CONTENTS

New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (Includes Translators' Notes)

The Lockman Foundaion Web Site

Copyright & Foreword

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE - NASB 1995 (Includes Translators' Notes)

Compact Navigation

Old Testament

New Testament

OLD TESTAMENT

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 Solomon

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

Genesis [Books]

Genesis_1

Genesis_2

Genesis_3

Genesis_4

Genesis_5

Genesis_6

Genesis_7

Genesis_8

Genesis_9

Genesis_10

Genesis_11

Genesis_12

Genesis_13

Genesis_14

Genesis_15

Genesis_16

Genesis_17

Genesis_18

Genesis_19

Genesis_20

Genesis_21

Genesis_22

Genesis_23

Genesis_24

Genesis_25

Genesis_26

Genesis_27

Genesis_28

Genesis_29

Genesis_30

Genesis_31

Genesis_32

Genesis_33

Genesis_34

Genesis_35

Genesis_36

Genesis_37

Genesis_38

Genesis_39

Genesis_40

Genesis_41

Genesis_42

Genesis_43

Genesis_44

Genesis_45

Genesis_46

Genesis_47

Genesis_48

Genesis_49

Genesis_50

Exodus [Books]

Exodus_1

Exodus_2

Exodus_3

Exodus_4

Exodus_5

Exodus_6

Exodus_7

Exodus_8

Exodus_9

Exodus_10

Exodus_11

Exodus_12

Exodus_13

Exodus_14

Exodus_15

Exodus_16

Exodus_17

Exodus_18

Exodus_19

Exodus_20

Exodus_21

Exodus_22

Exodus_23

Exodus_24

Exodus_25

Exodus_26

Exodus_27

Exodus_28

Exodus_29

Exodus_30

Exodus_31

Exodus_32

Exodus_33

Exodus_34

Exodus_35

Exodus_36

Exodus_37

Exodus_38

Exodus_39

Exodus_40

Leviticus [Books]

Leviticus_1

Leviticus_2

Leviticus_3

Leviticus_4

Leviticus_5

Leviticus_6

Leviticus_7

Leviticus_8

Leviticus_9

Leviticus_10

Leviticus_11

Leviticus_12

Leviticus_13

Leviticus_14

Leviticus_15

Leviticus_16

Leviticus_17

Leviticus_18

Leviticus_19

Leviticus_20

Leviticus_21

Leviticus_22

Leviticus_23

Leviticus_24

Leviticus_25

Leviticus_26

Leviticus_27

Numbers [Books]

Numbers_1

Numbers_2

Numbers_3

Numbers_4

Numbers_5

Numbers_6

Numbers_7

Numbers_8

Numbers_9

Numbers_10

Numbers_11

Numbers_12

Numbers_13

Numbers_14

Numbers_15

Numbers_16

Numbers_17

Numbers_18

Numbers_19

Numbers_20

Numbers_21

Numbers_22

Numbers_23

Numbers_24

Numbers_25

Numbers_26

Numbers_27

Numbers_28

Numbers_29

Numbers_30

Numbers_31

Numbers_32

Numbers_33

Numbers_34

Numbers_35

Numbers_36

Deuteronomy [Books]

Deuteronomy_1

Deuteronomy_2

Deuteronomy_3

Deuteronomy_4

Deuteronomy_5

Deuteronomy_6

Deuteronomy_7

Deuteronomy_8

Deuteronomy_9

Deuteronomy_10

Deuteronomy_11

Deuteronomy_12

Deuteronomy_13

Deuteronomy_14

Deuteronomy_15

Deuteronomy_16

Deuteronomy_17

Deuteronomy_18

Deuteronomy_19

Deuteronomy_20

Deuteronomy_21

Deuteronomy_22

Deuteronomy_23

Deuteronomy_24

Deuteronomy_25

Deuteronomy_26

Deuteronomy_27

Deuteronomy_28

Deuteronomy_29

Deuteronomy_30

Deuteronomy_31

Deuteronomy_32

Deuteronomy_33

Deuteronomy_34

Joshua [Books]

Joshua_1

Joshua_2

Joshua_3

Joshua_4

Joshua_5

Joshua_6

Joshua_7

Joshua_8

Joshua_9

Joshua_10

Joshua_11

Joshua_12

Joshua_13

Joshua_14

Joshua_15

Joshua_16

Joshua_17

Joshua_18

Joshua_19

Joshua_20

Joshua_21

Joshua_22

Joshua_23

Joshua_24

Judges [Books]

Judges_1

Judges_2

Judges_3

Judges_4

Judges_5

Judges_6

Judges_7

Judges_8

Judges_9

Judges_10

Judges_11

Judges_12

Judges_13

Judges_14

Judges_15

Judges_16

Judges_17

Judges_18

Judges_19

Judges_20

Judges_21

Ruth [Books]

Ruth_1

Ruth_2

Ruth_3

Ruth_4

1 Samuel [Books]

1 Samuel_1

1 Samuel_2

1 Samuel_3

1 Samuel_4

1 Samuel_5

1 Samuel_6

1 Samuel_7

1 Samuel_8

1 Samuel_9

1 Samuel_10

1 Samuel_11

1 Samuel_12

1 Samuel_13

1 Samuel_14

1 Samuel_15

1 Samuel_16

1 Samuel_17

1 Samuel_18

1 Samuel_19

1 Samuel_20

1 Samuel_21

1 Samuel_22

1 Samuel_23

1 Samuel_24

1 Samuel_25

1 Samuel_26

1 Samuel_27

1 Samuel_28

1 Samuel_29

1 Samuel_30

1 Samuel_31

2 Samuel [Books]

2 Samuel_1

2 Samuel_2

2 Samuel_3

2 Samuel_4

2 Samuel_5

2 Samuel_6

2 Samuel_7

2 Samuel_8

2 Samuel_9

2 Samuel_10

2 Samuel_11

2 Samuel_12

2 Samuel_13

2 Samuel_14

2 Samuel_15

2 Samuel_16

2 Samuel_17

2 Samuel_18

2 Samuel_19

2 Samuel_20

2 Samuel_21

2 Samuel_22

2 Samuel_23

2 Samuel_24

1 Kings [Books]

1 Kings_1

1 Kings_2

1 Kings_3

1 Kings_4

1 Kings_5

1 Kings_6

1 Kings_7

1 Kings_8

1 Kings_9

1 Kings_10

1 Kings_11

1 Kings_12

1 Kings_13

1 Kings_14

1 Kings_15

1 Kings_16

1 Kings_17

1 Kings_18

1 Kings_19

1 Kings_20

1 Kings_21

1 Kings_22

2 Kings [Books]

2 Kings_1

2 Kings_2

2 Kings_3

2 Kings_4

2 Kings_5

2 Kings_6

2 Kings_7

2 Kings_8

2 Kings_9

2 Kings_10

2 Kings_11

2 Kings_12

2 Kings_13

2 Kings_14

2 Kings_15

2 Kings_16

2 Kings_17

2 Kings_18

2 Kings_19

2 Kings_20

2 Kings_21

2 Kings_22

2 Kings_23

2 Kings_24

2 Kings_25

1 Chronicles [Books]

1 Chronicles_1

1 Chronicles_2

1 Chronicles_3

1 Chronicles_4

1 Chronicles_5

1 Chronicles_6

1 Chronicles_7

1 Chronicles_8

1 Chronicles_9

1 Chronicles_10

1 Chronicles_11

1 Chronicles_12

1 Chronicles_13

1 Chronicles_14

1 Chronicles_15

1 Chronicles_16

1 Chronicles_17

1 Chronicles_18

1 Chronicles_19

1 Chronicles_20

1 Chronicles_21

1 Chronicles_22

1 Chronicles_23

1 Chronicles_24

1 Chronicles_25

1 Chronicles_26

1 Chronicles_27

1 Chronicles_28

1 Chronicles_29

2 Chronicles [Books]

2 Chronicles_1

2 Chronicles_2

2 Chronicles_3

2 Chronicles_4

2 Chronicles_5

2 Chronicles_6

2 Chronicles_7

2 Chronicles_8

2 Chronicles_9

2 Chronicles_10

2 Chronicles_11

2 Chronicles_12

2 Chronicles_13

2 Chronicles_14

2 Chronicles_15

2 Chronicles_16

2 Chronicles_17

2 Chronicles_18

2 Chronicles_19

2 Chronicles_20

2 Chronicles_21

2 Chronicles_22

2 Chronicles_23

2 Chronicles_24

2 Chronicles_25

2 Chronicles_26

2 Chronicles_27

2 Chronicles_28

2 Chronicles_29

2 Chronicles_30

2 Chronicles_31

2 Chronicles_32

2 Chronicles_33

2 Chronicles_34

2 Chronicles_35

2 Chronicles_36

Ezra [Books]

Ezra_1

Ezra_2

Ezra_3

Ezra_4

Ezra_5

Ezra_6

Ezra_7

Ezra_8

Ezra_9

Ezra_10

Nehemiah [Books]

Nehemiah_1

Nehemiah_2

Nehemiah_3

Nehemiah_4

Nehemiah_5

Nehemiah_6

Nehemiah_7

Nehemiah_8

Nehemiah_9

Nehemiah_10

Nehemiah_11

Nehemiah_12

Nehemiah_13

Esther [Books]

Esther_1

Esther_2

Esther_3

Esther_4

Esther_5

Esther_6

Esther_7

Esther_8

Esther_9

Esther_10

Job [Books]

Job_1

Job_2

Job_3

Job_4

Job_5

Job_6

Job_7

Job_8

Job_9

Job_10

Job_11

Job_12

Job_13

Job_14

Job_15

Job_16

Job_17

Job_18

Job_19

Job_20

Job_21

Job_22

Job_23

Job_24

Job_25

Job_26

Job_27

Job_28

Job_29

Job_30

Job_31

Job_32

Job_33

Job_34

Job_35

Job_36

Job_37

Job_38

Job_39

Job_40

Job_41

Job_42

Psalm [Books]

Psalm_1

Psalm_2

Psalm_3

Psalm_4

Psalm_5

Psalm_6

Psalm_7

Psalm_8

Psalm_9

Psalm_10

Psalm_11

Psalm_12

Psalm_13

Psalm_14

Psalm_15

Psalm_16

Psalm_17

Psalm_18

Psalm_19

Psalm_20

Psalm_21

Psalm_22

Psalm_23

Psalm_24

Psalm_25

Psalm_26

Psalm_27

Psalm_28

Psalm_29

Psalm_30

Psalm_31

Psalm_32

Psalm_33

Psalm_34

Psalm_35

Psalm_36

Psalm_37

Psalm_38

Psalm_39

Psalm_40

Psalm_41

Psalm_42

Psalm_43

Psalm_44

Psalm_45

Psalm_46

Psalm_47

Psalm_48

Psalm_49

Psalm_50

Psalm_51

Psalm_52

Psalm_53

Psalm_54

Psalm_55

Psalm_56

Psalm_57

Psalm_58

Psalm_59

Psalm_60

Psalm_61

Psalm_62

Psalm_63

Psalm_64

Psalm_65

Psalm_66

Psalm_67

Psalm_68

Psalm_69

Psalm_70

Psalm_71

Psalm_72

Psalm_73

Psalm_74

Psalm_75

Psalm_76

Psalm_77

Psalm_78

Psalm_79

Psalm_80

Psalm_81

Psalm_82

Psalm_83

Psalm_84

Psalm_85

Psalm_86

Psalm_87

Psalm_88

Psalm_89

Psalm_90

Psalm_91

Psalm_92

Psalm_93

Psalm_94

Psalm_95

Psalm_96

Psalm_97

Psalm_98

Psalm_99

Psalm_100

Psalm_101

Psalm_102

Psalm_103

Psalm_104

Psalm_105

Psalm_106

Psalm_107

Psalm_108

Psalm_109

Psalm_110

Psalm_111

Psalm_112

Psalm_113

Psalm_114

Psalm_115

Psalm_116

Psalm_117

Psalm_118

Psalm_119

Psalm_120

Psalm_121

Psalm_122

Psalm_123

Psalm_124

Psalm_125

Psalm_126

Psalm_127

Psalm_128

Psalm_129

Psalm_130

Psalm_131

Psalm_132

Psalm_133

Psalm_134

Psalm_135

Psalm_136

Psalm_137

Psalm_138

Psalm_139

Psalm_140

Psalm_141

Psalm_142

Psalm_143

Psalm_144

Psalm_145

Psalm_146

Psalm_147

Psalm_148

Psalm_149

Psalm_150

Proverbs [Books]

Proverbs_1

Proverbs_2

Proverbs_3

Proverbs_4

Proverbs_5

Proverbs_6

Proverbs_7

Proverbs_8

Proverbs_9

Proverbs_10

Proverbs_11

Proverbs_12

Proverbs_13

Proverbs_14

Proverbs_15

Proverbs_16

Proverbs_17

Proverbs_18

Proverbs_19

Proverbs_20

Proverbs_21

Proverbs_22

Proverbs_23

Proverbs_24

Proverbs_25

Proverbs_26

Proverbs_27

Proverbs_28

Proverbs_29

Proverbs_30

Proverbs_31

Ecclesiastes [Books]

Ecclesiastes_1

Ecclesiastes_2

Ecclesiastes_3

Ecclesiastes_4

Ecclesiastes_5

Ecclesiastes_6

Ecclesiastes_7

Ecclesiastes_8

Ecclesiastes_9

Ecclesiastes_10

Ecclesiastes_11

Ecclesiastes_12

Song of Solomon [Books]

Song of Solomon_1

Song of Solomon_2

Song of Solomon_3

Song of Solomon_4

Song of Solomon_5

Song of Solomon_6

Song of Solomon_7

Song of Solomon_8

Isaiah [Books]

Isaiah_1

Isaiah_2

Isaiah_3

Isaiah_4

Isaiah_5

Isaiah_6

Isaiah_7

Isaiah_8

Isaiah_9

Isaiah_10

Isaiah_11

Isaiah_12

Isaiah_13

Isaiah_14

Isaiah_15

Isaiah_16

Isaiah_17

Isaiah_18

Isaiah_19

Isaiah_20

Isaiah_21

Isaiah_22

Isaiah_23

Isaiah_24

Isaiah_25

Isaiah_26

Isaiah_27

Isaiah_28

Isaiah_29

Isaiah_30

Isaiah_31

Isaiah_32

Isaiah_33

Isaiah_34

Isaiah_35

Isaiah_36

Isaiah_37

Isaiah_38

Isaiah_39

Isaiah_40

Isaiah_41

Isaiah_42

Isaiah_43

Isaiah_44

Isaiah_45

Isaiah_46

Isaiah_47

Isaiah_48

Isaiah_49

Isaiah_50

Isaiah_51

Isaiah_52

Isaiah_53

Isaiah_54

Isaiah_55

Isaiah_56

Isaiah_57

Isaiah_58

Isaiah_59

Isaiah_60

Isaiah_61

Isaiah_62

Isaiah_63

Isaiah_64

Isaiah_65

Isaiah_66

Jeremiah [Books]

Jeremiah_1

Jeremiah_2

Jeremiah_3

Jeremiah_4

Jeremiah_5

Jeremiah_6

Jeremiah_7

Jeremiah_8

Jeremiah_9

Jeremiah_10

Jeremiah_11

Jeremiah_12

Jeremiah_13

Jeremiah_14

Jeremiah_15

Jeremiah_16

Jeremiah_17

Jeremiah_18

Jeremiah_19

Jeremiah_20

Jeremiah_21

Jeremiah_22

Jeremiah_23

Jeremiah_24

Jeremiah_25

Jeremiah_26

Jeremiah_27

Jeremiah_28

Jeremiah_29

Jeremiah_30

Jeremiah_31

Jeremiah_32

Jeremiah_33

Jeremiah_34

Jeremiah_35

Jeremiah_36

Jeremiah_37

Jeremiah_38

Jeremiah_39

Jeremiah_40

Jeremiah_41

Jeremiah_42

Jeremiah_43

Jeremiah_44

Jeremiah_45

Jeremiah_46

Jeremiah_47

Jeremiah_48

Jeremiah_49

Jeremiah_50

Jeremiah_51

Jeremiah_52

Lamentations [Books]

Lamentations_1

Lamentations_2

Lamentations_3

Lamentations_4

Lamentations_5

Ezekiel [Books]

Ezekiel_1

Ezekiel_2

Ezekiel_3

Ezekiel_4

Ezekiel_5

Ezekiel_6

Ezekiel_7

Ezekiel_8

Ezekiel_9

Ezekiel_10

Ezekiel_11

Ezekiel_12

Ezekiel_13

Ezekiel_14

Ezekiel_15

Ezekiel_16

Ezekiel_17

Ezekiel_18

Ezekiel_19

Ezekiel_20

Ezekiel_21

Ezekiel_22

Ezekiel_23

Ezekiel_24

Ezekiel_25

Ezekiel_26

Ezekiel_27

Ezekiel_28

Ezekiel_29

Ezekiel_30

Ezekiel_31

Ezekiel_32

Ezekiel_33

Ezekiel_34

Ezekiel_35

Ezekiel_36

Ezekiel_37

Ezekiel_38

Ezekiel_39

Ezekiel_40

Ezekiel_41

Ezekiel_42

Ezekiel_43

Ezekiel_44

Ezekiel_45

Ezekiel_46

Ezekiel_47

Ezekiel_48

Daniel [Books]

