰The men of Ramah and Geba, 621.

³¹The men of Mikmash, 122.³²The men of Bethel and Ai, 123.³³The men of the other Nebo, 52.³⁴The people of the other Elam, 1,254.

³⁵The men of Harim, 320.³⁶The men of Jericho, 345.³⁷The men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721.³⁸The men of Senaah, 3,930.

³⁹The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah (of the house of Jeshua), 973.⁴⁰The descendants of Immer, 1,052.⁴¹The descendants of Pashhur, 1,247.⁴²The descendants of Harim, 1,017.

⁴³The Levites: The descendants of Jeshua, through the descendants of Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah, 74.

⁴⁴The singers: The descendants of Asaph, 148.

⁴⁵The gatekeepers of the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, 138.

⁴⁶The temple servants: The descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth,⁴⁷the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon,⁴⁸the descendants of Lebana, the descendants of Hagaba, the descendants of Shalmai,⁴⁹the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar.

⁵⁰The descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda,⁵¹the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah,⁵²the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephusim.

⁵³The descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur,⁵⁴the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,⁵⁵the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah,⁵⁶the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.

⁵⁷The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida,⁵⁸the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,⁵⁹the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants of Amon.⁶⁰All the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants, were 392.

⁶¹These were the people who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. But they could not prove that they or their ancestors' families were descendants from Israel:⁶²the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642.

⁶³Those who were from the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who took his wife from the daughters of Barzillai of Gilead and was called by their name).

⁶⁴These sought their records among those enrolled by their families, but they could not be found, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.⁶⁵Then the governor said to them that they should not be allowed to eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until there rose up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁶The whole assembly together was 42,360,⁶⁷besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were 7,337. They had 245 singing men and women.

⁶⁸Their horses were 736 in number, their mules, 245,⁶⁹their camels, 435, and their donkeys, 6,720.

⁷⁰Some from among the heads of ancestors' families gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, 50 basins, and 530 priestly garments. ¹⁷¹Some of the heads of ancestors' families gave into the treasury for the work twenty thousand darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.⁷²The rest of the people gave twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priestly garments.

⁷³So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities.

By the seventh month the people of Israel were settled in their cities."

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text has thirty priestly garments , but it is difficult to understand. Most modern translations have 530 priestly garments . However, some recommend reading thirty priestly garments and five hundred minas of silver .

¹All the people gathered as one man in the open area in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.²On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear and understand.³He faced the open area in front of the Water Gate, and he read from it from early morning until midday, before men and women, and any who could understand, and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

⁴Then Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform which the people had made for the purpose. Standing beside him were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right side; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam were standing on his left side.⁵Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above the people, and when he opened it all the people stood up.

⁶Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah—the Levites—helped the people understand the law, while the people remained in their place. ¹⁸They read in the book, The Law of God, making it clear with interpretation and giving the meaning so the people understood the reading.

⁹Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting to the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.¹⁰Then Nehemiah said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and have something sweet to drink, and send some of it to one who has nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength."

¹¹So the Levites made the people be quiet, saying, "Hush! for this day is holy. Do not be grieved."¹²Then all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to share food and to celebrate with great joy because they had understood the words that were made known to them.

¹³On the second day the leaders of the ancestors' families from all the people, the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe to gain insight from the words of the law.¹⁴They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded through Moses that the people of Israel should live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.¹⁵They should make a proclamation in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out into the hill country, and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtle, palms and shade trees, to make shelters, as it is written."

¹⁶So the people went out and brought the branches back and made themselves shelters, each on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, in the open area in front of the Water Gate, and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.¹⁷All the assembly of those who had returned from captivity made shelters and lived in them. For since the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day, the people of Israel had not celebrated this festival, and so their joy was very great.

¹⁸Also day by day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival for seven days and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, in obedience to the decree.

¹Most modern translations identify as Levites all the persons named in this verse. However, some modern translations put the Levites in the same list as the individuals first named.

¹Now on the twenty-fourth day of the same month the people of Israel were assembled and they were fasting, and they were wearing sackcloth, and they put dust on their heads.²The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood and confessed their own sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.

³They stood up in their places, and for one-fourth of the day they read from the book of the law of Yahweh their God. For another fourth of the day they were confessing and bowing down before Yahweh their God.⁴The Levites, Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani, stood on the stairs and they called out with a loud voice to Yahweh their God.

⁵Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up and give praise to Yahweh your God forever and ever."

"May they bless your glorious name, and may it be exalted above every blessing and praise.

⁶You are Yahweh. You alone. You have made heaven, the highest heavens, with all their host, and the earth and everything on it, and the seas and all that is in them. You give life to them all, and the host of heaven worship you.

⁷You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and gave him the name Abraham.⁸You found his heart was faithful before you, and you made with him the covenant to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.

⁹You saw the affliction of our forefathers in Egypt and you heard their cry by the Sea of Reeds.¹⁰You gave signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and on all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians acted with arrogance against them. But you made a name for yourself which stands to this day.

¹¹Then you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and threw those who pursued them into the depths, as a stone into deep waters.

¹²You led them by a pillar of cloud during the day, and by a pillar of fire during the night to light the way for them to go.¹³On Mount Sinai you came down and you spoke with them from heaven and gave to them righteous decrees and true laws, good statutes and commandments.

¹⁴You made your holy Sabbath known to them, and you gave them commandments and statutes and a law through Moses your servant.¹⁵You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and water from a rock for their thirst, and you said to them to go in to possess the land you swore on oath to give them.

¹⁶But they and our ancestors acted arrogantly, and they stiffened their necks and did not listen to your commandments.¹⁷They refused to listen, and they did not think about the wonders that you had done among them, but they stiffened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their slavery. But you are a God who is full of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. You did not abandon them.

¹⁸Even when they had cast a calf out of molten metal and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had committed great blasphemies,¹⁹you, in your compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them on the way did not leave them during day, neither did the pillar of fire by night to light the way for them to go.

²⁰Your good Spirit you gave them to instruct them, and your manna you did not withhold from their mouths, and water you gave them for their thirst.²¹For forty years you provided for them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

²²You gave them kingdoms and peoples, assigning to them every corner of the land. Then they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³You made their children as numerous as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you told their ancestors to go in and possess.²⁴So the people went in and possessed the land and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites. You gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that Israel might do with them as they pleased.

²⁵They captured the fortified cities and a productive land, and they took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already cut out, vineyards and olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were satisfied and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in your great goodness.

²⁶Then they became disobedient and they rebelled against you. They threw your law behind their backs. They murdered your prophets who had warned them to turn back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.²⁷So you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. In the time of their suffering, they cried out to you, and you heard them from heaven, and because of your great mercies you sent them rescuers who rescued them out of the hand of their enemies.

²⁸But after they had rest, they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so their enemies ruled over them. Yet when they returned and cried out to you, you heard from heaven, and many times because of your compassion you rescued them.²⁹You warned them so they might turn back to your law. Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to your commands. They sinned against your decrees which give life to anyone who obeys them. They gave the stubborn shoulder-blade and stiffened their neck and refused to listen.

³⁰For many years you put up with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they did not listen. So you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.³¹But in your great mercies you did not destroy them completely or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

³²Now therefore, our God—you great, mighty, and awesome God who keep your covenant and steadfast love—do not let all this hardship seem little to you that has come on us, on our kings, on our leaders, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our ancestors, and on all your people from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.³³You are just in everything that has come on us, for you have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.³⁴Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law, nor paid attention to your commandments or your laws by which you warned them.

³⁵Even in their own kingdom, while they enjoyed your great goodness to them, in the large and productive land you set before them, they did not serve you or turn away from their evil deeds.

³⁶Now we are slaves in the land you gave our ancestors to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, and behold, we are slaves in it!³⁷The rich produce of our land goes to the kings you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

³⁸Because of all this, we make a firm covenant in writing. On the sealed document are the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests."

¹On the sealed documents were Nehemiah, the governor, son of Hakaliah and Zedekiah,²Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

³Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,

⁴Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,

⁵Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

⁶Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

⁷Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

⁸Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

⁹The Levites were: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the family of Henadad, Kadmiel,

¹⁰and their fellow Levites, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

¹¹Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,

¹²Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

¹³Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

¹⁴The leaders of the people were: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

¹⁵Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

¹⁶Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

¹⁷Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

¹⁸Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

¹⁹Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

²⁰Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

²¹Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

²²Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

²³Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

²⁴Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

²⁵Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

²⁶Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

²⁷Malluk, Harim, and Baanah.

²⁸As for the rest of the people, who were priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands and pledged themselves to the law of God, including their wives, their sons and their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding,²⁹they joined together with their brothers, their nobles, and bound themselves with both a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and obey all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord and his decrees and his statutes.

³⁰We promised that we would not give our daughters to the people of the land or take their daughters for our sons.³¹We also promised that if the people of the land bring goods or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will let our fields rest, and we will cancel all debts.

³²We accepted the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God,³³to provide for the bread of the presence, and for the regular grain offering, the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals and appointed feasts, and for the holy offerings, and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, as well as for all the work of the house of our God.

³⁴We—the priests, the Levites, and the people—cast lots for the wood offering. The lots would select which of our families would bring wood into the house of our God at the appointed times each year, to be burned on the altar of Yahweh our God, as it is written in the law.³⁵We promised to bring to the house of Yahweh the firstfruits grown from our soil, and each year the firstfruits from each tree.³⁶The firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle—according to what is written in the law—and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks we will bring to the house of our God, to the priests who serve in the house of our God.

³⁷We will bring the first of our dough and our grain offerings, and the fruit of every tree and new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God. We will bring to the Levites the tithes from our soil because the Levites collect the tithes in all the towns where we labor.³⁸A priest, a descendant of Aaron, must be with the Levites when they receive the tithes. The Levites must bring a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God to the rooms of the storehouse.

³⁹For the people of Israel and the descendants of Levi are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the priests who are serving, and the gatekeepers, and the singers stay.

We will not neglect the house of our God.

¹The leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, and the other nine remained in other towns.²Then the people blessed all those who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

³These are the provincial officials who lived in Jerusalem. However, in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his own property, including some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon's servants.⁴In Jerusalem lived some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin.

The people from Judah included: Athaiah son of Uzziah son of Zechariah son of Amariah son of Shephatiah son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez.

⁵There was Maaseiah son of Baruch son of Kol-Hozeh son of Hazaiah son of Adaiah son of Joiarib son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah.⁶All the descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468. They were outstanding men.

⁷These are the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam son of Joed son of Pedaiah son of Kolaiah son of Maaseiah son of Ithiel son of Jeshaiah,⁸and those following him, Gabbai and Sallai, 928 men. ¹⁹Joel son of Zikri was their overseer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second in command over the city.

¹⁰From the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin,¹¹Seraiah son of Hilkiah son of Meshullam son of Zadok son of Meraioth son of Ahitub, the chief official of the house of God,¹²and their associates who did the work for the house, 822 men, along with Adaiah son of Jeroham son of Pelaliah son of Amzi son of Zechariah son of Pashhur son of Malkijah.

¹³His brothers were heads of clans, 242 men; and Amashsai son of Azarel son of Ahzai son of Meshillemoth son of Immer,¹⁴and their brothers, 128 valiant warriors; their overseer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.

¹⁵From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub son of Azrikam son of Hashabiah son of Bunni,¹⁶and Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were from the leaders of the Levites and were in charge of the outside work of the house of God.

¹⁷There was Mattaniah son of Mika son of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph, who was the director who began the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers, and Abda son of Shammua son of Galal son of Jeduthun.¹⁸All the Levites in the holy city numbered 284.

¹⁹The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, 172 men.

²⁰The remainder of Israel and of the priests and the Levites were in all the towns of Judah. Everyone lived on his own inherited property.²¹The temple workers lived in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.

²²The chief officer over the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani son of Hashabiah son of Mattaniah son of Mika, of the descendants of Asaph, singers over the work in the house of God.²³They were under orders from the king, and firm orders were given for the singers as every day required.²⁴Then Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, was at the king's side in all matters concerning the people.

²⁵As for the villages and their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages,²⁶and in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet,²⁷Hazar Shual, and Beersheba and its villages.

²⁸Some of the people of Judah lived in Ziklag, Mekonah and its villages,²⁹En Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth,³⁰Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, and in Lachish its fields and Azekah and its villages. So they encamped from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

³¹The descendants of the Benjamites settled in Geba, Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,³²Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,³³Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,³⁴Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,³⁵Lod, Ono, and Ge Harashim. ²³⁶Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were assigned to the people of Benjamin.

¹Instead of those following him , some scholars suggest his brothers because that construction appears in Nehemiah 11:13, 14, 17, and 19 .

²Some modern English translations read, Lod, Ono, and the Valley of the Craftsmen . Others read, Lod and Ono, the valley of the craftsmen .

¹These were the priests and Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

²Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,

³Shekaniah, Rehum, and Meremoth.

⁴There were Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

⁵Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,

⁶Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

⁷Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua.

⁸The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was in charge of the thanksgiving songs, along with his associates.⁹Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them during the service.

¹⁰Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada,¹¹Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

¹²In the days of Joiakim these were the priests, the leaders of the families: Meraiah was the leader of Seraiah, Hananiah was the leader of Jeremiah,

¹³Meshullam was the leader of Ezra, Jehohanan was the leader of Amariah,

¹⁴Jonathan was the leader of Malluk, and Joseph was the leader of Shebaniah. ¹

¹⁵Adna was the leader of Harim, Helkai the leader of Meremoth,

¹⁶Zechariah was the leader of Iddo, Meshullam was the leader of Ginnethon, and

¹⁷Zikri was the leader of Abijah; Piltai was the leader of Miniamin and Moadiah.

¹⁸Shammua was the leader of Bilgah, Jehonathan was the leader of Shemaiah,

¹⁹Mattenai was the leader of Joiarib, Uzzi was the leader of Jedaiah,

²⁰Kallai was the leader of Sallu, Eber was the leader of Amok,

²¹Hashabiah was the leader of Hilkiah, and Nethanel was the leader of Jedaiah.

²²In the days of Eliashib, the Levites Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were recorded as the heads of families, and the priests were recorded during the reign of Darius the Persian.²³The descendants of Levi, their leaders of families were recorded in the book of the annals up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

²⁴The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and to give thanks, responding section by section, in obedience to the command of David, the man of God.²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms by the gates.²⁶They served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.

²⁷At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the people sought out the Levites wherever they lived, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with joy, with thanksgivings and singing with cymbals, lutes, and harps.²⁸The fellowship of singers gathered together from the district around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.

²⁹They also came from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.³⁰The priests and the Levites purified themselves, and then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

³¹Then I had the leaders of Judah go up to the top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs who gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate.

³²Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,³³and after them went Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,³⁴Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,³⁵and some of the priests' sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan son of Shemaiah son of Mattaniah son of Micaiah son of Zakkur son of Asaph.

³⁶There also were Zechariah's relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe was in front of them.³⁷By the Fountain Gate they went straight up on the stairs of the city of David, by the stairway to the wall above David's palace, to the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸The other choir of those who gave thanks went in the other direction. I followed them on the wall with half the people, above the Tower of Ovens, to the Broad Wall,³⁹and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate, and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

⁴⁰So both choirs of those who gave thanks took their place in the house of God, and I also took my place with half of the officials with me.⁴¹Then the priests took their place: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with the trumpets,⁴²and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer, and the singers made themselves heard and Jezrahiah was their leader.

⁴³They offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy. Also the women and the children rejoiced. So the joy of Jerusalem could be heard far away.

⁴⁴On that day men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the law for the priests and for the Levites. Each was assigned to work the fields near the towns. For Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who were standing before them.⁴⁵They performed the service of their God, and the service of purification, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers, in keeping with the command of David and of Solomon his son.

⁴⁶For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were directors of singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.⁴⁷In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers. They set aside the consecrated portion that was for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the consecrated portion for the descendants of Aaron.

¹Many modern translations have Malluk as a correction for Malluki in the Hebrew text. The correct form of this name appears in Neh. 12:2.

¹On that day they read in the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. It was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should come into the assembly of God, forever.²This was because they had not come to the people of Israel with bread and with water, but they had hired Balaam to curse Israel. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.³As soon as they heard the law, they separated out from Israel every foreign person.

⁴Now before this Eliashib the priest was appointed over the storerooms of the house of our God. He was related to Tobiah.⁵Eliashib prepared for Tobiah a large storeroom, where previously they kept the grain offering, the incense, the articles, and the tithes of the grain, new wine, and the oil, which were commanded to be for the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

⁶But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. After some time I asked the king for permission to leave,⁷and I returned to Jerusalem. I understood the evil that Eliashib had done by giving Tobiah a storeroom in the courts of the house of God.

⁸This was very displeasing to me and I threw all Tobiah's household articles out of the storeroom.⁹I ordered that they purify the storerooms, and I put back in them the articles of the house of God, the grain offerings, and the incense.

¹⁰I learned that the Levites' portions had not been given to them, and they had run away, each to his own field, the Levites and the singers who did the work.¹¹So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God neglected?" I gathered them together and stationed them at their posts.

¹²Then all Judah brought in the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the storehouses.¹³I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and from the Levites, Pedaiah. Next to them was Hanan son of Zakkur son of Mattaniah, for they were counted as trustworthy. Their duties were to distribute the supplies to their associates.

¹⁴Call me to mind, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out the good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and its services.

¹⁵In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of heavy loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I warned them against selling food on that day.

¹⁶Men from Tyre living in Jerusalem brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and they sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah and in the city!¹⁷Then I confronted the nobles of Judah, "What is this evil thing you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?¹⁸Did not your fathers do this? Did not our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

¹⁹As soon as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut and that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I stationed some of my servants at the gates so no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.²⁰The merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.

²¹But I warned them, "Why do you camp outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!" From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.²²Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves, and come and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.

Call me to mind for this also, my God, and have mercy on me because of the covenant loyalty you have toward me.

²³In those days I also saw Jews that had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.²⁴Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod. None of them knew how to speak the language of Judah, but only the language of one of the other peoples.

²⁵I confronted them, and I cursed them, and I hit some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear by God, saying, "You will not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of these women? Among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, his foreign wives caused him to sin.²⁷Should we then listen to you and do all this great evil, and act unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?"

²⁸One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I caused him to flee from my presence.

²⁹Call them to mind, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

³⁰Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and established the duties of the priests and the Levites, each to his own task.³¹I provided for the wood offering at the appointed times and for the firstfruits.

Call me to mind, my God, for good.

Job

¹There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned from evil.²There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.³He possessed seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred donkeys and a great many servants. He was the man who was the greatest of all the people of the East.

⁴On each son's assigned day, he would give a feast in his house. They would send and call for their three sisters to eat and drink with them.⁵When the days of the feast were over, Job would send for them and he would consecrate them. He would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings for each of his children, for he would say, "It may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Job always did this.

⁶Then it was the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh. Satan also came with them.⁷Yahweh said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From wandering on the earth, from going back and forth on it."⁸Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil."

⁹Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "Is it for no reason that Job fears God?¹⁰Have you not put a barrier around him, around his house, and around all that is his from every side? You have blessed the deeds of his hands, and his livestock have spread throughout the land.¹¹But now stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and see if he does not curse you to your face."¹²Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him himself do not stretch out your hand." Then Satan went away from the presence of Yahweh.

¹³It came about that on a certain day, his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.¹⁴A messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were feeding beside them.¹⁵Then the Sabeans fell on them and took them away. As for the servants, they have struck them with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to make it known to you."

¹⁶While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants. I alone have escaped to make it known to you."¹⁷While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups, made a raid on the camels, and have taken them away. As for the servants, they have struck them with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to make it known to you."

¹⁸While he was yet speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.¹⁹A strong wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people, and they died. I alone have escaped to make it known to you."

²⁰Then Job rose, tore his robe, shaved his head, lay facedown on the ground, and worshiped God.²¹He said, "I was naked when I came out of my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I will return there. It is Yahweh who gave, and it is Yahweh who has taken away. May the name of Yahweh be blessed."

²²In all this matter, Job did not sin, nor did he accuse God of wrongdoing.

¹Then it was the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh. Satan also came with them to present himself before Yahweh.²Yahweh said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From wandering on the earth, from going back and forth on it."

³Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. He still holds fast to his integrity, although you misled me against him, to destroy him without cause."

⁴Satan answered Yahweh and said, "Skin for skin, indeed; a man will give all he has for his life.⁵But stretch out your hand now and touch his bones and his flesh, and see if he does not curse you to your face."

⁶Yahweh said to Satan, "See, he is in your hand; it is only his life that you must spare."

⁷Then Satan went away from the presence of Yahweh. He struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his feet to his head.⁸Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself with, and he sat down in the middle of ashes.

⁹Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die."¹⁰But he said to her, "You talk as a foolish woman talks. Should we receive the good from God and not receive the bad?" In all this matter, Job did not sin with his lips.

¹¹Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, each of them came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They set a time to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

¹²When they lifted up their eyes at a distance, they did not recognize him. They raised their voices and wept; each tore his robe and threw dust into the air and upon his own head.¹³Then they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights. No one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

¹After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.²He said,

³"May the day on which I was born perish,

the night that said, 'A boy has been conceived.'

⁴May that day be dark!

May God not care about it,

nor light shine on it.

⁵May darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own.

May a cloud live over it;

may everything that makes the day black truly terrify it.

⁶As for that night, may thick darkness seize it.

May it not rejoice among the days of the year;

may it not come into the number of the months.

⁷See, may that night be barren;

may no joyful voice come into it.

⁸Those who curse the day–may they curse it,

those who know how to wake up Leviathan.

⁹May the stars of that day's dawn be dark.

May that day look for light, but find none;

neither may it see the eyelids of the dawn,

¹⁰because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb,

and because it did not hide trouble from my eyes.

¹¹Why did I not die when I came out from the womb?

Why did I not perish when my mother bore me?

¹²Why did her knees welcome me?

Why did her breasts receive me so that I should suck?

¹³For now I would have been lying down quietly.

I would have slept and been at rest

¹⁴with kings and counselors of the earth,

who built up tombs for themselves that are now in ruins.

¹⁵Or I would have been lying down with princes who once had gold,

who had filled their houses with silver.

¹⁶Or perhaps I would have been stillborn,

like infants that never see the light.

¹⁷There the wicked cease from trouble;

there the weary are at rest.

¹⁸There the prisoners are at ease together;

they do not hear the voice of the slave driver.

¹⁹Both small and great people are there;

the servant is free from his master there.

²⁰Why is light given to him who suffers?

Why is life given to the one who is bitter in soul,

²¹to one who longs for death without it coming;

to one who digs for it more than for hidden treasure?

²²Why is light given to one who rejoices very much

and is glad when he finds the grave?

²³Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,

a man whom God has hedged in?

²⁴For my sighing happens instead of eating;

my groaning is poured out like water.

²⁵For the thing that I feared has come upon me;

what I was afraid of has come to me.

²⁶I am not at ease, I am not quiet, and I have no rest;

trouble comes instead."

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

²If anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient?

But who can stop himself from speaking?

³See, you have instructed many;

you have strengthened weak hands.

⁴Your words have supported him who was falling;

you have made feeble knees strong.

⁵But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary;

it touches you, and you are troubled.

⁶Is not your fear your confidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷Think about this, please: Who has ever perished when innocent?

Or when were the upright people ever cut off?

⁸According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity

and sow trouble reap it.

⁹By the breath of God they perish;

by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,

the teeth of the young lions—they are broken.

¹¹The old lion perishes for lack of victims;

the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.

¹²Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me,

and my ear received a whisper about it.

¹³Then came thoughts from visions in the night,

when deep sleep falls on people.

¹⁴It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me,

and all my bones shook.

¹⁵Then a spirit passed before my face,

and the hair of my flesh stood up.

¹⁶The spirit stood still,

but I could not discern its appearance.

A form was before my eyes;

there was silence, and I heard a voice that said,

¹⁷"Can a mortal man be more righteous than God?

Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

¹⁸See, if God puts no trust in his servants;

if he accuses his angels of folly,

¹⁹how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay,

whose foundation is in the dust,

who are crushed sooner than a moth?

²⁰Between morning and evening they are destroyed;

they perish forever without anyone noticing them.

²¹Are not their tent cords plucked up among them?

They die; they die without wisdom.

¹Call out now; is there anyone who will answer you?

To which of the holy ones will you turn?

²For anger kills the foolish;

jealousy causes the death of the silly.

³I have seen a foolish person taking root,

but suddenly I cursed his home.

⁴His children are far from safety;

they are crushed in the city gate.

There is no one to rescue them.

⁵The hungry eat up their harvest;

they even take it from among the thorns.

The thirsty pant for their wealth.

⁶For difficulties do not come out from the soil;

neither does trouble sprout from the ground.

⁷Yet, mankind is born for trouble,

just as sparks fly upward.

⁸But as for me, I would turn to God himself;

to him I would commit my cause—

⁹he who does great and unsearchable things,

marvelous things without number.

¹⁰He gives rain on the earth,

and sends water on the fields.

¹¹He does this in order to set up on high those who are low;

to raise to safety those who mourn.

¹²He breaks the plans of crafty people,

so that their hands cannot achieve success.

¹³He traps wise people in their own crafty actions;

the plans of twisted people are hurried to their end.

¹⁴They encounter darkness in the daytime,

and grope at noonday as if it were night.

¹⁵But he saves the poor person from the sword in their mouths

and the needy person from the hand of mighty people.

¹⁶So the poor person has hope,

and injustice shuts her own mouth.

¹⁷See, blessed is the man whom God corrects;

therefore, do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

¹⁸For he inflicts pain and then binds up;

he wounds and then his hands heal.

¹⁹He will rescue you out of six troubles;

indeed, in seven troubles, no evil will touch you.

²⁰In famine he will ransom you from death,

and in war from the hands of the sword.

²¹You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue;

and you will not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

²²You will laugh at destruction and famine,

and you will not be afraid of beasts of the earth.

²³For you will have a covenant with the stones in your field,

and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

²⁴You will know that your tent is in safety;

you will visit your sheepfold and you will not miss anything.

²⁵You will also know that your seed will be great,

that your descendants will be like the grass on the ground.

²⁶You will come to your grave at a full age,

like a stack of grain bundles that goes up at its time.

²⁷See, we have examined this matter; it is like this;

listen to it, and know it for yourself."

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"Oh, if only my anguish were weighed;

if only all my calamity were laid in the balance!

³For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas.

That is why my words were reckless.

⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are in me,

my spirit drinks up the poison;

the terrors of God have arranged themselves in array against me.

⁵Does the wild donkey bray in despair when he has grass?

Or does the ox low in hunger when it has fodder?

⁶Can that which has no taste be eaten without salt?

Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷I refuse to touch them;

they are like disgusting food to me.

⁸Oh, that I might have my request;

oh, that God would grant me the thing I long for:

⁹that it would please God to crush me once,

that he would set his hand free and cut me off from this life!

¹⁰May this still be my consolation—

even if I rejoice in pain that does not lessen:

that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹¹What is my strength, that I should continue to hope?

What is my end, that I should prolong my life?

¹²Is my strength the strength of stones?

Or is my flesh made of bronze?

¹³Is it not true that I have no help in myself,

and that wisdom has been driven out of me?

¹⁴To the person who is about to faint, faithfulness should be shown by his friend;

even to him who abandons the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵But my brothers have acted as deceitfully to me as a desert streambed,

as channels of water that pass away to nothing,

¹⁶which are darkened because of ice over them,

and because of the snow that hides itself in them.

¹⁷When they thaw out, they vanish;

when it is hot, they melt out of their place.

¹⁸The caravans that travel by their way turn aside for water;

they wander into wasteland and then perish.

¹⁹Caravans from Tema looked there,

while companies of Sheba hoped in them.

²⁰They were disappointed because they had been confident of finding water.

They went there, but they were put to shame.

²¹For now you friends are nothing to me;

you see my dreadful situation and are afraid.

²²Did I say to you, 'Give something to me'

or, 'Offer me a bribe from your wealth'

²³or, 'Save me from my adversary's hand'

or, 'Ransom me from the hand of oppressors'?

²⁴Teach me, and I will hold my peace;

make me understand where I have been wrong.

²⁵How painful are upright words!

But your arguments, how do they actually rebuke me?

²⁶Do you plan to ignore my words,

treating the words of a desperate man like the wind?

²⁷Indeed, you cast lots for a fatherless child,

and haggle over your friend like merchandise.

²⁸Now, therefore, please look at me,

for surely I would not lie to your face.

²⁹Relent, I beg you; let there be no injustice with you;

Indeed, relent, for my cause is just.

³⁰Is there evil on my tongue?

Cannot my mouth detect destructive things?

¹Does not man have hard labor on earth?

Are not his days like the days of a hired man?

²Like a slave earnestly desires the shadows of evening,

like a hired man looks for his wages—

³so I have been assigned months of emptiness;

I have been given trouble-filled nights.

⁴When I lie down, I say to myself,

'When will I get up and when will the night be gone?'

I am full of tossing to and fro until the day's dawning.

⁵My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust;

the sores in my skin harden up and then dissolve and run afresh.

⁶My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;

they pass without hope.

⁷God, call to mind that my life is only a breath;

my eye will no more see good.

⁸The eye of God, who sees me, will see me no more;

God's eyes will be on me, but I will not exist.

⁹As a cloud is consumed and vanishes away,

so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.

¹⁰He will return no more to his house;

neither will his place know him again.

¹¹Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;

I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹²Am I the sea or a sea monster

that you place a guard over me?

¹³When I say, 'My bed will comfort me,

and my couch will ease my complaint,'

¹⁴then you frighten me with dreams

and terrify me through visions,

¹⁵so that my soul would choose strangling

and death rather than preserving these bones of mine.

¹⁶I despise my life; I would not wish to always be alive;

let me alone, for my days are useless.

¹⁷What is man that you should pay attention to him,

that you should set your mind on him,

¹⁸that you should observe him every morning

and test him every moment?

¹⁹How long will it be before you look away from me,

before you let me alone long enough for me to swallow down my own saliva?

²⁰Even if I have sinned, what would that do to you,

you who watch men?

Why have you made a target of me,

so that I am a burden for you?

²¹Why do you not pardon my transgression

and take away my iniquity?

For now will I lie down in the dust;

you will seek me carefully, but I will not exist."

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

²"How long will you say these things?

How long will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

³Does God pervert justice?

Does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

⁴Your children have sinned against him;

we know this, for he gave them into the hand of their sins.

⁵But suppose you diligently sought God

and sought the favor of the Almighty.

⁶If you are pure and upright,

then he would surely stir himself on your behalf

and restore you to your rightful place.

⁷Even though your beginning was small,

still your final condition would be much greater.

⁸Please ask the former generations,

and give your attention to what our ancestors learned.

⁹(We were only born yesterday and know nothing

because our days on earth are a shadow.)

¹⁰Will they not teach you and tell you?

Will they not speak words from their hearts?

¹¹Can papyrus grow without a marsh?

Can reeds grow without water?

¹²While they are still green and not cut down,

they wither before any other plant.

¹³So also are the paths of all who forget God;

the hope of the godless will perish.

¹⁴His confidence will break apart,

and his trust is as weak as a spider's web.

¹⁵He leans on his house, but it will not support him;

he takes hold of it, but it does not stand.

¹⁶Under the sun he is green,

and his shoots go out over his entire garden.

¹⁷His roots are wrapped about the heaps of stone;

they look for good places among the rocks.

¹⁸But if this person is destroyed out of his place,

then that place will deny him and say, 'I never saw you.'

¹⁹See, this is the "joy" of such a person's behavior;

other plants will sprout out of the same soil in his place.

²⁰See, God will not reject an innocent man;

neither will he take the hand of evildoers.

²¹He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,

your lips with shouting.

²²Those who hate you will be clothed with shame;

the tent of the wicked will be no more."

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"I truly know that this is so.

But how can a person be in the right with God?

³If he wants to argue with God,

he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.

⁴God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;

who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?—

⁵he who removes the mountains without warning anyone

when he overturns them in his anger—

⁶he who shakes the earth out of its place

and sets its pillars trembling.

⁷It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not,

and who covers up the stars,

⁸who by himself stretches out the heavens

and tramples down the waves of the sea,

⁹who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades,

and the constellations of the south.

¹⁰He does great and unsearchable things,

and wonderful things that cannot be counted.

¹¹See, he goes by me, and I do not see him;

he passes on, but I do not understand him.

¹²If he takes something away, who can stop him?

Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'

¹³God will not withdraw his anger;

the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.

¹⁴How much less could I answer him,

could I choose words to reason with him?

¹⁵Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him;

I could only plead for mercy with my judge.

¹⁶Even if I called and he answered me,

I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.

¹⁷For he breaks me with a tempest

and multiplies my wounds without cause.

¹⁸He does not allow me to regain my breath;

but he fills me with bitterness.

¹⁹If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty!

If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?

²⁰Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;

and though I am blameless, my words would prove me to be guilty.

²¹I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself;

I despise my own life.

²²It makes no difference, which is why I say

that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.

²³When a whip suddenly kills,

he mocks the despair of the innocent.

²⁴The earth is given into the hand of wicked people;

God covers the faces of its judges.

If it is not he who does it, then who is it?

²⁵My days are swifter than a running messenger;

my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.

²⁶They are as fast as papyrus reed boats,

and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim.

²⁷If I said that I would forget about my complaints,

that I would take off my sad face and be happy,

²⁸I would be afraid of all my sorrows

because I know that you will not consider me innocent.

²⁹I will be condemned;

why, then, should I try in vain?

³⁰If I washed myself with snow water

and made my hands ever so clean,

³¹God would plunge me in a ditch,

and my own clothes would be disgusted with me.

³²For God is not a man, as I am, that I could answer him,

that we could come together in court.

³³There is no judge between us

who might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me,

who could keep his terror from frightening me.

³⁵Then would I speak up and not fear him.

But as things are now, I cannot do that.

¹I am weary of my life;

I will give free expression to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

²I will say to God, 'Do not merely condemn me;

show me why you accuse me.

³Is it good to you that you should oppress me,

to despise the labor of your hands

while you smile on the plans of the wicked?

⁴Do you have eyes of flesh?

Do you see like a man sees?

⁵Are your days like the days of mankind

or your years like the years of people,

⁶that you inquire after my iniquity

and search after my sin,

⁷although you know I am not guilty

and there is no one who can rescue me from your hand?

⁸Your hands have framed and fashioned me

together round about, yet you are destroying me.

⁹Call to mind, I beg you, that you have fashioned me like clay;

will you bring me into dust again?

¹⁰Have you not poured me out like milk

and curdled me like cheese?

¹¹You have clothed me with skin and flesh

and knit me together with bones and sinews.

¹²You have granted me life and covenant faithfulness;

your care has guarded my spirit.

¹³Yet these things you hid in your heart—

I know that this is what you were thinking:

¹⁴that if I sinned, you would notice it;

you would not acquit me of my iniquity.

¹⁵If I have acted wickedly, woe to me;

and even if I acted righteously,

I could not lift up my head,

since I am filled with disgrace—

see my affliction!

¹⁶If my head were lifted up,

you would stalk me like a lion;

and again you would show yourself with marvellous acts of power against me.

¹⁷You bring new witnesses against me

and increase your anger against me;

you attack me with fresh armies.

¹⁸Why, then, have you brought me out of the womb?

I wish I had died and that no eye had ever seen me.

¹⁹I would have been as though I had never existed;

I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰Are not my days only a few? Stop then,

let me alone, so that I may have a little rest

²¹before I go from where I will not return,

to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death,

²²the land that is as dark as darkness,

the land of the shadow of death, without any order,

where the light is like darkness.'"

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

²"Should not such a multitude of words be answered?

Should this man, so full of talk, be acquitted?

³Should your boasting make others remain silent?

When you mock, will no one make you feel ashamed?

⁴For you say to God, 'My beliefs are pure,

I am clean in your eyes.'

⁵But, oh, that God would speak

and open his lips against you;

⁶that he would show you the secrets of wisdom!

For sound wisdom has two sides.

Know then that God demands from you less than your iniquity deserves.

⁷Can you understand God by searching for him?

Can you comprehend the Almighty perfectly?

⁸The matter is as high as heaven; what can you do?

It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

⁹Its measure is longer than the earth,

and wider than the sea.

¹⁰If he passes through and shuts anyone up,

if he calls an assembly, then who can stop him?

¹¹For he knows deceitful people;

when he sees iniquity, does he not notice it?

¹²But foolish people will gain understanding

when the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.

¹³But suppose that you set your heart right

and reach out with your hands toward God;

¹⁴suppose that iniquity is in your hand,

but that you put it far away from you,

and do not let unrighteousness live in your tents.

¹⁵Then you will certainly lift up your face without a sign of shame;

indeed, you will be steadfast and will not fear.

¹⁶You will forget your trouble;

you will remember it only like waters that have flowed away.

¹⁷Your life will be brighter than the noonday;

though there be darkness, it will become like the morning.

¹⁸You will be secure because there is hope;

indeed, you will find safety about you and will take your rest in safety.

¹⁹Also you will lie down in rest, and none will make you afraid;

indeed, many will seek your favor.

²⁰But the eyes of wicked people will fail;

they will have no refuge;

their only hope will be a last gasp of life."

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"No doubt you are the people;

wisdom will die with you.

³But I have understanding as well as you;

I am not inferior to you.

Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

⁴I am something for my neighbor to laugh at—

I, one who called on God and who was answered by him!

I, a just and blameless man—I am now something to laugh at.

⁵In the thought of someone who is at ease, there is contempt for misfortune;

he thinks in a way that brings more misfortune to those whose foot is slipping.

⁶The tents of robbers prosper,

and those who provoke God feel secure;

their own hands are their gods.

⁷But now ask the animals, and they will teach you;

ask the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you.

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;

the fish of the sea will declare to you.

⁹Which animal among all these does not know

that the hand of Yahweh has done this?

¹⁰In his hand is the life of every living thing

and the breath of all mankind.

¹¹Does not the ear test words

just as the palate tastes its food?

¹²With aged men is wisdom;

in length of days is understanding.

¹³With God are wisdom and might;

he has counsel and understanding.

¹⁴See, he breaks things down, and they cannot be built again;

if he imprisons someone, there can be no release.

¹⁵See, if he withholds the waters, they dry up;

and if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.

¹⁶With him are strength and wisdom;

people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power.

¹⁷He leads counselors away barefoot in sorrow;

he turns judges into fools.

¹⁸He removes the bond of kings;

he wraps a cloth about their waists.

¹⁹He leads priests away barefoot in sorrow

and overthrows mighty people.

²⁰He removes the speech of those who had been trusted

and takes away the understanding of the elders.

²¹He pours contempt upon princes

and unfastens the belt of the strong.

²²He reveals the deep things of darkness

and brings utter darkness into the light.

²³He makes nations strong, and he also destroys them;

He enlarges nations, and he also leads them along as prisoners.

²⁴He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth;

he causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.

²⁵They grope in the dark without light;

he makes them stagger like a drunk man.

¹See, my eye has seen all this;

my ear has heard and understood it.

²What you know, the same I also know;

I am not inferior to you.

³However, I would rather speak with the Almighty;

I wish to reason with God.

⁴But you whitewash the truth with lies;

you are all worthless healers.

⁵Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace!

That would be your wisdom.

⁶Hear now my own reasoning;

listen to the pleading of my own lips.

⁷Will you speak unrighteousness for God,

and will you talk deceitfully for him?

⁸Will you show him partiality?

Will you argue the case for God?

⁹Will it be good for you when he examines you?

Could you deceive him as you might deceive men?

¹⁰He would surely reprove you

if in secret you showed partiality.

¹¹Will not his majesty terrify you,

and the dread of him fall upon you?

¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs made of ashes;

your defenses are defenses made of clay.

¹³Hold your peace, let me alone, so that I may speak,

let come what may on me.

¹⁴I will take my own flesh in my teeth;

I will take my life in my hands.

¹⁵See, if he kills me, I will have no hope left;

nevertheless, I will defend my ways before him.

¹⁶This will be the reason for my deliverance,

for no godless person would come before him.

¹⁷God, listen carefully to my speech;

let my declaration come to your ears.

¹⁸See now, I have set my defense in order;

I know that I will be vindicated.

¹⁹Who is the one who would argue against me in court?

If you came to do so, and if I were proved wrong, then I would be silent and die.

²⁰God, do only two things for me,

and then I will not hide myself from your face:

²¹withdraw your oppressive hand from me,

and do not let your terrors make me afraid.

²²Then call me, and I will answer;

or let me speak to you, and you answer me.

²³How many are my iniquities and sins?

Let me know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴Why do you hide your face from me

and treat me like your enemy?

²⁵Will you cause a driven leaf to tremble?

Will you pursue dry stubble?

²⁶For you write down bitter things against me;

you make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷You also put my feet in the stocks;

you closely watch all my paths;

you examine the ground where the soles of my feet have walked

²⁸although I am like a rotten thing that wastes away,

like a garment that moths have eaten.

¹Man, who is born of woman,

lives only a few days and is full of trouble.

²He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down;

he flees like a shadow and does not last.

³Do you look at any of these?

Do you bring me into judgment with you?

⁴Who can bring something clean out of something unclean?

No one.

⁵Man's days are determined.

The number of his months is with you;

you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.

⁶Look away from him that he may rest,

so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.

⁷There can be hope for a tree;

if it is cut down, it might sprout again,

so that its tender stalk does not disappear.

⁸Though its root grows old in the earth,

and its stump dies in the ground,

⁹yet even if it only smells water, it will bud

and send out branches like a plant.

¹⁰But man dies; he becomes weak;

indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?

¹¹As water disappears from a lake,

and as a river becomes dry and dries up,

¹²so people lie down and do not rise again.

Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake

nor be roused out of their sleep.

¹³Oh, that you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles,

and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over,

that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind!

¹⁴If a man dies, will he live again?

All my time of service there I will wait

until my release should come.

¹⁵You would call, and I would answer you.

You would have a desire for the work of your hands.

¹⁶You would number and care for my footsteps;

you would not keep track of my sin.

¹⁷My transgression would be sealed up in a bag;

you would cover up my iniquity.

¹⁸But even mountains fall and crumble to nothing;

even rocks are moved out of their place;

¹⁹the waters wear down the stones;

their flooding washes away the dust of the earth.

Like this, you destroy the hope of man.

²⁰You forever defeat him, and he passes away;

you change his face and send him away to die.

²¹If his sons are honored, he does not know it;

and if they are brought low, he does not see it.

²²He feels only the pain of his own body,

and he mourns for himself.

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

²"Should a wise man answer with useless knowledge

and fill himself with the east wind?

³Should he reason with unprofitable talk

or with speeches with which he can do no good?

⁴Indeed, you diminish respect for God;

you obstruct meditation before him,

⁵for your iniquity teaches your mouth;

you choose to have the tongue of the crafty.

⁶Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;

indeed, your own lips testify against you.

⁷Are you the first man that was born?

Were you brought into existence before the hills?

⁸Have you heard the secret knowledge of God?

Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

⁹What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not also in us?

¹⁰With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men

who are much older than your father.

¹¹Are the consolations of God too small for you,

the words that are gentle toward you?

¹²Why does your heart carry you away?

Why do your eyes flash,

¹³so that you turn your spirit against God

and bring out such words from your mouth?

¹⁴What is man that he should be clean?

What is he who is born of a woman that he should be righteous?

¹⁵See, God puts no trust even in his holy ones;

indeed, the heavens are not clean in his sight;

¹⁶how much less clean is one who is abhorrent and corrupt,

a man who drinks iniquity like water!

¹⁷I will show you; listen to me;

I will announce to you the things I have seen,

¹⁸the things that wise men have passed down from their fathers,

the things that their ancestors did not hide.

¹⁹These were their ancestors, to whom alone the land was given,

and among whom no stranger ever passed.

²⁰The wicked man twists in pain all his days,

the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor to suffer.

²¹A sound of terrors is in his ears;

while he is in prosperity, the destroyer will come upon him.

²²He does not think that he will return out of darkness;

he has been marked out for the sword.

²³He goes to various places for bread, saying, 'Where is it?'

He knows that the day of darkness is at hand.

²⁴Distress and anguish make him afraid;

they prevail against him, as a king ready for battle.

²⁵Because he has reached out with his hand against God

and has behaved proudly against the Almighty,

²⁶this wicked man runs at God with a stiff neck,

with a thick shield.

²⁷This is true, even though he has covered his face with his fat

and gathered fat on his loins,

²⁸and has lived in desolate cities;

in houses which no man inhabits now

and which were ready to become heaps.

²⁹He will not be rich; his wealth will not last

and his possessions will not spread over the land.

³⁰He will not depart out of darkness; ¹

a flame will dry up his stalks;

at the breath of God's mouth he will go away. ²

³¹Let him not trust in useless things, deceiving himself;

for uselessness will be his reward.

³²It will happen before his time should come to die;

his palm branch will not be green.

³³He will drop his unripe grapes like a grapevine;

he will cast off his flowers like the olive tree.

³⁴For the company of godless people will be barren;

fire will consume their tents of bribery.

³⁵They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity;

their womb conceives deceit."

¹Many modern translations leave out He will not depart out of darkness , because they believe that this expression was mistakenly copied from 15:22.

²The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have He will go away by the breath of his mouth , which some modern translations interpret as meaning the breath of God's mouth . However, other modern translations follow the ancient Greek translation of the ancient Hebrew copies, which reads, his flower will fall with the wind .

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"I have heard many such things;

you are all troublesome comforters.

³Will useless words ever have an end?

What is wrong with you that you answer like this?

⁴I also could speak as you do,

if you were in my place;

I could collect and join words together against you

and shake my head at you in mockery.

⁵I would strengthen you with my mouth,

and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!

⁶If I speak, my grief is not lessened;

if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?

⁷But now, God, you have made me weary;

you have made all my family desolate.

⁸You have made me dry up,

which itself is a witness against me;

the leanness of my body rises up against me,

and it testifies against my face.

⁹God has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me;

He grinds his teeth in rage;

my enemy fastens his eyes on me as he tears me apart.

¹⁰People have gaped with open mouth at me;

they have hit me on the cheek with contempt;

they have gathered together against me.

¹¹God hands me over to ungodly people,

and throws me into the hands of wicked people.

¹²I was at ease, and he broke me apart.

Indeed, he has taken me by the neck and dashed me to pieces;

he has also set me up as his target.

¹³His archers surround me all around;

God pierces my kidneys and does not spare me;

he pours out my bile on the ground.

¹⁴He smashes through my wall again and again;

he runs upon me like a warrior.

¹⁵I have sewn sackcloth on my skin;

I have thrust my horn into the ground.

¹⁶My face is red with weeping;

on my eyelids is utter darkness,

¹⁷although there is no violence in my hands,

and my prayer is pure.

¹⁸Earth, do not cover up my blood;

let my cry have no resting place.

¹⁹Even now, see, my witness is in heaven;

he who vouches for me is on high.

²⁰My friends scoff at me,

but my eye pours out tears to God.

²¹I ask for that witness in heaven to argue for this man with God

as a man does with his neighbor!

²²For when a few years have passed,

I will go to a place from where I will not return.

¹My spirit is broken, and my days are over;

the grave is ready for me.

²Surely there are mockers with me;

my eye must always see their provocation.

³Give now a pledge, be a guarantee for me with yourself;

who else is there who will help me?

⁴For you, God, have kept their hearts from understanding;

therefore, you will not exalt them over me.

⁵He who denounces his friends for a reward,

the eyes of his children will fail.

⁶But he has made me a byword of the people;

they spit in my face.

⁷My eye is also dim because of sorrow;

all my members are as thin as shadows.

⁸Upright men will be appalled by this;

the innocent man will stir himself up against godless men.

⁹The righteous man will keep to his way;

he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

¹⁰But as for you all, come on now;

I will not find a wise man among you.

¹¹My days are past; my plans are shattered,

and so are the desires of my heart. ¹

¹²These people, these mockers, change the night into day;

light is near to darkness.

¹³If the only home I hope for is Sheol;

and if I have spread my couch in the darkness;

¹⁴and if I have said to the pit, 'You are my father,'

and to the worm, 'You are my mother or my sister,'

¹⁵where then is my hope?

As for my hope, who can see any?

¹⁶Will hope go down with me to the gates of Sheol

when we descend to the dust?"

¹Some modern translations have My days are past, as are my plans. The wishes of my heart are finished or ... the strings of my heart have been broken . Some translations have My days are past; my plans are over, as are the wishes of my heart.

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

²"When will you stop your talk?

Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

³Why are we regarded as cattle,

stupid in your sight?

⁴You who tear at yourself in your anger,

should the earth be abandoned for you

or should the rocks be removed out of their places?

⁵Indeed, the light of the wicked person will be put out;

the spark of his fire will not shine.

⁶The light will be dark in his tent;

his lamp above him will be put out.

⁷The steps of his strength will be made short;

his own plans will cast him down.

⁸For he will be thrown into a net by his own feet;

he will walk into a pitfall.

⁹A trap will take him by the heel;

a snare will lay hold on him.

¹⁰A noose is hidden for him on the ground;

and a trap for him in the way.

¹¹Terrors will make him afraid on every side;

they will chase him at every step.

¹²His wealth will turn into hunger,

and calamity will be ready at his side.

¹³The parts of his body will be devoured;

indeed, the firstborn of death will devour his parts.

¹⁴He is torn from the safety of his tent

and marched off to the king of terrors.

¹⁵People not his own will live in his tent

after they see that sulfur is scattered within his home.

¹⁶His roots will be dried up beneath;

above will his branch be cut off.

¹⁷His memory will perish from the earth;

he will have no name in the street.

¹⁸He will be driven from light into darkness

and be chased out of this world.

¹⁹He has no offspring or descendants among his people,

no survivor where he once lived.

²⁰Those who live in the west are appalled at what happens to him one day,

and horror seizes those who live in the east.

²¹Surely such are the homes of unrighteous people,

the places of those who do not know God."

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"How long will you torment me

and crush me with words?

³These ten times you have insulted me;

you are not ashamed that you have treated me harshly.

⁴If it is indeed true that I have erred,

my error remains my own concern.

⁵If indeed you will exalt yourselves above me

and use my humiliation against me,

⁶then you should know that God has done wrong to me

and has caught me in his net.

⁷See, I cry out, "Violence!" but I get no answer.

I call out for help, but there is no justice.

⁸He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass,

and he has set darkness in my path.

⁹He has stripped me of my glory,

and he has taken the crown from my head.

¹⁰He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone;

he has pulled up my hope like a tree.

¹¹He has also kindled his wrath against me;

he regards me as one of his adversaries.

¹²His troops come on together;

they cast up siege mounds against me

and encamp around my tent.

¹³He has put my brothers far from me;

my acquaintances are wholly alienated from me.

¹⁴My kinsfolk have failed me;

my close friends have forgotten me.

¹⁵Those who once stayed as guests in my house and my female servants regard me as a stranger;

I am an alien in their sight.

¹⁶I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer

although I seek his favor with my mouth.

¹⁷My breath is offensive to my wife;

I am even detestable to those who were born from my mother's womb.

¹⁸Even young children despise me;

if I rise to speak, they speak against me.

¹⁹All my familiar friends abhor me;

those whom I love have turned against me.

²⁰My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh;

I survive only by the skin of my teeth.

²¹Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, my friends,

for the hand of God has touched me.

²²Why do you pursue me like God does?

Will you ever be satisfied with my flesh?

²³Oh, that my words were now written down!

Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!

²⁴Oh, that with an iron pen and lead

they were engraved in the rock forever!

²⁵But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,

and that at last he will stand on the earth;

²⁶after my skin, that is, this body, is destroyed,

then in my flesh I will see God.

²⁷I will see him with my own eyes—I, and not someone else.

My heart fails within me.

²⁸If you say, 'How we will persecute him!

The root of his troubles lies in him,'

²⁹then be afraid of the sword,

because wrath brings the punishment of the sword,

so that you may know there is a judgment."

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

²"My thoughts make me answer quickly

because of the worry that is in me.

³I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,

but a spirit from my understanding answers me.

⁴Do you not know this fact from ancient times,

when God placed man on earth:

⁵the triumph of a wicked man is short,

and the joy of a godless man lasts only for a moment?

⁶Though his height reaches up to the heavens,

and his head reaches to the clouds,

⁷yet such a person will perish forever like his own dung;

those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

⁸He will fly away like a dream and will not be found;

indeed, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

⁹The eye that saw him will see him no more;

his place will see him no longer.

¹⁰His children will apologize to poor people;

his hands will have to give back his wealth.

¹¹His bones are full of youthful strength,

but it will lie down with him in the dust.

¹²Although wickedness is sweet in his mouth,

although he hides it under his tongue,

¹³although he holds it there and does not let it go

but keeps it still in his mouth—

¹⁴the food in his intestines turns bitter;

it becomes the poison of asps inside him.

¹⁵He swallows down riches, but he will vomit them up again;

God will cast them out of his stomach.

¹⁶He will suck the poison of asps;

the viper's tongue will kill him.

¹⁷He will not enjoy the streams,

the torrents of honey and butter.

¹⁸He will give back the fruit of his labor and will not be able to swallow it;

he will not enjoy the wealth earned by his commerce.

¹⁹For he has oppressed and neglected poor people;

he has violently taken away houses that he did not build.

²⁰Because he has known no satisfaction in his belly,

he will not be able to save anything in which he takes pleasure.

²¹There is nothing left that he did not devour;

therefore his prosperity will not be permanent.

²²In the fullness of his abundance he will fall into trouble;

the hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

²³When he is about to fill his stomach,

God will throw the fierceness of his wrath on him;

God will rain it down on him while he is eating.

²⁴Although that man will flee from the iron weapon,

a bow of bronze will shoot him.

²⁵He pulls it out of his back

and the gleaming point comes out of his liver.

Terrors come over him.

²⁶Complete darkness is reserved for his treasures;

a fire not fanned will devour him;

it will consume what is left in his tent.

²⁷The heavens will reveal his iniquity,

and the earth will rise up against him as a witness.

²⁸The wealth of his house will vanish;

his goods will flow away on the day of God's wrath.

²⁹This is the wicked man's portion from God,

the heritage decreed for him by God."

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"Listen carefully to my words,

and let this be the comfort you offer to me.

³Put up with me, and I also will speak;

after I have spoken, mock on.

⁴As for me, is my complaint to a person?

Why should I not be impatient?

⁵Look at me and be appalled,

and lay your hand upon your mouth.

⁶When I think about my sufferings, I am terrified,

and trembling seizes my body.

⁷Why do wicked people continue to live,

become old, and grow mighty in power?

⁸Their descendants are established with them in their sight,

and their offspring are established before their eyes.

⁹Their houses are safe from fear;

neither is the rod of God on them.

¹⁰Their bull breeds; it does not fail to do so;

their cow gives birth and does not lose her calf prematurely.

¹¹They send out their little ones like a flock,

and their children dance.

¹²They sing to the tambourine and harp

and rejoice with the music of the flute.

¹³They spend their days in prosperity,

and they go down quietly to Sheol.

¹⁴They say to God, 'Depart from us

for we do not wish any knowledge of your ways.

¹⁵What is the Almighty, that we should worship him?

What profit would we get if we prayed to him?'

¹⁶See, is not their prosperity in their own hands?

I have nothing to do with the advice of wicked people.

¹⁷How often is it that the lamp of wicked people is put out,

or that their calamity comes upon them?

How often does it happen that God distributes sorrows to them in his anger?

¹⁸How often is it that they become like stubble before the wind

or like chaff that the storm carries away?

¹⁹You say, 'God lays up one's iniquity for his children.'

Let him pay it himself, so that he might know it.

²⁰Let his eyes see his own destruction,

and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

²¹For what does he care about his family after him

when the number of his months is cut off?

²²Can anyone teach God knowledge,

since he judges even those who are high?

²³One man dies in his full strength,

being completely quiet and at ease.

²⁴His body is full of milk,

and the marrow of his bones is moist.

²⁵Another man dies in bitterness of soul,

one who has never experienced anything good.

²⁶They lie down alike in the dust;

the worms cover them both.

²⁷See, I know your thoughts,

and your schemes to do violence to me.

²⁸For you say, 'Where now is the house of the prince?

Where is the tent in which the wicked man once lived?'

²⁹Have you never asked traveling people?

Do you not know the evidence they can tell,

³⁰that the wicked man is kept from the day of calamity,

and that he is led away from the day of wrath?

³¹Who will condemn the wicked man's way to his face?

Who will repay him for what he has done?

³²Yet he will be borne to the grave;

men will keep watch over his tomb.

³³The clods of the valley will be sweet to him;

all people will follow after him,

as there were innumerable people before him.

³⁴How then do you comfort me with nonsense,

since in your answers there is nothing but falsehood?"

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

²"Can a man be useful to God?

Can a wise man be useful to him?

³Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous?

Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

⁴Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you

and takes you to judgment?

⁵Is not your wickedness great?

Is there no end to your iniquities?

⁶For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason,

and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.

⁷You have not given water to weary people to drink;

you have withheld bread from hungry people

⁸although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth,

although you, an honored man, lived in it.

⁹You have sent widows away empty;

the arms of the fatherless have been crushed.

¹⁰Therefore, snares are all around you,

and sudden fear troubles you.

¹¹There is darkness, so that you cannot see;

an abundance of waters covers you.

¹²Is not God in the heights of heaven?

Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!

¹³You say, 'What does God know?

Can he judge through the thick darkness?

¹⁴Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see us;

he walks on the vault of heaven.'

¹⁵Will you keep the old way

that wicked men have walked—

¹⁶those who were snatched away before their time,

those whose foundations have washed away like a river,

¹⁷those who said to God, 'Depart from us';

those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

¹⁸Yet he filled their houses with good things;

the plans of wicked people are far from me.

¹⁹Righteous people see their fate and are glad;

innocent people mock them.

²⁰They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off;

fire has consumed their possessions.'

²¹Now agree with God and be at peace with him;

in that way, good will come to you.

²²Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth;

store up his words in your heart.

²³If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up,

if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.

²⁴Lay your treasure down in the dust,

the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

²⁵and the Almighty will be your treasure,

precious silver to you.

²⁶For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty;

you will lift up your face to God.

²⁷You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you;

you will pay your vows to him.

²⁸You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you;

light will shine on your paths.

²⁹God humbles a proud man,

and he saves the one with humble eyes.

³⁰He will rescue even the man who is not innocent;

who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands."

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"Even today my complaint is rebellion; ¹

my hand ² is heavy because of my groaning.

³Oh, that I knew where I might find him!

Oh, that I might come to his place!

⁴I would lay my case in order before him

and fill my mouth with arguments.

⁵I would learn the words with which he would answer me

and would understand what he would say to me.

⁶Would he argue against me in the greatness of his power?

No, he would pay attention to me.

⁷There the upright person might argue with him.

In this way I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

⁸See, I go eastward, but he is not there,

and westward, but I cannot find him.

⁹To the north, where he is at work, but I cannot see him,

and to the south, where he hides himself so that I cannot see him.

¹⁰But he knows the way that I take;

when he has tested me, I will come out like gold.

¹¹My foot has held fast to his steps;

I have kept to his way and turned not aside.

¹²I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

¹³But he is one of a kind, who can turn him back?

What he desires, he does.

¹⁴For he carries out his decree against me;

there are many like them.

¹⁵Therefore, I am terrified in his presence;

when I think about him, I am afraid of him.

¹⁶For God has made my heart weak;

the Almighty has terrified me.

¹⁷I have not been brought to an end by darkness,

because of the thick darkness that covers the gloom of my face.

¹Some ancient translations and many English translations have: bitter .

²Some copies have: his hand .

¹Why are times for judging wicked people not set by the Almighty?

Why do not those who are faithful to God see his days of judgment come?

²There are wicked people who remove boundary markers;

there are wicked people who take away flocks by force

and put them in their own pastures.

³They drive away the donkey of those without fathers;

they take the widow's ox as a pledge.

⁴They force needy people out of their path;

poor people of the earth all hide themselves from them.

⁵See, these poor people go out to their work

like wild donkeys in the wilderness, looking carefully for food;

perhaps the Arabah will provide them food for their children.

⁶They reap fodder in the field;

they glean the vineyard of the wicked.

⁷They lie naked all night without clothing;

they have no covering in the cold.

⁸They are wet with the showers of the mountains;

they lie next to large rocks because they have no shelter.

⁹The fatherless is seized from the breast,

and they take a pledge against the poor.

¹⁰But the poor people go about naked without clothing;

although they go hungry,

they carry bundles of grain belonging to other people.

¹¹The poor people make oil within the walls of those wicked men;

they tread the wicked men's winepresses,

but they themselves suffer thirst.

¹²From out of the city the dying groan,

and the throat of the wounded cries out for help.

But God does not charge anyone with wrongdoing.

¹³Some of these wicked people rebel against the light;

they know not its ways,

nor do they stay in its paths.

¹⁴Before daylight the murderer rises

and he kills the poor and the needy;

in the night he is like a thief.

¹⁵Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight;

he says, 'No eye will see me.'

He disguises his face.

¹⁶In the darkness they dig into houses;

but they shut themselves up in the daytime;

they do not care for the light.

¹⁷For all of them, thick darkness is like the morning;

for they are friends with the terrors of thick darkness.

¹⁸Swiftly they pass away, however, like foam on the surface of the waters;

their portion of the land is cursed;

no one goes to work in their vineyards.

¹⁹As drought and heat melt away the snow into waters,

so Sheol takes away those who have sinned.

²⁰The womb that bore him will forget him;

the worm will feed sweetly on him;

he will be remembered no more;

in this way, wickedness will be broken like a tree.

²¹The wicked one devours the barren women who have not borne children;

he does no good to the widow.

²²Yet God drags away the mighty by his power;

he rises up and does not strengthen him in life.

²³God gives him what he needs for security, and he is supported,

but his eyes are on his ways.

²⁴These people are exalted; still, in only a little while, they will be gone;

indeed, they will be brought low; they will be gathered up like all the others;

they will be cut off like the tops of ears of grain.

²⁵If it is not so, who can prove me to be a liar;

who can make my speech worth nothing?"

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

²"Dominion and fear are with him;

he makes order in his high places of heaven.

³Is there any end to the number of his armies?

Upon whom does his light not shine?

⁴How then can man be righteous with God?

How can he who is born of a woman be clean, acceptable to him?

⁵See, even the moon has no brightness to him;

the stars are not pure in his sight.

⁶How much less man, who is a worm—

a son of man, who is a worm!"

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"How you have helped one who has no power!

How you have saved the arm that has no strength!

³How you have advised one who has no wisdom

and announced to him sound wisdom!

⁴With whose help have you spoken these words?

Whose spirit was it that came out from you?

⁵The dead are made to tremble,

those who are beneath the waters

and all who dwell in them.

⁶Sheol is naked before God;

destruction itself has no covering against him.

⁷He stretches out the northern skies

over the empty space,

and he hangs the earth over nothing.

⁸He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,

but the clouds are not torn under them.

⁹He covers the surface of the moon

and spreads his clouds on it.

¹⁰He has engraved a circular boundary on the surface of the waters

as the line between light and darkness.

¹¹The pillars of heaven tremble

and are astonished at his rebuke.

¹²He calmed the sea with his power;

by his understanding he shattered Rahab.

¹³By his breath he made the skies clear;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

¹⁴See, these are but the fringes of his ways;

how small a whisper do we hear of him!

Who can understand the thunder of his power?"

¹Job continued his discourse, and he said,

²"As surely as God lives, who has taken away my justice,

the Almighty, who made my life bitter,

³while my life is yet in me,

and the breath from God is in my nostrils,

this is what I will do.

⁴My lips will not speak wickedness,

neither will my tongue speak deceit;

⁵I will never admit that you are right;

until I die I will never deny my integrity.

⁶I hold fast to my righteousness and will not let it go;

my conscience will not accuse me so long as I live.

⁷Let my enemy be like a wicked man;

let him who rises up against me be like an unrighteous man.

⁸For what is the hope of a godless man when God cuts him off,

when God takes away his life?

⁹Will God hear his cry

when trouble comes upon him?

¹⁰Will he delight himself in the Almighty

and call upon God at all times?

¹¹I will teach you concerning the hand of God;

I will not conceal the thoughts of the Almighty.

¹²See, all of you have seen this yourselves;

why then have you become completely useless?

¹³This is the portion of a wicked man with God,

the inheritance of the oppressor that he receives from the Almighty:

¹⁴If his children multiply, it is for the sword;

his offspring will never have enough food.

¹⁵Those who survive him will be buried by plague,

and their widows will make no lament for them.

¹⁶Though the wicked man heaps up silver like the dust,

and heaps up clothing like clay,

¹⁷he may heap up clothing, but righteous people will put it on,

and innocent people will divide up the silver among themselves.

¹⁸He builds his house like a spider,

like a hut that a guard makes.

¹⁹He lies down in bed rich, but he will not keep doing so;

he opens his eyes, and everything is gone.

²⁰Terrors overtake him like waters;

a storm takes him away in the night.

²¹The east wind carries him away, and he leaves;

it sweeps him out of his place.

²²It throws itself at him and does not stop;

he tries to flee out of its hand.

²³It claps its hands at him

and hisses him from his place.

¹Surely there is a mine for silver,

a place where they refine gold.

²Iron is taken out of the earth;

copper is smelted out of the stone.

³A man sets an end to darkness

and searches out to the farthest limit

the stones in the blackest darkness.

⁴He breaks open a shaft away from where people live,

places that are forgotten by anyone's foot.

He hangs far away from people; he swings to and fro.

⁵As for the earth, out of which comes bread,

it is turned up below as if by fire.

⁶Its stones are the place where sapphires are found,

and its dust contains gold.

⁷No bird of prey knows the path to it,

nor has the falcon's eye seen it.

⁸The proud animals have not walked such a path,

nor has the fierce lion passed there.

⁹A man lays his hand on the flinty rock;

he overturns mountains by their roots.

¹⁰He cuts out channels among the rocks;

his eye sees every valuable thing there.

¹¹He ties up the streams so they do not run;

what is hidden there he brings out to the light.

¹²Where will wisdom be found?

Where is the place of understanding?

¹³Man does not know its price;

neither is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁴The deep waters under the earth say, 'It is not in me';

the sea says, 'It is not with me.'

¹⁵It cannot be gotten for gold;

neither can silver be weighed as its price.

¹⁶It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir,

with precious onyx or sapphire.

¹⁷Gold and crystal cannot equal it in worth;

neither can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

¹⁸No mention is worth making of coral or jasper;

indeed, the price of wisdom is more than rubies.

¹⁹The topaz of Cush does not equal it;

neither can it be valued in terms of pure gold.

²⁰From where, then, comes wisdom?

Where is the place of understanding?

²¹Wisdom is hidden from the eyes of all living things

and is kept hidden from the birds of the heavens.

²²Destruction and Death say,

'We have heard just a rumor about it with our ears.'

²³God understands the way to it;

he knows its place.

²⁴For he looks to the very ends of the earth

and sees under all the heavens.

²⁵He made the force of the wind

and parceled out the waters by measure.

²⁶He made a decree for the rain

and a path for the thunder.

²⁷Then he saw wisdom and announced it;

he established it, indeed, and he examined it.

²⁸To people he said,

'See, the fear of the Lord—that is wisdom;

to depart from evil is understanding.'"

¹Job resumed speaking and said,

²"Oh, that I were as I was in the past months

when God cared for me,

³when his lamp shined on my head,

and when I walked through darkness by his light.

⁴Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days

when the friendship of God was on my tent,

⁵when the Almighty was yet with me,

and my children were around me,

⁶when my way was covered with cream,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

⁷When I went out to the city gate,

when I sat in my place in the city square,

⁸the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect,

and the aged people rose and stood for me.

⁹The princes used to refrain from talking when I came;

they would lay their hand on their mouths.

¹⁰The voices of the noblemen were hushed,

and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.

¹¹For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me;

after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me

¹²because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out,

and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.

¹³The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me;

I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

¹⁴I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

my justice was like a robe and a turban.

¹⁵I was eyes to blind people;

I was feet to lame people.

¹⁶I was a father to needy people;

I would investigate the case even of one whom I did not know.

¹⁷I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man;

I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.

¹⁸Then I said, 'I will die in my nest;

I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.

¹⁹My roots are spread out to the waters,

and dew lies all night on my branches.

²⁰The honor in me is always fresh,

and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'

²¹To me men listened; they waited for me;

they stayed silent to hear my advice.

²²After my words were done, they did not speak again;

my speech dropped like water on them.

²³They always waited for me as they waited for rain;

they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words,

as they would do for the latter rain.

²⁴I smiled on them when they did not expect it;

they did not reject the light of my face.

²⁵I selected their way and sat as their chief;

I lived like a king in his army,

like one who comforts mourners.

¹Now those who are younger than I have nothing but mockery for me—

these young men whose fathers I would have refused to allow to work beside the dogs of my flock.

²Indeed, the strength of their fathers' hands, how could it have helped me—

men in whom the strength of their mature age had perished?

³They were thin from poverty and hunger;

they gnawed at the dry ground in the darkness of wilderness and desolation.

⁴They plucked saltwort and bushes' leaves;

the roots of the broom tree were their food.

⁵They were driven out from among people

who shouted after them as one would shout after a thief.

⁶So they had to live in river valleys,

in holes of the earth and of the rocks.

⁷Among the bushes they brayed like donkeys

and they gathered together under the nettles.

⁸They were the sons of fools, indeed, sons of nameless people!

They were driven out of the land with whips.

⁹But now I have become the subject of their taunting song;

I have become a byword for them.

¹⁰They abhor me and stand far off from me;

they do not refrain from spitting in my face.

¹¹For God has unstrung the string to my bow and afflicted me,

and those who taunt me cast off restraint before my face.

¹²Upon my right hand rise the rabble;

they drive me away and

pile up against me their siege mounds.

¹³They destroy my path;

they push forward disaster for me,

men who have no one to hold them back.

¹⁴They come against me like an army through a wide hole in a city wall;

in the midst of the destruction they roll themselves in on me.

¹⁵Terrors are turned upon me;

my honor is driven away as if by the wind;

my prosperity passes away as a cloud.

¹⁶Now my life is pouring out from within me;

many days of suffering have laid hold on me.

¹⁷In the night my bones in me are pierced;

the pains that gnaw at me take no rest.

¹⁸God's great force has seized my clothing;

it wraps around me like the collar of my tunic.

¹⁹He has thrown me into the mud;

I have become like dust and ashes.

²⁰I cry to you, God, but you do not answer me;

I stand up, and you merely look at me.

²¹You have changed and become cruel to me;

with the might of your hand you persecute me.

²²You lift me up to the wind and cause it to drive me along;

you throw me back and forth in a storm. ¹

²³For I know that you will bring me to death,

to the house appointed for all the living.

²⁴However, does no one reach out with his hand to beg for help when he falls?

Does no one in trouble call out for help?

²⁵Did not I weep for him whose day is hard?

Did I not grieve for the needy man?

²⁶When I hoped for good, then evil came;

when I waited for light, darkness came instead.

²⁷My heart is troubled and does not rest;

days of affliction have come on me.

²⁸I have gone about like one who was living in the dark,

but not because of the sun;

I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.

²⁹I am a brother to jackals,

a companion of ostriches.

³⁰My skin is black and falls away from me;

my bones are burned with heat.

³¹Therefore my harp is tuned for songs of mourning,

my flute for the singing of those who wail.

¹Some modern translations have you dissolve me in a storm .

¹I have made a covenant with my eyes;

how then should I look with desire on a virgin?

²For what is the portion from God above,

the inheritance from the Almighty on high?

³I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people,

and that disaster is for those who behave wickedly.

⁴Does not God see my ways

and count all my steps?

⁵If I have walked with falsehood,

if my foot has hurried to deceit,

⁶let me be weighed in an even balance

so that God will know my integrity.

⁷If my step has turned aside from the way,

if my heart has gone after my eyes,

if any spot has stuck to my hands,

⁸then let me sow, and let another eat,

and let my crops be uprooted.

⁹If my heart has been deceived by a woman,

if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

¹⁰then let my wife grind grain for another,

and let others bow down on her.

¹¹For that would be a terrible crime;

indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.

¹²For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,

and it would burn all my harvest to the root.

¹³If I rejected the plea for justice from my male servant or my female servant

when they argued with me,

¹⁴what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me?

When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?

¹⁵Did the one who made me in the womb not make them also?

Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?

¹⁶If I have withheld poor people from their desire,

or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,

¹⁷or if I have eaten my morsel alone

and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—

¹⁸because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father,

and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.

¹⁹If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;

²⁰if his heart has not blessed me

because he has not been warmed with the wool of my sheep,

²¹if I have lifted up my hand against the orphan

because I saw my support in the city gate,

then bring charges against me!

²²If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade,

and let my arm be broken from its joint.

²³For I dreaded destruction from God;

because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.

²⁴If I have made gold my hope,

and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';

²⁵if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,

because my hand had gotten many possessions,

then bring charges against me!

²⁶If I have seen the sun when it shone,

or the moon walking in its splendor,

²⁷and if my heart has been secretly attracted,

so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—

²⁸this also would be a crime to be punished by judges,

for I would have denied the God who is above.

²⁹If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me

or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him,

then bring charges against me!

³⁰Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin

by asking for his life with a curse.

³¹If the men of my tent have never said,

'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'

³²(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square,

because I have always opened my doors to the traveler),

and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!

³³If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins

by hiding my guilt inside my bosom

³⁴(because I feared the great multitude,

because the contempt of the families terrified me,

so that I kept silent and would not go outside)—

³⁵Oh, if only I had someone to hear me!

See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me!

If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!

³⁶Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder;

I would bind it on myself like a crown.

³⁷I would declare to him an accounting for my steps;

as a confident prince I would go up to him.

³⁸If my land ever cries out against me,

and its furrows weep together,

³⁹if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it

or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

⁴⁰then let thorns grow instead of wheat

and weeds instead of barley."

The words of Job are finished.

¹So these three men stopped answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.²Then the anger of Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled; it was kindled against Job because he justified himself rather than God.

³Elihu's anger was also kindled against his three friends because they had found no answer to Job, and yet they had condemned Job.⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the other men were older than he.⁵However, when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, his anger was kindled.

⁶Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up and said,

"I am young, and you are very old.

That is why I held back and was afraid to tell you my own thoughts.

⁷I said, "Length of days should speak;

a multitude of years should teach wisdom.

⁸But there is a spirit in a man;

the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

⁹It is not only the great people who are wise,

nor the aged people alone who understand justice.

¹⁰Therefore I say to you, 'Listen to me;

I will also tell you my knowledge.'

¹¹See, I waited for your words;

I listened to your arguments

while you were searching for a word.

¹²Indeed, I paid attention to you,

but, see, there was not one of you who could convince Job

or who could respond to his words.

¹³Be careful not to say, 'We have found wisdom!'

God will have to defeat Job; mere man cannot do it.

¹⁴For Job has not directed his words against me,

so I will not answer him with your words.

¹⁵These three men are dismayed; they can answer Job no longer;

they have not a word more to say.

¹⁶Should I wait because they are not speaking,

because they stand there silent and answer no more?

¹⁷No, I also will answer on my part;

I will also tell them my knowledge.

¹⁸For I am full of words;

the spirit in me compels me.

¹⁹See, my breast is like fermenting wine that has no vent;

like new wineskins, it is ready to burst.

²⁰I will speak so that I may be refreshed;

I will open my lips and answer.

²¹I will not show favoritism;

neither will I give honorific titles to any man.

²²For I do not know how to give such titles;

if I did so, my Maker would soon take me away.

¹So now, Job, I beg you, hear my speech;

listen to all my words.

²See now, I have opened my mouth;

my tongue has spoken in my mouth.

³My words come from the uprightness of my heart;

my lips speak pure knowledge.

⁴The Spirit of God has made me;

the breath of the Almighty has given me life.

⁵If you can, answer me;

set your words in order before me and stand up.

⁶See, I am just as you are in God's sight;

I also have been formed out of the clay.

⁷See, terror of me will not make you afraid;

neither will my pressure be heavy upon you.

⁸You have certainly spoken in my hearing;

I have heard the sound of your words saying,

⁹'I am clean and without transgression;

I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.

¹⁰See, God finds opportunities to attack me;

he regards me as his enemy.

¹¹He puts my feet in stocks;

he watches all my paths.'

¹²See, in this you are not in the right—I will answer you,

for God is greater than man.

¹³Why do you struggle against him?

He does not account for any of his doings.

¹⁴For God speaks once—

yes, twice, though man does not notice it.

¹⁵In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls upon men,

in slumber on the bed—

¹⁶then God opens the ears of men,

and frightens them with threats,

¹⁷to cause man to turn away from his deed,

and keep pride from a man.

¹⁸God keeps man's life back from the pit,

his life from crossing over to death.

¹⁹Man is punished also with pain on his bed,

with constant strife in his bones,

²⁰so that his life abhors food,

and his soul abhors delicacies.

²¹His flesh is consumed away so that it cannot be seen;

his bones, once not seen, now stick out.

²²Indeed, his soul draws close to the pit,

his life to those who wish to destroy it.

²³But if there is an angel who can be a mediator for him,

one out of a thousand,

to tell a man what is right for him,

²⁴to be gracious to him and say,

'Save this person from going down to the pit;

I have found a ransom for him,'

²⁵then his flesh will become fresher than a youth's;

it is restored to the days of his youthful vigor.

²⁶He will pray to God, and God will be kind to him,

so that he sees God's face with joy.

God will restore to the person his righteousness.

²⁷Then that person will sing in front of other people and say,

'I sinned and perverted that which was right,

but my sin was not punished.

²⁸God has rescued my soul from going down into the pit;

my life will continue to see light.'

²⁹See, God does all these things with a person,

twice, yes, even three times,

³⁰to bring his soul back from the pit,

so that he may be enlightened with the light of life.

³¹Pay attention, Job, and listen to me;

be silent and I will speak.

³²If you have anything to say, answer me;

speak, for I wish to justify you.

³³If not, then listen to me;

remain silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

¹Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:

²"Listen to my words, you wise men;

hear me, you who have knowledge.

³For the ear tests words

as the palate tastes food.

⁴Let us choose for ourselves what is just:

let us discover among ourselves what is good.

⁵For Job has said, 'I am righteous,

but God has taken away my rights.

⁶Regardless of my rights

I am considered to be a liar.

My wound is incurable,

although I am without sin.'

⁷What man is like Job,

who drinks up mockery like water,

⁸who goes around in the company of those who behave wickedly,

and who walks with wicked men?

⁹For he has said, 'It is no use to a person

to take pleasure in doing what God wants.'

¹⁰So listen to me, you men of understanding:

far be it from God that he should do wickedness;

far be it from the Almighty that he should commit sin.

¹¹For he pays back a person's work;

he makes every man come upon the reward of his own ways.

¹²Indeed, God does nothing wicked,

nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.

¹³Who put him in charge over the earth?

Who put the whole world under him?

¹⁴If he ever set his intentions only on himself,

and if he ever gathered back to himself his spirit and his breath,

¹⁵then all flesh would perish together;

mankind would return to dust again.

¹⁶If now you have understanding, listen to this;

listen to the sound of my words.

¹⁷Can one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?

¹⁸God, who says to a king, 'You are worthless,'

or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?

¹⁹God, who does not show favoritism to leaders

and does not acknowledge rich people more than poor,

for they all are the work of his hands.

²⁰In a moment they will die;

at midnight people will be shaken and will pass away;

mighty people will be taken away, but not by human hands.

²¹For God's eyes are upon a person's ways;

he sees all his steps.

²²There is no darkness and there is no deep shadow

where those who behave wickedly may hide themselves.

²³For God does not need to examine a person further;

there is no need for any person to go before him in judgment.

²⁴He breaks mighty men into pieces for their ways that need no further investigation;

he puts others in their places.

²⁵In this way he has knowledge of their deeds;

he overthrows these people in the night; they are crushed.

²⁶In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals

²⁷because they turned away from following him

and refused to acknowledge any of his ways.

²⁸In this way, they made the cry of poor people come to him;

he heard the cry of afflicted people.

²⁹When he stays silent, who can condemn him?

If he hides his face, who can see him?

He rules over nation and individual alike,

³⁰so that a godless man may not reign,

so that there may be no one to entrap people.

³¹Suppose someone says to God,

'I am certainly guilty, but I will not act corruptly any longer;

³²teach me what I cannot see;

I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'

³³Is it according to your desires that God must punish that person?

For you reject this!

You must choose, not I.

So say what it is that you know.

³⁴Men of understanding will say to me—

indeed, every wise man who hears me will say,

³⁵'Job speaks without knowledge;

his words are without wisdom.'

³⁶If only Job were put on trial in the smallest details of his case

because of his talking like wicked men.

³⁷For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands in mockery in our midst;

he piles up words against God."

¹Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

²"Do you think this is just

when you say, 'I am in the right before God'?

³For you ask, 'What use is it to me?'

and, 'Would I be better off if I had sinned?'

⁴I will answer you,

both you and your friends.

⁵Look up at the sky, and see it;

see the sky, which is higher than you.

⁶If you have sinned, what harm do you do to God?

If your transgressions are many, what do you do to him?

⁷If you are righteous, what can you give to him?

What will he receive from your hand?

⁸Your wickedness may hurt a man, as you are a man,

and your righteousness might benefit another son of man.

⁹Because of many acts of oppression, people cry out;

they call for help from the arms of mighty men.

¹⁰But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker,

who gives songs in the night,

¹¹who teaches us more than he teaches the wild animals of the earth,

and who makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'

¹²There they cry out, but God gives no answer

because of the pride of evil men.

¹³God will certainly not hear a foolish cry;

the Almighty will pay no attention to it.

¹⁴How much less will he answer you if you say that you do not see him,

that your case is before him, and that you are waiting for him!

¹⁵Now you say that his anger does not punish,

and he does not take even a litte notice of transgression.

¹⁶So Job opens his mouth only to speak foolishness;

he multiplies words without knowledge."

¹Elihu continued on and said,

²"Be patient with me a little longer, and I will show you some things

because I have a little more to say in defense of God.

³I will obtain my knowledge from far off;

I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.

⁴For indeed, my words will not be false;

someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.

⁵See, God is mighty, and despises no one;

he is mighty in strength of understanding.

⁶He does not preserve the life of wicked people

but gives justice those who suffer.

⁷He does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people

but sets them on thrones with kings forever,

and they are lifted up.

⁸If they are bound in chains

and trapped in cords of suffering,

⁹then he reveals to them what they have done,

and their transgressions and their pride.

¹⁰He also opens their ears to his instruction,

and commands them to turn back from iniquity.

¹¹If they listen to him and worship him,

they will spend their days in prosperity,

their years in contentment.

¹²However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword;

they will die because they have no knowledge.

¹³Those who are godless in heart store up their anger;

they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.

¹⁴They die in their youth;

their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.

¹⁵God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions;

he opens their ears by means of their oppression.

¹⁶Indeed, he would like to draw you out of distress

into a broad place where there is no hardship

and where your table would be set with food full of fatness.

¹⁷But you are full of judgment on wicked people;

judgment and justice have laid hold of you.

¹⁸Do not let your anger entice you to mockery,

or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.

¹⁹Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress,

or can all the force of your strength help you?

²⁰Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others,

when peoples are cut off in their place.

²¹Be careful that you do not turn to wickedness

because you are being tested by suffering so that you will stay away from sinning.

²²See, God is exalted in his power;

who is a teacher like him?

²³Who has ever instructed him about his way?

Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'

²⁴Remember to praise his deeds,

of which people have sung.

²⁵All people have looked on those deeds,

but they see those deeds only from far away.

²⁶See, God is great, but we do not understand him well;

the number of his years is incalculable.

²⁷For he draws up the drops of water

that he distills as rain from his vapor, ¹

²⁸which the clouds pour down

and drop in abundance on mankind.

²⁹Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds

and the thunder from his hut?

³⁰See, he spreads his lightning around him

and covers the roots of the sea.

³¹In this way he judges the peoples

and gives food in abundance.

³²He fills his hands with the lightning

until he commands it to strike its mark.

³³Its thunder warns of the storm,

the cattle can also hear it is coming.

¹Some modern translations have that distill as rain from his vapor .

¹Indeed, my heart trembles at this;

it is moved out of its place.

²Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice,

the sound that goes out from his mouth.

³He sends it out under the whole sky,

and he sends out his lightning to the edges of the earth.

⁴A voice roars after it;

he thunders with the voice of his majesty;

he does not restrain the lightning bolts

when his voice is heard.

⁵God thunders marvelously with his voice;

he does great things that we cannot comprehend.

⁶For he says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth';

and to the rain shower, 'Be strong.'

⁷He stops the hand of every man from working,

so that all people whom he has made may see his deeds.

⁸Then the beasts go into hiding

and stay in their dens.

⁹The storm comes from its chamber in the south

and the cold from the scattering winds in the north.

¹⁰By the breath of God ice is given;

the expanse of the waters is frozen like metal.

¹¹Indeed, he weighs down the thick cloud with moisture;

he scatters his lightning through the clouds.

¹²He swirls the clouds around by his guidance,

so that they may do whatever he commands them

above the surface of the earthly world.

¹³He makes all of this happen; sometimes it happens for correction, sometimes for his land,

and sometimes as acts of covenant faithfulness.

¹⁴Listen to this, Job;

stop and think about God's marvelous deeds.

¹⁵Do you know how God establishes the clouds

and makes the lightning bolts to flash in them?

¹⁶Do you understand the floating of the clouds,

the marvelous deeds of God, who is perfect in knowledge?

¹⁷Do you understand how your garments become hot

when the land is still because the wind comes from the south?

¹⁸Can you spread out the sky as he can—

the sky, which is as strong as a mirror of cast metal?

¹⁹Teach us what we should say to him,

for we cannot lay out our arguments in order because of the darkness of our minds.

²⁰Should he be told that I wish to speak with him?

Would a person wish to be swallowed up?

²¹Now, people cannot look at the sun when it is bright in the sky

after the wind has passed through and has cleared it of its clouds.

²²Out of the north comes golden splendor—

over God is fearsome majesty.

²³As for the Almighty, we cannot find him!

He is great in power;

he does not oppress justice and abundant righteousness.

²⁴Therefore, people fear him.

He does not pay any attention to those who are wise in their own minds."

¹Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,

²"Who is this who brings darkness to plans

by means of words without knowledge?

³Now gird up your loins like a man

for I will ask you questions,

and you must answer me.

⁴Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations?

Tell me, if you have so much understanding.

⁵Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know.

Who stretched the measuring line over it?

⁶On what were its foundations laid?

Who laid its cornerstone

⁷when the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸Who shut up the sea with doors

when it burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—

⁹when I made clouds its clothing,

and thick darkness its swaddling bands?

¹⁰That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary,

and when I placed its bars and doors,

¹¹and when I said to it, 'You may come this far, but no farther;

here is where I will put a boundary to the pride of your waves.'

¹²Have you given orders to the morning,

or caused the dawn to know its place,

¹³so that it might take hold of the edges of the earth

and shake the wicked out of it?

¹⁴The earth is changed in appearance like clay changes under a seal;

all things on it stand out clearly like the folds of a piece of clothing.

¹⁵From wicked people their light is taken away;

their uplifted arm is broken.

¹⁶Have you gone to the springs of the sea?

Have you walked in the lowest parts of the deep?

¹⁷Have the gates of death been revealed to you?

Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

¹⁸Have you understood the earth in its expanse?

Tell me, if you know it all.

¹⁹Where is the way to the resting place of light—

as for darkness, where is its place?

²⁰Can you lead light and darkness to their places of work?

Can you find the way back to their houses for them?

²¹Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then;

the number of your days is so large!

²²Have you entered the storehouses for the snow,

or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,

²³these things that I have kept for times of trouble,

for days of battle and war?

²⁴What is the path to where the lightning bolts are distributed

or to where the winds are scattered from the east over the earth?

²⁵Who has created the channels for the floods of rain,

or who has made a path for the thunder,

²⁶to cause it to rain on lands where no person exists,

and on the wilderness, in which there is no one,

²⁷to satisfy the devastated and desolate places,

and to make the ground sprout with grass?

²⁸Does the rain have a father,

or, who fathers the drops of dew?

²⁹Out of whose womb did the ice come?

Who bore the white frost out of the sky?

³⁰The waters hide themselves and become like stone;

the surface of the deep becomes frozen.

³¹Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades,

or undo the cords of Orion?

³²Can you lead the constellations to appear at their proper times?

Can you guide the Bear with its children?

³³Do you know the regulations of the sky?

Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?

³⁴Can you raise your voice up to the clouds,

so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?

³⁵Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out,

that they say to you, 'Here we are'?

³⁶Who has put wisdom in the clouds

or has given understanding to the mists?

³⁷Who can number the clouds by his skill?

Who can pour out the water skins of the sky

³⁸when the dust runs into a hard mass

and the clods of earth clump tightly together?

³⁹Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness

or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs

⁴⁰when they are crouching in their dens

and sheltering in hiding to lie in wait?

⁴¹Who provides victims for the ravens

when their young ones cry out to God

and stagger about for lack of food?

¹Do you know at what time the wild goats in the rocks bear their young?

Can you watch when the deer are having their fawns?

²Can you count the months that they gestate?

Do you know the time when they bear their young?

³They crouch down and give birth to their young,

and then they finish their labor pains.

⁴Their young ones become strong and grow up in the open fields;

they go out and do not return to them.

⁵Who sent the wild donkey out free?

Who has untied the bonds of the swift donkey,

⁶whose home I have made in the Arabah,

his house in the salt land?

⁷He laughs in scorn at the noises in the city;

he does not hear the driver's shouts.

⁸He roams over the mountains as his pastures;

there he looks for every green plant to eat.

⁹Will the wild ox be happy to serve you?

Will he consent to stay by your manger?

¹⁰Can you use ropes to hold the wild ox in the furrows?

Will he harrow the valleys as he follows after you?

¹¹Will you trust him because his strength is great?

Will you leave your labor to him to do?

¹²Will you depend on him to bring your grain home,

to gather the grain for your threshing floor?

¹³The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,

but are they the pinions and plumage of love?

¹⁴For she leaves her eggs on the earth,

and she lets them keep warm in the dust;

¹⁵she forgets that a foot might crush them

or that a wild beast might trample them.

¹⁶She deals roughly with her young ones as if they were not hers;

she does not fear that her labor might have been in vain,

¹⁷because God has deprived her of wisdom

and has not given her any understanding.

¹⁸When she runs swiftly,

she laughs in scorn at the horse and its rider.

¹⁹Have you given the horse his strength?

Did you clothe his neck with his flowing mane?

²⁰Have you ever made him jump like a locust?

The majesty of his snorting is fearsome.

²¹He paws in might and rejoices in his strength;

he rushes out to meet the weapons.

²²He mocks fear and is not dismayed;

he does not turn back from the sword.

²³The quiver rattles against his flank,

along with the flashing spear and the javelin.

²⁴He swallows up ground with fierceness and rage;

at the sound of the ram's horn, he cannot stand in one place.

²⁵Whenever the ram's horn sounds, he says, 'Aha!'

He smells the battle from far away—

the thunderous shouts of the commanders and the outcries.

²⁶Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars,

that he stretches out his wings for the south?

²⁷Is it at your orders that the eagle mounts up

and makes his nest in high places?

²⁸He lives on cliffs and makes his home

on the peaks of cliffs, a stronghold.

²⁹From there he searches for victims;

his eyes see them from very far away.

³⁰His young also drink up blood;

where killed people are, there he is."

¹Yahweh continued to speak to Job; he said,

²"Should anyone who wishes to criticize try to correct the Almighty?

He who argues with God, let him answer."

³Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

⁴"See, I am insignificant; how can I answer you?

I put my hand over my mouth.

⁵I spoke once, and I will not answer;

indeed, twice, but I will proceed no further."

⁶Then Yahweh answered Job out of a fierce storm and said,

⁷"Now gird up your loins like a man,

for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.

⁸Will you actually say that I am unjust?

Will you condemn me so you may claim that you are in the right?

⁹Do you have an arm like God's,

and can you thunder with a voice like his?

¹⁰Now clothe yourself in glory and dignity;

array yourself in honor and majesty.

¹¹Scatter around the excess of your anger;

look at everyone who is proud and bring him low.

¹²Look at everyone who is proud and bring him low;

trample down wicked people where they stand.

¹³Bury them in the earth together;

imprison their faces in the hidden place.

¹⁴Then will I also acknowledge about you

that your own right hand can save you.

¹⁵See now, the behemoth,

which I made when I made you—

he eats grass like an ox.

¹⁶See now, his strength is in his loins,

and his power is in his belly's muscles.

¹⁷He makes his tail like a cedar;

the sinews of his thighs are joined together.

¹⁸His bones are like tubes of bronze;

his legs are like bars of iron.

¹⁹He is the chief of the creatures of God.

Only God, who made him, can defeat him.

²⁰For the hills provide him with food;

the beasts of the field play nearby.

²¹He lies under the lotus plants

in the shelter of the reeds, in the marshes.

²²The lotus plants cover him with their shade;

the willows of the brook are all around him.

²³See, if a river floods its banks, he does not tremble;

he is confident, though the Jordan should surge up to his mouth.

²⁴Can anyone capture him with a hook,

or pierce his nose through with a snare?

¹Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook?

Or tie up his jaws with a cord?

²Can you put a rope into his nose,

or pierce his jaw through with a hook?

³Will he make many pleas to you?

Will he speak soft words to you?

⁴Will he make a covenant with you,

that you should take him for a servant forever?

⁵Will you play with him as you would with a bird?

Will you tie him up for your servant girls?

⁶Will the groups of fishermen bargain for him?

Will they divide him up to trade among the merchants?

⁷Can you fill his hide with harpoons

or his head with fishing spears?

⁸Put your hand on him just once,

and you will remember the battle and do it no more.

⁹See, the hope of anyone who does that is a lie;

will not anyone be thrown down to the ground just by the sight of him?

¹⁰None is so fierce that he dare stir Leviathan up;

who, then, is he who can stand before me?

¹¹Who has first given anything to me in order that I should repay him?

Whatever is under the whole sky is mine.

¹²I will not keep silent concerning Leviathan's legs,

nor about the matter of his strength, nor about his graceful form.

¹³Who can strip off his outer garment?

Who can penetrate his double armor?

¹⁴Who can open the doors of his face—

ringed with his teeth, which are a terror?

¹⁵his back is made up of rows of shields,

tight together as with a close seal.

¹⁶One is so near to another

that no air can come between them.

¹⁷They are joined to each other;

they stick together, so that they cannot be pulled apart.

¹⁸Light flashes out from his snorting;

his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning dawn.

¹⁹Out of his mouth go burning torches,

sparks of fire leap out.

²⁰Out of his nostrils goes smoke

like a boiling pot on a fire that has been fanned to be very hot.

²¹His breath kindles coals into flame;

fires go out from his mouth.

²²In his neck is strength,

and terror dances in front of him.

²³The folds of his flesh are joined together;

they are firm on him; they cannot be moved.

²⁴His heart is as hard as a stone—

indeed, as hard as a lower millstone.

²⁵When he raises himself up, even the gods become afraid;

because of its thrashing they draw back.

²⁶If a sword strikes him, it does nothing—

and neither does a spear, an arrow, or any other pointed weapon.

²⁷He thinks of iron as if it were straw,

and of bronze as if it were rotten wood.

²⁸An arrow cannot make him flee;

to him sling stones become chaff.

²⁹Clubs are regarded as straw;

he laughs at the whirring flight of a spear.

³⁰His lower parts are like sharp pieces of broken pottery;

he leaves a spreading trail in the mud as if he were a threshing sledge.

³¹He makes the deep to foam up like a pot of boiling water;

he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

³²He makes a shining wake behind him;

one would think the deep had gray hair.

³³On earth there is no equal to him,

who has been made to live without fear.

³⁴He sees everything that is proud;

he is king over all the sons of pride."

¹Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

²"I know that you can do all things,

that no purpose of yours can be stopped.

³'Who is this who without knowledge conceals plans?'

Indeed, I have spoken things that I did not understand,

things too difficult for me to understand, which I did not know about.

⁴You said to me, 'Listen, now, and I will speak;

I will ask you things,

and you will tell me.'

⁵I had heard about you by my ear's hearing,

but now my eye sees you.

⁶So I despise myself;

I repent in dust and ashes."

⁷It came about that after he had said these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.⁸Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer, so that I may not deal with you after your folly. You have not said what is right about me, as my servant Job has done."⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as Yahweh had commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.

¹⁰When Job prayed for his friends, Yahweh reversed his captivity. Yahweh gave him twice as much as he had possessed before.¹¹Then all Job's brothers, and all his sisters, and all who knew him before, came to him and ate food with him in his house. They showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the disasters that Yahweh had brought upon him, and each of them gave Job a piece of silver and a ring of gold.

¹²Yahweh blessed the final end of Job's life more than the first; he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.¹³He also had seven sons and three daughters.¹⁴He called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch.

¹⁵In all the land no women were found as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers.¹⁶After this, Job lived 140 years; he saw his sons and his sons' sons, up to four generations.¹⁷Then Job died, being old and full of days.

Psalms

¹Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the advice of the wicked,

or stand in the pathway with sinners,

or sit in the assembly of mockers.

²But his delight is in the law of Yahweh,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

³He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water

that produces its fruit in its season,

whose leaves do not wither;

whatever he does will prosper.

⁴The wicked are not so,

but are like the chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵So the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶For Yahweh approves of the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

¹Why are the nations in turmoil,

and why do the peoples devise vain plans?

²The kings of the earth take their stand together

and the rulers take counsel together

against Yahweh and against his Messiah, saying,

³"Let us tear off the shackles they put on us

and throw off their chains."

⁴He who sits in the heavens will sneer at them;

the Lord mocks them.

⁵Then he will speak to them in his anger

and terrify them in his rage, saying,

⁶"I myself have set my king in place

on Zion, my holy mountain."

⁷I will announce a decree of Yahweh.

He said to me, "You are my son!

This day I have become your Father.

⁸Ask me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance

and the ends of the earth for your possession.

⁹You will break them with an iron rod;

like a jar of a potter, you will smash them to pieces."

¹⁰So now, you kings, be prudent;

be corrected, you judges of the earth.

¹¹Worship Yahweh in fear

and rejoice with trembling.

¹²Kiss the son or he will be angry with you,

and you will die in the way when his anger burns for just a moment.

How blessed are all those who seek refuge in him.

A psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

¹Yahweh, how many are my enemies!

Many have risen against me.

²Many say about me,

"There is no deliverance for him from God."

Selah

³But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

⁴I lift up my voice to Yahweh,

and he answers me from his holy hill.

Selah

⁵I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for Yahweh protected me.

⁶I will not be afraid of the multitudes of people

who have set themselves against me on every side.

⁷Rise up, Yahweh! Save me, my God!

For you will hit all my enemies on the jaw;

you will break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Salvation comes from Yahweh.

May your blessings be on your people.

Selah

For the chief musician; on stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

¹Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness;

give me room when I am hemmed in.

Have mercy on me and listen to my prayer.

²You people, how long will you turn my honor into shame?

How long will you love what is worthless and seek after lies?

Selah

³But know that Yahweh has set apart the faithful ones for himself.

Yahweh will hear when I call to him.

⁴Tremble in fear, but do not sin!

Meditate in your heart on your bed and be silent.

Selah

⁵Offer the sacrifices of righteousness

and put your trust in Yahweh.

⁶Many say, "Who will show us anything good?"

Yahweh, lift up the light of your face on us.

⁷You have given my heart more gladness

than others have when their grain and new wine abound.

⁸It is in peace that I will lie down and sleep,

for you alone, Yahweh, make me safe and secure.

For the chief musician; with wind instruments. A psalm of David.

¹Give ear to my words, Yahweh;

think about my groanings.

²Listen to the sound of my call, my King and my God,

for it is to you that I pray.

³Yahweh, in the morning you hear my cry;

in the morning I will bring my petition to you and wait expectantly.

⁴Certainly you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;

evil people will not be your guests.

⁵The arrogant will not stand in your presence;

you hate all who behave wickedly.

⁶You will destroy liars;

Yahweh abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

⁷But as for me, because of your great covenant faithfulness,

I will come into your house;

in reverence I will bow down toward your holy temple.

⁸Oh Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies;

make your path straight before me.

⁹For there is no truth in their mouth;

their inward being is wicked;

their throat is an open tomb;

they flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰Declare them guilty, God;

may their schemes be their downfall!

Drive them out for their many transgressions,

for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But may all those who take refuge in you rejoice;

let them always shout for joy because you defend them;

let them be joyful in you, those who love your name.

¹²For you will bless the righteous, Yahweh;

you will surround them with favor as with a shield.

For the chief musician; on stringed instruments, set to the Sheminith style. A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

²Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am frail;

heal me, Yahweh, for my bones are shaking.

³My soul also is very troubled.

But you, Yahweh—how long will this continue?

⁴Return, Yahweh! rescue me.

Save me because of your covenant faithfulness!

⁵For in death there is no remembrance of you.

In Sheol who will give you thanks?

⁶I am weary with my groaning.

All night I drench my bed with tears;

I dissolve my couch with my tears.

⁷My eyes grow dim from grief;

they grow weak because of all my adversaries.

⁸Get away from me, all you who behave wickedly;

for Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping.

⁹Yahweh has heard my appeal for mercy;

Yahweh has accepted my prayer.

¹⁰All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly troubled.

They will turn back and be suddenly humiliated.

A musical composition of David, which he sang to Yahweh concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.

¹Yahweh my God, I take refuge in you!

Save me from all who chase me, and rescue me.

²Otherwise, they will rip me apart like a lion,

tearing me in pieces with no one else able to bring me to safety.

³Yahweh my God, if I have done this,

and there is injustice on my hands—

⁴if I have done evil to him who was at peace with me,

or harmed my enemy for no reason—

⁵then let my enemy pursue my life and overtake me;

let him trample my life to the ground

and lay my honor in the dust.

Selah

⁶Arise, Yahweh, in your anger;

stand up against the rage of my enemies;

wake up for my sake and carry out the righteous decrees that you have commanded for them.

⁷The peoples are assembled all around you;

take once more your rightful place over them.

⁸Yahweh, judge the nations;

vindicate me, Yahweh, because I am righteous and innocent, Most High.

⁹May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous people,

righteous God, you who examine hearts and minds.

¹⁰My shield comes from God,

the one who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹God is a righteous judge,

a God who is indignant each day.

¹²If a person does not repent,

God will sharpen his sword

and will prepare his bow for battle.

¹³He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;

he makes his arrows flaming shafts.

¹⁴Think about the one who is pregnant with wickedness,

who conceives destructive plans, who gives birth to harmful lies.

¹⁵He digs a pit and hollows it out

and then falls into the pit he has made.

¹⁶His own destructive plans return to his own head,

for his violence comes down on his own head.

¹⁷I will give thanks to Yahweh for his justice;

I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.

For the chief musician; set to the Gittith style. A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh our Lord, how magnificent is your name in all the earth,

you who reveal your glory in the heavens above.

²Out of the mouth of babies and infants you have established praise ¹

because of your enemies,

so that you might silence both the enemy and the avenger.

³When I look up at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

⁴Of what importance is the human race that you notice them,

or mankind that you pay attention to them?

⁵Yet you have made them only a little lower than the heavenly beings

and have crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶You make him to rule over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet:

⁷all sheep and oxen,

and even the wild animals of the field,

⁸the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

everything that passes through the currents of the seas.

⁹Yahweh our Lord,

how magnificent is your name in all the earth!

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text can be read either as established praise or established strength .

For the chief musician; set to Muth Labben style. A psalm of David.

¹I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart;

I will tell about all your marvelous deeds.

²I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing praise to your name, Most High!

³When my enemies turn back,

they stumble and perish before you.

⁴For you have defended my just cause;

you sit on your throne, a righteous judge!

⁵You rebuked the nations;

you have destroyed the wicked;

you have blotted out their name forever and ever.

⁶The enemy crumbled like ruins

when you overthrew their cities.

All remembrance of them has perished.

⁷But Yahweh remains forever;

he has established his throne for justice.

⁸He will judge the world with righteousness,

and he will execute judgment for the nations with fairness.

⁹Yahweh also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

¹⁰Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, Yahweh, do not abandon those who seek you.

¹¹Sing praises to Yahweh, who rules in Zion;

tell the nations of his deeds.

¹²For the God who avenges bloodshed remembers;

he does not forget the cry of the oppressed.

¹³Have mercy on me, Yahweh; see my affliction by those who hate me,

you who can snatch me from the gates of death.

¹⁴Oh, that I might proclaim all your praise.

In the gates of the daughter of Zion

I will rejoice in your salvation!

¹⁵The nations have sunk down into the pit that they made;

their feet are caught in the net that they hid.

¹⁶Yahweh has made himself known; he has executed judgment;

the wicked is ensnared by his own actions.

Selah

¹⁷The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol,

all the nations that forget God.

¹⁸For the needy will not always be forgotten,

nor will the hope of the oppressed be forever dashed.

¹⁹Arise, Yahweh; do not let man win against you;

may the nations be judged in your sight.

²⁰Terrify them, Yahweh;

may the nations know that they are mere men.

Selah

¹Why, Yahweh, do you stand far off?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

²Because of their arrogance, wicked people chase the oppressed;

but please let the wicked be trapped by their own schemes that they have devised.

³For the wicked person boasts of his deepest desires;

he blesses the greedy and insults Yahweh.

⁴The wicked in the haughtiness of his face does not seek God.

All his thoughts are that there is no God.

⁵He is secure at all times,

but your righteous decrees are too high for him;

he snorts at all his enemies.

⁶He says in his heart," I will never fail;

throughout all generations I will not meet adversity."

⁷His mouth is full of curses and lies and oppression;

under his tongue are mischief and evil.

⁸He waits in ambush near the villages;

in the secret places he murders the innocent;

his eyes look for some helpless victim.

⁹He lurks in secret like a lion in the thicket;

he lies in wait to catch the oppressed.

He catches the oppressed when he pulls in his net.

¹⁰His victims are crushed and beaten down;

they fall into his strong nets.

¹¹He says in his heart, "God has forgotten;

he covers his face; he will never see it."

¹²Arise, Yahweh! Lift up your hand, God!

Do not forget the oppressed.

¹³Why does the wicked man reject God

and say in his heart, "You will not hold me accountable"?

¹⁴You have taken notice, for you always see the one who inflicts the misery and sorrow.

The helpless entrusts himself to you;

you rescue the fatherless.

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and evil man.

Make him account for his evil deeds,

which he thought you would not discover.

¹⁶Yahweh is King forever and ever;

the nations are driven out of his land.

¹⁷Yahweh, you have heard the needs of the oppressed;

you strengthen their heart, you listen to their prayer;

¹⁸You defend the fatherless and the oppressed

so that no man on the earth will cause terror again.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹I take refuge in Yahweh;

how will you say to me,

"Flee like a bird to the mountain"?

²For see! The wicked prepare their bows.

They make ready their arrows on the strings

to shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart.

³For if the foundations are ruined,

what can the righteous do?

⁴Yahweh is in his holy temple;

his eyes watch, his eyes examine the children of mankind.

⁵Yahweh examines both the righteous and the wicked,

but he hates those who love to do violence.

⁶He rains burning coals and sulfur upon the wicked;

a scorching wind will be their portion from his cup!

⁷For Yahweh is righteous, and he loves righteousness;

the upright will see his face.

For the chief musician; set to the Sheminith. A psalm of David.

¹Help, Yahweh, for the faithful ones have disappeared;

those who have integrity have vanished from the children of men.

²Everyone says empty words to his neighbor;

everyone speaks with flattering lips and a double heart.

³Yahweh, cut off all flattering lips,

every tongue declaring great things.

⁴These are those who have said, "With our tongues we will prevail.

When our lips speak, who can be master over us?"

⁵"Because of violence against the poor, because of the groans of the needy,

I will arise," says Yahweh.

"I will provide the safety for which they long."

⁶The words of Yahweh are pure words,

like silver purified in a furnace on the earth,

refined seven times.

⁷You are Yahweh! You keep them.

You preserve the godly people from this wicked generation and forever.

⁸The wicked walk on every side

when evil is exalted among the children of mankind.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹How long, Yahweh, will you forget me? Forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

²How long must I worry

and have grief in my heart all day?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³Look at me and answer me, Yahweh my God!

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death.

⁴Do not let my enemy say, "I have defeated him,"

so that my enemy may not say, "I have prevailed over my adversary";

otherwise, my enemies will rejoice when I am brought down.

⁵But I have trusted in your covenant faithfulness;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

⁶I will sing to Yahweh

because he has treated me very generously.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹A fool says in his heart, "There is no God."

They are corrupt and have done abominable iniquity;

there is no one who does good.

²Yahweh looks down from heaven on the children of mankind

to see if there are any who understand,

who seek after him.

³They have all turned away. Together they have become corrupt.

There is no one who does good, no, not one.

⁴Do they not know anything, those who behave wickedly,

those who eat up my people as they eat bread,

but who do not call on Yahweh?

⁵They tremble with dread,

for God is with the righteous generation!

⁶You want to humiliate the poor person

even though Yahweh is his refuge.

⁷Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!

When Yahweh brings back his people from the captivity,

then Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad!

A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh, who may stay in your tabernacle?

Who may live on your holy hill?

²Whoever walks blamelessly, does what is right

and speaks truth from his heart.

³He does not slander with his tongue,

he does not harm others,

and he does not insult his neighbor.

⁴The abhorrent is despised in his eyes,

but he honors those who fear Yahweh.

He swears to his own disadvantage

and does not take back his promises.

⁵He does not charge interest when he lends money.

He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent.

He who does these things will never be shaken.

A michtam of David.

¹Protect me, God,

for I take refuge in you.

²I say to Yahweh, "You are my Lord;

my goodness is nothing apart from you.

³As for the holy people who are on the earth,

they are noble people; all my delight is in them.

⁴Their troubles will be increased, those who seek out other gods.

I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods

or lift up their names with my lips.

⁵Yahweh, you are my chosen portion and my cup.

You hold onto my lot.

⁶Measuring lines have been laid for me in pleasant places;

surely a beautiful inheritance is mine.

⁷I will bless Yahweh, who counsels me;

even at night my mind instructs me.

⁸I set Yahweh before me at all times,

so I will not be shaken from his right hand!

⁹Therefore my heart is glad; my glory is rejoicing.

Surely I will live in security.

¹⁰For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol.

You will not let your faithful one see the pit.

¹¹You teach me the path of life;

abundant joy resides in your presence;

delights abide in your right hand forever!"

A prayer of David.

¹Listen to my plea for justice, Yahweh;

pay attention to my cry for help!

Give ear to my prayer from lips without deceit.

²Let my vindication come from your presence;

let your eyes see what is right!

³If you test my heart, if you come to me in the night,

you will purify me and will not find any evil plans;

my mouth will not transgress.

⁴As for the deeds of mankind,

it is at the word of your lips

that I have kept myself from the ways of the lawless.

⁵My steps have held firmly to your tracks;

my feet have not slipped.

⁶I call to you, for you answer me, God;

turn your ear to me and listen when I speak.

⁷Show your covenant faithfulness in a wonderful way,

you who save by your right hand

those who take refuge in you from their enemies!

⁸Protect me like the apple of your eye;

hide me under the shadow of your wings

⁹from the presence of the wicked ones who deal violently with me,

my enemies who surround me.

¹⁰They have no mercy on anyone;

their mouths speak with pride.

¹¹They have surrounded my steps.

They set their eyes to strike me to the ground.

¹²They are like a lion eager for a victim,

like a young lion crouching in hidden places.

¹³Arise, Yahweh! Attack them! Throw them down on their faces!

Rescue my life from the wicked by your sword!

¹⁴Rescue me from men by your hand, Yahweh,

from men of this world whose prosperity is in this life alone!

You will fill the bellies of your treasured ones with riches;

they will have many children

and will leave their wealth to their children.

¹⁵As for me, I will see your face in righteousness;

I will be satisfied, when I awake, with a sight of you.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David, the servant of Yahweh, when he sang to Yahweh the words of this song on the day that Yahweh rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He sang:

¹I love you, Yahweh, my strength.

²Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, the one who brings me to safety;

he is my God, my rock; I take refuge in him.

He is my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my stronghold.

³I will call on Yahweh who is worthy to be praised,

and I will be saved from my enemies.

⁴The cords of death surrounded me,

and the rushing waters of worthlessness overwhelmed me.

⁵The cords of Sheol surrounded me;

the snares of death trapped me.

⁶In my distress I called to Yahweh;

I called for help to my God.

He heard my voice from his temple;

my cry for help went into his presence;

it went into his ears.

⁷Then the earth shook and trembled;

the foundations of the mountains also trembled

and were shaken because God was angry.

⁸Smoke went up from out of his nostrils,

and blazing fire came out of his mouth.

Coals were kindled by it.

⁹He opened the heavens and came down,

and thick darkness was under his feet.

¹⁰He rode on a cherub and flew;

he glided on the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness a tent around him,

heavy rainclouds in the skies.

¹²Hailstones and coals of fire fell from the lightning before him.

¹³Yahweh thundered in the heavens!

The voice of the Most High shouted. ¹

¹⁴He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;

many lightning bolts dispersed them.

¹⁵Then the water channels appeared;

the foundations of the world were laid bare

at your rebuke, Yahweh,

at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶He reached down from above; he took hold of me!

He pulled me out of the surging water.

¹⁷He rescued me from my strong enemy,

from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

¹⁸They came against me on the day of my distress

but Yahweh was my support!

¹⁹He set me free in a wide open place;

he saved me because he was pleased with me.

²⁰Yahweh has rewarded me because of my righteousness;

he has restored me because my hands were clean.

²¹For I have kept the ways of Yahweh

and have not wickedly turned away from my God.

²²For all his righteous decrees have been before me;

as for his statutes, I have not turned away from them.

²³I have also been innocent before him,

and I have kept myself from iniquity.

²⁴Therefore Yahweh has restored me because of my righteousness,

because my hands were clean before his eyes.

²⁵To one who is faithful, you show yourself to be faithful;

to a man who is blameless, you show yourself to be blameless.

²⁶To one who is pure, you show yourself to be pure;

but to one who is perverse, you show yourself to be shrewd.

²⁷For you save afflicted people,

but you abase those with proud, uplifted eyes!

²⁸For you give light to my lamp;

Yahweh my God lights up my darkness.

²⁹For by you I can run over a barricade;

by my God I can leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God—his way is perfect!

The word of Yahweh is pure!

He is a shield to everyone who takes refuge in him.

³¹For who is God except Yahweh?

Who is a rock except our God?

³²It is God who puts strength on me like a belt,

who places the blameless person on his path.

³³He makes my feet swift like a deer

and places me on the heights!

³⁴He trains my hands for war

and my arms to bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵You have given me the shield of your salvation.

Your right hand has supported me,

and your favor has made me great.

³⁶You have made a wide place for my feet beneath me

so that my feet have not slipped.

³⁷I pursued my enemies and caught them;

I did not turn back until they were destroyed.

³⁸I smashed them so that they were unable to rise;

they have fallen under my feet.

³⁹For you have girded me with strength for battle;

you put under me those who rise up against me.

⁴⁰You gave me the back of my enemies' necks;

I annihilated those who hated me.

⁴¹They called for help, but no one saved them;

they called out to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

⁴²I beat them into fine pieces like dust before the wind;

I threw them out like mud in the streets.

⁴³You rescued me from the disputes of people;

you have made me head over nations;

people whom I have not known serve me.

⁴⁴As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me;

foreigners were forced to bow to me.

⁴⁵The foreigners came trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁶Yahweh lives; may my rock be praised.

May the God of my salvation be exalted.

⁴⁷He is the God who executes vengeance for me,

who subdues the nations under me.

⁴⁸I am set free from my enemies!

Indeed, you lifted me above the ones who rose against me!

You rescued me from violent men.

⁴⁹Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations;

I will sing praises to your name!

⁵⁰God gives great victory to his king,

and he shows his covenant loyalty to his anointed one,

to David and to his descendants forever.

¹This verse follows some Hebrew copies and the Septuagint, ending after shouted . Most Hebrew copies have the additional phrase hailstones and coals of fire .

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the skies make known the work of his hands!

²Day after day speech pours out;

night after night it reveals knowledge.

³There is no speech or spoken words;

their voice is not heard.

⁴Yet their words go out over all the earth,

and their speech to the end of the world.

He has pitched a tent for the sun among them.

⁵The sun is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber

and like a strong man who rejoices when he runs his race.

⁶The sun rises from the one horizon

and crosses the sky to the other;

nothing escapes its heat.

⁷The law of Yahweh is perfect,

restoring the soul;

the testimony of Yahweh is reliable,

making the simple wise.

⁸The instructions of Yahweh are right,

making the heart glad;

the commandment of Yahweh is pure,

bringing light to the eyes.

⁹The fear of Yahweh is pure,

enduring forever;

the righteous decrees of Yahweh are true

and altogether right!

¹⁰They are of greater value than gold,

even more than much fine gold;

they are sweeter than honey

and the dripping honey from the honeycomb.

¹¹Yes, by them your servant is warned;

in obeying them there is great reward.

¹²Who can discern all his own errors?

Cleanse me from hidden faults.

¹³Keep your servant also from arrogant sins;

let them not rule over me.

Then I will be perfect,

and I will be innocent from many transgressions.

¹⁴May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹May Yahweh help you in the day of trouble;

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you

²and send help from the holy place

to support you from Zion.

³May he call to mind all your offerings

and accept your burnt sacrifice.

Selah

⁴May he grant you your heart's desire

and fulfill all your plans.

⁵Then we will rejoice in your victory,

and, in the name of our God, we will raise banners.

May Yahweh grant all your petitions.

⁶Now I know that Yahweh will rescue his anointed one;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with the saving strength of his right hand.

⁷Some trust in chariots and others in horses,

but we trust in the name of Yahweh our God.

⁸They will be brought down and fall,

but we will rise and stand upright!

⁹Yahweh, rescue the king;

help us when we call.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh!

How greatly he rejoices in the salvation you provide!

²You have given him his heart's desire

and have not held back the request of his lips.

Selah

³For you bring him rich blessings;

you placed on his head a crown of purest gold.

⁴He asked you for life; you gave it to him;

you gave him the length of his days forever and ever.

⁵His glory is great because of your victory;

you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.

⁶For you grant him lasting blessings;

you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

⁷For the king trusts in Yahweh;

through the covenant faithfulness of the Most High

he will not be moved.

⁸Your hand will seize all your enemies;

your right hand will seize those who hate you.

⁹At the time of your anger,

you will burn them up as in a fiery furnace.

Yahweh will consume them in his wrath,

and the fire will devour them.

¹⁰You will destroy their offspring from the earth

and their descendants from among the human race.

¹¹For they intended evil against you;

they conceived a plot with which they will not succeed!

¹²For you will turn them back;

you will draw your bow before them.

¹³Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength;

we will sing and praise your power.

For the chief musician; set to "The rhythm of the deer." A psalm of David.

¹My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Why are you so far from saving me

and far from the words of my anguish?

²My God, I cry out in the daytime, but you do not answer,

and at night I am not silent!

³Yet you are holy;

you sit as king with the praises of Israel.

⁴Our ancestors trusted in you;

they trusted in you, and you rescued them.

⁵They cried to you and they were rescued.

They trusted in you and were not disappointed.

⁶But I am a worm and not a man,

a disgrace to humanity and despised by the people.

⁷All those who see me taunt me;

they mock me; they shake their heads at me.

⁸They say, "He trusts in Yahweh;

let Yahweh rescue him.

Let him rescue him, for he delights in him."

⁹For you brought me from the womb;

you made me trust you when I was on my mother's breasts.

¹⁰I have been thrown on you from the womb;

you are my God since I was in my mother's womb!

¹¹Do not be far away from me, for trouble is near;

there is no one to help.

¹²Many bulls surround me;

strong bulls of Bashan surround me.

¹³They open their mouths wide against me

like a roaring lion ripping its victim.

¹⁴I am being poured out like water,

and all my bones are dislocated.

My heart is like wax;

it melts away within my inner parts.

¹⁵My strength has dried up like a piece of pottery;

my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You have laid me in the dust of death.

¹⁶For dogs have surrounded me;

a company of evildoers has encircled me;

they have pierced my hands and my feet.

¹⁷I can count all my bones.

They look and stare at me.

¹⁸They divide my garments among themselves,

they cast lots for my clothes.

¹⁹Do not be far away, Yahweh;

please hurry to help me, my strength!

²⁰Rescue my soul from the sword,

my only life from the claws of wild dogs.

²¹Save me from the lion's mouth;

rescue me from the horns of the wild oxen.

²²I will declare your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.

²³You who fear Yahweh, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!

²⁴For he has not despised or abhorred

the suffering of the afflicted one;

Yahweh has not hidden his face from him;

when the afflicted one cried to him, he heard.

²⁵My praise will be because of you in the great assembly;

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.

²⁶The oppressed will eat and be satisfied;

those who seek Yahweh will praise him.

May your hearts live forever.

²⁷All the peoples of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh;

all the families of the nations will bow down before you.

²⁸For the kingdom is Yahweh's;

he is the ruler over the nations.

²⁹All the prosperous people of the earth will feast and will worship;

all those who are descending into the dust will bow before him,

those who cannot preserve their own souls alive.

³⁰A generation to come will serve him;

they will tell the next generation of the Lord.

³¹They will come and tell of his righteousness;

they will tell to a people not yet born what he has done!

A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh is my shepherd; I will lack nothing.

²He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside tranquil water.

³He brings back my life;

he guides me along paths that are right

for his name's sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I will fear no harm, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you have anointed my head with oil;

my cup runs over.

⁶Surely goodness and covenant faithfulness will pursue me

all the days of my life;

and I will live in the house of Yahweh

for the length of my days!

A psalm of David.

¹The earth is Yahweh's, and its fullness,

the world, and all who live in it.

²For he has founded it upon the seas

and established it on the rivers.

³Who will ascend the mountain of Yahweh?

Who will stand in his holy place?

⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart;

who has not lifted up a falsehood,

and has not sworn an oath in order to deceive.

⁵He will receive a blessing from Yahweh

and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

⁶Such is the generation of those who seek him,

those who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Selah

⁷Lift up your heads, you gates;

be lifted up, everlasting doors,

so that the King of glory may come in!

⁸Who is this King of glory?

Yahweh, strong and mighty;

Yahweh, mighty in battle.

⁹Lift up your heads, you gates;

be lifted up, everlasting doors,

so that the King of glory may come in!

¹⁰Who is this King of glory?

Yahweh of hosts,

he is the King of glory.

Selah

A psalm of David.

¹To you, Yahweh,

I lift up my life!

²My God, I trust in you.

Do not let me be humiliated;

do not let my enemies rejoice triumphantly over me.

³May no one who hopes in you be disgraced;

may those who act treacherously without cause be ashamed!

⁴Make known to me your ways, Yahweh;

teach me your paths.

⁵Guide me into your truth and teach me,

for you are the God of my salvation;

I hope in you all day long.

⁶Call to mind, Yahweh, your acts of compassion and of covenant faithfulness;

for they have always existed.

⁷Do not think about the sins of my youth

or my rebelliousness;

Call me to mind with covenant faithfulness

because of your goodness, Yahweh!

⁸Yahweh is good and upright;

therefore he teaches sinners the way.

⁹He guides the humble in what is right

and he teaches them his way.

¹⁰All the paths of Yahweh are steadfast love and faithfulness

to those who keep his covenant and his solemn commands.

¹¹For your name's sake, Yahweh,

pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

¹²Who is the man who fears Yahweh?

The Lord will instruct him in the way that he should choose.

¹³His life will go along in goodness;

and his descendants will inherit the land.

¹⁴The friendship of Yahweh is for those who honor him,

and he makes his covenant known to them.

¹⁵My eyes are always on Yahweh,

for he will free my feet from the net.

¹⁶Turn toward me and have mercy on me;

for I am alone and afflicted.

¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

draw me out from my distress!

¹⁸See my affliction and my toils;

forgive all my sins.

¹⁹See my enemies, for they are many;

they hate me with violent hatred.

²⁰Protect my life and rescue me;

do not let me be humiliated,

for I take refuge in you!

²¹May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

for I hope in you.

²²Rescue Israel, God,

from all of his troubles!

A psalm of David.

¹Judge me, Yahweh,

for I have walked with integrity;

I have trusted in Yahweh without wavering.

²Examine me, Yahweh, and test me;

test the purity of my inner parts and my heart!

³For your covenant faithfulness is before my eyes,

and I walk about in your faithfulness.

⁴I do not associate with deceitful people,

nor do I mingle with dishonest people.

⁵I hate the assembly of evildoers,

and I do not live with the wicked.

⁶I wash my hands in innocence,

and I go around your altar, Yahweh,

⁷to sing a loud song of praise

and report all your wonderful deeds.

⁸Yahweh, I love the house where you live,

the place where your glory lives!

⁹Do not sweep me away with sinners,

or my life with men of bloodshed,

¹⁰in whose hands there is a plot,

and whose right hand is full of bribes.

¹¹But as for me, I will walk in integrity;

redeem me and have mercy on me.

¹²My foot stands on level ground;

in the assemblies will I bless Yahweh!

A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

Yahweh is my life's refuge;

whom should I dread?

²When evildoers approached me to devour my flesh,

my adversaries and my enemies stumbled and fell.

³Though an army encamps against me,

my heart will not fear;

though war rises up against me,

even then I will remain confident.

⁴One thing have I asked of Yahweh,

and I will seek that:

that I may live in the house of Yahweh

all the days of my life,

to see the beauty of Yahweh

and to meditate in his temple.

⁵For in the day of trouble

he will hide me in his shelter;

in the cover of his tent he will conceal me.

He will lift me high on a rock!

⁶Then my head will be lifted up above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent!

I will sing and make songs to Yahweh!

⁷Hear, Yahweh, my voice when I cry out!

Have mercy on me, and answer me!

⁸My heart says about you,

"Seek his face!" I seek your face, Yahweh!

⁹Do not hide your face from me;

do not turn your servant away in anger!

You have been my helper;

do not abandon me or reject me,

God of my salvation!

¹⁰Even if my father and my mother abandon me,

Yahweh will take me in.

¹¹Teach me your way, Yahweh!

Lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

¹²Do not give me up to the desires of my enemies,

for false witnesses have risen up against me,

and they breathe out violence!

¹³What would have happened to me

if I had not believed that I would see the goodness of Yahweh

in the land of the living?

¹⁴Wait for Yahweh;

be strong, and let your heart be courageous!

Wait for Yahweh!

A psalm of David.

¹To you, Yahweh, I cry out;

my rock, do not ignore me.

If you do not respond to me,

I will join those who go down to the pit.

²Hear the sound of my pleading

when I call for help from you,

when I lift up my hands

toward your most holy place!

³Do not drag me away with the wicked,

those who behave wickedly,

who speak peace with their neighbors

but have evil in their hearts.

⁴Give them what their deeds deserve

and repay them what their wickedness demands;

repay them for the work of their hands

and render to them their due.

⁵Because they do not understand the deeds of Yahweh

or the work of his hands,

he will break them down

and never rebuild them.

⁶Blessed be Yahweh

because he has heard the sound of my pleading!

⁷Yahweh is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

and I will praise him with singing.

⁸Yahweh is the strength of his people,

and he is the saving refuge of his anointed one.

⁹Save your people and bless your inheritance.

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

A psalm of David.

¹Ascribe to Yahweh, you sons of God,

ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength!

²Ascribe to Yahweh the glory his name deserves.

Bow down to Yahweh in the splendor of holiness!

³The voice of Yahweh is heard over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

Yahweh thunders over many waters.

⁴The voice of Yahweh is powerful;

the voice of Yahweh is majestic.

⁵The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars;

Yahweh breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶He makes Lebanon skip like a calf

and Sirion like a young ox.

⁷The voice of Yahweh sends out flames of fire.

⁸The voice of Yahweh shakes the wilderness;

Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of Yahweh causes the oaks to twist

and strips the forests bare.

Everyone in his temple says, "Glory!"

¹⁰Yahweh sits as king over the flood;

Yahweh sits as king forever.

¹¹Yahweh gives strength to his people;

Yahweh blesses his people with peace.

A psalm; a song at the dedication of the temple. A psalm of David.

¹I will exalt you, Yahweh,

for you have raised me up

and have not allowed my enemies to rejoice over me.

²Yahweh my God, I cried to you for help,

and you healed me.

³Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;

you have kept me alive from going down to the pit.

⁴Sing praises to Yahweh, you his faithful ones!

Give thanks when you remember his holiness.

⁵For his anger is only for a moment;

but his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping comes for a night,

but joy comes in the morning.

⁶In confidence I said, "I will never be shaken."

⁷Yahweh, by your favor

you established me as a strong mountain;

but when you hid your face,

I was troubled.

⁸I cried to you, Yahweh,

and sought favor from my Lord!

⁹What advantage is there in my blood,

if I go down to the grave?

Will the dust praise you?

Will it declare your trustworthiness?

¹⁰Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me!

Yahweh, be my helper.

¹¹You have turned my mourning into dancing;

you have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.

¹²So now my glory will sing praise to you and not be silent;

Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹In you, Yahweh, I take refuge;

never let me be humiliated.

Rescue me in your righteousness.

²Listen to me; rescue me quickly;

be my rock of refuge,

a stronghold to save me.

³For you are my rock and my fortress;

therefore for your name's sake, lead and guide me.

⁴Pluck me out of the net that they have hidden for me,

for you are my refuge.

⁵Into your hands I entrust my spirit;

you will redeem me, Yahweh, God of trustworthiness.

⁶I hate those who serve worthless idols,

but I trust in Yahweh.

⁷I will be glad and rejoice in your covenant faithfulness,

for you saw my affliction;

you knew the distress of my soul.

⁸You have not given me into the hand of my enemy.

You have set my feet in a wide open place.

⁹Have mercy upon me, Yahweh, for I am in distress;

my eyes grow weary with grief

with my soul and my body.

¹⁰For my life is weary with sorrow

and my years with groaning.

My strength fails because of my iniquity,

and my bones are wasting away.

¹¹Because of all my enemies, I have become contemptible;

my neighbors are appalled at my situation,

and those who know me are horrified.

Those who see me in the street run from me.

¹²I am forgotten as a dead man whom no one thinks about.

I am like a broken pot.

¹³For I have heard the whispering of many,

terrifying news from every side

as they plot together against me.

They plot to take away my life.

¹⁴But I trust in you, Yahweh;

I say, "You are my God."

¹⁵My times are in your hand.

Rescue me from the hands of my enemies

and from those who pursue me.

¹⁶Make your face shine on your servant;

save me in your covenant faithfulness.

¹⁷Do not let me be humiliated, Yahweh;

for I call out to you!

May the wicked be humiliated!

May they be silent in Sheol.

¹⁸May lying lips be silenced

that speak against the righteous defiantly

with arrogance and contempt.

¹⁹How great is your goodness

that you have stored up for those who revere you,

that you perform for those who take refuge in you

before all the children of mankind!

²⁰In the shelter of your presence, you hide them from the plots of men.

You hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

²¹Blessed be Yahweh,

for he showed me his marvelous covenant faithfulness when I was in a besieged city.

²²Though I said in my alarm,

"I am cut off from your eyes,"

yet you heard my plea for help

when I cried to you.

²³Love Yahweh, all you faithful ones.

Yahweh protects the faithful,

but he pays back the arrogant in full.

²⁴Be strong and let your heart take courage,

all you who trust in Yahweh for help.

A psalm of David. A maschil.

¹Blessed is the person

whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

²Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh reckons no guilt

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³When I remained silent,

my bones were wasting away

while I groaned all day long.

⁴For day and night your hand was heavy upon me.

My strength withered as in summer drought.

Selah

⁵Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I no longer hid my iniquity.

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh,"

and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah

⁶For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you

at a time of great distress.

When the surging waters overflow,

the waters will not reach them.

⁷You are my hiding place;

you will guard me from trouble.

You will surround me with the songs of victory.

Selah

⁸I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go.

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

⁹Do not be like a horse or like a mule,

which have no understanding;

it is only with bridle and bit to control them

that they will go where you want them to.

¹⁰The wicked have many sorrows,

but Yahweh's covenant faithfulness will surround the one who trusts in him.

¹¹Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous;

shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

¹Rejoice in Yahweh, you righteous;

praise is appropriate for the upright.

²Give thanks to Yahweh with the harp;

sing praises to him with the lute having ten strings.

³Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully and shout for joy.

⁴For Yahweh's word is upright,

and all his deeds are done in faithfulness.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice.

The earth is full of Yahweh's covenant faithfulness.

⁶By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made,

and all the stars were made by the breath of his mouth.

⁷He gathers the waters of the sea together like a heap;

he puts the oceans in storehouses.

⁸Let the whole earth fear Yahweh;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

⁹For he spoke, and it was done;

he commanded, and it stood in place.

¹⁰Yahweh frustrates the alliances of nations;

he overrules the plans of the peoples.

¹¹The plans of Yahweh stand forever,

the plans of his heart for all generations.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,

the people whom he has chosen as his own inheritance.

¹³Yahweh looks from heaven;

he sees all the people.

¹⁴From the place where he lives,

he looks down on all who live on the earth.

¹⁵He who shapes the hearts of them all

observes all their deeds.

¹⁶No king is saved by a vast army;

a warrior is not saved by his great strength.

¹⁷A horse is a false hope for victory;

in spite of his great strength, he cannot rescue.

¹⁸See, Yahweh's eye is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his covenant faithfulness

¹⁹to deliver their lives from death

and to keep them alive in times of famine.

²⁰We wait for Yahweh;

he is our help and our shield.

²¹Our hearts rejoice in him,

for we trust in his holy name.

²²Let your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh, be with us

as we put our hope in you.

A psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him out.

¹I will praise Yahweh at all times,

his praise will always be in my mouth.

²I will praise Yahweh!

May the oppressed hear and rejoice.

³Praise Yahweh with me,

let us lift up his name together.

⁴I sought Yahweh and he answered me,

and he gave me victory over all my fears.

⁵Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces are not ashamed.

⁶This oppressed man cried and Yahweh heard him

and saved him from all his troubles.

⁷The angel of Yahweh camps around those who fear him

and rescues them.

⁸Taste and see that Yahweh is good.

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

⁹Fear Yahweh, you his holy people.

There is no lack for those who fear him.

¹⁰The young lions sometimes lack food and suffer hunger,

but those who seek Yahweh will not lack anything good.

¹¹Come, sons, listen to me.

I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

¹²What man is there who delights in life

and loves many days,

that he may see good?

¹³Then keep your tongue from evil

and keep your lips from speaking lies.

¹⁴Turn away from evil and do good.

Seek peace and go after it.

¹⁵The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous

and his ears are directed toward their cry.

¹⁶The face of Yahweh is against those who do evil,

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry out and Yahweh hears

and he rescues them from all their troubles.

¹⁸Yahweh is close to the brokenhearted,

and he saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹Many are the troubles of the righteous,

but Yahweh delivers them out of them all.

²⁰He keeps all his bones,

not one of them will be broken.

²¹Evil will kill the wicked.

Those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

²²Yahweh rescues the lives of his servants.

None of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh, work against those who work against me;

fight against those who fight against me.

²Grab your small shield and large shield;

rise up and help me.

³Use your spear and battle ax

against those who chase me;

say to my soul,

"I am your salvation."

⁴May those who seek my life

be shamed and dishonored.

May those who plan to harm me

be turned back and ashamed.

⁵May they be as chaff before the wind,

as the angel of Yahweh drives them away.

⁶May their way be dark and slippery,

as the angel of Yahweh chases them.

⁷Without cause they set their net for me;

without cause they dug a pit for my life.

⁸Let destruction overtake them by surprise.

Let the net that they have set catch them.

Let them fall into it, to their destruction.

⁹But I will be joyful in Yahweh

and rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰All my bones will say,

"Yahweh, who is like you,

who rescues the oppressed from those who are too strong for them

and the poor and needy from those who try to rob them?"

¹¹Unrighteous witnesses rise up;

they accuse me falsely.

¹²They repay me evil for good.

I am sorrowful.

¹³As for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;

I fasted for them,

and my prayer returned to my bosom.

¹⁴I went about in grief as for my brother;

I bent down in mourning as for my mother.

¹⁵But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together;

they gathered together against me, and I was surprised by them.

They tore at me without stopping.

¹⁶With no respect at all they mocked me;

they grind their teeth at me in rage.

¹⁷Lord, how long will you look on?

Rescue my soul from their destructive attacks,

my only life from the lions.

¹⁸Then I will thank you in the great assembly;

I will praise you among many people.

¹⁹Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me;

do not let them carry out their wicked schemes.

²⁰For they do not speak peace,

but they devise deceitful words

against those in our land who live in peace.

²¹They open their mouths wide against me;

they said, "Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it."

²²You have seen it, Yahweh, do not be silent;

Lord, do not be far from me.

²³Arouse yourself and awake to my defense;

My God and my Lord, defend my cause.

²⁴Defend me, Yahweh my God, because of your righteousness;

do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha, we have what we wanted."

Do not let them say, "We have devoured him."

²⁶May they be put to shame and may they be humiliated who rejoice at my distress.

May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.

²⁷Let those who desire my vindication

shout for joy and be glad;

may they say continually, "Yahweh be praised,

he who delights in the welfare of his servant."

²⁸Then I will tell of your justice

and praise you all day long.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David the servant of Yahweh.

¹An evil man speaks of his transgression from deep in his heart,

there is no fear of God in his eyes.

²For he comforts himself,

thinking that his iniquity will not be discovered and be hated.

³The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;

he does not want to be wise and do good.

⁴While he lies in bed, he plans ways to sin;

he sets out on an evil way;

he does not reject evil.

⁵Your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh, reaches to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

⁶Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

your judgments are like the great deep.

Yahweh, you preserve both mankind and the animals.

⁷How precious is your covenant faithfulness, God!

Humanity takes refuge under the shadow of your wings.

⁸They feast upon the abundance of your house;

you let them drink from the river of your delights.

⁹For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light we will see light.

¹⁰Extend your covenant faithfulness fully to those who know you,

your defense to the upright of heart.

¹¹Do not let the foot of the arrogant man come near to me.

Do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away.

¹²Over there those who behave wickedly have fallen;

they have been pushed down and are not able to get up.

A psalm of David.

¹Do not be irritated because of evildoers;

do not be envious of those who act unrighteously.

²For they will soon dry up as the grass

and wither as the green plants.

³Trust in Yahweh and do what is good;

settle in the land and graze in faithfulness.

⁴Then delight yourself in Yahweh,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Give your ways to Yahweh;

trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.

⁶He will display your justice like the daylight

and your innocence like the day at noon.

⁷Be still before Yahweh

and wait patiently for him.

Do not be angry if someone succeeds in what he does,

or when he makes evil plots.

⁸Do not be angry and frustrated.

Do not worry. This only makes trouble.

⁹Evildoers will be cut off,

but those who wait for Yahweh will inherit the land.

¹⁰In a little while the evil man will disappear;

you will look at his place, but he will be gone.

¹¹But the meek will inherit the land

and will delight in great prosperity.

¹²The wicked man plots against the righteous

and he grinds his teeth in rage against him.

¹³The Lord laughs at him,

for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn out their swords

and have bent their bows

to cast down the oppressed and needy,

to kill those who are upright.

¹⁵Their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶Better is the little that the righteous has

than the abundance of many wicked people.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked people will be broken,

but Yahweh supports the righteous people.

¹⁸Yahweh watches over the blameless day by day,

and their heritage will be forever.

¹⁹They will not be ashamed when times are bad.

When famine comes, they will have enough to eat.

²⁰But evil men will perish.

Yahweh's enemies will be like the splendor of the pastures;

they will be consumed and disappear in the smoke.

²¹The wicked person borrows but does not repay,

but the righteous person is generous and gives.

²²Those who are blessed by God will inherit the land;

those who are cursed by him will be cut off.

²³It is by Yahweh that a man's steps are established,

the man whose way is commendable in God's sight.

²⁴Though he stumbles, he will not fall down,

for Yahweh is holding him with his hand.

²⁵I was young and now am old;

I have never seen the righteous person abandoned

or his children begging for bread.

²⁶All the day long he is gracious and lends,

and his children become a blessing.

²⁷Turn away from evil and do what is right;

then you will be safe forever.

²⁸For Yahweh loves justice

and does not abandon his faithful ones.

They are preserved forever,

but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

²⁹The righteous will inherit the land

and live there forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous person speaks wisdom

and increases justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart;

his feet will not slip.

³²The wicked person spies on the righteous person

and seeks to kill him.

³³Yahweh will not abandon him into the evil person's hand

or condemn him when he is judged.

³⁴Wait for Yahweh and keep his way,

and he will raise you up to possess the land.

You will see when the wicked are cut off.

³⁵I have seen the wicked and terrifying person

spread out like a green tree in its native soil.

³⁶But when I passed by again, he was not there.

I looked for him, but he could not be found.

³⁷Observe the man of integrity, and mark the upright;

there is a good future for a man of peace.

³⁸Rebels will be totally destroyed;

the future for the wicked man is cut off.

³⁹Salvation of the righteous comes from Yahweh;

he is their place of safety in the times of trouble.

⁴⁰Yahweh helps them and rescues them.

He rescues them from evil men and saves them

because they have taken refuge in him.

A psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.

¹Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger;

do not punish me in your wrath.

²For your arrows pierce me,

and your hand presses me down.

³There is no soundness in my body because of your anger;

there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

⁴For my iniquities overwhelm me;

they are a burden too heavy for me.

⁵My wounds are infected and smell

because of my foolish sins.

⁶I am stooped over and humiliated every day;

I go about mourning all day long.

⁷For within me, I am filled with burning;

there is no health in my flesh.

⁸I am numb and utterly crushed;

I groan because of the anguish of my heart.

⁹Lord, you understand my heart's deepest yearnings,

and my groanings are not hidden from you.

¹⁰My heart pounds, my strength fades,

and the light of my eyes, even that is not with me.

¹¹My friends and companions shun me because of my condition;

my neighbors stand far off.

¹²Those who seek my life lay snares for me.

They who seek my harm speak destructive words

and say deceitful words all day long.

¹³But I, I am like a deaf man and hear nothing;

I am like a mute man who says nothing.

¹⁴I am like a man who does not hear

and who has no reply.

¹⁵Surely I wait for you, Yahweh;

you will answer, Lord my God.

¹⁶I say this so that my enemies will not rejoice over me.

If my foot slips, they will do terrible things to me.

¹⁷For I am about to stumble,

and I am in constant pain.

¹⁸I confess my guilt;

I am anxious about my sin.

¹⁹But my enemies are numerous;

those who hate me wrongfully are many.

²⁰They repay me evil for good;

they hurl accusations at me

although I have pursued what is good.

²¹Do not abandon me, Yahweh;

my God, do not stay far away from me.

²²Come quickly to help me,

Lord, my salvation.

For the chief musician, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹I decided, "I will watch what I say

so that I do not sin with my tongue.

I will muzzle my mouth

while in the presence of an evil man."

²I kept silent;

I kept back my words even from saying anything good,

and my pain grew worse.

³My heart became hot;

when I thought about these things,

it burned like a fire.

Then finally I spoke.

⁴"Yahweh, make me know when will be the end of my life

and the extent of my days.

Show me how transient I am.

⁵See, you have made my days only the width of my hand,

and my lifetime is like nothing before you.

Surely every man is a single breath.

Selah

⁶Surely every man walks about like a shadow.

Surely everyone hurries about

to accumulate riches although they do not know who will receive them.

⁷Now, Lord, for what am I waiting?

You are my only hope.

⁸Rescue me from my sins;

do not make me the scorn of fools.

⁹I am silent and cannot open my mouth,

because it is you who has done it.

¹⁰Stop wounding me;

I am overwhelmed by the blow of your hand.

¹¹When you discipline people for iniquity,

you consume the things they desire like a moth;

surely all people are nothing but vapor.

Selah

¹²Hear my prayer, Yahweh,

and give ear to my cry for help;

do not be deaf to my tears!

for I am like a foreigner with you,

a sojourner like all my ancestors were.

¹³Turn your gaze from me so that I may smile again

before I die."

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹I waited patiently for Yahweh;

he listened to me and heard my cry.

²He brought me up out of a horrible pit,

out of the miry clay,

and he set my feet on a rock

and made my steps secure.

³He has put a new song in my mouth,

praise to our God.

Many will see it and honor him

and will trust in Yahweh.

⁴Blessed is the man

who makes Yahweh his trust

and does not honor the proud

or those who turn away from him to lies.

⁵Many, Yahweh my God,

are the wonderful deeds that you have done,

and your thoughts which are about us cannot be numbered;

if I declared and spoke of them,

they would be more than could be counted.

⁶You have no delight in sacrifice or offering,

but you have opened my ears;

you have not required burnt offerings or sin offerings.

⁷Then said I, "See, I have come;

it is written about me in the scroll of the document.

⁸I delight to do your will, my God;

your laws are in my heart."

⁹I have proclaimed good news of your righteousness in the great assembly;

Yahweh, you know that my lips have not kept back from doing this.

¹⁰I have not concealed your righteousness in my heart;

I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not concealed your covenant faithfulness

or your trustworthiness from the great assembly.

¹¹Do not keep back your acts of mercy from me, Yahweh;

let your covenant faithfulness and your trustworthiness always preserve me.

¹²Troubles that cannot be numbered surround me;

my iniquities have caught up with me so that I am no longer able to see anything;

they are more than the hairs on my head,

and my heart has failed me.

¹³Be pleased, Yahweh, to rescue me;

hurry to help me, Yahweh.

¹⁴Let them be ashamed and completely disappointed

who pursue my life to sweep it away.

Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor,

those who delight in hurting me.

¹⁵Let them be appalled because of their shame,

those who say to me, "Aha, aha!"

¹⁶But may all those who seek you rejoice

and be glad in you;

let everyone who loves your salvation say continually,

"May Yahweh be praised."

¹⁷I am poor and needy;

yet the Lord thinks about me.

You are my help and you come to my rescue;

do not delay, my God.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹Blessed is he who is concerned for the weak;

in the day of trouble, Yahweh will rescue him.

²Yahweh will preserve him and keep him alive,

and he will be blessed on the earth;

Yahweh will not turn him over to the will of his enemies.

³Yahweh will support him on the bed of suffering;

you will make his bed of sickness into a bed of healing.

⁴I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me!

Heal me, for I have sinned against you."

⁵My enemies speak evil against me, saying,

'When will he die and his name perish?'

⁶If my enemy comes to see me,

he says worthless things;

his heart gathers up wickedness for itself;

when he goes away from me, he tells others about it.

⁷All who hate me whisper together against me;

against me they hope for my hurt.

⁸They say, "An evil disease holds on tightly to him;

now that he is lying down, he will rise up no more."

⁹Indeed, even my own close friend, in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread,

has lifted up his heel against me.

¹⁰But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me and raise me up

so that I may pay them back.

¹¹By this I know that you delight in me,

for my enemy does not triumph over me.

¹²As for me, you support me in my integrity

and will keep me before your face forever.

¹³May Yahweh, the God of Israel be praised

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

Book Two

(Psalms 42-72)

For the chief musician. A maschil of the sons of Korah.

¹As the deer pants after streams of water,

so I thirst for you, God.

²I thirst for God, for the living God,

when will I come and appear before God?

³My tears have been my food

day and night,

while my enemies are always saying to me,

"Where is your God?"

⁴These things I call to mind

as I pour out my soul:

how I went with the throng

and led them to the house of God

with the voice of joy and praise,

a multitude celebrating a festival.

⁵Why are you bowed down, my soul?

Why are you upset within me?

Hope in God,

for again I will praise him who is my salvation.

⁶My God, my soul is bowed down within me,

therefore I call you to mind from the land of the Jordan,

from the three peaks of Mount Hermon, and from the hill of Mizar.

⁷Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls;

all your waves and your billows have gone over me.

⁸Yet Yahweh will command his covenant faithfulness in the daytime;

in the night his song will be with me,

a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹I will say to God, my rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?"

¹⁰As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries rebuke me,

while they always say to me, "Where is your God?"

¹¹Why are you bowed down, my soul?

Why are you upset within me?

Hope in God,

for again I will praise him who is my salvation and my God.

¹Bring me justice, God,

and plead my case against a nation that is not faithful.

Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

²For you are the God of my strength.

Why have you rejected me?

Why do I go about in mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?

³Oh, send out your light and your truth,

let them lead me.

Let them bring me to your holy hill

and to your dwelling.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God my exceeding joy.

I will praise you with the harp,

God, my God.

⁵Why are you bowed down, my soul?

Why are you upset within me?

Hope in God,

for again I will praise him who is my salvation and my God.

For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah. A maschil.

¹We have heard with our ears, God,

our fathers have told us

what work you did in their days,

in the days of old.

²You drove out the nations with your hand,

but you planted our people;

you afflicted the peoples,

but you spread our people out in the land.

³For they did not obtain the land for their possession by their own sword,

neither did their own arm save them;

but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face,

because you were favorable to them.

⁴God, You are my King;

command victory for Jacob.

⁵Through you we will push down our adversaries;

through your name we will tread them under,

those who rise up against us.

⁶For I will not trust in my bow,

neither will my sword save me.

⁷But you have saved us from our adversaries,

and have put to shame those who hate us.

⁸In God we have made our boast all the day long,

and we will give thanks to your name forever.

Selah

⁹But now you have rejected us and brought us dishonor,

and you do not go out with our armies.

¹⁰You make us turn back from the adversary;

and those who hate us take spoil for themselves.

¹¹You have made us like sheep to be slaughtered

and have scattered us among the nations.

¹²You sell your people for nothing;

you have not increased your wealth by doing so.

¹³You make us a rebuke to our neighbors,

scoffed and mocked by those around us.

¹⁴You make us an insult among the nations,

a shaking of the head among the peoples.

¹⁵All the day long my dishonor is before me,

and the shame of my face has covered me

¹⁶because of the voice of him who rebukes and insults,

because of the enemy and the avenger.

¹⁷All this has come on us; yet we have not forgotten you

or dealt falsely with your covenant.

¹⁸Our heart has not turned back;

our steps have not gone from your way.

¹⁹Yet you have severely broken us in the place of jackals

and covered us with the shadow of death.

²⁰If we have forgotten the name of our God

or spread out our hands to a strange god,

²¹would not God search this out?

For he knows the secrets of the heart.

²²Indeed, for your sake we are being killed all day long;

we are considered to be sheep for the slaughter.

²³Awake, why do you sleep, Lord?

Arise, do not reject us forever.

²⁴Why do you hide your face

and forget our affliction and our oppression?

²⁵For we have sunk down into the dust;

our bodies cling to the earth.

²⁶Rise up for our help

and redeem us for the sake of your covenant faithfulness.

For the chief musician; set to Shoshannim. A psalm of the sons of Korah. A maschil. A song of loves.

¹My heart overflows on a good subject;

I will read aloud the words I have composed about the king;

my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

²You are fairer than the children of mankind;

grace is poured onto your lips;

therefore we know that God has blessed you forever.

³Gird your sword to your side, mighty one,

in your glory and your majesty.

⁴In your majesty ride on triumphantly

because of trustworthiness, meekness, and righteousness;

your right hand will teach you fearful things.

⁵Your arrows are sharp;

the peoples fall under you;

your arrows are in the hearts of the king's enemies.

⁶Your throne, God, is forever and ever;

a scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁷You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness more than your companions.

⁸All your garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia;

out of ivory palaces

stringed instruments have made you glad.

⁹Kings' daughters are among your honorable women;

at your right hand stands the queen clothed in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰Listen, daughter, consider and incline your ear;

forget your own people and your father's house.

¹¹In this way the king will desire your beauty;

he is your master; revere him.

¹²The daughter of Tyre will be there with a gift;

the rich among the people will beg for your favor.

¹³The royal daughter in the palace is all glorious;

her clothing is worked with gold.

¹⁴She will be led to the king in embroidered dress;

the virgins, her companions who follow her,

will be brought to you.

¹⁵They will be led by gladness and rejoicing;

they will enter into the king's palace.

¹⁶In the place of your fathers will be your children,

whom you will make princes in all the earth.

¹⁷I will make your name to be remembered in all generations;

therefore the peoples will give you thanks forever and ever.

For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah; set to Alamoth. A song.

¹God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

though the mountains should be shaken into the heart of the seas,

³though its waters roar and rage, and

though the mountains tremble with their swelling.

Selah

⁴There is a river whose streams make the city of God happy,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

⁵God is in the middle of her; she will not be moved;

God will help her, and he will do so at the dawn of morning.

⁶The nations raged and the kingdoms were shaken;

he lifted up his voice, and the earth melted.

⁷Yahweh of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah

⁸Come, behold the deeds of Yahweh,

who has set up objects of horror on earth.

⁹He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;

he breaks the bow and cuts the spear into pieces;

he burns up the shields.

¹⁰Be quiet and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations;

I will be exalted on the earth.

¹¹Yahweh of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah

For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹Clap your hands, all you peoples;

shout to God with the sound of celebration.

²For Yahweh Most High is terrifying;

he is a great King over all the earth.

³He subdues peoples under us

and nations under our feet.

⁴He chooses our inheritance for us,

the pride of Jacob whom he loved.

Selah

⁵God has gone up with a shout,

Yahweh with the sound of a ram's horn.

⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises.

⁷For God is the King over all the earth;

sing praises with understanding.

⁸God reigns over the nations;

God sits on his holy throne.

⁹The princes of the peoples have gathered together

to the people of the God of Abraham;

for the shields of the earth belong to God;

he is greatly exalted.

A song; a psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹Great is Yahweh and greatly to be praised,

in the city of our God on his holy mountain.

²Beautiful in elevation,

the joy of the whole earth,

is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north,

the city of the great King.

³God has made himself known in her palaces as a refuge.

⁴For, see, the kings assembled themselves;

they passed by together.

⁵They saw it, then they were amazed;

they were dismayed, and they hurried away.

⁶Trembling took hold of them there,

pain as when a woman is in labor.

⁷With the east wind

you break the ships of Tarshish.

⁸As we have heard,

so have we seen

in the city of Yahweh of hosts,

in the city of our God;

God will establish it

forever.

Selah

⁹We have thought about your covenant faithfulness, God,

in the middle of your temple.

¹⁰As your name is, God,

so is your praise to the ends of the earth;

your right hand is full of righteousness.

¹¹Let Mount Zion be glad,

let the daughters of Judah rejoice

because of your righteous decrees.

¹²Walk around Mount Zion, go round about her;

count her towers,

¹³notice well her walls,

and look at her palaces

so that you may tell it to the next generation.

¹⁴For this God is our God forever and ever;

he will be our guide to death.

For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹Hear this, all you peoples;

give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,

²both low and high,

rich and poor together.

³My mouth will speak wisdom

and the meditation of my heart will be of understanding.

⁴I will incline my ear to a parable;

I will begin my parable with the harp.

⁵Why should I fear the days of evil,

when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?

⁶Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth

and boast about the amount of their riches?

⁷It is certain that no one can redeem his brother

or give God a ransom for him,

⁸For the redemption of one's life is costly,

and no one can pay what we owe.

⁹No one can live forever

so that he would not see the pit.

¹⁰For he will see decay. Wise men die;

the fool and the brute alike perish

and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹Their inner thought is that their families will continue forever,

and the places where they live, to all generations;

they call their lands after their own names.

¹²But man, having wealth, does not remain alive;

he is like the wild animals that perish.

¹³This, their way, is their folly;

yet after them, men approve of their sayings.

Selah

¹⁴Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol,

and death will be their shepherd.

The upright will rule over them in the morning,

and their bodies will be consumed in Sheol,

with no place for them to live.

¹⁵But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol;

he will receive me.

Selah

¹⁶Do not be afraid when one becomes rich,

and the glory of his house increases.

¹⁷For when he dies he will take nothing away;

his glory will not go down after him.

¹⁸He blessed his soul while he lived—

and men praise you when you live for yourself—

¹⁹he will go to the generation of his fathers

and they will never see the light again.

²⁰One who has wealth but no understanding

is like the animals that perish.

A psalm of Asaph.

¹The Mighty One, God, Yahweh,

has spoken and called the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God has shone.

³Our God comes

and does not stay silent;

a fire devours before him,

and it is very stormy around him.

⁴He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth so that he may judge his people:

⁵"Gather my faithful ones together to me,

those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."

⁶The heavens will declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge.

Selah

⁷"Hear, my people, and I will speak, Israel,

and I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

⁸I will not reprove you for your sacrifices;

your burnt offerings are always before me.

⁹I will take no bull out of your house,

or male goats out of your folds.

¹⁰For every animal of the forest is mine,

and the cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹I know all the birds of the mountains,

and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

¹²If I were hungry, I would not tell you;

for the world is mine, and everything in it.

¹³Will I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and pay your vows to the Most High.

¹⁵Call on me in the day of trouble;

I will rescue you, and you will glorify me."

¹⁶But to the wicked God says,

"What have you to do with declaring my statutes,

that you have taken my covenant in your mouth,

¹⁷since you hate instruction

and throw my words away?

¹⁸When you see a thief, you agree with him;

you participate with those who commit adultery.

¹⁹You give your mouth to evil,

and your tongue expresses deceit.

²⁰You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother's son.

²¹You have done these things, but I have kept silent,

so you thought that I was someone just like yourself.

But I will reprove you

and bring up, right before your eyes, all the things you have done.

²²Give this careful consideration, you who forget God,

otherwise I will tear you to pieces,

and there will be no one to come to help you!

²³The one who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving praises me,

and to anyone who plans his path in the right way

I will show God's salvation."

For the chief musician. A psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone into Bathsheba.

¹Have mercy on me, God,

because of your covenant faithfulness;

for the sake of the multitude of your merciful actions,

blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

⁴Against you, you only, I have sinned

and done what is evil in your sight;

you are justified when you speak;

you are blameless when you judge.

⁵See, I was born in iniquity;

as soon as my mother conceived me, I was in sin.

⁶See, you desire trustworthiness in my inner self;

and you teach me wisdom in the secret place within.

⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Make me hear joy and gladness

so that the bones that you have broken may rejoice.

⁹Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹Do not drive me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain me with a willing spirit.

¹³Then will I teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will be converted to you.

¹⁴Forgive me for shedding blood,

God of my salvation,

and I will shout for the joy of your righteousness.

¹⁵Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will express your praise.

¹⁶For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;

you have no pleasure in burnt offerings.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

You, God, will not despise a broken and a contrite heart.

¹⁸Do good in your good pleasure to Zion;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then will you delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,

in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

then our people will offer bulls on your altar.

For the chief musician. A maschil of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, "David has come to the house of Ahimelek."

¹Why are you proud of making trouble, you mighty man?

The covenant faithfulness of God comes every day.

²Your tongue plans destruction

like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

³You love evil more than good

and lying rather than speaking righteousness.

Selah

⁴You love all words that devour others,

you deceitful tongue.

⁵God will surely destroy you forever;

he will take you up and pluck you out of your tent

and root you out of the land of the living.

Selah

⁶The righteous will also see it and fear;

they will laugh at him and say,

⁷"See, this is a man who did not make God his refuge,

but he trusted in the abundance of his wealth,

and he was strong when he destroyed others."

⁸But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;

I will trust in the covenant faithfulness of God forever and ever.

⁹I will give you thanks forever for what you have done.

I will wait for your name, because it is good,

in the presence of your faithful ones.

For the chief musician; set to Mahalath. A maschil of David.

¹A fool says in his heart,

"There is no God."

They are corrupt and have done abominable iniquity;

there is no one who does good.

²God looks down from heaven

on the children of mankind

to see if there are any who understand,

who seek after him.

³They have all turned away. Together they have become corrupt.

There is not one who does good,

not even one.

⁴Do those who behave wickedly have no understanding—

those who devour my people as if they were eating bread

and they do not call on God?

⁵There they are, in great fear,

where there was nothing to cause them to be afraid;

for God will scatter the bones of those who encamp against you;

you put them to shame,

for God has rejected them.

⁶Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!

When God brings back his people from the captivity,

then Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad!

For the chief musician; on stringed instruments. A maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, "Does David not hide himself with us?"

¹Save me, God, by your name,

and judge me in your might.

²Hear my prayer, God;

give ear to the words of my mouth.

³For strangers have risen up against me,

and ruthless men have sought after my life;

they have not set God before them.

Selah

⁴See, God is my helper;

the Lord is the one who upholds me.

⁵He will repay my enemies with evil;

in your faithfulness, destroy them!

⁶I will sacrifice to you with a freewill offering;

I will give thanks to your name, Yahweh, for it is good.

⁷For he has rescued me from every trouble;

my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

For the chief musician; on stringed instruments. A maschil of David.

¹Give ear to my prayer, God;

and do not hide yourself from my plea.

²Pay attention to me and answer me;

I am restless in my troubles

³because of the voice of my enemies,

because of the oppression of the wicked;

for they bring trouble on me,

they are hostile to me with wickedness and anger.

⁴My heart trembles within me,

and the terrors of death have fallen on me.

⁵Fear and trembling have come on me,

and horror has overwhelmed me.

⁶I said, "Oh, if only I had wings like a dove!

Then would I fly away and be at rest.

⁷See, then I would wander far away;

I would stay in the wilderness.

Selah

⁸I would hurry to a shelter

from the stormy wind and tempest."

⁹Destroy, Lord, and divide their tongue;

for I see violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰Day and night they go about on its walls;

wickedness and trouble are in the middle of it.

¹¹Wickedness is in the middle of it;

oppression and deceit do not leave its streets.

¹²For it was not an enemy who rebuked me,

then I could have borne it;

neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me,

then I would have hidden myself from him.

¹³But it was you, a man equal to myself,

my companion and my close friend.

¹⁴We had sweet fellowship together;

we walked in the house of God with the throng.

¹⁵Let death come deceitfully on them;

let them go down alive to Sheol,

for wickedness is where they live, right among them.

¹⁶As for me, I will call on God,

and Yahweh will save me.

¹⁷In the evening, morning, and at noonday I complain and moan;

he will hear my voice.

¹⁸He will safely rescue my life from the battle that was against me,

for those who fought against me were many.

¹⁹God, the one who rules from eternity,

will hear them and humiliate them.

Selah

They never change,

and they do not fear God.

²⁰My friend has raised his hands against those who were at peace with him;

he has not respected the covenant that he had.

²¹His mouth was smooth as butter,

but his heart was hostile;

his words were softer than oil,

yet they were actually drawn swords.

²²Place your burdens on Yahweh,

and he will sustain you;

he will never allow a righteous person to totter.

²³But you, God, will bring the wicked down into the pit of destruction;

men of bloodshed and deceit will not live even half as long as others,

but I will trust in you.

For the chief musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. A psalm of David. A michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.

¹Be merciful to me, God,

for men are attacking me!

All the day long those who fight me oppress me.

²My enemies trample me all day long;

for there are many who arrogantly fight against me.

³When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

⁴In God, whose word I praise—

in God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid;

what can mere man do to me?

⁵All the day long they twist my words;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

⁶They gather themselves together, they hide themselves,

and they mark my steps,

just as they have waited for my life.

⁷Do not let them escape doing iniquity.

Bring down the peoples in your anger, God.

⁸You number my wanderings

and put my tears into your bottle;

are they not in your book?

⁹Then my enemies will turn back on the day that I call to you;

this I know, that God is for me.

¹⁰In God—whose word I praise,

in Yahweh—whose word I praise,

¹¹in God I trust,

I will not be afraid.

What can anyone do to me?

¹²The duty to fulfill my vows to you is on me, God;

I will give thank offerings to you.

¹³For you have rescued my life from death;

you have kept my feet from stumbling,

so that I may walk before God

in the light of the living.

For the chief musician; set to Al Tashheth. A psalm of David. A michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

¹Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me,

for I take refuge in you until these troubles are over.

I stay under your wings for protection

until this destruction is over.

²I will cry to God Most High,

to God, who does all things for me.

³He will send help from heaven and save me,

he rebukes those who hotly pursue me.

Selah

God will send me his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

⁴My life is among lions;

I am among those who are ready to devour me.

I am among people whose teeth are spears and arrows,

and whose tongues are sharp swords.

⁵Be exalted, God, above the heavens;

let your glory be above all the earth.

⁶They spread out a net for my feet;

I was bowed down.

They dug a pit in front of me.

They themselves have fallen into the middle of it!

Selah

⁷My heart is fixed, God, my heart is fixed;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.

⁸Wake up, my glory!

Wake up, lute and harp!

I will wake up the dawn!

⁹I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

¹⁰For great is your unfailing love, reaching to the heavens;

and your faithfulness to the clouds.

¹¹Be exalted, God, above the heavens;

may your glory be exalted over all the earth.

For the chief musician; set to Al Tashheth. A psalm of David. A michtam.

¹Do you rulers speak righteousness?

Do you judge uprightly, you people?

²No, you commit wickedness in your heart;

you distribute violence throughout the land with your hands.

³The wicked go astray even when they are in the womb;

they go astray from birth, speaking lies.

⁴Their poison is like a snake's poison;

they are like a deaf asp that stops up its ears,

⁵that pays no attention to the voice of charmers,

no matter how skillful they are.

⁶Shatter their teeth in their mouths, God;

break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

⁷Let them melt away as water that runs off;

when they shoot their arrows, let them be as though they had no points.

⁸Let them be like a snail that melts and passes away,

like the untimely born child of a woman that never sees the sunlight.

⁹Before your pots can feel the thorn's burning heat,

he will take them away with a whirlwind,

the green thorns and the burning thorns alike.

¹⁰The righteous will rejoice when he sees God's vengeance;

he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

¹¹so that men will say,

"Truly, there is a reward for the righteous person;

truly there is a God who judges the earth."

For the chief musician; set to Al Tashheth. A psalm of David. A michtam; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

¹Rescue me from my enemies, my God;

set me on high away from those who rise up against me.

²Keep me safe from those who behave wickedly,

and save me from men of bloodshed.

³For, see, they wait in ambush to take my life.

The powerful men gather themselves together against me,

but not because of my transgression or my sin, Yahweh.

⁴For no guilt of mine they prepare to run at me;

awake and help me and see.

⁵You, Yahweh God of hosts,

the God of Israel,

arise and punish all the nations;

do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors.

Selah

⁶They return at evening, they howl like dogs

and go around the city.

⁷See, they belch out with their mouths;

swords are in their lips,

for they say, "Who hears us?"

⁸But you, Yahweh, laugh at them;

you mock at all the nations.

⁹God, my strength, I will pay attention to you;

you are my high tower.

¹⁰My God will meet me with his covenant faithfulness;

God will let me see my desire on my enemies.

¹¹Do not kill them,

or my people will forget.

Scatter them by your power and make them fall,

Lord our shield.

¹²For the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips,

let them be captured in their pride,

and for the curses and lies that they express.

¹³Consume them in wrath,

consume them so that they will be no more;

let them know that God rules in Jacob

and to the ends of the earth.

Selah

¹⁴At evening they return,

howling like dogs going around the city.

¹⁵They wander about looking for food

and they growl like a dog if they are not satisfied.

¹⁶But I will sing about your strength,

and in the morning I will praise your steadfast love!

For you have been my high tower

and a refuge in the day of my distress.

¹⁷To you, my strength, I will sing praises;

for God is my high tower, the God of covenant faithfulness.

For the chief musician; set to Shushan Eduth. A michtam of David, for teaching; when he fought with Aram Naharaim and with Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

¹God, you have rejected us; you have broken through our defenses;

you have been angry; restore us again.

²You have made the land tremble; you have torn it apart;

heal its cracks, for it is shaking.

³You have made your people see difficult things;

you have made us drink the wine of staggering.

⁴For those who honor you,

you have set up a banner

to be displayed against those who carry the bow.

Selah

⁵So that those you love may be rescued,

rescue us with your right hand and answer me.

⁶God has spoken in his holiness, "I will rejoice;

I will divide Shechem

and apportion out the Valley of Sukkoth.

⁷Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim also is my helmet;

Judah is my scepter.

⁸Moab is my washbasin;

over Edom I will throw my sandal;

I will shout in triumph because of Philistia."

⁹Who will bring me into the strong city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰But you, God, have you not rejected us?

You do not go into battle with our army.

¹¹Give us help against the enemy,

for man's help is futile.

¹²We will triumph with God's help;

he will trample down our enemies.

For the chief musician; on a stringed instrument. A psalm of David.

¹Hear my cry, God;

attend to my prayer.

²From the ends of the earth will I call to you when my heart is faint;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³For you have been a refuge for me,

a strong tower from the enemy.

⁴Let me live in your tabernacle forever!

Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings.

Selah

⁵For you, God, have heard my vows,

you have given me the inheritance of those who honor your name.

⁶You will prolong the king's life;

his years will be like many generations.

⁷He will reign before God forever;

appoint your steadfast love and faithfulness to protect him.

⁸I will sing praise to your name forever

so that I may perform my vows every day.2

For the chief musician; after the manner of Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹I wait in silence for God alone;

my salvation comes from him.

²He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my high tower;

I will not be greatly moved.

³How long, all of you, will you attack a man,

that you may murder him,

like a leaning wall or a shaky fence?

⁴They consult with him

only to bring him down from his honorable position;

they love to tell lies;

they bless him with their mouths,

but in their hearts they curse him.

Selah

⁵I wait in silence for God alone;

for my hope is set on him.

⁶He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my high tower; I will not be moved.

⁷With God is my salvation and my glory;

the rock of my strength and my refuge are in God.

⁸Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah

⁹Surely men of low standing are vanity,

and men of high standing are a lie;

they will weigh lightly in the scales;

weighed together, they are lighter than nothing.

¹⁰Do not trust in oppression or robbery;

and do not hope uselessly in riches,

for they will bear no fruit;

do not fix your heart on them.

¹¹God has spoken once,

twice have I heard this:

power belongs to God.

¹²Also to you, Lord, belongs covenant faithfulness,

for you pay back every person for what he has done.

A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

¹God, you are my God!

I earnestly search for you,

my soul thirsts for you,

and my flesh longs for you,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

²So I have looked on you in the sanctuary,

to see your power and your glory.

³Because your covenant faithfulness is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

⁴So I will bless you while I live;

I will lift up my hands in your name.

⁵It will be as if I ate a meal of marrow and fatness;

with joyful lips my mouth will praise you,

⁶when I think about you on my bed

and meditate on you in the night watches.

⁷For you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

⁸I cling to you;

your right hand supports me.

⁹But those who seek to destroy my life

will go down into the lowest parts of the earth;

¹⁰they will be given over to those whose hands use the sword,

and they will become food for the jackals.

¹¹But the king will rejoice in God;

everyone who swears by him will be proud of him,

but the mouth of those who speak lies will be stopped up.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹Hear my voice, God, listen to my complaint;

preserve my life from fear of my enemies.

²Hide me from the secret plotting of evildoers,

from the commotion of those who behave wickedly.

³They have sharpened their tongues like swords;

they have aimed their arrows, bitter words,

⁴so that they may shoot from secret places at someone who is innocent;

suddenly they shoot at him and fear nothing.

⁵They encourage themselves in an evil plan;

they consult privately together in order to set traps;

they say, "Who will see us?"

⁶They invent injustices;

"We have finished," they say, "a careful plan."

The inner thoughts and hearts of man are deep.

⁷But God will shoot them;

suddenly they will be wounded with his arrows.

⁸They will be made to stumble, since their own tongues are against them;

all who see them will wag their heads.

⁹All people will fear

and will declare God's deeds.

They will wisely think about what he has done.

¹⁰The righteous will be glad about Yahweh and will take refuge in him;

all the upright in heart will take pride in him.

For the chief musician. A psalm. A song of David.

¹For you, God in Zion, our praise waits;

our vows will be carried out to you.

²You who hear prayer,

to you all flesh will come.

³Iniquities prevail against us;

as for our transgressions, you will forgive them.

⁴Blessed is the man whom you choose to bring near to you

so that he may live in your courts.

We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

your holy temple.

⁵In righteousness you will answer us by doing awesome deeds,

God of our salvation;

you who are hope of all the ends of the earth

and of those who are far across the sea.

⁶For it is you who made the mountains firm,

you who are girded with strength.

⁷It is you who quiet the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

and the commotion of the peoples.

⁸Those who live in the uttermost parts of the earth

are afraid of the evidence of your deeds;

you make the east and the west rejoice.

⁹You come to help the earth; you water it;

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide mankind grain when you have prepared the earth.

¹⁰You water its furrows abundantly;

you settle down the furrows' ridges;

you make them soft with rain showers;

you bless the sprouts between them.

¹¹You crown the year with your goodness,

and your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

¹²The pastures in the wilderness drip with dew,

and the hills are girded with joy.

¹³The pastures are clothed with flocks;

the valleys also are covered over with grain;

they shout for joy, and they sing.

For the chief musician. A song, a psalm.

¹Shout out loud to God, all the earth;

²Sing out the glory of his name;

make his praise glorious.

³Say to God, "How terrifying are your deeds!

By the greatness of your power

your enemies will submit to you.

⁴All the earth will worship you

and will sing to you;

they will sing praises to your name."

Selah

⁵Come and see the works of God;

he is fearsome in his deeds toward the sons of mankind.

⁶He turned the sea into dry land;

they went through the river on foot;

there we rejoiced in him.

⁷He rules forever by his might;

his eyes observe the nations;

let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Selah

⁸Give blessing to God, you people,

let the sound of his praise be heard.

⁹He keeps us among the living,

and he does not permit our feet to slip.

¹⁰For you, God, have tested us;

you have tested us as silver is tested.

¹¹You brought us into a net;

you laid a heavy burden on our backs.

¹²You made people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us out into a spacious place.

¹³I will come into your house with burnt offerings;

I will pay you my vows

¹⁴which my lips promised

and my mouth spoke when I was in distress.

¹⁵I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals

with the sweet aroma of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Selah

¹⁶Come and listen, all you who fear God,

and I will declare what he has done for my soul.

¹⁷I cried to him with my mouth,

and he was praised with my tongue.

¹⁸If I had seen wickedness within my heart,

the Lord would not have listened to me.

¹⁹But God has truly heard;

he has paid attention to the voice of my prayer.

²⁰Blessed be God,

who has not turned away my prayer

or his covenant faithfulness from me.

For the chief musician; on stringed instruments. A psalm, a song.

¹May God be merciful to us and bless us

and cause his face to shine on us

Selah

²so that your ways may be known on earth,

your salvation among all nations.

³Let the peoples praise you, God;

let all the peoples praise you.

⁴Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you will judge the peoples with justice

and govern the nations on earth.

Selah

⁵Let the peoples praise you, God;

let all the peoples praise you.

⁶The earth has yielded its produce

and God, our God, has blessed us.

⁷God has blessed us,

and all the ends of the earth honor him.

For the chief musician; A psalm of David, a song.

¹Let God arise; let his enemies be scattered;

let those also who hate him flee before him.

²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

as wax melts before the fire,

so let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

³But let the righteous be glad;

let them rejoice before God;

may they rejoice with gladness.

⁴Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!

Praise the one who rides through the plains of the Jordan River valley!

Yah is his name! Rejoice before him! ¹

⁵A Father of the fatherless, a judge of the widows,

is God in the holy place where he lives.

⁶God puts the lonely into families;

he brings out the prisoners with singing;

but the rebellious live in a parched land.

⁷God, when you went out before your people,

when you marched through the wilderness,

Selah

⁸the earth trembled;

the heavens also dropped rain in God's presence,

in the presence of God when he came to Sinai, in the presence of God, the God of Israel.

⁹You, God, sent a plentiful rain;

you strengthened your inheritance when it was weary.

¹⁰Your people lived in it;

You, God, gave from your goodness to the poor.

¹¹The Lord gave the word,

and those who announced them were a great army.

¹²Kings of armies flee, they flee,

and the women waiting at home divide the plunder:

¹³the wings of a dove are covered with silver,

its feathers with shining gold.

Yet some of you people lie down among the sheepfolds.

¹⁴The Almighty scattered kings there,

it was as when it snowed on Mount Zalmon.

¹⁵A mighty mountain is the hill country of Bashan;

a high mountain is the hill country of Bashan.

¹⁶Why do you look in envy, you high hill country,

at the mountain which God desires for the place he will live?

Indeed, Yahweh will live in it forever.

¹⁷The chariots of God are twenty thousand,

thousands upon thousands;

the Lord is among them in the holy place, as at Sinai.

¹⁸You have ascended on high;

you have led away captives;

you have received gifts from among men,

even from the rebellious,

so that Yah, God, might live there.²

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens,

the God who is our salvation.

Selah

²⁰Our God is a God who saves;

Yahweh the Lord is the one who is able to rescue us from death.

²¹But God will strike through the heads of his enemies,

through the hairy scalps of those who walk in offenses against him.

²²The Lord said, "I will bring my enemies back from Bashan;

I will bring them back from the depths of the sea

²³so that you may crush your enemies, dipping your foot in blood,

and so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from your enemies."

²⁴They have seen your processions, God,

the processions of my God, my King, into the holy place.

²⁵The singers went first, the minstrels followed after,

and in the middle were the unmarried girls playing tambourines.

²⁶Bless God in the assemblies;

praise Yahweh, you who are from the fountain ³ of Israel.

²⁷There is Benjamin, the smallest tribe, ruling them,

then the leaders of Judah and their multitudes,

the leaders of Zebulun and the leaders of Naphtali.

²⁸Your God, Israel, has decreed your strength;

reveal to us your power, God, as you have revealed it in times past.

²⁹Reveal your power to us from your temple at Jerusalem,

where kings bring tribute to you.

³⁰Rebuke the wild beasts in the reeds,

against the peoples, that multitude of bulls and calves.

Humiliate them and make them bring you silver;

scatter the peoples who love to wage war.

³¹Princes will come out of Egypt;

Cush will hurry to reach out with her hands to God.

³²Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.

Selah

Sing praises to the Lord,

³³to him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which exist from ancient times;

see, he lifts up his voice with power.

³⁴Ascribe strength to God;

his majesty is over Israel,

and his strength is in the skies.

³⁵God, you are fearsome in your holy place;

the God of Israel—he gives strength and power to his people.

Blessed be God.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

³The copies of the ancient Hebrew text can be read either as from the fountain or from the assembly .

For the chief musician; set to Shoshannim. A psalm of David.

¹Save me, God;

for the waters have put my life in danger.

²I sink in deep mire, where there is no place to stand;

I have come into deep waters, where the floods flow over me.

³I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry;

my eyes fail while I wait for my God.

⁴Those who hate me without a cause

are more than the hairs on my head;

those who would cut me off,

being my enemies for wrong reasons, are mighty;

what I did not steal,

I have to give back.

⁵God, you know my foolishness,

and my sins are not hidden from you.

⁶Let not those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,

Lord Yahweh of hosts;

let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor because of me,

God of Israel.

⁷For your sake I have borne rebuke;

shame has covered my face.

⁸I have become a stranger to my brothers,

an alien to my mother's children.

⁹For the zeal of your house has eaten me up,

and the rebukes of those who rebuke you have fallen on me.

¹⁰When I weep and fast,

I must endure scorn.

¹¹When I put on sackcloth,

I became a byword to them.

¹²Those who sit in the city gate talk about me;

I am a song of drunkards.

¹³But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh,

at a time that you will accept;

answer me in the trustworthiness of your salvation.

¹⁴Pull me out of the mire,

and do not let me sink;

let me be taken away from those who hate me

and rescued out of the deep waters.

¹⁵Do not let the floods of water overwhelm me,

neither let the deep swallow me up.

Do not let the pit shut its mouth on me.

¹⁶Answer me, Yahweh, for your covenant faithfulness is good;

because your mercies for me are many, turn to me.

¹⁷Do not hide your face from your servant,

for I am in distress; answer me quickly.

¹⁸Come to me and redeem me.

Because of my enemies, ransom me.

¹⁹You know my rebuke, my shame, and my dishonor;

my adversaries are all before you.

²⁰Rebuke has broken my heart;

I am full of heaviness;

I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;

I looked for comforters, but I found none.

²¹They gave me poison for my food;

in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

²²Let their table before them become a snare;

when they think they are in safety, let it become a trap.

²³Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see;

and always make their loins shake.

²⁴Pour out your indignation on them,

and let your raging anger overtake them.

²⁵Let their encampment be a desolation;

let no one live in their tents.

²⁶For they persecuted the one you struck down.

They repeated the account of the pain of those you have wounded.

²⁷Accuse them of having committed iniquity after iniquity;

do not let them come into your righteous victory.

²⁸Let them be blotted out of the Book of Life

and not be written down along with the righteous.

²⁹But I am poor and in pain;

let your salvation, God, set me up on high.

³⁰I will praise the name of God with a song

and will exalt him with thanksgiving.

³¹That will please Yahweh better than an ox

or a bull that has horns and hooves.

³²The meek have seen it and are glad;

you who seek after God, let your hearts live.

³³For Yahweh hears the needy

and does not despise his prisoners.

³⁴Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.

³⁵For God will save Zion and will rebuild the cities of Judah;

the people will live there and have it as a possession.

³⁶His servants' descendants will inherit it;

and those who love his name will live there.

For the chief musician. A psalm of David; to bring to remembrance.

¹Save me, God!

Yahweh, come quickly and help me.

²Let those who try to take my life

be ashamed and humiliated;

let them be turned back and brought to dishonor,

those who take pleasure in my pain.

³Let them be turned back because of their shame,

those who say, "Aha, aha."

⁴Let all those who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

let those who love your salvation always say,

"May God be praised."

⁵But I am poor and needy;

hurry to me, God;

you are my help and you rescue me.

Yahweh, do not delay.

¹In you, Yahweh, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

²Rescue me and make me safe in your righteousness;

turn your ear to me and save me.

³Be to me a rock for refuge

where I may always go;

you have given a command to save me,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴Rescue me, my God, out of the hand of the wicked,

out of the hand of the unrighteous and ruthless.

⁵For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh.

I have trusted in you ever since I was a child.

⁶By you I have been supported from the womb;

you are he who took me out of my mother's belly;

my praise will be always about you.

⁷I am a marvel to many people;

you are my strong refuge.

⁸My mouth will be filled with your praise,

all the day with your honor.

⁹Do not throw me away in my time of old age;

do not abandon me when my strength fails.

¹⁰For my enemies are talking about me;

those who watch for my life are plotting together.

¹¹They say, "God has abandoned him;

pursue and take him,

for there is no one to save him."

¹²God, do not be far from me;

my God, hurry to help me.

¹³Let them be put to shame and destroyed,

those who are hostile to my life;

let them be covered with rebuke and dishonor,

those who seek my hurt.

¹⁴But I will always hope in you

and will praise you more and more.

¹⁵My mouth will tell about your righteousness

and your salvation all the day,

although I cannot understand it.

¹⁶I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh;

I will make mention of your righteousness, yours alone.

¹⁷God, you have taught me from my youth;

even now I declare your wonderful deeds.

¹⁸Indeed, even when I am old and gray-headed, God,

do not abandon me,

as I have been declaring your strength to the next generation,

your power to everyone who is to come.

¹⁹Your righteousness also, God, is very high;

you who have done great things,

God, who is like you?

²⁰You who made me see many troubles

will revive us again

and will bring us up again

from the depths of the earth.

²¹May you increase my honor;

turn again and comfort me.

²²I will also give thanks to you with the harp

for your trustworthiness, my God;

to you I will sing praises with the harp,

Holy One of Israel.

²³My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you—

even my soul, which you have redeemed.

²⁴My tongue will also talk about your righteousness

all day long;

for they have been put to shame and are confused,

those who sought my hurt.

A psalm of Solomon.

¹Give the king your righteous decrees, God,

your righteousness to the king's son.

²May he judge your people with righteousness

and your poor with justice.

³May the mountains produce peace for the people;

may the hills produce righteousness.

⁴May he judge the poor of the people;

may he save the children of the needy

and break in pieces the oppressor.

⁵May they honor you while the sun endures,

and as long as the moon lasts throughout all generations.

⁶May he come down like rain on the mown grass,

like showers that water the earth.

⁷May the righteous flourish in his days,

and may there be an abundance of peace till the moon is no more.

⁸May he have dominion from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

⁹May those who live in the wilderness bow down before him;

may his enemies lick the dust.

¹⁰May the kings of Tarshish and of the islands render tribute;

may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.

¹¹Indeed, may all kings fall down before him;

may all nations serve him.

¹²For he helps the needy person who cries out

and the poor person who has no other helper.

¹³He has pity on the poor and needy,

and he saves the lives of needy people.

¹⁴He redeems their lives from oppression and violence,

and their blood is precious in his sight.

¹⁵May he live!

May the gold of Sheba be given to him.

May people always pray for him;

may God bless him all day long.

¹⁶May there be abundance of grain in the land;

on the mountaintops may their crops wave.

May the fruit of it be like Lebanon;

may the people flourish in the cities like the grass of the field.

¹⁷May his name endure forever;

may his name continue as long as the sun;

may people be blessed in him;

may all nations call him blessed.

¹⁸May Yahweh God, the God of Israel, be blessed,

who alone does wonderful things.

¹⁹May his glorious name be blessed forever,

and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Amen and Amen.

²⁰The prayers of David son of Jesse are finished.

Book Three

(Psalms 73-89)

A psalm of Asaph.

¹Surely God is good to Israel,

to those with a pure heart.

²But as for me, my feet almost slipped;

my feet almost slipped out from under me

³because I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴For they have no pain until their death,

but they are strong and well fed.

⁵They are not in trouble like other men;

they are not afflicted like other men.

⁶Pride adorns them like a necklace around their neck;

violence clothes them like a robe.

⁷Out of such blindness comes sin;

evil thoughts pass through their hearts.

⁸They mock and speak wickedly;

in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

⁹They set their mouth against the heavens,

and their tongues march through the earth.

¹⁰Therefore his people turn to them

and abundant waters are drained out.

¹¹They say, "How does God know?

Is there knowledge with the Most High?"

¹²Take notice: these people are wicked;

they are always at ease, becoming richer and richer.

¹³Surely it is in vain that I have guarded my heart

and washed my hands in innocence.

¹⁴For all the day long I have been afflicted

and disciplined every morning.

¹⁵If I had said, "I will say these things,"

then I would have betrayed this generation of your children.

¹⁶Though I tried to understand these things,

it was too difficult for me.

¹⁷Then I went into God's sanctuary

and came to understand their fate.

¹⁸Surely you put them in slippery places;

you bring them down to ruin.

¹⁹How they become a wilderness in a moment!

They come to an end and are finished in awful terrors.

²⁰They are like a dream after one wakes up;

Lord, when you arise,

you will despise their image.

²¹For my heart was embittered,

and I was deeply wounded.

²²I was ignorant and lacked insight;

I was like a senseless animal before you.

²³Yet I am always with you;

you hold my right hand.

²⁴You will guide me with your advice

and afterward receive me to glory.

²⁵Whom have I in heaven but you?

There is no one on earth that I desire but you.

²⁶My flesh and my heart grow weak,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

²⁷Those who are far from you will perish;

you will destroy all those who are unfaithful to you.

²⁸But as for me, all I need to do is to approach God.

I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge.

I will declare all your deeds.

A maschil of Asaph.

¹God, why have you rejected us forever?

Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?

²Call to mind your people, whom you purchased in ancient times,

the tribe whom you have redeemed to be your own heritage,

and Mount Zion, where you live.

³Come look at the everlasting ruins,

all the damage that the enemy has done in the holy place.

⁴Your adversaries roared in the middle of your appointed place;

they set up their battle flags.

⁵They hacked away with axes

as in a thick forest.

⁶They smashed and broke down all the engravings;

they broke them with axes and hammers.

⁷They set your sanctuary on fire, knocking it to the ground;

they desecrated the dwelling place of your name.

⁸They said in their hearts, "We will destroy them all."

They burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

⁹We do not see any more signs;

there is no prophet any more,

and no one among us knows how long this will last.

¹⁰How long, God, will the enemy throw insults at you?

Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

¹¹Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?

Take your right hand from your garment and destroy them.

¹²Yet God has been my king from ancient times,

bringing salvation on the earth.

¹³You divided the sea by your strength;

you smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

¹⁴You crushed the heads of leviathan;

you fed him to those living in the wilderness.

¹⁵You broke open springs and streams;

you dried up flowing rivers.

¹⁶The day is yours, and the night is yours also;

you set the light and the sun in place.

¹⁷You have set all the borders of the earth;

you have made summer and winter.

¹⁸Call to mind how the enemy hurled insults at you, Yahweh,

and that a foolish people has blasphemed your name.

¹⁹Do not give the life of your dove to a wild animal.

Do not forget forever the life of your oppressed people.

²⁰Remember your covenant,

for the dark regions of the land are full of places of violence.

²¹Do not let the oppressed be turned back in shame;

let the poor and oppressed praise your name.

²²Arise, God; plead your own cause;

call to mind how fools mock you all day long.

²³Do not forget the voice of your adversaries

or the uproar of those who continually defy you.

For the chief musician; set to Al Tashheth. A psalm of Asaph, a song.

¹We give thanks to you, God;

we give thanks, for your name is near;

people tell of your wondrous works.

²At the appointed time

I will judge fairly.

³Though the earth and all the inhabitants shake in fear,

I make steady the earth's pillars.

Selah

⁴I said to the arrogant, "Do not be arrogant,"

and to the wicked, "Do not lift up the horn.

⁵Do not lift up your horn to the heights;

do not speak with an arrogant neck."

⁶It is not from the east or from the west,

and it is not from the wilderness that lifting up comes.

⁷But God is the judge;

he brings down and he lifts up.

⁸For Yahweh holds in his hand a cup of foaming wine,

which is mixed with spices, and pours it out.

Surely all the wicked of the earth

will drink it to the last drop.

⁹But I will continually tell what you have done;

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰He says, "I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,

but the horns of the righteous will be raised up."

For the chief musician, on stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph, a song.

¹God has made himself known in Judah;

his name is great in Israel.

²His tent is in Salem;

his dwelling place is in Zion.

³There he broke the arrows of the bow,

the shield, the sword, and the other weapons of war.

Selah

⁴You shine brightly and are majestic

as you descend from the mountains, where you killed your victims.

⁵The brave of heart were plundered;

they fell asleep.

All the warriors were helpless.

⁶At your rebuke, God of Jacob,

both charioteer and horse fell asleep.

⁷You, yes you, are to be feared;

who can stand in your sight when you are angry?

⁸From heaven you made your judgment heard;

the earth was afraid and silent

⁹when you, God, arose to execute judgment

and to save all the oppressed of the earth.

Selah

¹⁰Surely your angry judgment against humanity will bring you praise;

you gird yourself with the remnant of your anger.

¹¹Make vows to Yahweh your God and keep them.

May all who surround him bring tribute to him who is to be feared.

¹²He cuts off the spirit of the princes;

he is feared by the kings of the earth.

For the chief musician; after the manner of Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.

¹I will call with my voice to God;

I will call out with my voice to God,

and my God will give ear to me.

²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;

at night I stretched my hands out, and they would not become tired.

My soul refused to be comforted.

³I thought of God as I groaned;

I thought about him as I grew faint.

Selah

⁴You held my eyes open;

I was too troubled to speak.

⁵I thought about the days of old,

about years long past.

⁶During the night I called to mind the song I once sang.

I thought carefully

and tried to understand what had happened.

⁷Will the Lord reject me forever?

Will he never again show me favor?

⁸Was his covenant faithfulness gone forever?

Had his promise failed forever?

⁹Had God forgotten to be gracious?

Had his anger shut off his compassion?

Selah

¹⁰I said, "This is my sorrow:

the changing of the right hand of the Most High toward us."

¹¹But I will remember the deeds of Yah; ¹

I will remember your miracles of long ago.

¹²I will ponder all your deeds

and will reflect on them.

¹³Your way, God, is holy;

what god compares to our great God?

¹⁴You are the God who does wonders;

you have revealed your strength among the peoples.

¹⁵You gave your people victory by your great power—

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah

¹⁶The waters saw you, God;

the waters saw you, and they were afraid;

the depths trembled.

¹⁷The clouds poured down water;

the cloudy skies gave voice;

your arrows flew about.

¹⁸Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;

the lightning lit up the world;

the earth trembled and shook.

¹⁹Your path went through the sea

and your way through the surging waters,

but your footprints were not seen.

²⁰You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

A maschil of Asaph.

¹Hear my teaching, my people,

listen to the words of my mouth.

²I will open my mouth in parables;

I will sing about hidden things about the past.

³These are things that we have heard and learned,

things that our ancestors have told us.

⁴We will not keep them from their descendants.

We will tell the next generation

about the praiseworthy deeds of Yahweh,

his strength, and the wonders that he has done.

⁵For he established covenant decrees in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel.

He commanded our ancestors

that they were to teach them to their children.

⁶He commanded this so that the generation to come might know his decrees,

the children not yet born,

who should tell them in turn to their own children.

⁷Then they would place their hope in God

and not forget his deeds

but keep his commandments.

⁸Then they would not be like their ancestors,

who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose hearts were not right,

and whose spirits were not committed and faithful to God.

⁹The Ephraimites were armed with bows,

but they turned back on the day of battle.

¹⁰They did not keep the covenant with God,

and they refused to obey his law.

¹¹They forgot his deeds,

the wonderful things that he had shown them.

¹²They forgot the marvelous things he did in the sight of their ancestors

in the land of Egypt, in the land of Zoan.

¹³He divided the sea and led them across it;

he made the waters to stand like walls.

¹⁴In the daytime he led them with a cloud

and all the night with the light of fire.

¹⁵He split the rocks in the wilderness,

and he gave them water abundantly,

enough to fill the depths of the sea.

¹⁶He made streams flow out of the rock

and made the water flow like rivers.

¹⁷Yet they continued to sin against him,

rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.

¹⁸They challenged God in their hearts

by asking for food to satisfy their appetites.

¹⁹They spoke against God;

they said, "Can God really lay out a table for us in the wilderness?

²⁰See, when he struck the rock,

waters gushed out

and streams overflowed.

But can he give bread also?

Will he provide meat for his people?"

²¹When Yahweh heard this, he was angry;

so his fire burned against Jacob,

and his anger attacked Israel,

²²because they did not believe in God

and did not trust in his salvation.

²³Yet he commanded the skies above

and opened the doors of the sky.

²⁴He rained down manna for them to eat,

and gave them the grain from heaven.

²⁵People ate the bread of angels.

He sent them food in abundance.

²⁶He caused the east wind to blow in the sky,

and by his power he guided the south wind.

²⁷He rained down meat on them like dust,

birds as numerous as the sands of the sea.

²⁸They fell in the middle of their camp,

all around their tents.

²⁹So they ate and were full.

He gave them what they craved.

³⁰But they had not yet filled up;

their food was still in their mouths.

³¹Then God's anger attacked them

and killed the strongest of them.

He brought down the young men of Israel.

³²Despite this, they continued to sin

and did not believe his wonderful deeds.

³³Therefore God cut short their days;

their years were filled with terror.

³⁴Whenever God killed them, they would start to seek him,

and they would return and look earnestly for him.

³⁵They would call to mind that God was their rock

and that the Most High God was their rescuer.

³⁶But they would flatter him with their mouth

and lie to him with their words.

³⁷For their hearts were not firmly fixed on him,

and they were not faithful to his covenant.

³⁸Yet he, being merciful,

forgave their iniquity

and did not destroy them.

Yes, many times he held back his anger

and did not stir up all his wrath.

³⁹He called to mind that they were made of flesh,

a wind that passes away and does not return.

⁴⁰How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness

and grieved him in the barren regions!

⁴¹Again and again they challenged God

and offended the Holy One of Israel.

⁴²They did not think about his power,

how he had rescued them from the enemy

⁴³when he performed his terrifying signs in Egypt

and his wonders in the region of Zoan.

⁴⁴He turned the Egyptians' rivers to blood

so that they could not drink from their streams.

⁴⁵He sent swarms of flies that devoured them

and frogs that destroyed them.

⁴⁶He gave their crops to the grasshopper

and their labor to the locust.

⁴⁷He destroyed their vines with hail

and their sycamore trees with more hail.

⁴⁸He rained hail on their cattle

and hurled lightning bolts at their livestock.

⁴⁹The fierceness of his anger lashed out against them.

He sent wrath, fury, and trouble

like angels who bring disaster.

⁵⁰He leveled a path for his anger;

he did not spare them from death

but gave them over to the plague.

⁵¹He killed all the firstborn in Egypt,

the firstborn of their strength in the tents of Ham.

⁵²He led his own people out like sheep

and guided them through the wilderness like a flock.

⁵³He led them secure and unafraid,

but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

⁵⁴Then he brought them to the border of his holy land,

to this mountain that his right hand acquired.

⁵⁵He drove out the nations from before them

and assigned them their inheritance.

He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

⁵⁶Yet they challenged and rebelled

against the Most High God

and did not keep his solemn commands.

⁵⁷They were unfaithful

and acted treacherously like their fathers;

they were as undependable as a faulty bow.

⁵⁸For they made him angry with their high places

and provoked him to jealous anger with their idols.

⁵⁹When God heard this, he was angry

and completely rejected Israel.

⁶⁰He abandoned the sanctuary of Shiloh,

the tent where he had lived among people.

⁶¹He allowed his strength to be captured

and gave his glory into the enemy's hand.

⁶²He handed his people over to the sword,

and he was angry with his heritage.

⁶³Fire devoured their young men,

and their virgins had no wedding songs.

⁶⁴Their priests fell by the sword,

and their widows could not weep.

⁶⁵Then the Lord awakened as one from sleep,

like a warrior who shouts because of wine.

⁶⁶He drove his adversaries back;

he put them to everlasting shame.

⁶⁷He rejected the tent of Joseph,

and he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁸He chose the tribe of Judah

and Mount Zion that he loved.

⁶⁹He built his sanctuary like the heavens,

like the earth that he has established forever.

⁷⁰He chose David, his servant,

and took him from the sheepfolds.

⁷¹He took him from following the ewes with their young,

and he brought him to be shepherd of Jacob,

his people, and of Israel, his heritage.

⁷²David shepherded them with the integrity of his heart,

and he guided them with the skill of his hands.

A psalm of Asaph.

¹God, foreign nations have come into your inheritance;

they have defiled your holy temple;

they have turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.

²They have given the dead bodies of your servants

as food to the birds of the skies,

the bodies of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.

³They have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem,

and there was none to bury them.

⁴We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,

mocking and derision to those who are around us.

⁵How long, Yahweh? Will you stay angry forever?

How long will your jealous anger burn like fire?

⁶Pour out your wrath on the nations

that do not know you

and on the kingdoms

that do not call upon your name.

⁷For they have devoured Jacob

and laid waste his villages.

⁸Do not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us;

may your merciful actions come to us,

for we are very low.

⁹Help us, God of our salvation,

for the sake of the glory of your name;

save us and forgive our sins

for your name's sake.

¹⁰Why should the nations say,

"Where is their God?"

May the blood of your servants that was shed

be avenged on the nations before our eyes.

¹¹May the groans of the prisoners come before you;

with the greatness of your power keep the children of death alive.

¹²Pay back into the laps of our neighboring countries seven times as much

as the contempt with which they have taunted you, Lord.

¹³So we your people and sheep of your pasture

will give you thanks forever.

We will tell your praises

to all generations.

For the chief musician, set to the Shoshannim Eduth style. A psalm of Asaph.

¹Give ear, Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead Joseph like a flock;

you who sit above the cherubim,

shine on us!

²In the sight of Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,

stir up your power;

come and save us.

³God, restore us;

make your face shine on us,

and we will be saved.

⁴Yahweh God of hosts,

how long will you be angry at your people when they pray?

⁵You have fed them with the bread of tears

and given them tears to drink in great quantities.

⁶You make us an object of strife for our neighbors,

and our enemies laugh in mockery about us among themselves.

⁷God of hosts, restore us;

make your face shine on us,

and we will be saved.

⁸You brought a vine out of Egypt;

you drove out nations and transplanted it.

⁹You cleared the land for it;

it took root and filled the land.

¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shade,

the cedars of God by its branches.

¹¹It sent out its branches as far as the sea

and its shoots to the Euphrates River.

¹²Why have you broken down its walls

so that all who pass by along the road pluck its fruit?

¹³The boars out of the forest ruin it,

and the beasts of the field feed on it.

¹⁴Turn back, God of hosts;

look down from heaven and take notice

and take care of this vine.

¹⁵This is the root that your right hand planted,

the son that you have strengthened for yourself.

¹⁶It has been burned and cut down;

they perish because of your rebuke.

¹⁷May your hand be on the man of your right hand,

on the son of man whom you strengthened for yourself.

¹⁸Then we will not turn away from you;

revive us, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹Yahweh God of hosts, restore us;

make your face shine on us, and we will be saved.

For the chief musician; set to the Gittith style. A psalm of Asaph.

¹Shout joyfullly to God our strength;

shout out for joy to the God of Jacob.

²Sing a song and play the tambourine,

the pleasant harp with the lute.

³Blow the ram's horn on the day of the new moon,

on the day of the full moon, when our feast day begins.

⁴For it is a statute for Israel,

a decree given by the God of Jacob.

⁵He issued it as a regulation in Joseph

when he went against the land of Egypt,

where I heard a voice that I did not recognize:

⁶"I removed the burden from his shoulder;

his hands were freed from holding the basket.

⁷In your distress you called out, and I helped you;

I answered you from a dark thundercloud.

I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Selah

⁸Listen, my people, for I will warn you,

Israel, if you would only listen to me!

⁹There must be no foreign god among you;

you must not worship any foreign god.

¹⁰I am Yahweh your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹But my people did not listen to my words;

Israel did not obey me.

¹²So I gave them over to their own stubborn way

so that they might follow their own devices.

¹³Oh, that my people would listen to me;

oh, that my people would walk in my paths.

¹⁴Then I would quickly subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their oppressors.

¹⁵May those who hate Yahweh cringe in fear before him!

May they be humiliated forever.

¹⁶I would feed Israel with the finest wheat;

I would satisfy you with honey out of the rock."

A psalm of Asaph.

¹God stands in the divine assembly;

in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.

²How long will you judge unjustly

and show favoritism to the wicked?

Selah

³Give justice to the poor and fatherless;

maintain the rights of the afflicted and destitute.

⁴Rescue the poor and needy;

take them out of the hand of the wicked.

⁵They neither know nor understand;

they wander around in the darkness;

all the foundations of the earth crumble.

⁶I said, "You are gods,

and all of you are sons of the Most High.

⁷Nevertheless you will die like men

and fall like one of the princes."

⁸Arise, God, judge the earth,

for you have an inheritance in all the nations.

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

¹God, do not be silent!

Do not ignore us and remain unmoved, God.

²Look, your enemies are making a commotion,

and those who hate you have raised their heads.

³They make shrewd plans against your people

and plan together against your protected ones.

⁴They have said, "Come, and let us destroy them as a nation.

Then the name of Israel will no longer be remembered."

⁵They schemed together with one strategy;

they made an alliance against you—

⁶the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

of Moab and the Hagrites,

⁷Byblos,¹ Ammon, Amalek;

and also Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.

⁸Assyria also has joined with them;

they have become an arm for the descendants of Lot.

Selah

⁹Do to them as you did to Midian,

as you did to Sisera and to Jabin at the Kishon River.

¹⁰They perished at Endor

and became like manure for the earth.

¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna.

¹²They said, "Let us take for ourselves

the pastures of God."

¹³My God, make them like the whirling dust,

like chaff before the wind,

¹⁴like the fire that burns the forest,

and like the flame that sets the mountains on fire.

¹⁵Chase them with your strong wind,

and terrify them with your windstorm.

¹⁶Fill their faces with shame

so that they might seek your name, Yahweh.

¹⁷May they be put to shame and be terrified forever;

may they perish in disgrace.

¹⁸Then they will know that you alone,

whose name is Yahweh,

are the Most High over all the earth.

¹Some modern English translations read, Gebal .

For the chief musician; set to the Gittith style. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹How lovely is the place where you live,

Yahweh of hosts!

²I long for the courts of Yahweh;

my desire for it has made me exhausted.

My heart and all of my being

shout for joy to the living God.

³Even the sparrow has found herself a house

and the swallow a nest for herself

where she may lay her young

near your altars, Yahweh of hosts,

my King, and my God.

⁴Blessed are they who live in your house;

they praise you continually.

Selah

⁵Blessed is the man whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways up to Zion.

⁶As they go through the Valley of Tears

they make it a place of springs.

The early rains cover it with blessings. ¹

⁷They go from strength to strength;

every one of them appears before God in Zion.

⁸Yahweh God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, God of Jacob!

Selah

⁹God, watch over our shield;

show concern for your anointed.

¹⁰For one day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,

than to live within the tents of the wicked.

¹¹For Yahweh God is our sun and shield;

Yahweh will give grace and glory;

he does not withhold any good thing

from those who walk in integrity.

¹²Yahweh of hosts,

blessed is the man who trusts in you.

¹Some scholars translate the Hebrew as cover it with pools of water .

For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹Yahweh, you have shown favor to your land;

you have restored the well-being of Jacob.

²You have forgiven the iniquity of your people;

you have covered all their sin.

Selah

³You have withdrawn all your wrath;

you have turned back from your hot anger.

⁴Restore us, God of our salvation,

and let go of your displeasure with us.

⁵Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you remain angry throughout future generations?

⁶Will you not revive us again?

Then your people will rejoice in you.

⁷Show us your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh;

grant us your salvation.

⁸I will listen to what Yahweh God says,

for he will make peace with his people, his faithful ones.

Yet they must not turn again to foolish ways.

⁹Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him;

then glory will remain in our land.

¹⁰Steadfast love and faithfulness have met together;

righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

¹¹Trustworthiness springs up from the ground,

and righteousness looks down from the sky.

¹²Yes, Yahweh will give his good blessings,

and our land will yield its crops.

¹³Righteousness will go before him

and make a way for his footsteps.

A prayer of David.

¹Listen, Yahweh, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

²Protect me, for I am faithful;

my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

³Be merciful to me, Lord,

for I cry out to you all day long.

⁴Make your servant glad,

for to you, Lord, I lift up my soul.

⁵You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

abounding in steadfast love to all those who cry out to you.

⁶Give ear, Yahweh, to my prayer;

hear the sound of my pleas.

⁷In the day of my trouble I call on you,

for you will answer me.

⁸There is no one who compares to you among the gods, Lord.

There are no deeds like your deeds.

⁹All the nations that you have made

will come and bow before you, Lord.

They will honor your name.

¹⁰For you are great and do wonderful things;

you only are God.

¹¹Teach me your ways, Yahweh.

Then I will walk in your truth.

Unite my heart

to reverence your name.

¹²Lord my God, I will praise you with my whole heart;

I will glorify your name forever.

¹³For great is your covenant faithfulness toward me;

you have rescued my life from the depths of Sheol.

¹⁴God, the arrogant have risen up against me.

A company of violent men seek my life.

They have no regard for you.

¹⁵But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

¹⁶Turn toward me and have mercy on me;

give your strength to your servant;

save the son of your servant woman.

¹⁷Show me a sign of your favor.

Then those who hate me will see it and be put to shame

because you, Yahweh, have helped me and comforted me.

A psalm of the sons of Korah; a song.

¹On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

²Yahweh loves the gates of Zion

more than all the tents of Jacob.

³Glorious things are said of you,

city of God.

Selah

⁴"I mention Rahab and Babylon to my followers.

See, there are Philistia, and Tyre, along with Cush—

and will say, 'This one was born there.'"

⁵Of Zion it will be said,

"Each of these was born in her;

and the Most High himself will establish her."

⁶Yahweh writes in the census book of the nations,

"This one was born there."

Selah

⁷So also the singers and the dancers say together,

"All my fountains are in you."

A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah; for the chief musician; set to the Mahalath Leannoth style. A maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.

¹Yahweh, God of my salvation,

I cry out day and night before you.

²Listen to my prayer;

pay attention to my cry.

³For I am filled with troubles,

and my life has reached Sheol.

⁴People treat me like those who go down into the pit;

I am a man with no strength.

⁵I am free among the dead;

I am like the dead who lie in the grave,

about whom you care no more

because they are cut off from your power.

⁶You place me in the lowest part of the pit,

in the dark and deep places.

⁷Your wrath lies heavy on me,

and all your waves crash over me.

Selah

⁸Because of you, my acquaintances avoid me.

You have made me an abomination to them.

I am hemmed in and I cannot escape.

⁹My eyes grow weary from trouble;

All day long I call out to you, Yahweh;

I spread out my hands to you.

¹⁰Will you do wonders for the dead?

Will those who have died rise and praise you?

Selah

¹¹Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave,

your faithfulness in the place of the dead?

¹²Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness,

or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?

¹³But I cry to you, Yahweh;

in the morning my prayer comes before you.

¹⁴Yahweh, why do you reject me?

Why do you hide your face from me?

¹⁵I have always been afflicted and on the verge of death since my youth.

I have suffered from your terrors;

I am in despair.

¹⁶Your burning anger has passed over me,

and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.

¹⁷They surround me like water all the day long;

they have all encircled me.

¹⁸You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me.

My only acquaintance is the darkness.

A maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

¹I will sing of Yahweh's acts of covenant faithfulness forever.

I will proclaim your truthfulness to future generations.

²For I have said, “Covenant faithfulness has been established forever;

your truthfulness you have established in the heavens.”

³You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have made an oath to David my servant:

⁴‘I will establish your descendants forever,

and I will establish your throne through all generations.‘”

Selah

⁵The heavens praise your wonders, Yahweh;

your truthfulness is praised in the assembly of the holy ones.

⁶For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh?

Who among the sons of the gods is like Yahweh?

⁷He is a God who is greatly honored in the council of the holy ones

and is awesome among all who surround him.

⁸Yahweh God of hosts,

who is strong like Yah? ¹

Your truthfulness surrounds you.

⁹You rule the raging sea;

when the waves surge, you calm them.

¹⁰You crushed Rahab as one who is killed.

You scattered your enemies with your strong arm.

¹¹The heavens belong to you, and the earth also.

You established the world and all it contains.

¹²You created the north and the south.

Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

¹³You have a mighty arm

and a strong hand, and your right hand is high.

¹⁴Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.

Steadfast love and faithfulness come before you.

¹⁵Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!

Yahweh, they walk in the light of your face.

¹⁶They rejoice in your name all day long,

and in your righteousness they exalt you.

¹⁷You are their glorious strength,

and by your favor our horn is exalted.

¹⁸For our shield belongs to Yahweh;

our king belongs to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹Long ago you spoke in a vision

to your faithful ones; ²

you said, "I have set a crown on a mighty one." ³

I have raised up one chosen from among the people.

²⁰I have chosen David my servant;

with my holy oil have I anointed him.

²¹My hand will support him;

my arm will strengthen him.

²²No enemy will deceive him;

no son of wickedness will oppress him.

²³I will crush his enemies before him;

I will kill those who hate him.

²⁴My truth and my covenant faithfulness will be with him;

by my name his horn will be exalted.

²⁵I will place his hand over the sea

and his right hand over the rivers.

²⁶He will call out to me, 'You are my Father,

my God, and the rock of my salvation.'

²⁷I also will place him as my firstborn son,

the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

²⁸I will extend my covenant faithfulness to him forever;

and my covenant with him will be secure.

²⁹I will make his descendants endure forever

and his throne as enduring as the skies above.

³⁰If his children abandon my law

and do not walk in my regulations,

³¹if they break my rules

and do not keep my commands,

³²then will I punish their rebellion with a rod

and their iniquity with blows.

³³But I will not remove my steadfast love from him

or be unfaithful to my promise.

³⁴I will not break my covenant

or change the words of my lips.

³⁵Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness—

I will not lie to David:

³⁶his descendants will continue forever

and his throne as long as the sun before me.

³⁷It will be established forever like the moon,

the faithful witness in the sky."

Selah

³⁸But you have refused and rejected;

you have been angry with your anointed king.

³⁹You have renounced the covenant of your servant.

You have desecrated his crown on the ground.

⁴⁰You have broken down all his walls.

You have ruined his strongholds.

⁴¹All who pass by have robbed him.

He has become the scorn of his neighbors.

⁴²You have raised the right hand of his enemies;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

⁴³You turn back the edge of his sword

and have not made him stand when in battle.

⁴⁴You have brought his splendor to an end;

you have brought down his throne to the ground.

⁴⁵You have shortened the days of his youth.

You have covered him with shame.

Selah

⁴⁶How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever?

How long will your anger burn like fire?

⁴⁷Oh, think about how short my time is,

and for what vanity you have created all the children of mankind!

⁴⁸Who can live and not die,

or rescue his own life from the hand of Sheol?

Selah

⁴⁹Lord, where are your former acts of covenant faithfulness

that you swore to David in your truthfulness?

⁵⁰Call to mind, Lord, the mocking directed against your servants

and how I bear in my heart so many insults from the nations.

⁵¹Your enemies hurl insults, Yahweh;

they mock the footsteps of your anointed one.

⁵²Blessed be Yahweh forever.

Amen and Amen.

Book Four

(Psalms 90-106)

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Many ancient copies of the Hebrew text have the singular faithful one instead of faithful ones .

³The ancient copies of the Hebrew text have I will place help upon a warrior . Some scholars translate the word for help as crown and that is how the ULB editors have translated the word here.

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

¹Lord, you have been our refuge

throughout all generations.

²Before the mountains were formed,

or you formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

³You return man to dust,

and you say, "Return, you descendants of mankind."

⁴For a thousand years in your sight

are as yesterday when it is past,

and as a watch in the night.

⁵You sweep them away as with a flood and they sleep;

in the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up.

⁶In the morning it blooms and grows up;

in the evening it withers and dries up.

⁷Truly, we are consumed in your anger,

and in your wrath we are terrified.

⁸You have set our iniquities before you,

our hidden sins in the light of your presence.

⁹Our life passes away under your wrath;

our years quickly pass like a sigh.

¹⁰Our years are seventy,

or even eighty if we are healthy;

but even our best years are marked by trouble and sorrow.

Yes, they pass quickly, and we fly away.

¹¹Who knows the power of your anger,

and your wrath that is equal to the fear of you?