Daniel_1

Daniel_2

Daniel_3

Daniel_4

Daniel_5

Daniel_6

Daniel_7

Daniel_8

Daniel_9

Daniel_10

Daniel_11

Daniel_12

Hosea [Books]

Hosea_1

Hosea_2

Hosea_3

Hosea_4

Hosea_5

Hosea_6

Hosea_7

Hosea_8

Hosea_9

Hosea_10

Hosea_11

Hosea_12

Hosea_13

Hosea_14

Joel [Books]

Joel_1

Joel_2

Joel_3

Amos [Books]

Amos_1

Amos_2

Amos_3

Amos_4

Amos_5

Amos_6

Amos_7

Amos_8

Amos_9

Obadiah [Books]

Obadiah_1

Jonah [Books]

Jonah_1

Jonah_2

Jonah_3

Jonah_4

Micah [Books]

Micah_1

Micah_2

Micah_3

Micah_4

Micah_5

Micah_6

Micah_7

Nahum [Books]

Nahum_1

Nahum_2

Nahum_3

Habakkuk [Books]

Habakkuk_1

Habakkuk_2

Habakkuk_3

Zephaniah [Books]

Zephaniah_1

Zephaniah_2

Zephaniah_3

Haggai [Books]

Haggai_1

Haggai_2

Zechariah [Books]

Zechariah_1

Zechariah_2

Zechariah_3

Zechariah_4

Zechariah_5

Zechariah_6

Zechariah_7

Zechariah_8

Zechariah_9

Zechariah_10

Zechariah_11

Zechariah_12

Zechariah_13

Zechariah_14

Malachi [Books]

Malachi_1

Malachi_2

Malachi_3

Malachi_4

Matthew [Books]

Matthew_1

Matthew_2

Matthew_3

Matthew_4

Matthew_5

Matthew_6

Matthew_7

Matthew_8

Matthew_9

Matthew_10

Matthew_11

Matthew_12

Matthew_13

Matthew_14

Matthew_15

Matthew_16

Matthew_17

Matthew_18

Matthew_19

Matthew_20

Matthew_21

Matthew_22

Matthew_23

Matthew_24

Matthew_25

Matthew_26

Matthew_27

Matthew_28

Mark [Books]

Mark_1

Mark_2

Mark_3

Mark_4

Mark_5

Mark_6

Mark_7

Mark_8

Mark_9

Mark_10

Mark_11

Mark_12

Mark_13

Mark_14

Mark_15

Mark_16

Luke [Books]

Luke_1

Luke_2

Luke_3

Luke_4

Luke_5

Luke_6

Luke_7

Luke_8

Luke_9

Luke_10

Luke_11

Luke_12

Luke_13

Luke_14

Luke_15

Luke_16

Luke_17

Luke_18

Luke_19

Luke_20

Luke_21

Luke_22

Luke_23

Luke_24

John [Books]

John_1

John_2

John_3

John_4

John_5

John_6

John_7

John_8

John_9

John_10

John_11

John_12

John_13

John_14

John_15

John_16

John_17

John_18

John_19

John_20

John_21

Acts [Books]

Acts_1

Acts_2

Acts_3

Acts_4

Acts_5

Acts_6

Acts_7

Acts_8

Acts_9

Acts_10

Acts_11

Acts_12

Acts_13

Acts_14

Acts_15

Acts_16

Acts_17

Acts_18

Acts_19

Acts_20

Acts_21

Acts_22

Acts_23

Acts_24

Acts_25

Acts_26

Acts_27

Acts_28

Romans [Books]

Romans_1

Romans_2

Romans_3

Romans_4

Romans_5

Romans_6

Romans_7

Romans_8

Romans_9

Romans_10

Romans_11

Romans_12

Romans_13

Romans_14

Romans_15

Romans_16

1 Corinthians [Books]

1 Corinthians_1

1 Corinthians_2

1 Corinthians_3

1 Corinthians_4

1 Corinthians_5

1 Corinthians_6

1 Corinthians_7

1 Corinthians_8

1 Corinthians_9

1 Corinthians_10

1 Corinthians_11

1 Corinthians_12

1 Corinthians_13

1 Corinthians_14

1 Corinthians_15

1 Corinthians_16

2 Corinthians [Books]

2 Corinthians_1

2 Corinthians_2

2 Corinthians_3

2 Corinthians_4

2 Corinthians_5

2 Corinthians_6

2 Corinthians_7

2 Corinthians_8

2 Corinthians_9

2 Corinthians_10

2 Corinthians_11

2 Corinthians_12

2 Corinthians_13

Galatians [Books]

Galatians_1

Galatians_2

Galatians_3

Galatians_4

Galatians_5

Galatians_6

Ephesians [Books]

Ephesians_1

Ephesians_2

Ephesians_3

Ephesians_4

Ephesians_5

Ephesians_6

Philippians [Books]

Philippians_1

Philippians_2

Philippians_3

Philippians_4

Colossians [Books]

Colossians_1

Colossians_2

Colossians_3

Colossians_4

1 Thessalonians [Books]

1 Thessalonians_1

1 Thessalonians_2

1 Thessalonians_3

1 Thessalonians_4

1 Thessalonians_5

2 Thessalonians [Books]

2 Thessalonians_1

2 Thessalonians_2

2 Thessalonians_3

1 Timothy [Books]

1 Timothy_1

1 Timothy_2

1 Timothy_3

1 Timothy_4

1 Timothy_5

1 Timothy_6

2 Timothy [Books]

2 Timothy_1

2 Timothy_2

2 Timothy_3

2 Timothy_4

Titus [Books]

Titus_1

Titus_2

Titus_3

Philemon [Books]

Philemon_1

Hebrews [Books]

Hebrews_1

Hebrews_2

Hebrews_3

Hebrews_4

Hebrews_5

Hebrews_6

Hebrews_7

Hebrews_8

Hebrews_9

Hebrews_10

Hebrews_11

Hebrews_12

Hebrews_13

James [Books]

James_1

James_2

James_3

James_4

James_5

1 Peter [Books]

1 Peter_1

1 Peter_2

1 Peter_3

1 Peter_4

1 Peter_5

2 Peter [Books]

2 Peter_1

2 Peter_2

2 Peter_3

1 John [Books]

1 John_1

1 John_2

1 John_3

1 John_4

1 John_5

2 John [Books]

2 John_1

3 John [Books]

3 John_1

Jude [Books]

Jude_1

Revelation [Books]

Revelation_1

Revelation_2

Revelation_3

Revelation_4

Revelation_5

Revelation_6

Revelation_7

Revelation_8

Revelation_9

Revelation_10

Revelation_11

Revelation_12

Revelation_13

Revelation_14

Revelation_15

Revelation_16

Revelation_17

Revelation_18

Revelation_19

Revelation_20

Revelation_21

Revelation_22

OLD TESTAMENT
[New Testament]  [Contents]
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 Solomon   Isaiah   Jeremiah   Lamentations   Ezekiel   Daniel   Hosea   Joel   Amos   Obadiah   Jonah   Micah   Nahum   Habakkuk   Zephaniah   Haggai   Zechariah   Malachi

NEW TESTAMENT
[Old Testament]  [Contents]
Matthew   Mark   Luke   John   Acts   Romans   1 Corinthians   2 Corinthians   Galatians   Ephesians   Philippians   Colossians   1 Thessalonians   2 Thessalonians   1 Timothy   2 Timothy   Titus   Philemon   Hebrews   James   1 Peter   2 Peter   1 John   2 John   3 John   Jude   Revelation

GENESIS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50

EXODUS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40

LEVITICUS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27

NUMBERS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36

DEUTERONOMY

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34

JOSHUA

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24

JUDGES

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21

RUTH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4

1 SAMUEL

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31

2 SAMUEL

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24

1 KINGS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22

2 KINGS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25

1 CHRONICLES

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29

2 CHRONICLES

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36

EZRA

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

NEHEMIAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13

ESTHER

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

JOB

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42

PSALMS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150

PROVERBS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31

ECCLESIASTES

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12

SONG OF SOLOMON

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8

ISAIAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66

JEREMIAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52

LAMENTATIONS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5

EZEKIEL

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48

DANIEL

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12

HOSEA

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14

JOEL

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

AMOS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9

OBADIAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1

JONAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4

MICAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7

NAHUM

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

HABAKKUK

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

ZEPHANIAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

HAGGAI

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2

ZECHARIAH

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14

MALACHI

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4

MATTHEW

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28

MARK

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16

LUKE

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24

JOHN

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21

ACTS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28

ROMANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16

1 CORINTHIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16

2 CORINTHIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13

GALATIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6

EPHESIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6

PHILIPPIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4

COLOSSIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4

1 THESSALONIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5

2 THESSALONIANS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

1 TIMOTHY

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6

2 TIMOTHY

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4

TITUS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

PHILEMON

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1

HEBREWS

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13

JAMES

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5

1 PETER

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5

2 PETER

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3

1 JOHN

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5

2 JOHN

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1

3 JOHN

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1

JUDE

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1

REVELATION

[Books]   [Expanded Navigation]
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22

COPYRIGHT

[Contents / Books of the Bible]

New American Standard Bible-NASB 1995 (Includes Translators' Notes)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
A Corporation Not for Profit, La Habra, California
All Rights Reserved (1)
www.lockman.org

The "NASB," "NAS," "New American Standard Bible," and "New American Standard" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by The Lockman Foundation. Use of these trademarks requires the permission of The Lockman Foundation.

Requests for quotations, reprints, or other permission requests, must be directed to and approved in writing by The Lockman Foundation. www.lockman.org

FOREWORD

[Contents / Books of the Bible]

Scriptural Promise

The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8

The New American Standard Bible has been produced with the conviction that the words of Scripture as originally penned in the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek were inspired by God. Since they are the eternal Word of God, the Holy Scriptures speak with fresh power to each generation, to give wisdom that leads to salvation, that men may serve Christ to the glory of God.

The purpose of the Editorial Board in making this translation was to adhere as closely as possible to the original languages of the Holy Scriptures, and to make the translation in a fluent and readable style according to current English usage.

The Fourfold Aim
of
The Lockman Foundation

These publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

They shall be grammatically correct.

They shall be understandable.

They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place, the place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no work will ever be personalized.

Preface to The
New American Standard Bible

In the history of English Bible translations, the King James Version is the most prestigious. This time-honored version of 1611, itself a revision of the Bishops' Bible of 1568, became the basis for the English Revised Version appearing in 1881 (New Testament) and 1885 (Old Testament). The American counterpart of this last work was published in 1901 as the American Standard Version. The ASV, a product of both British and American scholarship, has been highly regarded for its scholarship and accuracy. Recognizing the values of the American Standard Version, the Lockman Foundation felt an urgency to preserve these and other lasting values of the ASV by incorporating recent discoveries of Hebrew and Greek textual sources and by rendering it into more current English. Therefore, in 1959 a new translation project was launched, based on the time-honored principles of translation of the ASV and KJV. The result is the New American Standard Bible.

Translation work for the NASB was begun in 1959. In the preparation of this work numerous other translations have been consulted along with the linguistic tools and literature of biblical scholarship. Decisions about English renderings were made by consensus of a team composed of educators and pastors. Subsequently, review and evaluation by other Hebrew and Greek scholars outside the Editorial Board were sought and carefully considered.

The Editorial Board has continued to function since publication of the complete Bible in 1971. This edition of the NASB represents revisions and refinements recommended over the last several years as well as thorough research based on modern English usage.

Principles of Translation

MODERN ENGLISH USAGE: The attempt has been made to render the grammar and terminology in contemporary English. When it was felt that the word-for-word literalness was unacceptable to the modern reader, a change was made in the direction of a more current English idiom. In the instances where this has been done, the more literal rendering has been indicated in the notes. There are a few exceptions to this procedure. In particular, frequently "And" is not translated at the beginning of sentences because of differences in style between ancient and modern writing. Punctuation is a relatively modern invention, and ancient writers often linked most of their sentences with "and" or other connectives. Also, the Hebrew idiom "answered and said" is sometimes reduced to "answered" or "said" as demanded by the context. For current English the idiom "it came about that" has not been translated in the New Testament except when a major transition is needed.

HEBREW TEXT: In the present translation the latest edition of Rudolf Kittel's BIBLIA HEBRAICA has been employed together with the most recent light from lexicography, cognate languages, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

HEBREW TENSES: Consecution of tenses in Hebrew remains a puzzling factor in translation. The translators have been guided by the requirements of a literal translation, the sequence of tenses, and the immediate and broad contexts.

THE PROPER NAME OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: In the Scriptures, the name of God is most significant and understandably so. It is inconceivable to think of spiritual matters without a proper designation for the Supreme Deity. Thus the most common name for the Deity is God, a translation of the original Elohim. One of the titles for God is Lord, a translation of Adonai. There is yet another name which is particularly assigned to God as His special or proper name, that is, the four letters YHWH (Exodus 3:14 and Isaiah 42:8). This name has not been pronounced by the Jews because of reverence for the great sacredness of the divine name. Therefore, it has been consistently translated LORD. The only exception to this translation of YHWH is when it occurs in immediate proximity to the word Lord, that is, Adonai. In that case it is regularly translated GOD in order to avoid confusion.

It is known that for many years YHWH as been transliterated as Yahweh, however no complete certainty attaches to this pronunciation.

GREEK TEXT: Consideration was given to the latest available manuscripts with a view to determining the best Greek text. In most instances the 26th edition of Eberhard Nestle's NOVUM TESTAMENTUM GRAECE was followed.

GREEK TENSES: A careful distinction has been made in the treatment of the Greek aorist tense (usually translated as the English past, "He did") and the Greek imperfect tense (normally rendered either as English past progressive, "He was doing"; or, if inceptive, as "He began to do" or "He started to do"; or else if customary past, as "He used to do"). "Began" is italicized if it renders an imperfect tense, in order to distinguish it from the Greek verb for "begin." In some contexts the difference between the Greek imperfect and the English past is conveyed better by the choice of vocabulary or by other words in the context, and in such cases the Greek imperfect may be rendered as a simple past tense (e.g. "had an illness for many years" would be preferable to "was having an illness for many years" and would be understood in the same way).

On the other hand, not all aorists have been rendered as English pasts ("He did"), for some of them are clearly to be rendered as English perfects ("He has done"), or even as past perfects ("He had done"), judging from the context in which they occur. Such aorists have been rendered as perfects or past perfects in this translation.

As for the distinction between aorist and present imperatives, the translators have usually rendered these imperatives in the customary manner, rather than attempting any such fine distinction as "Begin to do!" (for the aorist imperative), or, "Continually do!" (for the present imperative).

As for sequence of tenses, the translators took care to follow English rules rather than Greek in translating Greek presents, imperfects and aorists. Thus, where English says, "We knew that he was doing," Greek puts it, "We knew that he does"; similarly, "We knew that he had done" is the Greek, "We knew that he did." Likewise, the English, "When he had come, they met him," is represented in Greek by: "When he came, they met him." In all cases a consistent transfer has been made from the Greek tense in the subordinate clause to the appropriate tense in English.

In the rendering of negative questions introduced by the particle me-(which always expects the answer "No") the wording has been altered from a mere, "Will he not do this?" to a more accurate, "He will not do this, will he?"

Editorial Board, THE LOCKMAN FOUNDATION

EXPLANATION OF GENERAL FORMAT

[Contents / Books of the Bible]

TRANSLATORS' NOTES are in brackets [ ] following each paragraph and verse of poetry. When after a paragraph, they are identified by the verse number in which they occur. However if a note repeats, it will be shown with the first verse number in which it occured.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS are capitalized when pertaining to Deity.

ITALICS are used in the text to indicate words which are not found in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek but implied by it. Italics are used in the translator's notes to signify alternate readings for the text. Roman text in the translator's alternate readings is the same as italics in the Bible text.

ALL CAPS in the New Testament are used in the text to indicate Old Testament quotations or obvious references to Old Testament texts. Variations of Old Testament wording are found in New Testament citations depending on whether the New Testament writer translated from a Hebrew text, used existing Greek or Aramaic translations, or paraphrased the material. It should be noted that modern rules for the indication of direct quotation were not used in biblical times thus the ancient writer would use exact quotations or references to quotation without specific indication of such. Also see THE PROPER NAME OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT under Principles of Translation.

ASTERISKS are used to mark verbs that are historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage. The translators recognized that in some contexts the present tense seems more unexpected and unjustified to the English reader than a past tense would have been. But Greek authors frequently used the present tense for the sake of heightened vividness, thereby transporting their readers in imagination to the actual scene at the time of occurrence. However, the translators felt that it would be wise to change these historical presents to English past tenses.

[ ] = In text, brackets indicate words possibly not in the original writings.