¹²So teach us to consider our life

so that we might gain a heart of wisdom.

¹³Turn back, Yahweh! How long will it be?

Have pity on your servants.

¹⁴Satisfy us in the morning with your covenant faithfulness

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

¹⁵Make us glad in proportion to the days you afflicted us

and to the years we have experienced trouble.

¹⁶Let your servants see your work,

and let our children see your majesty.

¹⁷May the favor of the Lord our God be ours;

prosper the work of our hands;

indeed, prosper the work of our hands.

¹He who lives in the shelter of the Most High

will stay in the shadow of the Almighty.

²I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

³For he will rescue you

from the snare of the hunter

and from the destructive plague.

⁴He will cover you with his wings,

and under his wings you will find refuge.

His faithfulness is a shield and protection.

⁵You will not be afraid of terror in the night,

or of the arrow that flies by day,

⁶or of the plague that stalks in the darkness,

or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

⁷A thousand may fall at your side

and ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not reach you.

⁸You will only observe

and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹For Yahweh is my refuge!

Make the Most High your refuge also.

¹⁰No evil will overtake you;

no affliction will come near your tent.

¹¹For he will put his angels in charge over you,

to guard you in all your ways.

¹²They will lift you up with their hand

so that you will not hit your foot on a stone.

¹³You will crush lions and asps under your feet;

you will trample on young lions and serpents.

¹⁴Because he delights in me, I will rescue him.

I will protect him because he acknowledges my name.

¹⁵When he calls to me, I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble;

I will give him victory and will honor him.

¹⁶I will satisfy him with the length of his days,

and show him my salvation.

A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day.

¹It is a good thing to give thanks to Yahweh

and to sing praises to your name, Most High,

²to proclaim your covenant faithfulness in the morning

and your truthfulness every night,

³with a lute of ten strings

and the resounding music of the harp.

⁴For you, Yahweh, have made me glad through your deeds.

I will sing for joy because of the deeds of your hands.

⁵How great are your deeds, Yahweh!

Your thoughts are very deep.

⁶A brutish person does not know,

nor does a fool understand this:

⁷When the wicked sprout like the grass,

and even when all those who behave wickedly thrive,

still they are doomed to eternal destruction.

⁸But you, Yahweh, will reign forever.

⁹Indeed, look at your enemies, Yahweh!

Indeed, look at your enemies. They will perish!

All those who behave wickedly will be scattered.

¹⁰You have lifted up my horn like the horn of the wild ox;

I am anointed with fresh oil.

¹¹My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;

my ears have heard of the doom of my evil foes.

¹²The righteous will flourish like the palm tree;

they will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

¹³They are planted in the house of Yahweh;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

¹⁴They bear fruit even when they are old;

they stay fresh and green,

¹⁵to proclaim that Yahweh is just.

He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

¹Yahweh reigns; he is robed in majesty;

Yahweh has clothed and girded himself with strength.

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

²Your throne is established from ancient times;

you are from everlasting.

³The oceans rise, Yahweh;

they have lifted up their voice;

the oceans' waves crash and roar.

⁴Above the crashing of many waves,

the mighty breakers of the sea,

Yahweh on high is mighty.

⁵Your solemn commands are very trustworthy;

holiness adorns your house,

Yahweh, for the length of your days.

¹Yahweh, God who avenges,

God who avenges, shine over us.

²Rise up, judge of the earth,

give recompense to the proud.

³How long will the wicked, Yahweh,

how long will the wicked rejoice?

⁴They pour out their arrogant words;

all those who behave wickedly boast.

⁵They crush your people, Yahweh;

they afflict your heritage.

⁶They kill the widow and foreigner who lives in their country,

and they murder the fatherless.

⁷They say, "Yah does not see;

the God of Jacob does not take notice of it." ¹

⁸Pay attention, you stupid people!

You fools, when will you gain understanding?

⁹He who made the ear, does he not hear?

He who formed the eye, does he not see?

¹⁰He who disciplines the nations, does he not correct?

He is the one who gives knowledge to man.

¹¹Yahweh knows the thoughts of men,

that they are vapor.

¹²Blessed is the one whom Yah instructs,

the one whom you teach from your law. ²

¹³You give him rest in times of trouble

until a pit is dug for the wicked.

¹⁴For Yahweh will not abandon his people

or abandon his inheritance.

¹⁵For judgment will again be righteous;

and all the upright in heart will follow it.

¹⁶Who will rise up to defend me against the evildoers?

Who will stand up for me against those who behave wickedly?

¹⁷Unless Yahweh had been my help,

I would soon be lying down in the place of silence.

¹⁸When I said, "My foot is slipping,"

Your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh, held me up.

¹⁹When cares within me are many,

your consolations delight my soul.

²⁰Can a throne of destruction be allied with you,

one that creates trouble by statute?

²¹They conspire together to take the life of the righteous

and they declare guilty the blood of the innocent.

²²But Yahweh has been my high tower,

and my God has been the rock of my refuge.

²³He will bring on them their own iniquity

and will cut them off in their own wickedness.

Yahweh our God will cut them off.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

¹Oh come, let us sing to Yahweh;

let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

²Let us enter his presence with thanksgiving;

let us shout joyfully to him with psalms of praise.

³For Yahweh is a great God

and a great King superior to all gods.

⁴In his hand are the depths of the earth;

the heights of the mountains are his.

⁵The sea is his, for he made it,

and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before Yahweh, our Creator:

⁷For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

Today—oh, that you would hear his voice!

⁸"Do not harden your heart, as at Meribah,

or as on the day of Massah in the wilderness,

⁹where your forefathers tested me;

they put me to the test, though they had seen my deeds.

¹⁰For forty years I was angry with that generation

and said, 'This is a people whose hearts wander astray;

they have not known my ways.'

¹¹Therefore I swore in my anger

that they would never enter into my resting place."

¹Oh, sing to Yahweh a new song;

sing to Yahweh, all the earth.

²Sing to Yahweh, bless his name;

announce his salvation day after day.

³Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all the nations.

⁴For Yahweh is great and is to be praised greatly.

He is to be feared above all other gods.

⁵For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but it is Yahweh who made the heavens.

⁶Splendor and majesty are in his presence.

Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

⁷Ascribe to Yahweh, you clans of peoples,

ascribe praise to Yahweh for his glory and strength.

⁸Give to Yahweh the glory that his name deserves.

Bring an offering and come into his courts.

⁹Bow down to Yahweh in the splendor of holiness;

tremble before him, all the earth.

¹⁰Say among the nations, "Yahweh reigns."

The world also is established; it cannot be shaken.

He judges the peoples fairly.

¹¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar and that which fills it shout with joy.

¹²Let the fields rejoice and all that is in them.

Then let all the trees in the forest shout for joy

¹³before Yahweh, for he is coming.

He is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness

and the peoples with his faithfulness.

¹Yahweh reigns; let the earth rejoice;

let the many coastlands be glad.

²Clouds and darkness surround him.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

³Fire goes before him

and consumes his adversaries on every side.

⁴His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

⁵The mountains melt like wax before Yahweh,

the Lord of the whole earth.

⁶The skies declare his justice,

and all the nations see his glory.

⁷All those who worship carved figures will be shamed,

those who boast in worthless idols—

bow down to him, all you gods!

⁸Zion heard and was glad,

and the towns of Judah rejoiced

because of your righteous decrees, Yahweh.

⁹For you, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth.

You are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰You who love Yahweh, hate evil!

He protects the lives of his faithful ones,

and he takes them out of the hand of the wicked.

¹¹Light is sown for the righteous

and gladness for those with honest hearts.

¹²Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous;

and give thanks when you remember his holiness.

A psalm.

¹Oh, sing to Yahweh a new song,

for he has done marvelous things;

his right hand and his holy arm

have given him victory.

²Yahweh has made known his salvation;

he has openly showed his justice to all the nations.

³He calls to mind his steadfast love

and faithfulness for the house of Israel;

all the ends of the earth will see

the victory of our God.

⁴Shout for joy to Yahweh, all the earth;

burst into song, sing for joy, and sing praises.

⁵Sing praises to Yahweh with the harp,

with the harp and melodious song.

⁶With trumpets and the sound of the horn,

shout joyfully before the King, Yahweh.

⁷Let the sea shout and everything in it,

the world and those who live in it!

⁸Let the rivers clap their hands,

and let the mountains shout for joy.

⁹Yahweh is coming to judge the earth;

he will judge the world with righteousness

and the nations with fairness.

¹Yahweh reigns;

let the nations tremble.

He sits enthroned above the cherubim;

the earth quakes.

²Yahweh is great in Zion;

he is exalted above all the nations.

³Let them praise your great and awesome name;

he is holy.

⁴The king is strong, and he loves justice.

You have established fairness;

you have done righteousness

and justice in Jacob.

⁵Praise Yahweh our God

and worship at his footstool.

He is holy.

⁶Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

and Samuel was among those who called on his name.

They called to Yahweh,

and he answered them.

⁷He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud.

They kept his solemn commands

and the statutes that he gave them.

⁸You answered them,

Yahweh our God.

A forgiving God you were to them,

but also an avenger of their sinful deeds.

⁹Praise Yahweh our God,

and worship at his holy hill,

for Yahweh our God is holy.

100

A psalm of thanksgiving.

¹Shout joyfully to Yahweh, all the earth.

²Serve Yahweh with gladness;

come before his presence with joyful singing.

³Know that Yahweh is God;

he made us, and we are his.

We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴Enter into his gates with thanksgiving

and into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him and bless his name.

⁵For Yahweh is good; his covenant faithfulness endures forever

and his truthfulness through all generations.

101

A psalm of David.

¹I will sing of covenant faithfulness and justice;

to you, Yahweh, I will sing praises.

²I will pay attention to the way of integrity.

Oh, when will you come to me?

I will walk with integrity of heart within my house.

³I will not put wrongdoing before my eyes;

I hate worthless evil;

it will not cling to me.

⁴A perverse heart will leave me;

I am not loyal to evil.

⁵I will destroy whoever secretly slanders his neighbor.

I will not tolerate the haughty of eye and arrogant of heart.

⁶I will look to the faithful of the land to sit at my side.

Those who walk in the way of integrity may serve me.

⁷Deceitful people will not remain within my house;

liars will not be welcome before my eyes.

⁸Morning by morning

I will destroy all the wicked from the land;

I will remove all who behave wickedly

from the city of Yahweh.

102

A prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his lament before Yahweh.

¹Hear my prayer, Yahweh;

hear my cry to you.

²Do not hide your face from me in my time of trouble.

Listen to me.

When I call out to you,

answer me quickly.

³For my days pass away like smoke,

and my bones burn like fire.

⁴My heart is crushed, and I am like grass that has withered.

I forget to eat any food.

⁵With my continual groaning,

I have become very thin.

⁶I am like a pelican of the wilderness;

I have become like an owl in the ruins.

⁷I lie awake like a solitary bird,

alone on the housetop.

⁸My enemies taunt me all day long;

those who mock me use my name in curses.

⁹I eat ashes like bread

and mix my drink with tears.

¹⁰Because of your raging anger,

you have lifted me up to throw me down.

¹¹My days are like a shadow that fades,

and I have withered like grass.

¹²But you, Yahweh, live forever,

and your fame is for all generations.

¹³You will rise up and have mercy on Zion.

Now is the time to have mercy upon her;

the appointed time has come.

¹⁴For your servants hold her stones dear

and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.

¹⁵The nations will respect your name, Yahweh,

and all the kings of the earth will honor your glory.

¹⁶Yahweh will rebuild Zion

and will appear in his glory.

¹⁷At that time, he will respond to the prayer of the destitute;

he will not reject their prayer.

¹⁸This will be written for future generations,

and a people not yet created will praise Yah. ¹

¹⁹For he has looked down from the holy heights;

from heaven Yahweh has viewed the earth,

²⁰to hear the groaning of the prisoners,

to release those who were condemned to death.

²¹Then men will proclaim the name of Yahweh in Zion

and his praise in Jerusalem

²²when the peoples and kingdoms gather together

to serve Yahweh.

²³He has taken away my strength in the middle of life.

He has shortened my days.

²⁴I said, "My God, do not take me away in the middle of life;

you are here throughout all generations.

²⁵In ancient times you established the earth;

the heavens are the work of your hands.

²⁶They will perish, but you will remain;

they will all grow old like a garment;

like clothing, you will remove them,

and they will disappear.

²⁷But you are the same,

and your years will have no end.

²⁸The children of your servants will live on,

and their descendants will live in your presence."

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

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A psalm of David.

¹I give praise to Yahweh with all my life,

and with all that is within me,

I give praise to his holy name.

²I give praise to Yahweh with all my life,

and I remember all of his good deeds.

³He forgives all your iniquities;

he heals all your diseases.

⁴He redeems your life from the pit;

he crowns you with covenant faithfulness and acts of tender mercy.

⁵He satisfies your life with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

⁶Yahweh does what is fair

and does acts of justice for all who are oppressed.

⁷He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the descendants of Israel.

⁸Yahweh is merciful and gracious;

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

⁹He will not discipline forever;

he will not be angry to eternity.

¹⁰He does not deal with us as our sins deserve

or repay us for what our iniquities demand.

¹¹For as the skies are high above the earth,

so great is his covenant faithfulness toward those who honor him.

¹²As far as the east is from the west,

this is how far he has removed the guilt of our sins from us.

¹³As a father has compassion on his children,

so Yahweh has compassion on those who honor him.

¹⁴For he knows how we are formed;

he knows that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;

he flourishes like a flower in a field.

¹⁶The wind blows over it, and it disappears,

and no one can even tell where it once grew.

¹⁷But the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who honor him.

His righteousness extends to their descendants.

¹⁸They keep his covenant

and remember to obey his instructions.

¹⁹Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over everyone.

²⁰Give praise to Yahweh, you his angels,

you mighty ones who are strong and do his word,

and obey the sound of his word.

²¹Give praise to Yahweh, all his hosts,

his servants who do his will.

²²Give praise to Yahweh, all his creatures,

in all the places where he reigns.

I will give praise to Yahweh with all my life.

104

¹I give praise to Yahweh with all my life,

Yahweh my God, you are very magnificent;

you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

²You cover yourself with light as with a garment;

you spread out the heavens like a tent curtain.

³You lay the beams of your chambers on the clouds;

you make the clouds your chariot;

you walk on the wings of the wind.

⁴He makes the winds his messengers,

flames of fire his servants.

⁵He laid the foundations of the earth,

so that it will not totter forever and ever.

⁶You covered the earth with water like a garment;

the water covered the mountains.

⁷At your rebuke the waters retreated;

at the sound of your thunder they hurried away.

⁸The mountains rose and the valleys went down

to the places that you had appointed for them.

⁹You have set a boundary for them that they will not cross;

they will not cover the earth again.

¹⁰He made springs flow into the valleys;

the streams flow between the mountains.

¹¹They supply water for all the animals of the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

¹²By the riverbanks the birds build their nests;

they sing among the branches.

¹³He waters the mountains from his water chambers in the sky.

The earth is filled with the fruit of his labor.

¹⁴He makes the grass grow for the cattle

and plants for man to cultivate,

so that man may produce food from the earth.

¹⁵He makes wine to make man happy,

oil to make his face shine,

and food to sustain his life.

¹⁶The trees of Yahweh get plenty of rain;

the cedars of Lebanon which he planted.

¹⁷There the birds make their nests.

The stork makes the cypress tree her home.

¹⁸The wild goats live on the high mountains;

the mountain heights are a refuge for the hyraxes.

¹⁹He appointed the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

²⁰You make the darkness of the night

when all the beasts of the forest come out.

²¹The young lions roar for their prey

and seek their food from God.

²²When the sun rises, they retreat

and sleep in their dens.

²³Meanwhile, people go out to their work

and labor away until the evening.

²⁴Yahweh, how many and varied are your works!

With wisdom you made them all;

the earth overflows with your works.

²⁵Over there is the sea, deep and wide,

teeming with innumerable creatures,

both small and great.

²⁶The ships travel there,

and Leviathan is also there, which you formed to play in the sea.

²⁷All these look to you in hope

that you will give them their food on time.

²⁸When you give to them, they gather;

when you open your hand, they are satisfied.

²⁹When you hide your face, they are troubled;

if you take away their breath, they die

and return to dust.

³⁰When you send out your Spirit,

they are created,

and you renew the surface of the ground.

³¹May the glory of Yahweh last forever;

may Yahweh enjoy his creation.

³²He looks down on the earth, and it shakes;

he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

³³I will sing to Yahweh all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

³⁴May my thoughts be sweet to him;

I will rejoice in Yahweh.

³⁵May sinners vanish from the earth,

and let the wicked be no more.

I give praise to Yahweh with all my life.

Give praise to Yah. ¹

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

105

¹Give thanks to Yahweh, call on his name;

make known his deeds among the nations.

²Sing to him, sing praises to him;

speak of all his marvelous deeds.

³Boast in his holy name;

let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

⁴Seek Yahweh and his strength;

seek his presence continually.

⁵Recall the marvelous things he has done,

his miracles and the decrees from his mouth,

⁶you descendants of Abraham his servant,

you people of Jacob, his chosen ones.

⁷He is Yahweh, our God.

His decrees are on all the earth.

⁸He keeps in mind his covenant forever,

the word that he commanded for a thousand generations.

⁹He calls to mind the covenant that he made with Abraham

and his oath to Isaac.

¹⁰This is what he confirmed to Jacob as a statute

and to Israel as an everlasting covenant.

¹¹He said, "I will give you the land of Canaan

as your share of your inheritance."

¹²He said this when they were only few in number,

so very few, and were strangers in the land.

¹³They went from nation to nation

and from one kingdom to another.

¹⁴He did not allow anyone to oppress them;

he rebuked kings for their sakes.

¹⁵He said, "Do not touch my anointed ones,

and do not harm my prophets."

¹⁶He called for a famine on the land;

he cut off the whole staff of bread.

¹⁷He sent a man ahead of them;

Joseph was sold as a servant.

¹⁸His feet were bound by shackles;

on his neck was put an iron collar,

¹⁹until what he had said came to pass.

The word of Yahweh tested him.

²⁰The king sent servants to release him;

the ruler of the people set him free.

²¹He put him in charge of his house

as ruler of all his possessions

²²to instruct his princes as he wished

and to teach his elders wisdom.

²³Then Israel came into Egypt,

and Jacob lived for a time in the land of Ham.

²⁴Yahweh made his people fruitful,

and made them stronger than their enemies.

²⁵He caused their enemies to hate his people,

to mistreat his servants.

²⁶He sent Moses, his servant,

and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

²⁷They performed his signs among the Egyptians,

his wonders in the land of Ham.

²⁸He sent darkness and made that land dark,

and they did not rebel against his commands.

²⁹He turned their water into blood

and killed their fish.

³⁰Their land swarmed with frogs,

even in the rooms of their rulers.

³¹He spoke, and swarms of flies and gnats came

throughout their country.

³²He turned their rain into hail,

with fire flaming on their land.

³³He destroyed their vines and fig trees;

he broke the trees of their country.

³⁴He spoke, and the locusts came,

so many locusts.

³⁵The locusts ate up all of the vegetation in their land;

They ate up all the crops of the ground.

³⁶He killed every firstborn in their land,

the firstfruits of all their strength.

³⁷He brought the Israelites out with silver and gold;

none of his tribes stumbled on the way.

³⁸Egypt was glad when they went away,

for the Egyptians were afraid of them.

³⁹He spread a cloud for a covering

and made a fire to light up the night.

⁴⁰The Israelites asked for food, and he brought quail

and satisfied them with bread from heaven.

⁴¹He split the rock, and waters gushed from it;

they flowed in the wilderness like a river.

⁴²For he called to mind his holy promise

that he made to Abraham his servant.

⁴³He led his people out with joy,

his chosen with shouts of triumph.

⁴⁴He gave them the lands of the nations;

they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' labors

⁴⁵so that they might keep his statutes

and obey his laws.

Give praise to Yah. ¹

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

106

¹Give praise to Yah. ¹

Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

for his covenant faithfulness endures forever.

²Who can recount the mighty acts of Yahweh

or proclaim in full all his praiseworthy deeds?

³Blessed are those who do what is right,

and whose deeds are always just.

⁴Call me to mind, Yahweh, when you show favor to your people;

help me when you save them.

⁵Then I will see the prosperity of your chosen,

rejoice in the gladness of your nation,

and glory with your inheritance.

⁶We have sinned like our ancestors;

we have done wrong, and we have done evil.

⁷Our fathers did not pay attention to your marvelous deeds in Egypt;

they ignored your many acts of covenant faithfulness;

they were rebellious at the sea, the Sea of Reeds.

⁸Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake

so that he might reveal his power.

⁹He rebuked the Sea of Reeds, and it dried up.

Then he led them through the depths, as through a wilderness.

¹⁰He saved them from the hand of those who hated them,

and he rescued them from the hand of the enemy.

¹¹But the waters covered their adversaries;

not one of them survived.

¹²Then they believed his words,

and they sang his praise.

¹³But they quickly forgot his deeds;

they did not wait for his instructions.

¹⁴They had insatiable cravings in the wilderness,

and they challenged God in the desert.

¹⁵So he gave them what they requested,

but he sent a horrible disease upon them.

¹⁶In the camp they became jealous of Moses

and Aaron, the holy priest of Yahweh.

¹⁷The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan

and covered the company of Abiram.

¹⁸Fire broke out in their company;

the fire consumed the wicked.

¹⁹They made a calf at Horeb

and worshiped a cast metal figure.

²⁰They traded the glory of God

for the image of a bull that eats grass.

²¹They forgot God their Savior,

who had done great deeds in Egypt.

²²He had done wonderful things in the land of Ham

and awesome deeds at the Sea of Reeds.

²³So he said he would destroy them—

had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him,

to turn away his anger from destroying them.

²⁴Then they despised the delightful land;

they did not believe his promise,

²⁵but grumbled in their tents,

and did not obey Yahweh.

²⁶Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them

that he would let them die in the desert,

²⁷scatter their descendants among the nations,

and scatter them in foreign lands.

²⁸They worshiped the Baal of Peor

and ate the sacrifices offered to the dead.

²⁹They provoked him to anger with their actions,

and a plague broke out among them.

³⁰Then Phinehas stood up and mediated,

and the plague subsided.

³¹It was counted to him as a righteous deed

to all generations forever.

³²They also angered Yahweh at the waters of Meribah,

and Moses suffered because of them.

³³They made his spirit bitter,

and he spoke thoughtlessly with his lips.

³⁴They did not destroy the nations

as Yahweh had commanded them,

³⁵but they mingled with the nations,

learned their practices,

³⁶and worshiped their idols,

which became a snare to them.

³⁷They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

³⁸They shed innocent blood,

the blood of their sons and of their daughters,

whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,

desecrating the land with blood.

³⁹They were defiled by their deeds;

in their actions they were like prostitutes.

⁴⁰So Yahweh was angry with his people,

and he abhorred his inheritance.

⁴¹He gave them into the hand of the nations,

and those who hated them ruled over them.

⁴²Their enemies oppressed them,

and they were brought into subjection to their authority.

⁴³Many times he came to help them,

but they were rebellious in their purposes

and were brought low by their own iniquity.

⁴⁴Nevertheless, he paid attention to their distress

when he heard their cry for help.

⁴⁵He called to mind his covenant with them

and relented because of his steadfast love.

⁴⁶He caused all their captors

to have pity on them.

⁴⁷Save us, Yahweh, our God.

Gather us from among the nations

so that we may give thanks to your holy name

and glory in your praises.

⁴⁸May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised

from everlasting to everlasting.

All the people said, "Amen."

Give praise to Yah. ²

Book Five

(Psalms 107-150)

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

107

¹Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

and his covenant faithfulness endures forever.

²Let the redeemed of Yahweh speak out,

those he has rescued from the hand of the enemy.

³He has gathered them out of foreign lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.

⁴They wandered in the wilderness on a desert road

and found no city in which to live.

⁵Because they were hungry and thirsty,

they fainted from exhaustion.

⁶Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble,

and he rescued them out of their distress.

⁷He led them by a direct path

so that they would go to a city to live in.

⁸Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness

and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!

⁹For he satisfies the longings of those who are thirsty,

and the desires of those who are hungry he fills up with good things.

¹⁰Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,

prisoners in affliction and chains.

¹¹This was because they had rebelled against God's word

and rejected the instruction of the Most High.

¹²He humbled their hearts through hardship;

they stumbled and there was no one to help them up.

¹³Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble,

and he saved them out of their distress.

¹⁴He brought them out of darkness and gloom

and broke their bonds.

¹⁵Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness

and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!

¹⁶For he has broken the gates of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron.

¹⁷They were foolish in their rebellious ways

and afflicted because of their iniquities.

¹⁸Their soul abhorred all food,

and they came close to the gates of death.

¹⁹Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble,

and he saved them out of their distress.

²⁰He sent his word and healed them,

and he rescued them from the pits in which they were trapped.

²¹Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness

and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!

²²Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving

and proclaim his deeds with shouts of joy.

²³Some travel on the sea in ships

and do business overseas.

²⁴These saw the deeds of Yahweh

and his wonders on the seas.

²⁵For he commanded and aroused the windstorm

that stirs up the seas.

²⁶They reached up to the sky; they went down to the depths.

Their lives melted away in distress.

²⁷They swayed and staggered like drunkards

and were at their wits' end.

²⁸Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

²⁹He calmed the storm,

and the waves were stilled.

³⁰Then they rejoiced because the sea was calm,

and he brought them to their desired harbor.

³¹Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness

and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!

³²Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people

and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³He turns rivers into a wilderness,

springs of water into dry land,

³⁴and a fruitful land into a barren place

because of the wickedness of its people.

³⁵He turns the wilderness into a pool of water

and dry land into springs of water.

³⁶He settles the hungry there,

and they build a city to live in.

³⁷They sowed fields and planted vineyards

that yielded a fruitful harvest.

³⁸He blesses them so they are very numerous.

He does not let their livestock decrease in number.

³⁹They were diminished and brought low

by oppression, distress, and suffering.

⁴⁰He pours contempt on the leaders

and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there are no roads.

⁴¹But he protects the needy from affliction

and cares for his families like a flock.

⁴²The upright will see this and rejoice,

and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

⁴³Whoever is wise should take note of these things

and meditate on Yahweh's acts of covenant faithfulness.

108

A song, a psalm of David.

¹My heart is fixed, God!

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises with all my glory.

²Wake up, lute and harp;

I will wake up the dawn.

³I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

⁴For your covenant faithfulness is great above the heavens;

and your trustworthiness reaches to the skies.

⁵Be exalted, God, above the heavens,

and may your glory be exalted over all the earth.

⁶So that those you love may be rescued,

rescue us with your right hand and answer me.

⁷God has spoken in his holiness; "I will rejoice;

I will divide Shechem

and apportion out the Valley of Sukkoth.

⁸Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim also is my helmet;

Judah is my scepter.

⁹Moab is my washbasin;

over Edom I will throw my sandal;

I will shout in triumph because of Philistia.

¹⁰Who will bring me into the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?"

¹¹God, have you not rejected us?

You do not go into battle with our army.

¹²Give us help against the enemy,

for man's help is futile.

¹³We will triumph with God's help;

he will trample down our enemies.

109

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹God whom I praise,

do not be silent.

²For the wicked and deceitful attack me;

they speak lies against me.

³They surround me and say hateful things,

and they attack me without cause.

⁴In return for my love they accuse me,

but I pray for them.

⁵They repay me evil for good,

and hatred for my love.

⁶Appoint a wicked man over such an enemy as these people;

appoint an accuser to stand at his right hand.

⁷When he is judged, may he be found guilty;

may his prayer be considered sinful.

⁸May his days be few;

may another take his office.

⁹May his children be fatherless,

and may his wife be a widow.

¹⁰May his children wander about and beg,

seeking food far from their ruined home.

¹¹May the creditor seize all he owns;

may strangers plunder the product of his labor.

¹²May no one extend any kindness to him;

may no one have pity on his fatherless children.

¹³May his descendants be cut off;

may their name be blotted out in the next generation.

¹⁴May his ancestors' iniquity be remembered before Yahweh;

and may the sin of his mother not be forgotten.

¹⁵May their sins always be before Yahweh;

may he cut off their memory from the earth.

¹⁶May Yahweh do this, for that man never bothered to show any covenant faithfulness,

but harassed the oppressed, the needy,

and the brokenhearted to death.

¹⁷He loved cursing;

may it come back upon him.

He hated blessing;

may it be far from him.

¹⁸He clothed himself with cursing as his garment,

and his curse came into his body like water,

like oil into his bones.

¹⁹May his curses be to him like the clothes he wears to cover himself,

like the belt he always wears.

²⁰May this be the reward of my accusers from Yahweh,

of those who say evil things about me.

²¹Yahweh my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake.

Because your covenant faithfulness is good, save me.

²²For I am oppressed and needy,

and my heart is wounded within me.

²³I am fading away like the shadow of the evening;

I am shaken off like a locust.

²⁴My knees are weak from fasting;

my body has become thin and has no fat.

²⁵I have become an object of scorn to my accusers;

when they see me, they shake their heads.

²⁶Help me, Yahweh my God;

save me by your covenant faithfulness.

²⁷Let them know that this is your hand,

that you, Yahweh, have done this.

²⁸They curse, but you bless;

when they attack, may they be put to shame,

but may your servant rejoice.

²⁹May my adversaries be clothed with shame;

may they wear their shame like a robe.

³⁰With my mouth I give great thanks to Yahweh;

I will praise him in the midst of a crowd.

³¹For he will stand at the right hand of the one who is needy,

to save him from those who condemn him.

110

A psalm of David.

¹The declaration of Yahweh to my lord:

"Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool."

²Yahweh will hold out the scepter of your strength from Zion;

rule among your enemies.

³Your people will follow you in holy garments

of their own free will on the day of your power;

from the womb of the dawn your youth will be to you like the dew.

⁴Yahweh has sworn and will not change his mind:

"You are a priest forever,

after the manner of Melchizedek."

⁵The Lord is at your right hand.

He will kill kings on the day of his anger.

⁶He will judge the nations;

he will fill the battlegrounds with dead bodies;

he will kill the leaders in many countries.

⁷He will drink of the brook along the road,

and then he will lift his head up high after victory.

111

¹Give praise to Yah. ¹

I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart

in the assembly of the upright, in their gathering.

²The works of Yahweh are great,

eagerly awaited by all those who desire them.

³His work is majestic and glorious,

and his righteousness endures forever.

⁴He does wonderful things that will be remembered;

Yahweh is gracious and merciful.

⁵He gives food to his faithful followers.

He will always call to mind his covenant.

⁶He showed his powerful works to his people

in giving them the inheritance of the nations.

⁷The works of his hands are trustworthy and just;

all his instructions are reliable.

⁸They are established forever,

to be observed faithfully and properly.

⁹He sent redemption to his people;

he ordained his covenant forever;

holy and awesome is his name.

¹⁰To honor Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom;

those who carry out his instructions have good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

112

¹Give praise to Yah. ¹

Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh,

who greatly delights in his commandments.

²His descendants will be powerful on earth;

the descendants of the godly man will be blessed.

³Wealth and riches are in his house;

his righteousness will endure forever.

⁴Light shines in the darkness for the godly person;

he is gracious, merciful, and just.

⁵It goes well for the man who deals graciously and lends money,

who conducts his affairs with honesty.

⁶For he will never be moved;

the righteous person will be remembered forever.

⁷He does not fear bad news;

he is confident, trusting in Yahweh.

⁸His heart is tranquil, without fear,

until he looks in triumph over his adversaries.

⁹He gives freely to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever;

his horn will be exalted with honor.

¹⁰The wicked person will see this and be angry;

he will grind his teeth in rage and he will melt away;

the desire of the wicked people will perish.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

113

¹Give praise to Yah. ¹

Praise him, you servants of Yahweh;

praise the name of Yahweh.

²Blessed be the name of Yahweh,

both now and forevermore.

³From the rising of the sun to its setting,

Yahweh's name should be praised.

⁴Yahweh is exalted above all nations,

and his glory reaches above the skies.

⁵Who is like Yahweh our God,

who has his seat on high,

⁶who humbles himself to look down

at the sky and at the earth?

⁷He raises up the poor out of the dirt

and lifts up the needy from the ash heap,

⁸so that he may seat him with princes,

with the princes of his people.

⁹He gives a home to the barren woman of the house;

he makes her a joyful mother of children.

Give praise to Yah! ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

114

¹When Israel left Egypt,

the house of Jacob from a people who spoke a foreign language,

²Judah became his holy place,

Israel his kingdom.

³The sea looked and fled;

the Jordan turned back.

⁴The mountains skipped like rams,

the hills skipped like lambs.

⁵Why did you flee, sea?

Jordan, why did you turn back?

⁶Mountains, why did you skip like rams?

You little hills, why did you skip like lambs?

⁷Tremble, earth, before the Lord,

at the presence of the God of Jacob.

⁸He turned the rock into a pool of water,

the hard rock into a spring of water.

115

¹Not to us, Yahweh, not to us,

but to your name bring honor,

for your covenant faithfulness

and for your trustworthiness.

²Why should the nations say,

"Where is their God?"

³Our God is in heaven;

he does whatever he pleases.

⁴The nations' idols are silver and gold,

the work of men's hands.

⁵Those idols have mouths, but they do not speak;

they have eyes, but they do not see;

⁶they have ears, but they do not hear;

they have noses, but they do not smell.

⁷Those idols have hands, but do not feel;

they have feet, but they cannot walk;

nor do they speak from their mouths.

⁸Those who make them are like them,

as is everyone who trusts in them.

⁹Israel, trust in Yahweh;

he is your help and shield.

¹⁰House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh;

he is your help and shield.

¹¹You who honor Yahweh, trust in him;

he is your help and shield.

¹²Yahweh takes notice of us and will bless us;

he will bless the family of Israel;

he will bless the family of Aaron.

¹³He will bless those who honor him,

both young and old.

¹⁴May Yahweh increase your numbers more and more,

yours and your descendants'.

¹⁵May you be blessed by Yahweh,

who made heaven and earth.

¹⁶The heavens belong to Yahweh;

but the earth he has given to mankind.

¹⁷The dead do not give praise to Yah, ¹

nor do any who go down into silence;

¹⁸But we will give praise to Yah,

now and forevermore.

Give praise to Yah! ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

116

¹I love Yahweh because he hears

my voice and my pleas for mercy.

²Because he listened to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

³The cords of death surrounded me,

and the snares of Sheol confronted me;

I felt anguish and sorrow.

⁴Then I called on the name of Yahweh:

"I beg you, Yahweh, rescue my life."

⁵Yahweh is gracious and just;

our God is compassionate.

⁶Yahweh protects the naive;

I was brought low, and he saved me.

⁷My soul can return to its resting place,

for Yahweh has been good to me.

⁸For you rescued my life from death,

my eyes from tears,

and my feet from stumbling.

⁹I will serve Yahweh

in the land of the living.

¹⁰I believed in him, even when I said,

"I am greatly afflicted."

¹¹In my alarm I said,

"All men are liars."

¹²How can I repay Yahweh

for all his kindnesses to me?

¹³I will raise the cup of salvation,

and call on the name of Yahweh.

¹⁴I will fulfill my vows to Yahweh

in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵Precious in the sight of Yahweh

is the death of his faithful ones.

¹⁶Yahweh, indeed, I am your servant;

I am your servant, the son of your servant woman;

you have taken away my bonds.

¹⁷I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and will call on the name of Yahweh.

¹⁸I will fulfill my vows to Yahweh

in the presence of all his people,

¹⁹in the courts of the house of Yahweh,

in your midst, Jerusalem.

Give praise to Yah! ¹

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

117

¹Praise Yahweh, all you nations;

exalt him, all you peoples.

²For his covenant faithfulness is great toward us,

and the trustworthiness of Yahweh endures forever.

Give praise to Yah! ¹

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

118

¹Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

his covenant faithfulness endures forever.

²Let Israel say,

"His covenant faithfulness endures forever."

³Let the house of Aaron say,

"His covenant faithfulness endures forever."

⁴Let the loyal followers of Yahweh say,

"His covenant faithfulness endures forever."

⁵In my distress I called out to Yah;

Yah answered me and set me in a spacious place. ¹

⁶Yahweh is with me; I will not be afraid;

what can man do to me?

⁷Yahweh is on my side as my helper;

I will look in triumph on those who hate me.

⁸It is better to take shelter in Yahweh

than to put confidence in man.

⁹It is better to take refuge in Yahweh

than to put one's trust in princes.

¹⁰All the nations surrounded me;

in Yahweh's name I cut them off.

¹¹They surrounded me; yes, they surrounded me;

in Yahweh's name I cut them off.

¹²They surrounded me like bees;

they disappeared as quickly as fire among thorns;

in Yahweh's name I cut them off.

¹³"You attacked me to knock me down,

but Yahweh helped me.

¹⁴Yah is my strength and joy,

and he is the one who rescues me." ²

¹⁵The joyful shout of victory is heard in the tents of the righteous;

the right hand of Yahweh conquers.

¹⁶The right hand of Yahweh is exalted;

the right hand of Yahweh conquers.

¹⁷I will not die, but live

and declare what Yah has done. ³

¹⁸Yah has punished me harshly,

but he has not handed me over to death. ⁴

¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness;

I will enter them and I will give thanks to Yah. ⁵

²⁰This is the gate of Yahweh;

the righteous enter through it.

²¹I will give thanks to you, for you answered me,

and you have become my salvation.

²²The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

²³This is Yahweh's doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

²⁴This is the day on which Yahweh has acted;

we will rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵We beg you, Yahweh, please give us victory!

We beg you, Yahweh, please give us success!

²⁶Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh;

we bless you from the house of Yahweh.

²⁷Yahweh is God, and he has given us light;

bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

²⁸You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;

you are my God; I will exalt you.

²⁹Oh, give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

for his covenant faithfulness endures forever.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

³Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

⁴Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

⁵Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

119

ALEPH

¹Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,

who walk in the law of Yahweh.

²Blessed are they who keep his solemn commands,

who seek him with all their heart.

³They do no wrong;

they walk in his ways.

⁴You have commanded us to keep your instructions

so that we should carefully observe them.

⁵Oh, that I would be firmly established

in the observance of your statutes!

⁶Then I would not be put to shame

when I think of all your commandments.

⁷I will give thanks to you with an upright heart

when I learn your righteous decrees.

⁸I will observe your statutes;

do not leave me alone.

BETH

⁹How can a young person keep his path pure?

By obeying your word.

¹⁰With my whole heart I seek you;

Do not let me stray from your commandments.

¹¹I have stored up your word in my heart

so that I might not sin against you.

¹²Blessed you are, Yahweh;

teach me your statutes.

¹³With my mouth I have declared

all the righteous decrees that you have revealed.

¹⁴I rejoice in the way of your covenant decrees

more than in all riches.

¹⁵I will meditate on your instructions

and pay attention to your ways.

¹⁶I delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word.

GIMEL

¹⁷Be kind to your servant so that I may live

and keep your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes so that I may see

marvelous things in your law.

¹⁹I am a foreigner in the land;

do not hide your commandments from me.

²⁰My desires are crushed by the longing to know

your righteous decrees at all times.

²¹You rebuke the proud, who are cursed,

who wander from your commandments.

²²Spare me from disgrace and contempt,

for I have obeyed your solemn commands.

²³Though rulers plot and slander me,

your servant meditates on your statutes.

²⁴Your solemn commands are my delight,

and they are my counselors.

DALETH

²⁵My life clings to the dust!

Give me life by your word.

²⁶I told you my ways, and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

²⁷Make me understand the ways of your instructions,

so that I can meditate on your wondrous teachings.

²⁸I am overwhelmed with grief!

Strengthen me by your word.

²⁹Turn from me the path of deceit;

graciously teach me your law.

³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I have always kept your righteous decrees before me.

³¹I cling to your covenant decrees;

Yahweh, do not let me be shamed.

³²I will run in the path of your commandments,

for you enlarge my heart to do so.

³³Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your statutes,

and I will keep them to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, and I will keep your law;

I will observe it with all my heart.

³⁵Guide me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight to walk in it.

³⁶Direct my heart toward your covenant decrees

and away from unrighteous gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

revive me in your ways.

³⁸Carry out for your servant the word

that you gave to those who revere you.

³⁹Take away the disgrace I dread,

for your judgments are good.

⁴⁰See, I have longed for your instructions;

revive me in your righteousness.

VAV

⁴¹Yahweh, give me your unfailing love—

your salvation, according to your word;

⁴²then I will have a reply for the one who mocks me,

for I trust in your word.

⁴³Do not take the word of truth from my mouth,

for my hope is in your righteous decrees.

⁴⁴I will observe your law continually,

forever and ever.

⁴⁵I will walk securely,

for I seek your instructions.

⁴⁶I will speak of your solemn commands before kings

and will not be ashamed.

⁴⁷I delight in your commandments,

which I love dearly.

⁴⁸I will lift up my hands to your commandments, which I love;

I will meditate on your statutes.

ZAYIN

⁴⁹Call to mind your word to your servant

because you have given me hope.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction:

that your word has kept me alive.

⁵¹The proud have scoffed at me,

yet I have not turned away from your law.

⁵²I have thought about your righteous decrees from ancient times, Yahweh,

and I comfort myself.

⁵³Hot anger has taken hold of me

because of the wicked who reject your law.

⁵⁴Your statutes have been my songs

in the house of my sojourn.

⁵⁵I think about your name during the night, Yahweh,

and I keep your law.

⁵⁶This has been my practice

because I have observed your instructions.

HETH

⁵⁷Yahweh is my portion;

I have determined to observe your words.

⁵⁸I earnestly request your favor with my whole heart;

be merciful to me according to your word.

⁵⁹I examined my ways

and turned my feet to your solemn commands.

⁶⁰I hurry and do not delay

to keep your commandments.

⁶¹The cords of the wicked have ensnared me;

I have not forgotten your law.

⁶²At midnight I rise to give thanks to you

because of your righteous decrees.

⁶³I am a companion of all who honor you,

to all who observe your instructions.

⁶⁴The earth, Yahweh, is full of your covenant faithfulness;

teach me your statutes.

TETH

⁶⁵You have done good to your servant,

Yahweh, by means of your word.

⁶⁶Teach me proper discernment and understanding,

for I have believed in your commandments.

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I observe your word.

⁶⁸You are good, and you are one who does good;

teach me your statutes.

⁶⁹The arrogant have smeared me with lies,

but I keep your instructions with my whole heart.

⁷⁰Their hearts are hardened,

but I delight in your law.

⁷¹It is good for me that I have suffered

so that I would learn your statutes.

⁷²Instruction from your mouth is more precious to me

than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

YOD

⁷³Your hands have made and fashioned me;

give me understanding so that I may learn your commandments.

⁷⁴Those who honor you will be glad when they see me

because I find hope in your word.

⁷⁵I know, Yahweh, that your decrees are just,

and that in faithfulness you afflicted me.

⁷⁶Let your covenant faithfulness comfort me,

according to your word to your servant.

⁷⁷Show me compassion so that I may live,

for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸Let the proud be put to shame,

for they have slandered me;

but I will meditate on your instructions.

⁷⁹May those who honor you turn to me,

those who know your solemn commands.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless with respect to your statutes

so that I may not be put to shame.

KAPH

⁸¹I faint with longing that you might rescue me!

I hope in your word.

⁸²My eyes long for your word;

when will you comfort me?

⁸³For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke;

I do not forget your statutes.

⁸⁴How long must your servant endure this;

when will you judge those who persecute me?

⁸⁵The proud have dug pits for me,

defying your law.

⁸⁶All your commandments are reliable;

those people persecute me wrongfully; help me.

⁸⁷They have almost made an end to me on earth,

but I do not reject your instructions.

⁸⁸By your steadfast love, keep me alive,

so that I may obey the solemn commands that come from your mouth.

LAMEDH

⁸⁹Yahweh, your word stands forever;

your word is established firmly in heaven.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness lasts for all generations;

you have established the earth, and it remains.

⁹¹All things continue to this day, just as you said in your righteous decrees,

for all things are your servants.

⁹²If your law had not been my delight,

I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³I will never forget your instructions,

for through them you have kept me alive.

⁹⁴I am yours; save me,

for I seek your instructions.

⁹⁵The wicked prepare to destroy me,

but I will seek to understand your solemn commands.

⁹⁶All perfection I have seen has an end;

but your command is exceedingly broad.

MEM

⁹⁷Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all day long.

⁹⁸Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

for your commandments are always with me.

⁹⁹I have more understanding than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your covenant decrees.

¹⁰⁰I understand more than those older than I am;

this is because I have kept your instructions.

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet back from every evil path

so that I might observe your word.

¹⁰²I have not turned aside from your righteous decrees,

for you have instructed me.

¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste,

yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴Through your instructions I gain discernment;

therefore I hate every false way.

NUN

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path.

¹⁰⁶I have sworn and have confirmed it,

that I will observe your righteous decrees.

¹⁰⁷I am very afflicted;

keep me alive, Yahweh, as you have promised in your word.

¹⁰⁸Yahweh, please accept the freewill offerings of my mouth,

and teach me your righteous decrees.

¹⁰⁹My life is always in my hand,

yet I do not forget your law.

¹¹⁰The wicked have set a snare for me,

but I have not strayed from your instructions.

¹¹¹I claim your covenant decrees as my heritage forever,

for they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²My heart is set on obeying your statutes

forever to the very end.

SAMEKH

¹¹³I hate those who have a double mind,

but I love your law.

¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield;

I hope in your word.

¹¹⁵Get away from me, you evildoers,

so that I may observe the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶Sustain me by your word so that I may live

and not be ashamed of my hope.

¹¹⁷Support me, and I will be safe;

I will always meditate on your statutes.

¹¹⁸You reject all those who stray from your statutes,

for their deceit is vain.

¹¹⁹You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag;

therefore I love your solemn commands.

¹²⁰My body trembles in fear of you,

and I am afraid of your righteous decrees.

AYIN

¹²¹I do what is just and right;

do not abandon me to my oppressors.

¹²²Guarantee the welfare of your servant;

do not let the proud oppress me.

¹²³My eyes grow tired as I wait for your salvation

and for your righteous word.

¹²⁴Show your servant your covenant faithfulness,

and teach me your statutes.

¹²⁵I am your servant; give me understanding

so that I may know your solemn commands.

¹²⁶It is time for Yahweh to act,

for people have broken your law.

¹²⁷Truly I love your commandments

more than gold, more than fine gold.

¹²⁸Therefore I carefully follow all your instructions,

and I hate every path of falsehood.

¹²⁹Your rules are wonderful,

that is why I obey them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light;

it gives understanding to the untrained.

¹³¹I open my mouth and pant,

for I long for your commandments.

¹³²Turn to me and have mercy on me,

as you always do for those who love your name.

¹³³Direct my footsteps by your word;

do not let any wickedness rule me.

¹³⁴Redeem me from human oppression

so that I may observe your instructions.

¹³⁵Let your face shine on your servant,

and teach me your statutes.

¹³⁶Streams of tears run down from my eyes

because people do not observe your law.

TSADHE

¹³⁷You are righteous, Yahweh,

and your decrees are fair.

¹³⁸You have given your solemn commands righteously

and faithfully.

¹³⁹Zeal has destroyed me

because my adversaries forget your words.

¹⁴⁰Your word has been tested very much,

and your servant loves it.

¹⁴¹I am insignificant and despised,

yet I do not forget your instructions.

¹⁴²Your justice is forever justice,

and your law is trustworthy.

¹⁴³Though distress and anguish have found me,

your commandments are still my delight.

¹⁴⁴Your covenant decrees are righteous forever;

give me understanding that I may live.

QOPH

¹⁴⁵I cried out with my whole heart, "Answer me, Yahweh,

I will keep your statutes.

¹⁴⁶I call to you; save me,

and I will observe your solemn commands."

¹⁴⁷I rise before the dawn of the morning and cry for help.

I hope in your words.

¹⁴⁸My eyes are open before the night watches change

so that I might meditate on your word.

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice in your covenant faithfulness;

keep me alive, Yahweh, as you have promised in your righteous decrees.

¹⁵⁰Those who are persecuting me are coming closer to me,

but they are far from your law.

¹⁵¹You are near, Yahweh,

and all your commandments are trustworthy.

¹⁵²Long ago I learned from your solemn commands

that you had set them in place forever.

RESH

¹⁵³Look on my affliction and help me,

for I do not forget your law.

¹⁵⁴Plead my cause and redeem me;

keep me alive according to your word.

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not love your statutes.

¹⁵⁶Great are your merciful actions, Yahweh;

keep me alive, as you always do.

¹⁵⁷My persecutors and my foes are many,

yet I have not turned from your covenant decrees.

¹⁵⁸I view the treacherous with disgust

because they do not keep your word.

¹⁵⁹See how I love your instructions;

keep me alive, Yahweh, as you have promised by your covenant faithfulness.

¹⁶⁰The essence of your word is truth;

every one of your righteous decrees lasts forever.

SHIN

¹⁶¹Princes persecute me without cause,

but my heart stands in awe of your word.

¹⁶²I rejoice at your word

like one who finds great plunder.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,

but I love your law.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you

because of your righteous decrees.

¹⁶⁵Great peace they have, those who love your law;

nothing makes them stumble.

¹⁶⁶I hope for your salvation, Yahweh,

and I obey your commandments.

¹⁶⁷I observe your solemn commands,

and I love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸I keep your instructions and your solemn commands,

for you are aware of everything I do.

TAV

¹⁶⁹Listen to my cry for help, Yahweh;

give me understanding into your word.

¹⁷⁰May my plea come before you;

help me according to your word.

¹⁷¹May my lips pour out praise,

for you teach me your statutes.

¹⁷²Let my tongue sing about your word,

for all your commandments are right.

¹⁷³May your hand help me,

for I have chosen your instructions.

¹⁷⁴I long for your rescue, Yahweh,

and your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵May I live and praise you,

and may your righteous decrees help me.

¹⁷⁶I have wandered off like a lost sheep;

seek your servant,

for I have not forgotten your commandments.

120

A song of ascents.

¹In my distress I called out to Yahweh,

and he answered me.

²Rescue my life, Yahweh,

from those who lie with their lips

and deceive with their tongues.

³How will he punish you,

and what more will he do to you,

you who have a lying tongue?

⁴He will punish you with the arrows of a warrior

sharpened over burning coals of the broom tree.

⁵Woe is me because I temporarily live in Meshech;

I lived previously among the tents of Kedar.

⁶For too long I have lived

with those who hate peace.

⁷I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war.

121

A song of ascents.

¹I will lift up my eyes to the mountains.

From where will my help come?

²My help comes from Yahweh,

who made heaven and earth.

³He will not allow your foot to slip;

he who protects you will not slumber.

⁴See, the guardian of Israel

never slumbers or sleeps.

⁵Yahweh is your guardian;

Yahweh is the shade at your right hand.

⁶The sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

⁷Yahweh will protect you from all harm,

and he will protect your life.

⁸Yahweh will protect you in all you do

now and forevermore.

122

A song of ascents, of David.

¹I was glad when they said to me,

"Let us go to the house of Yahweh."

²Jerusalem, our feet are standing

within your gates!

³Jerusalem, built

as a city carefully planned!

⁴The tribes go up to Jerusalem—the tribes of Yah— ¹

as a testimony for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.

⁵There thrones of judgment were set,

thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

"May those who love you be at ease.

⁷May there be peace within the walls that defend you,

and may they have peace within your fortresses."

⁸For the sake of my brothers and my friends

I will say, "May there be peace within you."

⁹For the sake of the house of Yahweh our God,

I will seek good for you.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

123

A song of ascents.

¹To you I lift up my eyes,

you who are enthroned in the heavens.

²See, as the eyes of servants look to their master's hand,

as the eyes of a servant girl look to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to Yahweh our God

until he has mercy on us.

³Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us,

for we are filled with humiliation.

⁴We are more than full

of the scoffing of the insolent

and with the contempt of the proud.

124

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹"If Yahweh had not been on our side,"

let Israel say now,

²"if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side

when men rose up against us,

³then they would have swallowed us up alive

when their anger raged against us.

⁴The water would have swept us away;

the torrent would have overwhelmed us.

⁵Then the raging waters would have drowned us."

⁶Blessed be Yahweh,

who has not allowed us to be torn by their teeth.

⁷We have escaped like a bird

out of the snare of the fowlers;

the snare has been broken,

and we have escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of Yahweh,

who made heaven and earth.

125

A song of ascents.

¹Those who trust in Yahweh

are like Mount Zion, unshakable, forever enduring.

²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so Yahweh surrounds his people

now and forever.

³The scepter of wickedness must not rule

in the assigned portion of the righteous.

Otherwise the righteous might do what is wrong.

⁴Do good, Yahweh, to those who are good

and to those who are upright in their hearts.

⁵But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,

Yahweh will lead them away with the those who behave wickedly.

May peace be on Israel.

126

A song of ascents.

¹When Yahweh reversed the captivity of Zion,

we were like those who dream.

²Then our mouths were filled with laughter

and our tongues with joyful shouting.

Then they said among the nations,

"Yahweh has done great things for them."

³Yahweh did great things for us;

how glad we were!

⁴Reverse our captivity, Yahweh,

like the streams in the Negev.

⁵Those who sow in tears

will reap with shouts of joy.

⁶He who goes out weeping,

carrying seed for sowing,

will return again with shouts of joy,

bringing his bundles of grain with him.

127

A song of ascents, of Solomon.

¹Unless Yahweh builds the house,

they work uselessly, those who build it.

Unless Yahweh guards the city,

the watchman stands guard uselessly.

²It is useless for you to rise up early,

to come home late,

or to eat the bread of hard work,

for Yahweh provides for his beloved as they sleep.

³See, children are a heritage from Yahweh,

and the fruit of the womb is a reward from him.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

so are the children of one's youth.

⁵How blessed is the man

that has his quiver full of them.

He will not be put to shame

when he confronts his enemies in the gate.

128

A song of ascents.

¹Blessed is everyone who honors Yahweh,

who walks in his ways.

²The labor of your hands you will enjoy;

you will be blessed and prosper.

³Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

in your house;

your children will be like olive plants

as they sit around your table.

⁴Yes, indeed, the man will be blessed

who honors Yahweh.

⁵May Yahweh bless you from Zion;

may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life.

⁶May you live to see your children's children.

May peace be on Israel.

129

A song of ascents.

¹"Often since my youth they have attacked me,"

let Israel say.

²"Often since my youth they have attacked me,

yet they have not defeated me.

³The plowers plowed on my back;

they made their furrows long.

⁴Yahweh is righteous;

he has cut off the ropes of the wicked."

⁵May they all be put to shame and turned back,

those who hate Zion.

⁶May they be like the grass on the housetops

that withers before it grows up,

⁷that cannot fill the reaper's hand

or the chest of the one who binds bundles of grain together.

⁸May those who pass by not say,

"May the blessing of Yahweh be on you;

we bless you in the name of Yahweh."

130

A song of ascents.

¹Out of the depths I cry to you, Yahweh.

²Lord, hear my voice;

let your ears be attentive

to my pleas for mercy.

³If you, Yah, would mark iniquities,

Lord, who could stand? ¹

⁴But there is forgiveness with you,

that you may be revered.

⁵I wait for Yahweh, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope.

⁶My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

⁷Israel, hope in Yahweh.

Yahweh is merciful,

and with him is great redemption.

⁸It is he who will redeem Israel

from all his iniquities.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

131

A song of ascents; of David.

¹Yahweh, my heart is not proud

or my eyes haughty.

I do not have great hopes for myself

or concern myself with things that are beyond me.

²Indeed I have stilled and quieted my soul;

like a weaned child with his mother,

my soul within me is like a weaned child.

³Israel, hope in Yahweh

now and forever.

132

A song of ascents.

¹Yahweh, for David's sake call to mind

all his afflictions.

²Call to mind how he swore to Yahweh,

how he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob.

³He said, "I will not enter the tent of my house

or get on the couch of my bed,

⁴I will not give sleep to my eyes

or rest to my eyelids

⁵until I find a place for Yahweh,

a tabernacle for the Mighty One of Jacob."

⁶See, we heard about it in Ephrathah;

we found it in the fields of Jaar.

⁷We will go into God's tabernacle;

we will worship at his footstool.

⁸Arise, Yahweh, to your resting place,

you and the ark of your strength!

⁹May your priests be clothed with integrity;

may your faithful ones shout for joy.

¹⁰For your servant David's sake,

do not turn away from your anointed king.

¹¹Yahweh swore a sure oath to David,

a sure oath that he will not revoke:

"I will place one of your descendants on your throne.

¹²If your sons keep my covenant

and the solemn commands that I will teach them,

their children also will sit on your throne forevermore."

¹³Certainly Yahweh has chosen Zion,

he has desired her for his seat.

¹⁴"This is my resting place forever.

I will live here, for I desire her.

¹⁵I will abundantly bless her with provisions.

I will satisfy her poor with bread.

¹⁶I will clothe her priests with salvation,

her faithful ones will shout aloud for joy.

¹⁷There I will make a horn to sprout for David

and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame,

but on him his crown will shine."

133

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

for brothers to live together!

²It is like fine oil on the head

pouring down on the beard—

Aaron's beard,

and then it pours down on the collar of his robes.

³It is like the dew of Hermon

which falls on the mountains of Zion.

For there Yahweh commanded the blessing—

life forevermore.

134

A song of ascents.

¹Come, bless Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh,

you who serve during the night in the house of Yahweh.

²Lift up your hands to the holy place

and bless Yahweh.

³May Yahweh bless you from Zion,

he who made heaven and earth.

135

¹Give praise to Yah! ¹

Praise the name of Yahweh.

Praise him, you servants of Yahweh,

²you who stand in the house of Yahweh,

in the courtyards of the house of our God.

³Give praise to Yah, for he is good; ²

sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant to do so.

⁴For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself, ³

Israel as his own possession.

⁵I know that Yahweh is great,

that our Lord is above all gods.

⁶Whatever Yahweh desires, he does

in heaven, on earth,

in the seas and all the ocean depths.

⁷He brings the clouds from far away,

making lightning bolts accompany the rain

and bringing the wind out of his storehouse.

⁸He killed the firstborn of Egypt,

both of man and animals.

⁹He sent signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt,

against Pharaoh and all his servants.

¹⁰He attacked many nations

and killed mighty kings,

¹¹Sihon king of the Amorites

and Og king of Bashan

and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

¹²He gave us their land as an inheritance,

an inheritance to Israel his people.

¹³Your name, Yahweh, endures forever;

your renown, Yahweh, endures throughout all generations.

¹⁴For Yahweh defends his people

and has compassion on his servants.

¹⁵The nations' idols are silver and gold,

the work of men's hands.

¹⁶Those idols have mouths, but they do not speak;

they have eyes, but they do not see;

¹⁷they have ears, but they do not give ear,

nor is there breath in their mouths.

¹⁸Those who make them are like them,

as is everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁹Descendants of Israel, bless Yahweh;

descendants of Aaron, bless Yahweh.

²⁰Descendants of Levi, bless Yahweh;

you who honor Yahweh, bless Yahweh.

²¹Blessed be Yahweh in Zion,

he who lives in Jerusalem.

Give praise to Yah. ⁴

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

³Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

⁴Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

136

¹Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good.

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²Give thanks to the God of gods.

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

³Give thanks to the Lord of lords;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

⁴to him who alone does great wonders;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

⁵to him who by wisdom made the heavens;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

⁶to him who spread out the earth above the waters;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

⁷to him who made great lights;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

⁸to him who gave the sun to rule by day,

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

⁹the moon and stars to rule by night;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁰to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹¹and brought out Israel from among them

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹²with a strong hand and a raised arm;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹³to him who divided the Sea of Reeds

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁴and made Israel to pass through the middle of it,

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁵but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Sea of Reeds;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁶to him who led his people through the wilderness;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁷to him who killed great kings;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁸to him who killed majestic kings,

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²⁰and Og king of Bashan;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²¹to him who gave their land as an inheritance,

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²²an inheritance to Israel his servant;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²³to him who called us to mind and helped us in our humiliation;

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²⁴to him who has rescued us from our enemies,

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²⁵who gives food to all living beings.

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

²⁶Give thanks to the God of heaven.

(His covenant faithfulness endures forever.)

137

¹By the rivers of Babylon

we sat down and wept

when we thought about Zion.

²There on the poplars in the midst of it

we hung our harps.

³There our captors required songs from us,

and those who mocked us required joy from us, saying,

"Sing us one of the songs of Zion."

⁴How could we sing a song about Yahweh

in a foreign land?

⁵If I ignore the memory of you, Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget her skill.

⁶Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

if I think about you no more,

if I do not prefer Jerusalem

more than my greatest delights.

⁷Call to mind, Yahweh, what the Edomites did

on the day Jerusalem fell.

They said, "Tear it down, tear it down

to its foundations."

⁸Daughter of Babylon, soon to be destroyed—

may the person be blessed, whoever pays you back

for what you have done to us.

⁹May the person be blessed,

whoever takes and dashes your little ones against a rock.

138

A psalm of David.

¹I will give you thanks with my whole heart;

before the gods I will sing praises to you.

²I will bow down toward your holy temple

and give thanks to your name

for your covenant faithfulness and for your trustworthiness.

You have made your word and your name

more important than anything else.

³On the day that I called you, you answered me;

you made me bold and strengthened my soul.

⁴All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,

for they will hear the words from your mouth.

⁵Indeed, they will sing of the deeds of Yahweh,

for great is the glory of Yahweh.

⁶For though Yahweh is high, yet he cares for the lowly,

but the proud he knows from far off.

⁷Though I walk in the middle of trouble,

you will preserve my life;

you will reach out with your hand against the anger of my enemies,

and your right hand will save me.

⁸Yahweh is with me to the end;

your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh, endures forever.

Do not abandon the works of your hands.

139

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh, you have examined me,

and you know me.

²You know when I sit down and when I get up;

you understand my thoughts from far away.

³You observe my path and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴For before there is a word on my tongue,

you know it completely, Yahweh.

⁵Behind me and before me you surround me

and place your hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is incomprehensible to me;

it is too high, and I cannot reach it.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸If I ascend up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there.

⁹If I fly away on the wings of the dawn

and go to live in the uttermost parts across the sea,

¹⁰even there your hand will lead me,

your right hand will hold on to me.

¹¹If I said, "Surely the darkness will cover me,

and the light will become night around me,"

¹²even the darkness would not be dark to you.

The night would shine like the day,

for the darkness and the light are both alike to you.

¹³You formed my inner parts;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

¹⁴I will praise you

because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your works are wonderful.

My soul knows this very well.

¹⁵My bones were not hidden from you

when I was made in private,

when I was intricately made in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶You saw me inside the womb;

all the days assigned to me were recorded

in your book even before the first one happened.

¹⁷How precious are your thoughts to me, God!

How vast is their sum!

¹⁸If I tried to count them,

they would be more in number than the sand.

When I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you would kill the wicked, God;

get away from me, you men of bloodshed.

²⁰They rebel against you and act deceitfully;

your enemies tell lies.

²¹Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you?

Do I not despise those who rise up against you?

²²I hate them completely;

they have become my enemies.

²³Examine me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

²⁴See if there is any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the everlasting way.

140

For the chief musician. A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh, rescue me from the wicked;

preserve me from violent men.

²They plan evil in their hearts;

they cause battles every day.

³Their tongues wound like serpents;

vipers' poison is on their lips.

Selah

⁴Keep me from the hands of the wicked, Yahweh;

preserve me from violent men

who plan to push down my steps.

⁵The proud have set a trap for me;

they have spread a net;

they have set a snare for me.

Selah

⁶I said to Yahweh, "You are my God;

give ear to the sound of my pleas."

⁷Yahweh, my Lord, you are powerfully able to save me;

you shield my head in the day of battle.

⁸Yahweh, do not grant the desires of the wicked;

do not let their evil plans succeed.

Selah

⁹Those who surround me raise their heads;

let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall on them;

throw them into the fire,

into bottomless pits, never more to rise.

¹¹May men of tongues not be made secure on the earth;

may evil hunt down the violent man to strike him dead.

¹²I know that Yahweh will judge in favor of the afflicted,

and that he will give justice to the needy.

¹³Surely the righteous people will give thanks to your name;

the upright people will live in your presence.

141

A psalm of David.

¹Yahweh, I am crying out to you; come quickly to me.

Give ear to my voice when I call to you.

²May my prayer be like incense before you;

may my lifted hands be like the evening sacrifice.

³Yahweh, place a guard over my mouth;

guard the door of my lips.

⁴Do not let my heart desire any evil thing

or participate in wicked deeds

with men who behave wickedly.

May I not eat any of their delicacies.

⁵Let a righteous man hit me; it will be a kindness to me.

Let him correct me; it will be like oil on my head;

may my head not refuse to accept it.

But my prayer is always against their wicked deeds.

⁶Their judges will be thrown down from the top of cliffs;

they will hear that my own words are pleasant.

⁷They will have to say, "As when one plows and breaks up the ground,

so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol."

⁸Surely my eyes are on you, Yahweh, Lord;

in you I take refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.

⁹Protect me from the snares that they have laid for me,

from the traps of those who behave wickedly.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets

while I escape.

142

A maschil of David, when he was in the cave; a prayer.

¹With my voice I cry out for help to Yahweh;

with my voice I plead for Yahweh's favor.

²I pour out my lament before him;

I tell him my troubles.

³When my spirit is weak within me,

you know my path.

In the way that I walk

they have hidden a trap for me.

⁴I look to my right and see

that there is no one who cares about me.

There is no escape for me;

no one cares about my life.

⁵I called out to you, Yahweh;

I said, "You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.

⁶Listen to my cry,

for I have been brought very low;

rescue me from my persecutors,

for they are stronger than I.

⁷Bring my soul out of prison

so that I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will gather around me

because you have been good to me."

143

A psalm of David.

¹Hear my prayer, Yahweh;

give ear to my pleas.

Because of your faithfulness and righteousness,

answer me!

²Do not enter into judgment with your servant,

for in your sight no one is righteous.

³The enemy has pursued my soul;

he has crushed me to the ground;

he has made me to live in darkness

like those who have been dead a long time.

⁴My spirit is overwhelmed within me;

my heart is appalled.

⁵I call to mind the old days;

I meditate on all your deeds;

I reflect on your accomplishments.

⁶I spread my hands out to you;

my soul thirsts for you in a parched land.

Selah

⁷Answer me quickly, Yahweh,

because my spirit faints.

Do not hide your face from me,

or I will become like those who go down into the pit.

⁸Let me hear your covenant faithfulness in the morning,

for I trust in you.

Show me the way where I should walk,

for I lift up my soul to you.

⁹Rescue me from my enemies, Yahweh;

I flee to you to hide.

¹⁰Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God.

May your good Spirit

lead me in the land of uprightness.

¹¹Yahweh, for your name's sake, keep me alive;

in your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

¹²In your covenant faithfulness cut off my enemies

and destroy all the enemies of my life,

for I am your servant.

144

A psalm of David.

¹Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,

who trains my hands for war

and my fingers for battle.

²You are my covenant faithfulness and my fortress,

my high tower and the one who rescues me,

my shield and the one in whom I take refuge,

the one who subdues nations under me.

³Yahweh, what is man that you take notice of him

or the son of man that you think about him?

⁴Man is like a breath;

his days are like a passing shadow.

⁵Cause the sky to sink and come down, Yahweh;

touch the mountains and make them smoke.

⁶Send flashes of lightning and scatter my enemies;

shoot your arrows and drive them back in confusion.

⁷Reach out your hand from above;

rescue me out of many waters,

from the hand of foreigners.

⁸Their mouths speak lies,

and their right hand is falsehood.

⁹I will sing a new song to you, God;

on a lute of ten strings I will sing praises to you,

¹⁰who gives salvation to kings,

who rescues David your servant from an evil sword.

¹¹Rescue me and free me

from the hand of foreigners.

Their mouths speak lies,

and their right hand is falsehood.

¹²May our sons be like plants

who grow to full size in their youth

and our daughters like carved corner pillars,

shapely like those of a palace.

¹³May our storehouses be full

with every kind of produce,

and may our sheep produce thousands

and ten thousands in our fields.

¹⁴Then our oxen will have many young.

No one will break through our walls; there will be no exile

and no outcry in our streets.

¹⁵Blessed is the people with such blessings;

happy is the people whose God is Yahweh.

145

A psalm of praise. Of David.

¹I will extol you, my God, King;

I will bless your name forever and ever.

²Every day will I bless you;

I will praise your name forever and ever.

³Great is Yahweh and greatly to be praised;

his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation will praise your deeds to the next

and will proclaim your mighty actions.

⁵I will meditate on the majesty of your glory

and on your marvelous deeds.

⁶They will speak of the power of your awesome works,

and I will declare your greatness.

⁷They will declare your abounding goodness,

and they will shout joyfully about your righteousness.

⁸Yahweh is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and great in steadfast love.

⁹Yahweh is good to all;

his tender mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh;

your faithful ones will bless you.

¹¹They will speak of the glory of your kingdom,

and they will tell of your power.

¹²They will make known to mankind God's mighty deeds

and the glorious splendor of his kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

¹⁴Yahweh supports all who are falling

and raises up all those who are bent over.

¹⁵The eyes of all wait for you;

you give them their food at the right time.

¹⁶You open your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷Yahweh is righteous in all his ways

and faithful in all his deeds.

¹⁸Yahweh is near to all those who call to him,

to all who call to him in trustworthiness.

¹⁹He fulfills the desire of those who honor him;

he hears their cry and saves them.

²⁰Yahweh watches over all those who love him,

but he will destroy all the wicked.

²¹My mouth will speak out the praise of Yahweh;

let all mankind bless his holy name

forever and ever.

146

¹Give praise to Yah. ¹

Praise Yahweh, my soul.

²I give praise to Yahweh with all my life;

I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

³Do not put your trust in princes

or in mankind, in whom there is no salvation.

⁴When a person's life's breath stops, he returns to the ground;

on that day his plans end.

⁵Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,

whose hope is in Yahweh his God.

⁶Yahweh made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them;

he observes trustworthiness forever.

⁷He executes justice for the oppressed

and gives food to the hungry.

Yahweh frees the prisoners;

⁸Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind;

Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down;

Yahweh loves the righteous people.

⁹Yahweh protects the foreigners in the land;

he supports the fatherless and widow,

but he opposes the wicked.

¹⁰Yahweh will reign forever,

your God, Zion, for all generations.

Give praise to Yah. ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

147

¹Give praise to Yah, ¹

for it is good to sing praises to our God;

it is pleasant, and praise is suitable.

²Yahweh rebuilds Jerusalem;

he gathers together the scattered people of Israel.

³He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

⁴He counts the stars;

he gives names to all of them.

⁵Great is our Lord and awesome in power;

his understanding cannot be measured.

⁶Yahweh supports the oppressed;

he brings the wicked down to the ground.

⁷Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving;

sing praises to our God with a harp.

⁸He covers the heavens with clouds

and prepares rain for the earth,

making the grass to grow on the mountains.

⁹He gives food to the animals

and to the young ravens when they cry.

¹⁰He finds no delight in the strength of a horse;

he takes no pleasure in the strong legs of a man.

¹¹Yahweh takes pleasure in those who honor him,

who hope in his covenant faithfulness.

¹²Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem;

praise your God, Zion.

¹³For he strengthens the bars of your gates;

he blesses your children among you.

¹⁴He brings prosperity inside your borders;

he satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

¹⁵He sends out his commandment to earth;

his command runs very swiftly.

¹⁶He makes the snow like wool;

he scatters the frost like ashes.

¹⁷He dispenses the hail like crumbs;

who can withstand the cold he sends?

¹⁸He sends out his command and melts them;

he makes the wind to blow and the water to flow.

¹⁹He proclaimed his word to Jacob,

his statutes and his righteous decrees to Israel.

²⁰He has not done so with any other nation,

and as for his decrees, they do not know them.

Give praise to Yah. ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

148

¹Give praise to Yah. ¹

Praise Yahweh, you in the heavens;

praise him, you in the heights.

²Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his hosts.

³Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars.

⁴Praise him, highest heaven

and you waters that are above the sky.

⁵Let them praise the name of Yahweh,

for he gave the command, and they were created.

⁶He has also established them forever and ever;

he issued a decree that will never change.

⁷Praise him from the earth,

you sea monsters and all ocean depths,

⁸fire and hail, snow and clouds,

stormy wind fulfilling his word.

⁹Praise him, mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars,

¹⁰Wild animals and all livestock,

creatures that crawl and birds with wings.

¹¹Praise Yahweh, you kings of the earth and all nations,

you princes, and all you judges of the earth,

¹²both young men and young women,

elderly and children.

¹³Let them all praise the name of Yahweh,

for his name alone is exalted

and his glory extends over the earth and the heavens.

¹⁴He has lifted up the horn of his people

for praise from all his faithful ones,

the people of Israel, the people near to him.

Give praise to Yah. ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

149

¹Give praise to Yah! ¹

Sing to Yahweh a new song;

sing his praise in the assembly of the faithful ones.

²Let Israel rejoice in the one who made them;

let the people of Zion rejoice in their king.

³Let them praise his name with dancing;

let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp.

⁴For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people;

he glorifies the humble with salvation.

⁵Let the faithful ones rejoice in this honor;

let them sing for joy on their beds.

⁶May the praises of God be in their mouths

and a two-edged sword in their hand

⁷to execute vengeance on the nations

and acts of punishment on the peoples.

⁸They will bind their kings with chains

and their nobles with iron shackles.

⁹They will execute the judgment that is written.

This will be an honor for all his faithful ones.

Give praise to Yah. ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

150

¹Give praise to Yah! ¹

Praise God in his holy place;

praise him in the mighty heavens.

²Praise him for his mighty acts;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

³Praise him with the blast of the horn;

praise him with lute and harp.

⁴Praise him with tambourines and dancing;

praise him with stringed instruments and pipe.

⁵Praise him with loud cymbals;

praise him with high sounding cymbals.

⁶Let everything that has breath give praise to Yah!

Give praise to Yah! ²

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

Proverbs

¹The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.

²These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction,

to teach words of insight,

³that you may receive instruction in prudent behavior,

righteousness, justice, and uprightness.

⁴These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive,

and to give knowledge and discretion to the youth.

⁵Let wise people listen and increase their learning,

and let discerning people get wise counsel,

⁶to understand proverbs, parables,

and words of wise people and their riddles.

⁷The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge—

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

⁸My son, hear the instruction of your father

and do not abandon the rules of your mother;

⁹they will be a graceful wreath for your head

and pendants hanging from your neck.

¹⁰My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin,

do not go with them.

¹¹If they say, "Come with us,

let us lie in wait for blood,

let us hide and attack innocent people for no reason;

¹²let us swallow them up alive, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy,

and make them like those who go down into the pit;

¹³we will find all kinds of valuable things;

we will fill our houses with plunder;

¹⁴throw in your lot with us,

and we will all have one purse together"—

¹⁵my son, do not walk down that path with them;

do not let your foot touch where they walk;

¹⁶their feet run to evil

and they hurry to shed blood.

¹⁷For it is useless to spread the net

in the sight of any bird.

¹⁸These men lie in wait for their own blood—

they set an ambush for their own lives.

¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who gains profit by violence;

unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.

²⁰Wisdom cries aloud in the street,

she raises her voice in the open places;

²¹at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,

at the entrance of the city gates she speaks her sayings,

²²"How long, you naive people, will you love being naive?

How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery,

and how long, you fools, will you hate knowledge?

²³Turn at my correction;

I will pour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

²⁴I have called, and you have refused to listen;

I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.

²⁵But you have ignored all my instruction

and paid no attention to my correction.

²⁶I will laugh at your calamity,

I will mock you when the terror comes—

²⁷when your fearful dread comes like a storm

and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

²⁸Then they will call upon me, and I will not answer;

they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.

²⁹Because they hate knowledge

and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,

³⁰they would not follow my instruction,

and they despised all my correction.

³¹They will eat the fruit of their ways,

and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.

³²For the naive are killed when they turn away,

and the indifference of fools will destroy them.

³³But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety

and will rest secure with no fear of disaster."

¹My son, if you receive my words

and treasure up my commandments with you,

²make your ears pay attention to wisdom

and incline your heart to understanding.

³If you cry out for discernment

and raise your voice for understanding,

⁴if you seek it like you would seek silver

and search for understanding as you would seek hidden treasures,

⁵then you will understand the fear of Yahweh

and you will find the knowledge of God.

⁶For Yahweh gives wisdom;

from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

⁷He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield for those who walk in integrity;

⁸he guards the paths of justice

and he will preserve the way of his faithful ones.

⁹Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and equity,

and every good path.

¹⁰For wisdom will come into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

¹¹Discretion will watch over you;

understanding will guard you.

¹²They will rescue you from the way of evil,

from those who speak perverse things,

¹³who abandon the paths of uprightness

and walk in the ways of darkness.

¹⁴They rejoice when they do evil

and delight in the perversities of evil.

¹⁵They follow crooked paths,

and using deception they hide their tracks.

¹⁶Wisdom and discretion will save you from an adulteress,

from an immoral woman and her flattering words.

¹⁷She abandons the companion of her youth

and forgets the covenant of her God.

¹⁸For her house sinks down to death,

and her tracks will lead you to those in the grave.

¹⁹All who go to her will not return again

and they will not reach the paths of life.

²⁰So you will walk in the way of good people

and follow the paths of righteous people.

²¹For the upright will make a home in the land,

and those with integrity will remain in it.

²²But the wicked will be cut off from the land,

and the faithless will be cut off from it.

¹My son, do not forget my teaching,

and keep my commandments in your heart,

²for the length of your days and years of your life,

they will add peace to you.

³Do not let steadfast love and faithfulness ever leave you;

tie them together about your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Then you will find favor and a good reputation

in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in Yahweh with all your heart

and do not lean on your own understanding;

⁶in all your ways acknowledge him

and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear Yahweh and turn away from evil.

⁸It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment for your bones.

⁹Honor Yahweh with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of all your produce,

¹⁰and your storehouses will be filled up

and your vats will be bursting, full of new wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise Yahweh's instruction

and do not hate his rebuke,

¹²for Yahweh disciplines those he loves,

as a father deals with a son who pleases him.

¹³The one who finds wisdom is blessed;

he also gets understanding.

¹⁴What you gain from wisdom is better than what silver will give in return

and its profit is better than gold.

¹⁵Wisdom is more precious than jewels

and nothing you desire can compare to her.

¹⁶She has the length of her days in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness

and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who take hold of it;

those who hold on to it are happy.

¹⁹By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth;

by understanding he established the heavens.

²⁰By his knowledge the depths broke open

and the clouds dropped their dew.

²¹My son, do not let these depart from your eyes:

guard sound wisdom and discretion.

²²They will be life to your soul

and an adornment of favor to wear around your neck.

²³Then you will walk on your way in safety

and your foot will not stumble;

²⁴when you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror

or devastation caused by the wicked, when it comes,

²⁶for Yahweh will be on your side

and will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

²⁷Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,

when it is in your power to act.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor,

"Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give it,"

when you have the money with you.

²⁹Do not make a plan to harm your neighbor—

the one who dwells in safety with you.

³⁰Do not argue with a person without a reason,

when he has done nothing to harm you.

³¹Do not envy a violent person

or choose any of his ways.

³²For the devious person is an abomination to Yahweh,

but he brings the upright person into his confidence.

³³The curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked person,

but he blesses the home of righteous people.

³⁴He mocks mockers,

but he gives his favor to humble people.

³⁵Wise people inherit honor,

but fools will be lifted up in their shame.

¹Listen, sons, to a father's instruction,

and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.

²I am giving you good instructions;

do not abandon my teaching.

³When I was a son of my father,

the tender and only child of my mother,

⁴he taught me and said to me,

"Let your heart hold fast to my words;

keep my commands and live.

⁵Acquire wisdom and understanding;

do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;

⁶do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you;

love her and she will keep you safe.

⁷Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom

and spend all you own so you can get understanding.

⁸Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you;

she will honor you when you embrace her.

⁹She will put a wreath of honor on your head;

she will give you a beautiful crown."

¹⁰Listen, my son, and receive my words,

and you will have many years in your life.

¹¹I am teaching you in the way of wisdom;

I am leading you in upright paths.

¹²When you walk, no one will stand in your way

and if you run, you will not stumble.

¹³Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;

guard it, for it is your life.

¹⁴Do not follow the path of the wicked

and do not go along the way of those who do evil.

¹⁵Avoid it, do not go on it;

turn away from it and go another way.

¹⁶For they cannot sleep until they do evil

and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.

¹⁷For they devour the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the path of righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter;

it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like darkness—

they do not know what it is they stumble over.

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

²¹Do not let them turn away from your eyes;

keep them in your heart.

²²For my words are life to those who find them

and health to their whole body.

²³Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence,

for from it flow the springs of life.

²⁴Put crooked speech away from you

and put corrupt talk far from you.

²⁵Let your eyes look straight ahead

and fix your gaze straight before you.

²⁶Make a level path for your foot;

then all your ways will be established.

²⁷Do not turn aside to the right or to the left;

turn your foot away from evil.

¹My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

incline your ears to my understanding,

²so you may learn about discretion

and your lips may protect knowledge.

³For the lips of an adulteress drip with honey

and her mouth is smoother than oil,

⁴but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,

cutting like a sharp sword.

⁵Her feet go down to death;

her steps go all the way to Sheol.

⁶She gives no thought to the path of life.

Her footsteps wander;

she does not know where she is going.

⁷Now, my sons, listen to me;

do not turn away from listening to the words of my mouth.

⁸Keep your path far away from her

and do not come near the door of her house.

⁹In that way you will not give away your honor to others

or years of your life to a cruel person;

¹⁰strangers will not feast on your strength;

your labor will not go into the house of foreigners.

¹¹At the end of your life you will groan

when your flesh and your body waste away.

¹²You will say, "How I hated instruction

and my heart despised correction!

¹³I would not listen to the voice of my teachers

or incline my ear to my instructors.

¹⁴I was almost completely ruined

in the midst of the assembly,

among the gathering of the people."

¹⁵Drink water from your own cistern

and drink running water from your own well.

¹⁶Should your springs be dispersed everywhere

and your streams of water flow in the public squares?

¹⁷Let them be for yourself alone

and not for strangers with you.

¹⁸May your fountain be blessed

and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth,

¹⁹for she is a loving deer and a graceful doe.

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

may you be continually intoxicated by her love.

²⁰For why should you, my son, be captivated by an adulteress?

Why should you embrace the bosom of an immoral woman?

²¹Yahweh sees everything a person does

and watches all the paths he takes.

²²A wicked person will be seized by his own iniquities;

the cords of his sin will hold him tight.

²³He will die because he lacks instruction;

he is led astray by his great foolishness.

¹My son, if you set aside your money as a guarantee for your neighbor's loan,

if you gave your promise for a loan of someone you do not know,

²then you have laid a trap for yourself by your promise

and you have been caught by the words of your mouth.

³When you are caught by your words, my son,

do this and save yourself,

since you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor;

go and humble yourself

and make your case before your neighbor.

⁴Give your eyes no sleep

and your eyelids no slumber.

⁵Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,

like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶Look at the ant, you lazy person,

consider her ways, and be wise.

⁷It has no commander,

officer, or ruler,

⁸yet it prepares its food in the summer

and during the harvest it stores up what it will eat.

⁹How long will you lie down, you lazy person?

When will you rise from your sleep?

¹⁰"A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest"—

¹¹and your poverty will come like a robber

and your needs like an armed soldier.

¹²A worthless person—a wicked man—

lives by the crookedness of his speech,

¹³winking his eyes, making signals with his feet

and pointing with his fingers.

¹⁴He plots evil with perversity in his heart;

he always stirs up strife.

¹⁵Therefore his disaster will overtake him in an instant;

in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

¹⁶There are six things that Yahweh hates,

seven that are an abomination to him:

¹⁷the eyes of a proud person, a tongue that lies,

hands that shed the blood of innocent people,

¹⁸a heart that invents wicked schemes,

feet that quickly run to do evil,

¹⁹a witness who breathes out lies

and one who sows discord among brothers.

²⁰My son, obey the command of your father

and do not abandon the teaching of your mother.

²¹Always bind them on your heart;

tie them about your neck.

²²When you walk, they will guide you;

when you lie down, they will watch over you;

and when you wake up, they will teach you.

²³For the commands are a lamp,

and the teaching is a light;

the corrections that come by instruction

are the way of life.

²⁴It keeps you from the evil woman,

from the smooth tongue of an immoral woman.

²⁵Do not lust in your heart after her beauty

and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.

²⁶The price of a prostitute is the cost of a loaf of bread,

but the wife of another man hunts for a precious life.

²⁷Can a man carry a fire against his chest

without burning his clothes?

²⁸Can a man walk on hot coals

without scorching his feet?

²⁹So is the man who goes to his neighbor's wife;

the one who touches her will not go unpunished.

³⁰People do not despise a thief if he steals

to satisfy his need when he is hungry.

³¹Yet if he is caught, he will pay back seven times what he stole;

he must give up everything of value in his house.

³²The one who commits adultery lacks sense;

the one who does it destroys himself.

³³Wounds and shame are what he deserves

and his disgrace will not be blotted out.

³⁴For jealousy makes a man furious;

he will show no mercy on the day of vengeance.

³⁵He will accept no ransom

and he cannot be bought off,

though you offer him many gifts.

¹My son, keep my words

and store up my commands within yourself.

²Keep my commands and live,

and keep my instruction as the apple of your eye.

³Tie them on your fingers;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"

and call understanding your kinsman,

⁵in order to keep yourself from the adulterous woman,

from the immoral woman who makes her words smooth.

⁶At the window of my house

I was looking out through the lattice.

⁷I looked at the naive people,

and I noticed among the young men

a youth who had no sense.

⁸That young man passed down the street near her corner,

and he went toward her house.

⁹It was twilight, in the evening of the day,

at the time of night and darkness.

¹⁰There a woman met him,

dressed like a prostitute, with a false heart.

¹¹She was loud and rebellious;

her feet did not stay at home.

¹²Now in the streets, then in the marketplace,

and at every corner she waited in ambush.

¹³So she grabbed him and kissed him,

with a strong face she said to him,

¹⁴"I made my peace offering today,

I fulfilled my vows,

¹⁵so I came out to meet you,

to eagerly seek your face,

and I have found you.

¹⁶I have spread coverings on my bed,

colored linens from Egypt.

¹⁷I have sprinkled my bed

with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;

let us take great pleasure in acts of love.

¹⁹For my husband is not at his house;

he has gone on a long journey.

²⁰He took a bag of money with him;

he will come home on the day of the full moon."

²¹With her great persuasiveness she turned him;

with her smooth lips she compelled him.

²²Suddenly he went after her

like an ox going to slaughter,

and like a fool is punished with shackles, ¹

²³until an arrow pierces through his liver.

He was like a bird rushing into a snare.

He did not know that it would cost him his life.

²⁴Now, my sons, listen to me;

pay attention to the words of my mouth.

²⁵May your heart not turn aside onto her paths;

do not be led astray onto her paths.

²⁶She has caused many people to fall down pierced;

those she has killed are numerous.

²⁷Her house is on the paths to Sheol;

they go down to the dark bedrooms of death.

¹The Hebrew text is difficult to understand. The ancient Greek translation has: like a dog to the muzzle. Some translations have like a deer to the trap .

¹Does not Wisdom call out?

Does not Understanding raise her voice?

²On the hilltops beside the road,

at the crossroads, Wisdom has taken her stand.

³Before the gates at the entrance into the city,

at the entrances into the city, she cries out.

⁴"It is to you, people, that I call;

my voice is for the sons of mankind.

⁵You who are naive, learn wisdom;

and you who are foolish, you must get an understanding mind.

⁶Listen, because I will speak of noble things,

and when my lips open I will say upright things.

⁷For my mouth speaks what is trustworthy,

and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are just;

in them is nothing twisted or perverse.

⁹All of them are straight for the person who understands;

my words are upright for those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Acquire my instruction rather than silver;

acquire knowledge rather than choicest gold.

¹¹For Wisdom is better than jewels;

no desirable thing is equal to her.

¹²I, Wisdom, live with Prudence,

and I possess knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.

I hate pride and arrogance, the evil way,

and perverted speech. I hate them.

¹⁴I have good advice and sound wisdom;

I am insight; strength belongs to me.

¹⁵By me kings reign,

and rulers make laws that are just.

¹⁶By me princes rule,

nobles, and all who judge with justice.

¹⁷I love those who love me,

and those who diligently seek me, find me.

¹⁸With me are riches and honor,

lasting wealth and righteousness.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold;

my produce is better than pure silver.

²⁰I walk in the path of righteousness,

in the midst of the paths of justice.

²¹As a result, I make those who love me inherit wealth;

I fill up their treasuries.

²²Yahweh created me at the beginning,

the first of his deeds long ago.

²³In ages long ago I was established—from the first,

from the beginnings of the earth.

²⁴Before there were oceans, I was given birth—

before there were springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled

and before the hills, I was born.

²⁶I was born before Yahweh had made the earth or the fields,

or even the first dust in the world.

²⁷I was there when he established the heavens,

when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep.

²⁸I was there when he established the clouds above

and when the springs in the deep became fixed.

²⁹I was there when he made his limit for the sea,

so the waters should not spread beyond his command,

and when there was set the limit for the foundations of the dry land.

³⁰I was beside him, as a skilled craftsman;

I was his delight day after day,

always rejoicing before him.

³¹I was rejoicing in his whole world,

and my delight was in the sons of mankind.

³²Now, my sons, listen to me,

for those who keep my ways will be blessed.

³³Listen to my instruction and be wise;

do not neglect it.

³⁴The one who listens to me will be blessed.

He will be watching every day at my doors,

waiting beside the posts of my doors.

³⁵For whoever finds me, finds life,

and he will find the favor of Yahweh.

³⁶But he who fails, harms his own life;

all who hate me love death."

¹Wisdom has built her own house;

she has carved seven pillars out of rocks.

²She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,

and she has set her table.

³She has sent out her maids; she calls out

from the highest points of the city,

⁴"Who is naive? Let him turn aside here!"

To the one lacking good sense she speaks.

⁵"Come, eat my food,

and drink the wine I have mixed.

⁶Leave your naive actions and live;

walk in the path of understanding.

⁷Whoever disciplines a mocker receives dishonor,

and whoever rebukes a wicked person receives abuse.

⁸Do not reprove a mocker, or he will hate you;

reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Give to a wise person, and he will become even wiser;

teach a righteous person, and he will add to his learning.

¹⁰The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For through me your days will be multiplied,

and years of life will be added to you.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,

and if you mock, you will carry it by yourself."

¹³The woman of foolishness is ignorant;

she is untaught and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house,

on a seat in the highest places of the town.

¹⁵She is calling out to those who pass by in the streets,

to people walking straight on their way.

¹⁶"Let anyone who is naive turn aside here,"

she says to those who have no sense.

¹⁷"Stolen waters are sweet,

and bread of secrecy is delicious."

¹⁸But he does not know that the dead are there,

that her invited guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes his father rejoice

but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

²Treasures accumulated by wickedness give no profit,

but doing what is right delivers from death.

³Yahweh does not let the soul of the righteous person go hungry,

but he frustrates the cravings of the wicked.

⁴A lazy hand causes a person to be poor,

but the hand of the diligent person gains riches.

⁵A wise son gathers a crop in the summer,

but it is disgraceful for him to sleep during harvest.

⁶Blessings from God are upon the head of the righteous person,

but the mouth of the wicked covers up violence.

⁷The righteous person makes those who remember him happy,

but the name of the wicked will rot away.

⁸The wise of heart accept commands,

but a talkative fool will come to ruin.

⁹He who walks in integrity walks in safety,

but the one who makes his ways crooked, he will be found out.

¹⁰He who winks the eye causes grief,

but a talkative fool will come to ruin.

¹¹The mouth of the righteous person is a water spring of life,

but the mouth of the wicked covers up violence.

¹²Hatred stirs up conflicts,

but love covers over all transgressions.

¹³Wisdom is found on the lips of a discerning person,

but a rod is for the back of the one who has no sense.

¹⁴Wise men store up knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool brings destruction near.

¹⁵The wealth of a rich man is his fortified city;

the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

¹⁶The wage of the righteous person leads to life;

the income of the wicked leads them to sin.

¹⁷There is a path to life for the one who follows discipline,

but the one who rejects correction is led astray.

¹⁸Whoever conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹When there are many words, transgression is not lacking,

but he who is careful in what he says is wise.

²⁰The tongue of the righteous person is pure silver;

there is little value in the heart of the wicked.

²¹The lips of the righteous person nourish many,

but fools die because of their lack of sense.

²²The blessings of Yahweh bring wealth

and he adds no pain to it.

²³Wickedness is a game a fool plays,

but wisdom is a pleasure to a man of understanding.

²⁴The fear of the wicked person will overtake him,

but the desire of righteous people will be granted.

²⁵The wicked are like the storm that passes by, and they are no more,

but the righteous person is a foundation that lasts forever.

²⁶Like vinegar on the teeth and smoke in the eyes,

so is the lazy person to those who send him.

²⁷The fear of Yahweh prolongs life,

but the years of the wicked will be short.

²⁸The hope of righteous people is their joy,

but the hope of wicked people will perish.

²⁹The way of Yahweh is a stronghold for those who have integrity,

but it is destruction for those who behave wickedly.

³⁰The righteous person will never be overthrown,

but the wicked will not remain in the land.

³¹Out of the mouth of the righteous person comes the fruit of wisdom,

but the perverse tongue will be cut out.

³²The lips of the righteous person know what gains favor,

but the mouth of the wicked, they know what is perverse.

¹False scales are an abomination to Yahweh,

but he delights in a precise weight.

²When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with humility comes wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the crooked ways of the treacherous destroy them.

⁴Wealth is worthless on the day of wrath,

but doing right delivers you from death.

⁵The right conduct of a blameless person makes his way straight,

but the wicked will fall because of their own wickedness.

⁶The right conduct of the upright keeps them safe,

but the treacherous are trapped by their cravings.

⁷When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes

and the hope that was in his strength comes to nothing.

⁸The righteous person is delivered from trouble

and it comes upon the wicked instead.

⁹With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,

but through knowledge righteous people are kept safe.

¹⁰When righteous people prosper, a city rejoices;

when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹Through the blessings of the upright the city is exalted;

by the mouth of the wicked the city is thrown down.

¹²The man who has contempt for his friend has no sense,

but a man of understanding keeps quiet.

¹³Whoever goes around slandering reveals secrets,

but the trustworthy in spirit keeps a matter covered.

¹⁴Where there is no counsel, a nation falls,

but victory comes through many counselors.

¹⁵Whoever guarantees a loan for a stranger will surely suffer harm,

but the one who hates giving a pledge in that kind of promise is safe.

¹⁶A gracious woman gets honor,

but violent people grasp for wealth.

¹⁷A merciful person benefits himself,

but one who is cruel hurts himself.

¹⁸The wicked person lies to get his wages,

but one who sows what is right reaps the wages of truth.

¹⁹An honest person who does what is right will live,

but the one who pursues evil will die.

²⁰Those whose hearts are perverse are an abomination to Yahweh,

but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

²¹Be sure of this—the wicked person will not go unpunished,

but the descendants of righteous people will be kept safe.

²²Like a gold ring in a pig's nose

is a beautiful woman without discretion.

²³The desires of righteous people result in good,

but wicked people can only hope for wrath.

²⁴There is one who scatters—he will accumulate even more;

another withholds what is just—he comes to poverty.

²⁵The generous person will prosper

and the one who gives water to others will have water for himself.

²⁶People curse the man who refuses to sell grain,

but good gifts crown the head of him who sells it.

²⁷The one who diligently seeks good is also seeking favor,

but the one who searches for evil will find it.

²⁸Those who trust in their riches will fall,

but like the leaf, righteous people will flourish.

²⁹The one who brings trouble on his own household will inherit the wind

and the fool will become a servant to the wise of heart.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

but violence takes away lives.

³¹Behold! The righteous person is rewarded on earth;

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but the one who hates correction is stupid.

²Yahweh gives favor to a good man,

but he condemns a man who makes evil plans.

³A person cannot be established by wickedness,

but righteous people cannot be uprooted.

⁴A worthy wife is her husband's crown,

but she who brings shame is like a disease that rots his bones.

⁵The plans of the righteous are just,

but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶The words of wicked people are an ambush waiting for bloodshed,

but the words of the upright keep them safe.

⁷Wicked people are overthrown and they are gone,

but the house of the righteous person will stand.

⁸A man is praised for prudent lips,

but the perverse heart is despised.

⁹Better the person of low position who has a servant

than the one who honors himself but has no food.

¹⁰The righteous person cares about the needs of his animal,

but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

¹¹The one who works his land will have plenty of food,

but whoever chases after worthless projects has no sense.

¹²The evil person desires the plunder of the wicked,

but the righteous root endures.

¹³An evil person is trapped by the transgression of his lips,

but the righteous person escapes from trouble.

¹⁴From the fruit of his words a person is filled with good things,

just as the work of his hands rewards him.

¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but a wise man listens to advice.

¹⁶A fool shows his anger at once,

but one who ignores an insult is prudent.

¹⁷The one who speaks the truth says what is right,

but a false witness, deceit.

¹⁸The words of one who speaks rashly are like the thrusts of a sword,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹Truthful lips last forever,

but a lying tongue is only for a moment.

²⁰There is deceit in the hearts of those who plan to do evil,

but joy comes to the advisors of peace.

²¹No ill comes upon the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with distress.

²²Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh,

but those who live faithfully are his delight.

²³A prudent man conceals his knowledge,

but the heart of fools shouts out folly.

²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule,

but lazy people will be put to forced labor.

²⁵Anxiety in the heart of a person weighs him down,

but a good word makes him glad.

²⁶The righteous person is a guide for his friend,

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷Lazy people would not roast their own game,

but the diligent man will obtain precious wealth.

²⁸Those who walk in the right way find life

and in its path there is no death.

¹A wise son hears his father's instruction,

but a mocker will not listen to rebuke.

²From the fruit of his mouth a person enjoys good things,

but the appetite of the treacherous is for violence.

³The one who guards his mouth protects his life,

but the one who opens wide his lips will ruin himself.

⁴The appetite of the lazy person craves but gets nothing,

but the appetite of the diligent person will be richly satisfied.

⁵The righteous person hates deceptive words,

but a wicked person makes himself repugnant, and he does what is shameful.

⁶Righteousness protects those who are faultless in their path,

but wickedness ruins those who commit sin.

⁷There is someone who enriches himself, but has nothing at all,

and there is someone who gives everything away, yet has much wealth.

⁸The ransom of a rich man's life is his wealth,

but a poor person does not hear a threat.

⁹The light of righteous people rejoices,

but the lamp of wicked people will be put out.

¹⁰Pride only breeds conflict,

but for those who listen to good advice there is wisdom.

¹¹Wealth dwindles away when there is too much vanity,

but the one who makes money by working with his hand

will make his money grow.

¹²When hope is postponed, it breaks the heart,

but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³Whoever despises instruction brings destruction on himself,

but he who respects the commandment will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of a wise person is a fountain of life,

turning you away from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good insight wins favor,

but the way of the treacherous is disaster. ¹

¹⁶Prudent people act out of knowledge in every decision,

but a fool parades his folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

but a faithful envoy brings healing.

¹⁸The one who ignores instruction will have poverty and shame,

but honor will come to him who learns from correction.

¹⁹A longing realized is sweet to the appetite,

but turning away from evil is an abomination to fools.

²⁰Walk with wise people and you will be wise,

but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

²¹Disaster runs after sinners,

but righteous people are rewarded with good.

²²A good person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren,

but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous person.

²³An unplowed field owned by the poor could produce much food,

but it is swept away by injustice.

²⁴The one who does not use his rod hates his son,

but one who loves his son is careful to instruct him.

²⁵The righteous person eats until he satisfies his appetite,

but the stomach of the wicked is always hungry.

¹The ULB is following the ancient Greek translation because the Hebrew is difficult to understand. The Hebrew has: the way of the treacherous is unending.

¹The wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

²The one who walks uprightly fears Yahweh,

but the one who is dishonest in his ways despises him.

³From the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,

but the lips of the wise will preserve them.

⁴Where there are no cattle, the feeding trough is clean,

but an abundant crop comes from the strength of an ox.

⁵A faithful witness does not lie,

but a false witness breathes out lies.

⁶A mocker seeks wisdom and there is none,

but knowledge comes easily to the one who is discerning.

⁷Walk away from a foolish person,

for you will not find knowledge on his lips.

⁸The wisdom of the prudent person is to understand his own way,

but the folly of fools is deception.

⁹Fools mock when the guilt offering is sacrificed,

but among the upright favor is shared.

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness

and no stranger shares its joy.

¹¹The house of wicked people will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end only leads to death.

¹³A heart can laugh but still be in pain

and joy may end up being grief.

¹⁴The faithless in heart will get what his ways deserve,

but a good person will get what is his.

¹⁵The one who is naive believes everything,

but the prudent man thinks about his steps.

¹⁶A wise man fears and turns away from evil,

but the fool confidently dismisses a warning.

¹⁷One who is quick to become angry does foolish things,

and a person who makes evil schemes is hated.

¹⁸The naive inherit foolishness,

but prudent people are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹Evil people will bow down before those who are good

and those who are wicked will bow down at the gates of the righteous person.

²⁰The poor person is hated even by his own companions,

but the rich people have many friends.

²¹The one who shows contempt for his neighbor is sinning,

but the one who shows favor to the poor is blessed.

²²Do not those who plot evil go astray?

But those who plan to do good will receive steadfast love and faithfulness.

²³With all hard work comes a profit,

but when there is only talk, it leads to poverty.

²⁴The crown of wise people is their wealth,

but the folly of fools brings them only more folly.

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,

but he who breathes out lies brings betrayal.

²⁶In the fear of Yahweh is strong confidence;

it will be a refuge for his children.

²⁷The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,

so that a person may turn away from the snares of death.

²⁸The glory of a king is found in the great number of his people,

but without people the prince is ruined.

²⁹A patient person has great understanding,

but the quick-tempered person exalts folly.

³⁰A tranquil heart is life for the body,

but envy rots the bones.

³¹The one who oppresses the poor insults his Maker,

but the one who shows favor to the needy honors him.

³²The wicked person is brought down by his evil actions,

but the righteous person has a refuge even in death.

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning,

but even among fools she lets herself be known.

³⁴Doing what is right exalts a nation,

but sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵The favor of the king is with the servant who acts prudently,

but his anger is for the one who acts shamefully.

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of wise people compliments knowledge,

but the mouth of fools pours out folly.

³The eyes of Yahweh are everywhere,

keeping watch over the evil and the good.

⁴A healing tongue is a tree of life,

but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

⁵A fool has contempt for his father's instruction,

but he who learns from correction is prudent.

⁶In the house of the righteous person there is great treasure,

but the earnings of the wicked person give him trouble.

⁷The lips of wise people scatter knowledge about,

but not so the hearts of fools.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh,

but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The way of wicked people is an abomination to Yahweh,

but he loves the one who pursues what is right.

¹⁰Harsh discipline awaits anyone who abandons the way

and he who hates correction will die.

¹¹Sheol and destruction are open before Yahweh;

how much more the hearts of the sons of mankind?

¹²The mocker does not love the one who corrects him;

he will not go to the wise.

¹³A joyful heart makes the face cheerful,

but by an injured heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴The heart of the discerning seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are miserable,

but a cheerful heart has an unending feast.

¹⁶Better is little with the fear of Yahweh

than great treasure with tumult.

¹⁷Better is a meal with vegetables where there is love

than a fattened calf served with hatred.

¹⁸An angry man stirs up strife,

but a person who is slow to anger quiets a quarrel.

¹⁹The path of the lazy person is like a place with a hedge of thorns,

but the path of the upright is a built-up highway.

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish person despises his mother.

²¹Folly delights a person who lacks sense,

but the one who has understanding walks a straight path.

²²Plans go wrong where there is no advice,

but with numerous advisors they succeed.

²³A person finds joy when he gives a pertinent reply;

how good is a timely word!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for prudent people,

that they may turn away from Sheol beneath.

²⁵Yahweh tears down the house of the proud,

but he protects the property of the widow.

²⁶The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to Yahweh,

but pleasant words are pure.

²⁷The person who profits from unjust gain brings trouble to his family,

but the one who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous person ponders before it answers,

but the mouth of wicked people pours out all its evil.

²⁹Yahweh is far away from wicked people,

but he hears the prayer of righteous people.

³⁰The light of the eyes brings joy to the heart

and good news is health to the body.

³¹The ear that listens to life-giving rebuke

will dwell among wise people.

³²The one who rejects discipline despises himself,

but he who listens to correction gains understanding.

³³The fear of Yahweh instructs in wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

¹The plans of the heart belong to a person,

but the answer from his tongue comes from Yahweh.

²All of a person's ways are pure in his own eyes,

but Yahweh weighs the spirits.

³Commit your works to Yahweh

and your plans will succeed.

⁴Yahweh has made everything for its purpose,

even the wicked for the day of trouble.

⁵Every exalted heart is an abomination to Yahweh,

but be sure of this, they will not go unpunished.

⁶By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for

and by the fear of Yahweh people turn away from evil.

⁷When a person's ways are pleasing to Yahweh,

he makes even that person's enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with what is right,

than a large income with injustice.

⁹In his heart a person plans out his way,

but Yahweh directs his steps.

¹⁰Insightful decisions are on the lips of a king;

his mouth should not betray justice.

¹¹Honest scales come from Yahweh;

all the weights in the bag are his work.

¹²Doing evil is an abomination to kings,

for a throne is established by doing what is right.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of the king,

and he loves the person who speaks upright words.

¹⁴A king's wrath is a messenger of death

but a wise man will try to calm his anger.

¹⁵In the light of a king's face is life

and his favor is like a cloud that brings a spring rain.

¹⁶How much better it is to get wisdom than gold.

To get understanding should be chosen more than silver.

¹⁷The highway of the upright turns away from evil;

the one who guards his way preserves his life.

¹⁸Pride comes before destruction

and a haughty spirit before a downfall.

¹⁹It is better to be of humble spirit among poor people

than to divide the plunder with proud people.

²⁰Whoever contemplates what they are taught will find what is good,

and those who trust in Yahweh will be blessed.

²¹The one who is wise in heart is called discerning

and sweetness of speech improves the ability to teach.

²²Understanding is a fountain of life to the one who has it,

but the instruction of fools is their foolishness.

²³The heart of a wise person gives insight to his mouth

and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

²⁴Pleasant words are a honeycomb—

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

²⁵There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.

²⁶The laborer's appetite works for him;

his hunger urges him on.

²⁷A worthless person digs up mischief

and his speech is like a scorching fire.

²⁸A perverse person stirs up conflict

and a gossip separates close friends.

²⁹A man of violence lies to his neighbor

and leads him down a path that is not good.

³⁰The one who winks the eye is plotting perverse things;

those who purse the lips will bring evil to pass.

³¹Gray hair is a crown of glory;

it is gained by living the right way.