GENESIS 1 [Books]

The Creation

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ²The earth was aformless and void, and darkness was over the bsurface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was cmoving over the bsurface of the waters. ³Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. ⁴God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. [2 aOr a waste and emptiness bLit face of cOr hovering]

6 Then God said, “Let there be aan expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” ⁷God made the bexpanse, and separated the waters which were below the bexpanse from the waters which were above the bexpanse; and it was so. ⁸God called the bexpanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. [6 aOr a firmament 7 bOr firmament]

9 Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. ¹⁰God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. ¹¹Then God said, “Let the earth sprout avegetation, bplants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after ctheir kind dwith seed in them”; and it was so. ¹²The earth brought forth avegetation, bplants yielding seed after ctheir kind, and trees bearing fruit dwith seed in them, after ctheir kind; and God saw that it was good. ¹³There was evening and there was morning, a third day. [11 aOr grass bOr herbs cLit its dLit in which is its seed]

14 Then God said, “Let there be alights in the bexpanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; ¹⁵and let them be for alights in the bexpanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. ¹⁶God made the two agreat lights, the greater clight dto govern the day, and the lesser clight dto govern the night; He made the stars also. ¹⁷God placed them in the bexpanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, ¹⁸and dto govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. ¹⁹There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. [14 aOr luminaries, light-bearers bOr firmament 16 cOr luminary, light-bearer dLit for the dominion of]

20 Then God said, “Let the waters ateem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth bin the open cexpanse of the heavens.” ²¹God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. ²²God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” ²³There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. [20 aOr swarm bLit on the face of cOr firmament]

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after atheir kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after atheir kind”; and it was so. ²⁵God made the beasts of the earth after atheir kind, and the cattle after atheir kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. [24 aLit its]

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the asky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the asky and over every living thing that bmoves on the earth.” ²⁹Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the csurface of all the earth, and every tree dwhich has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; ³⁰and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the asky and to every thing that bmoves on the earth ewhich has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. ³¹God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. [26 aLit heavens 28 bOr creeps 29 cLit face of dLit in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed 30 eLit in which is a living soul]

GENESIS 2 [Books]

The Creation of Man and Woman

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. ²By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. ³Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created aand made. [3 aLit to make]

4 aThis is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven. ⁵Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to bcultivate the ground. ⁶But a cmist used to rise from the earth and water the whole dsurface of the ground. ⁷Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living ebeing. ⁸The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. ⁹Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. [4 aLit These are the generations 5 bLit work, serve 6 cOr flow dLit face of 7 eLit soul]

10 Now a river aflowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four brivers. ¹¹The name of the first is Pishon; it cflows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. ¹²The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there. ¹³The name of the second river is Gihon; it dflows around the whole land of Cush. ¹⁴The name of the third river is eTigris; it fflows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the gEuphrates. [10 aLit was going out bLit heads 11 cLit surrounds 13 dLit is the one surrounding 14 eHeb Hiddekel fLit is the one going gHeb Perath]

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. ¹⁶The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; ¹⁷but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not aeat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” [17 aLit eat from it]

18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper asuitable for him.” ¹⁹Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the bsky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the bsky, and to every beast of the field, but for cAdam there was not found a helper asuitable for him. ²¹So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. ²²The LORD God dfashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. ²³The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones,

And flesh of my flesh;

eShe shall be called fWoman,

Because eshe was taken out of gMan.”

²⁴For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. [18 aLit corresponding to 19 bLit heavens 20 cOr man 22 dLit built 23 eLit This one fHeb Ishshah gHeb Ish]

GENESIS 3 [Books]

The Fall of Man

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from aany tree of the garden’?” ²The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; ³but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” ⁴The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! ⁵For God knows that in the day you eat from 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 from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves bloin coverings. [1 aOr every 7 bOr girdles]

8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the acool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” ¹¹And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹²The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” ¹³Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” ¹⁴The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly you will go,

And dust you will eat

All the days of your life; [8 aLit wind, breeze]

¹⁵And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall abruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.” [aOr crush]

¹⁶To the woman He said,

“I will greatly multiply

Your pain ain childbirth,

In pain you will bring forth children;

Yet your desire will be for your husband,

And he will rule over you.”

¹⁷Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;

Cursed is the ground because of you;

In btoil you will eat of it

All the days of your life. [aLit and your pregnancy, conception bOr sorrow]

¹⁸“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;

And you will eat the aplants of the field; [aLit plant]

¹⁹By the sweat of your face

You will eat bread,

Till you return to the ground,

Because from it you were taken;

For you are dust,

And to dust you shall return.”

20 Now the man called his wife’s name aEve, because she was the mother of all the living. ²¹The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. [20 aI.e. living; or life]

22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— ²³therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

GENESIS 4 [Books]

Cain and Abel

1 Now the man ahad relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to bCain, and she said, “I have gotten a cmanchild with the help of the LORD.” ²Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. ³So it came about din the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. ⁴Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; ⁵but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. ⁶Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷If you do well, ewill not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” ⁸Cain ftold Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. [1 aLit knew bI.e. gotten one cOr man, the LORD 3 dLit at the end of days 7 eOr surely you will be accepted 8 fLit said to]

9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. ¹¹Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹²When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” ¹³Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is too great to bear! ¹⁴Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” ¹⁵So the LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD aappointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. [15 aOr set a mark on]

16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and asettled in the land of bNod, east of Eden. [16 aLit dwelt bI.e. wandering]

17 Cain ahad relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son. ¹⁸Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad bbecame the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael bbecame the father of Methushael, and Methushael bbecame the father of Lamech. ¹⁹Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. ²⁰Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. ²¹His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. ²²As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. [17 aLit knew 18 bLit begot]

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah,

Listen to my voice,

You wives of Lamech,

Give heed to my speech,

For I ahave killed a man for wounding me;

And a boy for striking me; [23 aOr kill]

²⁴If Cain is avenged sevenfold,

Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

25 Adam ahad relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him bSeth, for, she said, “God chas appointed me another doffspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.” ²⁶To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call eupon the name of the LORD. [25 aLit knew bHeb Sheth cHeb shath dLit seed 26 eOr by]

GENESIS 5 [Books]

Descendants of Adam

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. ²He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them aMan in the day when they were created. [2 aLit Adam]

3 When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he abecame the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. ⁴Then the days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters. ⁵So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died. [3 aLit begot, and so throughout the ch]

6 Seth lived one hundred and five years, and became the father of Enosh. ⁷Then Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters. ⁸So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.

9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. ¹⁰Then Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters. ¹¹So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.

12 Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel. ¹³Then Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴So all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.

15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared. ¹⁶Then Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.

18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch. ¹⁹Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. ²⁰So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.

21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. ²²Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. ²³So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech. ²⁶Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters. ²⁷So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.

28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son. ²⁹Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will agive us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.” ³⁰Then Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters. ³¹So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died. [29 aLit comfort us in]

32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

GENESIS 6 [Books]

The Corruption of Mankind

1 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, ²that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were abeautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. ³Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not bstrive with man forever, cbecause he also is flesh; dnevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” ⁴The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. [2 aLit good 3 bOr rule in; some ancient versions read abide in cOr in his going astray he is flesh dOr therefore]

5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved ain His heart. ⁷The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the bsky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. [6 aLit to 7 bLit heavens]

9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, ablameless in his btime; Noah walked with God. ¹⁰Noah cbecame the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. [9 aLit complete, perfect; or having integrity bLit generations 10 cLit begot]

11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹²God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. ¹⁴Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall acover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred bcubits, its breadth fifty bcubits, and its height thirty bcubits. ¹⁶You shall make a cwindow for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from dthe top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. ¹⁷Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. ¹⁸But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. ²⁰Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. ²¹As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.” ²²Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. [14 aOr pitch 15 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 16 cOr roof dLit above]

GENESIS 7 [Books]

The Flood

1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this atime. ²You shall take bwith you of every clean animal cby sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; ³also of the birds of the dsky, cby sevens, male and female, to keep eoffspring alive on the face of all the earth. ⁴For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.” ⁵Noah did according to all that the LORD had commanded him. [1 aLit generation 2 bLit to cLit seven seven 3 dLit heavens eLit seed]

6 Now Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water acame upon the earth. ⁷Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him entered the ark because of the water of the flood. ⁸Of clean animals and animals that are not clean and birds and everything that creeps on the ground, ⁹there went into the ark to Noah bby twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. ¹⁰It came about after the seven days, that the water of the flood ccame 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 dfloodgates of the sky were opened. ¹²The rain afell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. [6 aLit was 9 bLit two two 10 cLit were 11 dOr windows of the heavens]

13 On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark, ¹⁴they and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after atheir kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, ball sorts of birds. ¹⁵So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which was the breath of life. ¹⁶Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed it behind him. [14 aLit its bLit every bird, every wing]

17 Then the flood acame upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. ¹⁸The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark bfloated on the csurface of the water. ¹⁹The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains deverywhere under the heavens were covered. ²⁰The water prevailed fifteen ecubits higher, and the mountains were covered. ²¹All flesh that fmoved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; ²²of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. ²³Thus He blotted out gevery living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the hsky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. ²⁴The water prevailed upon the earth one hundred and fifty days. [17 aLit was 18 bLit went cLit face 19 dLit which were under all the heavens 20 eI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 21 fOr crept 23 gLit all existence hLit heavens]

GENESIS 8 [Books]

The Flood Subsides

1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. ²Also the fountains of the deep and the afloodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained; ³and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased. ⁴In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. ⁵The water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible. [2 aOr windows of the heavens]

6 Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made; ⁷and he sent out a raven, and it aflew here and there until the water was dried up bfrom the earth. ⁸Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; ⁹but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the csurface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. ¹⁰So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. ¹¹The dove came to him toward devening, and behold, in her ebeak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth. ¹²Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again. [7 aLit went out, going and returning bLit from upon 9 cLit face 11 dLit the time of evening eLit mouth]

13 Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up afrom the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the bsurface of the ground was dried up. ¹⁴In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. ¹⁵Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ¹⁶“Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁷Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may cbreed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” ¹⁸So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. ¹⁹Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out dby their families from the ark. [13 aLit from upon bLit face 17 cOr swarm 19 dOr according to their kind]

20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. ²¹The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said ato Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the bintent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again cdestroy every living thing, as I have done. [21 aLit to His heart bOr inclination cLit smite]

²²“While the earth remains,

Seedtime and harvest,

And cold and heat,

And summer and winter,

And day and night

Shall not cease.”

GENESIS 9 [Books]

Covenant of the Rainbow

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. ²The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the asky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given. ³Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant. ⁴Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. ⁵Surely I will require byour lifeblood; cfrom every beast I will require it. And cfrom every man, cfrom every man’s brother I will require the life of man. [2 aLit heavens 5 bLit your blood of your lives cLit from the hand of]

⁶“Whoever sheds man’s blood,

By man his blood shall be shed,

For in the image of God

He made man.

⁷“As for you, be fruitful and multiply;

aPopulate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.” [aLit Swarm in the earth]

8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, ⁹“Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your adescendants after you; ¹⁰and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. ¹¹I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again 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 ball successive generations; ¹³I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. ¹⁴It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, ¹⁵and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” ¹⁷And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.” [9 aLit seed 12 bOr everlasting generations]

18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. ¹⁹These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was apopulated. [19 aLit scattered]

20 Then Noah began afarming and planted a vineyard. ²¹He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. ²²Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. ²³But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were bturned away, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness. ²⁴When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. ²⁵So he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;

cA servant of servants

He shall be to his brothers.”

²⁶He also said,

“Blessed be the LORD,

The God of Shem;

And let Canaan be dhis servant. [20 aLit to be a farmer 23 bLit backward 25 cI.e. The lowest of servants 26 dOr their]

²⁷“May God enlarge Japheth,

And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;

And let Canaan be ahis servant.” [aOr their]

28 Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. ²⁹So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.

GENESIS 10 [Books]

Descendants of Noah

1 Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood.

2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. ³The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and aRiphath and Togarmah. ⁴The sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and bDodanim. ⁵From these the coastlands of the nations cwere separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. [3 aI.e. In 1 Chr 1:6, Diphath 4 bI.e. In 1 Chr 1:7, Rodanim 5 cOr separated themselves]

6 The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan. ⁷The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. ⁸Now Cush abecame the father of Nimrod; he bbecame a mighty one on the earth. ⁹He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” ¹⁰The beginning of his kingdom was cBabel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. ¹¹From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, ¹²and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. ¹³Mizraim abecame the father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim ¹⁴and Pathrusim and Casluhim (from which came the Philistines) and Caphtorim. [8 aLit begot bLit began to be 10 cOr Babylon]

15 Canaan abecame the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth ¹⁶and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite ¹⁷and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite ¹⁸and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. ¹⁹The territory of the Canaanite bextended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. ²⁰These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations. [15 aLit begot 19 bLit was]

21 Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the aolder brother of Japheth, children were born. ²²The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. ²³The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash. ²⁴Arpachshad bbecame the father of Shelah; and Shelah bbecame the father of Eber. ²⁵Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was cPeleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. ²⁶Joktan bbecame the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah ²⁷and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah ²⁸and dObal and Abimael and Sheba ²⁹and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. ³⁰Now their esettlement fextended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east. ³¹These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations. [21 aOr the brother of Japheth the elder 24 bLit begot 25 cI.e. division 28 dI.e. In 1 Chr 1:22, Ebal 30 eLit dwelling fLit was]

32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.

GENESIS 11 [Books]

Universal Language, Babel, Confusion

1 Now the whole earth aused the same language and bthe same words. ²It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and csettled there. ³They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. ⁴They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” ⁵The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. ⁶The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have dthe same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be eimpossible for them. ⁷Come, let Us go down and there confuse their flanguage, so that they will not understand one another’s gspeech.” ⁸So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. ⁹Therefore its name was called hBabel, because there the LORD confused the ilanguage of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth. [1 aLit was one lip bOr few or one set of words 2 cLit dwelt 6 dLit one lip eLit withheld from 7 fLit lip gLit lip 9 hOr Babylon; cf Heb balal, confuse iLit lip]

Descendants of Shem

10 These are the records of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and abecame the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; ¹¹and Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and he had other sons and daughters. [10 aLit begot, and so throughout the ch]

12 Arpachshad lived thirty-five years, and became the father of Shelah; ¹³and Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years after he became the father of Shelah, and he had other sons and daughters.

14 Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber; ¹⁵and Shelah lived four hundred and three years after he became the father of Eber, and he had other sons and daughters.

16 Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg; ¹⁷and Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and he had other sons and daughters.

18 Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu; ¹⁹and Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after he became the father of Reu, and he had other sons and daughters.

20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug; ²¹and Reu lived two hundred and seven years after he became the father of Serug, and he had other sons and daughters.

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

24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah; ²⁵and Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and he had other sons and daughters.

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

27 Now these are the records of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran; and Haran became the father of Lot. ²⁸Haran died ain the presence of his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. ²⁹Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah band Iscah. ³⁰Sarai was barren; she had no child. [28 aOr during the lifetime of 29 bLit and the father of]

31 Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out atogether from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and bsettled there. ³²The days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. [31 aLit with them bLit dwelt]

GENESIS 12 [Books]

Abram Journeys to Egypt

1 Now the LORD said to Abram,

“aGo forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you; [1 aLit Go for yourself]

²And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so ayou shall be a blessing; [aLit be a blessing]

³And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who acurses you I will bcurse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” [aOr reviles bOr bind under a curse]

4 So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ⁵Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the apersons which they had acquired in Haran, and they bset out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan. ⁶Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the coak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land. ⁷The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your ddescendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. ⁸Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. ⁹Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the eNegev. [5 aLit souls bLit went forth to go to 6 cOr terebinth 7 dLit seed 9 eI.e. South country]

10 Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹It came about when he acame near to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a bbeautiful woman; ¹²and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. ¹³Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that cI may live on account of you.” ¹⁴It came about when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians dsaw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶Therefore he treated Abram well for her sake; and egave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and male and female servants and female donkeys and camels. [11 aLit drew near to enter bLit woman of beautiful appearance 13 cLit my soul 14 dLit saw the woman that she was 16 eLit he had]

17 But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this 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 for my wife? Now then, ahere is your wife, take her and go.” ²⁰Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they bescorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him. [19 aOr behold 20 bLit sent]

GENESIS 13 [Books]

Abram and Lot

1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the aNegev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. [1 aI.e. South country]

2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. ³He went aon his journeys from the bNegev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. ⁵Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶And the land could not csustain them dwhile dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. ⁷And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. [3 aLit by his stages bI.e. South country 6 cLit bear dLit to dwell]

8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. ⁹Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.” ¹⁰Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the avalley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. ¹¹So Lot chose for himself all the avalley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. ¹²Abram bsettled in the land of Canaan, while Lot bsettled in the cities of the avalley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. ¹³Now the men of Sodom were wicked cexceedingly and sinners against the LORD. [10 aLit circle 12 bLit dwelt 13 cLit wicked and sinners exceedingly]

14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; ¹⁵for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your adescendants forever. ¹⁶I will make your adescendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your adescendants can also be numbered. ¹⁷Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” ¹⁸Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the boaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD. [15 aLit seed 18 bOr terebinths]

GENESIS 14 [Books]

War of the Kings

1 And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of aGoiim, ²that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ³All these bcame as allies to the valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, came and cdefeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in dShaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶and the Horites in their Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness. ⁷Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and cconquered all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, who lived in Hazazon-tamar. ⁸And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they arrayed for battle against them in the valley of Siddim, ⁹against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of aGoiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. ¹⁰Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell einto them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. ¹¹Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. ¹²They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom. [1 aOr nations 3 bLit joined together 5 cLit smote dOr the plain of Kiriathaim 10 eLit there]

13 Then aa fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was bliving by the coaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were dallies with Abram. ¹⁴When Abram heard that his erelative had been taken captive, he fled out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. ¹⁵He divided ghis forces against them by night, he and his servants, and hdefeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is inorth of Damascus. ¹⁶He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his erelative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people. [13 aLit the bLit abiding cOr terebinths dLit possessors of the covenant 14 eLit brother fOr mustered 15 gLit himself hLit smote iLit on the left]

God’s Promise to Abram

17 Then after his return from the adefeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). ¹⁸And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of bGod Most High. ¹⁹He blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of bGod Most High,

cPossessor of heaven and earth; [17 aLit smiting 18 bHeb El Elyon 19 cOr Creator]

²⁰And blessed be aGod Most High,

Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

He gave him a tenth of all. ²¹The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the bpeople to me and take the goods for yourself.” ²²Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have csworn to the LORD aGod Most High, dpossessor of heaven and earth, ²³that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ ²⁴eI will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.” [20 aHeb El Elyon 21 bLit soul 22 cLit lifted up my hand dOr Creator 24 eLit Not to me except]

GENESIS 15 [Books]

Abram Promised a Son

1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not fear, Abram,

I am a shield to you;

aYour reward shall be very great.”

²Abram said, “O Lord bGOD, what will You give me, since I cam childless, and the dheir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³And Abram said, “eSince You have given no foffspring to me, gone born in my house is my heir.” ⁴Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own hbody, he shall be your heir.” ⁵And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your idescendants be.” ⁶Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. ⁷And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to jpossess it.” ⁸He said, “O Lord bGOD, how may I know that I will kpossess it?” ⁹So He said to him, “lBring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” ¹⁰Then he mbrought all these to Him and cut them nin two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. ¹¹The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. [1 aOr Your very great reward 2 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD cLit go dLit son of acquisition 3 eLit Behold fLit seed gLit and behold, a son of 4 hLit inward parts 5 iLit seed 7 jOr inherit 8 kOr inherit 9 lLit Take 10 mLit took nLit in the midst]

12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, aterror and great darkness fell upon him. ¹³God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your bdescendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, cwhere they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. ¹⁴But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with dmany possessions. ¹⁵As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” [12 aOr a terror of great darkness 13 bLit seed cLit and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them 14 dLit great]

17 It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. ¹⁸On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying,

“To your adescendants I have given this land,

From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:

¹⁹the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite ²⁰and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim ²¹and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.” [18 aLit seed]

GENESIS 16 [Books]

Sarai and Hagar

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. ²So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will aobtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. ³After Abram had blived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. ⁴He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight. ⁵And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your carms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her dsight. May the LORD judge between eyou and me.” ⁶But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your fpower; do to her what is good in your dsight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence. [2 aLit be built from her 3 bLit dwelt 5 cLit bosom dLit eyes eLit me and you 6 fLit hand]

7 Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. ⁸He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” ⁹Then the angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself ato her authority.” ¹⁰Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your bdescendants so that cthey will be too many to count.” ¹¹The angel of the LORD said to her further,

“Behold, you are with child,

And you will bear a son;

And you shall call his name dIshmael,

Because the LORD ehas given heed to your affliction. [9 aLit under her hands 10 bLit seed cOr it shall not be counted for multitude 11 dI.e. God hears eLit has heard]

¹²“He will be a wild donkey of a man,

His hand will be against everyone,

And everyone’s hand will be against him;

And he will alive bto the east of all his brothers.”

¹³Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “cYou are da God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even eremained alive here after seeing Him?” ¹⁴Therefore the well was called fBeer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. [12 aLit dwell bLit before the face of; or in defiance of 13 cOr You, God, see me dHeb Elroi eLit seen here after the one who saw me 14 fI.e. the well of the living one who sees me]

15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. ¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to ahim. [16 aLit Abram]

GENESIS 17 [Books]

Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision

1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him,

“I am aGod Almighty;

Walk before Me, and be bblameless. [1 aHeb El Shaddai bLit complete, perfect; or having integrity]

²“I will aestablish My covenant between Me and you,

And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

³Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, [aLit give]

⁴“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,

And you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

⁵“No longer shall your name be called aAbram,

But your name shall be bAbraham;

For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. ⁷I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your cdescendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your cdescendants after you. ⁸I will give to you and to your cdescendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” [5 aI.e. exalted father bI.e. father of a multitude 7 cLit seed]

9 God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your adescendants after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your adescendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. ¹²And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your adescendants. ¹³A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” [9 aLit seed]

15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but aSarah shall be her name. ¹⁶I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will bcome from her.” ¹⁷Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” ¹⁸And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” ¹⁹But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name cIsaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his ddescendants after him. ²⁰As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall ebecome the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. ²¹But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” ²²When He finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. [15 aI.e. princess 16 bLit be 19 cI.e. he laughs dLit seed 20 eLit beget twelve princes]

23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day, as God had said to him. ²⁴Now Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁵And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁶In the very same day Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son. ²⁷All the men of his household, who were born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

GENESIS 18 [Books]

Birth of Isaac Promised

1 Now the LORD appeared to him by the aoaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. ²When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, ³and said, “bMy Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not cpass Your servant by. ⁴Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and drest yourselves under the tree; ⁵and I will ebring a piece of bread, that you may frefresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have gvisited your servant.” And they said, “So do, as you have said.” ⁶So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “hQuickly, prepare three imeasures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.” ⁷Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and jchoice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it. ⁸He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree kas they ate. [1 aOr terebinths 3 bOr O Lord cLit pass away from Your servant 4 dLit support 5 eLit take fLit sustain your heart gLit come to 6 hLit Hasten three measures iHeb seah; i.e. one seah equals approx eleven qts 7 jLit good 8 kLit and]

9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” ¹⁰He said, “I will surely return to you aat this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. ¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past bchildbearing. ¹²Sarah laughed cto herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” ¹³And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed dbear a child, when I am so old?’ ¹⁴Is anything too edifficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, aat this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” ¹⁵Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.” [10 aLit when the time revives 11 bLit the manner of women 12 cLit within 13 dLit surely bear 14 eOr wonderful]

16 Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. ¹⁷The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, ¹⁸since Abraham will surely become a great and amighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? ¹⁹For I have bchosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” ²⁰And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. ²¹I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” [18 aOr populous 19 bLit known]

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD. ²³Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not aspare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵Far be it from You to do bsuch a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth cdeal justly?” ²⁶So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will aspare the whole place on their account.” ²⁷And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have dventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. ²⁸Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” ²⁹He spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” ³⁰Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” ³¹And he said, “Now behold, I have dventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.” ³²Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” ³³As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place. [24 aOr forgive 25 bLit after this manner cLit do justice 27 dLit undertaken]

GENESIS 19 [Books]

The Doom of Sodom

1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and abowed down with his face to the ground. ²And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said however, “No, but we shall spend the night in the square.” ³Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. ⁴Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people bfrom every quarter; ⁵and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may chave relations with them.” ⁶But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, ⁷and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. ⁸Now behold, I have two daughters who have not dhad relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them ewhatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the fshelter of my roof.” ⁹But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, they said, “This one came in gas an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against hLot and came near to break the door. ¹⁰But the men reached out their ihands and brought Lot into the house jwith them, and shut the door. ¹¹They kstruck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. [1 aLit bowed himself 4 bOr without exception; lit from every end 5 cI.e. have intercourse 8 dI.e. had intercourse eLit as is good in your sight fLit shadow 9 gLit to sojourn hLit the man, against Lot 10 iLit hand jLit to 11 kLit smote]

12 Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; ¹³for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” ¹⁴Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who awere to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law bto be jesting. [14 aOr had married; lit were taking bLit like one who was jesting]

15 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the apunishment of the city.” ¹⁶But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the bhands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. ¹⁷When they had brought them outside, cone said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay danywhere in the valley; escape to the emountains, or you will be swept away.” ¹⁸But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! ¹⁹Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the emountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; ²⁰now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) fthat my life may be saved.” ²¹He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this grequest also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. ²²Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called hZoar. [15 aOr iniquity 16 bLit hand 17 cLit he dLit in all the circle eLit mountain 20 fLit and my soul will live 21 gLit thing 22 hI.e. small]

23 The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. ²⁴Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, ²⁵and He overthrew those cities, and all the avalley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. ²⁶But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. [25 aLit circle]

27 Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD; ²⁸and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the avalley, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a bfurnace. [28 aLit circle bLit kiln]

29 Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the avalley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. [29 aLit circle]

Lot Is Debased

30 Lot went up from Zoar, and astayed in the bmountains, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to cstay in Zoar; and he astayed in a cave, he and his two daughters. ³¹Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man don earth to come in to us after the manner of the earth. ³²Come, let us make our father drink wine, and let us lie with him that we may preserve eour family through our father.” ³³So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. ³⁴On the following day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve eour family through our father.” ³⁵So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. ³⁶Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. ³⁷The firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. ³⁸As for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the fsons of Ammon to this day. [30 aLit dwelt bLit mountain cLit dwell 31 dOr in the land 32 eLit seed from our father 38 fHeb Bene-Ammon]

GENESIS 20 [Books]

Abraham’s Treachery

1 Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the aNegev, and bsettled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. ²Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. ³But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is cmarried.” ⁴Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a nation, even though dblameless? ⁵Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my ehands I have done this.” ⁶Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also fkept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. ⁷Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” [1 aI.e. South country bLit dwelt 3 cLit married to a husband 4 dLit righteous 5 eLit palms 6 fLit restrained]

8 So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly frightened. ⁹Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And ahow have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me bthings that ought not to be done.” ¹⁰And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you cencountered, that you have done 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 actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife; ¹³and it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is dthe kindness which you will show to me: eeverywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” ¹⁴Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. ¹⁵Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; fsettle wherever gyou please.” ¹⁶To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is hyour vindication before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.” ¹⁷Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. ¹⁸For the LORD had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. [9 aLit what bLit deeds 10 cLit seen 13 dLit your eLit at every place where 15 fLit dwell gLit it is good in your sight 16 hLit for you a covering of the eyes]

GENESIS 21 [Books]

Isaac Is Born

1 Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had apromised. ²So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. ³Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. ⁴Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. ⁵Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. ⁶Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh bwith me.” ⁷And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” [1 aLit spoken 6 bLit for]

8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

Sarah Turns against Hagar

⁹Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, amocking. ¹⁰Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son bIsaac.” ¹¹The matter cdistressed Abraham greatly because of his son. ¹²But God said to Abraham, “dDo not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac eyour descendants shall be named. ¹³And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your fdescendant.” ¹⁴So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a gskin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. [9 aOr playing 10 bLit with Isaac 11 cLit was very grievous in Abraham’s sight 12 dLit Do not let it be grievous in your sight eLit your seed will be called 13 fLit seed 14 gI.e. a skin used as a bottle]

15 When the water in the skin was used up, she aleft the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “Do not let me bsee the boy die.” And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. ¹⁷God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. ¹⁸Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by cthe hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” ¹⁹Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the dskin with water and gave the lad a drink. [15 aLit cast 16 bLit look upon the death of the child 18 cLit your 19 dV 14, note 1]

20 God was with the lad, and he grew; and he alived in the wilderness and became an archer. ²¹He alived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. [20 aLit dwelt]

Covenant with Abimelech

22 Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander 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 or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.” ²⁴Abraham said, “I swear it.” ²⁵But Abraham acomplained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized. ²⁶And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it buntil today.” [25 aLit reproved 26 bLit except]

27 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. ²⁸Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. ²⁹Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?” ³⁰He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well.” ³¹Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath. ³²So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. ³⁴And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.

GENESIS 22 [Books]

The Offering of Isaac

1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ²He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” ³So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. ⁵Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” ⁶Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. ⁷Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” ⁸Abraham said, “God will aprovide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. [8 aLit see]

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹²He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you afear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” ¹³Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. ¹⁴Abraham called the name of that place bThe LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will cbe provided.” [12 aOr reverence; lit are a fearer of God 14 bHeb YHWH-jireh cLit be seen]

15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, ¹⁶and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your aseed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your aseed shall possess the gate of btheir enemies. ¹⁸In your aseed all the nations of the earth shall cbe blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” ¹⁹So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba. [17 aOr descendants bLit his 18 cOr bless themselves]

20 Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah aalso has borne children to your brother Nahor: ²¹Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram ²²and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.” ²³Bethuel bbecame the father of Rebekah; these eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. ²⁴His concubine, whose name was Reumah, aalso bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah. [20 aLit she also 23 bLit begot]

GENESIS 23 [Books]

Death and Burial of Sarah

1 Now aSarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. ²Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham bwent in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. ³Then Abraham rose from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, ⁴“I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me ca burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” ⁵The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, ⁶“Hear us, my lord, you are a dmighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead.” ⁷So Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. ⁸And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your ewish for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and approach Ephron the son of Zohar for me, ⁹that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in fyour presence for ga burial site.” ¹⁰Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, ¹¹“No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.” ¹²And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. ¹³He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.” ¹⁴Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, ¹⁵“My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.” ¹⁶Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hhearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, icommercial standard. [1 aLit the life of Sarah was 2 bOr proceeded 4 cLit possession of a grave 6 dLit prince of God 8 eLit soul 9 fLit the midst of you gLit possession of a burial place 16 hLit ears iLit current according to the merchant]

17 So Ephron’s field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were awithin all the confines of its border, bwere deeded over ¹⁸to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. ¹⁹After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. ²⁰So the field and the cave that is in it, bwere deeded over to Abraham for ca burial site by the sons of Heth. [17 aLit in all its border around bOr were ratified 20 cLit possession of a burial place]

GENESIS 24 [Books]

A Bride for Isaac

1 Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. ²Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, “Please place your hand under my thigh, ³and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, ⁴but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” ⁵The servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?” ⁶Then Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there! ⁷The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your adescendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. ⁸But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there.” ⁹So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. [7 aLit seed]

10 Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; and he arose and went to aMesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. ¹¹He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. ¹²He said, “O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please bgrant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. ¹³Behold, I am standing by the cspring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; ¹⁴now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and dwho answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” [10 aHeb Aram-naharaim, Aram of the two rivers 12 bLit cause to occur for me 13 cLit fountain of water 14 dLit she will say]

Rebekah Is Chosen

15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. ¹⁶The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had ahad relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. ¹⁷Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” ¹⁸She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. ¹⁹Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.” ²⁰So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. ²¹Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her bin silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not. [16 aLit known 21 bLit keeping silent]

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her awrists weighing ten shekels in gold, ²³and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?” ²⁴She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” ²⁵Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.” ²⁶Then the man bowed low and worshiped the LORD. ²⁷He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.” [22 aLit hands]

28 Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. ²⁹Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. ³⁰When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s awrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “bThis is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. ³¹And he said, “Come in, blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” ³²So the man entered the house. Then cLaban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. ³³But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.” ³⁴So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. ³⁵The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become drich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. ³⁶Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master ein her old age, and he has given him all that he has. ³⁷My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I flive; ³⁸but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ ³⁹I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’ ⁴⁰He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house; ⁴¹then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’ [30 aLit hands bLit Thus the man 32 cLit he 35 dLit great 36 eLit after she was old 37 fLit dwell]

42 “So I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful; ⁴³behold, I am standing by the aspring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; ⁴⁴and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’ [43 aLit fountain of water]

45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ ⁴⁶She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’; so I drank, and she watered the camels also. ⁴⁷Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her awrists. ⁴⁸And I bowed low and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s bkinsman for his son. ⁴⁹So now if you are going to cdeal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or the left.” [47 aLit hands 48 bLit brother 49 cLit show lovingkindness and truth]

50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The matter comes from the LORD; so we cannot speak to you bad or good. ⁵¹Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground abefore the LORD. ⁵³The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. ⁵⁴Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” ⁵⁵But her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.” ⁵⁶He said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” ⁵⁷And they said, “We will call the girl and bconsult her wishes.” ⁵⁸Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” ⁵⁹Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰They blessed Rebekah and said to her,

“May you, our sister,

Become thousands of ten thousands,

And may your cdescendants possess

The gate of those who hate them.”

⁶¹Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. [52 aLit to 57 bLit ask her mouth 60 cLit seed]

Isaac Marries Rebekah

62 Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he awas living in the bNegev. ⁶³Isaac went out to cmeditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. ⁶⁴Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel. ⁶⁵She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her dveil and covered herself. ⁶⁶The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. ⁶⁷Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. [62 aLit was dwelling bI.e. South country 63 cOr stroll; meaning uncertain 65 dOr shawl]

GENESIS 25 [Books]

Abraham’s Death

1 Now Abraham took another wife, awhose name was Keturah. ²She bore to him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. ³Jokshan bbecame the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim. ⁴The sons of Midian were Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abida and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah. ⁵Now Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac; ⁶but to the sons of chis concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east. [1 aLit and her name 3 bLit begot 6 cLit concubines which belonged to Abraham]

7 These are aall the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years. ⁸Abraham breathed his last and died in a bripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people. ⁹Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre, ¹⁰the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth; there Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife. ¹¹It came about after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac clived by Beer-lahai-roi. [7 aLit the days of 8 bLit good 11 cLit dwelt]

Descendants of Ishmael

12 Now these are the records of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham; ¹³and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, ain the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam ¹⁴and Mishma and Dumah and Massa, ¹⁵Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. ¹⁶These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their btribes. ¹⁷These are the years of the life of Ishmael, one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. ¹⁸They csettled from Havilah to Shur which is deast of Egypt eas one goes toward Assyria; he fsettled in defiance of all his grelatives. [13 aLit in regard to their generations 16 bOr peoples 18 cLit dwelt dLit before eLit as you go fLit fell over against gLit brothers]

Isaac’s Sons

19 Now these are the records of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham abecame the father of Isaac; ²⁰and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the bAramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the bAramean, to be his wife. ²¹Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD canswered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. ²²But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why then am I this way?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. ²³The LORD said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb;

And two peoples will be separated from your body;

And one people shall be stronger than the other;

And the older shall serve the younger.”