³²It is better to be slow to anger than to be a warrior

and one who rules his spirit is stronger than one who conquers a city.

³³The lots are cast into the lap,

but the decision is from Yahweh.

¹It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread

than a house full of feasting with strife.

²A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully

and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

³The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold,

but Yahweh tests hearts.

⁴The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips;

a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

⁵Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker

and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.

⁶Grandchildren are the crown of the aged

and parents bring honor to their children.

⁷Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool;

much less are lying lips suitable for a prince.

⁸A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it;

wherever he turns, he succeeds.

⁹Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love,

but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.

¹⁰A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding

than a hundred blows go into a fool.

¹¹An evil person only seeks rebellion,

so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹²It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs

than to meet a fool in his foolishness.

¹³When someone returns evil for good,

evil will never leave his house.

¹⁴The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere,

so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.

¹⁵The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person—

both are an abomination to Yahweh.

¹⁶Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom

when he has no sense?

¹⁷A friend is loving at all times

and a brother is born for times of trouble.

¹⁸A man having no sense makes binding promises

and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.

¹⁹Whoever loves conflict loves sin;

whoever raises his door seeks destruction.

²⁰A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good;

the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.

²¹Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself;

and the father of a fool has no joy.

²²A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

²³A wicked man accepts a secret bribe

to pervert the ways of justice.

²⁴The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom,

but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son is a grief to his father

and bitterness to the woman who bore him.

²⁶Also, it is never good to punish the righteous;

neither is it good to flog the noble for their integrity.

²⁷One who has knowledge uses few words

and he who is cool of spirit has understanding.

²⁸Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent;

when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.

¹One who isolates himself seeks his own desire,

and he quarrels with all sound wisdom.

²A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,

but only in revealing what is in his own heart.

³When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him—

along with shame and disgrace.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are deep waters;

the fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.

⁵It is not good to be partial to the wicked person,

nor to deny justice to the righteous person.

⁶A fool's lips bring him conflict

and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷A fool's mouth is his ruin

and he ensnares himself with his lips.

⁸The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels

and they go down into the inner parts of the body.

⁹Also, one who is slack in his work

is a brother to the one who destroys the most.

¹⁰The name of Yahweh is a strong tower;

the righteous person runs into it and is safe.

¹¹The wealth of the rich is his fortified city

and in his imagination it is like a high wall.

¹²Before his downfall a person's heart is proud,

but humility comes before honor.

¹³One who answers before listening—

it is his folly and shame.

¹⁴A person's spirit will endure sickness,

but who can bear a broken spirit?

¹⁵The heart of the intelligent acquires knowledge

and the hearing of the wise seeks it out.

¹⁶A man's gift may open the way

and bring him before great men.

¹⁷The first to plead his case seems just

until his opponent comes and examines him.

¹⁸Casting the lot settles disputes

and separates strong opponents.

¹⁹An offended brother is harder to be won than a strong city,

and quarrels are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰From the fruit of his mouth one's stomach is filled;

with the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are controlled by the tongue,

and those who love the tongue will eat its fruit.

²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing

and receives favor from Yahweh.

²³A poor person pleads for mercy,

but a rich person answers harshly.

²⁴The one who claims many friends is brought to ruin by them,

but there is a friend who comes closer than a brother.

¹Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity

than one who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

²Also, it is not good to have desire without knowledge

and the one who runs too fast misses the path.

³A person's folly ruins his life

and his heart rages against Yahweh.

⁴Wealth adds many friends,

but a poor person is separated from his friends.

⁵A false witness will not go unpunished

and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

⁶Many will ask for a favor from a generous person

and everyone is a friend of the one who gives gifts.

⁷All the brothers of a poor man hate him;

how much more do his friends who go far away from him!

He pursues them with words,

but they are gone.

⁸He who gets wisdom loves his own life;

he who keeps understanding will find what is good.

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished,

but the one who breathes out lies will perish.

¹⁰It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—

much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹Discretion makes a person slow to anger

and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

¹²The wrath of the king is like the roaring of a young lion,

but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish son is ruin to his father

and a quarreling wife is a constant dripping of water.

¹⁴A house and wealth are inherited from parents,

but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.

¹⁵Laziness throws a person into a deep sleep,

but the one not willing to work will go hungry.

¹⁶The one who obeys the command guards his life,

but the one who despises his ways will die.

¹⁷Whoever is gracious to the poor lends to Yahweh

and he will repay him for what he has done.

¹⁸Discipline your son while there is hope

and do not set your desire on putting him to death.

¹⁹A person with great anger must bear the penalty;

if you rescue him, you will have to do it a second time.

²⁰Listen to advice and accept instruction,

so you may become wise by the end of your life.

²¹Many are the plans in a person's heart,

but it is the purpose of Yahweh that will stand.

²²Loyalty is what a person desires

and a poor person is better than a liar.

²³Honor for Yahweh leads people to life;

anyone who has it will rest satisfied and not afflicted by harm.

²⁴The lazy person buries his hand in the dish;

he will not even bring it back up to his mouth.

²⁵Strike a mocker, and the naive person will become prudent;

discipline one who is discerning, and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶The one who robs his father and drives his mother away

is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷If you cease to hear instruction, my son,

you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A corrupt witness mocks justice

and the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity.

²⁹Judgments are ready for mockers

and flogging for the backs of fools.

¹Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler;

whoever is led astray by drink is not wise.

²The fear of a king is like the fear of a young lion that is roaring;

the one who makes him angry forfeits his life.

³It is an honor for anyone to avoid conflict,

but every fool jumps into an argument.

⁴The lazy person does not plow in autumn;

he seeks a crop at harvest time but will have nothing.

⁵The purpose in a human heart is like deep water,

but someone with understanding will draw it out.

⁶Many a person proclaims he is loyal,

but who can find one who is faithful?

⁷The righteous person walks in his integrity,

and his sons who follow after him will be blessed.

⁸A king who sits on the throne performing the duties of a judge

is winnowing with his eyes all the evil that is before him.

⁹Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure;

I am clean from my sin"?

¹⁰Differing weights and unequal measures—

both are abominations to Yahweh.

¹¹Even a youth is known by his actions,

by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

¹²Ears that hear and eyes that see—

Yahweh made them both.

¹³Do not love sleep or you will come to poverty;

open your eyes and you will have plenty to eat.

¹⁴"Bad! Bad!" says the buyer,

but when he goes away he boasts.

¹⁵There is gold and an abundance of costly stones,

but lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.

¹⁷Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet,

but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

¹⁸Plans are established by advice

and only with wise guidance should you wage war.

¹⁹A slanderer reveals secrets,

and so you should not associate with people who talk too much.

²⁰If a person curses his father or his mother,

his lamp will be put out in the middle of darkness.

²¹An inheritance gained quickly at the beginning

will not be blessed in the end.

²²Do not say, "I will pay you back for this wrong!"

Wait for Yahweh and he will rescue you.

²³Unequal weights are an abomination to Yahweh,

and deceptive scales are not good.

²⁴A person's steps are directed by Yahweh;

how then can he understand his way?

²⁵It is a snare for a person to say rashly, "This thing is holy,"

and begin to think about what it means only after making his vow.

²⁶A wise king winnows the wicked

and he turns a threshing wheel over them.

²⁷The spirit of a person is the lamp of Yahweh,

searching all his inmost parts.

²⁸Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king;

he makes his throne strong by love.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength

and the splendor of old people is their gray hair.

³⁰Blows that make a wound cleanse away evil

and beatings make the innermost parts clean.

¹The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of Yahweh;

he turns it wherever he pleases.

²Every person's way is right in his own eyes,

but it is Yahweh who weighs the hearts.

³To do what is right and just

is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice.

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

the lamp of the wicked—are sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent lead only to prosperity,

but everyone who acts too quickly comes only to poverty.

⁶Acquiring treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.

⁷The violence of the wicked will drag them away,

for they refuse to do what is just.

⁸The way of a guilty person is crooked,

but the one who is pure does what is right.

⁹It is better to live on a corner of the roof

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

¹⁰The appetite of the wicked craves evil;

his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹When the mocker is punished, the naive become wise,

and when the wise person is instructed, he lays hold of knowledge.

¹²The righteous person watches the house of the wicked person;

he brings wicked people to disaster.

¹³The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,

he also will cry out, but he will not be answered.

¹⁴A gift in secret appeases anger

and a concealed gift appeases strong wrath.

¹⁵When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous person,

but it brings terror to workers of iniquity.

¹⁶The one who wanders from the way of understanding,

he will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;

the one who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸A wicked person is ransom for the righteous,

and the treacherous person is ransom for the upright.

¹⁹It is better to live in the desert

than with a quarreling and angry wife.

²⁰Desirable treasure and oil are kept in the dwelling of the wise,

but a foolish person swallows it all up.

²¹The one who does right and is kind—

this person finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty ones,

and he brings down the stronghold in which they trusted.

²³Whoever guards his mouth and tongue

keeps himself out of trouble.

²⁴The proud and haughty person—"Mocker" is his name—

acts with arrogant pride.

²⁵The desire of the lazy person kills him,

for his hands refuse to work.

²⁶All day long he craves and craves more,

but the righteous person gives and does not hold back.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

it is even more detestable when he brings it with evil motives.

²⁸A false witness will perish,

but the one who listens will speak for all time.

²⁹A wicked man makes his face hard,

but the upright is certain about his ways. ¹

³⁰There is no wisdom, there is no understanding, and there is no advice

that can stand against Yahweh.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to Yahweh.

¹Some ancient copies of the Hebrew text have but the upright thinks about his way .

¹A good name is to be chosen over great riches

and favor is better than silver and gold.

²Rich and poor people have this in common—

Yahweh is the maker of all of them.

³The prudent sees trouble and hides himself,

but the naive go on and suffer because of it.

⁴The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh

is riches, honor, and life.

⁵Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse;

whoever guards his life will keep far from them.

⁶Teach a child the way he should go

and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.

⁷Rich people rule over poor people

and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.

⁸He who sows injustice will reap trouble

and the rod of his fury will fade away.

⁹The one who has a generous eye will be blessed,

for he shares his bread with the poor.

¹⁰Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife;

disputes and dishonor will cease.

¹¹The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious,

he will have the king for his friend.

¹²The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge,

but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.

¹³The lazy person says, "There is a lion in the street!

I will be killed in the open places."

¹⁴The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;

Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.

¹⁵Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child,

but the rod of discipline drives it far away.

¹⁶The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth,

or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.

¹⁷Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise

and apply your heart to my knowledge,

¹⁸for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you,

if all of them are ready on your lips.

¹⁹So your trust may be in Yahweh,

I teach them to you today—even to you.

²⁰Have I not written for you thirty sayings

of instruction and knowledge,

²¹to teach you truth in these trustworthy words,

so you may give trustworthy answers

to those who sent you?

²²Do not rob the poor because he is poor,

or crush the needy at the gate,

²³for Yahweh will plead their case,

and he will rob of life those who robbed them.

²⁴Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger

and you must not go with one who rages,

²⁵or you will learn his ways

and entangle yourself in a snare.

²⁶Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge,

or who puts up security for debts.

²⁷If you lack the means to pay,

what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?

²⁸Do not remove the ancient boundary stone

that your fathers have set.

²⁹Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings;

he will not stand before common people.

¹When you sit to eat with a ruler,

observe carefully what is before you,

²and put a knife to your throat

if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.

³Do not crave his delicacies,

for it is the food of lies.

⁴Do not work too hard to gain wealth;

be wise enough to know when to stop.

⁵Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone,

for it will surely take up wings like an eagle

and fly off to the sky.

⁶Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye—

and do not crave his delicacies,

⁷for he is the kind of man

who counts the price of the food.

"Eat and drink!" he says to you,

but his heart is not with you.

⁸You will vomit up the little you have eaten

and you will have wasted your compliments.

⁹Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,

for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰Do not move an ancient boundary stone

or encroach on the fields of orphans,

¹¹for their Redeemer is strong

and he will plead their case against you.

¹²Apply your heart to instruction

and your ears to words of knowledge.

¹³Do not withhold instruction from a child,

for if you beat him with the rod, he will not die.

¹⁴It is you who must beat him with the rod

and save his soul from Sheol.

¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise,

then my heart also will be glad;

¹⁶my kidneys will rejoice

when your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷Do not let your heart envy sinners,

but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.

¹⁸Surely there is a future

and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Hear—you!—my son, and be wise

and direct your heart in the way.

²⁰Do not associate with those who drink much wine,

or with gluttonous eaters of meat,

²¹for the drunkard and the glutton become poor

and slumber will clothe them with rags.

²²Listen to your father who begot you

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy the truth, but do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

²⁴The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice,

and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.

²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad

and let her who bore you rejoice.

²⁶My son, give me your heart

and let your eyes observe my ways.

²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit,

and an immoral woman is a narrow well.

²⁸She lies in wait like a robber

and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.

²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?

³⁰Those who linger over wine,

those who try the mixed wine.

³¹Do not look at the wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

³²In the last it bites like a serpent

and it stings like an adder.

³³Your eyes will see strange things

and your heart will utter perverse things.

³⁴You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas

or lies down on the top of a mast.

³⁵"They hit me," you will say, "but I was not hurt.

They beat me, but I did not feel it.

When will I wake up?

I will seek another drink."

¹Do not be envious of those who are evil,

nor desire to associate with them,

²because their hearts plot violence

and their lips talk about trouble.

³Through wisdom a house is built

and by understanding it is established.

⁴By knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵A warrior of wisdom is strong,

and a man of knowledge increases his strength;

⁶for with guidance you can wage your war

and with many advisors there is victory.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool;

in the gate he does not open his mouth.

⁸There is one who plans to do evil—

people call him a master of schemes.

⁹A foolish plan is sin

and a mocker is an abomination to people.

¹⁰If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble,

then your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being taken away to death

and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.

¹²If you say, "Behold, we knew nothing about this,"

does not the one who weighs the heart understand what you are saying?

The one who guards your life, does he not know it?

Will God not give to each one what he deserves?

¹³My son, eat honey because it is good,

because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

¹⁴Such is wisdom for your soul—

if you find it, there will be a future

and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person.

Do not destroy his home!

¹⁶For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again,

but wicked people stumble at calamity.

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls

and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

¹⁸or Yahweh will see and disapprove

and turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Do not be angry because of evildoers,

and do not envy wicked people,

²⁰for the evil person has no future

and the lamp of wicked people will go out.

²¹Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son;

do not associate with those who rebel against them,

²²for suddenly their disaster will come,

and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?

²³These also are sayings of the wise.

Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.

²⁴Whoever says to the wicked person, "You are a righteous person,"

will be cursed by peoples and abhorred by nations.

²⁵But those who discipline the wicked will have delight

and gifts of goodness will come to them.

²⁶The one who gives a straight answer

gives a kiss on the lips.

²⁷Prepare your outdoor work,

and make everything ready for yourself in the field;

after that, build your house.

²⁸Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause

and do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, "I will do to him what he has done to me;

I will pay him back for what he has done."

³⁰I went by the field of a lazy person,

past the vineyard of the man having no sense.

³¹Thorns had grown up everywhere,

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw and considered it;

I looked and received instruction.

³³A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest—

³⁴and poverty comes marching upon you,

and your needs like an armed soldier.

¹These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,

but the glory of kings to search it out.

³Like the heavens are for height and the earth is for depth,

so the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Remove the dross from the silver

and a metal worker can use the silver in his craft.

⁵Even so, remove wicked people from the presence of the king

and his throne will be established by doing what is right.

⁶Do not honor yourself in the king's presence

and do not stand in the place designated for great people.

⁷It is better for him to say to you, "Come up here,"

than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.

What you have witnessed,

⁸do not bring quickly to trial.

For what will you do in the end

when your neighbor puts you to shame?

⁹Argue your case between you and your neighbor himself

and do not reveal another's secret,

¹⁰or else the one who hears you will bring shame upon you

and an evil report about you that cannot be silenced.

¹¹Apples of gold in settings of silver

is a word spoken in the right situation.

¹²A gold ring or jewelry made of fine gold

is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.

¹³Like the cold of snow at harvest time

is a faithful messenger for those who sent him;

he brings back the life of his masters.

¹⁴Clouds and wind without rain

is the one who boasts about a gift he does not give.

¹⁵With patience a ruler can be persuaded

and a soft tongue can break a bone.

¹⁶If you find honey, eat just enough—

otherwise, having too much of it, you vomit it up.

¹⁷Do not set your foot in your neighbor's house too often;

he may become tired of you and hate you.

¹⁸A man who bears false witness against his neighbor

is like a club used in war, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹An unfaithful man in whom you trust in a time of trouble

is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

²⁰Like a person who takes off a garment in cold weather,

or like vinegar poured upon carbonate of soda,

is the one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

²²for you will shovel coals of fire on his head

and Yahweh will reward you.

²³As surely as the north wind brings rain,

so a tongue that tells secrets will result in angry faces.

²⁴It is better to live on a corner of the roof

than in a house shared with a quarreling wife.

²⁵Like cold waters to one who is thirsty,

so is good news from a far country.

²⁶Like a fouled spring or a ruined fountain

is a righteous person tottering before wicked people.

²⁷It is not good to eat too much honey;

that is like searching for honor after honor. ¹

²⁸A person without self-control

is like a city breached and without walls.

¹Many modern translations have different interpretations of this difficult verse.

¹Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so a fool does not deserve honor.

²As the sparrow flutters and the swallow darts when they fly,

so an undeserved curse does not alight.

³A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey

and a rod is for the back of fools.

⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you will become like him.

⁵Answer a fool and join in on his folly,

so he will not become wise in his own eyes.

⁶Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

⁷Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

⁸Like tying a stone in a sling

is giving honor to a fool.

⁹Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰Like an archer who wounds all those around him

is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.

¹¹As a dog returns to his own vomit,

so is a fool who repeats his folly.

¹²Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³The lazy person says, "There is a lion on the road!

There is a lion between the open places!"

¹⁴As the door turns on its hinges,

so is the lazy person upon his bed.

¹⁵The lazy person puts his hand into the dish

and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.

¹⁶The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes

than seven men who respond with good judgment.

¹⁷Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog

is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.

¹⁸Like a madman who throws

firebrands, arrows, and death

¹⁹is the one who deceives his neighbor

and says, "Was I not telling a joke?"

²⁰For lack of wood, the fire goes out;

and where there is no gossiper, quarreling ceases.

²¹As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

²²The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

²³Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel,

so are burning lips and an evil heart.

²⁴One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips

and he lays up deceit within himself.

²⁵He will speak graciously, but do not believe him,

for there are seven abominations in his heart.

²⁶Though his hatred is covered with deception,

his wickedness will be revealed in the assembly.

²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it

and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.

²⁸A lying tongue hates the people it crushes

and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.

¹Do not boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.

²Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth;

a stranger and not your own lips.

³Consider the heaviness of a stone and the weight of sand—

the provocation of a fool is heavier than both.

⁴There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger,

but who is able to stand before jealousy?

⁵Better is a rebuke that is clearly seen

than hidden love.

⁶Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend,

but many are the kisses of an enemy.

⁷A person who has eaten to the full rejects even a honeycomb,

but to the hungry person, every bitter thing is sweet.

⁸Like a bird that wanders from its nest

is a man who strays from where he lives.

⁹Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice,

but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere counsel. ¹

¹⁰Do not abandon your friend and your friend's father,

and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your calamity.

Better is a neighbor who is nearby

than a brother who is far away.

¹¹Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice;

then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.

¹²The prudent sees trouble and hides himself,

but the naive go on and suffer for it.

¹³Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.

¹⁴Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning,

that blessing will be considered to be a curse!

¹⁵A quarreling wife is like

the constant dripping on a rainy day;

¹⁶restraining her is like restraining the wind,

or trying to catch oil in your right hand.

¹⁷Iron sharpens iron;

in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.

¹⁸The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and the one who protects his master will be honored.

¹⁹Just as water reflects a person's face,

so a person's heart reflects the person.

²⁰Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,

so a man's eyes are never satisfied.

²¹A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold;

and a person is tested when he is praised.

²²Even if you crush a fool

with the pestle—along with the grain—

yet his foolishness will not leave him.

²³Be sure you know the condition of your flocks

and be concerned about your herds,

²⁴for wealth is not forever.

Does a crown endure for all generations?

²⁵You should know when the hay is gone and the new growth appears,

and the time when the grass from the hills is gathered in.

²⁶Those lambs will provide your clothing

and the goats will provide the price of the field.

²⁷There will be goats' milk for your food

—the food for your household—

and nourishment for your servant girls.

¹Many modern translations have different interpretations of this difficult verse.

¹The wicked people run away when no one chases them,

but righteous people are as bold as a young lion.

²Because of the transgression of a land, it has many rulers,

but with a man of understanding and knowledge, it will last a long time.

³A poor person who oppresses other poor people

is like a beating rain that leaves no food.

⁴Those who abandon the law praise wicked people,

but those who keep the law fight against them.

⁵Evil men do not understand justice,

but those who seek Yahweh understand everything.

⁶It is better for a poor person who walks in his integrity

than for a rich person who is crooked in his ways.

⁷He who keeps the law is a son who has understanding,

but one who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

⁸The one who makes his fortune by usury and interest

gathers his wealth for another who will be gracious to the poor.

⁹If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,

even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way

will fall into his own pit,

but the blameless will have a good inheritance.

¹¹The rich person may be wise in his own eyes,

but a poor person who has understanding will find him out.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;

but when the wicked arise, people are sought out.

¹³The one who hides his sins will not prosper,

but the one who confesses them and abandons them will be shown mercy.

¹⁴The one who always lives with reverence is blessed,

but whoever hardens his heart will fall into trouble.

¹⁵Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over poor people.

¹⁶The ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,

but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

¹⁷If a man is burdened with a person's blood,

he will be a fugitive until death

and no one will help him.

¹⁸Whoever walks with integrity will be kept safe,

but the one whose way is crooked will suddenly fall.

¹⁹The one who works his land will have plenty of food,

but whoever follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

²⁰A faithful man will have great blessings,

but the one who gets rich quickly will not go unpunished.

²¹It is not good to show partiality,

but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.

²²A stingy man hurries after riches,

but he does not know that poverty will come upon him.

²³Whoever disciplines someone, afterward will find more favor from him

than from the one who flatters him with his tongue.

²⁴Whoever robs his father and his mother and says, "That is no sin,"

he is the companion of the one who destroys.

²⁵A greedy man stirs up conflict,

but the one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.

²⁶One who trusts in his own heart is a fool,

but whoever walks in wisdom will be delivered.

²⁷The one who gives to the poor will lack nothing,

but whoever closes his eyes to them will receive many curses.

²⁸When the wicked arise, people hide themselves;

but when they perish, the righteous increase.

¹A person who has received many rebukes but who stiffens his neck

will be broken in a moment beyond healing.

²When righteous people increase, the people rejoice,

but when a wicked person is the ruler, the people sigh.

³Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,

but he who keeps company with prostitutes destroys his wealth.

⁴The king establishes the land by justice,

but the one who demands bribes throws it down.

⁵A man who flatters his neighbor

is spreading a net for his feet.

⁶In the sin of an evil person is a trap,

but the righteous person sings and rejoices.

⁷The righteous person knows the rights of the poor;

the wicked person does not understand such knowledge.

⁸Mockers set a city on fire,

but those who are wise turn away wrath.

⁹When a wise person has a legal dispute with a fool,

he rages and laughs, and there will be no rest.

¹⁰Men of bloodshed hate the one who is blameless

and seek the life of the upright.

¹¹A fool brings forth all his spirit,

but a wise man soothes it back.

¹²If a ruler pays attention to lies,

all his officials will be wicked.

¹³The poor person and the oppressor are similar,

for Yahweh gives light to the eyes of them both.

¹⁴If a king judges the poor by the truth,

his throne will be established forever.

¹⁵The rod and correction give wisdom,

but a child freed from discipline puts his mother to shame.

¹⁶When wicked people are in power, transgression increases,

but righteous people will see the downfall of those wicked people.

¹⁷Discipline your son and he will give you rest;

he will bring delight into your life.

¹⁸Where there is no prophetic vision the people run wild,

but the one who keeps the law is blessed.

¹⁹A slave will not be corrected by words,

for though he understands, there will be no response.

²⁰Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

²¹One who pampers his slave from youth,

at the end of it there will be trouble.

²²An angry person stirs up strife

and a master of rage commits many sins.

²³A person's pride brings him low,

but one who has a humble spirit will be given honor.

²⁴One who shares with a thief hates his own life;

he hears the curse and says nothing.

²⁵The fear of man makes a snare,

but the one who trusts in Yahweh will be protected.

²⁶Many are those who seek the face of the ruler,

but from Yahweh is justice for a person.

²⁷An unjust man is an abomination to righteous people,

but the one whose way is upright is an abomination to the wicked person.

¹The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden.

This man declares to Ithiel,

to Ithiel and Ucal: ¹

²Surely I am more like an animal than any human,

and I do not have the understanding of a human being.

³I have not learned wisdom,

nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴Who has gone up to heaven and come down?

Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands?

Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is his name, and what is the name of his son?

Surely you know!

⁵Every word of God is tested;

he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

⁶Do not add to his words,

or he will discipline you,

and you will be proved to be a liar.

⁷Two things I ask of you;

do not withhold them from me before I die:

⁸Put vanity and lies far away from me.

Give me neither poverty nor riches,

just let me eat the food that is my portion.

⁹For if I have too much, I might deny you

and say, "Who is Yahweh?"

Or if I become poor, I might steal

and profane the name of my God.

¹⁰Do not slander a slave before his master,

or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.

¹¹There is a generation that curses their father

and does not bless their mother.

¹²There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes,

and yet they are not washed of their filth.

¹³There is a generation whose eyes are raised up,

and how high are their eyelids lifted up!

¹⁴There is a generation whose teeth are swords

and whose jawbones are knives,

so they may devour the poor from the earth

and the needy from among humanity.

¹⁵The leech has two daughters:

"Give and give," they cry.

There are three things that are never satisfied,

four that never say, "Enough":

¹⁶Sheol; the barren womb;

land that is never satisfied with water;

and the fire that never says, "Enough!"

¹⁷The eye that mocks a father

and scorns obedience to a mother

will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley

and will be eaten by the vultures.

¹⁸There are three things that are too wonderful for me,

four that I do not understand:

¹⁹the way of an eagle in the sky;

the way of a snake on a rock;

the way of a ship in the heart of the sea;

and the way of a man with a young woman.

²⁰This is the way of an adulteress:

she eats and she wipes her mouth

and says, "I have not behaved wickedly."

²¹Under three things the earth trembles,

and under four it cannot bear up:

²²a slave when he becomes king;

a fool when he is filled with food;

²³a hated woman when she marries;

and a slave girl when she takes the place of her mistress.

²⁴Four things on earth are small

and yet they are very wise:

²⁵the ants are creatures that are not strong,

but they prepare their food in the summer;

²⁶the rock badgers are not mighty creatures,

but they make their homes in the rocks.

²⁷Locusts have no king,

but all of them march in rank.

²⁸As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands,

yet it is found in kings' palaces.

²⁹There are three things that are stately in their stride

and four that are stately in how they walk:

³⁰a lion, strongest among wild animals—

it does not turn away from anything;

³¹a strutting rooster; a goat;

and a king whose soldiers are beside him.

³²If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,

or if you have been devising evil—

put your hand over your mouth.

³³As churning milk makes butter

and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted,

so deeds done in anger produce conflict.

¹The second line of some ancient Greek translations of the ancient Hebrew reads This man declares: I am weary. I am weary and helpless. They appear to have translated the Hebrew names Ithiel and Ucal into the Greek as weary and helpless .

¹The words of King Lemuel—a burden his mother taught him.

²What, my son? What is it, son of my womb?

What do you want, son of my vows?

³Do not give your strength to women,

or your ways to those who destroy kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel,

it is not for kings to drink wine,

or for rulers to crave strong drink,

⁵because when they drink they forget what has been decreed,

and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to a person who is perishing

and wine to those in bitter distress.

⁷He will drink and he will forget his poverty

and he will not remember his trouble.

⁸Speak for those who cannot speak,

for the causes of all who are perishing.

⁹Speak out and judge by the measure of what is right

and plead the cause of poor and needy people.

¹⁰Who can find a capable wife?

Her value is far more than jewels.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will never be poor.

¹²She does good things for him and not evil

all the days of her life.

¹³She searches for wool and flax

and works with the delight of her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships;

she brings her food from far away.

¹⁵She rises while it is night

and gives food to her household,

and she distributes portions to her female servants.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She knows what will make a good profit for her;

all night long her lamp is not extinguished.

¹⁹She puts her hands on the spindle,

and her hands grasp the twisting thread.

²⁰She reaches out with her hand to poor people;

she reaches out with her hands to needy people.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

²²She makes coverings for her bed,

and she wears clothes of fine purple linen.

²³Her husband is known at the gates,

when he sits with the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,

and she supplies sashes to the merchants.

²⁵She is clothed with strength and honor,

and she laughs at the future.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom

and the law of kindness is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches over the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed,

and her husband praises her, saying,

²⁹"Many women have done well,

but you surpassed them all."

³⁰Elegance is deceptive, beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears Yahweh, she will be praised.

³¹Give her the fruit of her hands

and let her works praise her in the gates.

¹Many modern translations interpret the last part of this verse in different ways: and many concubines, and everything that pleases men or and everything that pleases people .

¹Instead of God makes human beings seek hidden things , other modern translations interpret this line in different ways.

²Some modern translations have Who knows the spirit of mankind, which goes upward, and the spirit of animals, which goes downward into the earth?

¹Instead of will meet all his obligations , many modern translations have different interpretations of this difficult passage.

¹Some scholars translate the Hebrew as: No one is ruler over the wind so as to stop the wind .

²Some modern translations have to his own hurt .

³Many modern translations have different interpretations of this difficult verse: I saw wicked people come and go into the holy place. They proudly spoke in the city about the things they had done. This also is meaningless . Other modern translations have I saw wicked people come and go into the holy place. They were praised in the city for the things they had done. This also is meaningless .

¹Some modern translations follow ancient translations which have the good and the bad . In this way, they make the phrase complete. Translators may decide to imitate them.

¹Some modern translations have As you do not know the path of the spirit to the baby's bones in the pregnant womb .

¹The ancient Greek and Latin translations and other ancient translations of the Hebrew copies reads he turned away .

²The Hebrew text: yielding aromatic scents. This phrase may possibly be read as: garden beds made of balsam .

¹The meaning of Shulammite is uncertain. It may mean you perfect woman or you woman from Shulam .

²The meaning of Mahanaim is uncertain. It may be the name of a place or "two armies." Two of the possible meanings of this last phrase of verse 13 are on the dance of Mahanaim and on the dance between two armies .

¹Some other ancient Hebrew copies are translated: How beautiful, you are a beloved one .

²Some copies of the ancient Greek translation and other ancient translations of the Hebrew copies have: over my lips and teeth .

³The Hebrew could be read as either in the villages or among the henna blossoms .

¹Some scholars read a play on the Hebrew word for "peace" and translate the Hebrew either: I am in his eyes as one who brings peace or: so I have found favor in his eyes .

Isaiah

¹The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

²Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth;

for Yahweh has spoken:

"I have nourished and brought up children,

but they have rebelled against me.

³The ox knows his owner,

and the donkey his master's feeding trough,

but Israel does not know,

Israel does not understand."

⁴Woe! Nation, sinners,

a people weighed down with iniquity,

offspring of evildoers,

sons who act corruptly!

They have abandoned Yahweh,

they have despised the Holy One of Israel,

they have estranged themselves from him.

⁵Why are you still being beaten?

Why do you rebel more and more?

The whole head is sick,

the whole heart is weak.

⁶From the sole of the foot to the head

there is no health;

only wounds, and bruises,

and fresh open wounds;

they have not been closed, cleansed, bandaged,

nor treated with oil.

⁷Your country is ruined;

your cities are burned;

your fields—in your presence,

strangers are destroying them—

abandoned devastation, overthrown by strangers.

⁸The daughter of Zion is left

like a hut in a vineyard,

like a shed in a garden of cucumbers,

like a besieged city.

⁹If Yahweh of hosts had not left for us a few survivors,

we would have been like Sodom,

we would have been like Gomorrah.

¹⁰Hear the word of Yahweh,

you rulers of Sodom;

listen to the instruction of our God,

you people of Gomorrah:

¹¹"What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?"

says Yahweh.

"I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,

and the fat of fatted beasts;

and in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats

I do not delight.

¹²When you come to appear before me,

who has required this of you, to trample my courts?

¹³Bring no more meaningless offerings;

incense is an abomination to me;

your new moon and Sabbath assemblies—

I cannot tolerate these wicked assemblies.

¹⁴I hate your new moons and your appointed feasts;

they are a burden to me; I am tired of enduring them.

¹⁵So when you spread out your hands in prayer,

I hide my eyes from you;

even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen;

your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶Wash, cleanse yourselves;

remove the evil of your deeds from my sight;

stop being evil;

¹⁷learn to do good;

seek justice, make straight the oppression, ¹

give justice to the fatherless,

defend the widow."

¹⁸"Come now, and let us reason together,"

says Yahweh;

"though your sins are like scarlet,

they will be white like snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they will be like wool.

¹⁹If you are willing and obedient,

you will eat the good of the land,

²⁰but if you refuse and rebel,

the sword will devour you,"

for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.

²¹How the faithful city

has become a prostitute!

She who was full of justice—

she was full of righteousness,

but now she is full of murderers.

²²Your silver has become impure,

your wine mixed with water.

²³Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves;

everyone loves bribes

and runs after payoffs.

They do not defend the fatherless,

nor does the widow's legal plea come before them.

²⁴Therefore this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts,

the Mighty One of Israel:

"Woe to them! I will comfort myself concerning my adversaries

and avenge myself against my enemies;

²⁵I will turn my hand against you,

refine away your dross as with lye,

and take away all your dross.

²⁶I will restore your judges as at the first,

and your counselors as at the beginning;

after that you will be called

the city of righteousness,

a faithful town."

²⁷Zion will be redeemed by justice,

and her repentant ones by righteousness.

²⁸Rebels and sinners will be crushed together,

and those who abandon Yahweh will be done away with.

²⁹"For you will be ashamed of the sacred oak trees

that you desired,

and you will be embarrassed by the gardens

that you have chosen.

³⁰For you will be like an oak whose leaf withers,

and like a garden that has no water.

³¹The strong man will be like tinder,

and his work like a spark;

they will both burn together,

and no one will quench them."

¹Instead of make straight the oppression , some of the ancient Hebrew copies have a phrase that may mean, help the oppressed .

¹The things that Isaiah son of Amoz saw in a vision, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

²It will be in the last days

that the mountain of the house of Yahweh

will be established as the highest of the mountains,

and it will be raised up above the hills,

and all the nations will flow to it.

³Many peoples will come and say,

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh,

to the house of the God of Jacob,

so he may teach us some of his ways,

and we may walk in his paths."

For out of Zion will go the law,

and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

⁴He will judge between the nations

and will render decisions for many peoples;

they will hammer their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation will not lift up sword against nation,

nor will they train for war any longer.

⁵House of Jacob, come,

and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.

⁶For you have abandoned your people,

the house of Jacob,

because they are filled with customs from the east

and they practice divination like the Philistines,

and they shake hands with sons of foreigners.

⁷Their land is full of silver and gold,

and there is no limit to their wealth;

their land also is full of horses,

nor is there limit to their chariots.

⁸Their land also is full of idols;

they worship the craftsmanship of their own hands,

things that their own fingers have made.

⁹People bow down,

and men abase themselves.

So do not raise them up.

¹⁰Go into the rocky places and hide in the ground

from the terror of Yahweh

and from the glory of his majesty.

¹¹The lofty gaze of man will be abased,

and the haughtiness of men will be brought down,

and Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

¹²For there will be a day of Yahweh of hosts

against everyone who is proud and raised up,

and against everyone who is arrogant—

and he will be abased—

¹³and against all the cedars of Lebanon

that are high and lifted up,

and against all the oaks of Bashan.

¹⁴That day of Yahweh of hosts

will be against all the high mountains,

and against all the hills that are lifted up,

¹⁵and against every high tower,

and against every impregnable wall,

¹⁶and against all the ships of Tarshish,

and against all delightful sailing vessels.

¹⁷The pride of man will be brought down,

and the haughtiness of men will be abased;

Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

¹⁸The idols will completely pass away.

¹⁹Men will go into the caves of the rocks

and the holes of the ground,

from the terror of Yahweh,

and from the glory of his majesty,

when he rises to terrify the earth.

²⁰On that day people will throw away

their idols of silver and of gold

that they have made for themselves to worship—

they will throw them away to the moles and bats.

²¹The people will go into the crevices in the rocks

and into the clefts of the ragged rocks,

from the terror of Yahweh

and from the glory of his majesty,

when he rises to terrify the earth.

²²Stop trusting in man,

whose life-breath is in his nostrils,

for what does he amount to?

¹See, the Lord Yahweh of hosts

is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah

support and staff:

the whole supply of bread

and the whole supply of water,

²the mighty man and the warrior,

the judge and the prophet,

the one who practices divination and the elder,

³the captain of fifty

and the respected citizen,

the counselor, the expert craftsman

and the skillful enchanter.

⁴"I will place mere youths as their leaders,

and the young will rule over them.

⁵The people will be oppressed,

every one by another,

and every one by his neighbor;

the child will act arrogantly toward the elderly,

and the degraded will challenge the honorable.

⁶A man will even take hold of his brother

in his father's house and say,

'You have a coat; be our ruler,

and let this ruin be in your hands.'

⁷On that day he will shout and say,

'I will not be a healer;

I have no bread or clothing.

You will not make me ruler of the people.'"

⁸For Jerusalem has stumbled,

and Judah has fallen,

because their speech and their actions are against Yahweh,

rebelling against the eyes of his glory.

⁹The look on their faces witnesses against them;

and they tell of their sin like Sodom;

they do not hide it.

Woe to them!

For they have completed a catastrophe for themselves.

¹⁰Tell the righteous person that it will be well,

for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.

¹¹Woe to the wicked! It will go badly for him,

for what his hands have earned will be done to him.

¹²My people—children are their oppressors,

and women rule over them.

My people, those who guide you lead you astray

and confuse the direction of your path.

¹³Yahweh stands up for an accusation;

he is standing to accuse the people.

¹⁴Yahweh will come with judgment

against the elders of his people and their leaders:

"You have ruined the vineyard;

the plunder from the poor is in your houses.

¹⁵Why do you crush my people

and grind the faces of the poor?"

This is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁶Yahweh says that because the daughters of Zion are proud,

they walk with their necks extended,

with flirting eyes, walking with tiny steps as they go,

making tinkling sounds from bracelets on their ankles.

¹⁷Therefore the Lord will form scabs

on the heads of the daughters of Zion,

and Yahweh will make them bald.

¹⁸On that day the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, head bands, the crescent ornaments,¹⁹the ear pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;²⁰the headscarves, the ankle chains, the sashes, and the perfume boxes, and the amulets.

²¹He will remove the rings and the nose jewels;²²the festive robes, the mantles, the veils, and the handbags;²³the hand mirrors, the fine linen, the head pieces, and the wraps.

²⁴Instead of sweet perfume there will be stench;

and instead of a belt, a rope;

instead of well-arranged hair, baldness;

and instead of a robe, a covering of sackcloth;

and branding instead of beauty.

²⁵Your men will fall by the sword,

and your strong men will fall in war.

²⁶Jerusalem's gates will lament and mourn;

and she will be alone and sit upon the ground.

¹On that day seven women

will take hold of one man and say,

"Our own food we will eat,

our own clothing we will wear.

But let us take your name

to remove our shame."

²On that day the branch of Yahweh will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and delight of the escaped remnant in Israel.

³It will happen that the one who is left in Zion and the one who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who is written down as living in Jerusalem.⁴This will happen when the Lord will have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and will have cleansed the blood stains from the midst of Jerusalem, by means of the spirit of judgment and the spirit of flaming fire.

⁵Then over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her place of assembly, Yahweh will create cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; it will be a canopy over all the glory.⁶It will be a shelter for shade in the daytime from the heat, and a refuge and a cover from the storm and rain.

¹Let me sing for my well beloved,

a song of my beloved about his vineyard.

My well beloved had a vineyard

on a very fertile hill.

²He spaded it, removed the stones,

and planted it with an excellent kind of vine.

He built a tower in the middle of it,

and also built a winepress.

He waited for it to produce grapes,

but it only produced wild grapes.

³So now, inhabitant of Jerusalem and man of Judah,

judge between me and my vineyard.

⁴What more could have been done for my vineyard,

that I have not done for it?

When I looked for it to produce grapes,

why did it produce wild grapes?

⁵Now I will tell you

what I will do to my vineyard:

I will remove the hedge,

I will turn it into a pasture,

I will break down its wall,

and it will be trampled down.

⁶I will lay it waste,

and it will not be pruned nor hoed.

Instead, briers and thorns will spring up.

I will also command the clouds

not to rain on it.

⁷For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts

is the house of Israel,

and the man of Judah

his pleasant planting;

he waited for justice, but instead, there was killing;

for righteousness, but, instead, a shout for help.

⁸Woe to those who join house to house,

who join field to field,

until no room remains,

and you alone remain in the land!

⁹Yahweh of hosts told me,

many houses will be desolate,

even great and impressive ones,

without any inhabitant.

¹⁰For a ten-yoke vineyard will yield only one bath,

and one homer of seed will yield only an ephah.

¹¹Woe to those who rise up early in the morning

to obtain strong drink,

those who linger late into the night

until wine inflames them.

¹²They have harp and lute,

tambourine, flute, and wine at their feasts,

but they do not honor what Yahweh has done

or respect the work of his hands.

¹³Therefore my people have gone into captivity

for lack of understanding;

their honored leaders are famished,

and their common people have nothing to drink.

¹⁴Therefore Sheol has made its appetite greater

and has opened its mouth very wide;

their elite, the people, their leaders, and the revelers

and those who are happy among them, descend into Sheol.

¹⁵People bow low,

and men abase themselves.

the eyes of the lofty will be abased.

¹⁶Yahweh of hosts will be exalted in his justice,

and God the Holy One will show himself holy by his righteousness.

¹⁷Then the sheep will feed as in their own pasture,

and in the ruins, lambs will graze as foreigners. ¹

¹⁸Woe to those who pull along iniquity with useless cords

and who pull along sin as if it were with a cart rope.

¹⁹Woe to those who say, "Let God hurry,

let him work quickly, so we can see it happen;

and let the plans of the Holy One of Israel come,

so that we may know them."

²⁰Woe to those who call evil good,

and good evil;

who represent darkness as light,

and light as darkness;

who represent bitter as sweet,

and sweet as bitter!

²¹Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,

and prudent in their own understanding!

²²Woe to those who are champions at drinking wine,

and masters at mixing strong drinks;

²³who acquit the wicked for a bribe,

and deprive those in the right of what is right!

²⁴Therefore as the tongue of fire devours stubble,

and as chaff goes down in flame,

so their root will rot,

and their blossom will blow away like dust.

This will happen because they have rejected

the law of Yahweh of hosts,

and because they have despised

the word of the Holy One of Israel.

²⁵Therefore the anger of Yahweh is kindled against his people.

He has reached out with his hand against them

and has punished them.

The mountains tremble,

and their corpses are like garbage in the streets.

In all these things, his anger does not subside;

his hand is still stretched out.

²⁶He will lift up a signal flag for faraway nations

and will whistle for those at the end of the earth.

Look, they will come

speedily and promptly.

²⁷None tire or stumble among them;

none slumbers or sleeps.

Nor are their belts loose,

or the thongs of their sandals broken.

²⁸Their arrows are sharp

and all their bows are bent;

their horses' hooves are like flint,

and their chariot wheels like storms.

²⁹Their roaring will be like a lion;

they will roar like young lions.

They will growl and seize the prey

and drag it away, with none to rescue.

³⁰On that day they will roar against the prey

as the sea roars.

If anyone looks over the land,

he will see darkness and suffering;

even the light will be made dark by the clouds.

¹Some modern translations have and in the ruins of the rich, lambs will graze .

¹In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne; he was high and elevated, and the hem of his robe filled the temple.²Above him were the seraphim; each one had six wings; with two each covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

³Each one called to another and said,

"Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of hosts!

The whole earth is full of his glory."

⁴The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voices of those who were crying out, and the house was filled with smoke.

⁵Then I said, "Woe is me! For I am doomed because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, because my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh, Yahweh of hosts!"

⁶Then one of the seraphim flew to me; he had a glowing coal in his hand, that he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.⁷He touched my mouth with it and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt has been taken away, and your sin atoned for."

⁸I heard the voice of the Lord say, "Whom will I send; who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am; send me."⁹He said, "Go and tell this people,

'Hearing, you will hear, but you will not understand;

seeing, you will see, but you will not know.'

¹⁰Make the heart of this people insensitive,

and their ears dull, and blind their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart, and then turn and be healed."

¹¹Then I said, "Lord, how long?" He answered,

"Until cities crash into ruins

and are without inhabitants,

and the houses are without people,

and the land falls into a desolate waste,

¹²and until Yahweh has sent the people far away,

and the whole land is completely abandoned.

¹³Even if a tenth of the people remain in it,

it will again be destroyed;

as a terebinth or an oak is cut down and whose trunk remains,

the holy seed is in its stump."

¹During the days of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but they could not prevail against it.²It was reported to the house of David that Aram was allied with Ephraim. His heart trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest shake in the wind. ¹

³Then Yahweh said to Isaiah, "Go out with your son Shear-Jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the road to Launderer's Field.⁴Tell him, 'Be careful, remain calm, do not be afraid or intimidated by these two smoldering firebrands, by the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and of Pekah son of Remaliah.

⁵Aram, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have planned evil against you; they have said,⁶"Let us attack Judah and terrify her, and let us break into her and set up our king there, the son of Tabeel."

⁷The Lord Yahweh says,

"It will not take place;

it will not happen,

⁸because the head of Aram is Damascus,

and the head of Damascus is Rezin.

Within sixty-five years,

Ephraim will be shattered and will no longer be a people.

⁹The head of Ephraim is Samaria,

and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son.

If you do not remain firm in faith,

surely you will not remain secure."'"

¹⁰Then Yahweh spoke again to Ahaz,¹¹"Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask for it in Sheol below or in the height above."¹²But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test Yahweh."

¹³So Isaiah replied, "Listen, house of David. Is it not enough for you people to test the patience of people? Must you also test the patience of my God?¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you people a sign: See, the young woman will conceive, bear a son, and will call his name Immanuel.¹⁵He will eat curds and honey when he knows to refuse the evil and choose the good.

¹⁶For before the child knows to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be desolate.¹⁷Yahweh will bring on you, on your people, and on your father's house days unlike any since Ephraim seceded from Judah—he will bring on you the king of Assyria."

¹⁸At that time Yahweh will whistle for a fly from the distant streams of Egypt, and for a bee from the land of Assyria.¹⁹They will all come and settle down into all the gorges, into the clefts of the rocks, on all the thornbushes, and onto all the pastures.

²⁰At that time the Lord will shave with a razor that was hired beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the legs; it will also sweep away the beard.²¹On that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep,²²and because of the abundance of milk they give, he will eat curds, for everyone left in the land will eat curds and honey.

²³At that time, where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be nothing but briers and thorns.²⁴Men will go there to hunt with bows, because all the land will be briers and thorns.²⁵They will stay away from all the hills that were cultivated with the hoe, for fear of the briers and thorns; but it will be a place where cattle and sheep graze.

¹Instead of that Aram was allied with Ephraim , some scholars translate the Hebrew to read: that Aram had camped in Ephraim .

¹Yahweh said to me, "Take a large tablet and write on it, 'Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.'²I will summon faithful witnesses to attest for me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah."

³I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then Yahweh said to me, "Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.⁴For before the child knows to cry, 'My father,' and, 'My mother,' the riches of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria."

⁵Yahweh spoke to me again,

⁶"Because this people has refused

the gentle waters of Shiloah

and rejoices over Rezin

and the son of Remaliah,

⁷therefore the Lord is about to bring up on them

the waters of the River, mighty and many,

the king of Assyria and all his glory.

It will come up over all its channels

and overflow its banks.

⁸The River will sweep onward into Judah,

flooding and passing on, until it reaches to your neck.

Its outstretched wings will fill the breadth of your land,

Immanuel."

⁹You peoples will be broken to pieces.

Listen, all you distant countries:

gird yourselves and be broken to pieces;

gird yourselves and be broken to pieces.

¹⁰Form a plan, but it will not be carried out;

issue the command, but it will not be carried out,

for God is with us.

¹¹Yahweh spoke to me, with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people.

¹²Do not call conspiracy

anything that this people calls conspiracy,

you will not fear what they fear,

and do not be terrified.

¹³It is Yahweh of hosts whom you will honor as holy;

he is the one you must fear,

and he is the one you must dread.

¹⁴He will become a sanctuary;

but he will be a stone of striking,

and a stone of stumbling—

for both the houses of Israel,

and he will be a trap and a snare

to the people of Jerusalem.

¹⁵Many will stumble over it

and fall and be broken,

and be ensnared and captured.

¹⁶Bind up my testimony,

seal the official record, and give it to my disciples.

¹⁷I will wait for Yahweh,

who hides his face from the house of Jacob;

I will trust in him.

¹⁸See, I and the sons whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of hosts, who lives on Mount Zion.

¹⁹They will say to you, "Consult with sorcerers and spiritists," the ones who chirp and mutter incantations. But should a people not consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?²⁰To the law and to the testimony! If they do not say such things, it is because they have no light of dawn.

²¹They will pass through the land greatly distressed and hungry. When they are hungry, they will become angry and curse their king and their God, as they turn their faces upward.²²They will look at the earth and see distress, darkness, and gloom that causes anguish. They will be banished to thick darkness.

¹The gloom will be dispelled from her who was in anguish. In an earlier time he humiliated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make it glorious, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

²The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who have lived in the land of the shadow of death,

the light has shone on them.

³You have multiplied the nation;

you have increased their joy.

They rejoice before you like the joy at harvest time,

as men rejoice when they divide the plunder.

⁴For the yoke of his burden,

the beam across his shoulder,

the rod of his oppressor,

you have broken to pieces as on the day of Midian.

⁵For every boot treading in the tumult

and the garments rolled in blood

will be burned,

fuel for the fire.

⁶For to us a child has been born,

to us a son has been given;

and the government will be on his shoulder;

and his name will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

as he rules on the throne of David,

and over his kingdom,

to establish it and sustain it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time onward and for evermore.

The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

⁸The Lord sent a word against Jacob,

and it fell on Israel.

⁹All the people will know,

even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,

who say in pride

and with an arrogant heart,

¹⁰"The bricks have fallen,

but we will rebuild with chiseled stone;

the sycamores have been cut down,

but we will put cedars in their place."

¹¹Therefore Yahweh will raise up against him Rezin,

his adversary, and will stir up his enemies,

¹²the Arameans on the east, and the Philistines on the west.

They will devour Israel with open mouth.

In all these things, his anger does not subside;

his hand is still stretched out.

¹³Yet the people will not turn to him who struck them,

nor will they seek Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁴Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail,

palm branch and reed, in one day.

¹⁵The elder and the noble man are the head;

and the prophet that teaches lies is the tail.

¹⁶Those who lead this people lead them astray,

and those who are led by them are swallowed up.

¹⁷Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men

nor will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows,

since every one is godless and an evildoer,

and every mouth speaks foolish things.

In all these things, his anger does not subside;

his hand is still stretched out.

¹⁸Wickedness burns like a fire;

it devours the briers and thorns;

it even burns the thickets of the forest,

which rise in a column of smoke.

¹⁹Through the fury of Yahweh of hosts

the land is scorched,

and the people are like fuel for the fire.

No man spares his brother.

²⁰They will grab food on the right hand

but still be hungry;

they will eat food on the left hand

but will not be satisfied.

Each will even eat the flesh of his own arm. ¹

²¹Manasseh will devour Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh;

and they together will attack Judah.

In all these things, his anger does not subside;

his hand is still stretched out.

¹Instead of the flesh of his own arm , some scholars understand the Hebrew here to mean the flesh of his own children .

¹Woe to those who decree unjust decrees

and write unjust laws.

²They deprive the needy of justice,

rob the poor of my people of their rights,

plunder widows,

and make the fatherless their prey!

³What will you do on judgment day

when the destruction comes from far away?

To whom will you flee for help,

and where will you leave your wealth?

⁴Nothing remains, and you crouch among the prisoners

or fall among the killed.

In all these things, his anger does not subside;

his hand is still stretched out.

⁵Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger,

the staff by whom I wield my fury!

⁶I send him against a godless nation

and against the people who bear my overflowing wrath.

I order him to take the plunder, to take the prey,

and to trample them like mud in the streets.

⁷But this is not what he intends,

nor does he think this way.

It is in his heart to destroy

and eliminate many nations.

⁸For he says, "Are not all my princes kings?

⁹Is not Kalno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

¹⁰As my hand has overcome idolatrous kingdoms,

whose carved figures were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

¹¹just as I did to Samaria and her worthless idols,

will I not also do the same to Jerusalem and to her idols?"

¹²When the Lord has finished his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and his prideful looks.¹³For he says,

"By my strength and by my wisdom I acted.

I have understanding,

and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples.

I have stolen their treasures,

and like a bull I have brought down the inhabitants.

¹⁴My hand has seized, as from a nest,

the wealth of nations,

and as one gathers abandoned eggs,

I gathered all the earth.

None fluttered their wings

or opened their mouth or chirped."

¹⁵Will the ax boast about itself against the one who wields it?

Will the saw praise itself more than the one who cuts with it?

It is as if a rod could lift up those who raise it,

or as if a staff could lift up a person.

¹⁶Therefore the Lord Yahweh of hosts

will send emaciation among his elite warriors;

and under his glory there will be kindled

a burning like fire.

¹⁷The light of Israel will become a fire,

and his Holy One a flame;

it will burn and devour his thorns and briers

in one day.

¹⁸Yahweh will consume the glory of his forest

and of his fruitful land, both soul and body;

it will be like when a sick man's life wastes away.

¹⁹The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few,

that a child could count them.

²⁰On that day, the remnant of Israel,

the family of Jacob that has escaped,

will no longer rely on the one

who defeated them,

but will indeed depend on Yahweh,

the Holy One of Israel.

²¹A remnant of Jacob

will return to the mighty God.

²²For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the seashore,

only a remnant of them will return.

Destruction is decreed,

as overflowing righteousness demands.

²³For the Lord Yahweh of hosts is about to carry out

the destruction determined throughout the land.

²⁴Therefore the Lord Yahweh of hosts says,

"My people who live in Zion,

do not fear the Assyrian.

He will strike you with the rod

and raise his staff against you, as the Egyptians did.

²⁵Do not fear him,

for in a very short time

my anger against you will end,

and my anger will lead to his destruction."

²⁶Then Yahweh of hosts will wield a whip against them,

as when he defeated Midian at the rock of Oreb.

He will raise his rod over the sea and lift it up

as he did in Egypt.

²⁷On that day, his burden is lifted from your shoulder

and his yoke from off your neck,

and the yoke will be destroyed

because of fatness. ¹

²⁸The enemy has come to Aiath

and has passed through Migron;

at Mikmash he has stored his provisions.

²⁹They have crossed over the pass

and they lodge at Geba.

Ramah trembles

and Gibeah of Saul has fled.

³⁰Cry aloud, daughter of Gallim!

Pay attention, Laishah!

Answer her, Anathoth!

³¹Madmenah is fleeing,

and the inhabitants of Gebim run for safety.

³²This very day he will halt at Nob

and shake his fist

at the mountain of the daughter of Zion,

the hill of Jerusalem.

³³Behold, the Lord Yahweh of hosts

will lop off the boughs with a terrifying crash;

the tallest trees will be cut down,

and the lofty will be brought down.

³⁴He will chop down the thickets of the forest with an ax,

and Lebanon in his majesty will fall.

¹The last line of this verse is difficult because it does not seem to fit the context. Some modern translations leave out because of fatness . Other modern translations have and the yoke will be destroyed from off your neck. He has gone up from Rimmon . Here He means the Assyrian king and his army.

¹A shoot will sprout from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.

²The Spirit of Yahweh will rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of instruction and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh.

³His delight will be the fear of the Lord;

he will not judge by what his eyes see,

nor decide by what his ears hear.

⁴Instead, he will judge the poor with righteousness

and decide fairly for the humble of the earth.

He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.

⁵Righteousness will be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt around his hips.

⁶The wolf will live with the lamb,

and the leopard will lie down with the young goat;

the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together,

and a little child will lead them.

⁷The cow and the bear will graze together,

and their young will lie down together.

The lion will eat straw like the ox.

⁸A baby will play over the hole of the asp,

and the weaned child will put his hand on the den of the adder.

⁹They will not hurt nor destroy

on all my holy mountain;

for the earth will be full of knowledge of Yahweh,

as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁰On that day, the root of Jesse will stand as a signal flag for the peoples. The nations will seek him out, and his resting place will be glorious.¹¹On that day, the Lord will again extend his hand to recover the remnant of his people who remain in Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the islands of the sea.

¹²He will set up a signal flag for the nations

and will gather the outcasts of Israel

and the dispersed of Judah

from the four corners of the earth.

¹³He will turn aside the envy of Ephraim,

and hostilities of Judah will be cut off.

Ephraim will not envy Judah,

and Judah will no longer be hostile to Ephraim.

¹⁴Instead they will swoop down on the Philistine hills on the west,

and together they will plunder the people of the east.

They will possess Edom and Moab,

and the people of Ammon will obey them.

¹⁵Yahweh will completely destroy

the gulf of the Sea of Egypt.

With his scorching wind he will wave his hand

over the Euphrates River

and will divide it into seven streams,

so it can be crossed over in sandals.

¹⁶There will be a highway for the remnant of his people

that return from Assyria,

as there was for Israel in their coming up

from the land of Egypt.

¹On that day you will say,

"I will give thanks to you, Yahweh.

For though you were angry with me,

your wrath has turned away,

and you have comforted me.

²See, God is my salvation;

I will trust and will not fear,

for Yah, yes, Yahweh is my strength and song.

He has become my salvation." ¹

³With joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.

⁴On that day you will say,

"Give thanks to Yahweh and call upon his name;

declare his deeds among the peoples,

proclaim that his name is exalted.

⁵Praise Yahweh in song, for he has done majestic things;

let this be known throughout the earth.

⁶Cry aloud and shout for joy, you inhabitants of Zion,

for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

¹A declaration about Babylon, that Isaiah son of Amoz received:

²On the bare mountain set up a signal flag,

cry aloud to them,

wave your hand for them

to go into the gates of the nobles.

³"I have commanded my consecrated ones;

I have summoned my mighty ones to vent my anger—

those who rejoice in my triumph.

⁴The noise of a multitude in the mountains,

as of many people!

The noise of a tumult of the kingdoms

like many nations gathered together!

Yahweh of hosts is mustering

the army for the battle.

⁵They come from a far country,

from way over the horizon.

It is Yahweh with his instruments of indignation,

to destroy the whole land.

⁶Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near;

it comes with destruction from the Almighty.

⁷Therefore all hands hang limp,

and every heart melts.

⁸They will be terrified;

pain and agony will seize them,

like a woman in labor.

They will look in amazement at one another;

their faces will be aflame.

⁹See, the day of Yahweh comes

with cruel wrath and overflowing anger,

to make the land a desolation

and to exterminate the sinners from it.

¹⁰The stars of heaven and the constellations

will not give their light.

The sun will be darkened even from dawn,

and the moon will not shine.

¹¹I will punish the world for its evil

and the wicked for their iniquity.

I will put an end to the arrogance of the proud

and will abase the arrogance of the ruthless.

¹²I will make men more rare than fine gold

and mankind harder to find than the pure gold of Ophir.

¹³Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

and the earth will be shaken out of its place,

by the fury of Yahweh of hosts,

and on the day of his fierce anger.

¹⁴Like a hunted gazelle or like a sheep

with no one to gather them,

every man will turn toward his own people

and will flee to his own land.

¹⁵Every one who is found will be thrust through,

and every one who is swept up will die by the sword.

¹⁶Their infants also will be dashed in pieces before their eyes.

Their houses will be plundered and their wives raped.

¹⁷Look, I am about to stir up the Medes to attack them,

who will not be concerned about silver,

nor do they delight in gold.

¹⁸Their bows will strike down the young men;

they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb

and they will not look with pity on children.

¹⁹Then Babylon, the most admired of kingdoms,

the splendor of Chaldean arrogance,

will be overthrown by God

like Sodom and Gomorrah.

²⁰It will never be inhabited

or lived in from generation to generation.

The Arab will not pitch his tent there,

nor will shepherds have their flocks rest there.

²¹But wild animals of the desert will lie there.

Their houses will be full of owls;

and ostriches and wild goats will skip about there.

²²Hyenas will cry in their fortresses,

and jackals in the beautiful palaces.

Her time is near,

and her days will not be delayed.

¹Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob;

he will again choose Israel

and restore them into their own land.

Foreigners will join with them

and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.

²The nations will bring them to their own place.

Then the house of Israel will take possession of them

in the land of Yahweh as male servants and female servants.

They will take captive those who had captured them,

and they will rule over their oppressors.

³On the day that Yahweh gives you rest from your suffering and anguish, and from the hard labor which you were required to perform,⁴you will sing this taunt song against the king of Babylon,

"How the oppressor has come to an end,

the proud fury ended! ¹

⁵Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked,

the scepter of those rulers,

⁶that struck the peoples in wrath

with unceasing blows,

that ruled the nations in anger,

with an attack that was unrestrained.

⁷The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;

they begin celebrating with singing.

⁸Even the cypress trees rejoice over you

with the cedars of Lebanon;

they say, 'Since you are laid low,

no woodcutter comes up to cut us down.'

⁹Sheol below is eager

to meet you when you go there.

It arouses the dead for you,

all the leaders of the earth,

making them rise up from their thrones,

all the kings of the nations.

¹⁰They all will speak and say to you,

'You have become as weak as us.

You have become like us.

¹¹Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol

with the sound of your lutes.

Maggots are spread under you,

and worms cover you.'

¹²How you are fallen from heaven,

daystar, son of the dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who made the nations weak!

¹³You had said in your heart,

'I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne

above the stars of God,

and I will sit on the mount of assembly,

in the far reaches of the north.

¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High God.'

¹⁵Yet you are now brought down to Sheol,

to the depths of the pit.

¹⁶Those who see you will gaze at you

and they will pay attention to you.

They will say, 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who shook kingdoms,

¹⁷who made the world like a wilderness, who overthrew its cities

and did not let his prisoners go home?'

¹⁸All the kings of the nations,

all of them lie down in honor, each one in his own tomb.

¹⁹But you are cast out of your grave

like an abhorrent branch.

Those who were killed cover you like a garment,

those pierced by the sword,

who go down to the stones of the pit

like a trampled corpse.

²⁰You will not join them in burial,

because you have destroyed your land

and killed your people.

The offspring of evildoers will never be mentioned again."

²¹Prepare your slaughter for his children,

for the iniquity of their ancestors,

so they will not rise up and possess the earth

and fill the whole world with cities.

²²"I will rise up against them—

this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.

I will cut off from Babylon name, descendant, and posterity—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

²³I will also make her into a possession of owls,

and into pools of water,

and I will sweep her with the broom of destruction—

this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts."

²⁴Yahweh of hosts has sworn,

"Surely, as I have intended, so it will come about;

and as I have purposed, so it will be:

²⁵I will break the Assyrian in my land,

and on my mountains trample him underfoot.

Then his yoke will be lifted from off them

and his burden from off their shoulder."

²⁶This is the plan that has been devised for the whole earth,

and this is the hand that is raised over all the nations.

²⁷For Yahweh of hosts has planned this; who will stop him?

His hand is raised, and who will turn it back?

²⁸In the year that king Ahaz died this declaration came:

²⁹Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken.

For out of the serpent's root will grow an adder,

and his offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.

³⁰The firstborn of the poor will graze their sheep in my pastures,

and the needy will lie down in safety.

I will kill your root with famine

that will put to death all your survivors.

³¹Wail, gate; cry, city;

all of you will melt away, Philistia.

For out of the north comes a cloud of smoke,

and there is no straggler in his ranks.

³²How will they respond

to the messengers of that nation?

"Yahweh has founded Zion,

and in her the afflicted of his people will find refuge."

¹Because the Hebrew translated as proud fury ended is very difficult, other modern scholars and translations have tried other meanings such as: the golden city ended , the turmoil ended , the hostility ended , or the arrogance ended , and others.

¹A declaration about Moab.

Indeed, in one night

Ar of Moab is laid waste and destroyed;

indeed, in one night

Kir of Moab is laid waste and destroyed.

²They have gone up to the temple,

the people of Dibon went up to the heights to weep;

Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba.

All their heads are shaved bare

and all their beards are cut off.

³In their streets they wear sackcloth;

on their housetops and in the square

everyone wails, melting in weeping.

⁴Heshbon and Elealeh call out for help;

their sound is heard as far as Jahaz.

So the armed men of Moab cry out for help;

they tremble within themselves.

⁵My heart cries out for Moab;

her fugitives flee to Zoar

and to Eglath Shelishiyah.

They go up the ascent of Luhith weeping;

on the road to Horonaim

they raise a cry of distress over their destruction.

⁶The waters of Nimrim are a desolation;

the grass is withered;

the vegetation has dried up;

there is no more green grass.

⁷The abundance they have grown and stored

they carry away over the brook of the poplars.

⁸The cry has gone around the territory of Moab;

the wailing as far as Eglaim and Beer Elim.

⁹For the waters of Dimon are full of blood;

but I will bring even more upon Dimon.

A lion will attack those who escape from Moab

and also those remaining in the land.

¹Send rams to the ruler of the land

from Selah in the wilderness,

to the mount of the daughter of Zion.

²As wandering birds,

as a scattered nest,

so the women of Moab are

at the fords of the Arnon River.

³"Give instruction, execute justice;

provide some shade like night in the middle of the day;

hide the outcasts;

do not betray the fugitives.

⁴Let them live among you, the outcasts from Moab;

be a hiding place for them from the destroyer."

For the oppression will stop,

and destruction will cease,

those who trample will disappear from the land.

⁵A throne will be established in covenant faithfulness;

and one from David's tent will faithfully sit there.

He will judge as he seeks justice and does righteousness.

⁶We have heard of Moab's pride, his arrogance,

his boasting, and his anger.

But his boastings are empty words.

⁷So Moab wails for Moab—they all wail!

Mourn, you who are utterly destroyed,

for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.

⁸The fields of Heshbon have dried up

as well as the vines of Sibmah.

The rulers of the nations

have trampled the choice vines

that reached to Jazer

and spread into the desert.

Its shoots spread abroad;

they went over to the sea.

⁹Indeed I will weep along with Jazer

for the vineyard of Sibmah.

I will water you with my tears,

Heshbon and Elealeh.

For on your fields of summer fruits and harvest

I have ended the shouts of joy.

¹⁰Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruit tree groves;

and there is no singing, or shouts in the vineyards.

No one treads out wine in the presses,

for I have put an end to the shouts of the one who treads.

¹¹So my heart sighs like a harp for Moab,

and my inward being for Kir Hareseth.

¹²When Moab wears himself out on the high place

and enters his sanctuary to pray,

his prayers will accomplish nothing.

¹³This is the word that Yahweh spoke concerning Moab previously.¹⁴Again Yahweh speaks, "Within three years, the glory of Moab will be dishonored; in spite of his many people, the remnant will be very few and insignificant."

¹A declaration about Damascus.

Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city,

and it shall be a fallen ruin.

²The cities of Aroer will be abandoned.

They will be places for flocks to lie down,

and no one will frighten them.

³Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim,

the kingdom from Damascus,

and the remnant of Aram—

they will be like the glory of the people of Israel—

this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.

⁴It will come about on that day

that the glory of Jacob will become thin,

and the fatness of his flesh will become lean.

⁵It will be as when a harvester gathers the standing grain,

and his arm reaps the heads of grain.

It will be as when one gleans heads of grain

in the Valley of Rephaim.

⁶Gleanings will be left,

however, as when the olive tree is shaken:

two or three olives in the top of the uppermost bough,

four or five in the highest branches of a fruitful tree—

this is the declaration of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

⁷On that day men will look toward their Maker,

and their eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

⁸They will not look to the altars,

the work of their hands,

nor will they look to what their fingers have made,

the Asherah poles or the sun images.

⁹On that day their strong cities will be like the abandoned wooded slopes on the hill summits, which were abandoned because of the people of Israel, and they will become a desolation.

¹⁰For you have forgotten the God of your salvation,

and have ignored the rock of your refuge.

So you plant pleasant plants,

and set out vine branches received from a stranger.

¹¹But though on the day you plant them you hedge them in,

and though in the morning your seed grows,

the harvest will fail on a day of grief

and of desperate sorrow.

¹²Woe! The uproar of many peoples,

who roar like the roaring of the seas,

and the rushing of nations,

who rush like the rushing of mighty waters!

¹³The nations will roar like the rushing of many waters,

but he will rebuke them and they will flee far away,

they will be chased before the wind like chaff on the mountains,

and like weeds whirling before a storm.

¹⁴In the evening, see, terror!

Before the morning they will be gone!

This is the portion of those who loot us,

the lot of those who rob us.

¹Woe to the land of the rustling of wings,

which is along the rivers of Cush;

²who send ambassadors by the sea,

in vessels of papyrus on the waters.

Go, you swift messengers,

to a nation tall and smooth,

to a people feared far and near,

a nation strong and treading down,

whose land the rivers divide.

³All you inhabitants of the world

and you who live on the earth,

when a signal flag is lifted up on the mountains, look;

and when the ram's horn is blown, listen.

⁴This is what Yahweh said to me,

"I will quietly observe from my home,

like the simmering heat in sunlight,

like a cloud of mist in the heat of harvest.

⁵Before the harvest, when the blossoming is over,

and the flower is ripening into a grape,

he will cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks,

and he will cut down and take away the spreading branches.

⁶They will be left together for the birds of the mountains

and for the animals of the earth.

The birds of prey will spend the summer on them,

and all the animals of the earth will spend harvest time on them."

⁷At that time tribute will be brought to Yahweh of hosts

from a people tall and smooth,

from a people feared far and near,

nation strong and trampling down,

whose land the rivers divide,

to the place of the name of Yahweh of hosts, to Mount Zion.

¹A declaration about Egypt.

See, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud

and is coming to Egypt;

the idols of Egypt quake before him,

and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within themselves.

²"I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians:

A man will fight against his brother,

and a man against his neighbor;

city will be against city,

and kingdom against kingdom.

³The spirit of Egypt will be weakened from within.

I will destroy his advice,

though they sought the advice of idols,

dead men's spirits, sorcerers, and spiritists.

⁴I will give the Egyptians

into the hand of a severe master,

and a strong king will rule over them—

this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts."

⁵The waters of the sea will dry up,

and the river will dry up and become empty.

⁶The rivers will become foul;

the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up;

the reeds and flags will wither away.

⁷The reeds along the Nile,

at the mouth of the Nile,

and every sown field beside the Nile will become parched,

will be driven away, and will be no more.

⁸The fishermen will wail and mourn,

and all who cast a hook into the Nile will mourn,

and those who spread nets on the waters will waste away.

⁹The workers in combed flax

and those who weave white cloth will turn pale.

¹⁰The cloth workers of Egypt will be crushed;

all who work for wages will be grieved within themselves.

¹¹The princes of Zoan

are completely foolish.

The advice of the wisest advisors of Pharaoh

has become stupid.

How can you say to Pharaoh,

"I am the son of wise men, a son of ancient kings?"

¹²Where then are your wise men?

Let them tell you and make known

what Yahweh of hosts plans concerning Egypt.

¹³The princes of Zoan have become fools,

the princes of Memphis are deceived;

they have made Egypt go astray,

who are the cornerstones of her tribes. ¹

¹⁴Yahweh has mixed a spirit of distortion into her midst,

and they have led Egypt astray in all she does,

like a drunk staggering in his vomit.

¹⁵There is nothing anyone can do for Egypt,

whether head or tail, palm branch or reed.

¹⁶In that day, the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the upraised hand of Yahweh of hosts that he raises over them.¹⁷The land of Judah will become a cause of staggering to Egypt. Whenever anyone reminds them of her, they will be afraid, because of the plan of Yahweh of hosts, that he is planning against them.

¹⁸In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to Yahweh of hosts. One of these will be called The City of the Sun. ²

¹⁹In that day there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a stone pillar at the border to Yahweh.²⁰It will be as a sign and a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

²¹Yahweh will become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will acknowledge Yahweh on that day. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings, and will make vows to Yahweh and fulfill them.²²Yahweh will afflict Egypt, afflicting and healing. They will return to Yahweh; he will hear their prayer and will heal them.

²³In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come to Egypt, and the Egyptian to Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

²⁴In that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;²⁵Yahweh of hosts will bless them and say, "Blessed be Egypt, my people; Assyria, the work of my hands; and Israel, my inheritance."

¹The name Memphis , is used in most modern translations, and that name represents the place in Egypt that is known in Hebrew as Noph .

²Instead of The City of the Sun , which probably refers to the Egyptian city of Heliopolis, some ancient and modern translations have The City of Destruction .

¹In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, he fought against Ashdod and took it.²At that time Yahweh spoke by Isaiah son of Amoz and said, "Go and remove the sackcloth from your waist, and take your sandals off your feet." He did so, walking naked and barefoot.

³Yahweh said, "Just as my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years, it is a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Cush—⁴in this way the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

⁵They will be dismayed and ashamed, because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their glory.⁶The inhabitants of these coasts will say on that day, 'Indeed, this was our source of hope, where we fled for help to be rescued from the king of Assyria, and now, how can we escape?'"

¹A declaration about the desert by the sea.

Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes

passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

²A severe vision has been given to me:

the treacherous man deals treacherously,

and the destroyer destroys.

Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media;

I will stop all her groaning.

³Therefore my loins are filled with pain;

pains like the pains of a woman in labor

have taken hold of me;

I am bowed down by what I heard;

I am disturbed by what I saw.

⁴My heart pounds; I shake with fear.

Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.

⁵They prepare the table,

they spread rugs and eat and drink;

arise, princes,

anoint your shields with oil.

⁶For this is what the Lord said to me,

"Go, post a watchman;

he must report what he sees.

⁷When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen,

riders on donkeys, and riders on camels,

then he must pay attention

and be very alert."

⁸The watchman cries out, ¹

"Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day,

and at my post I stand all night long."

⁹Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen.

He calls out, "Babylon has fallen, fallen,

and all the carved figures of its gods

are broken to the ground."

¹⁰My threshed and winnowed ones,

children of my threshing floor!

What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts,

the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

¹¹A declaration about Dumah.

One calls to me from Seir,

"Watchman, what is left of the night?

Watchman, what is left of the night?"

¹²The watchman said,

"The morning comes and also the night.

If you want to ask, then ask;

and come back again."

¹³A declaration about Arabia.

In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night,

you caravans of Dedanites.

¹⁴Bring water for the thirsty;

inhabitants of the land of Tema,

meet the fugitives with bread.

¹⁵For they have fled from the sword,

from the drawn sword,

from the bent bow,

and from the weight of war.

¹⁶For this is what the Lord said to me, "Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.¹⁷Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain," for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.

¹Instead of The watchman cries out which is attested by ancient Hebrew copies, but there are some ancient Hebrew copies that have A lion cries out . The second reading, lion , appears to be a misspelling of the Hebrew for watchman .

¹A declaration about the Valley of Vision:

What is the reason that you have all gone up

to the housetops?

²Is it so you may hear a city full of noises,

a town full of revelry?

Your dead were not killed with the sword,

and they did not die in battle.

³All your rulers fled away together,

but they were captured without using a bow;

all of them were captured together,

though they had fled far away.

⁴Therefore I said, "Do not look at me,

I will weep bitterly;

do not try to comfort me concerning the destruction

of the daughter of my people."

⁵For there is a day of tumult, treading down,

and confusion for the Lord Yahweh of hosts,

in the Valley of Vision,

a breaking down of the walls,

and people crying out to the mountains.

⁶Elam takes up the quiver,

with chariots of men and horsemen,

and Kir lays the shield bare.

⁷It will come about that your choicest valleys

will be full of chariots,

and the horsemen will take their positions at the gate.

⁸He took away the protection of Judah;

and you looked in that day

to the weapons in the Palace of the Forest.

⁹You saw the breaches of the city of David,

that they were many,

and you collected the water

of the lower pool.

¹⁰You counted the houses of Jerusalem,

and you tore down the houses to fortify the wall.

¹¹You made a reservoir between the two walls

for the water of the old pool.

But you did not consider the city's maker,

who had planned it long ago.

¹²The Lord Yahweh of hosts called on that day

for weeping, for mourning,

for shaved heads, and the wearing of sackcloth.

¹³But look, there is celebration and gladness,

killing cattle and slaughtering sheep,

eating meat and drinking wine:

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die."

¹⁴This was revealed in my ears by Yahweh of hosts:

"Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you,

even when you die,"

says the Lord Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁵The Lord Yahweh of hosts, says this,

"Go to this administrator, to Shebna,

who is over the house, and say,

¹⁶'What are you doing here and who gave you permission

to cut out a tomb for yourself,

hewing out a grave on the heights

and carving out a resting place in the rock?'"

¹⁷See, Yahweh is about to throw you, a mighty man,

about to throw you down; he will grasp you tightly.

¹⁸He will surely wind you round and round,

and toss you like a ball into a vast country.

There you will die, and there your glorious chariots will be;

you will be the shame of your master's house!

¹⁹"I will force you out of your office and from your station.

You will be pulled down.

²⁰It will come about on that day that I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.²¹I will clothe him with your tunic and put on him your sash, and I will transfer your authority into his hand. He will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.²²I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; he will open, and none will shut; he will shut, and none will open.

²³I will fasten him, a peg in a secure place, and he will become a seat of glory for his father's house.²⁴They will hang on him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and descendants, every small container from the cups to all the jugs.

²⁵On that day—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts—the peg driven in a firm place will give way, break off, and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off—for Yahweh has spoken.

¹A declaration about Tyre:

Wail, you ships of Tarshish;

Tyre has been devastated,

with neither home nor harbor;

from the land of Cyprus

it has been revealed to them. ¹

²Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast;

the merchant of Sidon,

who travels over the sea, has filled you. ²

³Upon the great waters

was the grain of Shihor,

the harvest of the Nile was her produce;

and it became the commerce of the nations.

⁴Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken,

the fortress of the sea. He says,

"I have not labored nor given birth,

nor have I raised young men nor brought up young women."

⁵When the report comes to Egypt,

they will be grieved concerning Tyre.

⁶Cross over to Tarshish;

wail, you inhabitants of the coast.

⁷Has this happened to you, the joyful city,

whose origin is from ancient times,

whose feet carried her far away

to foreign places to settle?

⁸Who has planned this against Tyre,

the giver of crowns,

whose merchants are princes,

whose traders are the honored ones of the earth?

⁹Yahweh of hosts has planned it

to dishonor her pride and all her glory,

to shame all her honored ones of the earth.

¹⁰Plow your land, as one plows the Nile,

daughter of Tarshish.

There is no longer a marketplace in Tyre. ³

¹¹Yahweh has reached out with his hand over the sea,

and he has shaken the kingdoms;

he has given a command concerning Phoenicia,

to destroy the strongholds.

¹²He said, "You will not rejoice again,

oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon;

arise, pass over to Cyprus;

but neither there you will have rest."

¹³See the land of the Chaldeans.

This people has ceased to be;

the Assyrians have made it

a wilderness for wild animals.

They set up their siege towers;

they demolished its palaces;

they made it a heap of ruins.

¹⁴Wail, you ships of Tarshish;

for your refuge has been destroyed.

¹⁵In that day, Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of a king. After the end of seventy years there will happen in Tyre something like in the song of the prostitute.

¹⁶Take a harp, go about the city,

you forgotten prostitute;

play it well, sing many songs,

so that you may be remembered.

¹⁷It will come about that after seventy years, Yahweh will help Tyre, and she will start making her prostitute's wages again by doing the work of a prostitute, and she will offer her services to all the kingdoms of the earth.¹⁸Her profits and prostitute's wages will be set apart to Yahweh. They will not be stored up or kept in the treasury, for her profits will be given to those who live in Yahweh's presence and will be used to supply them with abundant food and so they can have the best quality clothing.

¹Instead of Cyprus , some modern translations keep Kittim , the Hebrew name for this island.

²Some ancient and modern translations have Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast; the merchants of Sidon, who travel over the sea, have filled you or Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast and you merchants of Sidon, whom those who travel over the sea have filled .

³The Hebrew is difficult here. Instead of ULB, Plow your land , some scholars have translated the Hebrew to mean Cross over your land or Flood your land .

¹Look, Yahweh is about to empty the earth,

to devastate it, mar its surface, and scatter its inhabitants.

²It will come about that, as with the people, so with the priest;

as with the servant, so with his master;

as with the servant girl, so with her mistress;

as with the buyer, so with the seller;

as with the creditor, so with the debtor;

as with the receiver of interest, so with the giver of interest.

³The earth will be completely devastated and completely plundered;

for Yahweh has spoken this word.

⁴The earth mourns and withers, the world shrivels up and withers,

the prominent people of the earth waste away.

⁵The earth is polluted by its inhabitants

because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes,

and broken the everlasting covenant.

⁶Therefore a curse devours the earth,

and its inhabitants are found guilty.

The inhabitants of the earth burn up, and few people are left.

⁷The new wine mourns, the vine wastes away,

all the merry-hearted groan.

⁸The happy sound of the tambourines stops,

and the revelry of those who rejoice;

the joy of the harp ceases.

⁹They no longer drink wine and sing,

and the strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

¹⁰The city of chaos has been broken down;

every house is closed up and empty.

¹¹There is a crying in the streets because of the wine;

all joy is darkened, the gladness of the land has disappeared.

¹²In the city is left a desolation,

and the gate is broken into a ruin.

¹³For this is how it will be on the whole earth

among the nations,

as when an olive tree is beaten,

as the gleanings when the grape harvest is done.

¹⁴They will lift up their voices

and shout the majesty of Yahweh,

and will joyfully shout from the sea.

¹⁵Therefore in the east glorify Yahweh,

and in the isles of the sea give glory

to the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

¹⁶From the farthest part of the earth we have heard songs,

"Glory to the righteous one!"

But I said, "I have wasted away,

I have wasted away, woe is me!

The treacherous have dealt treacherously;

yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously."

¹⁷Terror, the pit, and the snare

are upon you, inhabitants of the earth.

¹⁸He who flees from the sound of terror

will fall into the pit,

and he who comes up out of the middle of the pit

will be caught in the snare.

The windows of the heavens will be opened,

and the foundations of the earth will shake.

¹⁹The earth will be completely broken, the earth ripped apart;

the earth will be violently shaken.

²⁰The earth will stagger like a drunkard,

and it will sway back and forth like a hut.

Its sin will be heavy on it

and it will fall and never rise again.

²¹On that day Yahweh will punish

the host of the heaven in the heavens,

and the kings of the earth on the earth.

²²They will be gathered together,

prisoners in a pit,

and will be shut up in a prison;

and after many days they will be punished.

²³Then the moon will be ashamed,

and the sun disgraced,

for Yahweh of hosts will reign

on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,

and before his elders in glory.

¹Yahweh, you are my God;

I will exalt you, I will praise your name;

for you have done wonderful things,

things planned long ago, in perfect faithfulness.

²For you have made a city a heap,

a fortified city a ruin;

a palace of foreigners is no longer a city;

it will never be rebuilt.

³Therefore a strong people will glorify you;

a city of ruthless nations will fear you.

⁴For you have been a place of safety

for the one who is poor,

a shelter for the one who is needy in his distress—

a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.

When the breath of the ruthless

was like a storm against a wall,

⁵and like heat in a dry land,

you subdued the noise of foreigners,

as the heat is subdued by the shade of a cloud,

so the song of the ruthless ones is answered.

⁶On this mountain Yahweh of hosts

will make for all peoples a feast of tender meats,

a feast of choice wines,

of tender meats filled with marrow,

of refined choice wines.

⁷He will destroy on this mountain

the covering over all peoples,

the web woven over all the nations.

⁸He will swallow up death forever,

and the Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears

from off all faces;

the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,

for Yahweh has spoken it.

⁹It will be said on that day,

"Look, this is our God;

we have waited for him, and he will save us.

This is Yahweh; we have waited for him,

we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

¹⁰For on this mountain the hand of Yahweh will rest;

and Moab will be trampled down in his place,

even as straw is trampled down in a pit filled with manure.

¹¹They will spread their hands in the midst of it,

as a swimmer spreads his hands to swim.

But Yahweh will bring down their pride

in spite of the skill of their hands.

¹²The stronghold of your fortress walls he will bring down,

he will abase,

he will cause to fall to the ground, to the dust.

¹In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

God has made salvation its walls and ramparts.

²Open the gates,

that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.

³The mind that is stayed on you,

you will keep him in perfect peace, for he trusts in you.

⁴Trust in Yahweh forever;

for in Yah, Yahweh is an everlasting rock. ¹

⁵For he will bring down those

who live in the high place, the lofty city.

He will abase it.

He will abase it to the ground;

he will cause it to fall to the dust.

⁶It will be trampled down

by the feet of the poor and the treading of the needy.

⁷The path of the righteous is level,

Righteous One; the path of the righteous you make straight.

⁸Yes, in the path of your judgments,

Yahweh, we wait for you;

your name and your reputation are our desire.

⁹I have longed for you in the night;

yes, my spirit within me seeks you earnestly.

For when your judgments come on the earth,

the inhabitants of the world learn about righteousness.

¹⁰Let favor be shown to the wicked one,

but he will not learn righteousness.

In the land of uprightness he acts wickedly

and does not see the majesty of Yahweh.

¹¹Yahweh, your hand is lifted up,

but they do not notice.

But they will see your zeal for the people and be put to shame,

because fire of your adversaries will devour them.

¹²Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us;

for indeed, you have also performed all our works for us.

¹³Yahweh our God, other masters besides you have ruled over us;

but we praise your name alone.

¹⁴They are dead, they will not live;

they are deceased, they will not arise.

Indeed, you came in judgment and destroyed them,

and made every memory of them to perish.

¹⁵You have increased the nation, Yahweh,

you have increased the nation; you are honored;

you have extended all the borders of the land.

¹⁶Yahweh, in trouble have they looked to you;

they whispered prayers when your discipline was on them. ²

¹⁷As a pregnant woman nears the time for her to give birth,

when she is in pain and cries out in her labor pains,

so we have been before you, Lord.

¹⁸We have been pregnant, we have been in labor,

but it is as if we have only given birth to wind.

We have not brought salvation to the earth,

and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.

¹⁹Your dead will live; their dead bodies will arise.

Awake and sing for joy, you who live in the dust;

for your dew is the dew of light,

and the earth will bring forth its dead.

²⁰Go, my people, enter into your rooms

and shut your doors behind you;

hide for a short time,

until the indignation has passed by.

²¹For, look, Yahweh is about to come out of his place

to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;

the earth will uncover her bloodshed,

and will no longer conceal those she killed.

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²This is a difficult verse and is translated in several ways by different modern English translations.

¹On that day

Yahweh with his hard, great and fierce sword

will punish Leviathan the slithering serpent,

Leviathan the squirming serpent,

and he will kill the monster that is in the sea.

²In that day:

A vineyard of wine, sing of it.

³"I, Yahweh, am its protector;

I water it every moment.

I guard it night and day

so no one will hurt it.

⁴I am not angry,

Oh, that there were briers and thorns!

In battle I would march against them;

I would burn them all together;

⁵unless they take hold of my refuge

and make peace with me; let them make peace with me.

⁶In the coming day, Jacob will take root;

Israel will blossom and bud;

and they will fill the surface of the world with fruit."

⁷Has Yahweh attacked Jacob and Israel

as he attacked those nations who attacked them?

Have Jacob and Israel been killed

as their killers were killed?

⁸In exact measure you have contended,

sending Jacob and Israel away;

he drove them away with his severe breath

in the day of the east wind. ¹

⁹So in this way, the iniquity of Jacob will be atoned for,

for this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:

when he will make all the altar stones

as chalk and crushed to pieces,

and no Asherah poles or incense altars

will remain standing.

¹⁰For the fortified city is desolate,

the habitation is deserted and abandoned like the wilderness.

There a calf feeds, and there he lies down

and consumes its branches.

¹¹When the boughs are withered, they will be broken off.

Women will come and make fires with them,

for this is not a people of understanding.

Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them,

and he who made them will not be merciful to them.

¹²It will come about on that day that Yahweh will thresh from the Euphrates River to the Brook of Egypt and you, the people of Israel, will be gathered together one by one.¹³On that day a great ram's horn will be blown; and the perishing ones in the land of Assyria will come, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt. They will worship Yahweh on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

¹Instead of In exact measure , many modern translations have an idea similar to By driving them away .

¹Woe to the proud garland crown

that is worn by each of the drunkards of Ephraim,

and to the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

the garland that is set on the head of the lush Valley

of those who are overcome with wine!

²Behold, the Lord sends one who is mighty and strong;

like a storm of hail and a destructive windstorm,

like a driving rain and overflowing waters;

and he will throw each garland crown down to the ground.

³The proud garland of the drunkards of Ephraim

will be trodden underfoot.

⁴The fading flower of his glorious beauty,

which is on the head of the rich valley,

will be as the first ripe fig before the summer,

that, when someone sees it,

while it is yet in his hand, he swallows it down.

⁵In that day Yahweh of hosts will become a beautiful crown

and a diadem of beauty for the remainder of his people,

⁶a spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment,

and strength for those who turn back their enemies at their gates.

⁷But even these reel with wine,

and stagger with strong drink.

The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,

and they are swallowed up by wine.

They stagger with strong drink,

staggering in vision and reeling in decision.

⁸Truly, all tables are covered with filthy vomit,

so that there is no clean place.

⁹To whom will he teach knowledge,

and to whom will he explain the message?

To those who are weaned from milk

or to those just taken from the breasts?

¹⁰For it is

command upon command, command upon command;

rule upon rule, rule upon rule;

here a little, there a little.

¹¹Indeed, with mocking lips and a foreign tongue

he will speak to this people.

¹²In the past he said to them

"This is the rest, give rest to him who is weary;

and this is the refreshing,"

but they would not listen.

¹³So the word of Yahweh will be to them

command upon command, command upon command;

rule upon rule, rule upon rule;

here a little, there a little;

so that they may go and fall backward,

and be broken, ensnared, and captured.

¹⁴So listen to the word of Yahweh, you who mock,

you who rule over this people who are in Jerusalem.

¹⁵This will happen because you said,

"We have made a covenant with death,

and with Sheol we have reached an agreement.

So when the overwhelming whip passes through,

it will not reach us.

For we have made a lie our refuge,

and taken shelter in falsehood."

¹⁶Therefore the Lord Yahweh says,

"See, I will lay in Zion a foundation stone, a tried stone,

a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.

He who believes will not be ashamed.

¹⁷I will make justice the measuring stick,

and righteousness the plumbline.

Hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,

and the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.

¹⁸Your covenant with death will be dissolved,

and your agreement with Sheol will not stand.

When the raging flood passes through,

you will become its trampling place.

¹⁹Whenever it passes through, it will overwhelm you,

and morning by morning it will pass through

and by day and night it will come.

When the message is understood,

it will cause terror.

²⁰For the bed is too short for a man to stretch out on,

and the blanket too narrow for him to wrap himself in."

²¹Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim;

he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon

to do his work, his strange work,

and perform his strange deed.

²²Now therefore do not mock,

or your bonds will be tightened.

I have heard from the Lord Yahweh of hosts,

a decree of destruction on the earth.

²³Pay attention and listen to my voice;

be attentive and listen to my words.

²⁴Does a farmer who plows all day to sow, only plow the ground?

Does he continually break up and harrow the field?

²⁵When he has prepared the ground,

does he not scatter caraway seed, sow the cumin,

put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the right place,

and the spelt at its edges? ¹

²⁶His God instructs him;

he teaches him wisely.

²⁷Moreover, the caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge,

nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cumin;

but caraway is beaten out with a stick,

and cumin with a rod.

²⁸Bread grain is crushed,

but the one who grinds it does not thresh it forever.

The wheel of his cart and his horses would destroy it,

so he does not continue to grind it.

²⁹This too comes from Yahweh of hosts,

who gives wonderful counsel

and whose sound wisdom is great.

¹The identification of some of these spices is in doubt, so different translations may have a different list of spices than here. In addition, other modern translations give different meaning to the expressions translated in the ULB as in rows and in the right place , because these expressions are uncertain in Hebrew.

¹Woe to Ariel, Ariel,

the city where David encamped!

Add year to year;

let the festivals come round.

²But I will besiege Ariel,

and she will be mourning and lamenting;

and she will be to me like Ariel.

³I will encamp against you in a circle

and will lay siege against you with a garrison,

and I will raise siege works against you.

⁴You will be abased and will speak from the ground;

your speech will be bowed down from the dust.

Your voice will sound like a spirit that speaks from the ground,

and out of the dust your speech will whisper.

⁵The great number of your invaders will become like fine dust,

and the multitude of the ruthless ones as chaff that passes away.

It will happen suddenly, in an instant.

⁶Yahweh of hosts will come to you

with thunder, earthquake, great noise,

with strong winds and violent storm, and the flames of a devouring fire.

⁷It will be like a dream, a vision of the night:

A horde of all the nations will fight against Ariel

and her stronghold.

They will attack her and her fortifications to press upon her.

⁸It will be like when a hungry man dreams he is eating,

but when he awakes, his stomach is empty.

It will be like when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking

and he awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched.

Yes, so will be the great number of nations

that fights against Mount Zion.

⁹Astonish yourselves and be astonished;

blind yourselves and be blind!

Be drunk, but not with wine;

stagger, but not with strong drink.

¹⁰For Yahweh has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep.

He has closed your eyes, the prophets,

and has covered your heads, the seers.

¹¹All revelation has become to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men might give to one who is learned, saying, "Read this." He also says, "I cannot, for it is sealed."¹²If the book is given to one who cannot read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot read."

¹³The Lord said,

"This people comes close to me with their mouths

and honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

Their honor for me

is only a commandment of men that has been taught.

¹⁴Therefore, see, I will proceed to do a marvelous thing

among this people, wonder after wonder.

The wisdom of their wise men will perish,

and the understanding of their prudent men will disappear."

¹⁵Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from Yahweh,

and whose deeds are in darkness.

They say, "Who sees us, and who knows us?"

¹⁶You turn things upside down!

Should the potter be considered like clay,

so that the thing that is made should say about him who made it,

"He did not make me,"

or the thing formed say about him who formed it,

"He does not understand"?

¹⁷In just a little while,

Lebanon will be turned into a field,

and the field will become a forest.

¹⁸On that day the deaf will hear the words of a book,

and the eyes of the blind will see out of the deep darkness.

¹⁹The oppressed will again rejoice in Yahweh,

and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

²⁰For the ruthless will cease, and the mocker will vanish.

All those who love to do evil will be eliminated,

²¹who by a word make a man out to be an offender.

They lay a snare for him who seeks justice at the gate

and put the righteous down with empty lies.

²²Therefore this is what Yahweh says concerning the house of Jacob—Yahweh, who redeemed Abraham,

"Jacob will no longer be ashamed,

nor will his face be pale.

²³But when he sees his children, the work of my hands,

they will make my name holy.

They will make holy the name of the Holy One of Jacob

and they will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

²⁴Those who err in spirit will gain understanding,

and complainers will accept instruction."

¹"Woe to the rebellious children—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

They make plans, but not from me;

they make alliances with other nations,

but they were not directed by my Spirit,

so they add sin to sin.

²They set out to go down into Egypt,

but have not asked for my direction.

They seek protection from Pharaoh

and take refuge in the shadow of Egypt.

³Therefore Pharaoh's protection will be your shame,

and the refuge in Egypt's shade, your humiliation,

⁴although their princes are at Zoan,

and their messengers have come to Hanes.

⁵They will all be ashamed

because of a people who cannot help them,

who are neither help nor aid,

but a shame, and even a disgrace."

⁶A declaration about the animals of the Negev:

Through the land of trouble and anguish,

of the lioness and the lion,

the viper and fiery flying serpent,

they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,

and their treasures on the camels' humps,

to a people who cannot help them.

⁷For Egypt's help is vain and empty;

therefore I have called her Rahab, who sits still.

⁸Now go, write it in their presence on a tablet,

and inscribe it on a scroll,

that it may be preserved

for the time to come as a testimony.

⁹For these are a rebellious people, lying children,

children who will not hear the instruction of Yahweh.

¹⁰They say to the seers, "Do not see;"

and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy the truth to us;

speak flattering words to us,

prophesy illusions.

¹¹Turn aside from the way, stray off the path;

cause the Holy One of Israel

to cease speaking before our face."

¹²Therefore the Holy One of Israel says,

"Because you reject this word

and trust in oppression and deceit and lean on it,

¹³so this iniquity will be to you

like a broken part ready to fall, like a bulge in a high wall

whose fall will happen suddenly, in an instant."

¹⁴It will break as a potter's vessel is broken;

he will not spare it,

so that there will not be found among its pieces a shard

with which to scrape fire from the hearth,

or to scoop up water out of the cistern.

¹⁵For this is what the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel says,

"In returning and resting you will be saved;

in quietness and in trust will be your strength.

But you were not willing.

¹⁶You said, 'No, for we will flee on horses,'

so you will flee;

and, 'We will ride upon swift horses,'

so those who pursue you will be swift.

¹⁷One thousand will flee at the threat of one;

at the threat of five you will flee

until your remnant will be

like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,

or like a signal flag on a hill."

¹⁸Yet Yahweh is waiting to be gracious to you,

therefore he is ready to show you mercy.

For Yahweh is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him.

¹⁹For a people will live in Zion, in Jerusalem, and you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When he hears it, he will answer you.

²⁰Though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, even so, your teacher will not hide himself anymore, but you will see your teacher with your own eyes.²¹Your ears will hear a word behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

²²You will desecrate your carved figures overlaid with silver and your gold cast figures. You will throw them away like a menstrual rag. You will say to them, "Get out of here."

²³He will give the rain for your seed when you sow the ground, and bread with abundance from the ground, and the crops will be abundant. In that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures.²⁴The oxen and the donkeys, who plow the ground, will eat seasoned feed that has been winnowed with a shovel and a fork.

²⁵On every high mountain and on every high hill, there will be flowing brooks and streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall.²⁶The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the sunlight of seven days. Yahweh will bind up the breaking of his people and heal the bruises of his wounding them.

²⁷Look, the name of Yahweh comes from a distant place,

burning with his anger and in dense smoke.

His lips are full of fury,

and his tongue is like a devouring fire.

²⁸His breath is like an overflowing torrent

that reaches up to the middle of the neck,

to sift the nations with the sieve of worthlessness.

His breath is a bridle in the jaws of the peoples

to cause them to wander away.

²⁹You will have a song

as in the night when a holy feast is observed,

and gladness of heart,

as when one goes with a flute to the mountain of Yahweh,

to the Rock of Israel.

³⁰Yahweh will make the splendor of his voice heard

and show the motion of his arm

in raging anger and flames of fire,

with windstorm, rainstorm, and hailstones.

³¹For at the voice of Yahweh, Assyria will be dismayed;

he will strike them with a staff.

³²Every stroke of the appointed rod

that Yahweh will lay on them

will be accompanied with the music of tambourines and harps

as he battles, waving his weapons, and fights with them.

³³For a place of burning was prepared long ago.

Indeed, it is prepared for the king,

and God has made it deep and wide.

The pile is ready with a fire and much wood.

The breath of Yahweh, like a stream of sulfur,

will set it on fire.

¹Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help

and lean on horses,

and trust in chariots (for they are many)

and in horsemen (for they are mighty).

But they are not concerned about the Holy One of Israel,

nor do they seek Yahweh!

²Yet he is wise, and he will bring disaster

and will not retract his words.

He will arise against the evil house

and against the helpers of those who behave wickedly.

³Egypt is a man and not God,

their horses flesh and not spirit.

When Yahweh reaches out with his hand,

both the one who helps will stumble,

and the one who is helped will fall; both will perish together.

⁴This is what Yahweh says to me,

"As a lion, even a young lion, growls over its torn prey,

when a group of shepherds is called out against it,

but it is not frightened by their voices,

nor does it creep away from their sound;

thus Yahweh of hosts will descend

to fight on Mount Zion, on that hill.

⁵Like birds in flight,

so Yahweh of hosts will protect Jerusalem;

he will protect and rescue

as he passes over it and preserves it.

⁶Return to him from whom you have deeply turned away, people of Israel.⁷For in that day each one will throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold that your own hands have made as a sin.

⁸Assyria will fall by the sword;

a sword not wielded by man will consume him.

He will flee from the sword,

and his young men will be forced to do hard labor.

⁹They will lose all confidence because of terror,

and his princes will be afraid

at the sight of Yahweh's signal flag—

this is the declaration of Yahweh—

whose fire is in Zion and whose firepot is in Jerusalem."

¹Look, a king will reign in righteousness,

and princes will rule in justice.

²Each one will be like a shelter from the wind

and a refuge from the storm,

like streams of water in a dry place,

like the shade of a great rock in a land of weariness.

³Then the eyes of those who see will not be dim,

and the ears of those who hear will hear attentively.

⁴The rash will think carefully with understanding,

and the stutterer will speak distinctly and with ease.

⁵The fool will no longer be called honorable,

nor the deceiver called principled.

⁶For the fool speaks folly,

and his heart plans evil

and godless actions,

and he speaks wrongly against Yahweh.

He makes the hungry empty,

and the thirsty he causes to lack drink.

⁷The deceiver's methods are evil.

He devises wicked schemes

to destroy the poor with deceitful words,

even when the poor say what is right.

⁸But the honorable man makes honorable plans;

and because of his honorable actions he will stand.

⁹Rise up, you women who are at ease,

and listen to my voice;

you carefree daughters,

give ear to my word.

¹⁰For in a little more than a year

your confidence will be broken,

you carefree women,

for the grape harvest will fail,

the ingathering will not come.

¹¹Tremble, you women who are at ease;

be troubled, you confident ones;

take off your fine clothes and make yourselves bare;

gird your loins with sackcloth.

¹²You will wail for the pleasant fields,

for the fruitful vines.

¹³The land of my people

will be overgrown with thorns and briers,

even in all the joyful houses in the jubilant city.

¹⁴For the palace will be abandoned,

the crowded city will be deserted;

the hill and the watchtower will become caves forever,

a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;

¹⁵until the Spirit is poured on us from on high,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is considered as a forest.

¹⁶Then justice will reside in the wilderness;

and righteousness will live in the fruitful field.

¹⁷The work of righteousness will be peace;

and the result of righteousness,

quietness and confidence forever.

¹⁸My people will live in a peaceful habitation,

in secure homes, and in quiet resting places.

¹⁹Though hail flattens the forest

and the city is completely brought down,

²⁰you will be blessed

when you sow your seed beside every stream

and let the foot of the ox and donkey range free.

¹Woe to you, destroyer who has not been destroyed!

Woe to the betrayer whom they have not betrayed!

When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed.

When you stop betraying, they will betray you.

²Yahweh, be gracious to us; we wait for you;

be our arm every morning,

our salvation in the time of trouble.

³At the loud noise the peoples flee;

when you arise, the nations are scattered.

⁴Your plunder is gathered as the locusts gather;

as locusts leap, men leap on it.

⁵Yahweh is exalted. He lives in a high place.

He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.

⁶He will be the stability in your times,

abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;

the fear of Yahweh is his treasure.

⁷Look, their envoys cry in the streets;

the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.

⁸The highways are deserted;

there are no more travelers.

Covenants are broken, witnesses are despised,

and mankind is not respected. ¹

⁹The land mourns and wastes away;

Lebanon is ashamed and withers away; ²

Sharon is like a desert plain;

and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.

¹⁰"Now will I arise," says Yahweh;

"now I will be lifted up; now I will be elevated.

¹¹You conceive chaff, and you give birth to stubble;

your breath is a fire that will consume you.

¹²The peoples will be burned to lime,

as thornbushes are cut down and are burned.

¹³You who are far away, hear what I have done;

and, you who are near, acknowledge my might."

¹⁴The sinners in Zion are afraid;

trembling has seized the godless ones.

Who among us can sojourn with a raging fire?

Who among us can sojourn with everlasting burnings?

¹⁵He who walks righteously and speaks honestly;

who despises the gain of oppression,

who shakes his hand so that it will not accept a bribe,

who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed,

and who shuts his eyes from looking on evil—

¹⁶this is the man who will dwell on the heights,

his stronghold will be the fortress among the cliffs,

his food will be given,

and his water will be in steady supply.

¹⁷Your eyes will see the king in his beauty;

they will see a land off in the distance.

¹⁸Your heart will recall the terror;

where is the scribe,

where is he who weighed the money?

Where is he who counted the towers?

¹⁹You will no longer see the defiant people,

people who mock you

in a language that you do not understand.

²⁰Look at Zion, the city of our feasts;

your eyes will see Jerusalem as a quiet habitation,

a tent that will not be removed,

whose stakes will never be pulled up

nor will any of its cords be broken.

²¹There Yahweh in majesty will be with us,

in a place of broad rivers and streams,

where no warship with oars will travel,

and no large ships will sail.

²²For Yahweh is our judge, Yahweh is our lawgiver,

Yahweh is our king; he will save us.

²³Your riggings are slack;

they cannot hold the mast in place;

they cannot spread the sail;

when the plunder of abundant prey is divided,

even the lame will take away booty.

²⁴The inhabitants will not say, "I am sick;"

the people who live there will be forgiven for their iniquity.

¹Some ancient Hebrew copies have the word for cities , but this is seen by many scholars to be a corruption of the more likely Hebrew word for witnesses , which is the ULB translation.

²The word mourns can be also be read as dries up . The two Hebrew words are spelled the same. Isaiah 24:4 is similar, and the meaning there is clearly dries up .

¹Come near, you nations, and listen;

pay attention, you people!

The earth and all that fills it must listen,

the world and all its produce.

²For Yahweh is angry with all the nations,

and furious against all their armies;

he has completely destroyed them,

he has handed them over to the slaughter.

³The bodies of their dead will be thrown out.

The stench of the dead bodies will be everywhere;

and the mountains will soak up their blood.

⁴All the host of heaven will waste away,

and the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;

and all their stars will fade away,

as the leaf fades from off the vine,

and as the overripe figs from the fig tree.

⁵For when my sword will have drunk its fill in heaven;

look, it will now come down on Edom,

on the people I am setting apart for destruction.

⁶The sword of Yahweh is dripping with blood

and covered with fat,

dripping with the blood of lambs and goats,

covered with the fat of the kidneys of rams.

For Yahweh has a sacrifice in Bozrah

and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

⁷Wild oxen will fall with them,

and young bulls with the mighty ones.

Their land will be drunk with blood,

and their dust made fat with fatness.

⁸For it will be a day of vengeance for Yahweh

and a year when he will pay them back for the cause of Zion.