²⁴When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. ²⁵Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. ²⁶Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called dJacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them. [19 aLit begot 20 bI.e. Syrian 21 cLit was entreated of him 26 dI.e. one who takes by the heel or supplants]

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a apeaceful man, bliving in tents. ²⁸Now Isaac loved Esau, because che had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. ²⁹When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was dfamished; ³⁰and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of ethat red stuff there, for I am dfamished.” Therefore his name was called fEdom. ³¹But Jacob said, “gFirst sell me your birthright.” ³²Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” ³³And Jacob said, “hFirst swear to me”; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. [27 aLit complete bLit dwelling 28 cLit game was in his mouth 29 dLit weary 30 eLit the red, this red fI.e. red 31 gLit Today 33 hLit Today]

GENESIS 26 [Books]

Isaac Settles in Gerar

1 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. ²The LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; astay in the land of which I shall tell you. ³Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your bdescendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. ⁴I will multiply your bdescendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your bdescendants all these lands; and by your bdescendants all the nations of the earth cshall be blessed; ⁵because Abraham dobeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” [2 aLit dwell 3 bLit seed 4 cOr bless themselves 5 dLit hearkened to My voice]

6 So Isaac alived in Gerar. ⁷When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “bthe men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.” ⁸It came about, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out through a window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife Rebekah. ⁹Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, certainly she is your wife! How then did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘I might die on account of her.’ ” ¹⁰Abimelech 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 Abimelech charged all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” [6 aLit dwelt 7 bLit lest...place]

12 Now Isaac sowed in that land and areaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, ¹³and the man became rich, and continued to grow bricher until he became very bwealthy; ¹⁴for he had possessions of flocks cand herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. ¹⁵Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped up dby filling them with earth. ¹⁶Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are etoo powerful for us.” ¹⁷And Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar, and fsettled there. [12 aLit found 13 bLit great 14 cLit and possessions of herds 15 dLit and filled them 16 eLit much mightier than we 17 fLit dwelt]

Quarrel over the Wells

18 Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which ahad been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he bgave them the same names which his father had cgiven them. ¹⁹But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of dflowing water, ²⁰the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours!” So he named the well eEsek, because they contended with him. ²¹Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it fSitnah. ²²He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it gRehoboth, for he said, “hAt last the LORD has made iroom for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” [18 aLit they had dug bLit called their names as the names cLit called 19 dLit living 20 eI.e. contention 21 fI.e. enmity 22 gI.e. broad places hLit Truly now iOr broad]

23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba. ²⁴The LORD appeared to him the same night and said,

“I am the God of your father Abraham;

Do not fear, for I am with you.

I will bless you, and multiply your adescendants,

For the sake of My servant Abraham.”

²⁵So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well. [24 aLit seed]

Covenant with Abimelech

26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar awith his adviser Ahuzzath and Phicol the commander of his army. ²⁷Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” ²⁸They said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you; so we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between byou and us, and let us make a covenant with you, ²⁹that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you cand have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.’ ” ³⁰Then he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. ³¹In the morning they arose early and dexchanged oaths; then Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace. ³²Now it came about on the same day, that Isaac’s servants came in and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” ³³So he called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day. [26 aLit and his confidential friend 28 bLit us and you 29 cLit and just as we 31 dLit swore one to another]

34 When Esau was forty years old he amarried Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; ³⁵and they bbrought grief to Isaac and Rebekah. [34 aLit took as wife 35 bLit were a bitterness of spirit to]

GENESIS 27 [Books]

Jacob’s Deception

1 Now it came about, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” ²aIsaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death. ³Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me; ⁴and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.” [2 aLit He]

5 Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home, ⁶Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, ⁷‘Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.’ ⁸Now therefore, my son, listen to ame bas I command you. ⁹Go now to the flock and cbring me two choice dyoung goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves. ¹⁰Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” ¹¹Jacob eanswered his mother Rebekah, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man. ¹²Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a fdeceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” ¹³But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.” ¹⁴So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made savory food such as his father loved. ¹⁵Then Rebekah took the gbest garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. ¹⁶And she put the skins of the hyoung goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. ¹⁷She also gave the savory food and the bread, which she had made, ito her son Jacob. [8 aLit my voice bLit according to what 9 cLit take dLit kids of goats 11 eLit said to 12 fLit mocker 15 gLit desirable; or choice 16 hLit kids of the goats 17 iLit into the hand of]

18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” ¹⁹Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. Get up, please, sit and eat of my game, that ayou may bless me.” ²⁰Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the LORD your God caused it to happen to me.” ²¹Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” ²²So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. ²⁴And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” ²⁵So he said, “Bring it to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that bI may bless you.” And he brought it to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine and he drank. ²⁶Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷So he came close and kissed him; and when he smelled the smell of his garments, he blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son

Is like the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed; [19 aLit your soul 25 bLit my soul]

²⁸Now may God give you of the dew of heaven,

And of the fatness of the earth,

And an abundance of grain and new wine;

²⁹May peoples serve you,

And nations bow down to you;

Be master of your brothers,

And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be those who curse you,

And blessed be those who bless you.”

The Stolen Blessing

30 Now it came about, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. ³¹Then he also made savory food, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that ayou may bless me.” ³²Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” ³³Then Isaac btrembled violently, and said, “Who was he then that hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate of all of it before you came, and blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” ³⁴When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” ³⁵And he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” ³⁶Then he said, “cIs he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” ³⁷But Isaac replied to Esau, “Behold, I have made him your master, and all his drelatives I have given to him eas servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. Now as for you then, what can I do, my son?” ³⁸Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” So Esau lifted his voice and wept. [31 aLit your soul 33 bLit trembled with a very great trembling 36 cOr Was he then named Jacob that he has 37 dLit brothers eLit for]

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him,

“Behold, aaway from the bfertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,

And aaway from the dew of heaven from above. [39 aOr of bLit fatness]

⁴⁰“By your sword you shall live,

And your brother you shall serve;

But it shall come about when you become restless,

That you will abreak his yoke from your neck.” [aLit tear off]

41 So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said ato himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” ⁴²Now when the words of her elder son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she sent and called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, “Behold your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning to kill you. ⁴³Now therefore, my son, obey my voice, and arise, bflee to Haran, to my brother Laban! ⁴⁴Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury csubsides, ⁴⁵until your brother’s anger dagainst you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?” [41 aLit in his heart 43 bLit flee for yourself 44 cLit turns away 45 dLit turns away from you]

46 Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of aliving because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?” [46 aLit my life]

GENESIS 28 [Books]

Jacob Is Sent Away

1 So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. ²Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. ³May aGod Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. ⁴May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your bdescendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham.” ⁵Then Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau. [3 aHeb El Shaddai 4 bLit seed]

6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take to himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he charged him, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” ⁷and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan-aram. ⁸So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased ahis father Isaac; ⁹and Esau went to Ishmael, and bmarried, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth. [8 aLit in the eyes of his 9 bLit took for his wife]

Jacob’s Dream

10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹He acame to ba certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it cunder his head, and lay down in that place. ¹²He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. ¹³And behold, the LORD stood dabove it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your edescendants. ¹⁴Your edescendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will fspread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your edescendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. ¹⁵Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have gpromised you.” ¹⁶Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” ¹⁷He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” [11 aLit lighted on bLit the place cLit at his head-place 13 dOr beside him eLit seed 14 fLit break through 15 gLit spoken to]

18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put aunder his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. ¹⁹He called the name of that place bBethel; however, cpreviously the name of the city had been Luz. ²⁰Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I dtake, and will give me efood to eat and garments to wear, ²¹and I return to my father’s house in fsafety, then the LORD will be my God. ²²This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” [18 aLit at his head-place 19 bI.e. the house of God cLit at the first 20 dLit go eLit bread 21 fLit peace]

GENESIS 29 [Books]

Jacob Meets Rachel

1 Then Jacob awent on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east. ²He looked, and bsaw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. ³When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. [1 aLit lifted up his feet 2 bLit behold]

4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” ⁵He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” ⁶And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.” ⁷He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” ⁸But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. ¹⁰When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. ¹¹Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept. ¹²Jacob told Rachel that he was a arelative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father. [12 aLit brother]

13 So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things. ¹⁴Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my arelative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” ¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and bface. ¹⁸Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” ¹⁹Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” ²⁰So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her. [15 aLit brother 17 bLit beautiful of appearance]

Laban’s Treachery

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my atime is completed, that I may go in to her.” ²²Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. ²³Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. ²⁴Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. ²⁵So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?” ²⁶But Laban said, “It is not bthe practice in our place to cmarry off the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.” ²⁸Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ²⁹Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid. ³⁰So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with dLaban for another seven years. [21 aLit days are 26 bLit done thus in cLit give 30 dLit him]

31 Now the LORD saw that Leah was aunloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. ³²Leah conceived and bore a son and named him bReuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has cseen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” ³³Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Because the LORD has dheard that I am aunloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. ³⁴She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will become eattached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi. ³⁵And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will fpraise the LORD.” Therefore she named him gJudah. Then she stopped bearing. [31 aLit hated 32 bI.e. see, a son cLit looked upon 33 dHeb shama, related to Simeon 34 eHeb lavah, related to Levi 35 fHeb Jadah, related to Judah gHeb Jehudah]

GENESIS 30 [Books]

The Sons of Jacob

1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, ashe became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die.” ²Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” ³She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that bthrough her I too may have children.” ⁴So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. ⁵Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. ⁶Then Rachel said, “God has cvindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him dDan. ⁷Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸So Rachel said, “With emighty wrestlings I have fwrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali. [1 aLit Rachel 3 bLit from her I too may be built 6 cLit judged dI.e. He judged 8 eLit wrestlings of God fHeb niphtal, related to Naphtali]

9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. ¹⁰Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹Then Leah said, “aHow fortunate!” So she named him bGad. ¹²Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³Then Leah said, “cHappy am I! For women will call me happy.” So she named him dAsher. [11 aLit With fortune! Some versions read Fortune has come bI.e. Fortune 13 cLit With my happiness! dI.e. happy]

14 Now in the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” ¹⁵But she said to her, “Is it a small matter for you to take my husband? And would you take my son’s mandrakes also?” So Rachel said, “Therefore he may lie with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” ¹⁶When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, then Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. ¹⁷God gave heed to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. ¹⁸Then Leah said, “God has given me my awages because I gave my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. ¹⁹Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. ²⁰Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; now my husband bwill dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. ²¹Afterward she bore a daughter and named her Dinah. [18 aHeb sachar, related to Issachar 20 bHeb zabal, related to Zebulun. Some translate will honor]

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. ²³So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” ²⁴She named him Joseph, saying, “May the LORD agive me another son.” [24 aLit add to me; Heb Joseph]

Jacob Prospers

25 Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. ²⁶Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have arendered you.” ²⁷But Laban said to him, “If now bit pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account.” ²⁸He ccontinued, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.” ²⁹But he said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you and how your cattle have dfared with me. ³⁰For you had little before eI came and it has fincreased to a multitude, and the LORD has blessed you gwherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?” ³¹So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock: ³²let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted sheep and every black hone among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. ³³So my ihonesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my jwages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.” ³⁴Laban said, “kGood, let it be according to your word.” ³⁵So he removed on that day the striped and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, every one with white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the lcare of his sons. ³⁶And he put a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks. [26 aLit served 27 bLit I have found favor in your eyes 28 cLit said 29 dLit been 30 eLit me fLit broken forth gLit at my foot 32 hLit sheep 33 iLit righteousness jLit wages which are before you 34 kLit Behold, would that it might be 35 lLit hand]

37 Then Jacob atook fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was bin the rods. ³⁸He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the gutters, even in the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink; and they cmated when they came to drink. ³⁹So the flocks cmated by the rods, and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. ⁴⁰Jacob separated the lambs, and dmade the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. ⁴¹Moreover, whenever the estronger of the flock cwere mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might fmate by the rods; ⁴²but when the flock was feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the estronger Jacob’s. ⁴³So the man gbecame exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys. [37 aLit took to himself bLit on 38 cOr conceived 40 dLit set the faces 41 eLit bound ones; i.e. firm and compact fOr conceive 43 gLit broke forth]

GENESIS 31 [Books]

Jacob Leaves Secretly for Canaan

1 Now aJacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this bwealth.” ²Jacob saw the cattitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. ³Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” ⁴So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, ⁵and said to them, “I see your father’s cattitude, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but the God of my father has been with me. ⁶You know that I have served your father with all my strength. ⁷Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me. ⁸If he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth striped. ⁹Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. ¹⁰And it came about at the time when the flock were dmating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were emating were striped, speckled, and mottled. ¹¹Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ ¹²He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are emating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. ¹³I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, fleave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’ ” ¹⁴Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? ¹⁵Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also gentirely consumed hour purchase price. ¹⁶Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.” [1 aLit he bLit glory 2 cLit face 10 dOr conceiving eLit leaping upon the flock 13 fLit go out from 15 gI.e. enjoyed the benefit of hLit our money]

17 Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; ¹⁸and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. ¹⁹When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the ahousehold idols that were her father’s. ²⁰And Jacob bdeceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. ²¹So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead. [19 aHeb teraphim 20 bLit stole the heart of]

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, ²³then he took his akinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. ²⁴God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “bBe careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.” [23 aLit brothers 24 bLit Take heed to yourself]

25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his akinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. ²⁶Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done bby deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? ²⁷Why did you flee secretly and cdeceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre; ²⁸and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. ²⁹It is in dmy power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘eBe careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ ³⁰Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?” ³¹Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. ³²The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our akinsmen fpoint out what is yours gamong my belongings and take it for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. [25 aLit brothers 26 bLit and you have stolen my heart 27 cLit steal me 29 dLit the power of my hand eLit Take heed to yourself 32 fLit recognize gLit with me]

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. ³⁴Now Rachel had taken the ahousehold idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. ³⁵She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the ahousehold idols. [34 aHeb teraphim]

36 Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? ³⁷Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my akinsmen and your akinsmen, that they may decide between us two. ³⁸These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. ³⁹That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. ⁴⁰Thus I was: by day the bheat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. ⁴¹These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. ⁴²If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” [37 aLit brothers 40 bOr drought]

The Covenant of Mizpah

43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? ⁴⁴So now come, let us make a covenant, ayou and I, and let it be a witness between byou and me.” ⁴⁵Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. ⁴⁶Jacob said to his ckinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. ⁴⁷Now Laban called it dJegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it eGaleed. ⁴⁸Laban said, “This heap is a witness between byou and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, ⁴⁹and fMizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between byou and me when we are gabsent one from the other. ⁵⁰If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, God is witness between byou and me.” ⁵¹Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between byou and me. ⁵²This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. ⁵³The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. ⁵⁴Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his ckinsmen to hthe meal; and they ate ithe meal and spent the night on the mountain. ⁵⁵jEarly in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place. [44 aLit I and you bLit me and you 46 cLit brothers 47 dI.e. the heap of witness, in Aram eI.e. the heap of witness, in Heb 49 fLit the Mizpah; i.e. the watchtower gLit hidden 54 hLit eat bread iLit bread 55 jCh 32:1 in Heb]

GENESIS 32 [Books]

Jacob’s Fear of Esau

1 Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. ²Jacob said when he saw them, “This is God’s acamp.” So he named that place bMahanaim. [2 aOr company bI.e. Two Camps, or Two Companies]

3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the acountry of Edom. ⁴He also commanded them saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; ⁵I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ” [3 aLit field]

6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” ⁷Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; ⁸for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and aattacks it, then the company which is left will escape.” [8 aLit smites]

9 Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will aprosper you,’ ¹⁰bI am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the cfaithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. ¹¹Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and dattack me and the mothers with the children. ¹²For You said, ‘I will surely eprosper you and make your fdescendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’ ” [9 aLit do good with you 10 bLit I am less than all cOr truth 11 dLit smite 12 eLit do good with fLit seed]

13 So he spent the night there. Then he aselected from what bhe had with him a present for his brother Esau: 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. ¹⁶He delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on before me, and put a space between droves.” ¹⁷He commanded the cone in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’ ¹⁸then you shall say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.’ ” ¹⁹Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the droves, saying, “After this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; ²⁰and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” ²¹So the present passed on before him, while he himself spent that night in the camp. [13 aLit took bLit had come to his hand 17 cLit first]

22 Now he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ²³He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had.