⁹The streams of Edom will be turned into pitch,

her dust into sulfur,

and her land will become burning pitch.

¹⁰It will burn night and day;

its smoke will rise forever;

from generation to generation it will be a wasteland;

no one will pass through it forever and ever.

¹¹But wild birds and animals will live there;

the owl and the raven will make their nest in it.

He will stretch over it the measuring line of ruin

and the plumbline of destruction.

¹²Her nobles will have nothing left to call a kingdom,

and all her princes will be nothing.

¹³Thorns will overgrow her palaces,

nettles and thistles her fortresses.

It will be a habitation of jackals,

a place for ostriches.

¹⁴The wild animals of the desert and the hyenas will meet there,

and the wild goats will cry to one another.

Nocturnal animals will settle there

and find for themselves a resting place.

¹⁵Owls will make nests, lay and hatch their eggs,

hatch and protect their young.

Yes, there hawks will gather,

each one with its mate.

¹⁶Search through the scroll of Yahweh;

not one of these will be missing.

None will lack for a mate; for his mouth has commanded it,

and his spirit has gathered them.

¹⁷He has cast lots for their places,

and his hand has measured it out for them by a cord.

They will possess it forever;

from generation to generation they will live there.

¹The wilderness and the Arabah will be glad;

and the desert will rejoice and blossom.

Like the rose,

²it will blossom abundantly

and rejoice with joy and joyful shouting;

the glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;

they will see the glory of Yahweh,

the splendor of our God.

³Strengthen the weak hands,

and make steady the knees that shake.

⁴Say to those with a fearful heart,

"Be strong, do not fear!

Look, your God will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."

⁵Then the eyes of the blind will see,

and the ears of the deaf will hear.

⁶Then the lame man will leap like a deer,

and the mute tongue will shout for joy,

for water breaks out in the Arabah,

and streams in the wilderness.

⁷The burning sand will become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water;

in the place where jackals lived,

in their resting place, will be grass with reeds and rushes.

⁸A highway will be there called The Holy Way.

The unclean will not travel it.

But it will be for him who walks in it.

No fool will go on it.

⁹No lion will be there, no ferocious beast will be on it;

they will not be found there,

but the redeemed will walk there.

¹⁰The ransomed of Yahweh will return

and come with singing to Zion,

and everlasting joy will be on their heads;

gladness and joy will overtake them;

sorrow and sighing will flee away.

¹In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.²Then the king of Assyria sent the chief commander from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a great army. He approached the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the launderers' field, and stood by it.³The Israelite officials who went out of the city to talk with them were Hilkiah's son Eliakim, the palace administrator, Shebna the king's secretary, and Asaph's son Joah, who wrote down the government decisions.

⁴The chief commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah that the great king, the king of Assyria, says, 'What is the source of your confidence?⁵You speak only useless words, saying there is counsel and strength for war. Now in whom are you trusting? Who has given you courage to rebel against me?

⁶Look, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed that you use as a walking staff, but if a man leans on it, it will stick into his hand and pierce it. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt is to anyone who trusts in him.⁷But if you say to me, "We are trusting in Yahweh our God," is not he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem"?

⁸Now therefore, I want to make you a good offer from my master the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to find riders for them.

⁹How could you resist even one captain of the least of my master's servants? You have put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen!¹⁰Now then, have I traveled up here without Yahweh to fight against this land and destroy it? Yahweh said to me, "Attack this land and destroy it."'"

¹¹Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah said to the chief commander, "Please speak to your servants in the Aramean language, Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah in the ears of the people who are on the wall."¹²But the chief commander said, "Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, who will have to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?"

¹³Then the chief commander stood and shouted in a loud voice in the language of Judah, saying, "Listen to the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.¹⁴The king says, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to rescue you.¹⁵Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, "Yahweh will surely rescue us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."'

¹⁶Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: 'Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and from his own fig tree, and drink from the water in his own cistern.¹⁷You will do this until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.'

¹⁸Do not let Hezekiah mislead you, saying, 'Yahweh will rescue us.' Has any of the gods of the peoples rescued them from the hand of the king of Assyria?¹⁹Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my power?²⁰Among all the gods of these lands, is there any god who has rescued his land from my power, as if Yahweh could save Jerusalem from my power?"

²¹But the people remained silent and did not respond, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."²²Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and reported to him the words of the chief commander.

³They said to him, "Hezekiah says, 'This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to give birth to her child.⁴It may be Yahweh your God will hear the words of the chief commander, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Now lift up your prayer for the remnant that is still here.'"

⁵So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah,⁶and Isaiah said to them, "Say to your master: 'Yahweh says, "Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have insulted me.⁷Look, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear a rumor and go back to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."'"

⁸Then the chief commander returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had gone away from Lachish.⁹Then Sennacherib heard that Tirhakah king of Cush and Egypt had mobilized to fight against him, so he sent messengers again to Hezekiah with a message:¹⁰"Say to Hezekiah, king of Judah, 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."

¹¹See, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them completely. So will you be rescued?¹²Have the gods of the nations rescued them, the nations that my fathers destroyed: Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Tel Assar?¹³Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the cities of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?'"

¹⁴Hezekiah received this letter from the hand of the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the house of Yahweh and spread it before him.¹⁵Hezekiah prayed to Yahweh:¹⁶"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, you who sit above the cherubim, you are God alone over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.

¹⁷Turn your ear, Yahweh, and listen. Open your eyes, Yahweh, and see, and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.¹⁸It is true, Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands.

¹⁹They have put their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men's hands, just wood and stone. So the Assyrians have destroyed them.²⁰So now, Yahweh our God, save us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are Yahweh alone."

²¹Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah, saying, "Yahweh, the God of Israel says, 'Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria,²²this is the word that Yahweh has spoken about him:

"The virgin daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you;

the daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head at you.

²³Whom have you defied and insulted?

Against whom have you exalted your voice

and lifted up your eyes in pride?

Against the Holy One of Israel.

²⁴By your servants you have defied the Lord

and have said, 'With the multitude of my chariots

I have gone up to the heights of the mountains,

to the highest elevations of Lebanon.

I will cut down its tall cedars

and choice cypress trees there,

and I will enter into its farthest high places,

its most fruitful forest.

²⁵I have dug wells and drunk water; ¹

I dried up all the rivers of Egypt under the soles of my feet.'

²⁶Have you not heard

how I determined it long ago

and worked it out in ancient times?

Now I am bringing it to pass.

You are here to reduce impregnable cities

into heaps of ruins.

²⁷Their inhabitants, of little strength,

are dismayed and ashamed.

They are plants in the field, green grass,

the grass on the roof or in the field,

before the east wind.

²⁸But I know your sitting down, your going out,

your coming in, and your raging against me.

²⁹Because of your raging against me,

and because your arrogance has reached my ears,

I will put my hook in your nose, and my bit in your mouth;

I will turn you back the way you came."

³⁰This will be the sign for you:

This year you will eat what grows wild,

and in the second year what grows from that.

But in the third year you must plant and harvest,

plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

³¹The remnant of the house of Judah that survives

will again take root and bear fruit.

³²For from Jerusalem a remnant will come out;

from Mount Zion an escaped remnant will come.

The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.'"

³³Therefore Yahweh says this about the king of Assyria:

"He will not come into this city

and he will not shoot an arrow here.

He will not come before it with shield

or build up a siege ramp against it.

³⁴The way by which he came will be the same way he will leave;

he will not enter this city—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³⁵For I will defend this city and rescue it

for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant."

³⁶Then the angel of Yahweh went out and attacked the camp of the Assyrians, putting to death 185,000 soldiers. When the men arose early in the morning, dead bodies lay everywhere.³⁷So Sennacherib king of Assyria left Israel and went home and stayed in Nineveh.

³⁸Later, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisrok his god, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword. Then they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.

¹Some ancient and modern translations have I have dug wells and drunk water in foreign lands .

¹In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. So Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, came to him, and said to him, "Yahweh says, 'Set your house in order; for you will die, not live.'"²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh.³He said, "Please, Yahweh, I beg you, call to mind how I have faithfully walked before you with my whole heart, and how I have done what was good in your sight." Then Hezekiah wept loudly.

⁴Then the word of Yahweh came to Isaiah, saying,⁵"Go and say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of David your ancestor, says: I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. See, I am about to add fifteen years to your life.⁶Then I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

⁷This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that I will do what I have promised.⁸Look, I will cause the shadow on the stairs of Ahaz to go back ten steps.'" So the shadow went back ten steps of the stairs on which it had advanced.

⁹This was the written prayer of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and then recovered:

¹⁰"I said that halfway through my life

I will go through the gates of Sheol;

I am sent there for the rest of my years.

¹¹I said that I will no longer see Yah,

Yah in the land of the living; ¹

I will no longer look on mankind

or the inhabitants of the world. ²

¹²My dwelling place is removed

and carried away from me like a shepherd's tent;

I have rolled up my life like a weaver;

you are cutting me off from the loom;

between day and night you are ending my life.

¹³I cried out ³ until the morning;

like a lion he breaks all my bones.

Between day and night you are ending my life.

¹⁴Like a swallow I chirp;

I coo like a dove;

my eyes grow tired with looking upward.

Lord, I am oppressed; help me.

¹⁵What can I say?

He has both spoken to me, and has done it;

I will walk slowly all my years

because of the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶Lord, the sufferings you send are good for me;

may my life be given back to me;

you have restored my life and health.

¹⁷It was for my benefit

that I experienced such bitterness.

You have rescued me from the pit of destruction;

for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.

¹⁸For Sheol does not thank you;

death does not praise you;

those who go down into the pit

do not hope in your trustworthiness.

¹⁹The living person, the living person,

he is the one who gives you thanks, as I do this day;

a father makes known to children

your trustworthiness.

²⁰Yahweh is about to save me,

and we will celebrate with music

all the days of our lives in the house of Yahweh."

²¹Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a lump of figs and put it on the boil, and he will recover."²²Hezekiah also had said, "What will be the sign that I should go up to the house of Yahweh?"

¹Yah is a short form of the name Yahweh.

²the inhabitants of the world : Most modern translations have this meaning. Ancient Hebrew copies have the inhabitants of the place of non-existence (that is, brief existence).

³The Hebrew could be read: I cried out or I calmed myself .

¹At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had recovered.²Hezekiah was pleased by these things; he showed the messengers his storehouse of valuable things—the silver, the gold, the spices and precious oil, the storehouse of his weapons, and all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his kingdom, that Hezekiah did not show them.

³Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did these men say to you? Where did they come from?" Hezekiah said, "They came to me from the distant country of Babylon."⁴Isaiah asked, "What have they seen in your house?" Hezekiah answered, "They have seen everything in my house. There is nothing among my valuable things that I have not shown them."

⁵Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to the word of Yahweh of hosts:⁶'Look, the days are about to come when everything in your palace, the things that your ancestors stored away until this present day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says Yahweh.

⁷They will take away some of your own descendants, whom you will father, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"⁸Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of Yahweh that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "There will be peace and stability in my days."

¹"Comfort, comfort my people,"

says your God.

²"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem;

and proclaim to her

that her warfare has ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received double

from Yahweh's hand for all her sins."

³A voice cries out,

"In the wilderness prepare the way of Yahweh;

make straight in the Arabah a highway for our God." ¹

⁴Every valley will be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill will be brought low;

and the rugged land will be made level,

and the rough places a plain;

⁵and the glory of Yahweh will be revealed,

and all people will see it together;

for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.

⁶A voice says, "Cry."

Another answers, "What should I cry?"

"All flesh is grass,

and all their covenant faithfulness is like the flower of the field.

⁷The grass withers and the flower fades

when the breath of Yahweh blows on it;

surely humanity is grass.

⁸The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever."

⁹Go up on a high mountain,

Zion, bearer of good news. ²

Shout out loud,

Jerusalem. You who bring good news, raise your voice, do not be afraid. ³

Say to the cities of Judah,

"Here is your God!"

¹⁰Look, the Lord Yahweh comes as a victorious warrior,

and his strong arm rules for him.

See, his reward is with him,

and his recompense goes before him.

¹¹He will feed his flock like a shepherd,

he will gather in his arm the lambs,

and carry them close to his heart,

and will gently lead the ewes nursing their young.

¹²Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,

measured the sky with the span of his hand,

held the dust of the earth in a basket,

weighed the mountains in scales,

or the hills in a balance?

¹³Who has comprehended the mind of Yahweh,

or instructed him as his counselor?

¹⁴From whom did he ever receive instruction?

Who taught him the correct way to do things,

and taught him knowledge,

or showed to him the way of understanding?

¹⁵Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket,

and are regarded like the dust on the scales;

see, he weighs the isles as a speck.

¹⁶Lebanon is not sufficient fuel,

nor its wild animals sufficient for a burnt offering.

¹⁷All the nations are insufficient before him;

they are regarded by him as nothing and emptiness.

¹⁸To whom then will you compare God?

To what idol will you liken him?

¹⁹An idol! A craftsman casts it:

The goldsmith overlays it with gold

and forges silver chains for it.

²⁰To make an offering

one chooses a wood that will not rot;

he seeks a skillful artisan

to make an idol that will not fall over.

²¹Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

²²He is the one who sits above the horizon of the earth;

and the inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him.

He stretches out the heavens like a curtain

and spreads them out as a tent to live in.

²³He reduces rulers to nothing

and makes the rulers of the earth emptiness.

²⁴They are barely planted, barely sown,

their stem has barely taken root in the earth,

when he blows upon them and they wither,

and the wind carries them away like straw.

²⁵"To whom then will you compare me,

whom do I resemble?" says the Holy One.

²⁶Look up at the sky!

Who has created all these stars?

He leads out their formations

and calls them all by name.

By the greatness of his might and by the strength of his power,

not one is missing.

²⁷Why do you say, Jacob, and declare, Israel,

"My way is hidden from Yahweh,

and my God is not concerned about my vindication"?

²⁸Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, Yahweh,

the Creator of the ends of the earth,

does not get tired or weary;

there is no limit to his understanding.

²⁹He gives strength to the tired;

and to the one who lacks might he gives power.

³⁰Even young people become tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall:

³¹but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength;

they will soar with wings like eagles;

they will run and not be weary;

they will walk and not faint.

¹Some older English translations have A voice cries out in the wilderness which follows Matthew 3:3.

²Instead of Go up on a high mountain, Zion, bearer of good news , some modern translations have You who are bearing good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain .

³Some modern translations have Jerusalem, proclaimer of good news . Some other modern translations have proclaim good news to Jerusalem .

¹"Listen before me in silence, you coastlands;

let the nations renew their strength;

let them come near and speak;

let us come near together to argue a dispute.

²Who has stirred up one from the east,

calling him in righteousness to his service?

He hands nations over to him

and helps him subdue kings.

He turns them to dust with his sword,

like windblown stubble with his bow.

³He pursues them and passes by safely,

by a swift path that his feet scarcely touch.

⁴Who has performed and accomplished these deeds?

Who has summoned the generations from the beginning?

I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last ones, I am he.

⁵The isles have seen and are afraid;

the ends of the earth tremble;

they approach and come.

⁶Everyone helps his neighbor,

and every one says to one another, 'Be encouraged.'

⁷So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith,

and he who works with the hammer

encourages him who works with an anvil,

saying of the welding, 'It is good.'

They fasten it with nails so it will not topple over.

⁸But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

the descendants of Abraham my friend,

⁹I took you from the ends of the earth

and called you from the farthest places,

saying to you, 'You are my servant.'

I have chosen you and I have not rejected you.

¹⁰Do not fear, for I am with you.

Do not be anxious, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, and I will help you,

and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

¹¹See, they will be ashamed and disgraced,

all who have been angry with you;

they will be as nothing and will perish,

those who oppose you.

¹²You will seek and will not find

those who contended with you;

those who warred against you

will be like nothing, absolutely nothing.

¹³For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand,

saying to you, 'Do not fear; I am helping you.'

¹⁴Do not fear, Jacob you worm, and you men of Israel;

I will help you—this is the declaration of Yahweh,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁵Look, I am making you like a sharp threshing sledge,

new and two-edged;

you will thresh the mountains and crush them;

you will make the hills like chaff.

¹⁶You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away;

the wind will scatter them.

You will rejoice in Yahweh,

you will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁷The oppressed and needy look for water, but there is none,

and their tongues are parched for thirst;

I, Yahweh, will respond to their prayers;

I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

¹⁸I will make streams to flow down the slopes,

and springs in the middle of the valleys;

I will make the desert into a pool of water,

and the dry land into springs of water.

¹⁹In the wilderness I will set the cedar,

the acacia, and the myrtle, and the olive tree.

I will set the cypress in the desert plain,

with the pines and the cypress box trees.

²⁰I will do this so that the people

may see, learn, consider, and gain understanding together,

that the hand of Yahweh has done this,

that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

²¹'Present your case,' says Yahweh,

'present your best arguments for your idols,'

says the King of Jacob.

²²Let them bring us their own arguments;

have them come forward and declare to us what will happen,

so we may know these things well.

Have them tell us of earlier predictive declarations,

so we can reflect on them and know how they were fulfilled.

²³Tell things about the future,

that we may know if you are gods;

do something good or evil,

that we may be frightened and impressed.

²⁴See, you idols are nothing and your deeds are nothing;

the one who chooses you is detestable.

²⁵I have raised up one from the north, and he comes;

from the sun's rising I summon him who calls on my name,

and he will trample the rulers like mud,

like a potter who is treading on the clay.

²⁶Who announced this from the beginning, that we might know?

Before this time, that we may say, 'He is in the right'?

Indeed none of them decreed it,

yes, none heard your words.

²⁷I first said to Zion,

'Look here they are!' I sent a herald to Jerusalem.

²⁸When I look, there is no one,

not one among them who can give good advice,

who, when I ask, can answer a word.

²⁹Look, all of them are nothing,

and their deeds are nothing;

their cast metal figures are wind and emptiness.

¹Behold, my servant, whom I uphold;

my chosen one, in him I take delight.

I have put my Spirit upon him;

he will bring justice to the nations.

²He will not cry out nor shout,

nor make his voice heard in the streets.

³A crushed reed he will not break,

and a dimly burning wick he will not quench:

he will faithfully execute justice.

⁴He will neither grow faint nor be crushed

until he has established justice on the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his law.

⁵This is what God Yahweh says—

the one who created the heavens and stretched them out,

the one who made the earth and all its produce,

the one who gives breath to the people on it

and life to those who live on it:

⁶"I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness

and will hold your hand.

I will keep you and set you as a covenant for the people,

as a light for the Gentiles,

⁷to open the eyes of the blind,

to release the prisoners from the dungeon,

and from the house of imprisonment

those who sit in darkness.

⁸I am Yahweh, that is my name;

and my glory I will not share with another

nor my praise with carved idols.

⁹See, the previous things came to pass,

now I am about to declare new events.

Before they begin to occur I will tell you about them."

¹⁰Sing to Yahweh a new song,

and his praise from the end of the earth;

you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,

the coastlands, and those who live there.

¹¹Let the desert and the cities cry out,

the villages where Kedar lives, shout for joy!

Let the inhabitants of Sela sing;

let them shout from the mountaintops.

¹²Let them give glory to Yahweh

and declare his praise in the coastlands.

¹³Yahweh will go out as a warrior;

as a man of war he will stir up his zeal.

He will shout, yes, he will roar his battle cries;

he will show his enemies his power.

¹⁴I have kept quiet for a long time;

I have been still and restrained myself;

now I will cry out like a woman in labor;

I will gasp and pant.

¹⁵I will lay waste mountains and hills

and dry up all their vegetation;

and I will turn the rivers into islands

and will dry up the marshes.

¹⁶I will bring the blind by a way that they do not know;

in paths that they do not know I will lead them.

I will turn the darkness into light before them,

and make the crooked places straight.

These things I will do,

and I will not abandon them.

¹⁷They will be turned back, they will be completely put to shame,

those who trust in carved figures,

who say to cast metal figures, "You are our gods."

¹⁸Listen, you deaf;

and look, you blind, that you may see.

¹⁹Who is blind but my servant?

Or deaf like my messenger I send?

Who is as blind as my covenant partner,

or blind as Yahweh's servant?

²⁰You see many things, but do not comprehend;

ears are open, but no one hears.

²¹It pleased Yahweh to praise his justice

and to make his law glorious.

²²But this is a people robbed and plundered;

they are all trapped in pits, held captive in prisons;

they have become prey with no one to rescue them,

and no one says, "Bring them back!"

²³Who among you will listen to this?

Who will listen and hear in the future?

²⁴Who gave Jacob over to the robber,

and Israel to the looters?

Was it not Yahweh, against whom we have sinned,

in whose ways they refused to walk,

and whose law they refused to obey?

²⁵Therefore he poured out on them

the heat of his anger and the violence of war,

Its flames encircled them, yet they did not understand;

it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.

¹But now this is what Yahweh says,

he who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel:

"Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name, you are mine.

²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you.

When you walk through the fire you will not be burned,

and the flames will not destroy you.

³For I am Yahweh your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I have given Egypt as your ransom,

Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

⁴Since you are precious and special in my sight, I love you;

therefore I will give people in exchange for you,

and other peoples in exchange for your life.

⁵Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

and gather you from the west.

⁶I will say to the north, 'Hand them over;'

and to the south, 'Do not hold any back;'

Bring my sons from afar,

and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

⁷everyone who is called by my name,

whom I have created for my glory,

whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.

⁸Bring out the people who are blind,

even though they have eyes,

and the deaf,

even though they have ears.

⁹All the nations gather together,

and the peoples assemble.

Who among them could have declared this

and announced to us earlier events?

Let them bring their witnesses so they can be justified;

let them listen and affirm, 'It is true.'

¹⁰You are my witnesses—this is Yahweh's declaration—

and my servant whom I have chosen,

so that you may know and believe in me,

and understand that I am he.

Before me there was no god formed,

and there will be none after me.

¹¹I, I am Yahweh,

and there is no savior but me.

¹²I have declared, saved, and proclaimed,

and there is no other god among you.

You are my witnesses—

this is Yahweh's declaration—I am God.

¹³From this day on I am he,

and no one can rescue anyone from my hand.

I act, and who can turn it back?"

¹⁴This is what Yahweh says,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

"For your sake I send to Babylon

and lead them all down as fugitives,

turning the Chaldeans' expressions of joy

into songs of lamentation.

¹⁵I am Yahweh, your Holy One,

the Creator of Israel, your King."

¹⁶This is what Yahweh says

(who opened a way through the sea

and a path in the mighty waters,

¹⁷who led out the chariot and the horse,

the army and the mighty man. They fell down together;

they will never rise again;

they are extinguished, quenched like a burning wick.)

¹⁸"Do not think about these former things,

nor consider the things of long ago.

¹⁹Look, I am about to do a new thing;

now it begins to happen; do you not know it?

I will make a road in the desert

and streams of water in the wilderness.

²⁰The wild animals of the field will honor me,

the jackals and the ostriches,

because I give water in the wilderness,

and rivers in the desert,

for my chosen people to drink,

²¹this people whom I formed for myself,

that they might recount my praises.

²²But you have not called on me, Jacob;

you have become tired of me, Israel.

²³You have not brought me

any of your sheep as burnt offerings,

or honored me with your sacrifices.

I have not burdened you with grain offerings,

nor wearied you with demands for incense.

²⁴You have bought me no sweet-smelling cane with money,

neither have you poured out to me the fat of your sacrifices;

but you have burdened me with your sins,

you have wearied me with your evil deeds.

²⁵I, yes, I, am he who blots out your offenses for my own sake;

and I will not call to mind your sins any longer.

²⁶Remind me of what happened. Let us debate together;

present your cause, that you may be proved to be in the right.

²⁷Your first father sinned,

and your teachers have transgressed against me.

²⁸Therefore I will defile the holy officials;

I will hand Jacob over to complete destruction,

and Israel to abusive humiliation."

¹Now listen, Jacob my servant,

and Israel, whom I have chosen:

²This is what Yahweh says,

he who made you and formed you in the womb

and who will help you: "Do not fear, Jacob my servant;

and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

³For I will pour water on the thirsty ground,

and flowing streams on the dry ground;

I will pour my Spirit on your offspring

and my blessing on your descendants.

⁴They will spring up among the grass,

like willows by the streams of water.

⁵One will say, 'I belong to Yahweh,'

and another will call out the name of Jacob,

and another will write on his hand 'Belonging to Yahweh,'

and name himself by the name of Israel."

⁶This is what Yahweh says—

the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts:

"I am the first, and I am the last;

and there is no God but me.

⁷Who is like me? Let him announce it and explain to me

the events that occurred since I established my ancient people,

and let them declare the events to come.

⁸Do not fear or be afraid.

Have I not declared to you long ago, and announced it?

You are my witnesses: Is there any God besides me?

There is no other Rock; I know of none."

⁹All who fashion idols are nothing;

the things they delight in are worthless;

their witnesses cannot see or know anything,

and they will be put to shame.

¹⁰Who would form a god

or cast an idol that is worthless?

¹¹Look, all his associates will be put to shame;

the craftsmen are only men.

Let them assemble together; let them stand up;

they will tremble and be put to shame.

¹²The smith works with his tools,

forming it, working over the coals.

He shapes it with hammers

and works it with his strong arm.

He is hungry, and his strength wanes;

he drinks no water and becomes faint.

¹³The carpenter measures the wood with a line,

and marks it with a stylus.

He shapes it with his tools

and marks it out with a compass.

He shapes it after the figure of a man,

like a glorious human, so it may stay in a house.

¹⁴He cuts down cedars,

or chooses a cypress tree or an oak tree.

He makes it grow for himself among the trees in the forest.

He plants a fir tree and the rain makes it grow.

¹⁵Then a man uses it for a fire and warms himself.

Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

Then he makes from it a god and bows down to it;

he makes an idol and bows down to it.

¹⁶He burns part of the wood for the fire,

roasting his meat over it. He eats and is satisfied.

He warms himself and says,

"Ah, I am warm, I have seen the fire."

¹⁷With the rest of the wood he makes a god, his carved image;

he bows down to it and reverences it,

and prays to it saying, "Rescue me, for you are my god."

¹⁸They do not know, nor do they understand,

for their eyes are blind and cannot see,

and their hearts cannot gain understanding.

¹⁹No one's heart remembers, and no one has the knowledge,

no one has the understanding to say,

"I have burned part of the wood in the fire;

yes, I have also baked bread upon its coals.

I have roasted meat over its coals and eaten.

Now should I make the other part

of the wood into an abomination?

Should I bow down to a block of wood?"

²⁰It is as if he were eating ashes; his deceived heart misleads him.

He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say,

"This thing in my right hand is a false god."

²¹Think about these things, Jacob,

and Israel, for you are my servant:

I have formed you; you are my servant:

Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

²²I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your rebellious deeds,

and like a cloud, your sins;

return to me,

for I have redeemed you.

²³Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done this;

shout for joy, you depths of the earth.

Break out into a shout of joy, you mountains,

you forest with every tree in it;

for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob,

and will show his glory in Israel.

²⁴This is what Yahweh says, your Redeemer,

he who formed you from the womb:

"I am Yahweh, who made everything,

who alone stretched out the heavens,

who alone fashioned the earth.

²⁵I who frustrate the omens of the empty talkers

and who disgrace those who interpret omens;

I who overturn the wisdom of the wise

and make their advice foolish.

²⁶I, Yahweh, who confirmed the words of his servant

and brings to pass the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited,'

and of the towns of Judah,

'They will be built again, and I will raise up their ruins';

²⁷who says to the deep sea,

'Be dry, and I will dry up your currents.'

²⁸Yahweh is the one who says of Cyrus,

'He is my shepherd, he will do my every wish;

he will decree about Jerusalem, 'She will be rebuilt,'

and about the temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.'"

¹This is what Yahweh says to his anointed,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold,

in order to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings,

and to open the doors before him, so that gates remain open:

²"I will go before you

and level the mountains;

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut in pieces their iron bars,

³and I will give you the treasures of darkness

and riches hidden away,

that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, who call you by your name,

I, the God of Israel.

⁴For Jacob my servant's sake,

and Israel my chosen,

I have called you by your name,

giving you a title of honor,

though you have not known me.

⁵I am Yahweh, and there is no other;

there is no God but me.

I will gird you,

though you have not known me;

⁶that people may know

from the rising of the sun, and from the west,

that there is no god but me:

I am Yahweh, and there is no other.

⁷I form the light and create darkness;

I bring peace and create disaster;

I am Yahweh, who does all these things.

⁸You heavens, rain down from above!

Let the skies rain down righteousness.

Let the earth absorb it,

that salvation may bear fruit,

and righteousness spring up together with it.

I, Yahweh, have created them both.

⁹Woe to anyone who argues with the one who formed him,

to him who is like any other earthen pot

among all the earthen pots in the ground!

Does the clay say to the potter,

'What are you making?'

or 'Your work has no handles on it'?

¹⁰Woe to him who says to a father,

What are you fathering?'

or to a woman,

'What are you giving birth to?'

¹¹This is what Yahweh says,

the Holy One of Israel, his Maker:

'Why do you ask questions about what I will do for my children?

Do you command me concerning the work of my hands?'

¹²'I made the earth

and created man on it.

It was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all the stars to appear.

¹³I stirred Cyrus up in righteousness,

and I will smooth out all his paths.

He will build my city;

he will let my exiled people go home,

and not for price nor bribe,'"

says Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁴This is what Yahweh says,

"The produce of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush

with the Sabeans, men of tall stature,

will be brought to you.

They will be yours.

They will follow after you,

coming in chains.

They will bow down to you

and plead with you saying,

'Surely God is with you,

and there is no other except him.'"

¹⁵Truly you are a God who hides yourself,

God of Israel, Savior.

¹⁶They will all be ashamed and disgraced together;

those who carve idols will walk in humiliation.

¹⁷But Israel will be saved by Yahweh

with an everlasting salvation;

you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.

¹⁸This is what Yahweh says,

who created the heavens,

the true God

who created the earth and made it,

who established it.

He created it, not as a waste,

but designed it to be inhabited:

"I am Yahweh,

and there is no other.

¹⁹I have not spoken in secret,

in some dark land;

I did not say to Jacob's descendants,

'Seek me in vain!'

I am Yahweh, who speaks what is right;

I declare the things that are upright.

²⁰Assemble yourselves and come!

Gather together, you refugees from among the nations!

They have no knowledge, those who carry carved images

and pray to gods that cannot save.

²¹Come close and declare it to me, bring the evidence!

Let them conspire together.

Who has shown this from long ago?

Who announced it?

Was it not I, Yahweh?

There is no God except me,

a just God and a Savior;

there is no one besides me.

²²Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth;

for I am God, and there is no other.

²³By myself I swear,

speaking my just decree,

and it will not turn back:

'To me every knee will bend,

every tongue will swear.

²⁴They will say of me, "In Yahweh alone

are righteousness and strength."'"

They will all be ashamed

who are angry at him.

²⁵In Yahweh all the descendants of Israel will be justified;

they will take pride in him.

¹Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low.

Their idols weigh down the animals who carry them,

and you load your cattle with heavy burdens

for weary animals.

²Together they bend low, kneel down;

they cannot rescue the images,

and they themselves have gone off into captivity.

³Listen to me, house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been carried by me from before your birth,

carried from the womb.

⁴Even to your old age I am he,

and until your hair is gray I will carry you.

I made you and I will bear you;

I will carry you and I will rescue you.

⁵To whom will you compare me? Who do you think I resemble,

so that we may be compared?

⁶People pour out gold from the bag

and weigh silver on the scale.

They hire a metalsmith, and he makes it into a god;

they bow down and worship it.

⁷They lift it on their shoulder and carry it;

they set it in its place, and it stands in its place

and does not move from it.

They cry out to it, but it cannot answer

nor save anyone from his trouble.

⁸Think about these things;

never ignore them, you rebels!

⁹Think about the earlier things, those of times past,

for I am God, and there is no other,

I am God, and there is no one like me.

¹⁰I announce the end from the beginning,

and beforehand what has not yet happened;

I say, "My plan will happen,

and I will do as I desire."

¹¹I call a bird of prey from the east,

the man of my choice from a distant land;

yes, I have spoken; I will also accomplish it;

I have purposed, I will also do it.

¹²Listen to me, you stubborn people,

who are far from doing what is right.

¹³I am bringing my righteousness near;

it is not far away,

and my salvation does not wait;

and I will give salvation to Zion

and my beauty to Israel.

¹Come down and sit in the dust,

virgin daughter of Babylon;

sit on the ground without a throne,

daughter of the Chaldeans.

You will no longer be called

dainty and delicate.

²Take the millstone and grind flour;

remove your veil,

strip off your flowing robe, uncover your legs,

cross the streams.

³Your nakedness will be uncovered,

yes, your shame will be seen:

I will take vengeance

and will not spare a man.

⁴Our Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts is his name,

the Holy One of Israel.

⁵Sit in silence and go into darkness,

daughter of the Chaldeans;

for you will no longer be called

queen of kingdoms.

⁶I was angry with my people;

I defiled my heritage

and gave them over into your hand,

but you showed them no mercy;

you placed a very heavy yoke on the old people.

⁷You said, "I will rule forever

as sovereign queen."

You did not take these things to heart,

nor did you consider how they would turn out.

⁸So now hear this, you who love pleasure

and sit securely;

you who say in your heart,

"I exist, and there is no one else like me;

I will never sit as a widow,

nor will I ever experience loss of children."

⁹But these two things will come to you

in a moment in one day:

the loss of children and widowhood;

in full force they will come on you,

despite your sorceries

and your many incantations and amulets.

¹⁰You have trusted in your wickedness;

you have said, "No one sees me";

your wisdom and your knowledge lead you astray,

but you say in your heart,

"I exist, and there is no one else like me."

¹¹Disaster will overcome you;

you will not be able to drive it away with your incantations.

Destruction will fall on you;

you will not be able to ward it off.

Calamity will strike you suddenly,

before you know it.

¹²Persist in casting your spells

and your many sorceries

which you have faithfully recited since your childhood;

perhaps you will profit from them,

perhaps you will cause trembling.

¹³You are tired out from so much counsel;

let those men stand up and save you—

those who chart the heavens and prophesy by the stars,

those who declare the new moons—

let them save you from what will happen to you.

¹⁴See, they will become like stubble.

The fire will burn them up.

They will not save themselves

from the hand of the flame.

There are no coals to warm them

and no fire for them to sit by!

¹⁵This is what they have become to you—

those with whom you have worked,

and you have bought and sold with them since your youth—

they wandered about each one in his own direction;

there is no one who can rescue you."

¹Hear this, house of Jacob,

who are called by the name Israel

and have come from the waters of Judah;

you who swear by the name of Yahweh

and invoke the God of Israel,

but not sincerely nor in a righteous manner.

²For they call themselves people of the holy city

and trust in the God of Israel.

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

³"I have declared the things from long ago;

they came out from my mouth, and I made them known;

then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

⁴Because I knew that you were obstinate,

your neck muscles tight as iron,

and your forehead like bronze,

⁵therefore I declared these things to you beforehand;

before they happened I informed you,

so you could not say,

'My idol has done them,'

or 'My carved figure and my cast metal figure has ordained these things.'

⁶You heard about these things; look at all this evidence;

and you, will you not admit what I said is true?

From now on, I am showing you new things,

hidden things that you have not known.

⁷Now, and not from previously, they come into being,

and before today you have not heard about them,

so you will not be able to say,

'Yes, I knew about them.'

⁸You never heard; you did not know;

these things were not unfolded to your ears beforehand.

For I knew that you have been very deceitful,

and that you have been a rebel from birth.

⁹For the sake of my name I will defer my anger,

and for my honor I will hold back from destroying you.

¹⁰Look, I refined you, but not as silver;

I have purified you in the furnace of affliction.

¹¹For my own sake, for my own sake I will act;

for how can I allow my name to be profaned?

I will not give my glory to anyone else.

¹²Listen to me, Jacob,

and Israel, whom I called:

I am he;

I am the first, I also am the last.

¹³Yes, my hand laid the foundation of the earth,

and my right hand spread out the heavens;

when I call to them,

they stand up together.

¹⁴Assemble yourselves, all of you, and listen!

Who among you has announced these things?

Yahweh's ally will accomplish his purpose against Babylon.

He will carry out Yahweh's will against the Chaldeans.

¹⁵I, I have spoken,

yes, I have summoned him,

I have brought him,

and he will succeed.

¹⁶Come near to me, listen to this:

From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; when it happens, I am there."

Now the Lord Yahweh has sent me, and his Spirit.

¹⁷This is what Yahweh,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says,

"I am Yahweh your God,

who teaches you how to profit,

who leads you by the way that you should go.

¹⁸If only you had obeyed my commandments!

Then your peace and prosperity would have flowed like a river,

and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

¹⁹Your descendants would have been as numerous as the sand,

and the offspring from your womb as numerous as the grains of sand;

their name would not have been cut off

nor blotted out from before me.

²⁰Come out from Babylon!

Flee from the Chaldeans!

With the sound of a ringing cry announce it!

Make this known,

make it go out to the ends of the earth!

Say, 'Yahweh has redeemed his servant Jacob.'

²¹They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;

he made the water to flow out of the rock for them;

he split open the rock,

and the waters gushed out.

²²There is no peace for the wicked—says Yahweh."

¹Listen to me, you coastlands!

Now pay attention, you distant peoples.

Yahweh has called me from birth by name,

when my mother brought me into the world.

²He has made my mouth like a sharp sword;

he hid me in the shadow of his hand;

he has made me into a polished arrow;

in his quiver he has hidden me.

³He said to me, "You are my servant,

Israel, through whom I show my glory."

⁴But I replied, "Though I thought I have labored in vain,

I have spent my energy for nothing,

yet my justice is with Yahweh,

and my reward is with my God."

⁵Now Yahweh has spoken—

he who formed me from birth to be his servant,

to restore Jacob again to himself,

so that Israel would be gathered to him,

for I am honored in the eyes of Yahweh,

and my God has become my strength—

⁶and he says, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

to reestablish the tribes of Jacob,

and to restore the survivors of Israel.

I will make you a light to the Gentiles,

that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth."

⁷This is what Yahweh says,

the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,

to the one whose life is despised, hated by the nations,

and a slave of rulers,

"Kings will see you and arise,

and princes will see you and bow down,

because of Yahweh who is faithful,

even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

⁸This is what Yahweh says,

"At a time I decide to show my favor I will answer you,

and in a day of salvation I will help you;

I will protect you,

and give you as a covenant for the people,

to rebuild the land,

to reassign the desolate inheritance.

⁹You will say to the prisoners, 'Come out;'

to those in dark dungeons, 'Show yourselves.'

They will graze along the roads,

and on all the bare slopes will be their pasture.

¹⁰They will not be hungry or thirsty;

nor will the heat or sun beat on them,

for he who has mercy on them will lead them;

he will guide them to springs of water.

¹¹Then I will make all my mountains into a road,

and make my highways level."

¹²Look, these will come from far away,

some from the north and the west;

and others from the land of Sinim.

¹³Sing, heavens, and be joyful,

earth; break into joyful shouting, you mountains!

For Yahweh comforts his people,

and will have compassion on his afflicted.

¹⁴But Zion said, "Yahweh has abandoned me,

and the Lord has forgotten me."

¹⁵"Can a woman forget her baby, nursing at her breast,

so she does not have compassion on the son she has borne?

Yes, they may forget,

but I will not forget you.

¹⁶Look, I have inscribed your name on my palms;

your walls are continually before me.

¹⁷Your children are hurrying back,

while those who destroyed you and made you desolate are going away.

¹⁸Look around and see,

they are all gathering and coming to you.

As surely as I live—this is Yahweh's declaration—

you will surely wear them like jewelry,

and you will put them on like a bride.

¹⁹Though you were a waste and desolate,

a land that was in ruins,

now you will be too small for the inhabitants,

and those who devoured you will be far away.

²⁰The children born during the time of your bereavement

will say in your hearing,

'The place is too cramped for us,

make room for us, so we may live here.'

²¹Then you will say in your heart,

'Who has borne these children for me?

I was bereaved and barren,

exiled and divorced.

Who has raised these children?

Look, I was left all alone;

where did these come from?'"

²²This is what the Lord Yahweh says,

"Look, I will raise my hand to the nations;

I will raise my signal flag to the peoples.

They will bring your sons in their bosoms

and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

²³Kings will be your foster fathers,

and their queens your nursemaids;

they will bow down to you with their faces to the earth

and lick the dust of your feet;

and you will know that I am Yahweh;

those who wait for me will not be put to shame."

²⁴Can the booty be taken from the warrior,

or captives be rescued from the ruthless? ¹

²⁵But this is what Yahweh says,

"Yes, the captives will be taken away from the warrior,

and booty will be rescued from the ruthless;

for I will oppose your adversary

and save your children.

²⁶I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh;

and they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine.

Then all mankind will know

that I, Yahweh, am your Savior and your Redeemer,

the Mighty One of Jacob."

¹Instead of from the ruthless , the copies of the ancient Hebrew text have from the righteous , but most modern translations correct it to from the ruthless .

¹This is what Yahweh says,

"Where is the certificate of divorce

with which I divorced your mother?

To which of my creditors did I sell you?

Look, you were sold because of your iniquities,

and because of your rebellion your mother was sent away.

²Why did I come but there was no one there?

Why did I call but no one answered?

Was my hand too short to ransom you?

Was there no power in me to rescue you?

Look, at my rebuke I dry up the sea;

I make the rivers a desert;

their fish die for lack of water and rot.

³I clothe the sky with darkness;

I cover it with sackcloth."

⁴The Lord Yahweh has given me a tongue as one of those who are taught,

so that I speak a sustaining word to the weary one;

he awakens my ear to hear like those who are taught.

⁵The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious,

nor did I turn away backward.

⁶I gave my back to those who beat me,

and my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard;

I did not hide my face

from acts of shame and spitting.

⁷For the Lord Yahweh will help me;

therefore I am not disgraced;

so I have made my face like flint,

for I know that I will not be put to shame.

⁸He who will justify me is close by.

Who will oppose me?

Let us stand and confront one another.

Who is my accuser?

Let him come near to me.

⁹See, the Lord Yahweh will help me.

Who will declare me guilty?

See, they will all wear out like a garment;

the moth will eat them up.

¹⁰Who among you fears Yahweh?

Who obeys the voice of his servant?

Who walks in deep darkness

without light?

He should trust in the name of Yahweh

and lean on his God.

¹¹Look, all you who light fires,

who equip yourselves with torches:

walk in the light of your fire

and in the flames that you have ignited.

This is what you have received from me:

You will lie down in a place of pain.

¹Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,

you who seek Yahweh:

look at the rock from which you were chiseled

and to the quarry from which you were cut.

²Look at Abraham, your father,

and to Sarah, who bore you;

for when he was a lone individual,

I called him. I blessed him and made him many.

³Yes, Yahweh will comfort Zion;

he will comfort all her waste places;

her wilderness he made like Eden,

and her desert plains beside the Jordan River valley like the garden of Yahweh;

joy and gladness will be found in her,

thanksgiving, and the sound of singing.

⁴"Be attentive to me, my people;

and listen to me, my people!

For a law will go out from me,

and I will make my justice to be a light for the nations.

⁵My righteousness is near;

my salvation will go out,

and my arm will judge the nations;

the coastlands will wait for me;

for my arm they will eagerly wait.

⁶Lift up your eyes to the sky,

and look at the earth beneath,

for the heavens will vanish away like smoke,

the earth will wear out like a garment,

and its inhabitants will die like flies.

But my salvation will continue forever,

and my righteousness will never stop working.

⁷Listen to me, you who know what is right,

you people who have my law in your heart:

Do not fear the scorn of men,

nor be dismayed by their abuse.

⁸For the moth will eat them up like a garment,

and the worm will eat them like wool;

but my righteousness will be forever,

and my salvation to all generations."

⁹Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength,

arm of Yahweh.

Awake as in the days of old,

the generations of ancient times.

Is it not you who crushed Rahab,

you who pierced the sea monster?

¹⁰Did you not dry up the sea,

the waters of the great deep,

and make the depths of the sea into a way

for the redeemed to pass through?

¹¹The ransomed of Yahweh will return

and come to Zion with cries of joy

and with gladness forever on their heads;

and gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and mourning will flee away.

¹²"I, I, am he who comforts you.

Why are you afraid of men, who will die,

the sons of mankind, who are made like grass?

¹³Why have you forgotten Yahweh your Maker,

who stretched out the heavens

and laid the foundations of the earth?

You are in constant dread every day

because of the hot fury of the oppressor

when he decides to destroy.

Where is the fury of the oppressor?

¹⁴The one who is bent down, Yahweh will hurry to release;

he will not die and go down to the pit, nor will he lack bread.

¹⁵For I am Yahweh your God,

who churns up the sea so that its waves roar—

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

¹⁶I have placed my words in your mouth,

and I have covered you in the shadow of my hand,

that I may plant the heavens,

lay the foundations of the earth,

and say to Zion, 'You are my people.'"

¹⁷Awake, awake,

stand up, Jerusalem,

you who have drunk out of the hand of Yahweh

from the bowl of his anger;

you who have drunk out of the bowl,

down to the dregs from the cup of staggering.

¹⁸There is no one among all the sons she has born

to guide her;

there is no one among all the sons that she has raised

to take her by the hand.

¹⁹These two troubles happened to you—

who will grieve with you?—

desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword.

Who will comfort you? ¹

²⁰Your sons have fainted;

they lie at every street corner,

like an antelope in a net;

they are filled with the anger of Yahweh,

the rebuke of your God.

²¹But now hear this, you oppressed one

and drunken one, but not drunk with wine:

²²Your Lord Yahweh, your God,

who pleads the cause of his people, says this,

"See, I have taken the cup of staggering from your hand—

the bowl, which is the cup of my anger—

so that you will not drink it again.

²³I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,

those who have said to you,

'Lie down, that we may walk over you';

you made your back like the ground

and like the street for them to walk on."

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text and some modern translations have How will I comfort you? , most modern translations correct this passage to Who will comfort you?

¹Awake, awake,

put on your strength, Zion;

put on your beautiful garments,

Jerusalem, holy city;

for never again will the uncircumcised

or the unclean enter you.

²Shake yourself off from the dust;

arise and sit, Jerusalem;

take off the chain from your neck,

captive, daughter of Zion.

³For this is what Yahweh says,

"You were sold for nothing,

and you will be redeemed without money."

⁴For this is what the Lord Yahweh says,

"In the beginning my people went down to live temporarily in Egypt;

and Assyria has oppressed them for no good reason.

⁵Now what do I have here—this is Yahweh's declaration—

seeing that my people are taken away for nothing?

Those who rule over them mock—this is Yahweh's declaration—

and my name is blasphemed continually

all day long. ¹

⁶Therefore my people will know my name;

they will know in that day that I am the one who says,

"Yes, it is I!"

⁷How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,

who announces peace,

who bears good tidings,

who announces salvation,

who says to Zion,

"Your God reigns!"

⁸Listen, your watchmen raise their voices,

together they shout for joy,

for they will see, every eye of theirs,

Yahweh's return to Zion.

⁹Break out into joyful singing together,

you ruins of Jerusalem;

for Yahweh has comforted his people;

he has redeemed Jerusalem.

¹⁰Yahweh has bared his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations;

all the earth will see

the salvation of our God.

¹¹Leave, leave, go out from there;

touch nothing unclean;

leave from her midst; purify yourselves,

you who carry the vessels of Yahweh.

¹²For you will not go out in a rush,

nor will you leave in a panic;

for Yahweh will go before you;

and the God of Israel will be your rearguard.

¹³Look, my servant will act wisely;

he will be high and lifted up, and he will be exalted.

¹⁴As many were horrified at you—

his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man,

and his form no longer looked like anything human.

¹⁵Even so, my servant will sprinkle many nations

and kings will shut their mouths because of him.

For that which they had not been told, they will see,

and that which they had not heard, they will understand.

¹Instead of the ULB mock , which follows the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient Latin translation of the Hebrew copies; some ancient Hebrew copies have wail .

¹Who has believed our message,

and to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?

²For he grew up before Yahweh like a sapling,

and like a sprout out of parched earth;

he had no remarkable appearance or splendor;

when we saw him, there was no beauty to attract us.

³He was despised and rejected by people;

a man of sorrows, and one familiar with pain.

Like one from whom men hide their faces,

he was despised; and we considered him insignificant.

⁴But surely he has borne our sicknesses

and carried our sorrows;

yet we thought he was being punished by God,

struck by God, and afflicted.

⁵But he was pierced because of our rebellious deeds;

he was crushed because of our iniquities.

The punishment for our peace was on him,

and with his wounds we are healed.

⁶We all like sheep have gone astray;

we have each turned to his own way,

and Yahweh has placed on him

the iniquity of us all.

⁷He was oppressed; yet when he humbled himself,

he did not open his mouth;

as a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

⁸By coercion and judgment he was taken away.

As for his generation, who thought that he was cut off from the land of the living,

or that he was punished

for the transgression of my people?

⁹They placed his grave with the criminals,

with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

nor had there been any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰Yet it was Yahweh's will to crush him and make him ill.

When he makes his life an offering for sin,

he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days,

and Yahweh's purpose will be accomplished through him.

¹¹After the suffering of his life,

he will see light and be satisfied by his knowledge. ¹

My righteous servant will justify many;

he will bear their iniquities. ²

¹²Therefore will I give him his portion among the multitudes,

and he will divide the plunder with the many,

because he exposed himself to death

and was numbered with the transgressors.

He bore the sin of many

and made intercession for the transgressors.

¹Instead of After the suffering of his life , some modern translations have From the suffering of his life he will see the result .

²Many modern translations supply light . Some modern translations have By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many .

¹"Sing, you barren woman,

you who have not given birth;

break into joyful singing and cry aloud,

you who have never been in birth labor.

For the children of the desolate one

are more than the children of the married woman,"

says Yahweh.

²"Make your tent larger

and spread your tent curtains farther out,

unsparingly;

lengthen your ropes

and strengthen your stakes.

³For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left,

and your descendants will conquer nations

and resettle desolate cities.

⁴Do not fear for you will not be ashamed,

nor be discouraged for you will not be disgraced;

you will forget the shame of your youth

and you will remember no more the disgrace of your widowhood.

⁵For your Maker is your husband;

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;

he is called the God of the whole earth.

⁶For Yahweh has called you back

as a wife abandoned and grieved in spirit,

like a woman married young and rejected,"

says your God.

⁷"For a short time I abandoned you,

but with great compassion I will gather you.

⁸In a flood of anger

I hid my face from you for a moment;

but with everlasting covenant faithfulness

I will have mercy on you—

says Yahweh, the one who rescues you.

⁹For this is like the waters of Noah to me:

as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again pass over the earth,

so have I sworn

that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.

¹⁰Though the mountains may fall

and the hills be shaken,

yet my steadfast love will not turn away from you,

nor will my covenant of peace be shaken—

says Yahweh, who has mercy on you.

¹¹Afflicted one, storm-driven and uncomforted one,

look, I will set your pavement in turquoise,

and lay your foundations with sapphires.

¹²I will make your pinnacles of rubies

and your gates of sparkling stones,

and your outer wall of beautiful stones.

¹³Then all your children will be taught by Yahweh;

and the peace of your children will be great.

¹⁴In righteousness you will be established,

and you will be far from oppression,

for you will not fear;

and you will be far from terror,

for it will not come near to you.

¹⁵Look, if anyone stirs up trouble, it will not be from me;

anyone who stirs up trouble with you will fall in defeat.

¹⁶See, I have created the craftsman,

who blows the burning coals

and forges weapons as his work,

and I have created the destroyer to destroy.

¹⁷No weapon that is formed against you will succeed;

and you will condemn everyone who accuses you.

This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh,

and their vindication from me—

this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹"Hey! Everyone who is thirsty,

come to the water,

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.

²Why do you weigh out silver for what is not bread,

and why do you labor for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in fatness.

³Turn your ears and come to me!

Listen, that you may live!

I will make an everlasting covenant with you—

my reliable, faithful love that I promised to David.

⁴Look, I have placed him as a witness to the nations,

as a leader and commander to the peoples.

⁵Look, you will call to a nation that you did not know;

and a nation that did not know you will run to you

because of Yahweh your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

who has glorified you."

⁶Seek Yahweh while he may be found;

call on him while he is nearby.

⁷Let the wicked leave his path,

and the man of sin his thoughts.

Let him return to Yahweh, and he will pity him,

and to our God, who will abundantly forgive him.

⁸"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

⁹for as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways,

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰For as the rain and snow

come down from heaven

and do not return there

unless they saturate the earth

and make it produce and sprout

and give seed to the farmer who sows and bread to the eater,

¹¹so also my word will be that goes from my mouth—

it will not return to me empty,

but it will achieve the purpose

for which I sent it.

¹²For you will go out in joy

and be led along peacefully;

the mountains and the hills

will break out in joyful shouts before you,

and all the trees of the fields

will clap their hands.

¹³Instead of the thornbushes, the cypress will grow;

and instead of the brier, the myrtle tree will grow,

and it will be for Yahweh, for his name,

as an everlasting sign

that will not be cut off."

¹This is what Yahweh says,

"Observe what is right, do what is just;

for my salvation is near,

and my righteousness is about to be revealed.

²Blessed is the man that does this,

and who holds it tightly.

He observes the Sabbath, not defiling it,

and keeps his hand from doing any evil."

³Let no foreigner who has become a follower of Yahweh say,

"Yahweh will certainly exclude me from his people."

The eunuch should not say,

"See, I am a dry tree."

⁴For this is what Yahweh says,

"To the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me,

and hold fast my covenant,

⁵to them I will set up in my house and within my walls

a monument

that is better than having sons and of daughters.

I will give them an everlasting monument

that will never be cut off.

⁶Also foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh—

to serve him,

and who love the name of Yahweh,

to be his servants,

every one who observes the Sabbath and who keeps from defiling it,

and who holds fast my covenant—

⁷I will bring to my holy mountain

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar.

For my house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations,

⁸this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh,

who gathers the outcasts of Israel—

I will still gather others

in addition to them."

⁹All you wild beasts of the field,

come and devour, all you beasts in the forest!

¹⁰All their watchmen are blind,

they do not understand.

They are all silent dogs

who cannot bark.

They dream,

and lying down they love to sleep.

¹¹The dogs have big appetites;

they can never get enough;

they are shepherds without discernment;

they have all turned to their own way,

each one covetous for unjust gain.

¹²"Come," they say, "let us get wine

and drink much strong drink.

Tomorrow will be like today,

a day great beyond measure."

¹The righteous perish,

but no one considers it,

and the people of covenant faithfulness are gathered away,

but no one understands

that the righteous is gathered

away from the evil.

²He enters into peace;

they rest in their beds,

those who walk in their uprightness.

³But come here, you sons of the sorceress,

children of the adulterer and the woman who has prostituted herself.

⁴Whom are you merrily mocking?

Against whom are you opening the mouth

and sticking out the tongue?

Are you not children of rebellion,

children of deceit?

⁵You heat yourselves up sleeping together under the oaks,

under every green tree,

you who kill your children in the dry riverbeds,

under the rocky overhangs.

⁶Among the smooth things of the river valley are the things that have been assigned to you.

They are the object of your devotion.

You pour out your drink offering to them

and raise up a grain offering.

Concerning these things should I repent?

⁷You prepared your bed on a high mountain;

you also went up there to offer sacrifices.

⁸Behind the door and the doorposts

you set up your symbols;

you deserted me, made yourselves naked, and went up;

you made your bed wide.

You made a covenant with them; you loved their beds;

you saw their private parts.

⁹You went to Molech with oil

and increased your perfumes. ¹

You send your ambassadors far away;

you went down to Sheol.

¹⁰You were tired from your long journey,

but you never said, "It is hopeless."

You found life in your hand;

therefore you did not weaken.

¹¹"Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear?

Is that the reason that you have acted deceitfully,

so that you do not remember me

or think about me?

Is it because I was silent for so long

that you are no longer afraid of me?"

¹²I will proclaim all your righteous acts and tell all that you have done,

but they will not help you.

¹³When you cry out,

let your collection of idols rescue you.

The wind will carry them all away,

a breath will carry them all away.

But he who takes refuge in me

will inherit the land

and will possess my holy mountain.

¹⁴He will say,

'Build, build! Clear a way!

Remove all the stumbling blocks from the path of my people!'"

¹⁵For this is what the high and elevated One says,

who lives eternally, whose name is holy,

"I live in the exalted and holy place,

with him also that is of a crushed and humble spirit,

to revive the spirit of the humble ones,

and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

¹⁶For I will not accuse forever,

nor will I be angry forever,

for then man's spirit would faint before me,

the lives that I have made.

¹⁷Because of the sin of his violent gain,

I was angry, and I punished him; I hid my face and was angry,

but he went backward in the way of his heart.

¹⁸I have seen his ways, but I will heal him.

I will lead him and comfort and console those who mourn for him,

¹⁹and I create the fruit of the lips.

Peace, peace, to those who are far off and to those who are near—

says Yahweh—I will heal them.

²⁰But the wicked are like the tossing sea,

which cannot rest,

and its waters churn up mire and mud.

²¹There is no peace for the wicked one—says God."

¹Instead of to Molech , some scholars emend the Hebrew to read to the king .

¹"Cry loudly; do not hold back.

Lift up your voice like a ram's horn.

Confront my people with their rebellion,

and the house of Jacob with their sins.

²Yet they seek me daily

and delight in the knowledge of my ways,

like a nation that practiced righteousness

and did not abandon the law of their God.

They ask me for righteous judgments;

they take pleasure in the thought of God coming near.

³'Why have we fasted,' they say,

'but you do not see it?

Why have we humbled ourselves,

but you do not notice?'

Look, on the day of your fast you find your own pleasure

and oppress all your laborers.

⁴Look, you fast in quarreling and strife,

and to hit with your fist of wickedness;

you do not fast today

to make your voice heard above.

⁵Is this really the kind of fast that I would want:

A day for anybody to humble himself,

for him to bow down his head like a reed,

and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself?

Do you really call this a fast,

a day that pleases Yahweh?

⁶Is not this the fast that I choose:

To release wicked bonds,

to undo the ropes of the yoke,

to set the crushed ones free,

and to break every yoke?

⁷Is it not to break your bread with the hungry,

to bring the poor and homeless into your house,

to cloth the naked when you see them,

and not to hide yourself from your own relatives?

⁸Then your light would be broken open like the sunrise,

and your healing would quickly sprout up;

your righteousness would go before you,

and the glory of Yahweh would be your rearguard.

⁹Then you would call, and Yahweh would answer;

you would cry out for help, and he would say, 'Here I am.'

If you take away from among yourselves the yoke,

the accusing finger, and the speech of wickedness,

¹⁰if you yourselves provide for the hungry

and satisfy the need of the distressed;

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your darkness will be like the noonday.

¹¹Then Yahweh will lead you continually

and satisfy you in regions where there is no water,

and he will strengthen your bones.

You will be like a watered garden,

and like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

¹²Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins;

you will raise up the ruins of many generations;

you will be called 'The repairer of the wall,'

'The restorer of streets to live on.'

¹³Suppose that you turn back your feet from traveling on the Sabbath day,

and from doing your own pleasure on my holy day.

Suppose that you call the Sabbath a delight,

and that you call the matters of Yahweh holy and honored.

Suppose that you honor the Sabbath by leaving your own business,

and by not finding your own pleasure and by not speaking your own words.

¹⁴Then you will find delight in Yahweh;

and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;

I will feed you from the inheritance of Jacob your father—

for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."

¹Look, Yahweh's hand is not so short that it cannot save;

nor his ear so dull, that it cannot hear.

²Your iniquities, however,

have separated you from your God,

and your sins have made him hide his face from you

and from hearing you.

³For your hands are stained with blood

and your fingers with iniquity.

Your lips speak lies

and your tongue speaks maliciously.

⁴No one calls in righteousness,

and none pleads his case in truth.

They trust in empty words, and tell lies;

they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

⁵They hatch eggs of an adder

and weave a spider's web.

Whoever eats of their eggs dies,

and if an egg is crushed, it hatches into a viper.

⁶Their webs cannot be used for garments,

nor can they cover themselves with their works.

Their works are works of sin,

and deeds of violence are in their hands.

⁷Their feet run to evil,

and they run to pour out innocent blood.

Their thoughts are thoughts of sin;

violence and destruction are their roads.

⁸The way of peace they do not know,

and there is no justice in their paths.

They have made crooked paths;

whoever travels these paths does not know peace.

⁹Therefore justice is far from us,

nor does righteousness reach us.

We wait for light, but see darkness;

we look for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

¹⁰We grope for the wall like the blind,

like those who cannot see.

We stumble at noonday as in the twilight;

among the strong we are like dead men.

¹¹We growl like bears

and moan like doves;

we wait for justice, but there is none;

for rescue, but it is far from us.

¹²For our many transgressions are before you,

and our sins testify against us;

for our transgressions are with us,

and we know our iniquities.

¹³We have rebelled, denying Yahweh

and turning away from following our God.

We have spoken extortion and turning aside,

conceived complaining from the heart and words of lying.

¹⁴Justice is driven back,

and righteousness stands far off;

for truth stumbles in the public square,

and uprightness cannot come near.

¹⁵Trustworthiness has gone away,

and he who turns away from evil makes himself prey.

Yahweh saw it and was displeased

that there was no justice.

¹⁶He saw that there was no man,

and was appalled that there was no one to intervene.

Therefore his own arm brought salvation for him,

and his righteousness sustained him.

¹⁷He put on righteousness as a breastplate

and a helmet of salvation upon his head.

He clothed himself with garments of vengeance

and wore zeal as a mantle.

¹⁸He repaid them for their deeds,

wrath on his adversaries,

recompense to his enemies;

he repaid recompense to the islands.

¹⁹So they will fear the name of Yahweh from the west,

and his glory from the sun's rising;

for he will come as a rushing stream,

driven by the breath of Yahweh.

²⁰"A redeemer will come to Zion

and to those who turn from their rebellious deeds in Jacob—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

²¹As for me, this is my covenant with them—says Yahweh—my spirit who is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, will not leave your mouth, or go out of the mouth of your children, or go out of the mouths of your descendants—says Yahweh—from this time and forever."

¹Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you.

²Though darkness will cover the earth,

and thick darkness the nations;

yet Yahweh will arise upon you,

and his glory will be seen on you.

³Nations will come to your light,

and kings to your bright light that is rising.

⁴Look all around and see.

They all gather themselves together and come to you.

Your sons will come from far,

and your daughters will be carried in their arms.

⁵Then you will look and be radiant,

and your heart will rejoice and overflow,

because the abundance of the sea will be poured out to you,

the wealth of the nations will come to you.

⁶Camel caravans will cover you,

the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;

all of them will come from Sheba;

they will bring gold and frankincense,

and will bring the good news of the praises of Yahweh.

⁷All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you,

the rams of Nebaioth will serve your needs;

they will be acceptable offerings on my altar;

and I will glorify my glorious house.

⁸Who are these who fly along like a cloud,

and like the doves to their shelters?

⁹The coastlands look for me,

and the ships of Tarshish lead,

to bring your sons from far,

their silver and their gold with them,

for the name of Yahweh your God,

and for the Holy One of Israel,

because he has honored you.

¹⁰Sons of foreigners will rebuild your walls,

and their kings will serve you;

though in my wrath I punished you,

yet in my favor I will have compassion on you.

¹¹Your gates also will remain open continually;

they will not be shut day or night,

so that the wealth of the nations may be brought,

with their kings being led.

¹²Indeed, nations and kingdoms that will not serve you will perish;

those nations will be completely ruined.

¹³The glory of Lebanon will come to you,

the cypress tree, the fir, and the cypress box tree together,

to beautify my sanctuary;

and I will glorify the place of my feet.

¹⁴They will come to you to bow down, the sons of those who humbled you;

those who showed contempt for you will bow at the soles of your feet;

they will call you The City of Yahweh,

Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁵Instead of you remaining abandoned and hated,

with no one passing through you,

I will make you a thing of pride forever,

a joy from generation to generation.

¹⁶You will also drink the milk of the nations,

and will nurse at the breast of kings;

you will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior and your Redeemer,

the Mighty One of Jacob.

¹⁷Instead of bronze I will bring gold,

instead of iron I will bring silver;

instead of wood,

bronze, and instead of stones, iron.

I will appoint peace as your governors,

and justice your rulers.

¹⁸Violence will no longer be heard in your land,

neither devastation nor crushing within your borders;

but you will call your walls Salvation,

and your gates Praise.

¹⁹The sun will no longer be your light by day,

nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you;

but Yahweh will be your everlasting light,

and your God your glory.

²⁰Your sun will no longer set,

nor will your moon withdraw and disappear;

for Yahweh will be your everlasting light,

and the days of your mourning will be ended.

²¹All your people will be righteous;

they will take possession of the land for all time,

the branch of my planting,

the work of my hands,

that I may be glorified.

²²The least of you will become a thousand,

and the smallest one a mighty nation;

I, Yahweh, will swiftly accomplish these things

when the time comes.

¹The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me,

because Yahweh has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the afflicted.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison for those who are bound.

²He has sent me to proclaim the year of Yahweh's favor,

the day of vengeance of our God,

and to comfort all who mourn.

³He has sent me—to give to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a turban instead of ashes,

oil of joy

instead of mourning,

a mantle of praise

in place of a spirit of dullness,

to call them oaks of righteousness,

the planting of Yahweh,

that he may be glorified.

⁴They will rebuild the ancient ruins;

they will restore the former desolations.

They will restore the ruined cities,

the desolations from many former generations.

⁵Foreigners will stand and feed your flocks,

and sons of foreigners will be your farmers and vineyard workers.

⁶You will be called the priests of Yahweh;

they will call you servants of our God.

You will eat the wealth of the nations,

and you will boast in their riches.

⁷Instead of your shame

you will have double;

and instead of dishonor

they will rejoice over their share.

So they will have a double share of their land;

everlasting joy will be theirs.

⁸For I, Yahweh, love justice,

and I hate robbery and violent injustice.

I will faithfully repay them,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

⁹Their descendants will be known among the nations,

and their offspring among the peoples.

All who see them will acknowledge them,

that they are the people whom Yahweh has blessed.

¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh;

in my God I will be very glad.

For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has clothed me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns himself with a turban,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹For as the earth produces its sprouting plants,

and as the garden makes its planting grow,

so the Lord Yahweh will cause righteousness

and praise to sprout up in front of all the nations.

¹For Zion's sake I will not be silent,

and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,

until her righteousness proceeds brightly,

and her salvation as a burning torch.

²The nations will see your righteousness,

and all kings your glory.

You will be called by a new name

that Yahweh will choose.

³You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Yahweh,

and a turban of kingship in the hand of your God.

⁴It will no more be said of you, "Abandoned";

nor of your land any longer will it be said, "Desolate."

Indeed, you will be called "My delight is in her,"

and your land "Married,"

for Yahweh delights in you,

and your land will be married.

⁵Truly, as a young man marries a young woman,

so your sons will marry you,

and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,

your God will rejoice over you.

⁶I have put watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;

they are not silent day or night.

You who keep reminding Yahweh,

do not pause.

⁷Do not allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem

and makes it a praise on earth.

⁸Yahweh has sworn by his right hand

and by the arm of his strength,

"Surely I will no longer give your grain

as food for your enemies.

Foreigners will not drink your new wine,

for which you have worked.

⁹For those who harvest the grain will eat it

and praise Yahweh,

and those who gather the grapes will drink the wine

in the courts of my holy sanctuary."

¹⁰Come through, come through the gates!

Prepare the way for the people!

Build it, build the highway!

Gather out the stones!

Raise up a signal flag for the nations!

¹¹Look, Yahweh announces

to the ends of the earth,

"Say to the daughter of Zion:

Look, your salvation is coming!

See, his reward is with him,

and his recompense is going before him."

¹²They will call you, "The holy people;

the redeemed of Yahweh,"

and you will be called "Sought after;

a city not abandoned."

¹Who is this who comes from Edom,

wearing red garments, from Bozrah?

Who is this, splendid in his clothing,

marching in the greatness of his strength?

"It is I, speaking in righteousness,

and mighty to save."

²Why are your clothes red,

and why do your garments look like you have been treading grapes in a winepress?

³"I have trodden grapes in the winepress alone,

and no one from the nations joined me.

I trod them in my anger

and trampled them in my fury.

Their blood is spattered on my clothes

and stained all my clothes.

⁴For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,

and the year for my redemption had arrived.

⁵I looked, and there was no one to help.

I was appalled that there was none to help,

but my own arm brought victory for me,

and my strong anger drove me on.

⁶I trampled down the peoples in my anger

and made them drunk in my wrath,

and I poured out their blood on the earth."

⁷I will tell of the acts of Yahweh's covenant faithfulness,

the praises of Yahweh.

I will tell of all that Yahweh has done for us,

and of his great goodness to the house of Israel.

This compassion he has shown us because of his mercy,

and with many deeds of covenant faithfulness.

⁸For he said, "For certain they are my people,

children who are not disloyal."

He became their Savior.

⁹Through all their suffering, he suffered too,

and the angel from his presence saved them.

In his love and mercy he saved them,

and he lifted them up and carried them

through all the ancient times.

¹⁰But they rebelled

and grieved his holy Spirit.

So he became their enemy

and fought against them.

¹¹His people thought about the ancient times of Moses.

They said, "Where is God, who brought them up out of the sea

with the shepherds of his flock?

Where is God,

who put his holy Spirit among them?

¹²Where is God,

who made his glorious power go with the right hand of Moses,

and divided the water before them,

to make an everlasting name for himself?

¹³Where is God, who led them through the deep water?

Like a horse running in the wilderness,

they did not stumble.

¹⁴As the cattle that go down into the valley,

the Spirit of Yahweh gave them rest.

So you led your people,

to make yourself a glorious name.

¹⁵Look down from heaven and take notice

from your holy and glorious habitation.

Where are your zeal and your mighty acts?

Your pity and your compassionate actions are kept from us.

¹⁶For you are our Father,

though Abraham does not know us,

and Israel does not recognize us,

you, Yahweh, are our Father.

'Our Redeemer' has been your name from ancient times.

¹⁷Yahweh, why do you make us wander from your ways

and harden our hearts so we do not fear you?

Return for your servants' sake,

the tribes of your inheritance.

¹⁸Your holy people possessed your sanctuary for a short time,

but then our enemies trampled it.

¹⁹We have become like those over whom you never ruled,

like those who were never called by your name."

¹"Oh, if you had split open the heavens and come down!

The mountains would have shaken at your presence,

²as when fire kindles the brushwood,

or the fire makes water boil.

Oh, that your name would be known by your adversaries,

that the nations would tremble at your presence!

³Previously, when you did awesome things that we had not expected,

you came down, and the mountains trembled at your presence.

⁴Since ancient times no one has heard or listened,

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who takes action for the one who waits for him.

⁵You come to help those who rejoice in doing what is right,

those who remember you in your ways.

You became angry with us because we sinned for a long time.

How will we be saved?

⁶For we have all become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag.

We have all withered like leaves;

our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away.

⁷There are none who calls on your name,

who makes an effort to take hold of you.

For you have hidden your face from us

and made us waste away in the hand of our iniquities.

⁸Yet, Yahweh, you are our Father;

we are the clay. You are our potter;

and we all are the work of your hand.

⁹Be not too angry, Yahweh,

nor remember our iniquity against us forever.

Please look at us all,

your people.

¹⁰Your holy cities have become a wilderness;

Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

¹¹Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised you,

has been destroyed by fire, and all that was so dear is in ruins.

¹²How can you still hold back, Yahweh?

How can you remain silent and continue to humiliate us?"

¹"I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask;

I was ready to be found by those who did not seek.

I said, 'Here I am! Here I am!'

to a nation that did not call on my name.

²I have spread out my hands all day

to a stubborn people,

who walk in a way that is not good,

who have walked after their own thoughts and plans!

³They are a people who continually provoke me,

offering sacrifices in gardens,

and burning incense on brick tiles.

⁴They sit among the graves

and keep watch all night,

and eat pork with the broth of foul meat in their dishes.

⁵They say, 'Stand away, do not come near to me,

for I am holier than you.'

These things are smoke in my nose,

a fire that burns all day long.

⁶Look, it is written before me:

I will not keep quiet, for I will pay them back;

I will repay them into their laps,

⁷for their iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,"

says Yahweh.

"I will repay them for burning incense on the mountains

and for mocking me on the hills.

I will therefore measure out their past deeds

into their laps."

⁸This is what Yahweh says,

"As when new wine is found in a cluster of grapes,

when one says, 'Do not ruin it,

for there is good in it,'

this is what I will do for my servants' sake:

I will not ruin them all.

⁹I will bring descendants from Jacob,

and from Judah ones who will possess my mountains.

My chosen ones will possess the land,

and my servants will live there.

¹⁰Sharon will become a pasture for the flocks,

and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds,

for my people who seek me.

¹¹But you who abandon Yahweh,

who forget my holy mountain,

who prepare a table for Fortune,

and fill wine glasses of mixed wine for Destiny.

¹²I will appoint you for the sword,

and you will all bow down to the slaughter,

because when I called, you did not answer;

when I spoke, you did not listen.

But you did what was evil in my sight

and chose to do what displeases me."

¹³This is what the Lord Yahweh says,

"Look, my servants will eat,

but you will be hungry;

look, my servants will drink,

but you will be thirsty;

look, my servants will rejoice,

but you will be put to shame.

¹⁴Look, my servants will shout with joy

because of gladness of heart,

but you will cry because of the pain of the heart,

and will wail because of the crushing of the spirit.

¹⁵You will leave behind your name

as a curse for my chosen ones to speak;

I, the Lord Yahweh, will kill you;

I will call my servants by another name.

¹⁶Whoever pronounces a blessing on the earth

will be blessed by me, the God of truth.

Whoever takes an oath on the earth

will swear by me, the God of truth,

because the former troubles will be forgotten,

for they will be hidden from my eyes.

¹⁷For see, I am about to create

new heavens and a new earth;

and the former things will not be remembered

or be brought to mind.

¹⁸But you will be glad and rejoice forever

in what I am about to create.

See, I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,

and her people as a source of gladness.

¹⁹I will rejoice over Jerusalem

and be glad over my people;

the sounds of weeping and cries of distress

will no longer be heard in her.

²⁰Never again will an infant live there

only a few days;

nor will an old man die before his time.

One who dies at one hundred years old

will be considered a young person.

Anyone who fails to reach the age of one hundred years old

will be considered cursed.

²¹They will build houses and inhabit them,

and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

²²No longer will they build a house and another live in it;

they will not plant, and another eat;

for as the days of trees

will be the days of my people.

My chosen will fully outlive

the work of their hands.

²³They will not labor in vain,

nor give birth to dismay.

For they are the children of those blessed by Yahweh,

and their descendants with them.

²⁴Before they call, I will answer;

and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

²⁵The wolf and the lamb will graze together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox;

but dust will be the serpent's food.

They will no longer do evil or harm

on all my holy mountain,"

says Yahweh.

¹This is what Yahweh says,

"Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is my footstool.

Where then is the house you will build for me?

Where is the place where I may rest?

²My hand has made all these things;

that is how these things came to be—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

This is the man of whom I approve,

the broken and contrite in spirit,

and who trembles at my word.

³He who slaughters an ox

also murders a man;

he who sacrifices a lamb

also breaks a dog's neck;

he who offers a grain offering

offers swine's blood;

he who offers a memorial of incense

also blesses wickedness.

They have chosen their own ways,

and they take pleasure in their abominations.

⁴In the same way I will choose their own punishment;

I will bring on them what they fear,

because when I called, no one answered;

when I spoke, no one listened.

They did what was evil in my sight,

and chose to do what displeases me."

⁵Hear the word of Yahweh,

you who tremble at his word,

"Your brothers who hate

and exclude you for my name's sake have said,

'May Yahweh be glorified,

then we will see your joy,'

but they will be put to shame.

⁶A sound of battle tumult comes from the city,

a sound from the temple,

the sound of Yahweh

giving recompense to his enemies.

⁷Before she goes into labor,

she gives birth;

before pain is upon her,

she gave birth to a son.

⁸Who has heard of such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Will a land be born in one day?

Can a nation be established in one moment?

Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor,

she gives birth to her children.

⁹Do I bring a baby to the birth opening

and not permit the child to be born?—asks Yahweh.

Or do I bring a child to moment of delivery

and then hold it back?—asks your God."

¹⁰Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice with her,

all you who mourned over her!

¹¹For you will nurse and be satisfied;

with her breasts you will be comforted;

for you will drink them to the full

and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

¹²This is what Yahweh says,

"I am about to spread prosperity over her like a river,

and the riches of the nations like an overflowing stream.

You will nurse at her side, be carried in her arms,

and be dandled on her knees.

¹³As a mother comforts her child,

so I will comfort you,

and you will be comforted in Jerusalem."

¹⁴You will see this, and your heart will rejoice,

and your bones will sprout like the tender grass.

The hand of Yahweh will be made known to his servants,

but he will show his anger against his enemies.

¹⁵For look, Yahweh is coming with fire,

and his chariots are coming like the windstorm

to bring the heat of his anger

and his rebuke with flames of fire.

¹⁶For Yahweh executes judgment on mankind

by fire and with his sword.

Those killed by Yahweh will be many.

¹⁷They consecrate themselves and make themselves pure, so they may enter the gardens, following the one in the middle of those who eat the flesh of pig and abominable things like mice. ¹ "They will come to an end—this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁸For I know their deeds and their thoughts. The time is coming when I will gather all nations and languages. They will come and will see my glory. ²¹⁹I will set a sign among them. Then I will send survivors from them to the nations: To Tarshish, the Libyans and Lydians, ³ who draw the bow, to Tubal, Greece, ⁴ and to the distant coastlands that have not heard reports about me nor seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.

²⁰They will bring back all your brothers out of all the nations, as an offering to Yahweh. They will come on horses, and in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem—says Yahweh. For the people of Israel will bring a grain offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh.²¹Some of these I will even choose as priests and Levites—says Yahweh.

²²For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I will make will remain before me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so your descendants will remain, and your name will remain.²³From one month to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to bow down to me—says Yahweh.

²⁴They will go out and see the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me, for the worms that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not be quenched; and it will be an abhorrence to all flesh."

¹Modern translations provide various interpretations for this difficult verse.

²Modern translations provide various interpretations for this difficult verse.

³Some modern English translations read, Tarshish, Put, and Lud .

⁴Some modern English translations read, Javan .

Jeremiah

¹These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.²The word of Yahweh came to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.³It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.

⁴The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

⁵"Before I formed you in the womb, I chose you;

before you came out from the womb I set you apart;

I made you a prophet to the nations."

⁶"Ah, Lord Yahweh!" I said, "I do not know how to speak, for I am too young."

⁷But Yahweh said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say whatever I command you!⁸Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration."

⁹Then Yahweh reached out with his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, "Now, I have placed my word in your mouth.¹⁰I am appointing you today over nations and over kingdoms, to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant."

¹¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"

I said, "I see an almond branch."

¹²Yahweh said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out."

¹³The word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying, "What do you see?"

I said, "I see a heated pot, whose surface is churning, tipping away from the north."

¹⁴Yahweh said to me, "Disaster will be opened up out of the north on all who live in this land.

¹⁵For I am calling all the tribes of the northern kingdoms—this is Yahweh's declaration.

They will come, and everyone will set his throne

at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem,

against all the walls that surround it,

and against all the cities of Judah.

¹⁶I will pronounce sentence against them

for all their evil in abandoning me,

in burning incense to other gods,

and in worshiping the works of their own hands.

¹⁷Gird up your loins! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be shattered before them, or I will shatter you before them!¹⁸Behold! Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.¹⁹They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you, for I will be with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem. Say, 'Yahweh says this:

I have called to mind on your behalf

the covenant faithfulness of your youth,

your love at the time when we were engaged,

when you went after me in the wilderness,

the land that was not sown.

³Israel was set apart to Yahweh,

the firstfruits of his harvest!

All who ate from the firstfruits were held guilty;

disaster came upon them—

this is Yahweh's declaration.'"

⁴Hear the word of Yahweh, house of Jacob,

all you clans of the house of Israel.

⁵Yahweh says this,

"What did your fathers find wrong with me,

that they went far from following me?

That they went after useless idols

and became useless themselves?

⁶They did not say,

'Where is Yahweh,

who brought us up from the land of Egypt?

Where is Yahweh,

who led us to the wilderness,

into the land of the Arabah and pits,

in a land of drought and utter darkness,

a land through which no one passes and where no one lives?'

⁷But I brought you to the land of Carmel,

to eat its fruit and other good things!

Yet when you came,

you defiled my land,

you made my inheritance an abomination!

⁸The priest did not say

'Where is Yahweh?'

and the experts in the law did not care about me!

The shepherds transgressed against me.

The prophets prophesied for Baal

and walked after unprofitable things.

⁹So I will still accuse you—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

and I will accuse your sons' sons.

¹⁰For cross over to the coasts of Cyprus ¹ and look.

Send messengers out to Kedar and find out

and see if there has ever before been anything like this.

¹¹Has a nation exchanged gods,

even though they were not gods?

But my people have exchanged their glory

for what cannot help them. ²

¹²Shudder, heavens, because of this

Be shocked and very desolate—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹³For my people have committed two evils against me:

They have abandoned the springs of living waters,

and they have dug out cisterns for themselves,

broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

¹⁴Is Israel a slave?

Was he born in his master's home?

So why has he become plunder?

¹⁵Young lions roared against him.

They made a lot of noise

and made his land a horror.

His cities are destroyed

without any inhabitants.

¹⁶Also, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes

will shave your skull.

¹⁷Did you not do this to yourselves

when you abandoned Yahweh your God,

while he was leading you along the way?

¹⁸So now, why take the road to Egypt

and drink the waters of Shihor?

Why take the road to Assyria

and drink the waters of the Euphrates River?

¹⁹Your wickedness rebukes you,

and your acts of apostasy punish you.

So think about it and understand

that it is wicked and bitter

when you abandon Yahweh your God,

and have no fear of me—

this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.

²⁰For in ancient days I broke your yoke;

I tore your fetters off you.

Still you said,

'I will not serve!'

On every high hill and beneath every leafy tree

you lay down as a prostitute.

²¹I planted you as a choice vine,

completely from pure seed.

How then have you have changed yourself

into a corrupt, worthless vine?

²²For even if you clean yourself in the river

or wash with strong soap,

your iniquity is a stain before me—

this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.

²³How can you say,

'I am not defiled!

I have not walked after the Baals'?

Look at what you did in the valleys!

Consider what you have done—

you are a swift female camel

running here and there,

²⁴a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,

in her heat sniffing the wind!

Who can restrain her lust?

None of the males need wear themselves out pursuing her;

in her month they will find her.

²⁵You must restrain your feet from becoming bare

and your throat from being thirsty!

But you have said, 'It is hopeless!

No, I love strangers and go after them!'

²⁶Like the shame of a thief when he is found,

so the house of Israel will be ashamed—

they, their kings, their princes, and their priests and prophets!

²⁷These are the ones who say to the tree,

'You are my father,'

and to the stone, 'You gave birth to me.'

For their back faces me and not their faces.

Nevertheless, they say in the time of troubles,

'Arise and save us!'

²⁸Yet where are the gods that you made for yourselves?

Let them arise if they wish to save you in your time of troubles,

for your idols equal your cities in number, Judah!

²⁹So why do you accuse me of doing wrong?

All of you have sinned against me—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

³⁰I have punished your people in vain.

They would not accept discipline.

Your sword has devoured your prophets

like a destructive lion!

³¹You who belong to this generation! Pay attention to my word, the word of Yahweh!

Have I been a wilderness to Israel?

Or a land of deep darkness?

Why would my people say,

'Let us wander around, we will not go to you anymore'?

³²Will a virgin forget her jewelry,

a bride her sash?

Yet my people have forgotten me

for days without number!

³³How well you make your way to look for love.

You have even taught your ways to wicked women.

³⁴The blood that was the life of innocent, poor people

has been found on your clothes.

These people were not discovered

in acts of burglary.

³⁵Yet you say,

'I am innocent;

surely his anger has turned away from me.'

But look! I will bring down judgment on you

because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

³⁶Why do you treat so very lightly

this change in your ways?

You will also be disappointed by Egypt,

just as you were by Assyria.

³⁷You will also go out from there dejected,

with your hands on your head,

for Yahweh has rejected the ones whom you trusted,

so you will not be helped by them."

¹Some modern English translations read, Kittim .

²Instead of their glory , some ancient copies have my glory .

¹"If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him

and becomes another man's wife,

will he return to her again?

Would that land not be greatly polluted?

You have lived as a prostitute who has many lovers;

and would you return to me?—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

²Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and look!

Is there any place where you have not had illicit sex?

By the roadsides you sat waiting for your lovers,

as an Arab in the wilderness.

You have polluted the land

with your prostitution and wickedness.

³So the showers have been withheld

and the spring rains have not come;

yet you have the forehead of a prostitute;

you refuse to be ashamed.

⁴Have you not just now called to me: 'My Father!

My closest friend even from my youth!

⁵Will he always be angry?

Will he always keep his wrath to the end?'

Look! This is what you have said,

but you do all the evil you can!"

⁶Then Yahweh said to me in the days of Josiah the king, "Do you see what apostate Israel has done? She has gone up every high hill and under every leafy tree, and there she has acted like a prostitute.⁷I said, 'After she does all these things, she will return to me,' but she did not return. Then her faithless sister Judah saw these things.

⁸So I saw that, in the same way that apostate Israel had committed adultery and I had sent her away and had given a certificate of divorce against her, her faithless sister Judah did not fear; she also went out and acted like a prostitute.⁹Her prostitution was nothing to her; she defiled the land, and she committed adultery with stones and trees.¹⁰Then after all of this, her faithless sister Judah returned to me, not with all her heart, but with a lie—this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹¹Then Yahweh said to me, "Apostate Israel has been more righteous than faithless Judah!¹²Go and proclaim these words to the north. Say,

'Return, apostate Israel!—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

I will not always be angry with you.

Since I am faithful—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

I will not stay angry forever.

¹³Acknowledge your iniquity,

for you have transgressed against Yahweh your God;

you have shared your ways with strangers

under every leafy tree!

For you have not listened to my voice!—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁴Return, faithless people!—this is Yawheh's declaration—I am your husband! I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion! ¹⁵I will give you shepherds after my heart, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and insight.

¹⁶Then it will happen that you will increase and bear fruit in the land in those days—this is Yahweh's declaration-they will no longer say, "The ark of the covenant of Yahweh!" This matter will no longer come up in their hearts or be remembered; it will not be missed, and another one will not be made.'

¹⁷In that time they will proclaim about Jerusalem, 'This is Yahweh's throne,' and all the other nations will gather at Jerusalem in Yahweh's name. They will no longer walk in the stubbornness of their wicked hearts.¹⁸In those days, the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel. They will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your ancestors as an inheritance.

¹⁹As for me, I said,

'How I want to treat you as my son

and give you a delightful land,

an inheritance more beautiful

than what is in any other nation!'

I would have said, 'You will call me "my Father".'

I would have said

that you would not turn from following me.

²⁰But like a woman faithless to her husband,

you have betrayed me, house of Israel—

this is Yahweh's declaration."

²¹A voice is heard on the plains,

the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel!

For they have changed their ways;

they have forgotten Yahweh their God.

²²"Return, faithless people!

I will heal you of your apostasy!"

"Behold! We will come to you,

for you are Yahweh our God!

²³Surely lies come from the hills,

a confusing noise from the mountains;

surely Yahweh our God

is the salvation of Israel.

²⁴Yet since our youth shameful idols

have consumed the labor of our ancestors—

their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters!

²⁵Let us lie down in shame.

May our shame cover us,

for we have sinned against Yahweh our God!

We ourselves and our ancestors,

from the time of our youth to this present day,

have not listened to the voice of Yahweh our God!"

¹"If you return, Israel—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

then it should be to me that you return.

If you remove your detestable things from before me

and do not wander from me again,

²and if you are truthful, just, and righteous

when you swear, 'As Yahweh lives,'

then the nations will bless themselves in him,

and in him they will glory."

³For Yahweh says this to each person in Judah and Jerusalem:

'Plow your own ground,

and do not sow among thorns.

⁴Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh,

and remove the foreskins of your heart,

men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,

or else my fury will break out like fire,

and burn with no one to quench it,

because of the wickedness of your practices.

⁵Report in Judah and let it be heard in Jerusalem.

Say, "Blow the ram's horn in the land."

Proclaim, "Gather together.

Let us go to the fortified cities."

⁶Lift up the signal flag and point it toward Zion,

and run for safety!

Do not stay, for I am bringing disaster

from the north and great crushing.

⁷A lion is coming out from his thicket

and someone who will destroy nations is setting out.

He is leaving his place to bring horror to your land,

to turn your cities into ruins, where no one will live.

⁸Because of this, gird yourselves with sackcloth,

lament and wail.

For the force of Yahweh's anger

has not turned away from us.

⁹Then it will happen in that day—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

that the hearts of the king and his officials will die.

The priests will be appalled,

and the prophets will be astounded.'"

¹⁰So I said, "Ah! Lord Yahweh. Surely you have completely deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, 'There will be peace for you.' Yet the sword is striking against their life."

¹¹In that time it will be said of this people and Jerusalem, "A burning wind from the plains of the desert will make its way to the daughter of my people. It will not winnow or cleanse them.¹²A wind far stronger than that will come at my command, and I will now pass sentence against them.

¹³See, he comes up like clouds,

and his chariots are like a storm.

His horses are faster than eagles.

Woe to us, for we will be devastated!

¹⁴Cleanse your heart from wickedness, Jerusalem,

so that you might be saved.

How long will wicked thoughts lodge within you?

¹⁵For a voice is bringing news from Dan

and a report of trouble from the mountains of Ephraim.

¹⁶Make the nations think about this:

See, announce to Jerusalem

that besiegers are coming from a distant land

to shout in battle against the cities of Judah.

¹⁷They will be like the watchmen

of a cultivated field against her all around,

since she has been rebellious against me—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

¹⁸and your conduct and your deeds

have done these things to you.

This will be your punishment.

How bitter it will be!

It will strike your very heart.

¹⁹My heart! My heart!

I am in anguish in my heart.

My heart is turbulent within me.

I cannot keep quiet for I hear the sound of the horn,

an alarm for battle.

²⁰Disaster follows after disaster;

for all the land lies in ruins.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed,

my curtains in a moment.

²¹How long will I see the signal flag?

Will I hear the sound of the horn?

²²For the foolishness of my people—

they do not know me.

They are stupid children,

and they have no understanding.

They are skilled at doing evil,

but they do not know how to do good.

²³I saw the land. Behold!

It was formless and empty.

For there was no light for the heavens.

²⁴I looked at the mountains.

Behold, they were trembling,

and all the hills were shaking about.

²⁵I looked. Behold, there was no one,

and all the birds of the heavens had fled.

²⁶I looked. Behold, the productive land was a wilderness

and all the cities had been pulled down before Yahweh,

before the fury of his wrath."

²⁷This is what Yahweh says,

"All the land will become a devastation,

but I will not completely destroy it

²⁸For this reason, the land will mourn,

and the heavens above will darken.

For I have declared my intentions;

I will not hold back;

I will not turn from carrying them out.

²⁹Every city will flee from the noise of the horseman

and the archer with a bow;

they will run into the forests.

Every city will climb up into the rocky places.

The cities will be abandoned,

for there will be no one to inhabit them.

³⁰Now that you have been devastated, what will you do? For though you are clothed in scarlet, and though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, and though you make your eyes look bigger with paint, you are making yourself beautiful in vain. The men who lusted for you now reject you. They are trying to take away your life.

³¹So I hear the sound of anguish,

distress as in the birth of a firstborn child,

the sound of the daughter of Zion.

She is gasping for breath.

She spreads out her hands,

'Woe to me! I am fainting because of these murderers.'"

¹"Rush about through the streets of Jerusalem;

search in her city squares, too.

Then look and think about this:

If you can find a man or anyone who is acting justly

and trying to act faithfully,

then I will forgive Jerusalem.

²Although they say, 'As Yahweh lives,'

yet they are swearing falsely."

³Yahweh, do your eyes not look for faithfulness?

You struck the people, but they do not feel pain.

You have completely defeated them,

but they still refuse to receive discipline.

They make their faces harder than rock,

for they refuse to repent.

⁴So I said,

"Surely these are only poor people.

They are foolish, for they do not know Yahweh's ways

nor their God's decrees.

⁵I will go to the important people

and declare God's messages to them,

for they at least know Yahweh's ways,

the decrees of their God."

But they all broke their yoke together;

they all tore apart the chains that bound them to God.

⁶So a lion from a thicket will attack them.

A wolf from the Arabah will devastate them.

A leopard is watching their cities

Anyone who goes outside his city will be torn apart.

For their transgressions increase.

Their acts of apostasy are numerous.

⁷Why should I pardon these people?

Your sons have abandoned me

and have made oaths by what are not gods.

I fed them fully

but they committed adultery

and walked in great number to the houses of prostitutes.

⁸They were horses in heat.

They roamed about wanting to mate.

Each man neighed to his neighbor's wife.

⁹So should I not punish them—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

and should I not avenge myself

on a nation that is like this?

¹⁰Go up onto her vineyards' terraces and destroy.

But do not bring complete destruction to them.

Trim their vines,

since those vines do not come from Yahweh.

¹¹For the houses of Israel and Judah

have completely betrayed me—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹²They have spoken falsely about Yahweh

and they said, "He will do nothing;

no harm will come upon us,

and we will not see sword or famine.

¹³The prophets will become wind,

the word is not in them,

so let what they say be done to them."

¹⁴So Yahweh, the God of hosts says this,

"Because you have said this, see,

I am about to place my word in your mouth.

It will be like a fire,

and this people will be like wood!

For it will consume them.

¹⁵Behold! I am about to bring a nation

against you from far away, house of Israel—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

it is a lasting nation, an ancient nation!

It is a nation whose language you do not know,

nor will you understand what they say.

¹⁶Its quiver is like an open tomb.

They are all soldiers.

¹⁷They will eat up your harvest and your food.

They will devour your sons and daughters.

They will devour your flocks and herds.

They will devour your vines and fig trees.

They will beat down with a sword

your fortified cities in which you put your trust.

¹⁸But even in those days—this is Yahweh's declaration—I do not intend to destroy you completely.¹⁹When you, Israel and Judah, say, 'Why has Yahweh our God done all these things to us?' then you, Jeremiah, will say to them, 'Just as you abandoned Yahweh and served foreign gods in your land, so you must also serve strangers in a land that is not your own.'

²⁰Report this to the house of Jacob

and let it be heard in Judah. Say,

²¹'Hear this, you foolish people

who have no understanding;

you have eyes but you cannot see,

and you have ears but you cannot hear.

²²Do you not fear me—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

or tremble before my face?

I have placed a border of sand against the sea

an ongoing decree that it does not violate—

even though the sea rises and falls,

still it does not violate it.

Even though its waves roar,

they do not cross it.

²³But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart.

They have turned aside and gone away.

²⁴For they do not say in their hearts,

"Let us fear Yahweh our God,

the one who brings the rain—

the early rain and the late rains—

in their right time,

keeping the appointed weeks of the harvest for us."

²⁵Your iniquities kept these things from happening.

Your sins have stopped good from coming to you.

²⁶For wicked men are found with my people.

They watch as someone crouches to capture birds;

they set a trap and catch people.

²⁷Like a cage full of birds,

their houses are full of deceit.

So they grow large and become rich.

²⁸They have become fat;

they shine with well-being.

They crossed over all bounds of wickedness.

They do not plead the cause of the people,

or the cause of the orphan.

They prosper even though they have not

given justice to the needy.

²⁹Should I not punish them for these things—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

and will I not take vengeance for myself

on a nation like this?

³⁰An appalling and horrifying thing

has occurred in the land.

³¹The prophets prophesy with deceit,

and the priests rule with their own power.

My people love it this way,

but what will happen in the end?'"

¹Find safety, people of Benjamin, by leaving Jerusalem.

Blow a ram's horn in Tekoa.

Raise up over Beth Hakkerem a signal,

since wickedness is appearing from the north;

a great crushing is coming.

²The daughter of Zion,

the beautiful and delicate woman, will be destroyed.

³The shepherds and their flocks will go to them;

they will set up tents against her all around;

each man will shepherd with his own hand.

⁴"Dedicate yourselves to the gods for the battle.

Arise, let us attack at noon.

Woe to us! For the daylight is fading away

and the evening shadows are falling.

⁵But let us attack at night

and destroy her fortresses."

⁶For Yahweh of hosts says this:

Cut her trees,

and heap up siege works against Jerusalem.

This is the right city to attack,

because it is filled with oppression.

⁷As a well pours out fresh water,

so this city keeps producing wickedness.

Violence and devastation are heard within her;

sickness and wounds are continually before my face.

⁸Accept discipline, Jerusalem,

or I will turn away from you

and make you into a ruin, an uninhabited land.'"

⁹Yahweh of hosts says this,

"They will certainly glean the remnant of Israel like a vineyard.

Reach out again with your hand to pick grapes from the vines.

¹⁰To whom should I declare and warn

so they will listen?

Look! Their ears are uncircumcised;

they are not able to pay attention!

Look! The word of Yahweh has come to them to correct them,

but they do not want it."

¹¹But I am filled with Yahweh's fury.

I am tired of holding it in.

He said, to me,

"Pour it out on the children in the streets

and on the groups of young men.

For every man will be taken away with his wife;

and every old person heavy with years.

¹²Their houses will be turned over to others,

both their fields and their wives together.

For I will attack the inhabitants of the land with my hand—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹³Yahweh declares that from the least to the greatest,

all of them are greedy for dishonest gain.

From the prophet to the priest,

all of them practice deceit.

¹⁴They have healed the brokenness of my people lightly,

saying, 'Peace, Peace,' when there is no peace.

¹⁵Were they ashamed when they practiced abominations?

They were not ashamed;

they did not know how to blush!

So they will fall among the fallen;

they will be brought down

when they are punished, says Yahweh.

¹⁶Yahweh says this,

"Stand at the road crossing and look;

ask for the ancient pathways.

'Where is this good way?'

Then go on it and find a resting place for yourselves.

But the people say,

'We will not go.'

¹⁷I appointed for you watchmen to listen for the ram's horn.

But they said, 'We will not listen.'

¹⁸Therefore, nations, listen!

See, you witnesses, what will happen to them.

¹⁹Hear, earth!

See, I am about to bring disaster to this people,

the fruit of their thoughts,

because they paid no attention to my word

and they have rejected my law.

²⁰What does this frankincense going up from Sheba mean to me

or these sweet smells from a distant land?

Your burnt offerings are not acceptable to me,

nor are your sacrifices.

²¹So Yahweh says this,

'See, I am about to place a stumbling block against this people.

They will stumble over it-fathers and sons together.

Inhabitants and their neighbors will also perish.'

²²Yahweh says this,

'See, a people is coming from the land of the north,

a great nation is being stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth.

²³They will pick up bows and spears.

They are cruel and have no compassion.

Their sound is like the sea roar,

and they are riding on horses,

set out in order as men for battle,

against you, daughter of Zion.'"

²⁴We have heard the reports about them

and our hands fall limp in distress.

Anguish seizes us as a woman giving birth.

²⁵Do not go out to the fields,

and do not walk on the roads,

for the swords of the enemy and terror are all around.

²⁶Daughter of my people,

gird yourself with sackcloth and roll in ashes;

mourn with painful sobs as for an only son,

for the destroyer will suddenly come upon us.

²⁷"I have made you, Jeremiah,

one who tests my people like one would test metal,

so you will inspect and test their ways.

²⁸They are all the most stubborn of people,

who go about slandering others.

All of them are bronze and iron, acting corruptly.

²⁹The bellows are scorched by the fire that is burning them;

the lead is consumed in the flames.

The refining continues among them,

but it is useless, because the evil is not removed.

³⁰They will be called rejected silver,

for Yahweh has rejected them."

¹The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,²"Stand at the gate of the house of Yahweh and proclaim this word! Say, 'Hear the word of Yahweh, all you of Judah, you who enter these gates to worship Yahweh.

³Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Make your ways and practices good, and I will let you continue to live in this place.⁴Do not entrust yourself to deceitful words and say, "Temple of Yahweh! Temple of Yahweh! Temple of Yahweh!"

⁵For if you actually make your ways and practices good; if you completely execute justice between a man and his neighbor—⁶if you do not oppress the sojourner, the orphan, or the widow and do not pour out innocent blood in this place, and do not walk after other gods to your own harm—⁷then I will let you stay in this place, in the land that I gave to your ancestors from ancient times and forever.

⁸Behold! You are entrusting yourselves to deceitful words that do not help you.⁹Do you steal, kill, and commit adultery? Do you swear deceitfully and offer incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom you have not known?¹⁰Then do you come and stand before me in this house that is called by my name and say, "We are saved," so you can do all of these abominations?¹¹Is this house, which carries my name, a den of bandits in your eyes? But behold, I have seen it—this is Yahweh's declaration.'

¹²'So go to my place that was in Shiloh, where I allowed my name to stay there in the beginning, and look at what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel.¹³So now, on account of your doing all of these practices—this is Yahweh's declaration—I spoke to you time and time again, but you did not listen. I summoned you, but you did not answer.¹⁴Therefore, what I did to Shiloh, I will also do to this house that is called by my name, the house in which you have trusted, this place that I gave to you and your ancestors.¹⁵For I will send you out from before me just as I had sent out all your brothers, all the descendants of Ephraim.'

¹⁶As for you, Jeremiah, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up a cry of distress or say a prayer on their behalf, and do not petition me, for I will not listen to you.¹⁷Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?¹⁸The children are gathering wood and the fathers kindling the fire! The women are kneading dough to make cakes for the queen of the heavens and pour out drink offerings for other gods so that they will provoke me.

¹⁹Are they truly provoking me?—this is Yahweh's declaration—is it not themselves whom they are provoking, so that shame is on them?²⁰Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, 'See, my anger and wrath will gush out onto this place, on both man and animals, on the tree in the fields and the fruit on the ground. It will burn and never be extinguished.'

²¹Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel says this: 'Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat the meat.²²For when I brought your ancestors out from the land of Egypt, I did not require anything from them. I gave them no command about matters of burnt offerings and sacrifices.²³I only gave them this command, "Listen to my voice, and I will be your God and you will be my people. So walk in all the ways that I am commanding you, so that it may go well with you."

²⁴But they did not listen or incline their ear. They lived by their own stubborn plans of their wicked hearts, so they went backwards, not forward.²⁵Ever since the day when your ancestors went out from the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent every one of my servants, my prophets, to you. I persisted in sending them.²⁶But they did not listen to me or incline their ear. Instead, they stiffened their necks. They were more wicked than their ancestors.'

²⁷So proclaim all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. Proclaim these things to them, but they will not answer you.²⁸Say to them: This is a nation that does not listen to the voice of Yahweh its God and does not receive discipline. Truth is destroyed and cut off from their mouths.

²⁹Cut off your hair and shave yourself, and throw away your hair. Sing a dirge over the open places. For Yahweh has rejected and abandoned this generation in his rage.³⁰For the sons of Judah have done evil in my eye—this is Yahweh's declaration—they have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, in order to defile it.

³¹Then they built the high place of Topheth that is in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. They did this to burn their sons and daughters in fire—something that I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.³²So see, days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when it will no longer be called Topheth or Valley of Ben Hinnom. It will be the Valley of Slaughter; they will bury bodies in Topheth until there is no room left.

³³The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the skies and the wild animals of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.³⁴I will put an end to the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride, for the land will become a desolation."

¹"At that time—this is Yahweh's declaration—they will bring out from the graves the bones of the kings of Judah and its officials, the bones of the priests and the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.²Then they will spread them out in the light of the sun and moon and all the stars of the skies; these things in the sky that they have followed and served, that they have walked after and sought, and that they have worshiped. The bones will not be gathered or buried again. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.³In every place where I have driven them, death will be chosen instead of life by all who remain from this evil family—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.

⁴So say to them, 'Yahweh says this:

Does anyone fall and not get up?

Does anyone get lost and not try to return?

⁵Why has this people, Jerusalem,

turned away in permanent apostasy?

They hold on to deceit

and refuse to repent.

⁶I paid attention and listened,

but they did not speak right;

no one repented of his wickedness,

no one who says, "What have I done?"

All of them go where they wish,

like a horse rushing toward battle.

⁷Even the stork in heaven knows the right times;

and the doves, swifts, and cranes.

They go on their migrations at the right time,

but my people do not know Yahweh's decrees.

⁸How can you say,

"We are wise, for the law of Yahweh is with us"?

Indeed, see!

The deceitful pen of the scribes has created deceit.

⁹The wise men will be ashamed.

They are dismayed and trapped.

Behold! They reject Yahweh's word,

so what use is their wisdom?

¹⁰So I will give their wives to others,

and their fields to those who will possess them,

because from the least to the greatest,

all of them are greedy for dishonest gain!

From the prophet to the priest,

all of them practice deceit.

¹¹They have healed the brokenness of my people lightly,

saying, "Peace, Peace," when there is no peace.

¹²Were they ashamed when they practiced abominations?

They were not ashamed;

they did not know how to blush!

So they will fall among the fallen;

they will be brought down when they are punished,

says Yahweh.

¹³I will remove them completely—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

there will be no grapes on the vine,

nor will there be figs on the fig trees.

For the leaf will wither,

and what I have given to them will pass away.

¹⁴Why are we sitting here?

Come together;

let us go to the fortified cities,

and we will become silent there in death.

For Yahweh our God will silence us.

He will make us drink poison,

since we have sinned against him.

¹⁵We are hoping for peace,

but there will be nothing good.

We are hoping for a time of healing,

but see, there will be terror.

¹⁶The snorting of his stallions is heard from Dan.

The whole earth shakes

at the sound of the neighing of his strong horses.

For they will come

and consume the land and its wealth,

the city and the ones living in it.

¹⁷For see, I am sending out snakes among you,

adders that you cannot charm.

They will bite you—

this is Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹⁸My sorrow has no end

and my heart is sick.

¹⁹Behold! The cry for help of the daughter of my people

from a land far away!

Is Yahweh not in Zion?

Is her king no longer there?

Why then do they provoke me to anger with their carved figures

and their worthless foreign idols?

²⁰The harvest has passed on, summer is over.

But we have not been saved.

²¹I am hurt because of the hurt of the daughter of my people.

I mourn at the horrible things that have happened to her;

I am dismayed.

²²Is there no medicine in Gilead?

Is there no healer there?

Why will the healing of the daughter of my people not happen?

¹If only my head could produce water,

and my eyes be a fountain of tears!

For I wish to weep day and night for those

among the daughter of my people who have been killed.

²If only someone would give me a place for travelers in the wilderness to stay,

where I could go to abandon my people.

If only I could leave them,

since all of them are adulterers, a company of traitors!

³"They bend their tongues like their bows for lies,

and it is not because of any faithfulness of theirs

that they grow strong on the earth.

For they go from one wicked act to another.

They do not know me." This is Yahweh's declaration.

⁴Each of you, be on guard against your neighbor

and do not trust in any brother.