Jacob Wrestles

²⁴Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. ²⁵When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. ²⁶Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ²⁷So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” ²⁸He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but aIsrael; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” ²⁹Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. ³⁰So Jacob named the place bPeniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my clife has been preserved.” ³¹Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. ³²Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip. [28 aI.e. he who strives with God; or God strives 30 bI.e. the face of God cLit soul]

GENESIS 33 [Books]

Jacob Meets Esau

1 Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children aamong Leah and Rachel and the two maids. ²He put the maids and their children bin front, and Leah and her children cnext, and Rachel and Joseph clast. ³But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. [1 aOr to 2 bLit first cLit behind]

4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. ⁵He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “aWho are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” ⁶Then the maids came near bwith their children, and they bowed down. ⁷Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down. ⁸And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” ⁹But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” ¹⁰Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, cfor I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. ¹¹Please take my dgift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have eplenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it. [5 aOr What relation are these to you? 6 bLit they and 10 cLit for therefore I have seen your face like seeing God’s face 11 dLit blessing eLit all]

12 Then aEsau said, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.” ¹³But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are ba care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die. ¹⁴Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.” [12 aLit he 13 bLit upon me]

15 Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “aWhat need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” ¹⁶So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. ¹⁷Jacob journeyed to bSuccoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth. [15 aLit Why this? 17 bI.e. booths]

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. ¹⁹He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred apieces of money. ²⁰Then he erected there an altar and called it bEl-Elohe-Israel. [19 aHeb qesitah 20 bI.e. God, the God of Israel]

GENESIS 34 [Books]

The Treachery of Jacob’s Sons

1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to avisit the daughters of the land. ²When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her bby force. ³cHe was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and dspoke tenderly to her. ⁴So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young girl for a wife.” ⁵Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob kept silent until they came in. ⁶Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. ⁷Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a edisgraceful thing in Israel fby lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done. [1 aLit see 2 bLit and humbled her 3 cLit His soul clung dLit spoke to the heart of the girl 7 eLit senseless fLit to lie]

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him ain marriage. ⁹Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. ¹⁰Thus you shall blive with us, and the land shall be open before you; blive and trade in it and acquire property in it.” ¹¹Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me. ¹²Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl ain marriage.” [8 aLit for a wife 10 bLit dwell]

13 But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. ¹⁴They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. ¹⁵Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you be circumcised, ¹⁶then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will alive with you and become one people. ¹⁷But if you will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.” [16 aLit dwell]

18 Now their words seemed areasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. ¹⁹The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. ²⁰So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, ²¹“These men are bfriendly with us; therefore let them clive in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is dlarge enough for them. Let us take their daughters ein marriage, and give our daughters to them. ²²Only on this condition will the men consent to us to clive with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. ²³Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will clive with us.” ²⁴All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. [18 aLit good 21 bLit peaceful cLit dwell dLit wide of hands before them eLit to us for wives]

25 Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male. ²⁶They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth. ²⁷Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. ²⁸They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; ²⁹and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was in the houses. ³⁰Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and amy men being few in number, they will gather together against me and battack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.” ³¹But they said, “Should he ctreat our sister as a harlot?” [30 aLit I, few in number bLit smite 31 cOr make]

GENESIS 35 [Books]

Jacob Moves to Bethel

1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and alive there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled bfrom your brother Esau.” ²So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; ³and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me cwherever I have gone.” ⁴So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which dthey had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the eoak which was near Shechem. [1 aLit dwell bLit from the face of 3 cLit in the way which 4 dLit were in their hand eOr terebinth]

5 As they journeyed, there was aa great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. ⁶So Jacob came to 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 bEl-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled cfrom his brother. ⁸Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named dAllon-bacuth. [5 aOr a terror of God 7 bI.e. the God of Bethel cLit from the face of 8 dI.e. oak of weeping]

Jacob Is Named Israel

9 Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. ¹⁰God said to him,

“Your name is Jacob;

aYou shall no longer be called Jacob,

But Israel shall be your name.”

Thus He called bhim Israel. ¹¹God also said to him,

“I am cGod Almighty;

Be fruitful and multiply;

A nation and a company of nations shall dcome from you,

And kings shall dcome forth from eyou. [10 aLit Your name bLit his name 11 cHeb El Shaddai dOr come into being eLit your loins]

¹²“The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,

I will give it to you,

And I will give the land to your adescendants after you.”

¹³Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. ¹⁴Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. ¹⁵So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, bBethel. [12 aLit seed 15 bI.e. the house of God]

16 Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she asuffered severe labor. ¹⁷When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for now you have another son.” ¹⁸It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him bBen-oni; but his father called him cBenjamin. ¹⁹So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ²⁰Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. ²¹Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the dtower of eEder. [16 aLit had difficulty in her giving birth 18 bI.e. the son of my sorrow cI.e. the son of the right hand 21 dHeb Migdal-eder eOr flock]

22 It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

The Sons of Israel

Now there were twelve sons of Jacob— ²³the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun; ²⁴the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; ²⁵and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali; ²⁶and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.

28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. ²⁹Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man aof ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. [29 aLit and satisfied with days]

GENESIS 36 [Books]

Esau Moves

1 Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).

2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite; ³also Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. ⁴Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel, ⁵and Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6 Then Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all ahis household, and his livestock and all his cattle and all his goods which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. ⁷For their property had become too great for them to blive together, and the land where they sojourned could not sustain them because of their livestock. ⁸So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom. [6 aLit the souls of his house 7 bLit dwell]

Descendants of Esau

9 These then are the records of the generations of Esau the father of athe Edomites in the hill country of Seir. ¹⁰These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Esau’s wife Adah, Reuel the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. ¹¹The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, bZepho and Gatam and Kenaz. ¹²Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the sons of Esau’s wife Adah. ¹³These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath. ¹⁴These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and the cgranddaughter of Zibeon: dshe bore to Esau, Jeush and Jalam and Korah. [9 aLit Edom 11 bIn 1 Chr 1:36, Zephi 14 cGr son dLit and she]

15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, ¹⁶chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These are the chiefs adescended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. ¹⁷These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs bdescended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath. ¹⁸These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These are the chiefs cdescended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. ¹⁹These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs. [16 aLit of Eliphaz 17 bLit of Reuel 18 cLit of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife]

20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah, ²¹and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan. These are the chiefs adescended from the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. ²²The sons of Lotan were Hori and bHemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. ²³These are the sons of Shobal: cAlvan and Manahath and Ebal, dShepho and Onam. ²⁴These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah—he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon. ²⁵These are the children of Anah: Dishon, and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. ²⁶These are the sons of eDishon: fHemdan and Eshban and Ithran and Cheran. ²⁷These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan and Zaavan and gAkan. ²⁸These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. ²⁹These are the chiefs adescended from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, ³⁰chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These are the chiefs adescended from the Horites, according to their various chiefs in the land of Seir. [21 aLit of the Horites 22 bIn 1 Chr 1:39, Homam 23 cIn 1 Chr 1:40, Alian dIn 1 Chr 1:40, Shephi 26 eHeb Dishan fIn 1 Chr 1:41, Hamran 27 gIn 1 Chr 1:42, Jaakan]

31 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the sons of Israel. ³²aBela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. ³³Then Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place. ³⁴Then Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place. ³⁵Then Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who bdefeated Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. ³⁶Then Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place. ³⁷Then Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River became king in his place. ³⁸Then Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor became king in his place. ³⁹Then Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and cHadar became king in his place; and the name of his city was dPau; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab. [32 aLit And Bela 35 bOr smote 39 cIn 1 Chr 1:50, Hadad dIn 1 Chr 1:50, Pai]

40 Now these are the names of the chiefs adescended from Esau, according to their families and their localities, by their names: chief Timna, chief bAlvah, chief Jetheth, ⁴¹chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, ⁴²chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, ⁴³chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of cthe Edomites), according to their habitations in the land of their possession. [40 aLit of Esau bIn 1 Chr 1:51, Aliah 43 cHeb Edom]

GENESIS 37 [Books]

Joseph’s Dream

1 Now Jacob lived in the land awhere his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. ²These are the records of the generations of Jacob. [1 aLit of his father’s sojournings]

Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. ³Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a avaricolored tunic. ⁴His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him bon friendly terms. [3 aOr full-length robe 4 bLit in peace]

5 Then Joseph ahad a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. ⁶He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have ahad; ⁷for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.” ⁸Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. [5 aLit dreamed]

9 Now he ahad still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have ahad still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” ¹⁰He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have ahad? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?” ¹¹His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. [9 aLit dreamed]

12 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. ¹³Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “aI will go.” ¹⁴Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. [13 aLit Behold me]

15 A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “aWhat are you looking for?” ¹⁶He said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.” ¹⁷Then the man said, “They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. [15 aLit saying, “What...?”]

The Plot against Joseph

18 aWhen they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. ¹⁹They said to one another, “bHere comes this dreamer! ²⁰Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” ²¹But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not ctake his life.” ²²Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father. ²³So it came about, when Joseph dreached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his etunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; ²⁴and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. [18 aOr And 19 bLit Behold, this master of dreams comes 21 cLit smite his soul 23 dLit came to eOr full-length robe]

25 Then they sat down to eat aa meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing baromatic gum and cbalm and dmyrrh, eon their way to bring them down to Egypt. ²⁶Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. ²⁸Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold fhim to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. [25 aLit bread bOr ladanum spice cOr mastic dOr resinous bark eLit going 28 fLit Joseph]

29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. ³⁰He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?” ³¹So they took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood; ³²and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please aexamine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” ³³Then he bexamined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” ³⁴So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. ³⁵Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. ³⁶Meanwhile, the cMidianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard. [32 aOr recognize 33 bOr recognized 36 cLit Medanites]

GENESIS 38 [Books]

Judah and Tamar

1 And it came about at that time, that Judah adeparted from his brothers and bvisited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. ²Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her. ³So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er. ⁴Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan. ⁵She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib cthat she bore him. [1 aLit went down bLit turned aside to 5 cLit when]

6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. ⁷But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life. ⁸Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up aoffspring for your brother.” ⁹Onan knew that the aoffspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he bwasted his seed on the ground in order not to give aoffspring to his brother. ¹⁰But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also. ¹¹Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he cthought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house. [8 aLit seed 9 bLit spilled on the ground 11 cLit said]

12 Now aafter a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when bthe time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. ¹³It was told to Tamar, “cBehold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” ¹⁴So she dremoved her widow’s garments and covered herself with a eveil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of fEnaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife. ¹⁵When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face. ¹⁶So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “gHere now, let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” ¹⁷He said, therefore, “I will send you a hyoung goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?” ¹⁸He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. ¹⁹Then she arose and departed, and dremoved her eveil and put on her widow’s garments. [12 aLit the days became many and bLit Judah was comforted, he 13 cLit saying, Behold 14 dLit removed from herself eOr shawl fIn Josh 15:34, Enam 16 gOr Come, now 17 hLit kid of goats]

20 When Judah sent the ayoung goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. ²¹He asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.” ²²So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.’ ” ²³Then Judah said, “Let her bkeep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. cAfter all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.” [20 aLit kid of goats by the hand of 23 bLit take for herself cLit Behold]

24 Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, “aYour daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” ²⁵It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.” And she said, “Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?” ²⁶Judah recognized them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not bhave relations with her again. [24 aLit saying, Your 26 bLit know her yet again]

27 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. ²⁸Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” ²⁹But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named aPerez. ³⁰Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named bZerah. [29 aI.e. a breach 30 bI.e. a dawning or brightness]

GENESIS 39 [Books]

Joseph’s Success in Egypt

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him afrom the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. ²The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a bsuccessful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. ³Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. ⁴So Joseph found favor in his sight and cbecame his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his dcharge. ⁵It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD’S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. ⁶So he left everything he owned in Joseph’s dcharge; and with him there he did not econcern himself with anything except the ffood which he gate. [1 aLit from the hand of 2 bOr prosperous 4 cOr ministered to him dLit hand 6 eLit know fLit bread gOr used to eat]

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. ⁷It came about after these events that his master’s wife alooked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” ⁸But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master bdoes not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my ccharge. ⁹dThere is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” ¹⁰As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. ¹¹Now it happened eone day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside. ¹²She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside. ¹³fWhen she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, ¹⁴she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought in a gHebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I hscreamed. ¹⁵When he heard that I raised my voice and iscreamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.” ¹⁶So she jleft his garment beside her until his master came home. ¹⁷Then she spoke to him kwith these words, “lThe Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; ¹⁸and as I raised my voice and mscreamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.” [7 aLit lifted up her eyes at 8 bLit does not know what is in the house cLit hand 9 dOr He is not greater 11 eLit about this day 13 fLit And it came about when 14 gLit Hebrew man hLit called with a great voice 15 iLit called out 16 jLit let...lie beside 17 kLit according to lLit saying, “The 18 mLit called out]

Joseph Imprisoned

19 Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “aThis is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned. ²⁰So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. ²¹But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. ²²The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s bcharge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was cresponsible for it. ²³The chief jailer did not supervise anything under dJoseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper. [19 aLit According to these things your slave 22 bLit hand cLit the doer 23 dLit his hand]

GENESIS 40 [Books]

Joseph Interprets a Dream

1 Then it came about after these things, the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. ²Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. ³So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned. ⁴The captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them, and he atook care of them; and they were in confinement for bsome time. ⁵Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation. ⁶cWhen Joseph came to them in the morning and observed them, dbehold, they were dejected. ⁷He asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “eWhy are your faces so sad today?” ⁸Then they said to him, “We have fhad a dream and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.” [4 aLit ministered to bLit days 6 cOr And dLit and behold 7 eLit saying, Why 8 fLit dreamed]

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, abehold, there was a vine in front of me; ¹⁰and on the vine were three branches. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. ¹¹Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I put the cup into Pharaoh’s bhand.” ¹²Then Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; ¹³within three more days Pharaoh will clift up your head and restore you to your doffice; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according to your former custom when you were his cupbearer. ¹⁴Only ekeep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness fby mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house. ¹⁵For I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the gdungeon.” [9 aLit and behold 11 bLit palm 13 cOr possibly forgive you dLit place 14 eLit remember me with yourself fLit and mention 15 gOr pit]

16 When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; ¹⁷and in the top basket there were some of all asorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” ¹⁸Then Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; ¹⁹within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.” [17 aLit food for Pharaoh made by a baker]

20 Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. ²¹He restored the chief cupbearer to his aoffice, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s bhand; ²²but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. ²³Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. [21 aLit wine-pouring bLit palm]

GENESIS 41 [Books]

Pharaoh’s Dream

1 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. ²And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and afat; and they grazed in the marsh grass. ³Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and bgaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. ⁴The ugly and bgaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. ⁵He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. ⁶Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. ⁷The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. ⁸Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the cmagicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his ddreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh. [2 aLit fat of flesh 3 bLit lean of flesh 8 cOr soothsayer priests dLit dream]

9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of my own aoffenses. ¹⁰Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. ¹¹We had a dream bon the same night, che and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. ¹²Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. ¹³And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my doffice, but he hanged him.” [9 aOr sins 11 bLit one night cLit I and he 13 dLit place]

Joseph Interprets

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard ait said about you, that bwhen you hear a dream you can interpret it.” ¹⁶Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “cIt is not in me; God will dgive Pharaoh a favorable answer.” ¹⁷So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile; ¹⁸and behold, seven cows, efat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass. ¹⁹Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and fgaunt, such as I had never seen for gugliness in all the land of Egypt; ²⁰and the lean and hugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. ²¹Yet when they had idevoured them, it could not be jdetected that they had kdevoured them, lfor they were just as ugly as mbefore. Then I awoke. ²²I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk; ²³and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them; ²⁴and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then I told it to the nmagicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” [15 aLit about you, saying bLit you hear a dream to interpret it 16 cLit Apart from me dLit answer the peace of Pharaoh 18 eLit fat of flesh 19 fLit lean of flesh gLit badness 20 hLit bad 21 iLit entered their inward parts jOr known kLit entered their inward parts lLit and mLit in the beginning 24 nOr soothsayer priests]

25 Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s adreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do. ²⁶The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the adreams are one and the same. ²⁷The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. ²⁸bIt is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. ²⁹Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; ³⁰and after them seven years of famine will ccome, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will dravage the land. ³¹So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. ³²Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about. ³³Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers ein charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. ³⁵Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it. ³⁶Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.” [25 aLit dream is 28 bLit That is the thing which I spoke 30 cLit arise dLit destroy 34 eLit over]

37 Now the aproposal seemed good bto Pharaoh and bto all his servants. [37 aLit word bLit in the sight of]

Joseph Is Made a Ruler of Egypt

³⁸Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” ³⁹So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. ⁴⁰You shall be over my house, and according to your acommand all my people shall bdo homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” ⁴¹Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” ⁴²Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. ⁴³He had him ride in chis second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, “dBow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁴Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without eyour permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” ⁴⁵Then Pharaoh named Joseph fZaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of gOn, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt. [40 aLit mouth bLit kiss 43 cLit the second...which was his dHeb Abreck: Attention or Make way 44 eLit you no one 45 fProbably Egyptian for “God speaks; he lives” gOr Heliopolis]

46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he astood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁷During the seven years of plenty the land brought forth babundantly. ⁴⁸So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields. ⁴⁹Thus Joseph stored up grain cin great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped dmeasuring it, for it was ebeyond measure. [46 aOr entered the service of 47 bLit by handfuls 49 cLit very much dLit numbering eOr without number]

The Sons of Joseph

50 Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of aOn, bore to him. ⁵¹Joseph named the firstborn bManasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” ⁵²He named the second cEphraim, “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” [50 aOr Heliopolis 51 bI.e. making to forget 52 cI.e. fruitfulness]

53 When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” ⁵⁶When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all athe storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth. [56 aLit that which was in them]

GENESIS 42 [Books]

Joseph’s Brothers Sent to Egypt

1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” ²He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us afrom that place, so that we may live and not die.” ³Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt. ⁴But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm may befall him.” ⁵So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also. [2 aLit from there]

6 Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. ⁷When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. ⁹Joseph remembered the dreams which he ahad about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the bundefended parts of our land.” ¹⁰Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. ¹¹We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” ¹²Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the bundefended parts of our land!” ¹³But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.” ¹⁴Joseph said to them, “It is as I said cto you, you are spies; ¹⁵by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! ¹⁶Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” ¹⁷So he put them all together in prison for three days. [9 aLit had dreamed bLit nakedness of the land 14 cLit to you, saying]

18 Now Joseph 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 ayour prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, ²⁰and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. ²¹Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” ²²Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell byou, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? cNow comes the reckoning for his blood.” ²³They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them. ²⁴He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. ²⁵Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them. [19 aLit the house of your prison 22 bLit you saying cLit And behold, his blood also is required]

26 So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there. ²⁷As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. ²⁸Then he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts asank, and they turned btrembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?” [28 aLit went out bLit trembled]

Simeon Is Held Hostage

29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, ³⁰“The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country. ³¹But we 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 with our father today 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 and take grain for the famine of your households, and go. ³⁴But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but ahonest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’ ” [34 aLit you are honest]

35 Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed. ³⁶Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.” ³⁷Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my acare, and I will return him to you.” ³⁸But bJacob said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey cyou are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.” [37 aLit hand 38 bLit he cLit on which you are going]

GENESIS 43 [Books]

The Return to Egypt

1 Now the famine was severe in the land. ²So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” ³Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “The man solemnly warned aus, ‘You shall 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.’ ” ⁶Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly bby telling the man whether you still had another brother?” ⁷But they said, “The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we canswered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” ⁸Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. ⁹I myself will be surety for him; dyou may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then elet me bear the blame before you forever. ¹⁰For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.” [3 aLit us, saying 6 bLit to tell 7 cLit told him according to these words 9 dLit from my hand you may require him eLit I shall have sinned before you all the days]

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your abags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little bbalm and a little honey, caromatic gum and dmyrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. ¹²Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. ¹³Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; ¹⁴and may eGod Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” ¹⁵So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. [11 aOr vessels bOr mastic cOr ladanum spice dOr resinous bark 14 eHeb El Shaddai]

Joseph Sees Benjamin

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon.” ¹⁷So the man did as Joseph said, and abrought the men to Joseph’s house. ¹⁸Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may bseek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys.” ¹⁹So they came near to Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, ²⁰and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, ²¹and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in cfull. So we have brought it back in our hand. ²²We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.” ²³He said, “dBe at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; eI had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder. ²⁵So they prepared the present ffor Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat ga meal there. [17 aLit the man brought 18 bLit roll himself upon us 21 cLit its weight 23 dLit Peace be to you eLit your money had come to me 25 fLit until gLit bread]

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him. ²⁷Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, “Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” ²⁸They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” They bowed down ain homage. ²⁹As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ³⁰Joseph hurried out for bhe was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there. ³¹Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, “cServe the meal.” ³²So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is dloathsome to the Egyptians. ³³Now they ewere seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. ³⁴He took portions to them from fhis own table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him. [28 aLit and prostrated themselves 30 bLit his compassion grew warm 31 cLit Set on bread 32 dLit an abomination 33 eLit sat 34 fLit his face]

GENESIS 44 [Books]

The Brothers Are Brought Back

1 Then he commanded his house steward, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. ²Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did aas Joseph had told him. ³bAs soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. ⁴They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? ⁵Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.’ ” [2 aOr according to the word 3 bLit The morning was light]

6 So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. ⁷They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. ⁸Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? ⁹With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” ¹⁰So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” ¹¹Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. ¹²He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. ¹³Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. ¹⁵Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?” ¹⁶So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose apossession the cup has been found.” ¹⁷But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose apossession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.” [16 aLit hand]

18 Then Judah approached him, and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and ado not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh. ¹⁹My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ ²⁰We said to my lord, ‘We have an old father and a little child of his old age. Now his brother is dead, so 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 set my eyes on him.’ ²²But we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, bhis father would die.’ ²³You said to your servants, however, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ ²⁴Thus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. ²⁵Our father said, ‘Go back, buy us a little food.’ ²⁶But we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot 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; ²⁸and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces,” and I have not seen him since. ²⁹If you take this one also from cme, and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in dsorrow.’ ³⁰Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since ehis life is bound up in the lad’s life, ³¹when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. ³²For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then flet me bear the blame before my father forever.’ ³³Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. ³⁴For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would govertake my father?” [18 aLit let not your anger burn against 22 bLit he would 29 cLit my face dLit evil 30 eLit his soul is bound with his soul 32 fLit and I shall have sinned for all the days before my father 34 gLit find]

GENESIS 45 [Books]

Joseph Deals Kindly with His Brothers

1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there awas no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ²He bwept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. ³Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. [1 aLit stood 2 bLit gave forth his voice in weeping]

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come acloser to me.” And they came acloser. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵Now do not be grieved or angry bwith yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ⁷God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great cdeliverance. ⁸Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall dlive in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. ¹¹There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.” ’ ¹²Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. ¹³Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” ¹⁴Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. ¹⁵He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him. [4 aLit near 5 bLit in your eyes 7 cLit escaped company 10 dLit dwell]

16 Now when the anews was heard in Pharaoh’s house bthat Joseph’s brothers had come, it cpleased Pharaoh and his servants. ¹⁷Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and dgo to the land of Canaan, ¹⁸and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the ebest of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.’ ¹⁹Now you are ordered, ‘Do this: ftake wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. ²⁰Do not gconcern yourselves with your goods, for the ebest of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ” [16 aLit voice bLit saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come” cLit was good in the eyes of 17 dLit come, go 18 eLit good 19 fLit take for yourselves 20 gLit let your eye look with regret upon your vessels]

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the acommand of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. ²²To beach of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. ²³To his father he sent cas follows: ten donkeys loaded with the dbest things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father eon the journey. [21 aLit mouth 22 bLit all of them he gave each man 23 cLit like this dLit good eLit for]

24 So he sent his brothers away, and aas they departed, he said to them, “Do not bquarrel on the journey.” ²⁵Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. ²⁶They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But che was stunned, for he did not believe them. ²⁷When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. ²⁸Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” [24 aLit they departed; and he said bLit be agitated 26 cLit his heart grew numb]

GENESIS 46 [Books]

Jacob Moves to Egypt

1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. ²God spoke to Israel ain visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” ³He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. ⁴I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will bclose your eyes.” [2 aLit in the visions 4 bLit put his hand on]

5 Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. ⁶They took their livestock and their property, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his adescendants with him: ⁷his sons and his grandsons with him, his daughters and his granddaughters, and all his adescendants he brought with him to Egypt. [6 aLit seed]

Those Who Came to Egypt

8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. ⁹The sons of Reuben: Hanoch and Pallu and Hezron and Carmi. ¹⁰The sons of Simeon: aJemuel and Jamin and Ohad and bJachin and cZohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ¹¹The sons of Levi: dGershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹²The sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah and Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. ¹³The sons of Issachar: Tola and ePuvvah and fIob and Shimron. ¹⁴The sons of Zebulun: Sered and Elon and Jahleel. ¹⁵These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah; gall his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three. ¹⁶The sons of Gad: hZiphion and Haggi, Shuni and iEzbon, Eri and jArodi and Areli. ¹⁷The sons of Asher: Imnah and Ishvah and Ishvi and Beriah and their sister Serah. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. ¹⁸These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and she bore to Jacob these sixteen persons. ¹⁹The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁰Now to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. ²¹The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, kEhi and Rosh, lMuppim and mHuppim and Ard. ²²These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; there were fourteen persons in all. ²³The sons of Dan: nHushim. ²⁴The sons of Naphtali: oJahzeel and Guni and Jezer and pShillem. ²⁵These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob; there were seven persons in all. ²⁶All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, qhis direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, ²⁷and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were rtwo; all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy. [10 aIn Num 26:12 and 1 Chr 4:24, Nemuel bIn 1 Chr 4:24, Jarib cIn Num 26:13 and 1 Chr 4:24, Zerah 11 dIn 1 Chr 6:16, Gershom 13 eIn Num 26:23, Puvah; in 1 Chr 7:1, Puah fIn Num 26:24 and 1 Chr 7:1, Jashub 15 gLit all the souls of 16 hIn Num 26:15, Zephon iIn Num 26:16, Ozni jIn Num 26:17, Arod 21 kIn Num 26:38, Ahiram lIn Num 26:39, Shephupham; in 1 Chr 7:12, Shuppim mIn Num 26:39, Hupham 23 nIn Num 26:42, Shuham 24 oIn 1 Chr 7:13, Jahziel pIn 1 Chr 7:13, Shallum 26 qLit who came out of his loins 27 rLit two souls]

28 Now he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out the way before him to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. ²⁹Joseph aprepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared bbefore him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. ³⁰Then Israel 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 household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; ³²and the men are shepherds, for they have been ckeepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ ³³When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ ³⁴you shall say, ‘Your servants have been ckeepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ that you may dlive in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is eloathsome to the Egyptians.” [29 aLit tied, harnessed bLit to 32 cLit men 34 dLit dwell eLit an abomination]

GENESIS 47 [Books]

Jacob’s Family Settles in Goshen

1 Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” ²He took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. ³Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” So they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.” ⁴They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, therefore, please let your servants alive in the land of Goshen.” ⁵Then Pharaoh said to bJoseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. ⁶The land of Egypt is cat your disposal; dsettle your father and your brothers in the best of the land, let them alive in the land of Goshen; and if you know any capable men among them, then eput them in charge of my livestock.” [4 aLit dwell 5 bLit Joseph, saying 6 cLit before you dLit cause them to dwell eLit appoint them rulers]

7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and apresented him to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. ⁸Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many byears have you lived?” ⁹So Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The cyears of my sojourning are one hundred and dthirty; few and eunpleasant have been the cyears of my life, nor have they fattained the cyears gthat my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning.” ¹⁰And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from hhis presence. ¹¹So Joseph isettled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered. ¹²Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with jfood, according to their little ones. [7 aLit set him before 8 bLit are the days of the years of your life 9 cLit days of the years dLit thirty years eLit evil fLit reached gLit of the life of my fathers 10 hLit Pharaoh’s 11 iLit caused to dwell 12 jOr bread]

13 Now there was no afood in all the land, because the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. ¹⁴Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁵When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph band said, “Give us afood, for why should we die in your presence? For our money cis gone.” ¹⁶Then Joseph said, “Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, since your money cis gone.” ¹⁷So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them afood in exchange for the horses and the dflocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he efed them with afood in exchange for all their livestock fthat year. ¹⁸When that year was ended, they came to him the gnext year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent, and the hcattle are my lord’s. There is nothing left ifor my lord except our bodies and our lands. ¹⁹Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for afood, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.” [13 aOr bread 15 bLit saying cLit ceases 17 dLit livestock of the flocks and livestock of the herds eLit led them as a shepherd fLit in that year 18 gLit second hLit livestock of the cattle iLit in the presence of]

Result of the Famine

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for aevery Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. Thus the land became Pharaoh’s. ²¹As for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other. ²²Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they blived off the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land. ²³Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land. ²⁴cAt the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and dfour-fifths shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” ²⁵So they said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ²⁶Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt valid to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the priests edid not become Pharaoh’s. [20 aLit Egypt, every man 22 bLit ate their allotment 24 cLit It shall come about...that you shall dLit four parts 26 eLit alone did]

27 Now Israel alived in the land of Egypt, in bGoshen, and they acquired property in it and were fruitful and became very numerous. ²⁸Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the clength of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. [27 aLit dwelt bLit in the land of Goshen 28 cLit days of Jacob, the years of his life]

29 When athe time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and bfaithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” ³¹He said, “Swear to me.” So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed. [29 aLit the days of Israel to die drew near bLit truth]

GENESIS 48 [Books]

Israel’s Last Days

1 Now it came about after these things that aJoseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. ²When bit was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel ccollected his strength and sat dup in the bed. ³Then Jacob said to Joseph, “eGod Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, ⁴and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your fdescendants after you for an everlasting possession.’ ⁵Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. ⁶But your offspring that ghave been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the hnames of their brothers in their inheritance. ⁷Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, ito my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” [1 aLit one said to Joseph 2 bLit one told Jacob and said cLit strengthened himself dLit upon the bed 3 eHeb El Shaddai 4 fLit seed 6 gLit you have begotten hLit name 7 iLit upon me]

8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” ⁹Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.” ¹⁰Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then aJoseph brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. ¹¹Israel said to Joseph, “I never bexpected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your cchildren as well.” ¹²Then Joseph dtook them from his knees, and bowed with his face to the ground. ¹³Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. ¹⁴But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, ecrossing his hands, falthough Manasseh was the firstborn. ¹⁵He blessed Joseph, and said,

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

The God who has been my shepherd gall my life to this day, [10 aLit he 11 bLit meditated, judged cLit seed 12 dLit made them come out 14 eOr consciously directing fLit when 15 gLit from the continuance of me]

¹⁶The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,

Bless the lads;

And may my name alive on in them,

And the bnames of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” [aLit be called bLit name]

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” ¹⁹But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his adescendants shall become a bmultitude of nations.” ²⁰He blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’ ”

Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ²¹Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. ²²I give you one cportion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.” [19 aLit seed bLit fullness 22 cOr ridge; lit shoulder; Heb Shechem]

GENESIS 49 [Books]

Israel’s Prophecy concerning His Sons

1 Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the adays to come. [1 aLit end of the days]

²“Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob;

And listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn;

My might and the beginning of my strength,

aPreeminent in dignity and apreeminent in power. [aLit preeminence]

⁴“aUncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,

Because you went up to your father’s bed;

Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch. [aOr Boiling over; lit Recklessness]

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;

Their swords are implements of violence.

⁶“Let my soul not enter into their council;

Let not my glory be united with their assembly;

Because in their anger they slew amen,

And in their self-will they lamed boxen. [aLit a man bLit an ox]

⁷“Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;

And their wrath, for it is cruel.

I will adisperse them in Jacob,

And scatter them in Israel. [aLit divide]

8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.

⁹“Judah is a lion’s whelp;

From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He acouches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a blion, who cdares rouse him up? [aLit bows down bOr lioness cLit shall]

¹⁰“The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

aUntil Shiloh comes,

And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. [aOr Until he comes to Shiloh; or Until he comes to whom it belongs]

¹¹“aHe ties his foal to the vine,

And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine;

He washes his garments in wine,

And his robes in the blood of grapes. [aLit Binding of]

¹²“His eyes are adull from wine,

And his teeth bwhite from milk. [aOr darker than bOr whiter than]

13 “Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;

And he shall be aa haven for ships,

And his flank shall be toward Sidon. [aLit for a shore of ships]

14 “Issachar is aa strong donkey,

Lying down between the bsheepfolds. [aLit a donkey of bone bOr saddlebags]

¹⁵“When he saw that a resting place was good

And that the land was pleasant,

He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens,

And became a slave at forced labor.

16 “Dan shall judge his people,

As one of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁷“Dan shall be a serpent in the way,

A horned snake in the path,

That bites the horse’s heels,

So that his rider falls backward.

¹⁸“For Your salvation I wait, O LORD.

19 “As for Gad, araiders shall raid him,

But he will raid at their bheels. [aLit a raiding band bLit heel]

20 “aAs for Asher, his bfood shall be crich,

And he will yield royal dainties. [aLit From bOr bread cLit fat]

21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose,

He gives beautiful words.