For every brother is certainly a deceiver,

and every neighbor walks in slander.

⁵Each man mocks his neighbor

and does not speak the truth.

Their tongues teach deceitful things.

They are exhausted from committing iniquity.

⁶Your dwelling is in the midst of deception;

in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me—

this is Yahweh's declaration."

⁷Yahweh of hosts says this,

"See, I am about to refine them and test them,

for what else can I do, because of what my people have done?

⁸Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deceit.

With their mouths they proclaim peace with their neighbors,

but with their hearts they lie in wait for them.

⁹Should I not punish them because of these things—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

and should I not avenge myself on a nation that is like this?

¹⁰I will sing a song of mourning and wailing for the mountains,

and a dirge will be sung for the meadows in the wilderness.

For they have been made desolate

and no one can pass through them,

and the lowing of the cattle is not heard.

The birds of the skies and the animals

have all fled away.

¹¹So I will turn Jerusalem into piles of ruins,

a hideout for jackals.

I will make Judah's cities ruined places

without inhabitants."

¹²What man is wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of Yahweh spoken, and he will declare it? Why has the land perished and been made desolate like the wilderness that no one can pass through?

¹³Yahweh says, "It is because they have abandoned my law that I set before them, because they do not listen to my voice or walk by it.¹⁴It is because they have walked by their stubborn hearts and have followed the Baals as their fathers taught them to do.

¹⁵Therefore Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says this, 'See, I am about to make this people eat wormwood and drink poisonous water.¹⁶Then I will scatter them among the nations that they have not known, neither they nor their ancestors. I will send out a sword after them until I have completely destroyed them.'"

¹⁷Yahweh of hosts says this,

"Think about this: Summon

funeral singers; let them come.

Send out for women skilled at lamenting;

let them come.

¹⁸Let them hurry and sing a mournful song over us,

so our eyes may run with tears and our eyelids flow with water.

¹⁹For the sound of wailing is heard in Zion,

'How we are devastated.

We are greatly ashamed,

for we have abandoned the land

since they tore down our houses.'

²⁰So you women, hear Yahweh's word;

pay attention to the messages that come from his mouth.

Then teach your daughters a mourning song,

and each neighbor woman a dirge.

²¹For death has come through our windows;

it goes into our palaces.

It destroys children from outside,

and young men in the city squares.

²²Declare this, 'This is Yahweh's declaration—

the corpses of men will fall like dung in the fields,

and like grain stalks after the reapers,

and there will be no one to gather them.'"

²³Yahweh says this,

"Do not let the wise man take pride in his wisdom,

or the warrior in his might.

Do not let the wealthy man take pride in his riches.

²⁴For if a man takes pride in anything,

let it be in this, that he has insight and knows me.

For I am Yahweh, who acts with covenant loyalty,

justice and righteousness on earth.

For it is in these that I take pleasure—

this is Yahweh's declaration."

²⁵"See, days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when I will punish all the circumcised who are such only in their body.²⁶I will punish Egypt and Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all the desert people who cut the hair on the sides of their heads very short. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel has an uncircumcised heart."

¹"Hear the word that Yahweh is announcing to you, house of Israel.²Yahweh says this,

'Do not learn the ways of the nations,

and do not be dismayed by the signs in the heavens,

for the nations are dismayed by these.

³For the customs of these people are worthless.

Someone cuts down a tree from the forest.

It is the work of the hands of a craftsman using an axe.

⁴Then they decorate it with silver and gold.

They strengthen it with hammer and nails so it will not fall over.

⁵What they make with their hands is like scarecrows in a cucumber field,

because they, too, can say nothing,

and they have to be carried because they cannot walk.

Do not fear them, for they cannot bring about evil,

nor are they able to do anything good.'"

⁶There is no one like you, Yahweh.

You are great, and your name is great in power.

⁷Who does not fear you, king of the nations?

For this is what you deserve,

for there is no one like you among all the wise men of the nations

or all their royal kingdoms.

⁸They are both brutish and stupid.

Their vain discipline—it is nothing but wood.

⁹They bring hammered silver from Tarshish,

and gold from Uphaz made by artificers,

the hands of refiners.

Their clothes are blue and purple cloth.

Their skillful men made all of these things.

¹⁰But Yahweh is the true God.

He is the living God and eternal king.

The earth quakes at his anger,

and the nations cannot endure his anger.

¹¹You will speak to them like this, "The gods that did not make the heavens and earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens."

¹²But it was he who made the earth by his power,

and he established the world by his wisdom,

and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.

¹³His voice makes the roar of waters in the heavens,

and he brings up the mists from the ends of the earth.

He makes lightning for the rain

and sends out wind from his storehouse.

¹⁴Every man has become stupid, without knowledge.

Every metalworker is put to shame by his idols.

For his cast metal images are frauds;

there is no life in them.

¹⁵They are useless, the work of mockers;

they will perish at the time of their punishment.

¹⁶But God, the portion of Jacob, is not like these,

for he is the molder of all things.

Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

¹⁷Gather your bundle and leave the land,

you people who have been living under the siege.

¹⁸For Yahweh says this,

"See, I am about to throw the inhabitants of the land out this time.

I will cause them distress,

and they will find it to be so."

¹⁹Woe to me!

Because of my broken bones, my wound is infected.

So I said,

"Surely this is agony, but I must bear it."

²⁰My tent is devastated,

and all of my tent cords are cut in two.

They have taken my children away from me,

so they no longer exist.

There is no longer anyone to spread out my tent

or to raise up my tent curtains.

²¹For the shepherds are stupid

and they do not seek Yahweh;

so they have not prospered,

and all their flock has been scattered.

²²The report of news has arrived, "See! It is coming,

a great earthquake is coming from the land of the north

to make the cities of Judah into ruins,

hideouts for jackals."

²³I know, Yahweh,

that the way of a man does not come from himself.

No person walking directs his own steps.

²⁴Discipline me, Yahweh, with justice,

not in your anger or you would destroy me.

²⁵Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you

and on the families that do not call on your name.

For they have devoured Jacob and consumed him

so as to completely destroy him and demolish his habitation.

¹The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,²"Listen to the words of this covenant, and declare them to each man in Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

³Say to them, 'Yahweh, God of Israel says this: Cursed is anyone who does not listen to the words of this covenant.⁴This is the covenant that I commanded your ancestors to keep the day I brought them out from the land of Egypt, from the furnace for smelting iron. I said, "Listen to my voice and do all of these things just as I have commanded you, for you will be my people and I will be your God."⁵Obey me so that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your ancestors, the oath that I would give them the land flowing with milk and honey, where you live today.'" Then I, Jeremiah, answered and said, "Let it be so, Yahweh!"

⁶Yahweh said to me, "Proclaim all these things in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Say, 'Listen to the words of this covenant and carry them out.⁷For I have been giving solemn commands to your ancestors from the day I brought them up from the land of Egypt until this present time, persistently warning them and saying, "Listen to my voice."'⁸But they did not listen or incline their ear. Each person has been walking in the stubbornness of his wicked heart. So I brought all the curses in the covenant that I commanded them to obey, but the people still did not obey."

⁹Next Yahweh said to me, "A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.¹⁰They have returned to the iniquities of their earliest ancestors, who refused to listen to my word. They walked after other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant that I established with their ancestors.

¹¹Therefore Yahweh says this, 'See, I am about to bring disaster on them, disaster from which they will not be able to escape. Then they will call out to me, but I will not listen to them.¹²The cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and call out to the gods to which they had given offerings, but they will certainly not be saved by them at the time of their disaster.¹³For you Judah, the number of your gods has increased to equal the number of your cities. You have made the number of shameful altars in Jerusalem, incense altars for Baal, equal to the number of her streets.

¹⁴So you yourself, Jeremiah, must not pray for this people. You must not cry for help or pray on their behalf. For I will not be listening when they call on me in their disaster.

¹⁵Why is my beloved one

the one who has had so many wicked intentions,

in my house?

The meat of your sacrifices cannot help you.

You rejoice because of your evil actions.

¹⁶In the past Yahweh called you a leafy olive tree,

beautiful with lovely fruit.

But he will light a fire on it that will sound like the roar of a storm;

its branches will be broken.

¹⁷For Yahweh of hosts, the one who planted you, has decreed disaster against you because of the wicked acts that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have committed—they have angered me by giving offerings to Baal.'"

¹⁸Yahweh made me know these things, so I know them. You, Yahweh, made me see their deeds.¹⁹I was like a gentle lamb being led to the slaughter. I did not know that they had formed plans against me,

"Let us destroy the tree with its fruit!

Let us cut him off from the land of the living

so his name will be no longer remembered."

²⁰Yet Yahweh of hosts is the righteous judge

who examines the heart and the mind.

I will witness your vengeance against them,

for I have presented my case to you.

²¹Therefore Yahweh says this concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life, "They say, 'You must not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, or you will die by our hand.'²²Therefore Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, I am about to punish them. Their vigorous young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.²³No remnant will be left for them, because I am bringing disaster against the people of Anathoth, a year of their punishment.'"

¹You are righteous, Yahweh,

whenever I bring disputes to you.

I must certainly tell you of my reason to complain:

Why do the ways of the wicked succeed?

All the treacherous are at ease.

²You planted them and they took root.

They continue to produce fruit.

You are near to them in their mouths,

but far away from their hearts.

³Yet you, Yahweh, know me.

You see me and you test my heart toward you.

Take them away like sheep to the slaughter,

and set them apart for the day of slaughter!

⁴How long will the land mourn

and the grass in the field be withered?

Because those who live in it are wicked,

the animals and the birds have been swept away,

because the people said,

"He will not see what happens to us."

⁵Yahweh said, "Indeed, if you, Jeremiah,

have run with foot soldiers and they have tired you out,

how can you compete against horses?

And if you are confident only in a peaceful land,

how will you do in the majesty along the Jordan?

⁶For even your brothers and your father's family

have betrayed you and have raised their voice against you.

Do not trust in them,

even if they say nice things to you.

⁷I have abandoned my house;

I have abandoned my inheritance.

I have given my beloved into the hands of her enemies.

⁸My inheritance has become to me

like a lion in a thicket;

she sets herself against me with her own voice,

so I hate her.

⁹Has not my prized possession become a speckled bird,

that other birds of prey go against her all around?

Go and gather all the wild beasts

and bring them to devour her.

¹⁰Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard.

They have trampled on my portion of land;

they turned my delightful portion into a wilderness,

a desolation.

¹¹They have made her a desolation.

I mourn for her; she is desolate.

All the land has been made desolate,

for there is no one who takes it to heart.

¹²Destroyers have come against all

the bare places in the wilderness,

for Yahweh's sword is devouring

from one end of the land to the other.

There is no safety in the land

for any living creature.

¹³They have sown wheat but harvest thornbushes.

They are exhausted from work but have gained nothing.

So be ashamed of your gain

because of Yahweh's anger."

¹⁴Yahweh says this against all my neighbors, the wicked ones who strike at the possession that I made my people Israel inherit, "See, I am the one who is about to uproot them from their own ground, and I will pull up the house of Judah from among them.¹⁵Then after I uproot those nations, it will happen that I will have compassion on them and bring them back; I will return them—each man to his inheritance and his land.

¹⁶It will come about that if those nations carefully learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name 'As Yahweh lives' just as they have taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the midst of my people.¹⁷But if any do not listen, then I will uproot that nation. It will certainly be uprooted and destroyed—this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹Yahweh said this to me, "Go and buy a linen undergarment and put it on around your waist, but do not put it in water first."²So I bought an undergarment as Yahweh directed, and I put in on around my waist.³Then the word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying,⁴"Take the undergarment that you purchased that is around your waist, get up and go now to Perath. ¹ Hide it there in a rock crevice."⁵So I went and hid it in Perath, just as Yahweh had commanded me.

⁶After many days, Yahweh said to me, "Get up and go back to Perath. Take from there the undergarment that I commanded you to hide."⁷So I went back to Perath ² and dug out the undergarment where I had hid it, and behold, it was destroyed and completely useless.

⁸Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,⁹"Yahweh says this: In the same way I will destroy the pride of Judah and the great majesty of Jerusalem.¹⁰This wicked people who refuses to listen to my word, who walk in the hardness of their heart, who go after other gods to worship them and bow down to them—they will be like this undergarment that is good for nothing.¹¹For just as an undergarment clings to someone's hips, so I have made all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah cling to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—to be my people, to bring me fame, praise, and honor. But they would not listen to me.

¹²So you must speak this word to them, 'Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: Every jar will be filled with wine.' They will say to you, 'Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?'¹³So say to them, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to fill with drunkenness every inhabitant of this land, the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.¹⁴Then I will smash each man against the other, fathers and children together—this is Yahweh's declaration—I will not pity them or have compassion, and I will not spare them from destruction.'"

¹⁵Listen and pay attention.

Do not be arrogant, for Yahweh had spoken.

¹⁶Give honor to Yahweh your God

before he brings darkness,

and before he causes your feet to stumble

on the mountains at twilight.

For you are hoping for light,

but he will turn it to deep darkness

and change it to deep gloom.

¹⁷So if you will not listen,

I will weep alone because of your pride.

My eyes will certainly weep and flow with tears,

for Yahweh's flock has been taken captive.

¹⁸"Say to the king and to the queen mother,

'Humble yourselves! Sit!

For your splendid crowns

have fallen from your heads.'

¹⁹The cities in the Negev will be shut up,

with no one to open them.

All Judah will be taken captive,

completely taken captive.

²⁰Lift up your eyes

and look at the ones coming from the north.

Where is the flock he gave to you,

the flock that was so beautiful to you?

²¹What will you say when God sets over you

those whom you yourself had trained

to be your special allies?

Are these not the beginnings of the labor pains

that will seize you just like a woman in childbirth?

²²Then you might say in your heart,

'Why are these things happening to me?'

It will be for the multitude of your iniquities

that your skirts are raised up

and you have been violated.

²³Can the people of Cush change their skin color,

or a leopard change its spots?

If so, then you yourself,

although accustomed to wickedness,

would be able to do good.

²⁴So I will scatter them like chaff

that perishes in the desert wind.

²⁵This is what I have given to you,

the portion I have decreed for you—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

because you have forgotten me

and trusted in deceit.

²⁶So also I myself will strip your skirts off you,

and your nakedness will be seen.

²⁷I have seen your adultery and neighing,

the wickedness of your prostitution

on the hills and in the fields,

and I have seen these detestable things!

Woe to you, Jerusalem!

How long until you are made clean again?"

¹Some transate Perath as the Euphrates .

²Some transate Perath as the Euphrates .

¹This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah regarding the drought,

²"Let Judah mourn;

let her gates waste away.

They are wailing for the land;

their cries for Jerusalem are going up.

³Their mighty ones send out their servants for water.

When they go to the trenches,

they cannot find water.

They all return with empty vessels;

they cover their heads ashamed and dishonored.

⁴Because of this the ground is cracked,

for there is no rain in the land.

The plowmen are ashamed

and cover their heads.

⁵For even the doe leaves her young in the fields

and abandons them, for there is no grass.

⁶The wild donkeys stand on the bare plains

and they pant in the wind like jackals.

Their eyes fail to work,

for there is no vegetation."

⁷Even though our iniquities testify against us

Yahweh, act for the sake of your name.

For our acts of apostasy increase;

we have sinned against you.

⁸You are the Hope of Israel,

the one who saves him in the time of distress,

why will you be like a stranger in the land,

like a foreign wanderer who stretches out and spends just one night?

⁹Why are you like someone who is astounded,

or like a warrior who has no power to rescue?

You are in our midst, Yahweh,

and your name is called over us.

Do not leave us!

¹⁰Yahweh says this to this people:

"Since they love to wander,

they have not held back their feet from doing so."

Yahweh is not pleased with them

Now he calls to mind their iniquity

and has punished their sins.

¹¹Yahweh said to me, "Do not pray for good on behalf of this people.¹²For if they fast, I will not listen to their outcry, and if they offer up burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not take pleasure in them. For I will put an end to them by sword, famine, and plague."

¹³Then I said, "Oh, Lord Yahweh! Behold! The prophets are saying to the people, 'You will not see the sword; there will be no famine for you, for I will give you true peace in this place.'"

¹⁴Yahweh said to me, "The prophets prophesy deceit in my name. I did not send them out, nor did I give them any command or speak to them. But deceitful visions and worthless divination and the deceitfulness of their hearts—that is what they are prophesying to you."

¹⁵Therefore Yahweh says this, "About the prophets prophesying in my name but whom I did not send out—those who say there will be no sword or famine in this land: These prophets will perish by sword and famine.¹⁶Then the people to whom they prophesied will be thrown out in the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword, for there will be no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters—for I will pour out their wickedness on them.

¹⁷Say this word to them:

'Let my eyes flow with tears

night and day.

Do not let them stop,

for there will be a great collapse

of the virgin daughter of my people—

a great and incurable wound.

¹⁸If I go out to the field,

there are the ones who were killed by the sword!

If I come to the city,

there are the diseases that are caused by famine.

Both the prophet and the priest wander about the land,

and they do not know.'"

¹⁹Have you completely rejected Judah?

Do you hate Zion?

Why will you afflict us when there is no healing for us?

We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good—

and for a time of healing,

but see, there is only terror.

²⁰We admit, Yahweh, our offenses,

the iniquity of our ancestors,

for we have sinned against you.

²¹Do not reject us!

For the sake of your name,

do not make your glorious throne a disgrace.

Remember and do not break

your covenant with us.

²²Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?

Or can the skies themselves send down showers?

Are you not the one, Yahweh our God?

We wait for you, for you are the one

who does all these things.

¹Then Yahweh said to me, "Even if Moses or Samuel were standing in front of me, I would still not be in favor of this people. Send them out from before me, for them to go away.²It will happen that they will say to you, 'Where should we go?' Then you must say to them, 'Yahweh says this:

Those who are for death should go to death;

those who are for the sword should go to the sword.

Those who are for famine should go to famine;

and those who are for captivity should go to captivity.'

³For I will assign them to four groups—this is Yahweh's declaration—the sword to slaughter some, the dogs to drag some away, the birds of the skies and the wild animals of the earth to consume and destroy some.⁴I will make of them a horrifying thing to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.

⁵For who will have compassion for you, Jerusalem?

Who will grieve for you?

⁶You have abandoned me—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

you have gone back from me.

So I will strike you with my hand and destroy you.

I am tired of relenting.

⁷So I will winnow them with a pitchfork

at the gates of the land.

I will bereave them.

I will destroy my people

since they will not turn from their ways.

⁸I will make their widows more numerous

than the sands of the seashore.

Against the mothers of young men I will send

the destroyer at noonday.

I will make horror and dismay suddenly fall on them.

⁹The mother who has borne seven children will waste away.

She will gasp.

Her sun will set while it is still day.

She will be ashamed and embarrassed,

for I will give those who remain to the sword

in the presence of their enemies—

this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹⁰Woe to me, my mother!

For you have borne me,

I who am a man of strife and argument through all the land.

I have not lent, nor has anyone lent to me,

but they all curse me.

¹¹Yahweh said:

"Will I not rescue you for good?

I will certainly make your enemies beg for help

in the time of calamity and distress.

¹²Can one smash iron?

Especially iron from the north that is mixed with bronze?

¹³I will give to your enemies

your wealth and treasures as free plunder.

I will do this because of all your sins

committed within all your borders.

¹⁴Then I will make you serve your enemies

in a land that you do not know,

for a fire will ignite,

kindled in my wrath against you." ¹

¹⁵Yahweh, you know

Remember me and help me

Bring vengeance for me

against those who persecute me.

You are patient, but do not allow them to take me away;

know that I have suffered insult for your sake.

¹⁶Your words have been found, and I consumed them

Your words became to me a joy

and the delight of my heart,

for I bear your name,

Yahweh God of hosts.

¹⁷I did not sit in the circle

of those who celebrated or rejoiced.

I sat alone because of your powerful hand,

for you filled me with indignation.

¹⁸Why is my pain constant and my wound incurable,

refusing to be healed?

Will you be like deceitful waters to me,

waters that dry up?

¹⁹Therefore Yahweh said this,

"If you repent, Jeremiah,

then I will restore you,

and you will stand before me and serve me.

For if you separate the foolish things from the precious things,

you will be like my mouth.

The people will come back to you,

but you yourself must not go back to them.

²⁰I will make you like an impenetrable bronze wall to this people,

and they will wage war against you.

But they will not defeat you,

for I am with you to save and rescue you—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

²¹for I will rescue you from the hand of the wicked

and redeem you from the hand of the ruthless."

¹Instead of Then I will make you serve your enemies , some ancient copies have Then I will make your enemies take you .

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Do not take a wife for yourself, and do not have sons or daughters for yourself in this place.³For Yahweh says this to the sons and daughters who are born in this place, to the mothers who bear them, and to the fathers who caused them to be born in this land,⁴'They will die diseased deaths. They will not be mourned or buried. They will be like dung on the ground. For they will come to an end by sword and famine, and their corpses will be food for the birds of the skies and the wild animals of the earth.'

⁵For the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 'Do not enter a house where there is mourning. Do not go to mourn or to show sympathy for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people—this is Yahweh's declaration—and my steadfast love and mercy.⁶Both the great and the small will die in this land. They will not be buried, and no one will mourn for them or cut themselves or shave their heads for them.

⁷No one must share any food in mourning to comfort them because of the deaths, and none must give a comforting cup to his father or his mother in order to comfort them.⁸You must not go to a banquet house to sit with them in order to eat or drink.'⁹For Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'See, before your eyes, in your days and in this place, I am about to put an end to the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride.'

¹⁰Then it will happen that you will report all these words to this people, and they will say to you, 'Why has Yahweh decreed all this great disaster against us? What is our iniquity and sin that we sinned against Yahweh our God?'¹¹So say to them, 'Because your ancestors abandoned me—this is Yahweh's declaration—and they went after other gods and worshiped and bowed down to them. They abandoned me and have not kept my law.

¹²But you yourselves have brought about more wickedness than your ancestors, for see, each person is walking by the stubbornness of his wicked heart; there is no one who listens to me.¹³So I will throw you from this land to a land that you have not known, neither you nor your ancestors, and you will worship other gods there by day and night, for I will not give any favor to you.'

¹⁴Therefore, behold, the days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when it will no longer be said, 'As Yahweh lives, the one who brought up the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.'¹⁵but, 'As Yahweh lives, the one who brought up the people of Israel from the land of the north and from the lands where he had scattered them.' For I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors.

¹⁶Behold! I will send for many fishermen—this is Yahweh's declaration—so they will fish the people out. After this I will send for many hunters so they will hunt for them among all the mountains and hills, and in rock crevices.¹⁷For my eye is on all their ways; they cannot be hidden from before me. Their iniquity cannot be concealed from before my eyes.¹⁸I will first pay back double for their iniquity and sin. They have polluted my land. They have filled my inheritance with the corpses of their detestable idols and their abominations."

¹⁹Yahweh, you are my stronghold and my refuge,

my place of safety in the day of distress.

The nations will go to you from the ends of the earth and say,

"Surely our ancestors inherited deceit.

They are empty;

there is no profit in them.

²⁰Do people make gods for themselves?

But they are not gods."

²¹Therefore see! I will cause them to know in this time,

I will cause them to know my hand and my power,

so they will know that Yahweh is my name.

¹"The sin of Judah is written

with an iron stylus having a diamond point.

It is engraved on the tablet of their heart

and on the horns of your altars.

²Even their children remember their altars

and their Asherah poles

that were beside the spreading trees

and on the high hills.

³My mountain in the open country,

and your wealth and all your treasures

I will give away as plunder,

together with your high places,

because of the sin you committed in all your territories.

⁴You will, by your own actions,

let go of the inheritance that I gave to you.

I will enslave you to your enemies

in a land that you do not know,

for you have ignited a fire in my wrath,

which will burn forever."

⁵Yahweh says,

"The person who trusts in mankind is accursed;

he makes flesh his strength

but turns his heart away from Yahweh.

⁶For he will be like a small bush in the Arabah

and will not see anything good coming.

He will stay in the stony places in the wilderness,

barren land without inhabitants.

⁷But the person who trusts in Yahweh is blessed,

for Yahweh is his reason for confidence.

⁸For he will be like a tree planted by water,

its roots will spread out by the stream.

It will not fear the heat when it comes,

for its leaves are always green.

It is not anxious in a year of drought,

and it will not stop producing fruit.

⁹The heart is more deceitful than anything else.

It is sick; who can understand it?

¹⁰I am Yahweh,

the one who searches through the mind,

who tests the hearts.

I give to each person according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.

¹¹A partridge hatches an egg that she did not lay.

Someone may become rich unjustly,

but when half his days are over,

those riches will abandon him,

and in the end he will be a fool."

¹²"The place of our sanctuary is a glorious throne,

elevated from the beginning.

¹³Yahweh is the hope of Israel.

All who abandon you will be put to shame;

those in the land who turn away from you

will be written in the earth,

for they have abandoned Yahweh,

the fountain of living waters.

¹⁴Heal me, Yahweh, and I will be healed!

Rescue me, and I will be rescued

For you are my song of praise.

¹⁵See, they are saying to me,

'Where is the word of Yahweh? Let it come!'

¹⁶As for me,

I did not run from being a shepherd following you.

I did not long for the day of disaster.

You know the proclamations that came from my lips.

They were made in your presence.

¹⁷Do not be a terror to me.

You are my refuge on the day of calamity.

¹⁸May my pursuers be ashamed,

but do not let me be ashamed.

May they be dismayed,

but do not let me be dismayed.

Send the day of disaster against them

and shatter them with a double share of destruction."

¹⁹Yahweh said this to me: "Go and stand in the gate of the people where the kings of Judah enter and where they exit, then in all the other gates of Jerusalem.²⁰Say to them, 'Hear the word of Yahweh, kings of Judah and all you people of Judah, and every resident of Jerusalem who comes in through these gates.

²¹Yahweh says this: "Be careful for the sake of your lives and do not carry a burden on the Sabbath day to bring it to the gates of Jerusalem.²²Do not bring a load out from your house on the Sabbath day. Do not do any work, but set apart the Sabbath day, just as I commanded your ancestors to do."'²³They did not listen or pay attention, but stiffened their neck so they would not hear me nor accept discipline.

²⁴It will happen that if you truly listen to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—and do not bring a load to the gates of this city on the Sabbath day but instead set apart the Sabbath day and not do any work on it,²⁵then kings, princes, and those who sit on David's throne will come to the gates of this city in chariots and with horses, they and their leaders, men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.

²⁶They will come from the cities of Judah and from all around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and the lowlands, from the mountains, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, thank offerings to the house of Yahweh.²⁷But if you do not listen to me—to set apart the Sabbath day and to not carry heavy loads and to not enter the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day—then I will light a fire in its gates, and it will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem, and it cannot be put out."

¹The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,²"Arise and go out to the potter's house, for I will have you hear my word there."³So I went out to the potter's house, and behold! The potter was working on the potter's wheel.⁴But the pot he was making from the clay was ruined in the potter's hand, so he returned the clay and formed it into another pot, and he made that pot an object that was pleasing in his eyes.

⁵Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,⁶"Should I not be able to act like this potter with you, house of Israel?—this is Yahweh's declaration. Behold! Like clay in a potter's hand—that is how you are in my hand, house of Israel.⁷At one moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will drive it out, tear it down, or destroy it.⁸But if the nation about which I have made that proclamation turns from its evil, then I will relent from the disaster that I was planning to bring upon it.

⁹At another moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will build it up or plant it.¹⁰But if it does evil in my eyes by not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had said I would do for them.

¹¹So now, speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to form disaster against you. I am about to devise a plan against you. Repent, each person from his wicked way, so your ways and your practices will bring good to you.'¹²But they will say, 'This is no use. We will act according to our own plans. Each one of us will do what his evil, stubborn heart desires.'

¹³Therefore Yahweh says this,

'Ask the nations,

who has ever heard of such a thing as this?

The virgin Israel has committed a horrible act.

¹⁴Does the snow in Lebanon

ever leave the rocky hills on its sides?

Are the mountain streams coming from far away

ever destroyed, those cold streams?

¹⁵Yet my people have forgotten me.

They have made offerings to useless idols

and been made to stumble in their paths;

they have left the ancient paths

to walk lesser paths.

¹⁶Their land will become a horror,

an object of everlasting hissing.

Everyone who passes by her

will be astonished and shake his head.

¹⁷I will scatter them before their enemies

like an eastern wind.

I will show them my back, and not my face,

on the day of their disaster.'"

¹⁸So the people said, "Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, since the law will never perish from the priests, or advice from the wise men, or words from the prophets. Come, let us attack him with our words and no longer pay attention to anything he proclaims."

¹⁹Pay attention to me, Yahweh,

and listen to the voice of my enemies.

²⁰Will disaster from them really be my reward

for being good to them?

For they have dug a pit for me.

Remember how I stood before you to speak for their welfare,

to cause your fury to turn away from them.

²¹Therefore give their children over to famine,

and give them to the hands of those who use the sword.

So let their women become bereaved and widows,

and their men be killed,

and their young men killed by the sword in battle.

²²Let a distressed shout be heard from their houses,

as you suddenly bring raiders against them.

For they have dug a pit to capture me

and have hidden traps for my feet.

²³But you, Yahweh

you know all of their plans against me to kill me.

Do not forgive their iniquities.

Do not wipe their sins away from you.

Let them be overthrown before you.

Act against them in the time of your wrath.

¹Yahweh said this, "Go and purchase a potter's clay flask while you are with the elders of the people and the priests.²Then go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom at the entry of the Broken Pottery Gate, and there proclaim the words that I will tell you.³Say, 'Hear the word of Yahweh, kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, "See, I am about to bring disaster on this place, and the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.

⁴I will do this because they have abandoned me and profaned this place. In this place they offer sacrifices to other gods that they did not know. They, their ancestors, and the kings of Judah have also filled this place with innocent blood.⁵They built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to him—something that I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.

⁶Therefore, see, the days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when this place will no longer be called Topheth, the Valley of Ben Hinnom, for it will be the Valley of Slaughter.⁷In this place I will make the plans of Judah and Jerusalem useless. I will make them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of the ones seeking their lives. Then I will give their corpses as food to the birds of the heavens and the wild animals of the earth.⁸Then I will make this city a ruin and the object of hissing, for everyone passing by it will be astonished and hiss regarding all of its plagues.⁹I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters; each man will consume the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and the ones seeking their lives distress them."'

¹⁰Then you will break the clay flask in the sight of the men who went with you.¹¹You will say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts says this: I will do this same thing to this people and this city—this is Yahweh's declaration—just as Jeremiah shattered the clay flask so that it could not be repaired again. People will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no place left for any more dead.

¹²This is what I will do to this place and its inhabitants when I make this city like Topheth—this is Yahweh's declaration—¹³so the houses of Jerusalem and of the kings of Judah will become like Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops the unclean people worship all the stars of the heavens and pour out drink offerings to other gods.'"

¹⁴Then Jeremiah went from Topheth, where Yahweh had sent him to prophesy. He stood in the courtyard of the house of Yahweh and he said to all the people,¹⁵"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'See, I am about to bring to this city and to all of its towns all the disaster that I have proclaimed against it, since they stiffened their neck and refused to listen to my words.'"

¹Pashhur son of Immer the priest—he was a leading officer—heard Jeremiah prophesying these words before the house of Yahweh.²So Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet and then placed him in the stocks that were at the Upper Gate of Benjamin in the house of Yahweh.

³It happened on the next day that Pashhur brought Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, "Yahweh has not called your name Pashhur, but you are Magor Missabib.⁴For Yahweh says this, 'Look, I will make you an object of horror, you and all of your loved ones, for they will fall by the sword of their enemies and your eyes will see it. I will give all of Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. He will make them captives in Babylon or attack them with the sword.

⁵I will give him all the wealth of this city and all the products of its labor, all of its precious items, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. I will place these things in the hand of your enemies, and they will plunder them. They will seize them and bring them to Babylon.⁶But you, Pashhur, and all the inhabitants of your house will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon and die there. You and all of your loved ones to whom you prophesied deceitful things will be buried there.'"

⁷"Yahweh, you deceived me, and I was deceived.

You are stronger than I,

and you overpowered me.

I have become a laughingstock all day long;

everyone mocks me.

⁸For whenever I have spoken,

I have called out and proclaimed,

'Violence and destruction.'

So the word of Yahweh

has brought me insult and mocking all the day.

⁹If I say, 'I will not think about Yahweh anymore.

I will not speak any longer in his name.'

Then it is like a burning fire in my heart,

held within my bones.

So I struggle to contain it but I cannot.

¹⁰I have heard rumors of terror

from many people all around.

'Report! We must report it!'

Every one of my men of peace

watches to see if I will fall.

'Perhaps he can be tricked.

If so, we can overpower him

and take our revenge on him.'

¹¹But Yahweh is with me like a terrifying warrior,

so the ones pursuing me will stagger.

They will not defeat me.

They will be greatly ashamed,

because they will not succeed.

They will have unending shame,

it will never be forgotten.

¹²But Yahweh of hosts,

you examine the righteous

and see the mind and the heart.

Let me see your vengeance on them

for I have committed my cause to you.

¹³Sing to Yahweh!

Praise Yahweh!

For he has rescued the lives of those

who are oppressed from the hand of evildoers.

¹⁴Let the day when I was born be cursed.

Do not let the day that my mother bore me be blessed.

¹⁵Let the man who brought the joyful news

to my father be cursed,

the one who said,

'A male child has been born to you,' causing great joy.

¹⁶Let that man be like the cities that Yahweh overthrew

and he did not have compassion on them.

Let him hear a cry for help in the dawn,

a battle cry at noontime,

¹⁷because he did not kill me in the womb,

making my mother to be my tomb,

a womb that was pregnant forever.

¹⁸Why is it that I came out from the womb

to see troubles and agony,

so that my days are filled with shame?"

¹The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest to him, and they said,²"Seek advice from Yahweh on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war on us. Perhaps Yahweh will do miracles for us, as in times past, and will make him withdraw from us."

³So Jeremiah said to them, "This is what you must say to Zedekiah,⁴'Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to turn back the instruments of war that are in your hand, with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are closing you in from outside the walls! For I will gather them in the middle of this city.⁵Then I myself will fight against you with a raised hand and a strong arm, and with wrath, fury, and great anger.

⁶For I will attack the inhabitants of this city, both man and animal. They will die in a severe plague.⁷After this—this is Yahweh's declaration—Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, the people, and whoever remains in this city after the plague, the sword, and the famine, I will give them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those seeking their life. Then he will kill them with the edge of the sword. He will not pity them, spare them, or have compassion.'

⁸Then to this people you must say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to place before you the way of life and the way of death.⁹Anyone staying in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague; but anyone going out and falling on his knees before the Chaldeans who have closed in against you will live. His life will be his loot.¹⁰For I have set my face against this city in order to bring disaster and not to bring good—this is Yahweh's declaration. It has been given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it.'

¹¹Concerning the house of the king of Judah, listen to the word of Yahweh.¹²House of David, Yahweh says,

'Bring about justice in the morning.

Rescue the one who has been robbed

by the hand of the oppressor,

or my fury will go out like fire and burn,

and there is no one who can quench it,

because of the wickedness of your practices.

¹³See, inhabitant of the valley!

I am against you, rock of the plain—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

I am against anyone who is saying,

"Who will come down to attack us?"

or "Who will enter our houses?"

¹⁴I have assigned the fruit of your practices

to come against you—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

and I will light a fire in the thickets,

and it will consume everything around it.'"

¹This is what Yahweh says, "Go down to the house of the king of Judah and proclaim this word there.²Say, 'King of Judah, listen to the word of Yahweh—you who sit on David's throne—you, and your servants, and your people who come through these gates.³Yahweh says this, "Perform justice and righteousness, and anyone who has been robbed—rescue him from the hand of the oppressor. Do not mistreat any foreigner in your land, or any orphan or widow. Do not commit violence or pour out innocent blood in this place.

⁴For if you truly do these things, then kings sitting on David's throne will enter the gates of this house riding in a chariot and on horses—he, his servants, and his people!⁵But if you do not listen to these words, then I have sworn by myself—this is Yahweh's declaration—that this royal house will become a ruin."'

⁶For Yahweh says this concerning the house of the king of Judah,

'You are like Gilead,

or like the summit of Lebanon to me.

Yet I will turn you into a wilderness,

into cities with no inhabitants.

⁷For I have appointed destroyers to come against you!

Men with their weapons

will cut off the best of your cedars

and let them fall into the fire.

⁸Then many nations will pass by this city. Each person will say to the next, "Why has Yahweh acted in this way toward this great city?"⁹Then the other will answer, "Because they abandoned the covenant of Yahweh their God and bowed down to other gods and worshiped them."

¹⁰Do not weep for the one who is dead

or mourn for him;

but weep bitterly for him who is about to go away,

because he will never return

and see the land of his birth again.'

¹¹For Yahweh says this about Shallum son of Josiah king of Judah, who served as king instead of Josiah his father, 'He has gone from this place and will not come back.¹²He will die there in the place to where they have exiled him, and he will never again see this land.'

¹³Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,

his upper rooms by injustice,

who makes his neighbor work for him for nothing,

and he does not give him his wages;

¹⁴he says, 'I will build for myself a large house

with spacious upper rooms.'

So he cuts out large windows for it,

and he panels it with cedar, and he paints it red.

¹⁵Is this what makes you a good king,

that you wanted to have boards of cedar?

Did not your father also eat and drink,

yet do justice and righteousness?

Then things went well for him.

¹⁶He judged in favor of the poor and needy.

It was good then.

Is this not what it means to know me?

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁷But there is nothing in your eyes and heart

except worry for your unjust profit

and for pouring out innocent blood,

for producing oppression and crushing of others.

¹⁸Therefore this is what Yahweh says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:

They will not lament for him, saying,

'Woe, my brother!' or 'Woe, my sister!'

They will not lament for him, saying,

'Woe, master!' or 'Woe, majesty!'

¹⁹He will be buried with a donkey's burial,

dragged away and thrown out

beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

²⁰Go up Lebanon's mountains and shout.

Lift your voice in Bashan.

Shout from the Abarim mountains,

for all of your friends will be destroyed.

²¹I spoke to you when you were safe,

but you said, 'I will not listen.'

This was your custom since your youth,

for you have not listened to my voice.

²²The wind will shepherd away all your shepherds,

and your friends will go into captivity.

Then you will certainly be ashamed and humiliated

by all of your evil deeds.

²³You who live in 'Lebanon,'

who is nestled in cedar buildings,

how you will be pitied when the labor pains come upon you,

pain like that of a woman in labor!

²⁴"As I live—this is Yahweh's declaration—even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on my right hand, I would tear you off.²⁵For I have given you to the hand of the ones seeking your life and to the hand of those before whom you are afraid, even to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Chaldeans.²⁶I will throw you and your mother who bore you into another land, a country where you were not born, and there you will die.

²⁷About this land to which they will want to return, they will not come back here.

²⁸Is this a despised and shattered vessel?

Is this man Jehoiachin a pot that pleases no one?

Why have they thrown him and his descendants out,

and have poured them out into a land that they did not know?

²⁹Land, Land, Land!

Hear the word of Yahweh!

³⁰Yahweh says this,

'Write about this man Jehoiachin:

He will be childless.

He will not prosper during his days,

and no one among his descendants

will achieve success

or ever again sit on David's throne

and rule over Judah.'"

¹"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture—this is Yahweh's declaration."²Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this concerning the shepherds who are shepherding his people, "You have scattered my flock and have driven them away. You have not cared for them. So I am about to punish you for the wickedness of your practices—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all of the lands where I have driven them, and I will return them to a grazing place, where they will be fruitful and increase.⁴Then I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them so they will no longer fear or be dismayed. None of them will go missing—this is Yahweh's declaration.

⁵See, the days are coming

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—when I will raise up for David a righteous branch.

He will reign as king;

he will act wisely

and cause justice and righteousness in the land.

⁶In his days Judah will be rescued,

and Israel will live in security.

Then this is the name by which he will be called:

Yahweh is our righteousness.

⁷Therefore see, days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when they will no longer say, 'As Yahweh lives, who brought the people of Israel up from the land of Egypt.'⁸Instead they will say, 'As Yahweh lives, who brought up and who led back the descendants of the house of Israel from the northern land and all the lands where I had driven them.' Then they will live in their own land."

⁹Regarding the prophets,

my heart is broken in me,

and all of my bones tremble.

I have become like a drunk man,

like a man whom wine has overpowered,

because of Yahweh and his holy words.

¹⁰For the land is full of adulterers.

Because of the curse the land mourns.

The meadows in the wilderness dry up.

These prophets' paths are wicked;

their power is not used in a right manner.

¹¹"For both the prophets and the priests are polluted.

I even found their wickedness in my house!

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

¹²therefore their way will be

like a slippery place in the darkness.

They will be pushed down.

They will fall in it.

For I will send disaster against them

in the year of their punishment

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹³For I have seen the prophets in Samaria

doing what is repulsive:

They prophesied by Baal

and led my people Israel astray.

¹⁴Among the prophets in Jerusalem

I have seen horrible things:

They commit adultery and walk in deceit.

They strengthen the hands of evildoers;

no one turns back from his wickedness.

All of them have become like Sodom to me

and its inhabitants like Gomorrah!"

¹⁵Therefore Yahweh of hosts says this concerning the prophets,

"Look, I am about to make them eat wormwood

and drink poisonous water,

for pollution has gone out from the prophets of Jerusalem

to all the land."

¹⁶Yahweh of hosts says this,

"Do not listen to the words of the prophets

who prophesy to you.

They are leading you into vanity!

They are announcing visions from their own minds,

not from Yahweh's mouth.

¹⁷They are constantly saying to those who dishonor me,

'Yahweh declares there will be peace for you.'

For everyone walking

in the stubbornness of his own heart says,

'Disaster will not come upon you.'

¹⁸Yet who has stood in Yahweh's council meeting?

Who sees and hears his word?

Who pays attention to his word and listens?

¹⁹See, there is a storm coming from Yahweh!

His fury is going out, and a tempest is whirling about.

It is whirling around the heads of the wicked.

²⁰Yahweh's wrath will not return

until it has carried out

and brought into being his heart's purposes.

In the final days,

you will understand it.

²¹I did not send out these prophets,

but they ran.

I did not proclaim anything to them,

but they have still prophesied.

²²For if they had stood in my council meeting,

they would have caused my people to hear my word;

they would have caused them to turn from their wicked words

and from the wickedness of their practices.

²³Am I only a God nearby

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—and not also a God far away?

²⁴Can anyone hide in a secret place so I cannot see him?

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

and do I not fill the heavens and the earth?

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁵I have heard what the prophets have said, those who were prophesying deceit in my name. They said, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!'²⁶How long will this go on, prophets who prophesy lies from their minds, and who prophesy from the deceit in their hearts?²⁷They are planning on making my people forget my name with the dreams that they report, each one to his neighbor, just as their ancestors forgot my name in favor of Baal's name.

²⁸The prophet who has a dream, let him report the dream. But the one to whom I have declared something, let him declare my word truthfully. What does straw have to do with grain?—this is Yahweh's declaration—²⁹Is not my word like fire?—this is Yahweh's declaration—and like a hammer that shatters a rock into pieces?³⁰So see, I am against the prophets—this is Yahweh's declaration—anyone who steals words from another person and says they come from me.

³¹See, I am against the prophets—this is Yahweh's declaration—who use their tongues to prophesy proclamations.³²See, I am against the prophets who dream deceitfully—this is Yahweh's declaration—and then proclaim them and in this way mislead my people with their deceit and boasting. I am against them, for I have not sent them out nor given them commands. So they will certainly not help this people—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³³When these people, or a prophet, or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of Yahweh?' you will say to them, 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off'—this is Yahweh's declaration.³⁴As for the prophets, priests, and people who are saying, 'This is the burden of Yahweh' I will punish that man and his house.

³⁵You continue to say, each person to his neighbor and each man to his brother, 'What did Yahweh answer?' and 'What did Yahweh declare?'³⁶But you must no longer talk about the 'burden of Yahweh,' for the burden is every man's own word, and you have perverted the words of the living God, Yahweh of hosts, our God.

³⁷This is what you will say to the prophet, 'What answer did Yahweh give you?' or 'What did Yahweh say?'³⁸But if you say, 'The burden of Yahweh', this is what Yahweh says: 'Because you have said these words, 'The burden of Yahweh,' when I sent to you, saying, 'You will not say, "The burden of Yahweh,"'³⁹therefore, behold, I am about to pick you up and throw you away from me, along with the city that I gave you and your ancestors.⁴⁰Then I will put everlasting disgrace and everlasting shame on you that will not be forgotten.'"

¹Yahweh showed me something. Behold, two baskets of figs were placed before the temple of Yahweh. (This vision happened after Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took into exile Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, the officials of Judah, the craftsmen and the metalworkers from Jerusalem and brought them to Babylon.)²One basket of figs was very good, like first ripe figs, but the other basket of figs was so very bad that they could not be eaten.³Yahweh said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "Figs. Figs that are very good and figs that are so very bad they cannot be eaten."

⁴Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,⁵"Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: I will look on the exiles of Judah for their benefit, just like these good figs, the exiles whom I have sent out from this place to the land of Chaldea.⁶I will set my eyes on them for good and restore them to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down. I will plant them, and not uproot them.⁷Then I will give them a heart to know me, for I am Yahweh. They will be my people and I will be their God, so they will turn to me with all their heart.

⁸But like the bad figs that are too bad to be eaten—this is what Yahweh says—I will act in this way with Zedekiah, king of Judah, with his officials, and with the rest of Jerusalem who remain in this land or go to stay in the land of Egypt.⁹I will turn them into a terrifying thing, a disaster, in the sight of all the kingdoms on earth, a disgrace and a subject for proverbs, taunts, and curses in every place where I will have driven them.¹⁰I will send out sword, famine, and plague against them, until they are destroyed from the land that I gave them and their ancestors."

¹This is the word that came to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah. It came in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. That was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.²Jeremiah the prophet proclaimed this to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

³He said, "For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah until this day, Yahweh's words have been coming to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.⁴Yahweh sent out all his servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or turned your ear to hear.

⁵These prophets said, 'Let each man turn from his wicked way and the wickedness of his practices and return to the land that Yahweh gave in ancient times to your ancestors and to you, as a permanent gift.⁶So do not walk after other gods to worship them or bow down to them, and do not provoke him with the work of your hands so that he does you harm.'

⁷But you have not listened to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so you have provoked me with the work of your hands to do harm to you.⁸So Yahweh of hosts says this, 'Because you did not listen to my words,⁹see, I am about to send out a command to gather all the peoples of the north—this is Yahweh's declaration—with Nebuchadnezzar my servant, king of Babylon, and bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all the nations around you. For I will set them apart for destruction. I will turn them into a horror, an object for hissing, and an unending desolation.

¹⁰I will put an end to the sound of joy and sound of gladness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.¹¹Then all of this land will become a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

¹²Then it will happen when seventy years have been completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans—this is Yahweh's declaration—for their iniquity and make it an unending desolation.¹³Then I will carry out against that land all the words that I had spoken, and everything written in this book that Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.¹⁴For also many other nations and great kings will make slaves out of these nations. I will repay them for their deeds and the works of their hands.'"

¹⁵For Yahweh, God of Israel, said this to me, "Take this cup of the wine of fury from my hand and make all the nations to which I am sending you drink it.¹⁶For they will drink and then stagger about and rant madly before the sword that I am sending out among them."

¹⁷So I took the cup from Yahweh's hand, and I made all the nations to which Yahweh had sent me drink it:¹⁸Jerusalem, the cities of Judah and her kings and officials—to turn them into ruins and a waste, and into an object for hissing and cursing, as they are at this present day.

¹⁹Other nations also had to drink it: Pharaoh king of Egypt and his servants; his officials and all his people;²⁰all people of mixed heritage and all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of the Philistines—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;²¹Edom and Moab and the people of Ammon.

²²The kings of Tyre and Sidon, the kings of the coasts on the other side of the sea,²³Dedan, Tema, and Buz with all the ones who cut the hair on the sides of their heads very short, they also had to drink it.

²⁴All the kings of Arabia and all the kings of people of mixed heritage who live in the wilderness;²⁵all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes;²⁶all the kings of the north, the ones close by and the ones far away—everyone with his brother and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the surface of the earth, all of them had to drink the cup from Yahweh's hand. Finally, the king of Babylon will also drink from that cup.

²⁷Yahweh said to me, "Now you must say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Drink and become drunk, then vomit, fall down, and do not rise before the sword that I am sending among you.'²⁸Then it will happen that if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, you will say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts says this: You must certainly drink it.²⁹For see, I am about to bring disaster on the city that is called by my name, and should you yourselves be free from punishment? You will not be free, for I am calling a sword against all the inhabitants of the land!—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.'

³⁰You must prophesy all these words against them, and say to them,

'Yahweh will roar from the heights

and he will shout with his voice from his holy dwelling,

and he will roar mightily against his fold;

and he will shout, like those who tread the grapes

against all those who live on the earth.

³¹The sound of battle will resound to the ends of the earth,

for Yahweh brings charges against the nations,

and he brings judgment on all flesh,

and the wicked ones he will put to the sword

—this is Yahweh's declaration.'

³²Yahweh of hosts says this,

'See, disaster is going out from nation to nation,

and a great storm is beginning

from the farthest parts of the earth.

³³Then those killed by Yahweh will on that day extend from one end of the earth to the other; they will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung on the ground.

³⁴Wail, shepherds, and shout for help!

Roll about in the dust, you noblemen of the flock,

for the days of your slaughter have come;

you will be scattered when you fall like fine pottery.

³⁵There is no refuge for the shepherds,

there will be no escape for the noblemen of the flock.

³⁶Hear the outcry of the shepherds

and the wails of the noblemen of the flock,

for Yahweh is destroying their pastures.

³⁷So the peaceful pastures will be devastated

because of Yahweh's fierce anger.

³⁸Like a young lion, he has left his den,

for their land will become a horror

because of the oppressor's anger,

because of his angry wrath.'" ¹

¹Instead of the oppressor's anger , some ancient Hebrew copies and some modern translations have the oppressor's sword .

¹In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from Yahweh, saying,²"Yahweh says this: Stand in the courtyard of my house and speak about all the cities of Judah who come to worship at my house. Proclaim all the words that I have commanded you to say to them. Do not cut short any word!³It may be that they will listen, that each man will turn from his wicked ways, so I will relent concerning the disaster that I am planning to bring on them because of the wickedness of their deeds.

⁴So you must say to them, 'Yahweh says this: If you do not listen to me so as to walk in my law that I have placed before you—⁵if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I am persistently sending to you—but you have not listened!—⁶then I will make this house like Shiloh; I will turn this city into a curse in the sight of all the nations on earth.'"

⁷The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah announcing these words in the house of Yahweh.⁸So it happened that when Jeremiah had finished announcing all that Yahweh commanded him to say to all the people, the priests, prophets, and all the people seized him and said, "You will certainly die!⁹Why have you prophesied in Yahweh's name and said that this house will become like Shiloh and this city will become desolate, with no inhabitant?" For all the people had assembled together against Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh.

¹⁰Then the officials of Judah heard these words and went up from the house of the king to the house of Yahweh. They sat in the gateway at the New Gate of the house of Yahweh.¹¹The priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people. They said, "It is right for this man to die, for he prophesied against this city, just as you heard with your own ears!"¹²So Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people and said, "Yahweh has sent me out to prophesy against this house and this city, to say all the words that you have heard.

¹³So now, improve your ways and your practices, and listen to the voice of Yahweh your God so that he will relent concerning the disaster that he has proclaimed against you.¹⁴I myself—look at me!—am in your hand. Do to me what is good and right in your eyes.¹⁵But you must surely know that if you kill me, then you are bringing innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and its inhabitants, for Yahweh has truly sent me to you to proclaim all these words for your ears."

¹⁶Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, "It is not right for this man to die, for he has proclaimed things to us in the name of Yahweh our God."¹⁷Then men from the elders of the land rose up and spoke to the entire assembly of the people.

¹⁸They said, "Micah of Moresheth was prophesying in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He spoke to all the people of Judah and said, 'Yahweh of hosts says this:

Zion will become a plowed field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

and the hill of the temple will become a thicket.'

¹⁹Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear Yahweh and appease the face of Yahweh so that Yahweh would relent concerning the disaster that he proclaimed to them? So will we do greater evil against our own lives?"

²⁰Meanwhile there was another man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh—Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim—he also prophesied against this city and this land, agreeing with all of Jeremiah's words.²¹But when King Jehoiakim and all his soldiers and officials heard his word, then the king tried to put him to death, but Uriah heard and was afraid, so he ran away and went to Egypt.

²²Then King Jehoiakim sent out men to go to Egypt—Elnathan son of Akbor and men to go into Egypt after Uriah.²³They took Uriah out from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim. Then Jehoiakim killed him with a sword and sent his corpse out to the graves of the ordinary people.²⁴But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so he was not given into the hand of the people to be put to death.

¹In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh. ¹²This is what Yahweh said to me, "Make fetters and a yoke for yourself. Place them on your neck.³Then send them out to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the people of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon. Send them by the hand of those kings' ambassadors who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.⁴Give commands to them for their masters and say, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: This is what you must say to your masters,

⁵"I myself made the earth by my great strength and my raised arm. I also made men and animals on the earth, and I give it to anyone who is right in my eyes.⁶So now, I myself am giving all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, my servant. Also, I am giving the living things in the fields to him to serve him.⁷For all the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his land comes. Then many nations and great kings will subdue him.

⁸So the nation and the kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and that does not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon—I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with the plague—this is Yahweh's declaration—until I have destroyed it by his hand.

⁹So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, and sorcerers, who have been speaking to you and saying, 'Do not serve the king of Babylon.'¹⁰For they are prophesying deceit to you in order to send you far away from your lands, for I will drive you away, and you will die.¹¹But the nation that places its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, I will allow it to rest in its land—this is Yahweh's declaration—and they will cultivate it and make their homes in it."'"

¹²So I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah and gave him this message, "Place your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and you will live.¹³Why will you die—you and your people—by the sword, famine, and plague, just as I have declared about the nation that refuses to serve the king of Babylon?

¹⁴Do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you and say, 'Do not serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying lies to you.¹⁵'For I have not sent them out—this is Yahweh's declaration—for they are prophesying deceit in my name so that I will drive you out and you will perish, both you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.'"

¹⁶I proclaimed this to the priests and all the people and said, "Yahweh says this: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you and say, 'Look! The objects belonging to the house of Yahweh are being returned from Babylon now!' They are prophesying lies to you.¹⁷Do not listen to them. You should serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a ruin?¹⁸If they are prophets, and if the word of Yahweh has truly come to them, let them beg Yahweh of hosts not to send to Babylon the objects that remain in his house, the house of the king of Judah, and Jerusalem.

¹⁹Yahweh of hosts says this about the pillars, the large basin known as "The Sea" and its base, and the rest of the objects that remain in this city—²⁰the objects that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

²¹Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this about the objects that remain in the house of Yahweh, the house of the king of Judah, and Jerusalem,²²'They will be brought to Babylon, and they will remain there until the day I have set to come for them—this is Yahweh's declaration—then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.'"

¹Although most Hebrew copies have Jehoiakim , most modern translations have Zedekiah , because the events in this chapter occur during his reign.

¹It happened in that year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and the fifth month, Hananiah son of Azzur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of Yahweh in front of the priests and all the people. He said,²"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: I have broken the yoke imposed by the king of Babylon.

³Within two years I will bring back to this place all the objects belonging to the house of Yahweh house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and transported to Babylon.⁴Then I will bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the captives of Judah who were sent to Babylon—this is Yahweh's declaration—for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon."

⁵So Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Hananiah the prophet in front of the priests and to all the people who stood in the house of Yahweh.⁶Jeremiah the prophet said, "Let it be so! May Yahweh confirm the words that you prophesied and bring back to this place the objects belonging to the house of Yahweh and all the captives from Babylon.⁷However, listen to the word that I am proclaiming in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.

⁸The prophets who existed before me and you from long ago also prophesied about many nations and against great kingdoms, about war, famine ¹ , and plague.⁹So the prophet who prophesies that there will be peace—if his word comes true, then it will be known that he is indeed a prophet sent out by Yahweh."

¹⁰But Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.¹¹Then Hananiah spoke in front of all the people and said, "Yahweh says this: Just like this, within two years I will break from off the neck of every nation the yoke imposed by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon." Then Jeremiah the prophet went on his way.

¹²After Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,¹³"Go and speak to Hananiah and say, 'Yahweh says this: You broke yokes of wood, and in their place you have made yokes of iron.'¹⁴For Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: I have placed a yoke of iron on the neck of all of these nations to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I have also given him the wild beasts in the fields to rule over."

¹⁵Next Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, "Listen Hananiah! Yahweh has not sent you, but you yourself have caused this people to trust in a lie.¹⁶So Yahweh says this: Look, I am about to send you out from the earth. You will die this year, since you proclaimed rebellion against Yahweh."¹⁷In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

¹Some ancient copies have disaster instead of famine .

¹These are the words in the scroll that Jeremiah the prophet sent out from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the captives and to the priests, prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon.²This was after Jehoiachin the king, the queen mother, and the high officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen had been sent away from Jerusalem.³He sent this scroll by the hand of Elasah son of Shapan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah whom Zedekiah, king of Judah, had sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

⁴The scroll said, "Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this to all the captives whom I caused to be exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon,⁵'Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit.

⁶Take wives and give birth to sons and daughters. Then take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands. Let them give birth to sons and daughters and increase there so you do not become too few.⁷Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be exiled, and intercede with me on its behalf since there will be peace for you if it is at peace.'

⁸For Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that you encourage them to dream.⁹For they are prophesying deceitfully to you in my name. I did not send them—this is Yahweh's declaration.'

¹⁰For Yahweh says this, 'When Babylon has ruled you for seventy years, I will help you and carry out my good word for you to bring you back to this place.¹¹For I myself know the plans that I have for you—this is Yahweh's declaration—plans for peace and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

¹²Then you will call to me, and go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.¹³For you will seek me and find me, since you will seek me with all your heart.¹⁴Then I will be found by you—this is Yahweh's declaration—and I will reverse your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and places where I scattered you—this is Yahweh's declaration—for I will bring you back to the place from where I caused you to be exiled.'

¹⁵Since you said that Yahweh has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,¹⁶Yahweh says this to the king who sits on the throne of David and to all the people who are staying in that city, your brothers who have not gone out with you into captivity—¹⁷Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, I am about to send sword, famine, and plague on them. For I will make them like rotten figs that are too bad to be eaten.

¹⁸Then I will pursue them with sword, famine, and plague and make them a terrifying thing to all the kingdoms on earth—a horror, an object of curses and hissing, and a shameful thing among all the nations where I scattered her.¹⁹This is because they did not listen to my word—this is Yahweh's declaration—that I sent out to them through my servants the prophets. I repeatedly sent them, but you would not listen—this is Yahweh's declaration.'

²⁰So you yourselves listen to the word of Yahweh, all you exiles whom he has sent out from Jerusalem to Babylon,

²¹'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who prophesy falsely to you in my name: See, I am about to put them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He will kill them before your eyes.

²²Then a curse will be spoken about these persons by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon. The curse will say: "May Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in fire."²³This will happen because of the disgraceful things they did in Israel when they committed adultery with their neighbor's wives and declared false words in my name, things that I never commanded them to say. For I am the one who knows; I am the witness—this is Yahweh's declaration.'"

²⁴About Shemaiah the Nehelamite, say this:²⁵"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Because you sent out letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, and said,²⁶'Yahweh has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, for you to be the overseer of the house of Yahweh. You are in control of all the people who rave and make themselves into prophets. You should put them in stocks and chains.

²⁷So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself into a prophet against you?²⁸For he has sent to us in Babylon and said, 'It will be a long time. Build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit."'"²⁹Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

³⁰Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,³¹"Send word to all the exiles and say, 'Yahweh says this about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you when I myself did not send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie,³²therefore Yahweh says this: Look, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be a man for him to stay among this people. He will not see the good that I will do for my people—this is Yahweh's declaration—for he has proclaimed rebellion against Yahweh.'"

¹The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,²"This is what Yahweh, God of Israel, says, 'Write in a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you.³For look, days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when I will reverse the captivity of my people, Israel and Judah. I, Yahweh, have said it. For I will bring them back to the land that I gave their ancestors, and they will possess it.'"

⁴These are the words that Yahweh declared concerning Israel and Judah,⁵"For Yahweh says this,

'We have heard a trembling voice

of dread and not of peace.

⁶Ask and see if a man bears a child.

Why do I see every young man with his hand on his loins

like a woman bearing a child?

Why have all their faces become pale?

⁷Woe! For that day will be great,

with none like it.

It will be a time of distress for Jacob,

but he will be rescued from it.

⁸For it will be in that day

—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts

—that I will break the yoke off your neck,

and I will shatter your chains,

so foreigners will no longer enslave you.

⁹But they will worship Yahweh their God

and serve David their king,

whom I will make king over them.

¹⁰So you, my servant Jacob, do not fear

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—and do not be dismayed, Israel.

For see, I am about to deliver you from the faraway place,

and your descendants from the land of captivity.

Jacob will return and be at ease;

he will rest secure,

and there will be no more terror.

¹¹For I am with you

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—to save you.

Then I will bring a complete end

to all the nations where I have scattered you.

But I will certainly not put an end to you,

though I discipline you justly

and will certainly not leave you unpunished.'

¹²For Yahweh says this,

'Your injury is incurable;

your wound is infected.

¹³There is no one to plead your case;

there is no remedy for your wound to heal you.

¹⁴All of your lovers have forgotten you.

They will not look for you,

for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy

and the discipline of a cruel master

because of your many iniquities

and your numerous sins.

¹⁵Why do you call for help for your injury?

Your pain is incurable.

Because of your many iniquities,

your numerous sins,

I have done these things to you.

¹⁶So everyone who consumes you

will be consumed,

and all of your adversaries will go into captivity.

For the ones who have plundered you

will become plunder,

and I will make all of the ones despoiling you a spoil.

¹⁷For I will bring healing on you;

I will heal you of your wounds

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

I will do this because they called you:

Outcast. No one cares for this Zion.'"

¹⁸Yahweh says this,

"See, I am about to bring back

the fortunes of Jacob's tents

and have compassion on his homes.

Then a city will be built on the heap of ruins,

and a stronghold will exist again where it used to be.

¹⁹Then a song of praise and a sound of merriment

will go out from them,

for I will increase them and not diminish them;

I will honor them so they will not be humbled.

²⁰Then their people will be like before,

and their assembly will be established before me

when I punish all the ones

who are now oppressing them.

²¹Their ruler will come from among them.

He will emerge from their midst

when I draw him near and when he approaches me.

If I do not do this,

who would dare come close to me?

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²²Then you will be my people,

and I will be your God.

²³See, the tempest of Yahweh,

his fury, has gone out.

It is a continual tempest.

It will whirl on the heads of the wicked people.

²⁴Yahweh's wrath will not return

until it has carried out and brought into being

his heart's purposes.

In the final days,

you will understand it."

¹"At that time—this is Yahweh's declaration—I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people."

²Yahweh says this,

"The people who have survived the sword

have found favor in the wilderness;

I will go out to give rest to Israel."

³Yahweh appeared to me in the past and said,

"I have loved you, Israel, with everlasting love.

So I have drawn you toward myself

with covenant faithfulness.

⁴I will build you up again

so you will be built, virgin Israel.

You will again pick up your tambourine

and go out with happy dances.

⁵You will plant vineyards again

on the mountains of Samaria;

the farmers will plant and put the fruit to good use.

⁶For a day will come

when the watchmen in the mountains of Ephraim will proclaim,

'Arise, let us go up to Zion to Yahweh our God.'

⁷For Yahweh says this,

"Shout for joy over Jacob!

Shout in gladness for the chief people of the nations!

Let praise be heard.

Say, 'Yahweh has rescued his people, the remnant of Israel.'

⁸See, I am about to bring them from the northern lands.

I will gather them from the farthest parts of the earth.

The blind and lame will be among them;

pregnant women and those who are about to give birth

will be with them.

A great assembly will return here.

⁹They will come weeping;

I will lead them as they make their pleas.

I will have them journey to streams of water

on a straight road.

They will not stumble on it,

for I will be a Father to Israel,

and Ephraim will be my firstborn.

¹⁰"Hear the word of Yahweh, nations.

Report along the coasts in the distance.

You nations must say,

'The one who scattered Israel is gathering her up

and keeping her as a shepherd keeps his sheep.'

¹¹For Yahweh has ransomed Jacob

and has redeemed him from the hand

that was too strong for him.

¹²Then they will come and rejoice on the heights of Zion.

Their faces will shine because of Yahweh's goodness,

over the grain and the new wine,

over the oil and the offspring of the flocks and herds.

For their lives will become like a watered garden,

and they will never again feel any more sorrow.

¹³Then virgins will rejoice with dancing,

and young and old men will be together.

For I will change their mourning into celebration.

I will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.

¹⁴Then I will saturate the lives of the priests

with abundance.

My people will fill themselves with my goodness

—this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹⁵Yahweh says this

"A voice is heard in Ramah,

wailing and bitter weeping.

It is Rachel weeping for her children.

She refuses to be comforted over them,

for they live no longer."

¹⁶Yahweh says this,

"Hold your voice back from weeping

and your eyes from tears;

there is a reward for your work

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—your children will return from the land of the enemy.

¹⁷There is hope for your future

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—your descendants will return inside their borders.

¹⁸"I have certainly heard Ephraim sorrowing,

'You punished me,

and I have been punished like an untrained calf.

Bring me back and I will be brought back,

for you are Yahweh my God.

¹⁹For after I turned back to you, I repented;

after I was trained, I slapped my thigh.

I was ashamed and humiliated,

for I have borne the disgrace of my youth.'

²⁰Is not Ephraim my precious child?

Is he not my dear, delightful son?

For whenever I speak against him,

I certainly still call him to my loving mind.

In this way my heart longs for him.

I will certainly have compassion on him

—this is Yahweh's declaration."

²¹Place road signs for yourself.

Set up guideposts for yourself.

Set your mind on the right path,

the way you should take.

Come back, virgin Israel!

Come back to these cities of yours.

²²How long will you waver, faithless daughter?

For Yahweh has created something new on earth

—a woman surrounds a strong man.

²³Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says this, "When I reverse their captivity, they will say this in the land of Judah and its cities, 'May Yahweh bless you, you righteous place where he lives, you holy mountain.'²⁴For Judah and all its cities will live together there, as will farmers and those who set out with flocks.²⁵For I will cause those who are weary to drink their fill, and I fill up those who are faint."²⁶After this I awoke, and I realized that my sleep had been refreshing.

²⁷"Look, the days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when I will sow the houses of Israel and Judah with the seed of man and the seed of animals.²⁸In the past, I kept them under surveillance in order to uproot them and to tear them down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring them harm. But in the coming days, I will watch over them, in order to build them up and to plant them—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁹In those days no one will say any longer,

'Fathers have eaten sour grapes,

but the children's teeth are dulled.'

³⁰For each man will die in his own iniquity; everyone who eats sour grapes, his teeth will be dulled.

³¹Look, the days are coming—

this is Yahweh's declaration—

when I will establish a new covenant

with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

³²It will not be like the covenant

that I established with their fathers in the days

when I took them by their hand

to bring them out from the land of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

although I was a husband for them—

this is Yahweh's declaration.

³³This is the covenant

that I will establish with the house of Israel

after these days

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

I will place my law within them

and will write it on their heart,

for I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

³⁴Then each man will no longer teach his neighbor,

or a man teach his brother and say, 'Know Yahweh!'

For all of them will know me,

from the smallest of them to the greatest

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

for I will forgive their iniquity

and will no longer call their sins to mind."

³⁵Yahweh says this,

it is he who gives the sun for light by day

and the ordinance of the moon and stars

for light by night.

He is the one who sets the sea in motion

so that its waves roar—

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

³⁶"Only if these permanent things vanish from my sight

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

will Israel's descendants ever stop

from forever being a nation before me."

³⁷Yahweh says this,

"Only if the highest heavens can be measured,

and only if the earth's foundation below can be discovered,

will I reject all of Israel's descendants

because of all that they have done

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³⁸"Look, the days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when the city will be rebuilt for me, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.³⁹Then the measuring line will go out again farther, to the hill of Gareb and around Goah.⁴⁰The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the terraced fields going out to the Kidron Valley as far as the corner of the Horse Gate on the east, will be set apart for Yahweh. The city will not be pulled up or overthrown again, forever."

¹This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.²At that time, the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard at the house of the king of Judah.

³Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him and said, "Why do you prophesy and say, 'Yahweh says this: Look, I am about to give over this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.⁴Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, for he will certainly be given into the hand of the king of Babylon. His mouth will speak to the king's mouth, and his eyes will see the king's eyes.⁵He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will remain there until I have dealt with him—this is Yahweh's declaration. Though you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.'?"

⁶Jeremiah said, "The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,⁷'Look, Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you and will say, "Buy my field that is in Anathoth for yourself, for the right of redemption belongs to you."'"

⁸Then, as Yahweh had declared, Hanamel, the son of my uncle, came to me in the courtyard of the guard, and he said to me, "Buy my field that is in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of inheritance is yours, and the right of redemption belongs to you. Buy it for yourself." Then I knew that this was Yahweh's word.⁹So I bought the field in Anathoth from Hanamel, the son of my uncle, and I weighed out for him the silver, seventeen shekels in weight.

¹⁰Then I wrote in a scroll and sealed it, and had witnesses witness it. Then I weighed the silver in the scales.¹¹Next I took the deed of purchase that was sealed, following the command and the statutes, as well as the unsealed deed.¹²I gave the sealed scroll to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah in front of Hanamel, the son of my uncle, and the witnesses who had written in the sealed scroll, and in front of all the Jews who sat in the courtyard of the guard.

¹³So I gave a command to Baruch before them. I said,¹⁴"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Take these documents, both this receipt of purchase that is sealed and the unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last for a long time.¹⁵For Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land."

¹⁶After I gave the receipt of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to Yahweh and said,

¹⁷"Woe, Lord Yahweh! Look! You alone have made the heavens and the earth by your great strength and with your raised arm. Nothing you say is too difficult for you to do.¹⁸You show steadfast love to thousands and pour the guilt of fathers into the laps of their children after them. You are the great and mighty God; Yahweh of hosts is your name.

¹⁹You are great in wise counsel and mighty in deeds, for your eyes are open to all the ways of people, to give to each man what his conduct and deeds deserve.²⁰You did signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. To this present day here in Israel and among all mankind, you have made your name famous.²¹For you brought your people Israel out from the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand, with a raised arm, and with great terror.

²²Then you gave them this land—which you had sworn to their ancestors to give to them—a land flowing with milk and honey.²³So they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey your voice or live in obedience to your law. They did nothing of what you had commanded them to do, so you brought all this disaster on them.

²⁴Look! The siege mounds have reached up to the city to capture it. For because of sword, famine, and plague, the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. For what you have said would happen is happening, and see, you are watching.²⁵Then you, Lord Yahweh, said to me, "Purchase a field for yourself with silver and have witnesses witness it, even though this city is being given into the hand of the Chaldeans."

²⁶The word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,²⁷"Look! I am Yahweh, God of all mankind. Is anything too difficult for me to do?²⁸Therefore Yahweh says this, 'See, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will capture it.

²⁹The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come and set fire to this city and burn it, along with the houses on the roofs of which the people worshiped Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods in order to provoke me.³⁰For the people of Israel and Judah have certainly been people who have been doing evil before my eyes since their youth. The people of Israel have certainly provoked me to anger with the works of their hands—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³¹Yahweh declares that this city has been a provocation of my wrath and fury since the day that they built it. It has been that right up to this present day. So I will remove it from before my face³²because of all the wickedness of the people of Israel and Judah, the things that they have done to provoke me—they, their kings, princes, priests, prophets, and every person in Judah and inhabitant of Jerusalem.

³³They turned their backs to me instead of their faces. Though I persistently taught them, not one of them listened in order to receive correction.³⁴They set up their abominable idols in the house that is called by my name, to defile it.³⁵They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom in order to put their sons and daughters in the fire for Molech. I did not command them. It never entered my mind that they should do this detestable thing and so cause Judah to sin.'

³⁶So now therefore, I, Yahweh, the God of Israel, say this concerning this city, the city about which you are saying, 'It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, famine, and plague.'³⁷See, I am about to gather them from every land where I had driven them in my wrath, fury, and great anger. I am about to bring them back to this place and enable them to live in security.

³⁸Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.³⁹I will give them one heart and one way to honor me every day so it will be good for them and their descendants after them.⁴⁰Then I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. I will set honor for me in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from me.

⁴¹Then I will rejoice in doing good to them. I will faithfully plant them in this land with all my heart and all my life.

⁴²For Yahweh says this, 'Just as I have brought all this great disaster on this people, so I will bring on them all the good things that I have said I would do for them.

⁴³Then fields will be bought in this land, about which you are saying, "This is a ruined land, which has neither man nor animal. It has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans."⁴⁴They will buy fields with silver and write in sealed scrolls. They will assemble witnesses in the land of Benjamin, all around Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, in the cities in the hill country and in the lowlands, and in the cities of the Negev. For I will reverse their captivity—this is Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut within the courtyard of the guard, saying,²"Yahweh the maker, says this—Yahweh, who forms in order to establish—Yahweh is his name,³'Call to me, and I will answer you. I will demonstrate great things to you, mysteries that you do not understand.'

⁴For Yahweh, God of Israel, says this concerning the houses in this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that are torn down because of the siege ramps and the sword,⁵'The Chaldeans are coming to fight and to fill the houses with corpses of people whom I will kill in my wrath and fury, when I hide my face from this city because of all their wickedness.

⁶But see, I am about to bring healing and a cure, for I will heal them and will bring to them abundance, peace, and faithfulness.⁷For I will reverse the captivity of Judah and Israel; I will build them up as in the beginning.⁸Then I will purify them from all the iniquity that they have committed against me. I will pardon all the iniquities that they have done against me, and all the ways that they rebelled against me.⁹For this city will become for me a joyful name, a song of praise and honor for all the nations of the earth who will hear of all the good things that I am going to do for it. Then they will fear and tremble because of all the good things and the peace that I will give to it.'

¹⁰Yahweh says this, 'In this place about which you are now saying, "It is desolate, a place with neither man nor animal," in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, having neither man nor animal, there will be heard again¹¹the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride, the sound of those who say, while they bring thank offerings to the house of Yahweh,

"Give thanks to Yahweh of hosts, for Yahweh is good,

and his unfailing love lasts forever!"

For I will reverse the captivity of the land to what they were before,' says Yahweh.

¹²Yahweh of hosts says this: 'In this desolate place, where now there is neither man nor animal—in all its cities there will again be pastures where shepherds can rest their flocks.¹³In the cities in the hill country, the lowlands, and the Negev,in the land of Benjamin and all around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of the ones counting them,' says Yahweh.

¹⁴'Look! Days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when I will do what I have promised for the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

¹⁵In those days and in that time

I will make a righteous branch to grow for David,

and he will carry out justice and righteousness in the land.

¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved,

and Jerusalem will live in security,

for this is what she will be called,

"Yahweh is our righteousness."'

¹⁷For Yahweh says this: 'A man from David's line will never be lacking to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,¹⁸nor will a man from the Levitical priests be lacking before me to raise burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to perform sacrifices all the time.'"

¹⁹The word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,²⁰"Yahweh says this: 'If you can break my covenant with day and night so that there will no longer be day or night at their proper times,²¹then you will be able to break my covenant with David my servant, so that he will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests, my servants.²²As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted, and as the sand of the seashores cannot be measured, so I will increase the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who serve before me.'"

²³The word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,²⁴"Have you not considered what this people has declared when they said, 'The two families that Yahweh chose, now he has rejected them'? In this way they despise my people, saying that they are no longer a nation in their sight.

²⁵I, Yahweh, say this, 'If I have not established the covenant of day and night, and if I have not fixed the laws of heaven and earth,²⁶then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and not bring from them a person to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will reverse their captivity and show mercy to them.'"

¹The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all of his army, together with all the kingdoms of the earth, the domains under his dominion, and all their people were waging war against Jerusalem and all of her cities, saying:²"Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, 'Yahweh says this: Look, I am about to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon. He will burn it.³You will not escape from his hand, for you will certainly be seized and given into his hand. Your eyes will look at the eyes of the king of Babylon; he will speak directly to you as you go to Babylon.'

⁴Listen to the word of Yahweh, Zedekiah king of Judah! Yahweh says this concerning you, 'You will not die by the sword.⁵You will die in peace. As in the funeral burning of your ancestors, the kings who were before you, they will burn your body. They will say, "Woe, master!" They will lament for you. Now I have spoken—this is Yahweh's declaration.'"

⁶So Jeremiah the prophet proclaimed to Zedekiah king of Judah all these words in Jerusalem.⁷The army of the king of Babylon made war against Jerusalem and all the remaining cities of Judah: Lachish and Azekah. These cities of Judah remained as fortified cities.

⁸The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem, to proclaim freedom to them,⁹that each man must send away his Hebrew slaves free, both male and female, so no one was to make a slave of a Jew, who was his brother.

¹⁰So all the leaders and people entered into the covenant that each person would free his male and female slaves so that they would not be enslaved any longer. They obeyed and set them free.¹¹But after this they changed their minds. They brought back the slaves whom they had sent away free. They forced them to become slaves again.

¹²So the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,¹³"Yahweh, God of Israel, says this, 'I myself made a covenant with your ancestors on the day that I brought them out from the land of Egypt, out from the house of slavery. That was when I said,¹⁴"At the end of every seven years, each man must send away his brother, his fellow Hebrew who had sold himself to you and served you for six years. Send him away in freedom." But your ancestors did not listen to me or incline their ears to me.

¹⁵Now you yourselves repented and began to do what is right in my eyes. You proclaimed freedom, each man to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name.¹⁶But then you turned and polluted my name; you caused each man to bring back his male and female slaves, the ones whom you had sent away free. You forced them to become your slaves again.'

¹⁷Therefore Yahweh says this, 'You yourselves have not listened to me. You should have proclaimed freedom, every one of you, to your brothers and fellow Israelites. So look! I am about to proclaim freedom to you—this is Yahweh's declaration—freedom for the sword, the plague, and famine, for I am going to make you a terrifying thing in the sight of every kingdom on earth.¹⁸Then I will deal with the people who have broken my covenant, who did not keep the words of the covenant that they established before me when they cut a bull in two and walked between its parts,¹⁹and then the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the eunuchs and the priests, and all the people of the land walked between the parts of the bull.

²⁰I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who are seeking their lives. Their corpses will be food for the birds of the skies and the wild animals on the earth.²¹So I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his leaders into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who are seeking their life, and into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon that has risen up against you.²²Look, I am about to give a command—this is Yahweh's declaration—and will bring them back to this city to wage war against it and take it, and to burn it. For I will turn the cities of Judah into ruined places in which there will be no inhabitants.'"

¹The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,²"Go to the family of the Rekabites and speak with them. Then bring them to my house, into one of the rooms there, and give them wine to drink."

³So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah son of Habazziniah and his brothers, all his sons, and all the family of the Rekabites.⁴I took them to the house of Yahweh, into the rooms of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, the man of God. These rooms were beside the room of the leaders, which was above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the gatekeeper.

⁵Then I placed bowls and cups full of wine in front of the Rekabites and said to them, "Drink some wine."⁶But they said, "We will not drink any wine, for our ancestor, Jonadab son of Rekab, commanded us, 'Do not drink any wine, neither you nor your descendants, forever.⁷Also, do not build any houses, sow any seeds, or plant any vineyards; this is not for you. For you must live in tents all your days, so that you might live many days in the land where you are staying as foreigners.'

⁸We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab son of Rekab, our ancestor, in all that he commanded us, to never drink wine all of our days, we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters.⁹We will never build houses to live in, and there will be no vineyard, field, or seed in our possession.¹⁰We have lived in tents and we have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our ancestor commanded us.¹¹But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked the land, we said, 'Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape from the Chaldean and Aramean armies.' So we are living in Jerusalem."

¹²Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,¹³"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not receive correction and listen to my words?—this is Yahweh's declaration.¹⁴The words of Jonadab son of Rekab that he gave to his sons as a command, not to drink any wine, have been observed to this very day. They have obeyed their ancestor's command. But as for me, I myself have been making persistent proclamations to you, but you do not listen to me.

¹⁵I persistently sent to you all my servants, the prophets, saying 'Let each person turn from his wicked way and do good deeds; let no one walk any longer after other gods and worship them. Then you will live in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors.' But you did not incline your ears and you did not listen to me.¹⁶For the descendants of Jonadab son of Rekab have observed the commands of their ancestor that he commanded them, but this people refuses to listen to me."'

¹⁷So Yahweh, God of hosts and God of Israel, says this, 'Look, I am bringing upon Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem, all the disasters I pronounced against them because I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.'"

¹⁸Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, "Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: You have listened to the commands of Jonadab your ancestor and have kept them all—you have obeyed all that he commanded you to do—¹⁹so Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'There will always be someone descended from Jonadab son of Rekab to serve me.'"

¹It came about in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, and he said,²"Take a scroll for yourself and write on it all the words that I have told you concerning Israel and Judah, and every nation. Do this for everything I have told from the days of Josiah until this very day.³Perhaps the people of Judah will listen to all the disasters that I intend to bring on them. Perhaps everyone will turn away from his wicked way, so I can forgive their iniquity and their sin."

⁴Then Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote in a scroll, at Jeremiah's dictation, all the words of Yahweh spoken to him.⁵Next Jeremiah gave a command to Baruch. He said, "I am in prison and cannot go to the house of Yahweh.⁶So you must go and read from the scroll that you wrote at my dictation. On the day of the fast, you must read Yahweh's words in the hearing of the people in his house, and also in the hearing of all of Judah who have come from their cities. Proclaim these words to them.

⁷Perhaps their pleas for mercy will come before Yahweh. Perhaps each person will turn from his wicked way, since the wrath and fury that Yahweh has proclaimed against this people are severe."⁸So Baruch son of Neriah did everything that Jeremiah the prophet had commanded him to do. He read aloud from the scroll the words of Yahweh in the house of Yahweh.

⁹It came about in the fifth year and ninth month of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, that all the people in Jerusalem and the people who came to Jerusalem from the cities of Judah proclaimed a fast before Yahweh.¹⁰Baruch read aloud from the scroll Jeremiah's words in the house of Yahweh, from the room of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper courtyard, by the gate of the entrance to the house of Yahweh. He did this in the hearing of all the people.

¹¹Now Micaiah son of Gemariah son of Shaphan heard all of Yahweh's words in the scroll.¹²He went down to the house of the king, to the secretary's room. Look, all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the officials.

¹³Then Micaiah reported to them all the words that he had heard that Baruch read aloud from the scroll in the hearing of the people.¹⁴So all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah son of Shelemiah son of Cushi, to Baruch. Jehudi said to Baruch, "Take the scroll in your hand, the scroll from which you were reading in the hearing of the people, and come." So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to the officials.¹⁵Then they said to him, "Sit down and read this in our hearing." So Baruch read the scroll.

¹⁶It happened that when they heard all these words, each man turned in fear to the one next to him and said to Baruch, "We must certainly report all of these words to the king."¹⁷Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us, how did you come to write all these words at Jeremiah's dictation?"¹⁸Baruch said to them, "He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on this scroll."¹⁹Then the officials said to Baruch, "Go, hide yourself, and Jeremiah, too. Do not let anyone know where you are."

²⁰So they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, and they went to the king in the courtyard and they reported everything in the hearing of the king.²¹Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. Jehudi took it from the room of Elishama the secretary. Then he read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who were standing beside him.²²Now the king was staying in the winter house in the ninth month, and a brazier was burning in front of him.

²³It happened that as Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut it off with a knife and throw it into the fire in the brazier until all of the scroll was destroyed.²⁴But neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words were frightened, nor did they tear their clothes.

²⁵Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah had even urged the king not to burn the scroll, but he did not listen to them.²⁶Then the king commanded Jerahmeel, a relative, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but Yahweh had hidden them.

²⁷Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah's dictation, saying,²⁸"Go back, take another scroll for yourself, and write in it all the words that were on the original scroll, the one that Jehoiakim king of Judah burned.²⁹Then you must say this to Jehoiakim king of Judah: 'You burned that scroll, saying, "Why have you written on it, 'The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, for he will cut off both man and animal from it'?"'"

³⁰Therefore Yahweh says this concerning you, Jehoiakim king of Judah: "No descendant of yours will ever sit on the throne of David. As for you, your corpse will be thrown out into the heat of day and the frost of night.³¹For I will punish you, your descendants, and your servants for the iniquity of you all. I will bring on you, on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on every person in Judah all the disasters with which I have threatened you—but you paid no attention."

³²So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch son of Neriah the scribe. Baruch wrote on it at Jeremiah's dictation all the words that had been in the scroll burned by Jehoiakim king of Judah. Furthermore, many other similar words were added to this scroll.

¹Now Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned as king in place of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made Zedekiah king over the land of Judah.²But Zedekiah, his servants, and the people of the land did not listen to the words of Yahweh that he proclaimed by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet.

³So King Zedekiah, Jehukal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest sent a message to Jeremiah the prophet. They said, "Pray on our behalf to Yahweh our God."⁴Now Jeremiah was coming and going among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.⁵Pharaoh's army came out from Egypt, and the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the news about them and left Jerusalem.

⁶Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying,⁷"Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: This is what you will say to the king of Judah, because he has sent you to seek advice from me, 'See, Pharaoh's army, which came to help you, is about to go back to Egypt, its own land.⁸The Chaldeans will return. They will fight against this city, capture it, and burn it.'

⁹Yahweh says this: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, 'Surely the Chaldeans are leaving us,' for they will not leave.¹⁰Even if you had defeated the entire Chaldean army that is fighting you so that only badly wounded men were left in their tents, they would get up and burn this city."

¹¹So it was when the Chaldean army had left Jerusalem as Pharaoh's army was coming,¹²then Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin. He wanted to take possession of a tract of land there among his people.¹³As he was in the Benjamin Gate, a chief guard was there. His name was Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah. He grabbed hold of Jeremiah the prophet and said, "You are deserting to the Chaldeans."

¹⁴But Jeremiah said, "That is not true. I am not deserting to the Chaldeans." But Irijah did not listen to him. He took Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.¹⁵The officials were angry with Jeremiah. They beat him and put him in prison, which had been the house of Jonathan the scribe, for they had turned it into a prison.

¹⁶So Jeremiah was put into a dungeon, where he stayed for many days.¹⁷Then King Zedekiah sent someone who brought him to the palace. In his house, the king asked him privately, "Is there any word from Yahweh?" Jeremiah answered, "There is a word: You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon."

¹⁸Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "How have I sinned against you, your servants, or this people so that you have placed me in prison?¹⁹Where are your prophets, the ones who prophesied for you and said the king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land?²⁰But now listen, my master the king! Let my plea for favor come before you. Do not return me to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there."

²¹So King Zedekiah gave an order. His servants confined Jeremiah in the courtyard of the guard. A loaf of bread was given him every day from the street of the bakers, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard.

¹Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehukal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard the words that Jeremiah was declaring to all the people. He was saying,²"Yahweh says this: Anyone staying in this city will be killed by sword, famine, and plague. But anyone who goes out to the Chaldeans will survive. His life will be his loot, but he will survive.³Yahweh says this: This city will be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it."

⁴So the officials said to the king, "Let this man die, for in this way he is weakening the hands of the fighting men who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people. He is proclaiming these words, for this man is not working for safety for this people, but disaster."⁵So King Zedekiah said, "Look, he is in your hand since there is no king able to resist you."

⁶Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malkijah, son of the king. The cistern was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah down on ropes. There was no water in the cistern, but it was muddy, and he sank down into the mud.

⁷Now Ebed-Melek the Cushite was one of the eunuchs in the king's house. He heard that they had placed Jeremiah in the cistern. Now the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate.⁸So Ebed-Melek went from the king's house and spoke with the king. He said,⁹"My master the king, these men have done evil with the way they have treated Jeremiah the prophet. They threw him into a cistern for him to die in it from hunger, since there is no more food in the city."

¹⁰Then the king gave a command to Ebed-Melek the Cushite. He said, "Take command of thirty men from here and take Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."¹¹So Ebed-Melek took command of those men and went to the king's house, to a storeroom for clothing under the house. From there he took rags and worn-out clothing and then let them down by ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.

¹²Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, "Put the rags and worn-out clothing under your arms and on top of the ropes." So Jeremiah did so.¹³Then they pulled Jeremiah by the ropes. In this way they brought him up from the cistern. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard.

¹⁴Then King Zedekiah sent word and brought Jeremiah the prophet to himself, to the third entrance in the house of Yahweh. The king said to Jeremiah, "I want to ask you something. Do not keep the answer from me."¹⁵Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I answer you, will you not certainly kill me? But if I give you advice, you will not listen to me."¹⁶But King Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah in private and said, "As Yahweh lives, the one who made us, I will not kill you or give you into the hand of those men who are seeking your life."

¹⁷So Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Yahweh, God of hosts, God of Israel, says this: If you indeed go out to the officials of the king of Babylon then you will live, and this city will not be burned. You and your family will live.¹⁸But if you do not go out to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans. They will burn it, and you will not escape from their hand."

¹⁹King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "But I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, because I might be given over into their hand, for them to treat me badly."

²⁰Jeremiah said, "They will not give you over to them. Obey the message from Yahweh that I am telling you, so that things will go well for you, and so that you will live.²¹But if you refuse to go out, this is what Yahweh has shown me. ²²Look! All the women who are left in your house, king of Judah, will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. These women will say to you,

'You have been deceived by your men of peace;

they have ruined you.

Your feet are now sunk into the mud,

and your friends will turn away from you.'

²³For all of your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself will not escape from their hand. You will be captured by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned."

²⁴Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Do not inform anyone about these words, so that you do not die.²⁵If the officials hear that I have talked with you, and if they come and say to you, 'Tell us what you said to the king and do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,'²⁶then you must say to them, 'I made a humble plea before the king that he would not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"

²⁷Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, so he answered them as the king had commanded him. So they stopped talking with him, because they had not heard the conversation between Jeremiah and the king.²⁸So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

¹In the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and besieged it.²In the eleventh year and fourth month of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into.³Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim an important official, and Nebo-Sarsekim a high official, and all the remaining officials of the king of Babylon.

⁴It happened that when Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his fighting men saw them, they fled. They went out at night from the city by the king's garden path, through the gate between the two walls. The king went out in the direction of the Arabah.⁵But the army of Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of the Jordan River valley near Jericho. Then they captured him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him.

⁶The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his own eyes at Riblah. He also slaughtered all the noblemen of Judah.⁷Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in bronze chains in order to take him to Babylon.

⁸Then the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the people's houses. They also tore down the walls of Jerusalem.⁹Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king's bodyguards, took into exile in Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city. This included the people who had deserted to the Chaldeans and the rest of the people who were left in the city.¹⁰But Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards allowed the poorest people who had nothing for themselves to remain in the land of Judah. He gave them vineyards and fields on that same day.

¹¹Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had given an order about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards. He had said,¹²"Take him and care for him. Do not harm him. Do for him anything he tells you."¹³So Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards, Nebushazban the high eunuch, Nergal-Sharezer the high official, and all the most important officials of the king of Babylon sent men out.¹⁴Their men took Jeremiah from the courtyard of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to take him home, so Jeremiah stayed among the people.

¹⁵Now the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah while he was under arrest in the courtyard of the guard, saying,¹⁶"Speak to Ebed-Melek the Cushite and say, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to carry out my words against this city for disaster and not for good. For they will all come true before you on that day.

¹⁷But I will rescue you on that day—this is Yahweh's declaration—and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you fear.¹⁸For I will certainly rescue you. You will not fall by the sword. Your life will be your loot since you trust in me—this was Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound with chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.²The chief guard took Jeremiah and said to him, "Yahweh your God decreed this disaster for this place.

³So Yahweh brought it about. He did just as he had decreed, since you people sinned against him and did not obey his voice. That is why this thing has happened to you people.⁴But now look! I have released you today from the chains that were on your hands. If it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take care of you. But if it is not good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, then do not do so. Look at all the land before you. Go where it is good and right in your eyes to go."

⁵When Jeremiah did not reply, Nebuzaradan said, "Go to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has put in charge of the cities of Judah. Stay with him among the people or go wherever it is good in your eyes to go." The commander of the king's bodyguards gave him food and a gift, and then sent him away.⁶So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. He stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

⁷Now some commanders of Judean soldiers who were still in the countryside—they and their men—heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor over the land. They also heard that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and children who were the poorest people in the land, those who had not been exiled to Babylon.⁸So they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah; Johanan and Jonathan, sons of Kareah; Seraiah son of Tanhumeth; the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; and Jaazaniah son of the Maakathite—they and their men.

⁹Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan took an oath to them and to their men and said to them, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.¹⁰Look, I am living in Mizpah to meet with the Chaldeans who came to us. So harvest wine, summer fruit, and oil and store them in your containers. Live in the cities that you have occupied."

¹¹Then all the Jews in Moab, among the people of Ammon, and in Edom, and in every land heard that the king of Babylon had allowed a remnant of Judah to stay, that he had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan over them.¹²So all the Jews returned from every place where they had been scattered. They came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They harvested wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

¹³Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.¹⁴They said to him, "Do you realize that Baalis king of the people of Ammon sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to murder you?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

¹⁵So Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah and said, "Allow me to go kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah. No one will suspect me. Why should he kill you? Why allow all of Judah that has been gathered to you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah destroyed?"¹⁶But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, "Do not do this thing, for you are telling lies about Ishmael."

¹But it happened that in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, from the royal family, and some officers of the king, came—ten men were with him—to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. They ate food together there in Mizpah.²But Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him rose up and attacked Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, with the sword. Ishmael killed Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had put in charge of the land.³Then Ishmael killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah in Mizpah and the Chaldean fighting men found there.

⁴Then it was the second day after the killing of Gedaliah, but no one knew.⁵Some men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria—eighty men who had shaved their beard, torn their clothes, and cut themselves—with food offerings and frankincense in their hands to go to the house of Yahweh.

⁶So Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them as they went, walking and weeping. Then it happened that as he encountered them, he said to them, "Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam!"⁷It came about that when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah slaughtered them and threw them into a pit, he and the men who were with him.

⁸But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us, for there are provisions of ours in a field: Wheat and barley, oil and honey." So he did not kill them with their other companions.⁹The cistern where Ishmael threw all the dead bodies that he had killed, was a large cistern that King Asa dug to make a defense against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it in with the dead.

¹⁰Next Ishmael captured all the people who remained in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah whom Nebuzaradan the chief guard had assigned to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. So Ishmael son of Nethaniah captured them and went to cross over to the people of Ammon.

¹¹But Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders with him heard of all the harm that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done.¹²So they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They found him at the great pool of Gibeon.

¹³Then it happened that when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders who were with him, they were very happy.¹⁴So all the people whom Ishmael had captured at Mizpah turned around and went to Johanan son of Kareah.

¹⁵But Ishmael son of Nethaniah fled with eight men from Johanan. He went to the people of Ammon.¹⁶Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders with him took from Mizpah all the people who had been rescued from Ishmael son of Nethaniah. This was after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Johanan and his companions took the strong men, the fighting men, the women and children, and the eunuchs who had been rescued at Gibeon.

¹⁷Then they went and stayed for a while in Geruth Kimham, which is near Bethlehem. They were going to go to Egypt¹⁸because of the Chaldeans. They were afraid of them since Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had put in charge of the land.

¹Then all the army commanders and Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet.²They said to him, "Let our plea for favor come before you. Pray for us to Yahweh your God for these people who remain since we are so few in number, as you see.³Ask Yahweh your God to tell us the way we should go and what we should do."

⁴So Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Look, I will pray to Yahweh your God as you have requested. Whatever Yahweh answers, I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you."⁵They said to Jeremiah, "May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness against us, if we do not do everything that Yahweh your God tells us to do.⁶Whether it is good or if it is bad, we will obey the voice of Yahweh our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of Yahweh our God."

⁷At the end of ten days, the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah.⁸So Jeremiah called to Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders with him, and to all the people from the least to the greatest.⁹Then he said to them, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel—to whom you sent me so I might lay your pleas before him—says,¹⁰'If you go back and live in this land, then I will build you and not tear you down; I will plant you and not pull you up, for I will relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you.

¹¹Do not fear the king of Babylon, whom you are fearing. Do not fear him—this is Yahweh's declaration—since I am with you to save you and rescue you from his hand.¹²For I will give you mercy. I will have compassion on you, and I will bring you back to your land.

¹³But suppose that you say, "We will not stay in this land"—if you do not listen to my voice, the voice of Yahweh your God.¹⁴Suppose that you say, "No! We will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see any war, where we will not hear the sound of the ram's horn, and we will not go hungry for food. We will live there."

¹⁵Now listen to this word of Yahweh, you remnant of Judah. Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'If you actually set out to go to Egypt, to go and live there,¹⁶then the sword that you fear will overtake you there in the land of Egypt. The famine that you are anxious about will pursue you to Egypt, and you will die there.¹⁷So it will happen that all the men who set out to go to Egypt to live there will die by sword, famine, or plague. There will be no survivor of them, no one to escape the disaster that I will bring on them.

¹⁸For Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Just as my wrath and my fury were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in the same way my fury will be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and a horror, an object for speaking curses, and something dishonorable, and you will not see this place again.'"¹⁹Then Jeremiah said, "Yahweh has spoken concerning you—the remnant of Judah. Do not go to Egypt! You certainly know that I have been a witness against you today.

²⁰For you fatally deceived yourselves when you sent me to Yahweh your God and said, 'Pray to Yahweh our God for us. Everything that Yahweh our God says, tell us, and we will carry it out.'²¹For I have reported to you today, but you have not listened to the voice of Yahweh your God or to anything about which he sent me to you.²²So now, you should certainly know that you will die by sword, famine, and plague in the place where you desired to go to live."

¹It happened that Jeremiah finished proclaiming to all the people all the words of Yahweh their God that Yahweh their God had told him to say.²Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, "You are telling lies. Yahweh our God has not sent you to say, 'Do not go to Egypt to live there.'³For Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, for you to cause our death and to make us captives in Babylon."

⁴So Johanan son of Kareah, all the princes of the army, and all the people refused to listen to Yahweh's voice to live in the land of Judah.⁵Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders took away all the remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations where they had been scattered to live in the land of Judah.⁶They took the men and women, the children and the king's daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king's bodyguards, had let remain with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. They also took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah.⁷They went to the land of Egypt, to Tahpanhes, because they did not listen to Yahweh's voice.

⁸So the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,⁹"Take some large stones in your hand, and, in the sight of some Jewish men, hide them in the mortar in the pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes."¹⁰Then say to them, "Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'See, I am about to send messengers to bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant. I will place his throne over these stones that you, Jeremiah, have buried. Nebuchadnezzar will place his pavilion over them.

¹¹For he will come and attack the land of Egypt. Anyone who is assigned to death will be given to death. Anyone who is assigned to captivity will be taken captive. Anyone who is assigned to the sword will be given to the sword.¹²Then I will light a fire in the temples of Egypt's gods. Nebuchadnezzar will burn them or capture them. He will clean out the land of Egypt just as shepherds clean vermin off their clothes. He will go out from that place in victory. ¹¹³He will break the stone pillars at Heliopolis in the land of Egypt. He will burn the temples of Egypt's gods.'"

¹Instead of I will light a fire , some ancient and modern translations have he will light a fire .

¹The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who lived in the land of Egypt, the ones staying in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and in Upper Egypt:²"Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says, 'You yourselves have seen all the disasters that I brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah. See, they are ruins today. There is no one to live in them.³This is because of the wicked things they did to provoke me to anger by going to burn incense and to worship other gods. These were gods that neither they themselves, nor you, nor your ancestors knew.'

⁴So I repeatedly sent all of my servants the prophets to them. I sent them to say, 'Stop doing these abominable things that I hate.'⁵But they did not listen. They refused to pay attention or turn from their wickedness in burning incense to other gods.⁶So my fury and my wrath were poured out and kindled a fire in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. So they became ruins and devastations, as at this present day.'

⁷So now Yahweh, the God of hosts and the God of Israel, says this, 'Why are you doing great wickedness against yourselves? Why are you causing yourselves to be cut off from among Judah—men and women, children and babies? No remnant of you will be left.⁸By your wickedness you have provoked me to anger with the deeds of your hands, by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to live. You have gone there so that you will be destroyed, so that you will be a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth.

⁹Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors and the wickedness committed by the kings of Judah and their wives? Have you forgotten the evil committed by yourselves and your wives in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?¹⁰To this day, they still are not humbled. They do not honor my law or decrees that I placed before them and their ancestors, nor do they walk in them.'

¹¹Therefore Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'See, I am about to set my face against you to bring disaster to you and to destroy all of Judah.¹²For I will take the remnant of Judah that has set out to go to the land of Egypt to live there. I will do this so that they will all perish in the land of Egypt. They will fall by sword and famine. From the least to the greatest they will die by sword and famine. They will die and will become a curse, an object of horror—a curse and an insult.

¹³For I will punish the people inhabiting the land of Egypt just as I punished Jerusalem with the sword, with famine, and with the plague,¹⁴so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in the land of Egypt will escape or survive or return to the land of Judah, to which they desire to return and live; and none of them will return except a few who escaped from there.'"

¹⁵Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, and all the women who were in the great assembly, and all the people who were living in Lower and Upper Egypt, answered Jeremiah.¹⁶They said, "About the word that you have told us in Yahweh's name—we will not listen to you.¹⁷For we will certainly do all the things that we said we would do—burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders did in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. Then we will be filled with food and will prosper, without experiencing any disaster.

¹⁸When we refrained from doing these things, not offering incense to the queen of heaven and not pouring out drink offerings to her, we were all suffering poverty and were dying by sword and famine."¹⁹The women said, "When we were making incense offerings before the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, was it against our husbands that we did these things, making cakes in her image and pouring out drink offerings to her?"

²⁰Then Jeremiah said to all the people—to the men and women, and all the people who answered him—he proclaimed and said,²¹"Did not Yahweh remember the incense that you burned in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem—you and your ancestors, your kings and leaders, and the people of the land? For Yahweh calls this to mind; it comes to his thoughts.

²²Then he was no longer able to bear it because of the wickedness of your practices, because of the abominations that you did. Then your land became a desolation, a horror, and a curse so there was no longer an inhabitant as at this present day.²³Because you burned incense and sinned against Yahweh, and because you would not listen to his voice, his law, his statutes, or his covenant decrees, this disaster against you has happened as at this present day."

²⁴Then Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, "Hear the word of Yahweh, all of Judah who are in the land of Egypt.²⁵Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, 'You and your wives both have said with your mouths and carried out with your hands what you said, "We will certainly carry out the vows that we made to worship the queen of heaven, to pour out drink offerings to her." Now fulfill your vows; carry them out.'

²⁶So then, hear the word of Yahweh, all of Judah who are staying in the land of Egypt, 'See, I have sworn by my great name—says Yahweh. My name will no longer be called upon by the mouths of any of the men of Judah in all the land of Egypt, you who now say, "As the Lord Yahweh lives."²⁷See, I am watching over them for disaster and not for good. Every person of Judah in the land of Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all finished.²⁸Then the survivors of the sword will return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, only a small number of them. So all the remnant of Judah who went to the land of Egypt to live there will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs.

²⁹This will be the sign for you—this is Yahweh's declaration—that I am setting against you in this place, so that you will know that my words will certainly attack you with disaster.'³⁰Yahweh says this, 'Look, I am about to give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek to kill him. It will be the same as when I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.'"

¹This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet told Baruch son of Neriah. This happened when he wrote in a scroll these words from the mouth of Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. He said,²"Yahweh, God of Israel, says this to you, Baruch:³You have said, 'Woe is me, for Yahweh has added agony to my pain. My groaning has wearied me; I find no rest.'

⁴This is what you must say to him: 'Yahweh says this: See, what I built, I am now tearing down. What I planted, I am now pulling up—I will do this throughout all the earth.⁵But are you hoping for great things for yourself? Do not hope for that. For see, disaster is coming on all humanity—this is Yahweh's declaration—but I am giving you your life as loot everywhere you will go.'"

¹This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

²For Egypt: "This is about the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt that was at Carchemish by the Euphrates River. This was the army that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:

³Get the small shields and the large shields ready,

and go forward to fight.

⁴Put the harness on the horses;

mount up on the horses

and take your stand with your helmets on;

polish the spears and put on your armor.

⁵What am I seeing here?

They are dismayed and are running away,

for their soldiers have been completely destroyed.

They are fleeing for refuge and are not looking back.

Terror is all around

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

⁶the swift cannot run away,

and the soldiers cannot escape.

They stumble in the north

and fall beside the Euphrates River.

⁷Who is this who rises like the Nile,

whose waters toss up and down like the rivers?

⁸Egypt rises like the Nile,

like rivers of water that rise and fall.

Egypt says, 'I will go up and I will cover the earth.

I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.

⁹Go up, horses.

Be angry, you chariots.

Let the soldiers go out,

Cush and Put, men skillful with a shield, and Lydia,

¹ men skillful at bending their bows.'

¹⁰That day will be the day of vengeance

for the Lord Yahweh of hosts,

and he will avenge himself on his foes.

The sword will devour and be satisfied.

It will drink its fill of their blood.

For there will be a sacrifice

to the Lord Yahweh of hosts

in the northern land by the Euphrates River.

¹¹Go up to Gilead and obtain medicine,

virgin daughter of Egypt.

It is useless that you put much medicine on yourself.

There is no cure for you.

¹²The nations have heard of your disgrace.

The earth is filled with your cry of distress,

for soldier stumbles against soldier;

both of them fall together."

¹³This is the word that Yahweh told Jeremiah the prophet when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came and attacked the land of Egypt:

¹⁴"Announce in Egypt,

and proclaim it in Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes.

'Take your station and prepare yourself,

for the sword will devour those around you.'

¹⁵Why are your mighty ones facedown on the ground?

They will not stand,

because Yahweh has pushed them to the ground.

¹⁶He increases the numbers of those who stumble.

Each soldier falls against the next one.

They are saying, 'Get up. Let us go home.

Let us go back to our own people,

to the land of our birth,

and away from the sword of the oppressor.'

¹⁷They proclaimed there,

'Pharaoh the king of Egypt is only a noise,

one who has let his opportunity slip away.'

¹⁸As I live—declares the King,

whose name is Yahweh of hosts—

someone will come like Mount Tabor

and Mount Carmel by the sea.

¹⁹Pack for yourselves baggage to carry into exile,

you who live in Egypt.

For Memphis will become a waste;

it will be burned, and no one will live there.

²⁰Egypt is a very beautiful young cow,

but a stinging insect is coming from the north

It is coming.

²¹The hired soldiers in her midst are like a fattened bull,

but they will also turn away and run away.

They will not stand together,

for the day of their disaster is coming against them,

the time of their punishment.

²²Egypt hisses like a snake and crawls away,

for her enemies are marching against her.

They are going toward her like woodcutters with axes.

²³They will cut down the forests

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—although it is very dense.

For the enemies will be more numerous than locusts,

unable to be counted.

²⁴The daughter of Egypt will be made ashamed.

She will be given into the hand of people from the north."

²⁵Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says, "See, I am about to punish Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, Egypt and her gods, her kings the Pharaohs, and those who trust in them.²⁶I am giving them into the hand of the ones seeking their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his servants. Then after this Egypt will be inhabited as in previous days—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁷But you, my servant Jacob, do not fear.

Do not be dismayed, Israel, for see,

I am about to deliver you from the faraway place,

and your descendants from the land of their captivity.

Jacob will return and be at ease;

he will rest secure, and there will be no more terror.

²⁸You, my servant Jacob, do not fear

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—for I am with you,

so I will bring complete destruction against all the nations

where I scattered you.

But I will not destroy you completely.

Yet I will discipline you justly

and will certainly not leave you unpunished."

¹Some modern English translations read, Lud .

¹This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines. This word came to him before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.

²"Yahweh says this:

See, floods of water are rising in the north.

They will be like an overflowing river!

Then they will overflow the land and everything in it,

its cities and its inhabitants!

So everyone will shout for help,

and all the inhabitants of the land will howl.

³At the sound of the stamping of their strong horses' hooves,

at the roar of their chariots and the noise of their wheels,

fathers will not help their children

because of the weakness of their own hands.

⁴For the day is coming that will devastate all of the Philistines,

to cut off from Tyre and Sidon

every survivor who wants to help them.

For Yahweh is devastating the Philistines,

those who remain from the island of Caphtor.

⁵Baldness will come upon Gaza.

Ashkelon has been silenced.

You remnant in their valley,

how long will you cut yourself?

⁶Woe, sword of Yahweh!

How long will it be until you become silent?

Go back to your scabbard!

Stop and be silent.

⁷How can it rest when Yahweh has commanded it,

when he has appointed it to attack Ashkelon

and the coastlands along the sea?"

¹To Moab, Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this,

"Woe to Nebo, for it has been devastated.

Kiriathaim has been humiliated and captured.

Her fortress has been disgraced and crushed.

²The honor of Moab is no more.

Their enemies in Heshbon plotted disaster against her.

They said, 'Come and let us destroy her as a nation.

Madmen will also perish

—a sword will go after you.'

³Listen! A sound of an outcry is coming from Horonaim,

where there is ruin and great destruction.

⁴Moab has been destroyed.

Her children have made their cries heard.

⁵They go up the hill of Luhith weeping,

for on the way down to Horonaim,

screams are heard because of the destruction.

⁶Flee! Save your lives

and become like a juniper bush in the wilderness.

⁷For because of your trust in your practices

and your wealth

you also will be captured.

Then Chemosh will go away into captivity

together with his priests and leaders.

⁸For the destroyer will come to every city;

no city will escape.

So the valley will perish

and the plain will be devastated,

as Yahweh has said.

⁹Give wings to Moab,

for she must certainly fly away.

Her cities will become a wasteland,

where there is no one to live in them.

¹⁰May anyone who is lazy in doing Yahweh's work

be cursed!

May anyone who keeps his sword back from shedding blood

be cursed!

¹¹Moab has rested secure since he was young.

He is like his wine that has never been poured from pot to pot.

He has never gone into captivity.

Therefore he tastes as good as ever;

his flavor remains unchanged.

¹²So see, the days are coming

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—when I will send him those who will tip him over

and pour out all his pots and shatter his jars.

¹³Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh

just as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel,

their object of trust.

¹⁴How can you say,

'We are soldiers, powerful fighting men'?

¹⁵Moab will be devastated and its cities attacked.

For its finest young men

have gone down to the place of slaughter.

This is the king's declaration!

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

¹⁶Moab's disaster is soon to happen;

calamity is hurrying quickly.

¹⁷All you who are around Moab, wail;

and all you who know its fame, shout this,

'Woe, the strong staff,

the honored rod, has been broken.'

¹⁸Come down from your honored place

and sit on the dry ground,

you daughter living in Dibon.

For the destroyer of Moab will come up against you,

he will ruin your strongholds.

¹⁹Stand on the road and watch,

you people who live in Aroer.

Ask the ones who are fleeing and escaping.

Say, 'What has happened?'

²⁰Moab has been shamed,

for it has been shattered.

Howl and lament;

shout for help.

Tell it to people by the Arnon River

that Moab has been devastated.

²¹Now punishment has come to the hill country,

to Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,

²²to Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim,

²³to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon,

²⁴To Kerioth and Bozrah,

and to all the cities in the land of Moab—

the farthest and the closest cities.

²⁵The horn of Moab has been hacked off;

its arm has been broken

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁶Make him drunk,

because he acted proudly against Yahweh.

Let Moab wallow in his vomit,

and let him be an object of ridicule.

²⁷For did not Israel become an object for laughter to you?

Was he found among thieves,

so that you shook your head at him

as often as you spoke about him?

²⁸Abandon the cities and camp on the cliffs,

inhabitants of Moab.

Become like a dove that is nesting

over the mouth of a hole in the rocks.

²⁹We have heard of Moab's pride

—his arrogance,

his haughtiness, his pride,

his self-glory and the conceit in his heart.

³⁰This is Yahweh's declaration

—I myself know his arrogant speech,

which amounts to nothing, like his deeds.

³¹So I will howl a lament for Moab,

and I will shout in sorrow for all of Moab.

I will lament for the people of Kir Hareseth.

³²I will weep for you more than I did for Jazer,

vine of Sibmah!

Your branches passed across the Salt Sea

and reached as far as Jazer.

The destroyer has attacked

your summer fruit and your grapes.

³³So celebration and rejoicing have been taken away

from the fruit trees and the land of Moab.

I have put an end to the wine from their winepresses.

They will not tread with joyful shouts.

Any shouts will not be shouts of joy.

³⁴From the shouts at Heshbon as far as Elealeh

their sound is heard at Jahaz,

from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah,

since even the waters of Nimrim have become desolate.

³⁵For I will put an end to anyone in Moab

who makes sacrifices on the high places

and burns incense to his gods

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³⁶So my heart is lamenting for Moab like a flute.

My heart is lamenting like flutes

for the people of Kir Hareseth.

The riches they gained are gone.

³⁷For every head is bald and every beard shaved.

Incisions are on every hand,

and sackcloth is around their waists.

³⁸There is mourning everywhere,

on every flat roof of Moab and in Moab's plazas.

For I have destroyed Moab like pots that no one wants

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³⁹How it has been shattered!

How they howl in their lamenting!

Moab turns its back in shame!

So Moab will become an object of derision

and a terror to all those who are around him."

⁴⁰For Yahweh says this,

"See, the enemy will come flying like an eagle,

spreading out his wings over Moab.

⁴¹Kerioth has been captured,

and its strongholds have been seized.

For in that day the hearts of Moab's soldiers

will be like the hearts of women in birth labor.

⁴²So Moab will be destroyed and be no longer a people,

because he made himself to be great against Yahweh.

⁴³Terror, the pit, and a trap are coming on you,

inhabitant of Moab

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

⁴⁴Anyone who flees because of terror will fall into the pit,

and anyone who climbs out of the pit

will be caught in the trap

for I will bring this on them, the people of Moab,

in the year of my vengeance against them

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

⁴⁵The ones who flee will stand in the shadow of Heshbon

without any strength,

for fire will go out from Heshbon,

flame from the middle of Sihon.

It will devour the forehead of Moab

and the scalps of the boastful people.

⁴⁶Woe to you, Moab!

Chemosh's people are destroyed,

For your sons are taken as captives

and your daughters into captivity.

⁴⁷But I will reverse the captivity of Moab in later days

—this is Yahweh's declaration."

The judgment on Moab ends here.

¹About the people of Ammon, Yahweh says this,

"Does Israel have no children?

Is there no one to inherit anything in Israel?

Why does Molech occupy Gad,

and his people live in its cities? ¹

²So look, the days are coming

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—when I will cause a trumpet call

for battle against Rabbah

to be heard among the people of Ammon,

so it will become a deserted heap

and its villages will be set on fire.

For Israel will possess those who possessed him,"

says Yahweh.

³"Howl in lament, Heshbon,

for Ai will be devastated!

Shout out, daughters of Rabbah!

Gird yourselves with sackcloth.

Lament and run about in futility,

for Molech is going into captivity,

together with his priests and leaders.

⁴Why do you brag about your valleys,

your valleys that are so fruitful, faithless daughter?

you who trust in your wealth and say,

'Who will come against me?'

⁵See, I am about to bring terror on you

—this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts—

this terror will come from all those who surround you.

Each one of you will be scattered before it.

There will be no one to gather those running away.

⁶But after this I will reverse the captivity of the people of Ammon

—this is Yahweh's declaration."

⁷About Edom, Yahweh of hosts says this,

"Is there no longer any wisdom to be found in Teman?

Has good advice disappeared

from those who have understanding?

Has their wisdom become corrupted?

⁸Flee! Turn back!

Stay in holes in the ground, inhabitants of Dedan.

For I am bringing the disaster of Esau on him

at the time that I punish him.

⁹If grape harvesters came to you,

would they not leave a little bit behind?

If thieves came in the night,

would they not spoil only as much as they wanted?

¹⁰But I have stripped Esau bare.

I have revealed his hiding places.

So he will not be able to hide himself.

His children, his brothers, and his neighbors are destroyed,

and he is gone.

¹¹Leave your orphans behind.

I will take care of their lives,

and your widows can trust in me."

¹²For Yahweh says this, "See, those who did not deserve it must certainly drink some of the cup. Do you yourself think you will go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for you will certainly drink.¹³For I have sworn by myself—this is Yahweh's declaration—that Bozrah will become a horror, a disgrace, a devastation, and an object for cursing. All of its cities will become ruins forever.

¹⁴I have heard news from Yahweh,

and a messenger has been sent out to the nations,

'Gather together and attack her.

Get ready for battle.'

¹⁵"For see, I have made you small compared to the other nations,

despised by people.

¹⁶As for your fearsomeness,

your heart's pride has deceived you,

inhabitants of places on the cliff,

you who have occupied the highest hills

so that you may make your nest high like an eagle.

I will bring you down from there

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁷Edom will become a horror to everyone passing by it.

Every such person will be appalled

and hiss because of all of its disasters.

¹⁸Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah

and their neighbors, says Yahweh,

and no one will live there;

no person will stay there.

¹⁹See, he will go up like a lion

from the majesty of the Jordan

to the green pasturelands.

For I will quickly make Edom run from it,

and I will put someone who will be chosen in charge of it.

For who is like me,

and who will summon me?

What shepherd is able to resist me?

²⁰So listen to the plans that Yahweh has decided against Edom,

the plans that he has formed

against the inhabitants of Teman.

They will certainly be dragged away,

even the smallest flock.

Their pasturelands will be turned into ruined places.

²¹At the sound of their falling the earth shakes.

The sound of cries of distress is heard at the Sea of Reeds.

²²See, someone will attack like an eagle,

and swoop down and spread his wings over Bozrah.

Then on that day, the hearts of Edom's soldiers

will become like the heart of a woman in birth labor."

²³About Damascus:

"Hamath and Arpad will be ashamed,

for they have heard news of disaster.

They melt away!

Anxiety is in the sea.

It cannot stay calm.

²⁴Damascus has become very weak.

It turns away to flee;

terror seizes it.

Distress and pain seize it,

like the pain of a woman giving birth.

²⁵How has the city of praise not been abandoned,

the town of my joy?

²⁶Therefore its young men will fall in its plazas,

and all the fighting men will perish on that day

—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts."

²⁷"For I will light a fire on the wall of Damascus,

and it will devour the strongholds of Ben-Hadad."

²⁸About Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, Yahweh says this to Nebuchadnezzar (now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon was going to attack these places):

"Arise and attack Kedar

and destroy those people of the east.

²⁹Their tents and their flocks will be taken,

along with their tent curtains and all of their equipment;

their camels will be led away from them,

and men will shout to them,

"Terror is on every side!"

³⁰Flee! Wander far away!

Stay in holes in the ground, inhabitants of Hazor

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon

has devised a plan against you.

Flee! Turn back!

³¹Arise! Attack the nation at ease,

that lives in safety," says Yahweh.

"They have no gates or bars in them,

and its people live by themselves.

³²For their camels will become plunder,

and the abundance of their property

will become war plunder.

Then I will scatter to every wind

those who cut the hair on the sides of their heads very short,

and I will bring disaster on them from every side

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

³³Hazor will become a lair of jackals,

a permanent wasteland.

No one will live there;

no human being will stay there."

³⁴This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet about Elam. This happened at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, and he said,

³⁵"Yahweh of hosts says this:

See, I am about to break the bowmen of Elam,

the main part of their power.

³⁶For I will bring the four winds

from the four corners of the heavens,

and I will scatter the people of Elam to all of those winds.

There is no nation

to which those scattered from Elam will not go.

³⁷So I will shatter Elam before their enemies

and before those who seek their lives.

for I will bring disaster against them, the fury of my wrath

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—and I will send the sword after them

until I have consumed them.

³⁸Then I will put my throne in Elam

and will destroy its king and leaders from there

—this is Yahweh's declaration

³⁹—and it will happen in later days

that I will reverse the captivity of Elam

—this is Yahweh's declaration."

¹Instead of Molech , some modern translations have their king .

¹This is the word that Yahweh declared about Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet,

²"Report to the nations and cause them to listen.

Lift up a signal and cause them to listen.

Do not conceal it.

Say, 'Babylon is taken. Bel is made ashamed.

Marduk is dismayed.

Its idols are put to shame;

its images are dismayed.'

³A nation from the north will arise against it,

and make her land a desolation.

No one will live in it;

both men and animals will flee away.

⁴In those days and at that time

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—the people of Israel and the people of Judah

will come together to go with weeping

and seek Yahweh their God.

⁵They will ask the way to Zion

and will set off toward it, saying,

We will go and join ourselves to Yahweh

in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten."

⁶My people have been a lost flock.

Their shepherds have led them astray in the mountains;

they have turned them around from hill to hill.

They went, they have forgotten their resting place.

⁷Everyone who went out to them devoured them.

Their adversaries said, 'We are not guilty,

because they sinned against Yahweh,

their true home—Yahweh,

the hope of their ancestors.'

⁸Leave from the midst of Babylon;

go out from the land of the Chaldeans;

be like male goats

that leave before the rest of the flock does.

⁹For see, I am about to set in motion

and raise up a group of great nations

from the north against Babylon.

They will arrange themselves against her.

Babylon will be captured from there.

Their arrows are like a skilled warrior

who does not return empty-handed.

¹⁰Chaldea will become plunder.

All those who plunder it will be satisfied

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

¹¹You rejoice, you celebrate the plundering of my inheritance;

you jump around like a calf stamping in its pasture;

you neigh like a powerful horse.

¹²So your mother will be greatly ashamed;

the one who bore you will be embarrassed.

See, she will be the least of nations,

a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

¹³Because of Yahweh's anger,

Babylon will not be inhabited,

but will be a complete devastation.

Everyone who passes by will be appalled because of Babylon

and will hiss because of all of its wounds.

¹⁴Arrange yourselves against Babylon all around her.

Everyone who bends a bow must shoot at her.

Do not spare any of your arrows,

for she has sinned against Yahweh.

¹⁵Raise a shout against her all around!

She has surrendered;

her towers have fallen;

her walls are torn down,

for this is Yahweh's vengeance.

Take vengeance on her!

Do to her just as she has done!

¹⁶Destroy both the farmer who sows seed

and the one who uses a sickle

at the time of harvest in Babylon.

Let each person turn back to his own people

from the oppressor's sword;

let them flee to their own land.

¹⁷Israel is a scattered flock

driven away by lions.

First the king of Assyria devoured him; then after this,

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon broke his bones.

¹⁸Therefore Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says this:

See, I am about to punish the king of Babylon and his land,

just as I punished the king of Assyria.

¹⁹I will restore Israel to his homeland;

he will graze on Carmel and Bashan.

Then he will be satisfied

in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.

²⁰In those days and at that time, says Yahweh,

iniquity will be looked for in Israel,

but none will be found.

I will inquire about the sins of Judah,

but none will be found,

for I will forgive the remnant that I spare.

²¹"Arise against the land of Merathaim,

against it and the ones inhabiting Pekod.

Put them to the sword and completely destroy them

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—do everything that I am commanding you.

²²The sounds of battle and enormous destruction

are in the land.

²³How the hammer of all the lands

has been cut apart and destroyed.

How Babylon has become an object of horror

among the nations.

²⁴I have set a trap for you and you were taken, Babylon,

and you did not know it!

You were found and captured,

because you opposed Yahweh.

²⁵Yahweh has opened his armory

and is bringing out the weapons

for carrying out his anger.

There is work for the Lord Yahweh of host

in the land of the Chaldeans.

²⁶Attack her from far away.

Open her granaries

and pile her up like heaps of grain.

Set her apart for destruction.

Leave no remnant of her.

²⁷Kill all her bulls.

Send them down to the place of slaughter.

Woe to them, for their day has come

—the time for their punishment.

²⁸There is the sound of those fleeing,

of those who are survivors,

from the land of Babylon.

These will report the vengeance of Yahweh our God for Zion,

and vengeance for his temple.

²⁹"Summon the archers against Babylon

—all those who bend their bows.

Camp against her,

and let no one escape.

Repay her for what she has done.

Do to her by the measure she has used.

For she had acted arrogantly against Yahweh

—against the Holy One of Israel.

³⁰So her young men will fall in the city squares,

and all her fighting men will be destroyed on that day

—this is Yahweh's declaration."

³¹"See, I am against you, proud one

—this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts

—for your day has come, proud one,

the time when I will punish you.

³²So the proud ones will stumble and fall.

No one will raise them up.

I will set fire to their cities;

it will devour everything around him.

³³Yahweh of hosts says this:

The people of Israel are oppressed,

together with the people of Judah.

All the ones who captured them still hold them;

they refuse to let them go.

³⁴The one who rescues them is strong.

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

He will truly plead their case,

in order to bring rest to the land,

and to bring strife to the ones inhabiting Babylon.

³⁵A sword is against the Chaldeans

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—and against the inhabitants of Babylon,

her leaders, and her wise men.

³⁶A sword against those who say empty words!

They will become fools!

A sword against her soldiers!

They will be filled with terror.

³⁷A sword is coming against their horse their chariots

and all of the people who are in the midst of Babylon,

so they will become like women.

A sword is coming against her storerooms,

and they will be plundered.

³⁸A drought is coming on her waters,

so they will become dry.

For she is a land of worthless idols,

and they act like people

made insane by their dreadful idols.

³⁹So desert beasts with the jackals will inhabit there,

and the young of ostriches will live in her.

For all time, she will no longer be inhabited.

From generation to generation, she will not be lived in.

⁴⁰Just as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—no one will live there;

no person will stay in her.

⁴¹"See, a people is coming from the north;

a great nation and many kings

are being stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth.

⁴²They will pick up bows and spears.

They are cruel and have no compassion.

Their sound is like the sea roar,

and they are riding on horses,

set out in order as men for battle, against you,

daughter of Babylon.

⁴³The king of Babylon heard the reports about them

and his hands fell limp in distress.

Anguish seized him

like a woman giving birth.

⁴⁴Behold! He goes up like a lion

from the majesty of the Jordan

to the enduring grazing place

For I will quickly cause them to run from it,

and I will put someone who will be chosen in charge of it.

For who is like me,

and who will summon me?

What shepherd is able to resist me?

⁴⁵So listen to the plans that Yahweh has decided against Babylon,

the plans that he has planned

against the land of the Chaldeans.

They will certainly be dragged away,

even the smallest flock.

Their pasturelands will be turned into ruined places.

⁴⁶At the sound of conquered Babylon the earth shakes,

and their shout of distress is heard among the nations."

¹"Yahweh says this:

See, I am about to stir up a wind of destruction

against Babylon and against those

who live in Leb Kamai.

²I will send foreigners to Babylon.

They will scatter her and devastate her land,

for they will come against her

from all around on the day of disaster.

³Do not let the archers bend their bows;

do not let them put on armor.

Do not spare her young men;

set her whole army apart for destruction.

⁴For the wounded people

will fall in the land of the Chaldeans;

those who are thrust through will fall in her streets.

⁵For Israel and Judah are not abandoned by their God,

by Yahweh of hosts,

although their land is filled with offenses

committed against the Holy One of Israel.

⁶Flee from the midst of Babylon;

let each man save himself.

Do not perish in her iniquity.

For it is the time of Yahweh's vengeance.

He will repay all of it to her.

⁷Babylon was a golden cup in the hand of Yahweh

that made all the world drunk;

nations drank her wine and became insane.

⁸Babylon will fall suddenly and be destroyed.

Wail for her

Give her medicine for her pain;

perhaps she can be healed.

⁹'We wished to heal Babylon,

but she is not healed.

Let us all leave her and go away,

to our own land.

For her guilt reaches up to the heavens;

it is piled up to the clouds.

¹⁰Yahweh has brought about our vindication.

Come, let us give a full account in Zion

the deeds of Yahweh our God.'

¹¹Sharpen the arrows and take up the shields.

Yahweh is stirring up

the spirit of the king of the Medes

in a plan to destroy Babylon.

This is for Yahweh's vengeance,

vengeance for the destruction of his temple.

¹²Lift up a signal flag over Babylon's walls;

make the watch strong;

set up watchmen;

prepare the ambushes;

for the LORD will do what he has said

concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

¹³You people who live by many streams of water,

you people who are rich with treasures,

your end has come.

The thread of your life is now cut short.

¹⁴Yahweh of hosts has sworn by his own life,

'I will fill you with men, like a swarm of locusts,

and they will raise a battle cry against you.'

¹⁵He has made the earth by his power;

he set in place the world by his wisdom.

By his understanding he stretched out the heavens.

¹⁶When he thunders,

there is the roar of waters in the heavens,

for he brings up the mist from the ends of the earth.

He makes lightning for rain

and sends out wind from his storehouses.

¹⁷Every man has become stupid,

without knowledge.

Every metalworker is put to shame

by his idols.

For his cast metal images are frauds,

and there is no life in them.

¹⁸They are useless, the work of mockers;

they will perish at the time of their punishment.

¹⁹But God, the portion of Jacob, is not like these,

for he is the molder of all things.

Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

²⁰You are my war hammer,

my weapon for battle.

With you I will smash nations

and destroy kingdoms.

²¹With you I will smash horses and their riders;

with you I will smash chariots and their drivers.

²²With you I will smash each man and woman;

with you I will smash the old and the young.

With you I will smash the young men and the virgin girls.

²³With you I will smash the shepherds and their flocks;

with you I will smash the plowmen and their teams.

With you I will smash the governors and officials.

²⁴For in your sight I will pay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all of the evil that they did in Zion—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁵See, I am against you, mountain of destruction

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—which destroys the whole earth.

I will stretch out my hand against you,

and roll you down from the cliffs,

and make you a burned-out mountain.

²⁶So they will not take from you any stone

to construct a building's corner or foundation;

for you will become an everlasting devastation

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

²⁷Lift up a signal flag over the earth.

Blow the ram's horn over the nations.

Call the nations to attack her:

the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.

Appoint a commander to attack her;

bring up horses like swarming locusts.

²⁸Prepare the nations to attack her:

The kings of the Medes and his governors,

all of his officials and all the lands under his rule.

²⁹For the land will shake and be in anguish,

since Yahweh's plans continue against Babylon,

to make the land of Babylon a wasteland

where there is no inhabitant.

³⁰The soldiers in Babylon have stopped fighting;

they stay in their strongholds.

Their strength has failed;

they have become women

—her homes are on fire,

the bars of her gates are broken.

³¹A messenger runs to proclaim to another messenger,

and a runner tells another runner

to report to the king of Babylon

that his city has been taken from end to end.

³²So the fords over the river are seized;

the enemy is burning the reed marshes,

and Babylon's fighting men are confused.

³³For Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this:

The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor.

It is time to trample her down.

In a little while the time of harvest will come to her.

³⁴'Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me,

he has driven me into confusion

and has made me an empty pot.

Like a sea monster he has swallowed me,

he has filled his stomach with my delicious foods,

and then he has spit me out.'

³⁵The one who lives in Zion will say,

'May the violence done to me and my flesh

be on Babylon.'

Jerusalem will say,

'May my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea.'

³⁶Therefore Yahweh says this:

See, I am about to plead your case

and bring about vengeance for you.

For I will dry up Babylon's water

and make her springs run dry.

³⁷Babylon will become heaps of rubble,

a den of jackals, a horror,

an object of hissing,

where there are no inhabitants.

³⁸The Babylonians will roar together like young lions.

They will growl like lion cubs.

³⁹When they become hot with greed,

I will make a feast for them;

I will make them drunk so they become joyful

and then sleep an unending sleep and not wake up

—this is Yahweh's declaration—

⁴⁰I will send them down like lambs to the slaughter,

like rams with male goats.

⁴¹How Babylon has been captured!

So the praise of all the earth is seized.

How Babylon has become a ruined place among the nations.

⁴²The sea has come up over Babylon

She is covered with its roaring waves.

⁴³Her cities have become a desolation,

a dry land and a wilderness,

a land that no one inhabits,

and no human being passes through.

⁴⁴So I will punish Bel in Babylon;

I will bring out from his mouth what he swallowed,

and the nations will no longer flow

to him with their offerings.

The walls of Babylon will fall.

⁴⁵Go out from her midst, my people.

Let each of you save his own life

from the fury of my wrath.

⁴⁶Do not let your hearts be timid

or fear the news that is heard in the land,

for the news will come one year.

After it in the next year there will be news,

and violence will be in the land.

Ruler will be against ruler.

⁴⁷Therefore, see, days are coming

when I will punish the carved idols of Babylon.

All of her land will be ashamed,

and all of her slaughtered ones will fall in her midst.

⁴⁸Then the heavens and the earth,

and all that is in them will rejoice over Babylon.

For destroyers will come for her from the north

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

⁴⁹As Babylon has made the killed of Israel fall,

so the killed of all her land will fall in Babylon.

⁵⁰Survivors of the sword, go away!

Do not stay still.

Call Yahweh to mind from far away;

let Jerusalem come to mind.

⁵¹We are ashamed, for we have been insulted;

shame has covered our faces,

for foreigners have entered the holy places

of the house of Yahweh.

⁵²Therefore, see, days are coming

—this is Yahweh's declaration

—when I will punish her carved idols,

and the wounded people will groan in all of her land.

⁵³For even if Babylon went up to the heavens

or fortified her highest fortresses,

destroyers would come from me to her

—this is Yahweh's declaration.

⁵⁴A cry of distress came from Babylon,

great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans.

⁵⁵For Yahweh is destroying Babylon.

He is causing her loud voice to perish.

Their enemies roar like the waves of many waters;

their noise becomes very strong.

⁵⁶For the destroyers have come against her

—against Babylon!

—and her warriors have been captured.

Their bows are shattered,

for Yahweh is the God of vengeance;

he will surely carry out this repayment.

⁵⁷For I will make her princes and her wise men drunk,

as well as her governors, her officials, and her soldiers.

and they will sleep in an unending sleep

and never wake up

—this is the King's declaration:

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

⁵⁸Yahweh of hosts says this:

The thick walls of Babylon will be completely demolished,

and her high gates will be burned.

Then the peoples coming to her aid will labor uselessly;

everything that the nations try to do for her

will be burned up."

⁵⁹This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was a chief officer.⁶⁰For Jeremiah had written in a scroll about all the disaster that was going to come on Babylon—all these words that were written about Babylon.

⁶¹Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "When you go to Babylon, then you will see and you will read these words aloud.⁶²Then you will say, 'Yahweh, you yourself have declared that you would destroy this place, and that no man or animal will live in it, and it will be desolate forever.'

⁶³Then when you have finished reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates.⁶⁴Say, 'Babylon will sink like this. It will not arise because of the disaster that I am sending against it, and they will fall.'" Jeremiah's words end here.

¹Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal; she was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.²He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he did everything that Jehoiakim had done.³Through Yahweh's anger, all these events happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he drove them from before himself. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

⁴It happened that in the ninth year of the reign of King Zedekiah, in the tenth month, and on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came with all his army against Jerusalem. They camped opposite it, and they built a siege wall around it.⁵So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah's reign.

⁶By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.⁷Then the city was broken into, and all the fighting men fled and went out of the city at night by the way of the gate that was between the two walls, by the king's garden, although the Chaldeans were all around the city. So they went in the direction of the Arabah.⁸But the army of Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of the Jordan River valley near Jericho. All his army was scattered away from him.

⁹They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he passed sentence on him.¹⁰The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his own eyes, and at Riblah he also slaughtered all the leaders of Judah.¹¹Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes, bound him in bronze chains, and brought him to Babylon. The king of Babylon put him in prison until the day of his death.

¹²Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem. He was the commander of the king's bodyguards and a servant of the king of Babylon.¹³He burned the house of Yahweh, the king's palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; also every important building in the city he burned.¹⁴As for the walls around Jerusalem, all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the commander of the bodyguards destroyed them.

¹⁵As for the poorest people, the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen—Nebuzaradan, the commander of the bodyguards, took some of them away into exile.¹⁶But Nebuzaradan, the commander of the bodyguards, left some of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹⁷As for the bronze pillars that belonged to the house of Yahweh, and the stands, and the large bronze basin called "The Sea" that were in the house of Yahweh, the Chaldeans broke them into pieces and carried all the bronze back to Babylon.¹⁸The pots, shovels, lamp trimmers, bowls, and all the utensils of bronze with which the priests had served in the temple—the Chaldeans took them all away.¹⁹The basins and the incense burners, the bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and basins that were made of gold, and those made of silver—the commander of the king's guard took them away as well.

²⁰The two pillars, the large bronze basin known as "The Sea," and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the stands, things that King Solomon had made for the house of Yahweh, contained more bronze than could be weighed.²¹The pillars were eighteen cubits high each, and a line around each one measured twelve cubits. Each was four fingers thick and hollow.

²²A capital of bronze was on top of it. The capital was five cubits high, with latticework and pomegranates all around. It was all made of bronze. The other pillar and its pomegranates were the same as the first.²³So there were ninety-six pomegranates on the capital's sides, and one hundred pomegranates above the surrounding latticework.

²⁴The commander of the bodyguards took prisoner Seraiah, the high priest, together with Zephaniah, the second priest, and the three gatekeepers.²⁵From the city he took prisoner an officer who was in charge of soldiers, and seven men of those who advised the king, who were still in the city. He also took prisoner the king's army officer responsible for drafting men into the army, along with sixty important men from the land who were in the city.

²⁶Then Nebuzaradan, the commander of the bodyguards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.²⁷The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. In this way, Judah went out of its land into exile.

²⁸These were the people who Nebuchadnezzar exiled:

In the seventh year, 3,023 Jews.

²⁹In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar

he took 832 people from Jerusalem.

³⁰In the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan,

the commander of the king's bodyguards,

exiled 745 Jewish people.

All the exiled people totaled 4,600.

³¹It happened later in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that Awel-Marduk, king of Babylon released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. This happened in the year that Awel-Marduk began to reign.

³²He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat more honorable than that of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.³³Awel-Marduk removed Jehoiachin's prison clothes, and Jehoiachin ate regularly at the king's table for the rest of his life,³⁴and a regular food allowance was given to him by the king of Babylon every day for the rest of his life until his death.

Ezekiel

¹In the thirtieth year, the fourth month, and the fifth day of the month, it came about that I was living among the captives by the Kebar Canal. The heavens opened, and I saw visions of God.²On the fifth day of that month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—³the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Kebar Canal, and the hand of Yahweh was upon him there.

⁴Then I looked, and there was a windstorm coming from the north; a great cloud with fire flashing within it and brightness surrounding it and inside of it, and the fire was the color of amber inside the cloud.⁵In the middle was the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man,⁶but they had four faces each, and each of the creatures had four wings.

⁷Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf that shone like polished bronze.⁸Yet they had human hands under their wings on all four sides. For all four, their faces and wings were like this:⁹their wings touched each other. They did not turn when they moved; each one went straight ahead.

¹⁰The likeness of their faces was like the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion to the right side, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. They four had also the face of an eagle.¹¹Their faces were like that, and their wings were spread out above, so that each creature had a pair of wings that touched another creature's wing, and also a pair of wings that covered their bodies.¹²Each went straight forward, so that wherever the Spirit directed them to go, they went without turning.

¹³As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches; bright fire also moved about among the creatures, and there were flashes of lightning.¹⁴The living creatures were moving swiftly back and forth, and they had the appearance of lightning!

¹⁵Then I looked at the living creatures; and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the living creatures with its four faces.¹⁶This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: Each wheel was like beryl, and the four had the same likeness; their appearance and workmanship was like a wheel intersecting another wheel.

¹⁷As they moved, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went.¹⁸As for their rims, they were high and fearsome, for the rims were full of eyes round about.

¹⁹Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures rose up from the earth, the wheels also rose up.²⁰Wherever the Spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose up beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.²¹Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels also moved; and when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; when the creatures rose up from the earth, the wheels rose up beside them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

²²Over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an expansive dome; it looked like awe-inspiring crystal stretched out over their heads above.²³Beneath the dome, each one of the creature's wings stretched out straight and touched another creature's wings. Each of the living creatures also had a pair to cover themselves; each had a pair to cover his own body.

²⁴Then I heard the sound of their wings. Like the noise of many waters. Like the voice of the Almighty whenever they moved. Like the sound of a rainstorm. Like the sound of an army. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings.²⁵A voice came from above the dome over their heads whenever they stood still and lowered their wings.

²⁶Above the dome over their heads was the likeness of a throne that was like the appearance of a sapphire stone, and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man.

²⁷I saw a figure with the appearance of glowing metal with fire in it from the appearance of his hips up; I saw from the appearance of his hips downward the appearance of fire and brightness all around.²⁸Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day was the appearance of the bright light surrounding it. It was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.

¹He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet; then I will speak to you."²Then, as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.³He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to rebellious nations that have rebelled against me—both they and their ancestors have sinned against me up to this very day!

⁴Their descendants have stubborn faces and hard hearts. I am sending you to them, and you will say to them, 'This is what the Lord Yahweh says.'⁵Either they will listen or they will not listen. They are a rebellious house, but they will at least know that a prophet has been among them.

⁶You, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, although you are with briers and thorns and although you live with scorpions. Do not fear their words or be dismayed by their faces, since they are a rebellious house.

⁷But you will speak my words to them, whether they listen or not, because they are most rebellious.

⁸But you, son of man, listen to what I am saying to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give to you!"

⁹Then I looked, and a hand was extended out to me; in it was a written scroll.¹⁰He spread it out before me; it had been written on both its front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning, and woe.

¹He said to me, "Son of man, what you have found, eat. Eat this scroll, then go speak to the house of Israel."²So I opened my mouth, and he fed me that scroll.³He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll that I have given to you!" So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

⁴Then he said to me, "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.⁵For you are not being sent to a people of strange speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel—⁶not to many peoples of strange speech or a difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I sent you to them, they would have listened to you.⁷But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me. So all the house of Israel is strong browed and hard hearted.

⁸Behold! I have made your face as hard as their faces and your brow as hard as their brows.⁹I have made your brow like a diamond, harder than flint! Do not fear them or be discouraged by their faces, since they are a rebellious house."

¹⁰Then he said to me, "Son of man, all the words that I announce to you—take them into your heart and hear them with your ears!¹¹Then go to the captives, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Lord Yahweh says,' whether they will listen or not."

¹²Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake: "Blessed be the glory of Yahweh from his place!"¹³It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels that were with them, and the sound of a great earthquake.

¹⁴The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went with bitterness in the anger of my spirit, and the strong hand of Yahweh was on me.¹⁵So I went to the captives at Tel Aviv who lived along the Kebar Canal, and I stayed there among them for seven days, overwhelmed in amazement.

¹⁶Then it happened after seven days that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁷"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel, so listen to the word from my mouth, and give them my warning.¹⁸When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die' and you do not warn him or speak a warning to the wicked about his evil deeds so he might live—the wicked one will die for his iniquity, but I will require his blood from your hand.¹⁹But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked deeds, then he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued your own life.

²⁰If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, and I set a stumbling block before him, he will die. Because you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and I will not call to mind the righteous deeds that he performed, but I will require his blood from your hand.²¹But if you warn the righteous man to stop sinning so that he no longer sins, he will surely live since he was warned; and you will have rescued your own life."

²²So the hand of Yahweh was on me there, and he said to me, "Arise! Go out into the plain, and I will speak with you there!"²³I arose and went out into the plain, and there the glory of Yahweh was staying, like the glory that I had seen beside the Kebar Canal; so I fell on my face.

²⁴The Spirit came to me and stood me up on my feet; and he spoke with me, and said to me, "Go and shut yourself up within your house,²⁵for now, son of man, they will place ropes upon you and tie you so you cannot go out among them.

²⁶I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so you will be mute, and you will not be able to rebuke them, since they are a rebellious house.²⁷But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth so you will say to them, 'This is what the Lord Yahweh says.' The one who will hear will hear; the one who will not listen will not listen, for they are a rebellious house!"

¹"But you, son of man, take a brick for yourself and place it before you. Then carve the city of Jerusalem on it.²Then lay siege against it, and build forts against it. Raise up a siege ramp against it and set camps around it. Place battering rams all around it.³Then take for yourself an iron pan and use it as an iron wall between yourself and the city and set your face against it, for it will be under siege, and you are to put the siege against it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.

⁴Then, lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel on it; you will bear their iniquity for the number of the days that you lie down against the house of Israel.⁵I myself am assigning to you one day to represent each year of their punishment: 390 days! In this way, you will bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

⁶When you have completed these days, then lie down a second time on your right side, for you will bear the iniquity of the house of Judah for forty days. I am assigning to you one day for each year.⁷Set your face toward Jerusalem that is under siege, and with your arm uncovered prophesy against it.⁸For behold! I am placing bonds on you so you will not turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.

⁹Take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single container and make bread for yourself according to the number of the days that you will lie upon your side. For 390 days you will eat it.¹⁰The food you will eat will be by weight, twenty shekels per day, and you will eat it at set times each day.¹¹Then you will drink water, measured out to a sixth of a hin, and you will drink it at set times.

¹²You will eat it as barley cakes, but you will bake it on excrement of human dung within their sight!"¹³For Yahweh says, "This means that the bread that the people of Israel will eat will be unclean, there among the nations where I will banish them."

¹⁴But I said, "Alas, Lord Yahweh! I have never been unclean! I have never eaten either an animal that died by itself or anything killed by animals, from my youth until now, and foul meat has never entered my mouth!"¹⁵So he said to me, "Look! I have given you cow manure instead of human dung so you can prepare your bread over that."

¹⁶He also said to me, "Son of man! Behold! I am breaking the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread while rationing it in anxiety and drink water while rationing it in horror.¹⁷Because they will lack bread and water, every man will be appalled at his brother, and they will waste away because of their iniquity."

¹"Then you, son of man, take a sharp sword as a barber's razor for yourself, and pass the razor over your head and your beard, then take scales to weigh and divide your hair.²Burn a third of it with fire in the midst of the city when the days of the siege are completed, and take a third of the hair and strike it with the sword all around the city. Then scatter a third of it to the wind, and I will draw out a sword to chase after the people.

³But take a small number of hairs from them and tie them into the folds of your robe.⁴Then take more of the hair and throw it into the midst of the fire; and burn it in the fire; from there a fire will go out to all the house of Israel."

⁵The Lord Yahweh says this, "This is Jerusalem in the midst of the nations, where I have placed her, and where I have surrounded her with other lands.⁶But she has rebelled against my ordinances more wickedly than the nations have, and my statutes more than the lands that surround her. The people have rejected my ordinances and have not walked in my statutes."

⁷Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, "Because you are more troublesome than the nations that surround you and have not walked in my statutes or acted according to my decrees, or even acted according to the decrees of the nations that surround you,"⁸therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, "Behold! I myself will act against you. I will execute judgments within your midst for the nations to see.

⁹I will do to you what I have not done and the like of which I will not do again, because of all your disgusting practices.¹⁰Therefore fathers will eat the children in your midst, and sons will eat their fathers, since I will execute judgment on you and scatter to every direction all of you who remain.

¹¹Therefore, as I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—it is certainly because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your disgusting practices, that I myself will reduce you in number; my eye will not have pity on you, and I will not spare you.¹²A third of you will die by plague, and they will be consumed by famine in your midst. A third will fall by the sword surrounding you. Then I will scatter a third in every direction, and draw out a sword to chase after them as well.

¹³Then my wrath will be completed, and I will cause my fury toward them to rest. I will be comforted, and they will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in my jealousy when I have completed my fury against them.¹⁴I will make you a ruin and an object of scorn to the nations that surround you and in the sight of everyone who passes by.

¹⁵So Jerusalem will become something for other people to condemn and to mock, a warning and a horror to the nations that surround you. I will execute judgments against you in wrath and fury, and with furious rebukes—I, Yahweh have declared this!¹⁶I will send out harsh arrows of famine against you that will become the means with which I will destroy you. For I will increase the famine on you and break your staff of bread.¹⁷I will send a famine and disasters against you so you will be childless. Plague and blood will pass through you, and I will bring a sword against you—I, Yahweh, have declared this."

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy to them.³Say, 'Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord Yahweh! The Lord Yahweh says this to the mountains and to the hills, to the streambeds, and to the valleys: Behold! I am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

⁴Then your altars will become desolate and your pillars will be destroyed, and I will throw down your dead in front of their idols.⁵I will lay the dead bodies of the people of Israel before their idols, and scatter your bones around your altars.

⁶Everywhere you live, cities will be laid waste and the high places ruined, so that your altars will be laid waste and made desolate. Then your idols will be broken and disappear, your pillars will be cut down and your works will be wiped away.⁷The dead will fall down in your midst and you will know that I am Yahweh.

⁸But I will preserve a remnant among you, and there will be some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered throughout the lands.⁹Then those who escape will think of me among the nations where they will be held captive, that I was grieved by their promiscuous heart that turned away from me, and by their eyes that whored after their idols. Then they will show loathing on their face for the wickedness which they have committed with all their abominations.¹⁰So they will know that I am Yahweh. It was for a reason that I said I would bring this evil to them.

¹¹The Lord Yahweh says this: Clap your hands and stomp your foot! Say, 'Alas!' because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! For they will fall by sword, famine, and plague.¹²The one far away will die by plague, and the one who is near will fall by the sword. Those who remain and survive will die by famine. In this way I will accomplish my fury against them.

¹³Then you will know that I am Yahweh, when their dead lie among their idols, around their altars, on every high hill—on all the mountain peaks, and under every flourishing tree and thick oak—the places where they burned incense to all their idols.¹⁴I will strike with my hand and make the land desolate and a waste, from the wilderness to Diblah, throughout all the places where they live. Then they will know that I am Yahweh." ¹

¹Instead of Diblah , some ancient Hebrew copies and modern translations have Riblah .

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"You, son of man—the Lord Yahweh says this to the land of Israel.

'An end! An end has come

to the four borders of the land.

³Now the end is upon you,

for I am sending out my wrath on you,

and I will judge you according to your ways;

then I will bring all your abominations upon you.

⁴For my eye will not pity you,

and I will not spare you.

Instead, I will bring your ways upon you,

and your abominations will be in your midst.

Then you will know that I am Yahweh.'

⁵"The Lord Yahweh says this:

Disaster! A unique disaster!

Behold, it is coming. ¹

⁶An end is surely coming.

The end has woken up against you.

Behold, it is coming!

⁷Your doom is coming to you who inhabit the land.

The time has come; the day is near—

tumult and not joyful shouting on the mountains.

⁸Now before long I will pour out my fury against you

and fill up my wrath upon you

when I judge you according to your ways

and bring all your abominations upon you.

⁹For my eye will not look compassionately,

and I will not spare you.

As you have done, I will do to you;

and your abominations will be in your midst

so you will know that I am Yahweh, the one punishing you.

¹⁰Behold, the day!

Behold, it is coming!

Doom has gone out!

The rod has blossomed,

arrogance has budded!

¹¹Violence has grown up into a rod of wickedness—

none of them, and none of their multitude,

none of their wealth, and none of their importance will last!

¹²The time is coming; the day has come close.

Do not let the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn,

since my anger is on the entire multitude!

¹³For the seller will not return to the land he sold as long as they both live,

because the vision concerning the entire multitude will not be reversed;

and because of their iniquity, none of them will be strengthened!

¹⁴They have blown the trumpet

and made everything ready,

but there is no one marching to battle;

since my anger is on the entire multitude.

¹⁵The sword is on the outside,

and plague and famine are inside the building.

Those who are in the field will die by the sword,

while famine and plague will consume those in the city.

¹⁶But some survivors will escape from among them,

and they will go to the mountains.

Like doves of the valleys, all of them will moan—

each man for his iniquity.

¹⁷Every hand will falter

and every knee will be weak as water,

¹⁸and they will gird themselves sackcloth,

and trembling will cover them;

and shame will be on every face,

and baldness on all of their heads.

¹⁹They will throw their silver into the streets

and their gold will be an impure thing.

Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them

in the day of Yahweh's rage.

Their lives will not be saved,

and their hunger will not be satisfied,

because their iniquity has become a stumbling block.

²⁰In their pride they took the beauty of his jeweled ornaments,

and with them they made their abominable images and their detestable idols.

Therefore, I am turning these into an unclean thing to them.

²¹Then I will give those things into the hand of strangers as plunder

and to the wicked of the earth as plunder,

and they will defile them.

²²Then I will turn my face away from them

when they defile my cherished place;

bandits will enter it and defile it.

²³Make a chain,

because the land is filled with the judgment of blood,

and the city is full of violence.

²⁴So I will bring the most wicked of the nations,

and they will possess their houses,

and I will bring an end to the pride of the mighty,

for their holy places will be defiled!

²⁵Fear will come!

They will seek peace,

but there will be none.

²⁶Disaster upon disaster will come,

and there will be rumor after rumor.

Then they will seek a vision from the prophet,

but the law will perish from the priest

and advice from the elders.

²⁷The king will mourn

and the prince will be clothed in horror,

while the hands of the people of the land will tremble in fear.

According to their own ways I will do this to them!

I will judge them with their own standards

until they know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹Instead of Disaster! A unique disaster! some ancient copies have Disaster after disaster!

¹So it came about in the sixth year and the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord Yahweh again fell upon me there.²So I looked, and behold, there was a likeness with the appearance of a man. From the appearance of his hips downward there was fire. And from his hips upward there was the appearance of something shining, like glowing metal.

³Then he reached out the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and in visions from God, he brought me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the inner northern gate, where the idol that provokes great jealousy was standing.⁴Then behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision I had seen on the plain.

⁵Then he said to me, "Son of man, lift up your eyes to the north." So I lifted up my eyes to the north, and to the north of the gate leading to the altar, there in the entrance, was the idol of jealousy.⁶So he said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing? These are great abominations that the house of Israel is doing here to make me go far from my own sanctuary. But you will turn and see even greater abominations."

⁷Then he brought me to the doorway of the courtyard, and I looked, and there was a hole in the wall.⁸He said to me, "Son of man, dig into this wall." So I dug into the wall, and there was a door.⁹Then he said to me, "Go and see the wicked abominations that they are doing here."

¹⁰So I went in and looked, and behold, I saw there portrayed all over the walls every form of creeping things and detestable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel.¹¹Seventy elders of the house of Israel were there, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing in their midst. They were standing in front of the images, and each man had his censer in his hand so that the smell of the cloud of incense went up.

¹²He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark? Each one does this in the hidden chamber of his idol, for they say, 'Yahweh does not see us! Yahweh has abandoned the land.'"¹³Then he said to me, "Turn again and see the other great abominations that they are doing."

¹⁴Next he brought me to the entrance of the gate of the house of Yahweh that was on the north side, and behold! The women were sitting there mourning for Tammuz.¹⁵So he said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Turn again and see even greater abominations than these."

¹⁶He brought me into the inner courtyard of the house of Yahweh, and behold! at the entrance of the temple of Yahweh between the portico and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun.

¹⁷He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Is it a little thing for the house of Judah to do these abominations that they are doing here? For they have filled the land with violence and they have turned again to provoke me to anger, putting the branch to their noses.¹⁸So I will also act among them; my eye will not have compassion, and I will not spare them. Though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."

¹Then he cried in my hearing with a loud voice, and said, "Let the guards come up to the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand."²Then behold! Six men came from the pathway of the upper gate that faces north, each with his weapon of slaughter in his hand. There was a man in their midst dressed in linen with a scribe's equipment at his side. So they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

³Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherubim where it had been to the threshold of the house. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the scribe's equipment at his side.⁴Yahweh said to him, "Pass through the midst of the city—the midst of Jerusalem—and make a mark on the foreheads of those who groan and sigh about all the abominations being performed in the midst of the city."

⁵Then he spoke to the others within my hearing, "Pass through the city after him and kill. Do not let your eyes have compassion, and do not spare anyone.⁶Kill—completely destroy—old man, young man, virgin, little children or women. But do not approach anyone who has the mark on his head. Begin at my sanctuary!" So they began with the elders who were in front of the house.

⁷He said to them, "Defile the house, and fill its courtyards with the dead. Proceed!" So they went out and attacked the city.⁸As they were attacking it, I found myself alone and I fell on my face and cried out and said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh, will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?"

⁹He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood and the city full of perversions, since they say, 'Yahweh has forgotten the land,' and 'Yahweh does not see!'¹⁰But as for me, my eye will not pity them, and I will not spare them. I will bring their deeds upon their heads."¹¹Behold! The man dressed in linen who had the scribe's equipment by his side came back. He reported and said, "I have done all that you have commanded."

¹As I looked toward the dome that was over the heads of the cherubim; something appeared above them like a sapphire with the appearance of the likeness of a throne.²Then Yahweh spoke to the man dressed in linen and said, "Go between the wheels underneath the cherubim, and fill both your hands with fiery coals from between the cherubim and scatter them over the city." Then the man went in as I watched.

³The cherubim stood on the right side of the house when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner courtyard.⁴The glory of Yahweh rose up from the cherubim and stood over the threshold of the house. It filled the house with the cloud, and the courtyard was full of the brightness of Yahweh's glory.⁵The sound of the cherubim's wings was heard as far as the outer courtyard, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.

⁶It came about, when God commanded the man dressed in linen and said, "Take fire from between the wheels that are between the cherubim," the man went in and stood beside a wheel.⁷A cherub reached out his hand between the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, and lifted it up and placed it into the hands of the one dressed in linen. The man took it and went back out.⁸I saw on the cherubim something like a man's hand under their wings.

⁹So I looked, and behold! Four wheels were beside the cherubim—one wheel beside each cherub—and the appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.¹⁰Their appearance was the same likeness for all four of them, like a wheel intersecting another wheel.¹¹When they moved, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went; but whatever direction the head faced, they followed after it without turning as they went.

¹²Their whole body—including their backs, their hands, and their wings—was covered with eyes, and eyes covered the four wheels all around also.¹³As I listened, the wheels were called, "Whirling."¹⁴They had four faces each; the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

¹⁵Then the cherubim—these were the living creatures that I had seen by the Kebar Canal—rose up.¹⁶Whenever the cherubim moved, the wheels would go beside them, and whenever the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise up from the earth, the wheels did not turn. They still stayed beside them.¹⁷When the cherubim stood still, the wheels stood still, and when they rose up, the wheels rose up with them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

¹⁸Then the glory of Yahweh went out from over the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim.¹⁹The cherubim lifted up their wings and rose from the earth in my sight when they went out, and the wheels did the same beside them. They stood at the eastern entrance to the house of Yahweh, and the glory of the God of Israel came upon them from above.

²⁰These were the living creatures that I had seen below the God of Israel by the Kebar Canal, so I knew that they were cherubim!²¹They had four faces each and four wings each, and the likeness of human hands under their wings,²²and the likeness of their faces was like the faces that I had seen in the vision at the Kebar Canal, and each of them went straight ahead.

¹Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the eastern gate of the house of Yahweh, facing east, and behold, in the doorway of the gate there were twenty-five men. I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people, among them.

²God said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who decide wicked plans in this city.³They are saying, 'The time to build houses is not now; this city is the pot, and we are the meat.'⁴Therefore prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man."

⁵Then the Spirit of Yahweh fell on me and he said for me to say: This is what Yahweh says, "That is what you are saying, house of Israel; for I know what goes through your mind.⁶You have multiplied the people you have killed in this city and filled its streets with them.⁷Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: The people you have killed, whose bodies you have laid in the midst of Jerusalem, are the meat, and this city is the pot. But you are going to be brought out from the midst of this city.

⁸You have feared the sword, so I am bringing the sword upon you—this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.⁹I will bring you out of the midst of the city, and put you into the hands of foreigners, for I will bring judgments against you.¹⁰You will fall by the sword. I will judge you within the borders of Israel so you will know that I am Yahweh.

¹¹This city will not be your cooking pot, nor will you be the meat within her midst. I will judge you within the borders of Israel.¹²Then you will know that I am Yahweh, whose statutes you have not walked in and whose decrees you have not obeyed. Instead, you have followed the decrees of the nations that surround you."

¹³It came about that as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah, died. So I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, "Alas, Lord Yahweh, will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?"

¹⁴The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁵"Son of man, your brothers! Your brothers! The men of your kindred and all the house of Israel! All of them are those of whom it is said by those living in Jerusalem, 'They are far away from Yahweh! This land was given to us as our possession.'

¹⁶Therefore say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Though I have removed them far off among the nations, and though I have scattered them among the lands, yet I have been a sanctuary for them for a little while in the lands where they have gone.'¹⁷Therefore say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you from the lands where you were scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.'¹⁸Then they will go there and remove every detestable thing and every abomination from that place.

¹⁹I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them. I will take out the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,²⁰so that they will walk in my statutes, they will carry out my decrees and do them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.²¹But to those who walk with affection toward their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their conduct on their own heads—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

²²The cherubim lifted up their wings and the wheels that were beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high up over them.²³Then the glory of Yahweh went up from within the midst of the city and stood on the mountain to the east of the city.

²⁴The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into Chaldea, to the exiles, in the vision from the Spirit of God, and the vision that I had seen went up from upon me.²⁵Then I declared to the exiles all the things of Yahweh that I had seen.

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house, where they have eyes to see but they do not see; and where they have ears to hear but do not listen, because they are a rebellious house.

³Therefore as for you, son of man, prepare your things for exile, and begin going out by day in their sight, for I will exile you in their sight from your place to another place. Perhaps they will begin to see, though they are a rebellious house.

⁴You will bring out your things for an exile in the day in their sight; go out in the evening in their sight in the way that anyone goes into exile.⁵Dig a hole through the wall in their sight, and go out through it.⁶In their sight, lift up your things onto your shoulder, and bring them out in the darkness. Cover your face, for you must not see the land, since I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel."

⁷So I did this, just as I was commanded. I brought out my things of exile in the daytime, and in the evening I dug a hole through the wall by hand. I brought my things out in the dark, and lifted them up on my shoulder in their sight.

⁸Then the word of Yahweh came to me in the morning, saying,⁹"Son of man, is the house of Israel, that rebellious house, not asking, 'What are you doing?'¹⁰Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: this prophetic action concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel in whose midst they are.'

¹¹Say, 'I am a sign to you.' As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile and into captivity.¹²The prince who is among them will lift up his things upon his shoulder in the dark, and will go out through the wall. They will dig through the wall and bring out their things. He will cover his face, so he will not see the land with his eyes.¹³I will spread out my net over him and he will be caught in my snare; then I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it. He will die there.

¹⁴I will also scatter in every direction all of those around him who were to assist him and his entire army, and I will send out a sword after them.¹⁵Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.¹⁶But I will spare a few men from among them from the sword, famine, and plague, so they may record all of their abominations in the lands where I take them, so they will know that I am Yahweh."

¹⁷The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁸"Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with shaking and anxiety.

¹⁹Then say to the people of the land, 'The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel, "They will eat their bread with trembling and drink their water with horror, since the land will be stripped of its fullness because of the violence of all those who dwell there.²⁰So the cities that were inhabited will be desolate, and the land will become a wasteland; so you will know that I am Yahweh."'"

²¹Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²²"Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel that says, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'?²³Therefore, say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: I will put an end to this proverb, and the people of Israel will no longer use it.' Say to them, 'The days have drawn near when every vision will be fulfilled.

²⁴For there will no longer be any false visions or favorable divinations within the house of Israel.²⁵For I am Yahweh! I speak, and I carry out the words that I speak. The matter will no longer be delayed. For I will speak this word in your days, rebellious house, and I will carry it out!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

²⁶Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²⁷"Son of man! Behold, the house of Israel has said, 'The vision that he sees is for a time many days from now, and he prophesies of far off times.'²⁸Therefore say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: My words will not be delayed any longer, but the word that I have spoken will be done—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹Again, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, prophesy against the prophets who are prophesying in Israel, and say to those who are prophesying out of their own imaginations, 'Listen to the word of Yahweh.³The Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, but who have seen nothing!⁴Israel, your prophets have been like jackals in the wastelands.

⁵You have not gone to the breaks in the wall around the house of Israel in order to repair it, in order to resist in battle on the day of Yahweh.⁶The people have false visions and practice false divination, those who say, "Such and such is Yahweh's declaration." Yahweh has not sent them, but they nevertheless have made people hope that their messages would come true.⁷Have you not had false visions and practice false divination, you who say, "Such and such is Yahweh's declaration" when I myself have not spoken?'

⁸Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because you have had false visions and have told lies—therefore this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration against you:⁹My hand will be against the prophets who have lying visions and who practice false divination. They will not be in the assembly of my people, or enrolled in the record of the house of Israel; they must not go to the land of Israel. For you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh!

¹⁰Because of this, and because they led my people astray and said, "Peace!" when there is no peace, they are building a wall that they will paint with whitewash.'¹¹Say to those who are whitewashing the wall, 'It will fall down; there will be a downpour of rain, and I will send hailstones to make it fall down, and a windstorm wind to break it down.¹²See, the wall will fall down. Have others not said to you, "Where is the whitewash that you put on it?"

¹³Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: I will bring a windstorm in my rage, and there will be floods of rain in my wrath! Hailstones in my rage will completely destroy it.¹⁴For I will tear down the wall that you have covered with whitewash, and I will demolish it to the ground and lay bare its foundations. So it will fall, and you will be annihilated in the middle of it all. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

¹⁵For I will annihilate in my fury the wall and those who whitewashed it. I will say to you, "The wall exists no more, nor do the people who whitewashed it—¹⁶the prophets of Israel who prophesied about Jerusalem and who had visions of peace for her. But there is no peace!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."'

¹⁷So you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own minds, and prophesy against them.¹⁸Say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the women who sew magic charms onto every part of their hand and make veils for their heads of every size, used to hunt down people. Will you hunt down my people but save your own lives?

¹⁹You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, to kill people who should not die, and to preserve the lives of those who should not continue to live, because of your lies to my people who heard you.

²⁰Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: I am against the magic charms that you have used to ensnare the people's lives as if they were birds. Indeed, I will tear them from your arms; and the people whom you have trapped like birds—I will let them go free.²¹I will tear away your veils and rescue my people from your hand, so they will no longer be trapped in your hands. You will know that I am Yahweh.

²²Because you discouraged the heart of the righteous with lies, even though I did not cause him grief, and because you strengthened the hands of the wicked so that he does not turn from his evil ways and save his life,²³therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will rescue my people out of your hand. You will know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.²Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,³"Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts and have put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their own faces. Should I be inquired of at all by them?

⁴Therefore announce this to them and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, or who puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and who then comes to a prophet—I, Yahweh, will answer him according to the number of his idols.⁵I will do this so that I may take back the house of Israel in their hearts that have been driven far from me through their idols.'

⁶Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Repent and turn away from your idols! Turn back your faces from all your abominations.

⁷For every one from the house of Israel and every one of the foreigners sojourning in Israel who deserts me, who takes his idols into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his own face, and who then comes to a prophet to seek me—I, Yahweh, will answer him myself.⁸So I will set my face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, for I will cut him off from the midst of my people, and you will know that I am Yahweh.

⁹If a prophet is deceived and speaks a message, then I, Yahweh, will deceive that prophet; I will reach out with my hand against him and destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.¹⁰They will carry their own iniquity; the iniquity of the prophet will be the same as the iniquity of the one who inquires from him.¹¹Because of this, the house of Israel will no longer wander away from following me nor defile themselves any longer through all their transgressions. They will be my people, and I will be their God—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹²Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹³"Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing faithlessness so that I reach out with my hand against it and break the staff of its bread, and send out over it a famine and cut off both men and animals from the land;¹⁴then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in the land's midst, they could only rescue their own lives by their righteousness—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁵If I send evil beasts through the land and make it barren so that it becomes a wasteland where no man may pass through because of the beasts,¹⁶then even if these same three men were in it—as I live, declares the Lord Yahweh—they would not be able to rescue even their own sons or daughters; only their own lives would be rescued, but the land would become a wasteland.

¹⁷Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, 'Sword, go through the land and cut off both men and animals from it',¹⁸then even if these three men were in the midst of the land—as I live, declares the Lord Yahweh—they would not be able to rescue even their own sons or daughters; only their own lives would be rescued.

¹⁹Or if I send a plague against this land and pour out my fury against it through bloodshed, in order to cut off both men and animals,²⁰then even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that land—as I live, declares the Lord Yahweh—they would not be able to rescue even their own sons or daughters; only their own lives would be rescued by their righteousness.

²¹For the Lord Yahweh says this: I will certainly make things worse by sending my four judgments—famine, sword, wild animals, and plague—against Jerusalem to cut off both men and animals from her.

²²Yet, behold! An escaped remnant will be left in her, survivors who will go out with sons and daughters. Behold! They will go out to you, and you will see their ways and actions and be comforted concerning the punishment that I have sent to Jerusalem, and about everything else that I have sent against the land.²³The survivors will comfort you when you see their ways and their actions, so you will know all these things I have done against her, that I have not done them in vain!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, how is a vine better than any tree with branches that is among the trees in a forest?³Do people take wood from a vine to make anything? Or do they make a peg from it to hang anything on it?⁴See! If it is thrown into a fire as fuel, and if the fire has burned both of its ends and also the middle, is it good for anything?

⁵See! When it was complete, it could not make anything; surely then, when the fire has burned, then it still will not make anything useful.⁶Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Unlike the trees in the forests, I have given the vine as fuel for fires; I will act in the same way toward the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

⁷For I will set my face against them. Though they come out from the fire, yet the fire will consume them; so you will know that I am Yahweh, when I set my face against them.⁸Then I will make the land into an abandoned wasteland because they have committed faithlessness—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations,³and declare, 'The Lord Yahweh says this to Jerusalem: Your beginning and your birth took place in the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite.

⁴On the day of your birth, your mother did not cut your navel, nor did she purify you in water or rub you down with salt, or wrap cloth around you.⁵No eye had compassion for you to do any of these things for you, to be compassionate toward you. On the day that you were born, with loathing for your life, you were thrown out into the open field.

⁶But I passed by you, and I saw you writhing in your own blood; so I said to you in your blood, "Live!" I said to you in your blood, "Live!" ¹⁷I made you grow like a plant in a field. You multiplied and became great, and you became the jewel of jewels. Your breasts became firm, and your hair grew thick, though you had been naked and bare.

⁸I passed by you again, and I saw you. See! the time of love came for you, so I spread my robe over you and covered your nakedness. Then I swore to you and brought you into a covenant—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—and you became mine.

⁹So I washed you with water and rinsed your blood off you, and I anointed you with oil.¹⁰I dressed you in embroidered clothes and placed leather sandals on your feet. I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.¹¹Next I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your hands, and a chain around your neck.¹²I put a nose ring in your nostrils and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.

¹³So you were adorned with gold and silver, and you were dressed in fine linen, silk, and embroidered clothes; you ate fine flour, honey, and oil, and you were very beautiful, and you became a queen.¹⁴Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect in the majesty that I had given to you—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁵But you trusted in your own beauty, and you acted like a prostitute because of your fame; you poured out your acts of prostitution on everyone who passed by, so that your beauty became his.¹⁶Then you took your clothes and with them you made high places for yourself decorated in various colors, and there you acted like a prostitute. This should not have happened. Nor should such a thing exist.

¹⁷You took the beautiful jewels of the gold and silver that I gave you, and you made for yourself male figures, and you did with them as a prostitute would do.¹⁸You took your embroidered garments and covered them, and you set my oils and incense before them.¹⁹My bread I gave you—made with fine flour, oil, and honey—you set before them for a fragrant aroma, for this is what happened—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

²⁰Then you took your sons and daughters whom you bore for me, and you sacrificed them to the images to be devoured as food. Are your acts of prostitution a small matter?²¹You slaughtered my children to the idols and made them pass through the fire.²²In all your abominations and your acts of prostitution you have not thought about the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare as you thrashed about in your blood.

²³Woe! Woe to you!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—therefore, in addition to all this wickedness,²⁴you built yourself a mound and made yourself a high place in every public place.

²⁵You built your high place at the head of every road and made your beauty abominable, and you spread your legs to anyone who passed by, and you multiplied your acts of prostitution.²⁶You have acted like a prostitute with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and you committed many more acts of prostitution, provoking me to anger.

²⁷See! I will strike you with my hand and cut off your food. I will hand your life over to your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your obscene behavior.²⁸You have acted like a prostitute with the Assyrians because you could not be satisfied. You acted like a prostitute and still were not satisfied.²⁹You performed many more acts of prostitution in the land of the merchants of Chaldea, and even this did not satisfy you.

³⁰How weak is your heart—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—that you would do all these things, deeds of a shameless prostitute?³¹You have built your mounds at the head of every street and made your high places in every public square. Yet you were not like a prostitute because you scoffed at taking payment.

³²You adulterous woman, you accept strangers instead of your husband.³³People give payment to every prostitute, but you give your wages to all your lovers and bribe them to come to you from all around for your acts of prostitution.³⁴So there is a difference between you and other women in your fornication. No one offers payment for you to act like a prostitute. You are the very opposite. You gave them payment and none was given to you.

³⁵Therefore, you prostitute, listen to the word of Yahweh.³⁶The Lord Yahweh says this: Because you have poured out your lust and uncovered your nakedness through your acts of prostitution with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children's blood,³⁷therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers that you have met, all those whom you loved and all those whom you hated, and I will gather them against you on every side. I will uncover your nakedness to them so they see all your nakedness.

³⁸For I will punish you for adultery and the shedding of blood, and I will bring on you the bloodshed of my anger and jealousy.³⁹I will give you into their hands so they will throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your high places and they will strip you of your clothes and take all of your jewelry. They will leave you naked and bare.

⁴⁰Then they will bring up a crowd against you and stone you with stones, and they will cut you apart with their swords.⁴¹They will burn your houses and will perform many judgments on you in the sight of many women, for I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers.⁴²Then I will calm my fury against you; my jealousy will leave you, for I will be satisfied, and will no longer be angry.

⁴³Because you did not call to mind the days of your youth and have made me shake with anger because of all these things, therefore, behold! I myself will bring down on your own head the punishment for what you have done—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration. Have you not added prostitution to all your other detestable practices?

⁴⁴Behold! Everyone who speaks proverbs concerning you will say, "As the mother is, so also is her daughter."⁴⁵You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her children, and you are the sister of your sisters who detested their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite, and your father was an Amorite.

⁴⁶Your older sister was Samaria and her daughters were the ones living in the north, while your younger sister was the one living south of you, that is, Sodom and her daughters.

⁴⁷You not only walked in their ways and committed their disgusting practices, but in all your ways you have acted more corruptly than they.⁴⁸As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—your sister Sodom and her daughters, have not done as much evil as you and your daughters have done.

⁴⁹Behold! This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom that she was arrogant in her leisure, careless and unconcerned about anything. She did not strengthen the hands of the poor and needy people.⁵⁰She was arrogant and committed disgusting practices before me, so I took them away just as you have seen.

⁵¹Samaria did not commit even half of your sins. You have done many more disgusting things than they did, and you have made your sisters appear more righteous than you because of all the disgusting things you have done!⁵²Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished justification for your sisters. Because of your sins, which you committed so abominably, you have made your sisters appear to be more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.

⁵³For I will reverse their captivity—the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters—and your captivity will be among them.⁵⁴On account of these things you will show your shame; you will be humiliated because of everything that you have done, and in this way you will be a comfort to them.⁵⁵So your sister Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former condition, and Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former estate. Then you and your daughters will be restored to your former condition.

⁵⁶Sodom your sister was not even mentioned by your mouth in the days when you were proud,⁵⁷before your wickedness was revealed. Now you are scorned by the daughters of Edom and to all the daughters of the Philistines around her—all those around you despise you. ²⁵⁸You will show your shame and your disgusting practices!—this is Yahweh's declaration!

⁵⁹The Lord Yahweh says this: I will deal with you as you deserve, you who have despised your oath by breaking the covenant.

⁶⁰But I myself will call to mind my covenant with you made in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.⁶¹Then you will call to mind your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older sisters and your younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant.

⁶²I myself will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am Yahweh.⁶³Because of these things, you will call everything to mind and be ashamed, so you will no longer open your mouth to speak because of your shame, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹Some modern translations leave out the second occurrence of I said to you in your blood, "Live!" .

²Instead of Edom , some ancient Hebrew copies and some modern translations have Aram , that is, Syria.

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, present a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.³Say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: A large eagle with large wings and long pinions, full of feathers, and that was multicolored went to Lebanon and took hold of the top of a cedar tree.⁴It broke off the tips of the branches and took them to the land of Canaan; he planted it in a city of merchants.

⁵He also took some seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside a large body of water like a willow.⁶Then it sprouted and became a spreading vine low to the ground. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots grew under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and sent out shoots.

⁷But there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers. Behold! This vine turned its roots toward the eagle, and it spread out its branches toward the eagle from the place it had been planted so it would be watered.⁸It had been planted in good soil beside a large body of water so it would produce branches and sprout fruit, to become a glorious vine.'

⁹Say to the people, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Will it prosper? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers, and all its fresh growth will wither? No strong arm or many people will be needed to pull it out by its roots.¹⁰So behold! After it has been planted, will it grow? Will it not wither when the eastern wind touches it? It will completely wither away in the garden plot where it sprouted.'"

¹¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹²"Speak to the rebellious house, 'Do you not know what these things mean? Behold! The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took her king and her princes and brought them to him in Babylon.

¹³Then he took a royal descendant, made a covenant with him, and brought him under an oath. He took away the mighty men of the land,¹⁴so the kingdom might become lowly and not lift itself up. By keeping his covenant the land will survive.

¹⁵But the king of Jerusalem rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt to acquire horses and an army. Will he succeed? Will the one doing these things escape? If he breaks the covenant, will he escape?

¹⁶As I live!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—he will surely die in the land of the king who made him king, the king whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke. He will die in the middle of Babylon.

¹⁷Pharaoh with his mighty army and a great company of men will not help him in battle, when ramps are constructed and siege walls are built up to cut off many lives.¹⁸For the king despised his oath by breaking the covenant. Behold, he reached out with his hand to make a promise and yet he did all these things. He will not escape.

¹⁹Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: As I live, was it not my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke? So I will bring his punishment on his head!²⁰I will spread my net out over him, and he will be caught in my hunting net. Then I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there for his faithlessness that he committed when he betrayed me!²¹All of his refugees in his armies will fall by the sword, and the ones who remain will be scattered in every direction. Then you will know that I am Yahweh; I have declared this would happen."

²²The Lord Yahweh says this, 'So I myself will take a twig from the highest part of the cedar tree and I will plant it. I will break off a tender twig, and I myself will plant it on a high mountain.²³I will plant it on the mountains of Israel so it will bear branches and produce fruit, and it will become a majestic cedar so that every winged bird will live under it. They will nest in the shade of its branches.

²⁴Then all the trees of the field will know that I am Yahweh. I bring down the high trees and I raise up the low trees. I wither the watered tree and I cause the dried tree to bloom. I am Yahweh, I have declared that this will happen; and I have done it.'"

¹The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying,²"What do you mean, you who use this proverb concerning the land of Israel and say, 'Fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are made blunt'?

³As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—there will certainly no longer be any occasion for you to use this proverb in Israel.⁴Behold! Every life belongs to me—the life of the father as well as the life of the son, they belong to me! The soul who sins is the one who will die!

⁵What can be said about a man who is righteous and who carries out justice and righteousness—⁶if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and he does not defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her impurity, is he a righteous man?

⁷What can be said about a man who does not oppress anyone, who gives back to the debtor his pledge, and who does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing—is he a righteous man?

⁸What can be said about a man who does not loan money for usury or take interest but keeps his hand from injustice? It is said of him that he carries out justice and establishes faithfulness between people.⁹If that man walks in my statutes and keeps my decrees to act faithfully, then the promise for this righteous man is this: He will surely live!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁰But suppose that he has a violent son who sheds blood and does any one of these things that were mentioned, ¹¹¹(though his father has not done any of these things). He eats upon the mountains and he defiles his neighbor's wife, what can be said about him?

¹²He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not return a pledge, and he lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits disgusting practices,¹³and he loans money for usury and takes interest, should that man live? Surely he will not live! He will certainly die and his blood will be on him because he has done all these detestable things.

¹⁴But behold! Suppose there is a man who bears a son, and his son sees all the sins that his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do those things.

¹⁵That son does not eat upon the mountains, and he does not lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and he does not defile his neighbor's wife, what can be said about him?

¹⁶That son does not oppress anyone, or require a pledge, or commit robbery, but instead gives his food to the hungry and covers up the naked with clothing.¹⁷That son does not oppress anyone or loan money for usury or take interest, but he carries out my decrees and walks according to my statutes; that son will not die for his father's iniquity: He will surely live!

¹⁸His father, since he oppressed others by extortion and robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people—behold, he will die in his iniquity.

¹⁹But you say, 'Why does the son not bear the iniquity of his father?' Because the son carries out justice and righteousness and keeps all my statutes; he does them. He will surely live!²⁰The one who sins, he is the one who will die. A son will not bear his father's iniquity, and a father will not bear his son's iniquity. The righteousness of the one who acts rightly will be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be on himself.

²¹But if the wicked turns away from all his sins that he has done, and obeys all my statutes and performs justice and righteousness, then he will certainly live and not die.²²All the transgressions that he has committed will not be called to mind against him. He will live by the righteousness that he practices.

²³Do I greatly rejoice over the death of the wicked—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—and not in his turning away from his way so that he may live?

²⁴But if the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and practices abominations like all the abominations that the wicked person does, then will he live? All the righteousness that he had done will not be called to mind when he betrays me in his treachery. So he will die in the sins that he committed.

²⁵But you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' Listen, house of Israel! Are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?²⁶When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity and dies because of them, then he will die in the iniquity that he has done.

²⁷But when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has done and performs justice and righteousness, then he will preserve his life.²⁸For he has seen and turned away from all the transgressions that he had done. He will surely live, and he will not die.

²⁹But the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' How is my way not fair, house of Israel? It is your ways that are not fair.³⁰Therefore I will judge each man among you according to his ways, house of Israel!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration. Repent and turn away from all your transgressions so that they will not be stumbling blocks of iniquity against you.

³¹Throw away from yourselves all of the transgressions that you have committed; make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel?³²For I have no delight in the death of the one who dies—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—so repent and live!"

¹Some ancient Hebrew copies and many modern translations leave out to a brother .

¹"Now you, take up a lamentation against the leaders of Israel²and say,

'Who was your mother?

A lioness, she lived with a lion's son;

in the midst of young lions, she nurtured her cubs.

³She is the one who raised up one of her cubs to become a young lion,

a lion who learned to tear apart his prey,

and then he devoured men.

⁴Then the nations heard about him.

He was caught in their trap,

and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

⁵Then she saw that although she had waited for his return,

her expectation was now gone,

so she took another of her cubs

and raised him to become a young lion.

⁶This young lion roamed about in the midst of lions.

He was a young lion and learned to tear his victims;

he devoured men.

⁷He seized their widows

and ruined their cities.

The land and its fullness were made desolate

because of the sound of his roaring. ¹

⁸But the nations came against him

from the surrounding provinces;

they spread their nets over him.

He was caught in their trap.

⁹With hooks they put him in a cage

and then they brought him to the king of Babylon.

They brought him to the strongholds

so that his voice would no longer be heard

on the mountains of Israel.

¹⁰Your mother was like a vine

planted in your blood beside the water. ²

It was fruitful and full of branches

because of the abundance of water.

¹¹It had strong branches that were used for rulers' scepters,

and its size was exalted above the branches,

and its height was seen by the greatness of its foliage.

¹²But the vine was uprooted in fury

and thrown down to the earth,

and an eastern wind dried out its fruit.

Its strong branches were broken off and withered

and fire consumed them.

¹³So now it is planted in the wilderness,

in a land of drought and thirst.

¹⁴For fire went out from her large branches

and consumed its fruit.

There is no strong branch on it,

no scepter to rule.'

This is a lamentation and will be sung as a lamentation."

¹Instead of He seized their widows , some ancient Hebrew copies and many modern translations have He destroyed their fortresses .

²Instead of in your blood , some ancient Hebrew copies and many modern translations have in your vineyard .

¹It came about in the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, that elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh and sat before me.

²Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,³"Son of man, declare to the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Have you come to inquire of me? As I live, I will not be inquired of by you!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'

⁴Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Let them know about their fathers' abominations.⁵Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: On the day that I chose Israel and raised my hand to swear an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I raised my hand to swear an oath to them. I said, "I am Yahweh your God"—⁶on that day I raised my hand to swear an oath to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had carefully selected for them. It was flowing with milk and honey; it was the most beautiful ornament among all the lands.

⁷I said to them, "Let each man throw away the detestable things from before his eyes and the idols of Egypt. Do not make yourselves unclean; I am Yahweh your God."

⁸But they rebelled against me and were unwilling to listen to me. Each man did not throw away the detestable things from before his eyes nor abandon the idols of Egypt, so I determined to pour out my fury upon them to satisfy my wrath among them in the middle of the land of Egypt.⁹I acted for my name's sake so it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were staying. I made myself known to them, in their eyes, by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰So I sent them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.¹¹Then I gave them my statutes and made my decrees known to them, by which a man will live if he obeys them.¹²I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between myself and them, for them to know that I am Yahweh who makes them holy.

¹³But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes; instead, they rejected my decrees, by which a man will live if he obeys them, and they greatly profaned my Sabbaths. So, I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness in order to end them.¹⁴But I acted for my name's sake so it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out of Egypt.

¹⁵So I myself also raised my hand to swear an oath to them in the wilderness not to bring them into the land that I had been going to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey, which was the most beautiful ornament among all the lands.¹⁶I swore this because they had rejected my decrees and did not walk in my statutes, and they profaned my Sabbaths, since their hearts walked after their idols.¹⁷But my eye spared them from their destruction and I did not completely destroy them in the wilderness.

¹⁸I said to their children in the wilderness, "Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, or keep their rules, or defile yourselves with their idols.¹⁹I am Yahweh your God, walk in my statutes; keep my decrees and obey them.²⁰Keep my Sabbaths holy so that they will be a sign between me and you, so that you will know that I am Yahweh your God."

²¹But their sons and daughters rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes or keep my decrees, by which a man might live if he obeys them. They profaned my Sabbaths, so I determined to pour out my fury upon them to satisfy my wrath against them in the wilderness.²²But I turned my hand away and acted for my name's sake, so it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought out the Israelites.

²³I myself also lifted up my hand to swear to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands.²⁴I decided to do this since they had not obeyed my decrees, and since they had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths. Their eyes were longing after their fathers' idols.

²⁵Then I also gave them statutes that were not good, and decrees by which they could not live.²⁶I declared them to be unclean through their gifts—they made a sacrifice of every firstborn of the womb and caused them to pass through the fire—that I might fill them with horror so they will know that I am Yahweh!'

²⁷Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: In this also your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me.²⁸When I brought them into the land that I had sworn to give them, and then whenever they saw any high hill and leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices, they provoked me by their offerings, and there they also burned their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.²⁹Then I said to them, "What is this high place where you bring offerings there?" So the name is called Bamah to this day.'

³⁰Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Why do you make yourselves unclean with the ways of your fathers? So why do you act like prostitutes, searching for disgusting things?³¹When you offer up your gifts—when you cause your sons to pass through the fire—to this day you defile yourselves with all your idols. So why should I let you seek me, house of Israel? As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I will not allow you to seek me.³²The thought that is forming in your mind will never happen. You say, "Let us be like the other nations, like the clans in the other lands who worship wood and stone."

³³As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I will certainly reign over you with a mighty hand, a raised arm, and fury that will be poured out on you.³⁴I will bring you out from the other peoples and will gather you out of the lands among whom you have been scattered. I will do this with a mighty hand and with fury poured out.³⁵Then I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face.

³⁶As I judged your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so also I will judge you—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.³⁷I will cause you to pass under my rod, and I will make you obey the requirements of the covenant.³⁸I will purge from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will send them out from the land where they are staying as foreigners, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

³⁹So to you, house of Israel, the Lord Yahweh says this: Each of you should go to his own idols. Worship them if you will refuse to listen to me, but you must no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and your idols.

⁴⁰For on my holy mountain, on the mountain peak of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—all of the house of Israel will worship me there in the land. I will be pleased to require your contributions there, and also the firstfruits of your tribute with all your holy things.⁴¹I will accept you like fragrant incense when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the lands where you have been scattered. I will show myself as holy among you for the nations to see.

⁴²Then, when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land that I have lifted up my hand to swear to give to your fathers, you will know that I am Yahweh.⁴³There you will call to mind your conduct and all of your deeds by which you defiled yourselves, and you will despise yourselves in your own eyes for all your evil deeds that you have done.⁴⁴So you will know that I am Yahweh when I do this to you because of my name's sake, and not because of your evil deeds, and not because of your corrupt deeds, house of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

⁴⁵Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,⁴⁶"Son of man, set your face toward the southern lands, and speak against the south; prophesy against the forest of the Negev.⁴⁷Say to the forest of the Negev, 'This is Yahweh's declaration—the Lord Yahweh says this: See, I will set a fire among you. It will devour every fresh tree and every dried tree among you. The fiery flame will not be quenched; every face from the south to the north will be burned.

⁴⁸Then all flesh will see that I am Yahweh when I light the fire, and it will not be quenched.'"⁴⁹Then I said, "Alas! Lord Yahweh, they are saying of me, 'Is he not a mere teller of parables?'"

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and speak against the sanctuaries; prophesy against the land of Israel.³Say to the land of Israel, 'Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against you! I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off both the righteous person and the wicked person from you!

⁴In order for me to cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you, my sword will go out from its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.⁵Then all flesh will know that I, Yahweh, have drawn my sword from its sheath. It will no longer hold back!'

⁶As for you, son of man, groan as your loins break! In bitterness groan before their eyes!⁷Then it will happen that they will ask you, 'For what reason are you groaning?' Then you will say, 'Because of the news that is coming, for every heart will melt, and every hand will falter! Every spirit will grow faint, and every knee will flow like water. Behold! It is coming and it will be like this!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

⁸Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,⁹"Son of man, prophesy and say, 'The Lord says this:

Say: A sword! A sword!

It will be sharpened and polished!

¹⁰It will be sharpened in order to engage in great slaughter!

It will be polished in order to be like lightning!

Should we rejoice in my son's scepter?

The coming sword hates every such rod!

¹¹So the sword will be given to be polished,

and then to be grasped by the hand!

The sword is sharpened and it is polished

and it is to be given into the hand of the one who kills!'"

¹²Call for help and wail, son of man!

For that sword has come against my people!

It is against all the leaders of Israel.

They are thrown against the sword with my people.

Therefore, slap your thigh!

¹³For there is a trial,

but what if the scepter that despises does not last?

—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁴Now you, son of man, prophesy

and hit your two hands together,

for the sword will attack even a third time!

A sword for the ones to be slaughtered!

It is a sword for the many to be slaughtered,

piercing them everywhere!

¹⁵In order to melt their hearts and to multiply their fallen,

I have set the sword for slaughter at all their gates.

Ah! It is made like lightning, it is grasped for slaughter.

¹⁶Strike sharply to the righthand side!

Strike to the lefthand side!

Go wherever your face is turned.

¹⁷For I will also hit my two hands together,

and then I will bring my fury to rest!

I, Yahweh, declare it!"

¹⁸The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying,¹⁹"Now you, son of man, assign two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to come. The two roads will start in the same land, and a signpost will mark one of them as leading to a city.²⁰Mark one road for the sword to come to Rabbah, the city of the Ammonites. Mark the other to lead the army to Judah and the city of Jerusalem, which is fortified.

²¹For the king of Babylon will stop at the crossroads, at the junction, in order to practice divination. He will shake some arrows and ask direction from some idols and he will examine a liver.²²In his right hand will be a divination about Jerusalem, to set battering rams against it, to open his mouth to order the slaughter, to sound a war cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect siege towers.²³It will seem to be a false divination in their eye, those who had sworn an oath to the Babylonians! But the king will accuse them of iniquity in order to besiege them!

²⁴Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Because you have made your guilt to be remembered, making your transgressions to be revealed, so that in all your actions your sins will be seen—because you have done this you will be taken in hand.

²⁵As for you, profane and wicked ruler of Israel, whose day of punishment has come, and whose time of committing iniquity has ended,²⁶the Lord Yahweh says this to you: Remove the turban and take off the crown! Things will no longer be the same! Exalt the lowly and humble the exalted!²⁷A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until the one comes who is assigned to execute judgment.

²⁸So you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this to the people of Ammon concerning their coming disgrace: A sword, a sword is drawn! It is sharpened for the slaughter in order to devour, so it will be like lightning!²⁹While prophets see empty visions for you, while they practice divination to make up lies for you, this sword will lie on the necks of the wicked who are about to be killed, whose day of punishment has come and whose time of iniquity is about to end.

³⁰Return the sword to its sheath. In the place of your creation, in the land of your origin, I will judge you!³¹I will pour out my indignation on you! I will fan the fire of my rage against you and put you into the hand of cruel men, craftsmen of destruction!

³²You will become fuel for the fire! Your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will not be remembered, for I, Yahweh have declared this!'"

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

²"Now you, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the city of blood? Make her know all her abominations.³You must say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: This is a city that pours out blood in her midst so that her time may come; a city that makes idols to make herself unclean.

⁴You have become guilty by the blood that you have poured out, and you have become unclean by the idols that you have made. You have drawn your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the lands.⁵Both those who are near and those who are far away from you will mock you—you unclean city—with the reputation known everywhere as being full of confusion.

⁶Behold! The rulers of Israel, each one by his own power, have come to you to pour out blood.⁷They have dishonored fathers and mothers within you, and they have performed oppression on the foreigners in your midst. They have mistreated the orphans and the widows within you.⁸You have despised my holy things and have profaned my Sabbaths.⁹Slanderous men have come within you in order to pour out blood, and they eat on the mountains. They perform wickedness in your midst.

¹⁰Within you men uncover the nakedness of their father. Within you they have violated unclean women during their impurity.¹¹Men who commit abominations with their neighbors' wives, and men who make their own daughters-in-law shamefully unclean; men who abuse their own sisters—daughters of their own fathers—all these are done within you.¹²These men take bribes within you in order to pour out blood and you have loaned money for usury and taken interest, and you have treated your neighbors violently for profit by extortion, and you have forgotten me—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹³See! With my hand I have struck the dishonest gain that you have made, and the bloodshed that is done in the midst of you.¹⁴Will your heart stand, will your hands be strong on the days when I myself will deal with you? I, Yahweh, am declaring this, and I will do it.¹⁵So I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the lands. In this way, I will purge your uncleanness from you.¹⁶So you will become unclean in the eyes of the nations. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.'" ¹

¹⁷Next the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁸"Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are the leftovers of bronze and tin, and iron and lead in the midst of you. They will be like the dross of silver in your furnace.¹⁹Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because all of you have become like dross, therefore, behold! I am about to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

²⁰As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead and tin and put it inside a furnace to melt it, and they blow the fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in my anger and my wrath, and I will put you there and melt you.²¹I will gather you and blow on you the fire of my wrath, and you will be melted in the midst of it.²²As silver is melted in a furnace, you will be melted in it, and you will know that I, Yahweh, have poured out my wrath on you!'"

²³The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²⁴"Son of man, say to her, 'You are a land that has not been cleansed. There is no rain on the day of wrath!²⁵There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing apart a victim. They consume life and take precious wealth; they make many widows within her! ²

²⁶Her priests do violence to my law, and they profane my holy things. They do not distinguish between holy things and profane things, and do not teach the difference between the unclean and the clean. They hide their eyes from my Sabbaths so that I am profaned in their midst.²⁷Her princes within her are like wolves tearing apart their victims. They pour out blood and destroy life for unjust gain.²⁸Her prophets have painted them over with whitewash—their seers of false visions and diviners of lies. They say "The Lord Yahweh says this" when Yahweh has not spoken.

²⁹The people of the land have oppressed through extortion and plundered through robbery, and they mistreat the poor and needy, and oppress the foreigner without justice.

³⁰So I searched for a man from them who would build up a wall and who would stand before me in its breach for the land so I would not destroy it, but I found no one.³¹So I will pour out my indignation upon them. I will finish them with the fire of my indignation and set their way on their own heads—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹Instead of you will become unclean , some ancient copies have I will give you your inheritance .

²Instead of There is a conspiracy of her prophets within her , some ancient copies have whose princes .

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.³They acted as prostitutes in Egypt in the time of their youth. They acted as prostitutes there. Their breasts were squeezed and their virgin nipples were fondled there.⁴Their names were Oholah—the older sister—and Oholibah—her younger sister. Then they became mine and bore sons and daughters. Their names mean this: Oholah means Samaria, and Oholibah means Jerusalem.

⁵But Oholah acted as a prostitute even when she was mine; she lusted for her lovers, for the Assyrians who were dominant,⁶for the governor clothed in purple, and for his officials, who were strong and handsome, all of them men riding on horses.⁷So she gave herself as a prostitute to them, to all the best of Assyria's men, and she made herself unclean with everyone she lusted for—and with all their idols.

⁸For she had not left her prostitute behavior behind in Egypt, when they had lain with her when she had been a young girl, when they caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust upon her.⁹Therefore I gave her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians for whom she lusted.¹⁰They uncovered her nakedness, took her sons and daughters, killed her with the sword, and she became notorious among other women, so they executed judgment on her.

¹¹Her sister Oholibah saw this, but her lust was more passionate than her sister's, and her prostitution was worse.¹²She lusted for the Assyrians, the governors and the dominating officials who dressed impressively, who were men riding horses. All of them were strong, handsome men.¹³I saw that she had made herself unclean. It was the same for both sisters.

¹⁴Then she increased her prostitution even more. She saw men carved on walls, figures of Chaldeans painted in red,¹⁵wearing belts around their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads. All of them had the appearance of officers of chariot troops, the likeness of sons of Babylonia, whose native land is Chaldea.

¹⁶As soon as her eyes saw them, she lusted for them, so she sent out messengers to them in Chaldea.¹⁷Then the Babylonians came to her and to her bed of lust, and they made her unclean with their fornication. By what she had done she was made unclean, so she turned herself away from them in disgust.

¹⁸When she displayed her acts of prostitution and uncovered her nakedness, I turned away from her, just as I had turned away in disgust from her sister.¹⁹Then she increased her prostitution as she remembered the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in the land of Egypt.

²⁰So she lusted for her lovers, whose private parts were like those of donkeys and whose reproductive emissions were like those of horses.²¹This is how you committed shameful acts of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.

²²Therefore, Oholibah, the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I will turn your lovers against you. Those from whom you turned away, I will bring them against you from every side:²³the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, strong, handsome men, governors and officials, all of them are officers and men of reputation, all of them riding on horses.

²⁴They will come against you with weapons, and with chariots and wagons, and with a great crowd of people. They will set large shields, small shields, and helmets against you all around. I will give them the opportunity to punish you, and they will judge you according to their judgments.²⁵For I will set my jealous anger on you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and your daughters, and your survivors will be devoured by fire.

²⁶They will strip you of your clothes and take away all of your beautiful jewelry.²⁷So I will remove your shameful behavior from you and your acts of prostitution from the land of Egypt. You will not lift up your eyes toward them with longing, and you will think of Egypt no longer.'

²⁸For the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I will give you into the hand of the ones you hate, back into the hand of the ones from whom you had turned away.²⁹They will deal with you hatefully; they will take all the products of your labor and abandon you naked and bare. The nakedness of your fornication will be uncovered—and your wicked deeds and your fornications.

³⁰These things will be done to you in your acting like a prostitute, lusting after nations by which you became unclean with their idols.³¹You have walked in the way of your sister, so I will put her cup of punishment into your hand.'

³²The Lord Yahweh says this,

'You will drink your sister's cup that is deep and large.

You will become a laughingstock and a subject for derision—

this cup contains a great amount.

³³You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,

the cup of horror and devastation;

the cup of your sister Samaria.

³⁴You will drink it and drain it empty;

then you will shatter it

and tear your breasts with the pieces.

For I have declared it—

this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'

³⁵Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because you have forgotten me and thrown me away behind your back, so also you will bear the consequences of your shameful behavior and acts of sexual immorality.'"

³⁶Yahweh said to me, "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? So present to them their disgusting practices,³⁷since they have committed adultery, and since there is blood on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and they have even caused their sons to pass through the fire, as food for their idols.

³⁸Then they continue to do this to me: They make my sanctuary unclean, and on the same day they defile my Sabbaths.³⁹For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, then they came to my sanctuary on the same day to defile it! So behold! This is what they have done in the middle of my house.

⁴⁰You sent out for men who came from far away, to whom messengers had been sent—now behold. They indeed came, those for whom you bathed, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.⁴¹There you sat on a beautiful bed and at a table arranged before it where you placed my incense and my oil.

⁴²So the sound of a carefree crowd was around her, including all kinds of men, even Sabeans were brought in from the wilderness, and they put bracelets on their hands and beautiful crowns on their heads.

⁴³Then I said of her who was worn out by adulteries, 'Now they will fornicate with her, and she with them.'⁴⁴They went to her as men go to a prostitute. In this way they went to Oholah and Oholibah, immoral women.⁴⁵But righteous men will pass judgment and punish them as adulteresses, and they will punish them with the sentence for those who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

⁴⁶So the Lord Yahweh says this: I will raise up a company against them and give them up to be terrorized and plundered.⁴⁷Then that company will stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.

⁴⁸For I will remove shameful behavior from the land and discipline all the women so they will no longer act like prostitutes.⁴⁹So they will set your shameful behavior against you. You will bear the guilt of your sins with your idols, and in this way you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh."

¹The word of Yahweh came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, and on the tenth day of the month, saying,²"Son of man, write for yourself the name of this day, this exact day, for this exact day the king of Babylon has besieged Jerusalem.

³So speak a proverb against this rebellious house, a parable. Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this:

Place the cooking pot.

Place it and pour water into it.

⁴Gather pieces of food within it,

every good piece—the thigh and shoulder—

and fill it with the best bones.

⁵Take the best of the flock,

and pile up the bones under it.

Bring it to a boil

and cook the bones in it.

⁶Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood, a cooking pot that has rust in it and that rust will not come out of it. Take piece after piece from it, but do not cast lots for it.

⁷For her blood is in the midst of her. She has set it on the smooth rock; she has not poured it out on the ground to cover it with dust,⁸so it brings fury up to exact vengeance. I placed her blood on the smooth rock so it could not be covered.

⁹Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood. I will also enlarge the pile of wood.¹⁰Stack up the wood and kindle the fire. Cook the meat well and mix in the spices and let the bones be charred.

¹¹Then set the pot on its coals empty, in order to heat and scorch its bronze, so its uncleanness within it will be melted, its corrosion consumed.'¹²She has become weary because of toil, but her corrosion has not gone out of her by the fire.

¹³Your shameful behavior is in your uncleanness. Because I tried to cleanse you but still you would not be cleansed from your uncleanness, you will not be cleansed anymore until I have satisfied my fury upon you.

¹⁴I, Yahweh, have declared it, and I will do it. I will not relent nor will I rest from it. As your ways were, and as your activities, they will judge you!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹⁵Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁶"Son of man! Behold, I am taking the delight of your eyes from you with a plague, but you must not mourn nor weep, and your tears must not flow.¹⁷You must groan silently. Do not conduct a funeral for the dead. Tie your turban on you and place your sandals on your feet, but do not cover your facial hair or eat the bread of men who mourn for having lost their wives."

¹⁸So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I did what I had been commanded to do.

¹⁹The people asked me, "Will you not tell us what these things mean, the things that you are doing?"²⁰So I said to them, "The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²¹'Say to the house of Israel, the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I will desecrate my sanctuary—the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind will fall by the sword.

²²Then you will do exactly as I have done: you will not veil your facial hair, nor eat the bread of mourning men!²³Instead, your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn nor weep, for you will rot away in your iniquities, and each man will groan for his brother.²⁴So Ezekiel will be a sign for you, as everything that he has done you will do when this comes. Then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh!'

²⁵"But you, son of man, on the day that I capture their stronghold, the joy of their splendor, and the delight of their eyes and the burden of their soul, their sons and daughters,²⁶on that day, a refugee will come to you to give you the news!²⁷On that day your mouth will be opened up to that refugee and you will speak—you will no longer be silent. You will be a sign for them so that they will know that I am Yahweh."

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, set your face against the people of Ammon and prophesy against them.

³Say to the people of Ammon, 'Hear the word of the Lord Yahweh. This is what the Lord Yahweh says: Because you said, "Aha!" over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile,⁴therefore, behold, I am giving you to a people in the east as their possession. They will set up camp against you and set up their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and they will drink your milk.⁵I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and the people of Ammon a field for flocks. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

⁶For the Lord Yahweh says this: You have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, and rejoiced with all the contempt within you against the land of Israel.⁷Therefore, behold! I will strike you with my hand and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from among the lands! I will destroy you, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'

⁸The Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because Moab and Seir say, "Behold! The house of Judah is like every other nation."⁹Therefore, behold! I will open the slopes of Moab, starting at his cities on the border—the splendor of Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim—¹⁰to the people of the east who have been against the people of Ammon. I will give them up as a possession so that the people of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations.¹¹So I will perform judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am Yahweh.'

¹²The Lord Yahweh says this, 'Edom has taken vengeance against the house of Judah and has committed wrong in doing so.¹³Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: I will strike Edom with my hand and destroy all men and animals there. I will make them a ruined, abandoned place, from Teman to Dedan. They will fall by the sword.

¹⁴I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will do to Edom according to my anger and my fury, and they will know my vengeance—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'

¹⁵The Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because the Philistines have acted vengefully and taken vengeance with contempt in their heart as enemies trying to destroy Judah for all time,¹⁶this is what the Lord Yahweh says: Behold! I will reach out with my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites and destroy the remnant who are along the seacoast.¹⁷For I will take great vengeance against them with furious acts of punishment, so they will know that I am Yahweh, when I take my vengeance on them.'"

¹So it was in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, 'Aha! The gates of the people are broken! She has turned to me; I will be filled up because she is ruined.'

³Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I am against you, Tyre, and I will raise up many nations against you like the sea raises its waves.⁴They will destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down her towers. I will sweep her dust away and make her like a bare rock.

⁵She will become a place for nets to dry out in the midst of the sea, since I have declared it—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—and she will become plunder for the nations.⁶Her daughters who are in the fields will be slaughtered by the swords, and they will know that I am Yahweh.'

⁷For this is what the Lord Yahweh says: Behold, from the north I am bringing Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a great crowd of people.⁸He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword. He will set up a siege work and build a ramp against your walls and raise up shields against you.

⁹He will place his battering rams to hit against your walls, and with his tools he will tear down your towers.¹⁰His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake with the sound of horsemen, wagons, and chariots. When he enters your gates, he will enter as men come into a city whose walls have been broken down.¹¹The hooves of his horses will trample all of your streets. He will kill your people with the sword and your mighty stone pillars will fall to the ground.

¹²They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your delightful homes. Your stones, your timber, and the rubble they will throw into the waters.¹³I will stop the noise of your songs. The sound of your harps will be heard no more.¹⁴I will make you a bare rock, you will become a place where nets are spread out to dry. You will never be built again, for I, Lord Yahweh have spoken—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁵The Lord Yahweh says this to Tyre, 'Will not the islands quake with the sound of your downfall, and with the groans of the wounded when the terrible slaughter is in your midst?¹⁶Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and cast off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling, they will sit on the ground and tremble every moment, and they will be appalled because of you.

¹⁷They will lift up a lament for you and say to you,

How you, who were inhabited by sailors,

have been destroyed.

The famous city that was so strong—

it is now gone from the sea.

The ones living in her

once spread a terror about themselves

upon everyone who lived near them.

¹⁸Now the coasts tremble on the day of your downfall.

The islands in the sea are terrified,

because you are no longer in your place.'

¹⁹For the Lord Yahweh says this: When I make you a desolate city, like the other cities that are not inhabited, when I raise up the deeps against you, and when the great waters cover you,²⁰then I will bring you down to the people of ancient times, like the others who have gone down into the pit; for I will make you live in the lowest parts of the earth as in ruins of ancient times. Because of this you will not come back and stand in the land of the living. ¹²¹I will place disaster on you, and you will be no more forever. Then you will be sought, but you will never be found ever again—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹The expression and stand in the land of the living follows the ancient Greek translation. The ancient Hebrew copies have I will place glory in the land of the living , which does not seem to fit the context here.

¹Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Now you, son of man, begin a lamentation concerning Tyre,³and say to Tyre, who lives within the gates of the sea, merchants of peoples to many islands, 'The Lord Yahweh says this to you:

Tyre, you have said, "I am perfect in beauty."

⁴Your borders are in the heart of the seas;

your builders have perfected your beauty.

⁵They have made all your planks with cypress from Senir;

they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

⁶They made your oars from the oaks of Bashan;

they made your decks out of cypress wood from Cyprus,

and they overlaid them with ivory.

⁷Your sails were made from colorful linen from Egypt

that served as your signal flag;

the colors of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah

are used for the awning on your boat.

⁸Those who were living in Sidon and Arvad were your rowers;

the wise men of Tyre were within you;

they were your pilots.

⁹The elders of Byblos filled your seams;

all the ships of the sea and their sailors among you

were carrying your merchandise for trade.

¹⁰Persia, Lydia, and Libya were in your army,

your men of war.

They hung shield and helmet within you;

they showed your splendor.

¹¹The men of Arvad and Helek in your army

were on your walls surrounding you,

and the people of Gammad were in your towers.

They hung up their shields on your walls all around you!

They completed your beauty.

¹²Tarshish was a trading partner with you because of your abundant wealth of goods to sell: Silver, iron, tin, and lead. They bought and sold your wares!¹³Greece, ¹ Tubal, and Meshech—they traded slaves and in items made of bronze. They handled your merchandise.

¹⁴Beth Togarmah provided horses, warhorses, and mules as your merchandise.¹⁵The men of Rhodes traded with you on many coasts. Merchandise was in your hand; they sent back horn, ivory, and ebony as payment!

¹⁶Aram was a trading partner for the many products of your labor; they provided emeralds, purple, colored cloth, fine fabric, pearls, and rubies as your merchandise.¹⁷Judah and the land of Israel were trading with you. They provided wheat from Minnith, cakes, honey, oil, and balsam as your merchandise.¹⁸Damascus was a trading partner for the many products of your labor, of all your enormous wealth, and of the wine of Helbon and the wool of Zahar.

¹⁹Dan and Javan from Izal provided you with merchandise of wrought iron, cinnamon, and calamus. This became merchandise for you.²⁰Dedan was your dealer in fine saddle blankets.²¹Arabia and all the chiefs of Kedar were your trading partners; they provided you with lambs, rams and goats.

²²The traders of Sheba and Raamah came to sell you the best of every spice and in all kinds of precious gems; they traded gold for your merchandise.²³Haran, Kanneh, and Eden were your trading partners, along with Sheba, Ashur, and Kilmad.

²⁴These were your dealers in ornate robes of violet cloths with woven colors, and in blankets of multicolored, embroidered, and well-woven cloth in your marketplaces.

²⁵The ships of Tarshish

were the transporters of your merchandise!

So you were filled up,

heavily laden with cargo in the heart of the seas!

²⁶Your rowers have brought you into vast seas;

the eastern wind has broken you in the middle of them.

²⁷Your wealth, merchandise, and trade goods;

your sailors and pilots, and ship builders;

your traders of merchandise and all the men of war who are in you,

and all your company—

they will sink into the depths of the sea

on the day of your overthrow.

²⁸Cities at the sea will tremble

at the sound of your pilots' cry.

²⁹All those who handle oars will come down from their ships;

mariners and all the pilots on the sea will stand on the land.

³⁰Then they will make their voices heard over you

and they will cry aloud bitterly;

they will cast dust up on their heads.

They will roll about in ashes.

³¹They will shave their heads bald for you

and bind themselves with sackcloth,

and they will weep bitterly over you

and they will cry out.

³²They will lift up their wails of lamentation for you

and sing dirges over you,

Who is like Tyre, who has now been brought to silence

in the middle of the sea?

³³When your merchandise went ashore from the sea,

it satisfied many peoples;

you enriched the kings of the earth

with your great wealth and merchandise!

³⁴But when you were shattered by the seas, by deep waters,

your merchandise and all your company sank!

³⁵All the inhabitants of the coasts were appalled at you,

and their kings bristled in horror!

Their faces trembled!

³⁶The traders among the people hiss at you;

you have become a horror,

and you will be no more forever.'"

¹Some modern English translations read, Javan .

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Your heart is arrogant! You have said, "I am a god! I will sit in the seat of the gods in the heart of the seas!" Even though you are a man and not a god, you make your heart like the heart of a god;³you think that you are wiser than Daniel, and that no secret amazes you!

⁴You have made yourself wealthy with wisdom and skill, and obtained gold and silver in your treasuries!⁵By great wisdom and by your trading, you have multiplied your wealth, so your heart is arrogant because of your wealth.

⁶Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: Because you have made your heart like the heart of a god,⁷I will therefore bring foreigners against you, terrifying men from other nations. They will bring their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they will profane your splendor.

⁸They will send you down to the pit, and you will die the death of those who die in the heart of the seas.⁹Will you truly say, "I am a god" to the face of one who kills you? You are a man and not God, and you will be in the hand of the one who pierces you.¹⁰You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners, for I have declared it—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹¹The word of Yahweh came again to me, saying,¹²"Son of man, lift up a lament for the king of Tyre and say to him, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.¹³You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone covered you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made from gold. It was on the day you were created that they were prepared.

¹⁴I placed you on the holy mountain of God as the cherub I anointed to guard mankind. You were in the midst of the fiery stones where you walked about.¹⁵You had integrity in your ways from the day you were created until injustice was found within you.

¹⁶Through your great trade you were filled with violence, and so you sinned. So I threw you out of the mountain of God, as a one who was defiled, and I destroyed you, guardian cherub, and drove you from among the fiery stones.¹⁷Your heart was arrogant with your beauty; you ruined your wisdom because of your splendor. I have sent you down to the earth. I have placed you before kings so they may see you.

¹⁸Because of your many iniquities and your dishonest trade, you have defiled your holy places. So I have made fire come out from you; it will consume you. I will turn you into ashes on the earth in the sight of all who look at you.¹⁹All the ones who knew you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified, and you will be no more forever.'"