22 “Joseph is a fruitful abough,

A fruitful abough by a spring;

Its bbranches run over a wall. [aLit son bLit daughters]

²³“The archers bitterly attacked him,

And shot at him and harassed him;

²⁴But his bow remained afirm,

And bhis arms were agile,

From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob

(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), [aI.e. in an unyielding position bLit the arms of his hands]

²⁵From the God of your father who helps you,

And aby the bAlmighty who blesses you

With blessings of heaven above,

Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,

Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. [aOr with bHeb Shaddai]

²⁶“The blessings of your father

Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors

Up to the autmost bound of the everlasting hills;

May they be on the head of Joseph,

And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. [aLit limit; or desire]

27 “Benjamin is a aravenous wolf;

In the morning he devours the prey,

And in the evening he divides the spoil.” [aLit a wolf that tears]

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them awhen he blessed them. He blessed them, every one bwith the blessing appropriate to him. ²⁹Then he charged them and said to them, “I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, ³⁰in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a cburial site. ³¹There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah— ³²the field and the cave that is in it, purchased from the sons of Heth.” ³³When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people. [28 aLit and bLit according to his blessing 30 cLit possession of a burial place]

GENESIS 50 [Books]

The Death of Israel

1 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him and kissed him. ²Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. ³Now forty days were arequired for bit, for csuch is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. [3 aLit fulfilled bOr him cLit so are fulfilled the days of embalming]

4 When the days of amourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak bto Pharaoh, saying, ⁵‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am about to die; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’ ” ⁶Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.” [4 aLit weeping bLit In the ears of]

7 So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, ⁸and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. ⁹There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. ¹⁰When they came to the athreshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and bsorrowful lamentation; and he cobserved seven days mourning for his father. ¹¹Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at athe threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a bgrievous dmourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore it was named eAbel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. [10 aHeb Goren ha-Atad bLit heavy cLit made a mourning for seven days 11 dHeb ebel eI.e. the meadow (or mourning) of Egypt]

Burial at Machpelah

¹²Thus his sons did for him as he had charged them; ¹³for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field for a aburial site from Ephron the Hittite. ¹⁴After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father. [13 aLit possession of a burial place]

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” ¹⁶So they asent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying, ¹⁷‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. ¹⁸Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” ¹⁹But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? ²⁰As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about bthis present result, to preserve many people alive. ²¹So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke ckindly to them. [16 aLit commanded 20 bLit as it is this day 21 cLit to their heart]

Death of Joseph

22 Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. ²³Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. ²⁴Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely atake care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He bpromised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” ²⁵Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely atake care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” ²⁶So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and che was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. [24 aOr visit bLit swore 26 cLit they embalmed him]

EXODUS 1 [Books]

Israel Multiplies in Egypt

1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one awith his household: ²Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; ³Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; ⁴Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. ⁵All the bpersons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy cin number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. ⁶Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. ⁷But the sons of Israel were fruitful and dincreased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly emighty, so that the land was filled with them. [1 aLit and 5 bLit souls cLit as to souls 7 dLit swarmed eOr numerous]

8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are amore and mightier than we. ¹⁰Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and bin the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and cdepart from the land.” ¹¹So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with dhard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses. ¹²But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they espread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. ¹³The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously; ¹⁴and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously fimposed on them. [9 aOr too many and too mighty for us 10 bLit it came about when war befalls that cLit go up from 11 dLit their burdens 12 eLit broke forth 14 fLit worked through them]

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom awas named Shiphrah and the other awas named Puah; ¹⁶and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” ¹⁷But the midwives bfeared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had ccommanded them, but let the boys live. ¹⁸So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” ¹⁹The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife dcan get to them.” ²⁰So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very emighty. ²¹Because the midwives bfeared God, He festablished ghouseholds for them. ²²Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born hyou are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.” [15 aLit the name was 17 bOr revered cLit spoken to 19 dLit comes to 20 eOr numerous 21 fLit made gOr families 22 hSome versions insert to the Hebrews]

EXODUS 2 [Books]

The Birth of Moses

1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and amarried a daughter of Levi. ²The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw bthat he was cbeautiful, she hid him for three months. ³But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a dwicker ebasket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. ⁴His sister stood at a distance to ffind out what would ghappen to him. [1 aLit took 2 bLit him that cLit good 3 dI.e. papyrus reeds eOr chest 4 fLit know gLit be done]

5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the abasket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her. ⁶When she opened it, she bsaw the child, and behold, the cboy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” ⁷Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call da nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?” ⁸Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. ⁹Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. ¹⁰The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him eMoses, and said, “Because I fdrew him out of the water.” [5 aOr chest 6 bHeb saw it, the child cOr lad 7 dLit a woman giving suck 10 eHeb Mosheh, from mashah fHeb mashah]

11 Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their ahard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. ¹²So he blooked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ¹³He went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were cfighting with each other; and he said to the doffender, “Why are you striking your companion?” ¹⁴But he said, “Who made you a eprince or a judge over us? Are you fintending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.” [11 aLit burdens 12 bLit turned 13 cOr quarreling dOr the guilty one 14 eLit man, a prince fLit saying in your heart]

Moses Escapes to Midian

¹⁵When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and asettled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well. [15 aLit dwelt]

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock. ¹⁸When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?” ¹⁹So they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock.” ²⁰He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him ato have something to eat.” ²¹Moses was willing to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses. ²²Then she gave birth to a son, and he named him bGershom, for he said, “I have been a csojourner in a foreign land.” [20 aLit that he may eat bread 22 bCf Heb ger sham, a stranger there cHeb ger]

23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. ²⁴So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁵God saw the sons of Israel, and God atook notice of them. [25 aLit knew them]

EXODUS 3 [Books]

The Burning Bush

1 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the awest side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ²The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of ba bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. ³So Moses said, “cI must turn aside now and see this dmarvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” ⁴When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ⁵Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. [1 aOr rear part 2 bLit the 3 cLit Let me turn dLit great]

7 The LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. ⁸So I have come down to deliver them from the apower of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. ⁹Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. [8 aLit hand]

The Mission of Moses

¹⁰Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” ¹¹But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” ¹²And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall aworship God at this mountain.” [12 aOr serve]

13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” ¹⁴God said to Moses, “aI AM WHO aI AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘aI AM has sent me to you.’ ” ¹⁵God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, 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 My memorial-name bto all generations. ¹⁶Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “cI am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷So I said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ ¹⁸They will dpay heed to what you say; and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ ¹⁹But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except eunder compulsion. ²⁰So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go. ²¹I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. ²²But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.” [14 aRelated to the name of God, YHWH, rendered LORD, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be 15 bLit to generation of generation 16 cLit Visiting I have visited 18 dLit hear your voice 19 eLit by a strong hand]

EXODUS 4 [Books]

Moses Given Powers

1 Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen ato what I say? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ” ²The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” ³Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. ⁴But the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his bhand— ⁵“that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” [1 aLit to my voice 4 bLit palm]

6 The LORD furthermore said to him, “Now put your hand into your bosom.” So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. ⁷Then He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again.” So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. ⁸“If they will not believe you or aheed the bwitness of the first sign, they may believe the bwitness of the last sign. ⁹But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” [8 aLit listen to bLit voice]

10 Then Moses said to the LORD, “Please, Lord, I have never been aeloquent, neither brecently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am cslow of speech and cslow of tongue.” ¹¹The LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? ¹²Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” ¹³But he said, “Please, Lord, now dsend the message by whomever You will.” [10 aLit a man of words bLit yesterday cLit heavy 13 dLit send by the hand which You send]

Aaron to Be Moses’ Mouthpiece

¹⁴Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that ahe speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. ¹⁵You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. ¹⁶Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him. ¹⁷You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.” [14 aLit speaking he speaks]

18 Then Moses departed and returned to aJethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” ¹⁹Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go bback to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” ²⁰So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand. [18 aHeb Jether 19 bLit return]

21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you go aback to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your bpower; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. ²²Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is My son, My firstborn. ²³So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ” [21 aLit to return bLit hand]

24 Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. ²⁵Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and athrew it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” ²⁶So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—bbecause of the circumcision. [25 aLit made it touch at his feet 26 bLit with reference to]

27 Now the LORD said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. ²⁸Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him to do. ²⁹Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel; ³⁰and Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people. ³¹So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD awas concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped. [31 aLit had visited]

EXODUS 5 [Books]

Israel’s Labor Increased

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” ²But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.” ³Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” ⁴But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you adraw the people away from their bwork? Get back to your clabors!” ⁵Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!” ⁶So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, ⁷“You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, ‘dLet us go and sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.” [4 aLit loose bLit works cLit burdens 8 dLit saying, ‘Let]

10 So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I am not going to give you any straw. ¹¹You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.’ ” ¹²So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³The taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your awork quota, byour daily amount, just as when cyou had straw.” ¹⁴Moreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten dand were asked, “Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?” [13 aLit works bLit the matter of a day in its day cLit there was 14 dLit saying]

15 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? ¹⁶There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people.” ¹⁷But he said, “You are lazy, very lazy; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ ¹⁸So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks.” ¹⁹The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble abecause they were told, “You must not reduce byour daily amount of bricks.” ²⁰When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were cwaiting for them. ²¹They said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you, for you have made dus odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” [19 aLit saying bLit from your bricks the matter of a day in its day 20 cLit standing to meet 21 dLit our savor to stink]

22 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? ²³Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”

EXODUS 6 [Books]

God Promises Action

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for aunder compulsion he will let them go, and aunder compulsion he will drive them out of his land.” [1 aLit by a strong hand]

2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD; ³and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as aGod Almighty, but by My name, bLORD, I did not make Myself known to them. ⁴I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the cland in which they sojourned. ⁵Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. ⁶Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. ⁷Then I will take you dfor My people, and I will be eyour God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. ⁸I will bring you to the land which I fswore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD.’ ” ⁹So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their gdespondency and cruel bondage. [3 aHeb El Shaddai bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 4 cLit land of their sojournings in which... 7 dLit to Me for a people eLit to you for a God 8 fLit lifted up My hand 9 gLit shortness of spirit]

10 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹¹“Go, atell Pharaoh king of Egypt bto let the sons of Israel go out of his land.” ¹²But Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am cunskilled in speech?” ¹³Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt. [11 aLit speak to bLit that he let 12 cLit uncircumcised of lips]

The Heads of Israel

14 These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. ¹⁵The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. ¹⁶These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath and Merari; and the alength of Levi’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. ¹⁷The sons of Gershon: bLibni and Shimei, according to their families. ¹⁸The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel; and the alength of Kohath’s life was one hundred and thirty-three years. ¹⁹The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. ²⁰Amram cmarried his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the alength of Amram’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. ²¹The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg and Zichri. ²²The sons of Uzziel: Mishael and dElzaphan and Sithri. ²³Aaron cmarried Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ²⁴The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah and eAbiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. ²⁵Aaron’s son Eleazar cmarried one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites according to their families. ²⁶It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts.” ²⁷They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt fabout bringing out the sons of Israel from Egypt; it was the same Moses and Aaron. [16 aLit years 17 bIn 1 Chr 23:7, Ladan 20 cLit took to him to wife 22 dIn Num 3:30, Elizaphan 24 eIn 1 Chr 6:23 and 9:19, Ebiasaph 27 fLit to bring out]

28 Now it came about on the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, ²⁹that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the LORD; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.” ³⁰But Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am aunskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?” [30 aLit uncircumcised of lips]

EXODUS 7 [Books]

“I Will Stretch Out My Hand”

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. ²You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. ³But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. ⁴When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. ⁵The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.” ⁶So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD commanded them, thus they did. ⁷Moses was eighty years old and Aaron aeighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh. [7 aLit 83 years old]

Aaron’s Rod Becomes a Serpent

8 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ⁹“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘aWork a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’ ” ¹⁰So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and bhis servants, and it became a serpent. ¹¹Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the cmagicians of Egypt, did dthe same with their secret arts. ¹²For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. ¹³Yet Pharaoh’s heart was ehardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. [9 aLit Show a wonder for yourselves 10 bLit before his 11 cOr soothsayer priests dLit thus 13 eLit strong]

Water Is Turned to Blood

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is astubborn; he refuses to let the people go. ¹⁵Go to Pharaoh in the morning bas he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. ¹⁶You shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.” ¹⁷Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike cthe water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. ¹⁸The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will dbecome foul, and the Egyptians will efind difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.” ’ ” ¹⁹Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their fstreams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’ ” [14 aOr hard; lit heavy 15 bLit behold 17 cLit upon the waters 18 dI.e. have a bad smell eOr be weary of 19 fOr canals]

20 So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up athe staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. ²¹The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile bbecame foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. ²²But the cmagicians of Egypt did dthe same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was ehardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. ²³Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house fwith no concern even for this. ²⁴So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. ²⁵Seven days gpassed after the LORD had struck the Nile. [20 aLit with the staff 21 bI.e. had a bad smell 22 cOr soothsayer priests dLit thus eLit strong 23 fLit and he did not set his heart even to this 25 gLit were fulfilled]

EXODUS 8 [Books]

Frogs over the Land

1 aThen the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ²But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs. ³The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. ⁴So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants.” ’ ” ⁵bThen the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the cstreams and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’ ” ⁶So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the dfrogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. ⁷The emagicians did fthe same with their secret arts, gmaking frogs come up on the land of Egypt. [1 aCh 7:26 in Heb 5 bCh 8:1 in Heb cOr canals 6 dLit frog 7 eOr soothsayer priests fLit thus gLit and made]

8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the LORD that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.” ⁹Moses said to Pharaoh, “aThe honor is yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be bdestroyed from you and your houses, that they may be left only in the Nile?” [9 aLit Glory over me bLit cut off]

10 Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. ¹¹The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.” ¹²Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had ainflicted upon Pharaoh. ¹³The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields. ¹⁴So they piled them in heaps, and the land bbecame foul. ¹⁵But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he chardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. [12 aLit placed 14 bI.e. had a bad smell 15 cLit made heavy]

The Plague of Insects

16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become agnats through all the land of Egypt.’ ” ¹⁷They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were agnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became agnats through all the land of Egypt. ¹⁸The bmagicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth agnats, but they could not; so there were agnats on man and beast. ¹⁹Then the bmagicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was chardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. [16 aOr lice 18 bOr soothsayer priests 19 cLit strong]

20 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, aas he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ²¹For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell. ²²But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are bliving, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that cI, the LORD, am in the midst of the land. ²³I will dput a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.” ’ ” ²⁴Then the LORD did so. And there came egreat swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt. [20 aLit behold 22 bLit standing cOr I am the LORD in the midst of the earth 23 dLit set a ransom 24 eLit heavy]

25 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” ²⁶But Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we will sacrifice to the LORD our God awhat is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice awhat is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not then stone us? ²⁷We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He bcommands us.” ²⁸Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make supplication for me.” ²⁹Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall make supplication to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” [26 aLit the abomination of Egypt 27 bLit says to us]

30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. ³¹The LORD did aas Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people; not one remained. ³²But Pharaoh bhardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. [31 aLit according to the word of Moses 32 bLit made heavy]

EXODUS 9 [Books]

Egyptian Cattle Die

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ²For if you refuse to let them go and acontinue to hold them, ³behold, the hand of the LORD bwill come with a very severe pestilence on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks. ⁴But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.” ’ ” ⁵The LORD set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” ⁶So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died. ⁷Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was chardened, and he did not let the people go. [2 aLit still hold 3 bLit will be 7 cLit heavy]

The Plague of Boils

8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of soot from a kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. ⁹It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and will become boils breaking out with sores on man and beast through all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils breaking out with sores on man and beast. ¹¹The amagicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians bas well as on all the Egyptians. ¹²And the LORD chardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses. [11 aOr soothsayer priests bLit and on all 12 cLit made strong]

13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ¹⁴For this time I will send all My plagues aon you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. ¹⁵For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth. ¹⁶But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to bremain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth. ¹⁷Still you exalt yourself against My people cby not letting them go. [14 aLit to your heart 16 bLit stand 17 cLit so as not to let]

The Plague of Hail

¹⁸Behold, about this time tomorrow, I will asend a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded buntil now. ¹⁹Now therefore send, bring your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. Every man and beast that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.” ’ ” ²⁰The one among the servants of Pharaoh who cfeared the word of the LORD made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses; ²¹but he who dpaid no regard to the word of the LORD eleft his servants and his livestock in the field. [18 aLit cause to rain bLit and until now 20 cOr revered 21 dLit did not set his heart to eLit then left]

22 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that ahail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and on beast and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” ²³Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD bsent cthunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. ²⁴So there was hail, and fire dflashing continually in the midst of the hail, very severe, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. ²⁵The hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt, both man and beast; the hail also struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field. ²⁶Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail. [22 aLit there may be hail 23 bLit gave cLit sounds 24 dLit taking hold of itself]

27 Then Pharaoh asent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones. ²⁸Make supplication to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s bthunder and hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” ²⁹Moses said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, I will spread out my chands to the LORD; the bthunder will cease and there will be hail no longer, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’S. ³⁰But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet dfear ethe LORD God.” ³¹(Now the flax and the barley were fruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. ³²But the wheat and the spelt were not gruined, for they ripen late.) ³³So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his chands to the LORD; and the bthunder and the hail ceased, and rain hno longer poured on the earth. ³⁴But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the bthunder had ceased, he sinned again and ihardened his heart, he and his servants. ³⁵Pharaoh’s heart was jhardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses. [27 aLit sent and called 28 bLit sounds 29 cLit palms 30 dOr reverence eLit before the LORD 31 fLit smitten 32 gLit smitten 33 hLit was not poured 34 iLit made heavy 35 jLit strong]

EXODUS 10 [Books]

The Plague of Locusts

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have ahardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may bperform these signs of Mine camong them, ²and that you may tell in the dhearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I bperformed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” [1 aLit made heavy bLit put cLit in his midst 2 dLit ears]

3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ⁴For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. ⁵They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They will also eat the rest of what has escaped—what is left to you from the hail—and they will eat every tree which sprouts for you out of the field. ⁶Then your houses shall be filled and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians, something which neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day that they acame upon the earth until this day.’ ” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. ⁷Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not brealize that Egypt is destroyed?” ⁸So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God! cWho are the ones that are going?” ⁹Moses said, “We shall go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we shall go, for we dmust hold a feast to the LORD.” ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Thus may the LORD be with you, eif ever I let you and your little ones go! Take heed, for evil is fin your mind. ¹¹Not so! Go now, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for gthat is what you desire.” So they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. [6 aLit were 7 bLit know 8 cLit Who and who are 9 dLit have a feast 10 eLit when I fLit before your face 11 gLit you desire it]

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.” ¹³So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind abrought the locusts. ¹⁴The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very bnumerous. There had never been so many clocusts, nor would there be so many dagain. ¹⁵For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. ¹⁶Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. ¹⁷Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He would only remove this death from me.” ¹⁸He went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. ¹⁹So the LORD shifted the wind to a very strong west wind which took up the locusts and drove them into the eRed Sea; not one locust was left in all the territory of Egypt. ²⁰But the LORD fhardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go. [13 aLit carried 14 bLit heavy cLit locusts like them before them dLit after them 19 eLit Sea of Reeds 20 fLit made strong]

Darkness over the Land

21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.” ²²So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. ²³They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. ²⁴Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.” ²⁵But Moses said, “You must also alet us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may bsacrifice them to the LORD our God. ²⁶Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the LORD our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the LORD.” ²⁷But the LORD chardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. ²⁸Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! dBeware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!” ²⁹Moses said, “You are right; I