²⁰Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²¹"Son of man, set your face against Sidon and prophesy against her.²²Say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against you, Sidon! For I will be glorified in your midst. Then they will know that I am Yahweh when I execute judgments within her. I will be shown to be holy in her.

²³I will send out a plague in her and blood in her streets, and those who are fatally wounded will fall in the midst of her. When the sword comes against her from all around, then they will know that I am Yahweh.

²⁴Then there will no longer be pricking briers and painful thorns for the house of Israel from all those around them who despise them, so they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh!'

²⁵The Lord Yahweh says this, 'When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they were scattered, and when I am set apart among them, so the nations may see, then they will make their homes in the land I will give to my servant Jacob.²⁶Then they will live securely within her and build houses, plant vineyards, and live securely when I execute judgments on all the ones who now despise them from all around; so they will know that I am Yahweh their God!'"

¹In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt; prophesy against him and against all of Egypt.³Declare and say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this:

Behold! I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

You, the great sea monster that lurks in the midst of the river,

that says, "My river is my own. I have made it for myself."

⁴For I will place hooks in your jaw,

and the fish of your Nile will cling to your scales;

I will lift you up from the middle of your river

along with all the fish of the river that cling to your scales.

⁵I will throw you down into the wilderness,

you and all the fish from your river.

You will fall on the open field;

you will not gather together or assemble.

I will give you as food to the living things of the earth

and to the birds of the heavens.

⁶Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know

that I am Yahweh,

because they have been a walking stick

made of a reed to the house of Israel.

⁷When they took hold of you in their hand,

you broke and tore open their shoulder;

and when they leaned on you,

you were broken,

and you caused their legs to be unsteady.

⁸Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I will bring a sword against you. I will cut off both men and animals from you.⁹So the land of Egypt will become desolate and a ruin. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, because the sea monster had said, "The river is mine, for I have made it."¹⁰Therefore, behold! I am against you and against your river, so I will give the land of Egypt over to desolation and waste, and you will become a wasteland from the Migdol to Syene and the borders of Cush.

¹¹No man's foot will pass through it, and no wild animal's foot will pass through it. It will not be inhabited for forty years.¹²For I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of uninhabited lands, and its cities in the midst of wasted cities will become a desolation for forty years; then I will scatter Egypt among the nations, and I will disperse them though the lands.

¹³For the Lord Yahweh says this: At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples among whom they were scattered.¹⁴I will reverse the captivity of Egypt and bring them back to the region of Pathros, to the land of their origin. Then they will be a lowly kingdom there.

¹⁵It will be the lowliest of the kingdoms, and it will not be lifted up any more among the nations. I will diminish them so they will no longer rule over nations.¹⁶Egypt will no longer be a reason for confidence for the house of Israel. Instead, it will be a reminder of the iniquity that Israel committed when they turned to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.'"

¹⁷Then it came about in the twenty-seventh year on the first of the first month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁸"Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon stationed his army to do hard work against Tyre. Every head was rubbed until it was made bald, and every shoulder was made raw. Yet he and his army received no payment from Tyre for the hard work that he carried out against it.

¹⁹Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I am giving the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and he will capture its loot, steal its plunder, and carry off all he finds there; that will be his army's wages.²⁰I have given him the land of Egypt as the wages for the work they did for me—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

²¹On that day I will make a horn sprout up for the house of Israel, and I will make you speak in their midst, so that they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, prophesy and say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this:

Wail, "Woe is the coming day."

³The day is near.

The day is near for Yahweh.

It will be a day of clouds

a time of doom for nations.

⁴Then a sword will come against Egypt,

and there will be anguish in Cush

when the killed people fall in Egypt—

when they take her wealth,

and when her foundations are ruined.

⁵Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, and Libya, together with the people belonging to the covenant—they will all fall by the sword.

⁶Yahweh says this:

So the ones who support Egypt will fall,

and the pride of her strength will go down.

From Migdol to Syene their soldiers will fall by the sword—

this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

⁷They will be appalled in the midst of the abandoned lands,

and their cities will be among all the ruined cities.

⁸Then they will know that I am Yahweh,

when I set fire in Egypt,

and when all of her helpers are destroyed.

⁹In that day messengers will go out from before me in ships to terrorize a secure Cush, and there will be anguish among them on the day of Egypt's doom. For behold! It is coming.

¹⁰The Lord Yahweh says this: I will make an end of the multitudes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.¹¹He and his army with him, the terror of nations, will be brought to destroy the land; they will draw out their swords against Egypt and fill the land with those who have been killed.

¹²I will make the rivers into dry ground, and I will sell the land into the hand of wicked men. I will make the land and its fullness desolate by the hand of strangers—I, Yahweh, have spoken.

¹³The Lord Yahweh says this: I will destroy idols, and I will bring an end to the worthless idols of Memphis. There will no longer be a prince in the land of Egypt, and I will put fear on the land of Egypt.¹⁴Then I will make Pathros desolate and set fire in Zoan, and I will execute acts of judgment on Thebes.

¹⁵For I will pour out my fury on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the multitude of Thebes.¹⁶Then I will set fire in Egypt; Pelusium will be in great agony, Thebes will be broken up, and Memphis will face enemies every day.

¹⁷The young men in Heliopolis and Bubastis will fall by the sword, and their cities will go into captivity.¹⁸In Tahpanhes, the day will become dark when I break the yoke of Egypt there, and the pride of her strength will be finished. There will be a cloud covering her, and her daughters will walk into captivity.¹⁹I will execute acts of judgment in Egypt, so they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

²⁰Then it came about in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²¹"Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Behold! It has not been bound up for healing or set with a splint so that it can become strong enough to grasp a sword.

²²Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold, I am against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. For I will break his arm, both the strong one and the broken one, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.²³Then I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them among the lands.²⁴I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and place my sword in his hand so that I might destroy Pharaoh's arms. He will groan before the king of Babylon with the groans of a dying man.

²⁵For I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, while Pharaoh's arms will fall. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon; for he will attack the land of Egypt with it.²⁶So I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them through the lands. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹Then it came about in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, say to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to his multitudes around him,

'In your greatness, who are you like?

³Behold! Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches,

giving shade to the forest,

and the tallest in height,

and the branches formed its treetop.

⁴Many waters made it tall;

the deep waters made it huge.

Rivers flowed all around the place where it was planted,

for their channels stretched out to all the trees in the field.

⁵Its great height was more than any of the other trees in the field,

and its branches became very many;

its branches grew long

because of many waters as they grew.

⁶Every bird of the heavens

nested in its branches,

while every living thing of the field

gave birth to its young under its foliage.

All of the many nations

lived under its shade.

⁷For it was beautiful in its greatness

and the length of its branches,

for its roots were in many waters.

⁸Cedars in the garden of God could not equal it.

None among the cypress trees matched its branches,

and the plane tree could not equal its boughs.

There was no other tree in the garden of God

that was like it in its beauty.

⁹I made it beautiful with its many branches

and all the trees of Eden that were in the garden of God envied it.

¹⁰Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Because it was tall in height, and it set its treetop between its branches, it lifted up its heart because of its height.¹¹I have given it into the hand of a mighty one of the nations, to deal with it according to what its wickedness deserves. I have thrown it out.

¹²Foreigners who were the terror of all the nations cut it off and left it to die. Its branches fell on the mountains and all the valleys, and its boughs lay broken in all the ravines of the land. Then all the nations on earth came out from under its shade and they went away from it.

¹³All the birds of the sky rested on the trunk of the fallen tree and every animal of the field came to its branches.

¹⁴This happened so that no other trees that grow by the waters will lift up their foliage to the height of the tallest trees, and that no other trees that grow beside the waters will reach up to that height. All of them have been assigned to death, to the earth below, among the children of humanity, with those that go down to the pit.

¹⁵The Lord Yahweh says this: On the day when the cedar went down to Sheol I brought mourning to the earth. I covered the deep waters over it, and I held back the ocean waters. I kept back the great waters, and I brought mourning to Lebanon for him. So all the trees of the field mourned because of it.

¹⁶I brought shuddering to the nations at the sound of its downfall, when I threw it down to Sheol with those who went down into the pit. So I comforted all the trees of Eden in the lowest parts of the earth. These had been the choicest and best trees of Lebanon; the trees that drank the waters.

¹⁷For they also went down with it to Sheol, to the ones who had been killed by the sword. These were its strong arm, those nations who had lived in its shade.¹⁸Which of the trees in Eden was your equal in glory and greatness? For you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lowest parts of the earth among the uncircumcised; you will lie down with those who were killed by the sword.'

This is Pharaoh and all of his multitudes—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹Then it happened in the twelfth month of the twelfth year, on the first of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, lift up a lament concerning Pharaoh the king of Egypt; say to him,

'You are like a young lion among the nations,

but you are like a monster in the seas;

you churn up the water,

you stir up the waters with your feet and muddy their waters.

³The Lord Yahweh says this:

So I will spread my net over you in the assembly of many peoples,

and they will lift you up in my net.

⁴I will abandon you in the land.

I will throw you into a field

and cause all the birds of the heavens to settle on you;

the hunger of all living animals on earth will be satisfied by you.

⁵For I will put your flesh on the mountains,

and I will fill the valleys with your worm-filled corpse.

⁶Then I will pour your blood over the mountains,

and the stream beds will be filled with your blood.

⁷Then when I extinguish you,

I will cover the heavens and darken their stars;

I will cover the sun with clouds,

and the moon will not shine its light.

⁸All the shining lights in the heavens

I will darken over you,

and I will put darkness over your land—

this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

⁹So I will terrify the heart of many peoples in lands that you do not know, when I bring about your destruction among the nations, among lands that you have not known. ¹¹⁰I will shock many peoples concerning you; their kings will bristle in horror concerning you when I swing my sword before them. Every moment each one will tremble because of you, on the day of your ruin.

¹¹For the Lord Yahweh says this: The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you.

¹²I will cause your multitudes to fall by warriors' swords—

each warrior a terror of nations.

These warriors will devastate the pride of Egypt

and destroy all of its multitudes.

¹³For I will destroy all the cattle from beside the plentiful waters;

the foot of man will no longer stir the waters up,

neither will the hooves of cattle stir them.

¹⁴Then I will calm their waters

and make their rivers run like oil—

this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁵When I make the land of Egypt a desolation,

when the land is made desolate of all its fullness,

when I attack all the inhabitants in her,

they will know that I am Yahweh.

¹⁶There will be a lament; the daughters of the nations will lament over her; they will lament over Egypt, over all her multitudes they will lament—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹⁷Then it happened in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁸"Son of man, weep for the multitudes of Egypt and bring them down—her and the daughters of majestic nations—to the lowest earth with those who have gone down to the pit.

¹⁹'Are you really more beautiful than anyone else?

Go down and lie down with the uncircumcised.'

²⁰They will fall among those who were killed by the sword. The sword has been drawn! She has been given to the sword; they will seize her and her multitudes.²¹The strongest of the warriors in Sheol will declare about Egypt and her allies, 'They have come down here! They will lie down with the uncircumcised, with those who were killed by the sword.'

²²Assyria is there with all her assembly. Her graves surround her; all of them were killed by the sword.²³Those whose graves are set in the recesses of the pit are there, with all her assembly. Her graves surround all of those who were killed, who fell by the sword, those who brought terror on the land of the living.

²⁴Elam is there with all her multitudes. Her graves surround her; all of them were killed— those who fell by the sword, who have gone down uncircumcised to the lowest parts of the earth, who brought their terrors on the land of the living and who carry their own shame, together with the ones going down to the pit.²⁵Among those who were killed, they have made a bed for her, with her multitude all around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, pierced by the sword, because they had brought their terrors on the land of the living. So they carry their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among those who were killed.

²⁶Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitudes are there! Their graves surround them. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword, because they had brought their terrors on the land of the living.²⁷They do not lie down with the fallen warriors of the uncircumcised who have gone down to Sheol with all their weapons of war, and with their swords placed under their heads and their iniquities over their bones. For they were the terror of warriors in the land of the living.

²⁸So you, Egypt, will be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised! You will lie alongside those who were pierced by the sword.

²⁹Edom is there with her kings and all her leaders. They have been placed in their strength with those killed by the sword. With the uncircumcised they lie, with those who have gone down to the pit.

³⁰The princes of the north are there—all of them and all the Sidonians who went down with the ones who had been pierced. They were powerful and terrorized others, but now they lie down there in shame, uncircumcised with those who were pierced by the sword. They carry their own shame, together with the ones going down to the pit.

³¹Pharaoh will look and be comforted about all his multitudes who were pierced by the sword—Pharaoh and all his army—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.³²I put him as my terrifying one in the land of the living, but he will be laid down in the midst of the uncircumcised, among those pierced by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitudes—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹Instead of when I bring about your destruction among the nations , some ancient translations and some modern translations have when I take you into captivity among the nations .

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, declare this to your people; say to them, 'When I bring a sword against any land, then the people of that land take one man from among themselves and make him a watchman for them.³He looks for the sword as it comes on the land, and he blows his horn to warn the people!⁴If the people hear the sound of the horn but do not pay attention, and if the sword comes and kills them, then each one's blood is on his own head.

⁵If someone hears the sound of the horn and pays no attention, his blood is on him; but if he pays attention, he will save his own life.

⁶"However, if the watchman sees the sword as it is coming, but if he does not blow the horn, with the result that the people are not warned, and if the sword comes and takes anyone's life, then that person dies in his own iniquity, but I will require his blood from the watchman.'

⁷"Now you yourself, son of man! I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; you will hear the words from my mouth and warn them on my behalf.⁸If I say to a wicked person, 'Wicked one, you will surely die!' but if you do not announce this so as to warn the wicked about his way, then he who is wicked will die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood from your hand!⁹But you, if you warn the wicked about his way, so that he might turn back from it, and if he does not turn back from his way, then he will die in his iniquity, but you yourself will have saved your own life.

¹⁰"So you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, 'You are saying this, "Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we are rotting away in them! How can we live?"'¹¹Say to them, 'As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I do not delight in the death of the wicked, for if the wicked repents from his way, then he will live! Repent! Repent from your wicked ways! For why should you die, house of Israel?'

¹²So now you, son of man, say to your people, 'The righteousness of a righteous person will not save him if he sins! The wickedness of a wicked person will not cause him to perish if he repents from his wickedness! For the righteous person will not be able to live because of his righteousness if he sins.¹³If I say to the righteous, "He will surely live!" and if he trusts in his righteousness and then commits injustice, I will not call to mind any of his righteousness. He will die for the wickedness he committed.

¹⁴So if I say to the wicked, "You will surely die," but if he then repents from his sins and does what is just and right—¹⁵if he restores the loan guarantee that he wickedly demanded, or if he makes restitution for what he has stolen, and if he walks in the statutes that give life and no longer commits injustice—then he will surely live. He will not die.¹⁶None of the sins that he has committed will be called to mind for him. He has done justice and righteousness, and so, he will surely live!

¹⁷'But your people say, "The way of the Lord is not fair!" but it is your ways that are not fair!¹⁸When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits injustice, then he will die in it!¹⁹When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and righteous, he will live because of those things!²⁰But you people say, "The way of the Lord is not fair!" I will judge each of you according to his way, house of Israel!'"

²¹It happened in the twelfth year, on the fifth day of the tenth month of our captivity, that a fugitive came to me from Jerusalem and said, "The city has been captured!"²²The hand of Yahweh had been on me in the evening before the fugitive came, and my mouth was opened by the time that he came to me in the dawn. So my mouth was open; I was no longer mute!

²³Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²⁴"Son of man, the ones inhabiting those ruins in the land of Israel are talking and say, 'Abraham was only one person, and he inherited the land, but we are many! The land has been given to us as a possession.'

²⁵Therefore say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: You eat blood, and you lift up your eyes towards your idols, then you pour out people's blood. Should you really possess the land?²⁶You have depended on your swords and have done abominations; each man defiles his neighbor's wife. Should you really possess the land?'

²⁷You will say this to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: As I live, surely the ones in the ruins will fall by the sword, and I will give those in the fields to the living creatures as food, and those in fortresses and in caves will die of plagues.²⁸Then I will turn the land into a desolation and a horror, and the pride of its might will end, for the mountains of Israel will be deserted, and there will be no one to pass through them.'²⁹So they will know that I am Yahweh, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all the abominations that they have done.

³⁰"So now you, son of man—your people are saying things about you beside the walls and the gates of the houses, and each says to one another—each man to his brother, 'Let us go and listen to the prophet's word that comes out from Yahweh!'³¹So my people will come to you, as they often do, and will sit in front of you and listen to your words, but they will not obey them. Right words are in their mouths, but their hearts are going after unjust profit.

³²For you are like a lovely song to them, a beautiful sound that is well played on a stringed instrument, so they will listen to your words, but none of them will obey them.³³So when all of this happens—behold! it will happen!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who are shepherding themselves. Should not shepherds guard the flock?³You eat the fatty portions and you clothe yourselves in wool. You slaughter the fatlings of the flock. You do not shepherd at all.

⁴You have not strengthened those who are weak, nor do you heal the ones who are ill. You do not bind up the ones who are broken, and you do not restore the outcasts or seek the lost. Instead, you rule over them through strength and violence.⁵Then they were scattered without a shepherd, and they became food for all the living beasts in the fields, after they were scattered.⁶My flock strays on all of the mountains and on every high hill, and it is dispersed over the entire surface of the earth. Yet no one is searching for them.

⁷Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh:⁸As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—because my flock has become plunder and food for all the beasts in the fields, because there was no shepherd and none of my shepherds sought my flock, but the shepherds guarded themselves and did not shepherd my flock.

⁹Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh:¹⁰The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock from their hand. Then I will dismiss them from shepherding the flock; neither will the shepherds any longer shepherd themselves since I will take away my flock from their mouths, so that my flock will no longer be food for them.

¹¹For the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I myself will seek out my flock and I will look after them,¹²like a shepherd seeking his flock on the day he is within the midst of his scattered flock. Thus I will seek my flock, and I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on the day of clouds and darkness.¹³Then I will bring them out from among the peoples; I will gather them from the lands and bring them to their land. I will put them in pastures on the mountainsides of Israel, by the streams, and in every settlement in the land.

¹⁴I will put them in good pastures; the high mountains of Israel will be their grazing places. They will lie down there in good places for grazing, in abundant pastures, and they will graze on the mountains of Israel.¹⁵I myself will shepherd my flock, and I myself will make them lie down—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—¹⁶I will seek the lost and restore the outcast. I will bind up the broken sheep and heal the sick sheep, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd with justice.

¹⁷So now you, my flock—this is what the Lord Yahweh says—behold, I will be a judge between sheep and sheep and between rams and male goats.¹⁸Is it not enough to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample down with your feet what is left of the pasture; and to drink from clear waters, that you must muddy the rivers with your feet?¹⁹Must my sheep eat what you have trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

²⁰Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this to them: Behold! I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin ones,²¹for you have pushed them with your sides and shoulders, and you have gored all of the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them away from the land.

²²I will save my flock and they will no longer be plunder, and I will judge between one sheep and another!²³I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will shepherd them, he will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.²⁴For I, Yahweh, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among them—I, Yahweh, have declared this.

²⁵Then I will make a covenant of peace with them and remove the evil wild animals from the land, so that they will live securely in the wilderness and safely sleep in the forests.²⁶I will also bring blessings on them and on the places around my hill, for I will send out showers in due season. These will be showers of blessing.²⁷Then the trees of the field will produce their fruit, and the earth will yield its produce. My sheep will be secure in their land; then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I break the bars of their yoke, and when I rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them.

²⁸They will no longer be plunder for the nations, and the wild animals on the earth will no longer devour them. For they will live securely, and no one will frighten them.²⁹For I will provide them a renowned plantation; so they will not be victims of famine in the land, and they will not bear the insults of the nations.

³⁰Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them. They are my people, the house of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.³¹For you are my sheep, the flock of my pasture, and my people, and I am your God—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it.³Say to it, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will strike you with my hand and make you a desolation and a waste.

⁴I will make your cities ruins, and you yourself will become desolate; then you will know that I am Yahweh.⁵Because you have always been hostile to the people of Israel, and because you poured them out into the hands of the sword at the time of their distress, at the time their punishment was at its greatest.⁶Therefore, as I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I will prepare you for bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you! Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

⁷I will make Mount Seir a complete desolation when I cut off from it anyone who passes through and returns again.⁸I will fill its mountains with those who were killed; on your high hills and valleys and in all your streams those who were killed by the sword will fall.⁹I will make you a perpetual desolation. Your cities will not be inhabited, but you will know that I am Yahweh.

¹⁰You have said, "These two nations and these two lands will become mine, and we will possess them," even when Yahweh was present with them.¹¹Therefore, as I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—so I will do according to your anger and according to your jealousy that you had in your hatred of Israel, and I will show myself to them when I judge you.

¹²So you will know that I am Yahweh. I have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, when you said, "They have been destroyed; they have been given over to us to devour."¹³You exalted yourselves against me with what you said, and you multiplied the words you said against me; and I heard it all.

¹⁴The Lord Yahweh says this: I will make you a desolation, while the entire earth rejoices.¹⁵As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the people of Israel because of its desolation, I will do the same to you. You will become a desolation, Mount Seir, and all of Edom—all of it! Then they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹"Now you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, 'Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of Yahweh.²The Lord Yahweh says this: The enemy has said about you, "Aha!" and "The ancient high places have become our possession."'³Therefore prophesy and say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Because of your desolation and because of the attacks that came on you from all sides, you have become a possession of the other nations; you have been the subject of slanderous lips and tongues, and of people's stories.

⁴Therefore, mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord Yahweh: The Lord Yahweh says this to the mountains and the high hills, to the streambeds and valleys, to the uninhabited desolations and the abandoned cities that have become plunder and a subject of mocking for the other nations that surround them—⁵therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: I have certainly spoken in the fire of my zeal against the other nations, against Edom and all who took my land for themselves as a possession, against all those who had both joy in their heart and contempt in their spirit, as they seized my land that they might claim its pasturelands for themselves.'⁶Therefore, prophesy to the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the high hills, to the streambeds and to the valleys, 'the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! In my zeal and in my anger I am declaring this because you have borne the insults of nations.

⁷Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: I myself will lift up my hand to swear that the nations that surround you will certainly carry their own shame.

⁸But you, mountains of Israel, you will grow branches and bear fruit for my people Israel, since they will soon come back to you.⁹For behold, I am for you, and I treat you with favor; you will be plowed and sown with seed.

¹⁰So I will multiply upon you the number of your people, even the whole house of Israel. The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.¹¹I will multiply men and animals on you mountains so that they will multiply and be fruitful. Then I will cause you to be inhabited as you previously were, and I will do you more good than in the past, for you will know that I am Yahweh.¹²I will bring men, my people Israel, to walk on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will no longer cause their children to die.

¹³The Lord Yahweh says this: Because they are saying to you, "You devour men, bereaving your nation of children,"¹⁴therefore you will not consume people any longer, and you will no longer make your nation mourn their deaths. This is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.¹⁵Nor will I allow you to hear the insults of the nations any longer; you will no longer have to suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹⁶Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁷"Son of man, when the house of Israel inhabited their land, they defiled it with their ways and their deeds. Their ways were like the uncleanness of the impurity before me.¹⁸So I poured out my fury against them for the blood that they poured out on the land and for their pollution of it by their idols.

¹⁹I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed through the lands. I judged them according to their ways and their deeds.²⁰Then they went to the nations, and wherever they went, they profaned my holy name when people said of them, 'Are these really the people of Yahweh? For they have been thrown out of his land.'²¹But I had compassion for my holy name that the house of Israel had defiled among the nations, when they went there.

²²Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: I am not doing this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations everywhere you have gone.²³For I will make my great name holy, which you have profaned among the nations—in the midst of the nations, you profaned it. Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—when you see that I am holy.

²⁴I will take you from the nations and gather you from every land, and I will bring you to your land.²⁵Then I will sprinkle pure water on you so you will be clean; you will be purified from all of your uncleanness, and I will purify you from all of your idols.

²⁶I will give you a new heart and a new spirit in your innermost parts, and I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh. For I will give you a heart of flesh.²⁷I will set my Spirit in you and enable you to walk in my statutes and keep my decrees, so you will do them.²⁸Then you will inhabit the land that I gave to your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

²⁹For I will save you from all of your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and multiply it. I will no longer put famine upon you.³⁰I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field so that you will no longer bear the shame of famine among the nations.³¹Then you will think of your wicked ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will show loathing on your faces because of your own iniquities and your disgusting practicies.

³²I am not doing this for your sake—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—let this be known to you. So be ashamed and disgraced because of your ways, house of Israel.³³The Lord Yahweh says this: On the day that I purify you from all your iniquity, I will cause you to inhabit the cities and to rebuild the ruined places.³⁴For you will plow the ruined land until it is no longer a ruin before the eyes of all who pass by.

³⁵Then they will say, "This land was desolate, but it has become like the garden of Eden; the desolate cities and the uninhabited ruins that were torn down are now fortified and inhabited."³⁶Then the other nations around you will know that I am Yahweh, that I built up the ruins and replanted the deserted places. I am Yahweh. I have declared it and I will do it.

³⁷The Lord Yahweh says this: Again I will be asked by the house of Israel to do this for them, to increase them like a flock of people.³⁸Like the flock is set apart for sacrifices, like the flock in Jerusalem at her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people and they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹The hand of Yahweh was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of Yahweh and set me down in the midst of a valley; it was full of bones.²Then he made me pass through them round and round. Behold! A great many of them were in the valley. Behold! They were very dry.³He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live again?" So I said, "Lord Yahweh, you alone know."

⁴Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones. Listen to the word of Yahweh.⁵The Lord Yahweh says this to these bones: Behold! I am about to put breath into you, and you will live.⁶I will place sinews over you and bring flesh onto you. I will cover you with skin and put breath within you so you will live. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.'"

⁷So I prophesied as I was commanded; as I prophesied, behold, a sound came, that of shaking. Then the bones drew together—bone against bone.⁸I looked and, behold, sinews were now on them, and flesh grew up and skin covered them. But there was still no breath in them.

⁹Then Yahweh said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Breath, come from the four winds, and breathe on these who have been killed, so they may live.'"¹⁰So I prophesied as I was commanded; the breath came into them and they lived. Then they stood on their feet, a very great army.

¹¹Then Yahweh said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the entire house of Israel. Behold! They are saying, 'Our bones have dried up, and our hope is gone. We have been cut off.'¹²Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I will open your graves and lift you out from them, my people. I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

¹³Then you will know that I am Yahweh, when I open your graves and bring you out from them, my people.¹⁴I will place my Spirit within you so you will live, and I will cause you to rest in your land when you know that I am Yahweh. I declare and will do it—this is Yahweh's declaration.'"

¹⁵Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,¹⁶"So now you, son of man, take one stick for yourself and write on it, 'For Judah and for the people of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the branch of Ephraim, and for all the people of Israel, their companions.'¹⁷Bring both of them together into one stick, so that they become one in your hand.

¹⁸When your people speak to you and say, 'Will you not tell us what these things of yours mean?'¹⁹then say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am taking the branch of Joseph that is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel his companions and joining it to the branch of Judah, so that they will make one branch, and they will become one in my hand.'²⁰Hold in your hand the branches that you wrote on before their eyes.

²¹Declare to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am about to take the people of Israel from among the nations where they went. I will gather them from the surrounding lands and I will bring them to their land.²²I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and there will be one king as king over all of them, and they will no longer be two nations. They will no longer be divided into two kingdoms.²³Then they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, their disgusting things, or any of their other sins. For I will save them from all of their faithless actions with which they have sinned, and I will purify them, so they will be my people and I will be their God. ¹

²⁴David my servant will be king over them. So there will be one shepherd over them all, and they will walk according to my decrees and they will keep my statutes and obey them.²⁵They will live in the land that I have given to my servant Jacob, where your fathers had stayed. They will live in it forever—they, their children, and their grandchildren, for David my servant will be their chief forever.

²⁶I will establish a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will establish them and multiply them and set my holy place in their midst forever.²⁷My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.²⁸Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh who sets Israel apart, when my holy place is among them forever.'"

¹Some ancient translations of the Hebrew copies and most modern translations read in this way: from all of their faithless actions . However, the Hebrew text, as it is, is difficult to translate. It reads: from their dwelling places , which many think makes little sense in this context.

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,²"Son of man, set your face toward Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; and prophesy against him.³Say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

⁴So I will turn you around and set hooks in your jaw; I will send you out with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all of them dressed in full armor, a great company with large shields and small shields, all of them holding swords!⁵Persia, Cush, and Libya are with them, all of them with shields and helmets!⁶Gomer and all her troops, and Beth Togarmah, from the far parts of the north, and all its troops! Many peoples are with you!

⁷Get ready! Yes, prepare yourself and your troops assembled with you, and be their commander.⁸You will be called after many days, and after some years you will go to a land that has recovered from the sword and that has been gathered from many peoples, gathered back to the mountains of Israel that had been a continuous ruin. But the land's people will be brought out of the peoples, and they will live in safety, all of them!⁹So you will go up as a storm goes; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, all the many soldiers with you.

¹⁰The Lord Yahweh says this: It will happen on that day that plans will form in your heart, and you will devise wicked schemes.'¹¹Then you will say, 'I will go up to the open land; I will go to the quiet people living in safety, all of them living where there are no walls or bars, and where there are no city gates.¹²I will capture booty and steal plunder, in order to bring my hand against the ruins that are newly inhabited, and against the people gathered from the nations, people who are gaining livestock and property, and who are living at the center of the earth.'

¹³Sheba and Dedan, and the traders of Tarshish along with all its young warriors will say to you, 'Have you come to take booty? Have you assembled your company to take away plunder, to carry off silver and gold, to take their livestock and property and to haul away much plunder?'

¹⁴Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: On that day, when my people Israel are living securely, will you not learn about them?¹⁵You will come from your place far away in the north with a great army, all of them riding on horses, a great company, a large army.¹⁶You will attack my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, so the nations might know me when I show myself through you, Gog, to be holy before their eyes.

¹⁷The Lord Yahweh says this: Are you not the one of whom I spoke in former days by the hand of my servants, the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in their own time for years that I would bring you against them?¹⁸So it will come to be in that day when Gog attacks the land of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—my wrath will mount up in my anger.

¹⁹In my zeal and in the fire of my anger, I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.²⁰They will shake before me—the fish of the sea and the birds of the skies, the beasts of the fields, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth, and every person who is on the surface of the land. The mountains will be thrown down and the cliffs will fall, until every wall falls to the earth.

²¹I will summon a sword against him on all my mountains—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—each man's sword will be against his brother.²²With plague and blood I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain on him and on his troops—and on the many nations with him—a torrential downpour and hailstones, fire and sulfur.²³For I will show my greatness and my holiness and I will make myself known in the eyes of the many nations, and they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

¹"Now you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against you, Gog, chief of Meshech and Tubal.²I will turn you and lead you on; I will bring you up from the far north and bring you to the mountains of Israel.³Then I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make the arrows fall from your right hand.

⁴You will fall on the mountains of Israel—you and all your troops and the soldiers who are with you. I will give you to the birds of prey and the wild beasts of the fields for food.⁵You will fall on the open field, for I myself declare it—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.⁶Then I will send out fire on Magog and on those living in safety on the coasts, and they will know that I am Yahweh.

⁷For I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will no longer allow my holy name to be profaned; the nations will know that I am Yahweh, the Holy One in Israel.⁸Behold! The day is coming, and it will take place—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

⁹The ones living in the cities of Israel will go out and they will use weapons to kindle and make fires and burn them—small shields, large shields, bows, arrows, the clubs and spears; they will make fires with them for seven years.¹⁰They will not gather wood from the fields or cut down trees from the forests, since they will kindle fires with the weapons; they will take from those who wanted to take from them; they will plunder those who wanted to plunder them—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹¹Then it will happen on that day that I will make a place there for Gog—a grave in Israel, a valley for those who journey to the east of the sea. It will block those who wish to cross over. There they will bury Gog with all his multitudes. They will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.

¹²For seven months the house of Israel will bury them in order to purify the land.¹³For all the people of the land will bury them; it will be a day of renown for them when I am glorified—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁴Then they will designate men to continually go through the land, to find those who were traveling through, but who died and their bodies remained on the surface of the land, so that they may bury them, in order to cleanse the land. At the end of the seventh month they will begin their search.¹⁵As these men pass through the land, when they see any human bone, they will put a marker by it, until gravediggers come and bury it in the Valley of Hamon Gog.¹⁶There will be a city there by the name of Hamonah. In this way they will purify the land.

¹⁷Now to you, son of man, the Lord Yahweh says this: Say to all the winged birds and all the wild beasts in the fields, 'Gather together and come. Gather from all around to the sacrifice that I myself am making for you, a large sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, so that you may consume flesh and drink blood.¹⁸You will consume the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth; they will be rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, they were all fattened in Bashan.

¹⁹Then you will eat fat to your satisfaction; you will drink blood until you become drunk; this will be the sacrifice that I will slaughter for you.²⁰You will be satisfied at my table with horse, chariot, warrior, and every man of war—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'

²¹I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see my judgment that I perform and my hand that I have set against them.²²The house of Israel will know that I am Yahweh their God from that day onward.

²³The nations will know that the house of Israel went into captivity because of their iniquity by which they betrayed me, so I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries so that all of them fell by the sword.²⁴I did to them according to their uncleanness and their sins, when I hid my face from them.

²⁵Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Now I will reverse the captivity of Jacob, and I will have compassion on all the house of Israel, when I act with zeal for my holy name.²⁶Then they will bear their shame and all the treachery by which they betrayed me. They will forget all this when they rest in their land in safety, with no one to terrify them.²⁷When I restore them from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, I will show myself to be holy in the sight of many nations.

²⁸Then they will know that I am Yahweh their God, for I sent them into captivity among the nations, but then I will gather them back to their land. I will not leave any of them among the nations.²⁹I will no longer hide my face from them when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity at the beginning of the year on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured—on that same day, the hand of Yahweh was upon me and he took me there.²In visions from God he brought me to the land of Israel. He brought me to rest on a very high mountain; to the south were what appeared to be buildings of a city.

³Then he brought me there. Behold, a man! His appearance was like the appearance of bronze. A linen cord and a measuring stick were in his hand, and he stood in the city gate.⁴The man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and listen with your ears, and fix your mind on all that I am revealing to you, for you were brought here so I could reveal them to you. Report everything that you will see to the house of Israel."

⁵There was a wall surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring stick in the man's hand was six long cubits. Each long cubit was a cubit and a handbreadth in length. So he measured the wall, and it was one measuring stick thick and one measuring stick high.⁶Then he went to the temple gate that faced east. He went up its steps and measured the threshold of the gate—one stick in depth. ¹⁷The guard chambers were each one stick in length and one stick in width; there were five cubits between any two of the chambers, and the threshold of the temple gate by the temple portico was one stick deep.

⁸He measured the portico of the gate; it was one stick in length.⁹He measured the portico of the gate. It was one stick deep. The doorposts were two cubits in width. This was the portico of the gate facing the temple.¹⁰There were three guard chambers on either side of the east gate, and each of them had the same measurement, and the walls that separated them had the same measurement.

¹¹Then the man measured the width of the gateway entrance—ten cubits; and he measured the length of the gateway entrance—thirteen cubits.¹²He measured the wall that was bordering the front of the chambers—one cubit high. The chambers measured six cubits on each side.¹³Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one chamber to that of the next chamber—twenty-five cubits, from the entrance of the first chamber to that of the second.

¹⁴Then he measured the wall that went between the guard chambers—sixty cubits in length; he measured as far as the gate's portico.¹⁵The entrance from the front of the gate to the other end of the gate's portico was fifty cubits.¹⁶There were closed windows toward the chambers and toward their pillars within the gates all around; and it was the same for the porches. There were windows all around the inside, and each jamb was decorated with palm trees.

¹⁷Then the man brought me to the outer courtyard of the temple. Behold, there were rooms, and there was pavement in the courtyard, with thirty rooms next to the pavement.¹⁸The pavement went up to the side of the gates, and its width was the same as the gates' length. This was the lower pavement.¹⁹Then the man measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner gate; it was one hundred cubits on the east side, and the same on the north side.

²⁰Then he measured the length and width of the gate that was at the north of the outer court.²¹There were three chambers on either side of that gate, and the gate and its portico measured the same as the main gate—fifty cubits in total length and twenty-five cubits in width.

²²Its windows, portico, chambers, and its palm trees corresponded to the gate that faced east. Seven steps went up to it and to its portico.²³There was a gate to the inner courtyard in front of the gate facing north, just as also there was a gate to the east; the man measured from one gate to the other gate—one hundred cubits in distance.

²⁴Next the man brought me to the gate of the southern entrance, and its walls and portico measured the same as the other outer gates.²⁵There were closed windows in the gateway and its portico just as at that gate. The south gate and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width.

²⁶There were seven steps up to the gate and its portico, and there were carvings of palm trees on the walls on either side.²⁷There was a gate to the inner courtyard on the southern side, and the man measured from that gate to the gate of the south entrance—one hundred cubits in distance.

²⁸Then the man brought me to the inner courtyard by way of its southern gate, which had the same measurements as the other gates.²⁹Its chambers, walls, and porticos measured the same as the other gates; there were windows all around in the portico. The inner gate and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width.³⁰There were also porticos all around the inner wall; these were twenty-five cubits in length and five cubits in width.³¹This portico faced the outer courtyard with carved palm trees on its walls and eight steps going up to it.

³²Then the man brought me to the inner courtyard by the eastern way and measured the gate, which had the same measurements as the other gates.³³Its chambers, walls, and portico measured the same as the other gates, and there were windows all around. The inner gate and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width.³⁴Its portico faced the outer courtyard; it had palm trees on either side of it and eight steps going up it.

³⁵Next the man brought me to the northern gate and measured it; it measured the same as the other gates.³⁶Its chambers, walls, and portico measured the same as the other gates, and there were windows all around. The gateway and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width.³⁷Its portico faced the outer courtyard; it had palm trees on either side of it and eight steps going up it.

³⁸There was a room with a door by each of the inner gateways. This was where they rinsed the burnt offerings.³⁹There were two tables on each side of each portico, on which the burnt offering was slaughtered, and also the sin offering and the guilt offering.

⁴⁰By the wall of the courtyard, going up to the gate to the north, there were two tables. Also on the other side there were two tables at the gate's portico.⁴¹There were four tables on either side by the gate; they slaughtered animals on the eight tables.

⁴²There were four tables of cut stone for the burnt offerings, one and a half cubits in length, one and a half cubits in width, and one cubit tall. On them they laid the tools with which they slaughtered the burnt offerings for the sacrifices.⁴³Two-pronged hooks a handbreadth in length were fastened in the portico all around, and the flesh of the offerings would be put on the tables.

⁴⁴On the outside of the inner gate, within the inner courtyard, were singers' chambers, one on the north side facing south, and the other on the south side facing north.⁴⁵Then the man said to me, "This room facing south is for the priests who are on duty in the temple.

⁴⁶The room facing north is for the priests on duty at the altar. These are the sons of Zadok who come near to Yahweh to serve him; they are among the sons of Levi."⁴⁷Next he measured the courtyard—one hundred cubits in length and one hundred cubits in width in a square, with the altar in front of the house.

⁴⁸Then the man brought me to the portico of the house and measured its doorposts—they were five cubits thick on either side. The gateway itself was fourteen cubits in width, and the walls on each side of it were three cubits in width. ²⁴⁹The length of the portico was twenty cubits, and its depth was eleven cubits. There were steps that went up to it and columns that stood on either side of it. ³ ⁴

¹After one stick in depth , many copies of the ancient Hebrew text contains the additional phrase: one threshold one stick in depth" . Many modern translations, however, leave this expression out, because it seems to be a repetition of preceding verse.

²Instead of the walls on each side of it were three cubits in width , the copies of the ancient Hebrew text read the entrance was three cubits in width , but this seems to be a mistake, judging from the preceding words in this verse.

³Instead of steps , some copies of the ancient Hebrew text, and some modern translations read ten steps .

⁴Instead of eleven cubits , some ancient translations of the Hebrew copies and many modern translations read twelve cubits .

¹Then the man brought me into the temple's holy place and measured the doorposts—six cubits in width on either side. ¹²The width of the doorway was ten cubits; the wall on each side was five cubits in length. Then the man measured the dimensions of the holy place—forty cubits in length and twenty cubits in width.

³Then the man went into the very holy place and measured the posts of the doorway—two cubits, and the doorway was six cubits in width. The walls on either side were seven cubits in width.⁴Then he measured the room's length—twenty cubits. Its width—twenty cubits to the front of the temple hall. Then he said to me, "This is the most holy place."

⁵Then the man measured the wall of the house—it was six cubits thick. The width of each side room around the house was four cubits in width.⁶There were side rooms on three levels, one room above another, thirty rooms on each level. There were ledges around the wall of the house, to support all of the side rooms, for there was no support put in the wall of the house.⁷So the side rooms widened and went around going up, for the house went around higher and higher all around; the rooms widened as the house went up, and a stairway went up to the highest level, through the middle level.

⁸Then I saw a raised part all around the house, the foundation for the side chambers; it measured a full stick in height—six cubits.⁹The width of the wall of the side rooms on the outside was five cubits. There was an open space to the outside of these rooms in the sanctuary.

¹⁰On the other side of this open space were the priests' outer side rooms; this space was twenty cubits in width all around the sanctuary.¹¹There were doors into the side rooms from another open space—one doorway was on the north side, and the other on the south side. The width of this open area was five cubits all around.

¹²The building that faced the courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits in width. Its wall measured five cubits thick all around, and it was ninety cubits in length.¹³Then the man measured the sanctuary—one hundred cubits in length. The separated building, its wall, and the courtyard also measured one hundred cubits in length.¹⁴The width of the front of the courtyard in front of the sanctuary was also one hundred cubits.

¹⁵Then the man measured the length of the building behind the sanctuary, to its west, and the galleries on either side—one hundred cubits. The holy place and the portico,¹⁶the inner walls and the windows, including the narrow windows, and the galleries all around on three levels, were all paneled in wood.¹⁷Above the entryway to the inner sanctuary and spaced along the walls there was a measured pattern.

¹⁸It was decorated with cherubim and palm trees; with a palm tree between each cherub, and each cherub had two faces:¹⁹the face of a man looked toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion looked toward a palm tree on the other side. They were carved all around the entire house.²⁰From the ground to above the doorway, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the outer wall of the house.

²¹The gate posts of the holy place were square. Their appearance was like the appearance of²²the wooden altar in front of the holy place, which was three cubits high and two cubits in length on each side. Its corner posts, base, and frame were made of wood. Then the man said to me, "This is the table that stands before Yahweh." ²²³There were double doors for the holy place and the most holy place.²⁴These doors had two hinged door panels each, two panels for one door and two panels for the other.

²⁵Carved on them—on the doors of the holy place—were cherubim and palm trees just as the walls were decorated, and there was a wooden roof over the portico at the front.²⁶There were narrow windows and palm trees on either side of the portico. These were the side rooms of the house, and they also had overhanging roofs.

¹After six cubits in width on either side , ancient Hebrew copies and some modern translations add the width of the tent .

²Instead of Their appearance was like the appearance of the wooden altar in front of the holy place, which was , some modern translations have They all looked like each other. The wooden altar in front of the holy place was .

¹Next the man sent me out to the outer courtyard on the north side, and he brought me to rooms in front of the outer courtyard and the northern outer wall.²Those rooms were one hundred cubits along their front and fifty cubits in width.³Some of those rooms faced the inner courtyard and were twenty cubits away from the sanctuary. There were three levels of rooms, and the ones above looked down on the ones below and were open to them, having a walkway. Some of the rooms looked out onto the outer courtyard.

⁴A passage ten cubits in width and one hundred cubits in length ran in front of the rooms. The rooms' doors were toward the north. ¹⁵But the upper halls were smaller, for the walkways took away from them more space than they did in the lowest and middle levels of the building.⁶For the halls on the third story had no columns, unlike the courtyards, which did have columns. So the highest level's rooms were smaller in size compared to the rooms in the lowest and middle levels.

⁷The outside wall ran along the rooms toward the outer courtyard, the courtyard that was in front of the rooms. That wall was fifty cubits in length.⁸The length of the rooms of the outer courtyard was fifty cubits, and the rooms facing the sanctuary were one hundred cubits in length.⁹There was an entrance to the lowest rooms from the east side, coming from the outer courtyard.

¹⁰Along the wall of the outer courtyard on the eastern side of the outer courtyard, in front of the sanctuary's inner courtyard, there were also rooms ²¹¹with a walkway in front of them. They were as the appearance of the rooms on the northern side. They had the same length and breadth and the same exits and arrangements and doors.¹²On the south side were doors into rooms that were just the same as on the north side. A passage on the inside had a door at its head, and the passage opened into the various rooms. On the east side there was a doorway into the passage at one end.

¹³Then the man said to me, "The northern rooms and the southern rooms that are in front of the outer courtyard are holy rooms where the priests who work nearest to Yahweh may eat the most holy food. They will put the most holy things there—the food offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering—for this is a holy place.¹⁴When the priests enter there, they must not go out of the holy place to the outer court, without laying aside the clothes in which they served, since these are holy. So they must dress in other clothes before going near the people."

¹⁵The man completed measuring the inner house and then took me out to the gate that faced the east and measured all the surrounding area there.

¹⁶He measured the east side with a measuring stick—five hundred cubits with the measuring stick. ³¹⁷He measured the north side—five hundred cubits with the measuring stick. ⁴¹⁸He also measured the south side—five hundred cubits with the measuring stick. ⁵¹⁹He also turned and measured the west side—five hundred cubits with the measuring stick. ⁶

²⁰He measured it on four sides. It had a wall around it that was five hundred cubits in length, and five hundred cubits in width, to separate the holy from the profane.

¹Some ancient translations of the Hebrew copies and many modern translations read one hundred cubits . Other ancient Hebrew copies some other modern translations read one cubit .

²Many copies of the ancient Hebrew text and some modern translations read on the eastern side . However, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew copies and most modern translations read on the southern side .

³The ancient Greek translation and most modern translations read five hundred cubits , and appears to be correct; but the Hebrew copies read: five hundred measuring sticks , which seems to be an error.

⁴The ancient Greek translation and most modern translations read five hundred cubits, ; but the ancient Hebrew copies read: five hundred measuring sticks , which seems to be an error.

⁵The ancient Greek translation and most modern translations read five hundred cubits ; but the ancient Hebrew copies read: five hundred measuring sticks , which seems to be an error.

⁶The ancient Greek translation and most modern translations read five hundred cubits ; but the ancient Hebrew copies read: five hundred measuring sticks , which seems to be an error.

¹The man then brought me to the gate that opened to the east.²Behold! The glory of the God of Israel came from the east; his voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.

³It was according to the appearance of the vision that I saw, according to the vision that I saw when he had come ¹ to destroy the city, and the visions were like the vision that I saw at the Kebar Canal—and I fell to my face.⁴So the glory of Yahweh came to the house by way of the gate that opened to the east.⁵Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court. Behold! The glory of Yahweh was filling the house.

⁶The man was standing beside me, and I heard someone else speaking to me from the house.⁷He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live in the midst of the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer defile my holy name—they or their kings—with their faithlessness or with the corpses of their kings at their high places.⁸They will no longer profane my holy name by putting their threshold next to my threshold, and their gateposts next to my gateposts, with nothing but a wall between me and them. They defiled my holy name with their disgusting practices, so I consumed them with my anger.

⁹Now let them remove their faithlessness and the corpses of their kings from before me, and I will live in their midst forever.

¹⁰Son of man, you yourself must tell the house of Israel about this house so they will be ashamed of their iniquities. They should think about this description.¹¹For if they are ashamed of all that they have done, then reveal to them the design of the house, its details, its exits, its entrances, and all its designs, all its decrees and rules. Then write this down before their eyes so they will keep to all its design and all its rules, so as to obey them.

¹²This is the regulation for the house: From the peak of the hill to all the surrounding border around it, it will be most holy. Behold! This is the law for the house.

¹³These will be the measurements of the altar in cubits—that cubit being a regular cubit and a handbreadth in length. So the gutter around the altar will be a cubit deep, and its width will also be a cubit. The border around its surrounding edge will be one span. This will be the base of the altar.¹⁴From the gutter at the ground level up to the lower ledge of the altar is two cubits, and that ledge itself is one cubit in width. Then from the small ledge up to the large edge of the altar, it is four cubits, and the large edge is a cubit in width.

¹⁵The hearth on the altar for the burnt offerings is four cubits high, and there are four horns pointing upward on the hearth.¹⁶The hearth is twelve cubits in length and twelve cubits in width, a square.¹⁷Its border is fourteen cubits in length and fourteen cubits in width on each of its four sides, and its rim is a half cubit in width. The gutter is a cubit in width all around with its steps facing east."

¹⁸Next he said to me, "Son of man, the Lord Yahweh says this: These are the regulations for the altar on the day they make it, for raising the burnt offering onto it, and for sprinkling blood on it.¹⁹You will give a young bull from the herd as a sin offering for the Levitical priests who are the descendants of Zadok, those who come near to me to serve me—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

²⁰Then you will take some of its blood and place it on the altar's four horns and the four sides of its edge and on the surrounding rim; you will cleanse it and make atonement for it.²¹Then take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the appointed part of the temple area outside of the sanctuary.

²²Then on the second day you will offer a male goat without blemish from the goats as a sin offering; the priests will cleanse the altar just as they cleansed it with the bull.²³When you finish its cleansing, offer an unblemished bull from the herd and an unblemished ram from the flock.²⁴Offer them before Yahweh; the priests will throw salt onto them and raise them up as a burnt offering to Yahweh.

²⁵You must prepare a male goat as a sin offering daily for seven days, and the priests must also prepare an unblemished bull from the herd and an unblemished ram from the flock.²⁶They must atone for the altar for seven days and purify it, and in this way they must consecrate it.²⁷They must complete these days, and on the eighth day and onward it will come about that the priests will prepare your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I will accept you—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹Instead of when he had come which some Hebrew copies and some ancient and many modern translations read, some other copies of the Hebrew text read: when I came .

¹Then the man brought me back to the outer sanctuary gate that faced east; it was closed tightly.²Yahweh said to me, "This gate has been sealed shut; it will not be opened. No man will go through it, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has come through it, so it has been closed tightly.³The ruler of Israel will sit in it to eat food before Yahweh. He will enter by way of the gate's portico and go out the same way."

⁴Then he brought me by way of the northern gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh, and I fell to my face.⁵Then Yahweh said to me, "Son of man, set your heart and look with your eyes and listen with your ears to all that I am declaring to you, to all the statutes of the house of Yahweh and all its laws. Think about the house's entrance and the sanctuary's exits.

⁶Then say to the rebellious ones, the house of Israel, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Let all of your disgusting practices be enough for you, house of Israel—⁷that you brought foreigners with uncircumcised hearts and uncircumcised flesh to be in my sanctuary, profaning my house, while you were offering me food, fat and blood—you have broken my covenant by all your disgusting practices.

⁸You have not carried out your duties regarding my holy things, but you appointed others to take up your duties, and you assigned them to care for my holy place.⁹The Lord Yahweh says this: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, from any of those who live among the people of Israel, may enter my holy place.

¹⁰Yet the Levites went far from me—they wandered away from me, going after their idols—but they will pay for their iniquity.¹¹They are servants in my sanctuary, watching the gates of the house and serving in the house and they slaughter the burnt offerings and the people's sacrifices, and they will stand before the people and serve them.¹²But because they performed the sacrifices before their idols, they became stumbling blocks for sin for the house of Israel. Therefore I will lift up my hand to swear an oath against them—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—they will bear their punishment.

¹³They will not come near me to serve me as priests or to come near any of my holy things, to my most holy things. Instead, they will bear their shame and their disgusting practices that they have done.¹⁴But I will place them as keepers of the work in the house, for all of its duties and everything that is done in it.

¹⁵Then the Levitical priests and the descendants of Zadok who fulfilled the duties of my sanctuary when the people of Israel were wandering away from me, they will come near to me to minister to me; they will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.¹⁶They will come to my sanctuary; they will approach my table to worship me and to fulfill their duties to me.

¹⁷So it will be that when they come to the gates of the inner courtyard, they must be clothed in linen clothes, for they must not come in wool inside the gates of the courtyard and its house.¹⁸There should be linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes on their hips. They must not gird themselves in clothes that make them sweat.

¹⁹When they go out to the outer courtyard, to the outer courtyard in order to go to the people, they must take off the clothes they wore when they served; they must take them off and lay them down in a holy room, so they do not make other people holy by contact with their special clothing.

²⁰Also they must neither shave their heads nor allow their hair to hang loosely, but they must trim the hair of their heads.²¹No priest may drink wine when he comes to the inner court,²²nor take a widow or a divorced woman as a wife for himself, but only a virgin from the line of the house of Israel or a widow who was previously married to a priest.

²³For they will teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane; they will make them know the unclean from the clean.²⁴In a dispute they will stand to judge with my decrees; they must be just. They will keep my law and my statutes in every feast, and they will celebrate my holy Sabbaths.

²⁵They must not defile themselves by going near to a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then they may defile themselves.²⁶After a priest has become unclean, they will count off a period of seven days for him.²⁷On the day he enters the holy place, into the inner courtyard to serve in the holy place, he must bring a sin offering for himself—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

²⁸This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I will be their property!²⁹They will eat the food offerings, the sin offerings, the guilt offerings, and everything devoted to Yahweh in Israel, will be theirs.

³⁰The best of the firstfruits of all things and every contribution, anything from all of your contributions will belong to the priests, and you will give the first of your dough to the priests so that blessing may rest on your house.³¹The priests will not eat any carcass or animal torn by a wild animal, whether bird or beast.

¹When you cast lots to divide up the land as an inheritance, you must make an offering to Yahweh; this offering will be a holy part of the land, twenty-five thousand cubits in length, and ten thousand cubits in width. It will be holy, all its area round about. ¹²From this there will be a five hundred cubits by five hundred cubits square surrounding the holy place, with a surrounding border fifty cubits in width.

³From this area you will measure a portion that is twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width; it will be the sanctuary, the most holy place.⁴It will be a holy place in the land for the priests who serve Yahweh, who come near Yahweh to serve him. It will be a place for their houses and a holy area for the holy place.⁵So it will be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width, and it will be for towns that belong to the Levites who serve in the house.

⁶You will designate an area for the city, five thousand cubits in width and twenty-five thousand in length, that will be next to the area reserved for the holy place; this city will belong to all the house of Israel.⁷The prince's land will be on both sides of the area reserved for the holy place and the property of the city. It will be to their west and to their east. The length will correspond to the length of one of those portions, from the west to the east.

⁸This land will be property for the prince in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people; instead, they will give the land to the house of Israel, for their tribes.

⁹The Lord Yahweh says this: It is enough for you, princes of Israel! Remove violence and strife; do justice and righteousness! Quit your evictions of my people!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.¹⁰You must have just scales, just ephahs, and just baths!¹¹The ephah and the bath will be the same amount, so that a bath will be a tenth of a homer; the ephah will be a tenth of a homer. Their measure will be corresponding to the homer.¹²The shekel will be twenty gerahs; sixty shekels will make a mina for you.

¹³This is the contribution that you must present: A sixth of an ephah for every homer of wheat, and you will give a sixth of an ephah for every homer of barley.¹⁴The regulation offering of oil will be a tenth of a bath for every cor (which is ten baths), or for every homer, since a homer is also ten baths.¹⁵One sheep or goat will be taken from the flock for every two hundred animals from the well-watered land of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, the burnt offerings, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the people—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

¹⁶All the people of the land will give this contribution to the prince in Israel.¹⁷It will be the prince's responsibility to furnish animals for the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the drink offerings at the festivals and the new moon celebrations, and on the Sabbath days—all the fixed festivals of the house of Israel. He will provide for the sin offerings, the grain offerings, the burnt offerings, and the peace offerings for atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.

¹⁸The Lord Yahweh says this: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you will take an unblemished bull from the herd and perform a sin offering for the sanctuary.¹⁹The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering and place it on the doorposts of the house and on the four corners of the border of the altar, and on the doorposts of the gate to the inner court.²⁰You will do this on the seventh of the month for each person's sin by accident or ignorance; in this way you will atone for the temple.

²¹In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month, there will be for you the Passover, a seven-day festival. You will eat unleavened bread.²²On that day, the prince will prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull as a sin offering.

²³For the seven days of the festival, the prince will prepare a burnt offering for Yahweh: Seven bulls and seven unblemished rams each day for seven days, and a male goat each day as a sin offering.²⁴Then the prince will perform a food offering of an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram with a hin of oil for each ephah.

²⁵In the seventh month on the fifteenth day of the month, at the festival, the prince will perform offerings on these seven days: Sin offerings, burnt offerings, food offerings, and offerings of oil.

¹Instead of ten thousand , which the copies of the ancient Hebrew text and some modern translations have, some copies of the ancient Hebrew text and many modern translations have twenty thousand .

¹The Lord Yahweh says this: The gate of the inner courtyard, facing east, will be shut for the six days of work, but on the Sabbath it will be opened, and on the day of the new moon it will be opened.²The prince will enter the outer courtyard by the way of the gate and its portico from outside, and he will stand before the doorposts of the inner gate while the priests perform his burnt offering and peace offering. Then he will worship at the threshold of the inner gate and go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening.

³The people of the land will also worship before Yahweh at the entrance to this gate on the Sabbaths and new moons.⁴The burnt offering that the prince offers to Yahweh on the Sabbath day will be six unblemished lambs and an unblemished ram.⁵The grain offering with the ram will be an ephah, and the grain offering with the lambs will be what he wishes to give, and a hin of oil with each ephah of grain.

⁶On the day of the new moon he must offer an unblemished bull from a herd, six lambs, and an unblemished ram.⁷He must make a grain offering of an ephah for the bull and an ephah for the ram, and what he wishes to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil for every ephah of grain.⁸When the prince enters by the way of the gate and its portico, he must leave by the same way.

⁹But when the people of the land come before Yahweh at the appointed festivals, anyone entering through the north gate to worship must leave through the south gate; and anyone entering through the south gate must leave through the north gate. No one may turn back to the gate through which he entered, for he must go out straight ahead.¹⁰The prince must be in their midst; when they go in, he must go in, and when they leave, he must leave.

¹¹At the festivals, the grain offering must be an ephah of grain for the bull and an ephah for the ram, and whatever he wishes to give with the lambs, and a hin of oil for every ephah.¹²When the prince gives a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or a peace offering to Yahweh, the gate facing east will be opened for him. He will offer his burnt offering or his peace offering as he does it on the Sabbath day. Then he must go out, and after he has gone out the gate will be shut.

¹³In addition, you will give an unblemished lamb one year old as a burnt offering to Yahweh daily; you will do this morning after morning.¹⁴You will give a grain offering with it morning after morning, a sixth of an ephah and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour of the grain offering for Yahweh, according to a permanent statute.¹⁵They will prepare the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil morning after morning, a permanent burnt offering.

¹⁶The Lord Yahweh says this: If the prince gives a gift to one of his sons, it is his inheritance. It will also belong to his descendants. It is their property by inheritance.¹⁷But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, then it will be that servant's until the year of liberty, and then it will return to the prince. His inheritance will certainly be for his sons.¹⁸The prince will not take the people's inheritance, oppressing them by taking their own property; he must provide for his sons from his own property so that my people will not be scattered, each man from his own property.'"

¹⁹Next the man brought me through the entrance at the gate to the holy rooms for the priests, which faced north and behold! There was a place toward the west.²⁰He said to me, "This is the place where the priests must boil the guilt offering and the sin offering and where they must bake the grain offering. They must not bring the offerings into the outer courtyard, for then the people would be consecrated."

²¹Then he brought me to the outer courtyard and he led me past the four corners of that courtyard, and I saw that in every corner of the courtyard there was another court.²²In the four corners of the outer courtyard there were four small courtyards, forty cubits in length and thirty in width. The four courtyards were the same size. ¹²³There was a row made of stone all around the four of them, and cooking hearths were under the stone row.²⁴The man said to me, "These are the places where the temple servants will boil the people's sacrifices."

¹The Hebrew word translated here as small is unclear. Some ancient and some modern translations translate it as "small". However, there is some uncertainty about this word, and others translate it differently.

¹Then the man took me back to the entrance to the temple, and there was water flowing out from under the temple threshold of the house toward the east—for the front of the temple faced east—and the water was flowing down the south side of the temple, to the right of the altar.²So he brought me out through the northern gate and led me around to the gate facing east, and there the water was flowing from this gate on its south side.

³As the man was going toward the east, there was a measuring line in his hand; he measured off one thousand cubits and brought me through the water to ankle-deep water.⁴Then he measured one thousand cubits again and brought me through the water to knee-deep water; and he measured another thousand cubits and brought me to hip-deep water.⁵Next he measured off another thousand cubits, but it was a river that I could not cross through because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—it was a river that could not be crossed.

⁶The man said to me, "Son of man, do you see this?" and he brought me out and had me walk back along the riverbank.⁷As I walked back, there the riverbank had many trees on this side and also the other side.⁸The man said to me, "This water is going out to the eastern territory and down to the Arabah; this water flows into the Salt Sea and will make it fresh.

⁹It will be that every living creature that swarms will live where the water goes; there will be many fish, for these waters flow there. It will make the salt water fresh. Everything will live wherever the river goes.¹⁰Then it will happen that fishermen of En Gedi will stand by the water, and there will be a place to dry out the fishing nets by En Eglaim. There will be many kinds of fish in the Salt Sea, like the fish in the Great Sea for their abundance.

¹¹But the Salt Sea's swamps and marshes will not be made fresh; they will be for providing salt.¹²Beside this river on its banks, on both sides, all kinds of trees will grow that bear food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will never fail to grow. Each month the trees will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves will be for healing.

¹³The Lord Yahweh says this: This will be the way that you divide the land up for the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph will have two portions.¹⁴You are to divide equally what I lifted up my hand and swore to give to your fathers. This land will come to you as an inheritance.

¹⁵This will be the boundary of the land on the north side from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon, and then to Zedad. ¹¹⁶Then the boundary will go to Berothah, to Sibraim, which is between Damascus and Hamath, and then to Hazer Hattikon, which is beside the boundary of Hauran.¹⁷So the boundary will go from the sea to Hazar Enan on the border with Damascus and Hamath to the north. This will be the north side.

¹⁸On the east side the boundary will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This will be the eastern border. ²

¹⁹Then on the south side the boundary will run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This will be the boundary on the south side.

²⁰Then the boundary on the west side will be the Great Sea to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This will be the west side.

²¹In this way you will divide this land for yourselves, for the tribes of Israel.²²So you will distribute the inheritances for yourselves and for the foreigners in your midst, those who have given birth to children in your midst and who are, with you, like the native born people of Israel. You will cast lots for inheritances among the tribes of Israel.²³Then it will happen that the foreigner will be with the tribe among whom he is living. You must give him an inheritance—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration."

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text read: by way of Hethlon, and then to Zedad , but some modern translations follow Ezekiel 48:1 at this point, and add Lebo Hamath .

²The copies of the ancient Hebrew text read: You will measure from the border to the eastern sea . However, the ancient Greek translations of the Hebrew copies, and many modern translations read to the eastern sea as far as Tamar .

¹These are the names of the tribes. The tribe of Dan will receive one portion of land; its boundary will run along the northern boundary of Israel by way of Hethlon and Lebo Hamath. Its boundary will go on to Hazar Enan and along the border with Damascus to the north and then on to Hamath. Dan's boundary will go from east all the way to the Great Sea.²Adjoining the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher will have one portion.³Adjoining the border of Asher from the east side to the west, Naphtali will have one portion.

⁴Adjoining the border of Naphtali from the east side to the west, Manasseh will have one portion.⁵Adjoining the border of Manasseh from the east side to the west, Ephraim will have one portion.⁶Adjoining the border of Ephraim from the east side to the west, Reuben will have one portion.⁷Adjoining the border of Reuben from the east side to the west, Judah will have one portion.

⁸The offering of land that you will make will be along the border with Judah and extend from the east side to the west side; it will be twenty-five thousand cubits in width. Its length will correspond to one tribe's portion from the east side to the west side, and the sanctuary will be in the middle of it.⁹This land that you will offer up to Yahweh will be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand cubits in width.

¹⁰These will be the assignments of this holy portion of land: The priests will have land assigned to them measuring twenty-five thousand cubits in length on the north side; ten thousand cubits in width on the west side; ten thousand cubits in width on the east side; and twenty-five thousand cubits in length on the south side, with the holy place of Yahweh in the middle of it.¹¹This will be for the consecration of the priests of the line of Zadok, who have served me faithfully and who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did.¹²The offering for them will be a portion of this most holy land, extending to the border of the Levites.

¹³The Levites' land along the border with the priests' land will be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand cubits in width. The entire length of the two tracts of land will be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and twenty thousand cubits in width.¹⁴They must not sell it or exchange it; none of this firstfruits of the land of Israel must ever be separated from these tracts, for it all is holy to Yahweh.

¹⁵The remaining land, five thousand cubits in width and twenty-five thousand cubits in length, will be for the collective use of the city, the houses, and the pastureland; the city will be in its midst.¹⁶These will be the city's measurements: The north side will be 4,500 cubits in length; the south side will be 4,500 cubits in length; the east side will be 4,500 cubits in length; and the west side will be 4,500 cubits in length.

¹⁷There will be pasture for the city toward the north, 250 cubits deep; to the south, 250 cubits deep; to the east, 250 cubits deep, and to the west, 250 cubits deep.¹⁸The remaining area of the holy offering will stretch for ten thousand cubits to the east and ten thousand cubits to the west. It will stretch along the border of the holy offering, and its produce will be food for those working in the city.

¹⁹The people who work in the city, from all the tribes of Israel, will farm the land.²⁰All the land offering will measure twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits. In this way you will make the holy offering of land, together with the land for the city.

²¹The rest of the land on either side of the holy offering and the city area will be for the prince. The prince's tract of land to the east will extend for twenty-five thousand cubits from boundary of the holy offering to the eastern border—and his tract to the west will extend for twenty-five thousand cubits to the western border. In the middle will be the holy offering, and the holy place of the temple will be in its midst.²²The land extending from the property of the Levites and the area of the city in its midst will be for the prince; it will be between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin—this land will be for the prince.

²³As for the remaining tribes, their portions will also run from the eastern side to the west side. Benjamin will receive one portion.²⁴Adjoining the border of Benjamin from the east side to the west, Simeon will have one portion.²⁵Adjoining the border of Simeon from the east side to the west, Issachar will have one portion.²⁶Adjoining the border of Issachar from the east side to the west, Zebulun will have one portion.

²⁷To the south of Zebulun's boundary, running from the east side to the west side, will be the land of Gad—one portion.²⁸The southern boundary of Gad will extend from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, and farther to the brook of Egypt, and then to the Great Sea.²⁹This is the land for which you will cast lots; it will be the inheritance of the tribes of Israel. These will be their portions. This is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

³⁰These will be the exits from the city: On the north side, which will measure 4,500 cubits in length,³¹will be three gates, named for tribes of Israel: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi.³²On the east side, which will measure 4,500 cubits in length, will be three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan.

³³On the south side, which is 4,500 cubits in length, will be three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun.³⁴On the west side, which will measure 4,500 cubits, will be three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali.³⁵The distance around the city will be eighteen thousand cubits; from that day on, the city's name will be "Yahweh Is There."

Daniel

¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia came to Jerusalem and surrounded the city to cut off all supplies to it.²The Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar victory over Jehoiakim king of Judah, and he gave him some of the sacred objects from the house of God. He brought them into the land of Babylonia, to the house of his god, and he placed the sacred objects in his god's treasury.

³The king spoke to Ashpenaz, his chief official, to bring in some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility—⁴young men without blemish, attractive in appearance, having insight in all wisdom, filled with knowledge and understanding, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.⁵The king counted out for them a daily portion of his delicacies and some of the wine that he drank. These young men were to be trained for three years, and after that, they would serve the king.

⁶Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, some of the people of Judah.⁷The chief official gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

⁸But Daniel intended in his mind that he would not pollute himself with the king's delicacies or with the wine that he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official that he might not defile himself.⁹Now God gave Daniel favor and compassion through the respect that the chief official had for him.¹⁰The chief official said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my master the king. He has commanded what food and drink you should have. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men of your own age? The king might have my head because of you."

¹¹Then Daniel spoke to the steward whom the chief official had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.¹²He said, "Please test us, your servants, for ten days. Give us only some vegetables to eat and water to drink.¹³Then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the king's delicacies, and treat us, your servants, based on what you see."

¹⁴So the steward agreed with him to do this, and he tested them for ten days.¹⁵At the end of ten days their appearance was more healthy, and they were better nourished, than all the young men who ate the king's delicacies.¹⁶So the steward took away their delicacies and their wine and gave them only vegetables.

¹⁷As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and insight in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.¹⁸At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹The king spoke with them, and among the whole group there were none to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They stood before the king, ready to serve him.²⁰In every question of wisdom and understanding that the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and those who claimed to speak with the dead, who were in his entire kingdom.²¹Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

¹In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he had dreams. His mind was troubled, and he could not sleep.²Then the king summoned the magicians and those who claimed to speak with the dead. He also called the sorcerers and educated men. He wanted them to tell him his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

³The king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my mind is anxious to know what the dream means."⁴Then the educated men spoke to the king in Aramaic, "King, live forever! Tell the dream to us, your servants, and we will reveal the interpretation."

⁵The king replied to the educated men, "This matter has been settled. If you do not reveal to me the dream and its interpretation, your bodies will be torn apart and your houses made into rubbish heaps.⁶But if you will tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive gifts from me, a reward, and great honor. So tell to me the dream and its interpretation."

⁷They replied again and said, "Let the king tell us, his servants, the dream and we will tell you its interpretation."⁸The king answered, "I know for certain that you want more time because you see how firm my decision is about this.⁹But if you do not tell me the dream, there is only one sentence for you. You have decided to prepare false and corrupt words that you agreed together to say to me until I change my mind. So then, tell me the dream, and then I will know that you can tell the interpretation."

¹⁰The educated men replied to the king, "There is not a man on earth able to meet the king's demand. There is no great king or ruler who has demanded such a thing from any magician, or from anyone who claims to speak with the dead, or from an educated man.¹¹What the king demands is difficult, and there is no one who can tell it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans."

¹²This made the king angry and very furious, and he gave an order to destroy all the wise men in Babylon.¹³So the decree went out to put the wise men to death, and they sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

¹⁴Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch the commander of the king's bodyguard, who had come to kill all the wise men in Babylon.¹⁵Daniel asked the king's commander, "Why is the king's decree so urgent?" So Arioch told Daniel what had happened.¹⁶Then Daniel went in and requested an appointment with the king so that he could present the interpretation to the king.

¹⁷Then Daniel went to his house and explained to his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened.¹⁸He urged them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that Daniel and his friends might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

¹⁹That night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven²⁰and Daniel said,

"Praise the name of God forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

²¹He changes the times and seasons;

he removes kings and places kings on their thrones.

He gives wisdom to wise men

and knowledge to those who have understanding.

²²He reveals the deep and hidden things

because he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light lives with him.

²³God of my ancestors, I thank you and praise you

for the wisdom and power you gave to me.

Now you have made known to me what we asked of you;

you have made known to us the matter that concerns the king."

²⁴Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (the one the king appointed to kill everyone who was wise in Babylon). He went and said to him, "Do not destroy the wise men in Babylon. Take me to the king and I will show the king the interpretation of his dream."

²⁵Then Arioch quickly brought in Daniel before the king and said, "I have found among the exiles of Judah a man who will reveal the interpretation of the king's dream."²⁶The king said to Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me the dream that I saw and its interpretation?"

²⁷Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king has asked about cannot be revealed by wise men, nor by those who claim to speak with the dead, nor by magicians, and not by astrologers.²⁸Nevertheless, there is a God who lives in the heavens, who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, what will happen in the days to come. These were your dream and the visions of your mind as you lay on your bed.

²⁹As for you, king, your thoughts on your bed were about things to come, and the one who reveals mysteries has made known to you what is about to happen.³⁰As for me, this mystery was not revealed to me because of any wisdom that I have more than any other living person. This mystery was revealed to me so that you, king, may understand the interpretation, and so that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

³¹King, you looked up and you saw a great statue. This statue, which was large and had exceeding splendor, stood before you. Its brightness was terrifying.³²The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its breast and arms were of silver. Its middle and its thighs were made of bronze,³³and its legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of clay.

³⁴You looked up, and a stone was cut out, although not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it shattered them.³⁵Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold at the same time were broken into pieces and became like the chaff of the threshing floors in the summer. The wind carried them away and there was no trace of them left. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

³⁶This was the dream. Now we will tell the king the interpretation.³⁷You, king, are king of the kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the honor.³⁸He has given into your hand the place where the human beings live. He has given over the animals of the field and the birds of the heavens into your hand, and he has made you rule over them all. You are the statue's head of gold.

³⁹After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze will rule over all the earth.

⁴⁰There will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks other things into pieces and shatters everything. It will shatter all these things and crush them.

⁴¹Just as you saw, the feet and toes were partly made of baked clay and partly made of iron, so it will be a divided kingdom; some of the strength of iron will be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay.⁴²As the toes of the feet were partly made of iron and partly made of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.⁴³As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so the people will be a mixture; they will not stay together, just as iron does not mix with clay.

⁴⁴In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be conquered by another people. It will break the other kingdoms into pieces and put an end to all of them, and it will remain forever.⁴⁵Just as you saw, a stone was cut out of the mountain, but not by human hands. It broke the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to you, king, what will happen after this. The dream is true and this interpretation is reliable."

⁴⁶King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before Daniel and honored him; he commanded that an offering be made and that incense be offered up to him.⁴⁷The king said to Daniel, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and the one who reveals mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery."

⁴⁸Then the king made Daniel highly honored and gave him many wonderful gifts. He made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon. Daniel became chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.⁴⁹Daniel made a request of the king, and the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be administrators over the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court.

¹King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue that was sixty cubits tall and six cubits wide. He set it up in the Plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.²Then Nebuchadnezzar sent messages out to gather together the provincial governors, regional governors, and local governors, together with the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the high officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that the king had set up.

³Then the provincial governors, regional governors, and local governors, together with the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the high officials of the provinces gathered together to the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood before it.⁴Then a herald loudly shouted, "You are commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,⁵that at the time you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

⁶Whoever does not fall down and worship, at that very moment, will be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire."⁷So when all the peoples heard the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

⁸Now at this time certain Chaldeans came and brought accusations against the Jews.⁹They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "King, live forever!¹⁰You, king, have made a decree that every person who hears the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, must fall down and worship the golden statue.

¹¹Whoever does not fall down and worship must be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire.¹²Now there are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon; their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, king, pay no attention to you. They will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up."

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar, filled with anger and rage, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to him. So they brought these men before the king.¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Have you made your minds up, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my gods or worship to the golden statue that I have set up?

¹⁵Now if you are ready—when you hear the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music—to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, all will be well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire. Who is the god who is able to rescue you out of my hands?"

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.¹⁷If there is an answer, it is that our God whom we serve is able to keep us safe from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us out of your hand, king.¹⁸But if not, let it be known to you, king, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue you set up."

¹⁹Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage; the look on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was normally heated.²⁰Then he commanded some very strong men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.

²¹They were tied up still wearing their robes, tunics, turbans, and other clothing, and they were thrown into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire.²²Because the king's command was strictly followed and the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flames of the fire killed the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.²³These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire while they were tied up.

²⁴Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed and stood up quickly. He asked his advisors, "Did we not throw three men tied up into the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, king."²⁵He said, "But I see four men who are not tied up walking around in the fire, and they are not hurt. The brilliance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

²⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called out, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of God Most High, come out! Come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the middle of the fire.²⁷The provincial governors, regional governors, other governors, and the king's counselors who had gathered together saw these men. The fire had not hurt their bodies; the hair on their heads was not singed; their robes were not harmed; and there was no smell of fire on them.

²⁸Nebuchadnezzar said, "Let us praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his messenger and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and they gave up their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their God.

²⁹Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must be torn apart, and that their houses must be made into rubbish heaps because there is no other god who is able to save like this."³⁰Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

¹King Nebuchadnezzar sent this decree to all peoples, nations, and languages who lived on the earth: May your peace increase.

²It has seemed good to me to tell you about the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

³How great are his signs,

and how mighty are his wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and his dominion lasts from generation to generation."

⁴I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living happily in my house, and I was enjoying prosperity in my palace.⁵But a dream I had made me afraid. As I lay there, the images I saw and the visions in my mind troubled me.⁶So I gave a decree to bring before me all the wise men of Babylon so they could interpret the dream for me.

⁷Then came the magicians, those who claimed to speak with the dead, the educated men, and the astrologers. I told them the dream, but they could not make known the interpretation to me.⁸But at last Daniel came in—the one who is named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream.⁹"Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Tell me the appearance of my dream and its interpretation.

¹⁰These were the sights that I saw in my mind as I lay upon my bed: I looked, and there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was very great.¹¹The tree grew and became strong. Its top reached to the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the whole earth.¹²Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and on it was food for all. The animals of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches. All living creatures were fed from it.

¹³I saw in my mind as I lay on my bed, and a watcher, a holy one came down from the heavens.¹⁴He shouted and said, 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds fly away from its branches.

¹⁵Leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the middle of the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew from the heavens. Let it live with the animals among the plants on the ground.¹⁶Let his mind be changed from a man's mind, and let an animal's mind be given to him until seven years pass by.

¹⁷This sentence is by the decree of the watchers, a decision made by the holy ones, so that those who are alive may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of people and gives them to anyone he wishes to place over them, even to the most humble men.'¹⁸I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had this dream. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able to do so, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

¹⁹Then Daniel, who was also named Belteshazzar, was greatly upset for a brief time, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you." Belteshazzar replied, "My master, may the dream be for those who hate you; may its interpretation be for your enemies.

²⁰The tree that you saw—which grew and became strong, and whose top reached up to the heavens, and which could be seen to the ends of the whole earth—²¹whose leaves were beautiful, and whose fruit was abundant, so that in it was food for all, and under it the animals of the field found shade, and in which the birds of the heavens lived—²²this tree is you, king, you who have grown so strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion reaches to the ends of the earth.

²³You, king, saw a watcher, a holy one coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the middle of the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew from the heavens. Let it live with the animals in the field until seven years pass by.'

²⁴This is the interpretation, king. It is a decree of the Most High that has reached you, my master the king.²⁵You will be driven from among men, and you will live with the animals in the field. You will be made to eat grass like cattle, and you will be wet with the dew from the heavens, and seven years will pass by until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of people and that he gives them to anyone he wishes.

²⁶As it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, in this way your kingdom will be returned to you from the time you learn that heaven rules.²⁷Therefore, king, let my advice be pleasing to you. Stop sinning and do what is right. Turn away from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, and it may be that your prosperity will be extended."

²⁸All these things happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.²⁹Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon,³⁰and he said, "Is this not the great Babylon, which I have built for my royal residence, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"

³¹While the words were still on the lips of the king, a voice came from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, it is announced to you that this kingdom has been taken away from you.³²You will be driven away from people, and your home will be with the animals in the field. You will be made to eat grass like cattle. Seven years will pass until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of people and he gives them to anyone he wishes."

³³This decree against Nebuchadnezzar was carried out immediately. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was wet with the dew from the heavens. His hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails became like birds' claws.

³⁴At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was given back to me.

"I praised the Most High,

and I honored and glorified the one who lives forever.

For his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

and his kingdom endures from all generations to all generations.

³⁵All the earth's inhabitants

are considered by him to be as nothing;

he does among the army of heaven

and the inhabitants of the earth

whatever suits his will.

No one can stop him or challenge him.

No one can say to him, 'Why have you done this?'"

³⁶At the same time that my sanity returned to me, my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counselors and my noblemen sought my favor. I was brought back to my throne, and even more greatness was given to me.³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, extol, and honor the King of heaven, for all his deeds are true, and his ways are just. He can humble those who walk in their own pride.

¹Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his noblemen, and he drank wine in front of all one thousand of them.²While Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the containers made of gold or silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, from which the king, his noblemen, and his wives and concubines could drink.

³The servants brought the gold containers that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God, in Jerusalem. The king, his noblemen, and his wives and concubines drank from them.⁴They drank the wine and praised their idols made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

⁵At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared in front of the lampstand and wrote on the plaster wall in the king's palace. The king could see part of the hand as it wrote.⁶Then the king's face changed and his thoughts frightened him; his limbs could not support him, and his knees were knocking together.

⁷The king shouted a command to bring in those who claimed to speak with the dead, the educated men, and the astrologers. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and makes known its interpretation to me will be clothed with purple and will have a gold chain around his neck. He will have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

⁸Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known its interpretation to the king.⁹Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed and the look on his face changed. His noblemen were perplexed.

¹⁰Now the queen came into the banquet house because of what the king and his nobles had said. The queen said, "King, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you. Do not let the look on your face change.

¹¹There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, made him chief of the magicians, as well as chief of those who speak with the dead, of the educated men, and of the astrologers.¹²An excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, explaining of riddles and solving of problems—these qualities were found in this man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now call for Daniel and he will tell you the interpretation."

¹³Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, "You are that Daniel, one of the people of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Judah.¹⁴I have heard about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

¹⁵Now the wise men and those who claim to speak with the dead have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not make known to me the interpretation of the message.¹⁶I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will be clothed with purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

¹⁷Then Daniel answered before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another person. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to you, king, and will tell you the interpretation.¹⁸As for you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.¹⁹Because of the greatness God gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared him. He killed those he wanted to die, and he kept alive those he wished to live. He raised up those he wanted, and he humbled those he wished.

²⁰But when his heart was arrogant and his spirit was hardened so that he acted presumptuously, he was brought down from his royal throne, and they took away his glory.²¹He was driven away from humanity, he had the mind of an animal, and he lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cattle. His body was wet with the dew from the heavens until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of people and that he sets over them anyone he wishes.

²²You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.²³You have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. From his house they brought you the containers that you, your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from, and you praised the idols made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—idols that do not see, hear, or know anything. You have not honored the God who holds your breath in his hand and who knows all your ways.²⁴Then God sent out a hand from his presence and this inscription was written.

²⁵This is the writing that was done: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Pharsin.'

²⁶This is the interpretation of the message: 'Mene,' 'God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.'

²⁷'Tekel,' 'you are weighed in the scales and are found lacking.'

²⁸'Peres,' 'your kingdom is divided and is given to the Medes and Persians.'"

²⁹Then Belshazzar gave a command, and they clothed Daniel with purple. A chain of gold was put around his neck, and the king made a proclamation about him that he would have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom.³⁰That night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed,³¹and Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.

¹It seemed good to Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 provincial governors who would rule over all the kingdom.²Over them there were three chief administrators, and Daniel was one of them. These chief administrators were appointed so that they might supervise the provincial governors, so that the king should suffer no loss.³Daniel was distinguished above the other chief administrators and the provincial governors because he had an extraordinary spirit. The king was planning to put him over the whole kingdom.

⁴Then the other chief administrators and the provincial governors looked for mistakes in the work Daniel did for the kingdom, but they could find no corruption or failure in his duty because he was faithful. No mistakes or negligence was found in him.⁵Then these men said, "We cannot find any reason to complain against this Daniel unless we find something against him regarding the law of his God."

⁶Then these administrators and governors brought a plan before the king. They said to him, "King Darius, may you live forever!⁷All the chief administrators of the kingdom, the regional governors, and the provincial governors, the advisors, and the governors have consulted together and decided that you, the king, should issue a decree and enforce a prohibition, so that whoever makes a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, king, that person must be thrown into the den of lions.

⁸Now, king, issue the prohibition and sign the document so that it may not be changed, as directed by the law of the Medes and Persians, so it cannot be repealed."⁹So king Darius signed the document, the prohibition.

¹⁰When Daniel learned that the document had been signed into law, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his upper room toward Jerusalem), and he got down on his knees, as he did three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done before.¹¹Then these men who had formed the plot together saw Daniel make requests and seek favor from God.

¹²Then they approached the king and spoke with him about his prohibition: "Did you not make a prohibition that everyone who makes a petition to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, king, must be thrown into the den of lions?" The king answered, "The matter is settled, as directed by the law of the Medes and Persians; it cannot be repealed."

¹³Then they replied to the king, "That person Daniel, who is one of the people of the exile from Judah, pays no attention to you, king, or to the prohibition that you have signed. He prays to his God three times a day."¹⁴When the king heard this, he was terribly distressed, and he applied his mind to rescue Daniel from this ruling. He labored until sunset to try to save Daniel.

¹⁵Then these men who had formed the plot gathered together with the king and said to him, "Know, king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no prohibition or statute that the king issues can be changed."

¹⁶Then the king gave an order, and they brought in Daniel, and they threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you."

¹⁷A stone was brought over the entrance to the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.¹⁸Then the king went to his palace and he went through the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.

¹⁹Then at daybreak the king got up and he quickly went to the lions' den.²⁰As he came near to the den, the king called out to Daniel in a sad voice, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

²¹Then said Daniel to the king, "King, live forever!²²My God has sent his messenger and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me. For I was found blameless before him and also before you, king, and I have done you no harm."

²³Then the king was very happy. He gave an order that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den. No harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁴The king gave an order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel and threw them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the floor, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones to pieces.²⁵Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that live in all the earth:

"May peace increase for you.

²⁶I hereby make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God

and lives forever,

and his kingdom will not be destroyed;

his dominion will last to the end.

²⁷He makes us safe and rescues us,

and he does signs and wonders

in heaven and in earth;

he has kept Daniel safe

from the strength of the lions."

²⁸So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

¹In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylonia, Daniel had a dream and visions in his mind while lying on his bed. Then he wrote down what he had seen in the dream. He wrote down the most important events:²Daniel explained, "In my vision at night I saw that the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.³Four large animals, each one different from the other, came up out of the sea.

⁴The first was like a lion but had eagle's wings. As I was looking, its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground and made to stand on two feet, like a man. The mind of a man was given to it.⁵Then there was a second animal, like a bear, and it was bending over; it had three ribs between its teeth in its mouth. It was told, 'Get up and devour many people.'

⁶After this I looked again. There was another animal, one that looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like bird wings, and it had four heads. It was given authority to rule.⁷After this I saw in the visions of the night a fourth animal, terrifying, frightening, and very strong. It had large iron teeth; it devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled underfoot what was left. It was different from the other animals, and it had ten horns.

⁸While I was considering the horns, I looked and saw another horn grow up among them, a little horn. Three of the first horns were wrenched out by the roots. I saw in this horn eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that was boasting about great things.

⁹As I looked,

thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was as white as snow,

and the hair of his head was like pure wool.

His throne was flames of fire,

and its wheels were burning fire.

¹⁰A river of fire

flowed out from before him;

millions served him,

and one hundred million were standing before him.

The court was in session,

and the books were opened.

¹¹I continued to look because of the sound of the boastful words spoken by the horn. I watched while the animal was killed, and its body was destroyed, and it was given over to be burned up.¹²As for the rest of the four animals, their authority to rule was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a period of time.

¹³In my visions that night,

I saw one coming with the clouds of heaven like a son of man;

he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

¹⁴Authority to rule and glory and royal power were given to him

so that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.

His authority to rule is an everlasting authority that will not pass away,

and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

¹⁵As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved inside of me, and the visions I saw in my mind troubled me.¹⁶I approached one of them standing there and asked him to show me the interpretation of these things.

¹⁷'These large animals, four in number, are four kings that will arise from the earth.¹⁸But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will possess it forever and ever.'

¹⁹Then I wanted to know more about the fourth animal—it was so different from the others and very horrifying with its iron teeth and bronze claws; it devoured, broke into pieces, and trampled on what was left with its feet.²⁰I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and about the other horn that grew up, and before which the three horns fell down. I wanted to know about the horn that had eyes and about the mouth that boasted about great things and that seemed greater than its companions.

²¹As I looked, this horn waged war against the holy people and was defeating them²²until the Ancient of Days came, and justice was given to the holy people of the Most High. Then the time came when the holy people took possession of the kingdom.

²³This is what that person said, 'As for the fourth animal,

it will be a fourth kingdom on earth

that will be different from all the other kingdoms.

It will devour the whole earth,

and it will trample it down

and break it into pieces.

²⁴As for the ten horns,

out of this kingdom ten kings will arise,

and another will arise after them.

He will be different from the previous ones,

and he will subdue the three kings.

²⁵He will speak words against the Most High

and will oppress the holy people of the Most High God.

He will try to change the festivals and the law.

These things will be given into his hand

for one year, two years, and half a year.

²⁶But the court will be in session,

and they will take his royal power away

to be consumed and destroyed at the end.

²⁷The kingdom and the dominion,

and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,

will be given to the people

who belong to the holy people of the Most High.

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and all other kingdoms will serve and obey him.'

²⁸Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me and my face changed in appearance. But I kept these things to myself."

¹In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, I, Daniel, had a vision appear to me (after the one that appeared to me at first).²I saw in the vision, as I was looking, that I was in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal.

³I looked up and saw before me a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal. One horn was longer than the other, but the longer one grew more slowly than the shorter and was passed up in length by it.⁴I saw the ram pushing west, then north, and then south; no other animal could stand before him. None of them was able to rescue anyone out of his hand. He did whatever he wanted, and he became great.

⁵As I was thinking about this, I saw a male goat come from the west, who went across the surface of the whole earth, running fast, not seeming to touch the ground. The goat had a large horn between his eyes.⁶He came to the ram who had two horns—I had seen the ram standing on the bank of the canal—and the goat rushed toward the ram in a powerful rage.

⁷I saw the goat come close to the ram. He was very angry at the ram, and he hit the ram and broke off its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand before him. The goat knocked him down to the ground and trampled on him. There was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.⁸Then the goat became very large. But when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in its place four other large horns grew up that pointed toward the four winds of the heavens.

⁹Out of one of them grew another horn, little at first, but which grew exceedingly large toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.¹⁰It became so large as to engage in war with the army of heaven. Some of that army and some of the stars were thrown down to the earth, and it trampled on them.

¹¹It made itself to be as great as the commander of the army. It took away from him the regular burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was polluted.¹²Because of rebellion, the army will be given over to the goat's horn, and the burnt offering will be stopped. The horn will throw truth down to the ground, and it will succeed in what it does.

¹³Then I heard a holy one speaking and another holy one answering him, "How long will these things last, this vision about the burnt offering, the sin that brings destruction, the handing over of the sanctuary, and heaven's army being trampled on?"¹⁴He said to me, "It will last for 2,300 evenings and mornings. After that the sanctuary will be restored."

¹⁵When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then there stood before me one who looked like a man.¹⁶I heard a man's voice calling between the banks of the Ulai Canal. He said, "Gabriel, help this man understand the vision."¹⁷So he came near where I stood. When he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end."

¹⁸When he spoke to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and made me stand up.¹⁹He said, "See, I will make known to you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time for the end.

²⁰As for the ram you saw, the one that had two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia.²¹The male goat is the king of Greece. The large horn between his eyes is the first king.

²²As for the horn that was broken, in the place of which four others arose—four kingdoms will arise from his nation, but not with his great power.²³At the latter time of those kingdoms, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a grim-faced king, one who is very intelligent, will arise.

²⁴His power will be mighty—but not by his own power. He will be amazing in what he destroys; he will act and succeed. He will destroy mighty ones and the holy people.²⁵By his craftiness he will make deceit prosper under his hand. He will become great in his own mind. He will unexpectedly destroy many people. He will even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he will be broken, but not by any human hand.

²⁶The vision about the evenings and mornings that has been told is true. But seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future."

²⁷Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay weak for several days. Then I got up, and went about the king's business. But I was astounded by the vision, and there was no one who understood it.

¹In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus ¹ —a descendant of the Medes, who had been made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—²in the first year of Darius' reign, I, Daniel, was studying the books containing Yahweh's word, the word that had come to Jeremiah the prophet. I observed that there would be seventy years until Jerusalem's desolations would end.

³I turned my face to the Lord God, to seek him with prayer and humble requests, with fasting, wearing sackcloth, and sitting in ashes.⁴I prayed to Yahweh my God, and I made confession of our sins. I said, "I beg you, Lord—you are the great and awesome God—you are the one who keeps the covenant and is faithful to love those who love you and keep your commandments.

⁵We have sinned and have done what is wrong. We have acted wickedly and we have rebelled, turning aside from your commands and decrees.⁶We have not listened to your servants the prophets who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

⁷To you, Lord, belongs righteousness. To us today, however, belongs shame on our faces—for the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem, and to all Israel. This includes those who are near and those who are far away in all the lands where you scattered them. This is because of the faithless deeds that we committed against you.⁸To us, Yahweh, belongs shame on our faces—to our kings, to our leaders, and to our ancestors—because we have sinned against you.

⁹To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him.¹⁰We have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh our God by walking in his laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.¹¹All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. The curse and oath that are written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, for we have sinned against him.

¹²Yahweh has confirmed the words that he spoke against us and against our rulers over us, by bringing on us a great disaster. For under the whole of heaven there has not been done anything that could compare with what has been done to Jerusalem.¹³As it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not begged for mercy from Yahweh our God by turning away from our iniquities and paying attention to your truth.¹⁴Therefore Yahweh has kept the disaster ready and has brought it on us, for Yahweh our God is righteous in all the deeds he does, yet we have not obeyed his voice.

¹⁵Now, Lord our God, you brought out your people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and you have made a famous name for yourself, as in this present day. But still we sinned; we have done wicked things.¹⁶Lord, because of all your righteous deeds, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. Because of our sins, and because of the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of mockery to all those around us.

¹⁷Now, our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his humble requests; for your sake, Lord, make your face shine on your sanctuary that is desolate.¹⁸My God, incline your ears and listen; open your eyes and see. We have been devastated; look at the city that is called by your name. We do not bring our humble requests to you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.¹⁹Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, pay attention and take action! For your own sake, do not delay, my God, for your city and your people are called by your name."

²⁰While I was speaking—praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my humble request before Yahweh my God on behalf of God's holy mountain—²¹while I was praying, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, flew down to me in rapid flight, at the time of the evening sacrifice.

²²He gave me understanding and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.²³When you began presenting your humble requests, the order was given and I have come to tell you the answer, for you are precious. Therefore consider this word and understand the revelation.

²⁴Seventy sevens are decreed for your people and your holy city to end the guilt and put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring everlasting righteousness, to carry out the vision and the prophecy, and to consecrate the most holy place.²⁵Know and understand that from the issuing of the order to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of the anointed one (who will be a leader), there will be seven sevens and sixty-two sevens. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and a moat, despite the times of distress.

²⁶After the sixty-two sevens, the anointed one will be destroyed and will have nothing. The army of a coming ruler will destroy the city and the holy place. Its end will come with a flood, and there will be war even to the end. Desolations have been decreed.

²⁷He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. In the middle of the seven he will put an end to the sacrifice and the offering. On the wing of abominations will come someone who makes desolate until the complete destruction that has been decreed is poured out on the one who has made the desolation."

¹Also known as Ahasuerus .

¹In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. This message was true. It was about a great conflict. Daniel understood the message when he had insight from the vision.

²In those days I, Daniel, was in mourning for three weeks.³I ate no delicacies, I ate no meat, I drank no wine, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the completion of three entire weeks.

⁴On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was beside the great river (that is, the Tigris),⁵I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen, with a belt around his waist made of pure gold from Uphaz.⁶His body was like topaz, and his face was like lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches, and his arms and his feet were like polished bronze. The sound of his words was like the sound of a great crowd.

⁷I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision. However, a great terror came on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.⁸So I was left alone and saw this great vision. No strength remained in me; my bright appearance was turned into a ruined look, and no strength remained in me.⁹Then I heard his words—and as I heard them, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

¹⁰A hand touched me, and it made me tremble in my knees and the palms of my hands.¹¹The angel said to me, "Daniel, precious man, understand the words that I am speaking to you. Stand upright, for I have been sent to you." When he had spoken this message to me, I stood up trembling.

¹²Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you set your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words.¹³The prince of the kingdom of Persia resisted me, and I was kept there with the kings of Persia for twenty-one days. But Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. ¹

¹⁴Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days. For the vision is for days yet to come."¹⁵While he was speaking to me using these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was unable to speak.

¹⁶One who was like the sons of man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and spoke to him who stood before me: "My master, I am in agony because of the vision; I have no strength left.¹⁷I am your servant. How can I talk with my master? For I now have no strength, and there is no breath left in me."

¹⁸Again the one with an appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me.¹⁹He said, "Do not be afraid, precious man. May peace be to you! Be strong now, be strong!" While he was speaking to me, I was strengthened. I said, "Let my master speak, for you have strengthened me."

²⁰He said, "Do you know why I have come to you? I will soon return to fight against the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece will come.²¹But I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. There is no one who shows himself to be strong with me against them, except Michael your prince.

¹Instead of kings of Persia , some ancient copies have prince of the kings of Persia .

¹In the first year of Darius the Mede, I myself came to support and protect Michael.²Now I will tell you the truth. Three kings will arise in Persia, and a fourth will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

³A mighty king will rise up who will rule a very great kingdom, and he will act according to his desires.⁴When he has risen up, his kingdom will be broken and divided to the four winds of heaven, but not to his own descendants, and not with the authority he had when he was ruling. For his kingdom will be uprooted for others besides his descendants.

⁵The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion.⁶After a few years, when the time is right, they will make an alliance. The daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to confirm the agreement. But she will not keep her arm's strength, nor will he stand, or his arm. She will be abandoned—she and those who brought her, and her father, and the one who supported her in those times. ¹

⁷But a branch from her roots will rise up in her place. He will attack the army and enter the fortress of the king of the North. He will fight them, and he will conquer them.⁸He will capture their gods, along with their cast metal figures and their precious vessels of silver and of gold, and take them to Egypt. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North.⁹Then the king of the North will invade the kingdom of the king of the South, but he will withdraw to his own land.

¹⁰His sons will get ready and assemble a great army. It will keep coming and will flood everything; it will pass through all the way to his fortress.

¹¹Then the king of the South will become very angry; he will go and fight against him, the king of the North. The king of the North will raise up a great army, but the army will be given into his hand.¹²The army will be carried off, and the heart of the king of the South will be lifted up, and he will make tens of thousands to fall, but he will not be victorious.

¹³Then the king of the North will raise up another army, greater than the first. After some years, the king of the North will surely come with a great army supplied with much equipment.

¹⁴In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Sons of the violent among your people will set themselves in order to fulfill a vision, but they will stumble.

¹⁵The king of the North will come, pour out earth for siege mounds, and capture a city with fortifications. The forces of the South will not be able to stand, not even their best soldiers. There will be no strength to stand.¹⁶The one who comes against him will do as he desires, and no one will stand in his way. He will stand in the Beautiful Land, and destruction will be in his hand.

¹⁷The king of the North will set his face to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and with him will be an agreement that he will make with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter of women in marriage to ruin the kingdom of the South. But the plan will not succeed or help him.¹⁸After this, the king of the North will pay attention to the coastlands and will capture many of them. But a commander will end his contempt and will cause his contempt to turn back upon him.¹⁹Then he will pay attention to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall; he will not be found.

²⁰Then someone will rise up in his place who will make a tax collector pass through for the sake of the splendor of the kingdom. But in the next days he will be broken, but not in anger or in battle.²¹In his place will rise up a despised person to whom the people will not have given the honor of royal power; he will come unexpectedly and will take over the kingdom by trickery.²²An army will be swept away like a flood from before him. Both that army and the leader of the covenant will be destroyed.

²³From the time an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; with only a small number of people he will gain power.²⁴Without warning he will come into the richest part of the province, and he will do what neither his father nor his father's father did. He will spread among his followers the booty, the plunder, and the wealth. He will plan the overthrow of fortresses, but only for a time.

²⁵He will wake up his power and his heart against the king of the South with a great army. The king of the South will wage war with an extremely large and mighty army, but he will not stand because others will make plots against him.²⁶Even those who eat his fine food will try to destroy him. His army will be swept away like a flood, and many of them will fall killed.²⁷Both these kings, with their hearts set on evil against each other, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but it will be of no use. For the end will come at the time that has been fixed.

²⁸Then the king of the North will go back into his land with great riches, with his heart set against the holy covenant. He will act and then will return to his own land.

²⁹At the appointed time he will return and come against the South again. But this time it will not be as before.³⁰For ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will become afraid. He will return and be furious against the holy covenant, and he will take action. He will return and show favor to those who abandon the holy covenant.

³¹His forces will rise up and profane the fortress sanctuary. They will put an end to the regular burnt offering, and they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.³²As for those who acted wickedly against the covenant, he will deceive them and corrupt them. But the people who know their God will be strong and will take action.

³³Those among the people who have insight will make many understand. But they will stumble by the sword and by flame; they will stumble into captivity and into being robbed for days.³⁴In their stumbling, they will be helped with a little help. In hypocrisy many will join themselves with them.³⁵Some of those who have insight will stumble so that refining will happen to them, and cleansing, and purifying, until the time of the end. For the appointed time is still to come.

³⁶The king will act according to his desires. He will lift himself up and make himself great above every god. Against the God of gods he will say astonishing things, for he will succeed until the wrath is completed. For what has been decreed will be done.³⁷He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, not even the god desired by women, nor will he regard any other god, but will exalt himself above them all.

³⁸He will honor the god of fortresses instead of these. It is a god whom his fathers did not know that he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and other precious things.³⁹He will attack the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. To anyone who acknowledges him, he will give much honor. He will make them rulers over many people, and he will divide up the land as a reward. ²

⁴⁰At the time of the end, the king of the South will attack. The king of the North will storm against him with chariots and horsemen and with many ships. He will go against lands, flood them, and pass through.⁴¹He will go into the Beautiful Land, and tens of thousands of Israelites will fall. But these will escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the remainder of the people of Ammon.

⁴²He will extend his hand into lands; the land of Egypt will not be rescued.⁴³He will have control over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; the Libyans and the Cushites will be in his footsteps.

⁴⁴But news from the east and the north will frighten him, and he will go out with great rage to completely destroy and to set many apart for destruction.⁴⁵He will set up the tent of his royal residence between the seas and the mountain of the beauty of holiness. He will come to his end, and there will be no helper for him.

¹Instead of his arm , which the Hebrew text has, some ancient translations of the Hebrew text and many modern translations read his seed , that is, his children .

²Instead of He will attack the strongest fortresses , some modern translations have He will defend his fortress .

¹At that time Michael, the great prince who guards your people, will rise up. There will be a time of trouble such as never was since the beginning of any nation until that time. At that time your people will be saved, everyone whose name is found written in the book.²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

³Those who have insight will shine like the brightness of the sky above, and those who turn many to righteousness are like the stars forever and ever.⁴But you, Daniel, close up these words; keep the book sealed until the time of the end. Many will run here and there, and knowledge will increase."

⁵Then I, Daniel, looked, and there were two others standing. One stood on the bank on this side of the river, and one stood on the bank on the other side of the river.⁶One of them said to the man clothed in linen, the one who was upstream along the river, "How long will it be to the end of these amazing events?"

⁷I heard the man clothed in linen, who was upstream along the river—he raised his right hand and his left hand to heaven and swore by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time. When they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these things will be completed.

⁸I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My master, what will be the outcome of all these things?"⁹He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

¹⁰Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.¹¹From the time that an end is put to the regular burnt offering and the abomination that causes complete desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

¹²Blessed is the one who waits until the end of the 1,335 days.¹³You must go your way until the end, and you will rest. You will rise in the place assigned to you, at the end of days."

¹Some modern translations have The rebels have dug a deep pit , The rebels have dug deep at Shittim , or, continuing on from the previous verse, a pit dug deep at Shittim .

¹Instead of They gather together , which the copies of the ancient Hebrew text have, some ancient translations of the copies of the Hebrew text, and many modern translations have They cut themselves , an allusion to the pagan custom of idol worshipers wounding themselves in the frenzy of prayer.

¹Some ancient translations of the Hebrew text and most modern translations have they went away from me . The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have they went away from them .

¹The phrase so that we may offer to you the fruit of our lips represents the interpretation of some ancient translations of the Hebrew text. The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have so that we may offer bulls, our lips . Some modern translations interpret this to mean, so that we may offer to you bulls, which we have promised to do .

¹Instead of the sin of Samaria , some scholars translate the Hebrew as, Ashimah of Samaria . Ashimah was the name of a pagan goddess worshiped in some parts of Syria.

²The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have, As the way to Beersheba exists , where this might refer to what people going to worship Beersheba's idols might have said. However, some scholars understand the Hebrew text to read As the loved one of Beersheba lives . Here loved one stands for an idol worshiped in Beersheba.

¹Instead of come together in battle ranks , some modern translations read cut yourselves , referring to the pagan practice of cutting oneself while praying to idols. There are some modern translations that follow an ancient translation of the Hebrew text that reads build up your fortifications .

²The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have the phrase: in its entrances , that is, in their gates. However, some modern translations suppose that a different Hebrew word was intended: with a drawn sword .

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text which were translated here read, Listen to the rod and to the one who has put it in place , but some modern translations have Listen, tribe, and those assembled together in the city .

²Parts of this verse are difficult to understand, because in the copies of the ancient Hebrew text there are two Hebrew words in it whose meanings are not known. As a result, various other readings have been proposed by scholars and some modern translations follow those suggestions.

³The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have you will bear the reproach of my people , but the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew copies reads: you will bear the scorn of the nations and some modern translations are following that reading.

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text are translated here, their multitudes go like the desert wind ; this is a difficult passage to translate, and it is translated in different ways in modern translations.

¹Instead of how I should turn from my complaint , which is the reading of the copies of the Hebrew text, some modern translations have how I should answer when he replies to my complaint or how I should answer when he rebukes me .

²There is some question about whether the Hebrew should be translated as you express your anger or as you pour from your wineskin .

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text add the expression on shigionoth , which may refer to musical directions for singers.

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have by their king , but some modern translations read by Milcom , the name of a pagan god that many people worshiped.

¹The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have, until the day that I rise up to seize the prey . However, some of the copies of the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew copies, and modern translations that follow those suggestions, read, until the day that I rise up as a witness .

²This verse is very difficult to understand, and modern translations translate it in many different ways.

¹Some ancient translations of the copies of the Hebrew text and most modern translations have their iniquity . The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have their eye , but this is widely thought to be an error.

¹Most interpreters translate the Hebrew words as against enemy armies and some translate the Hebrew as a guard, and so translate the phrase, I will surround my temple as a guard .

¹Many modern translations arrange the text by adding together at the start of the next verse.

¹Instead of rebuke your descendants , which is in the copies of the ancient Hebrew text, some ancient translations have cut off your shoulder or throw the arm to you . Some other modern translations have corrupt your descendants .

²Instead of he will take you away with it , which is in the ancient copies of the Hebrew text, some ancient translations have I will take you away from beside me , that is, from my presence .

³Instead of the one who answers , which follows the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew copies, some scholars have translated the ancient Hebrew copies as the one who studies .

Formatted for Translators

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of songs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi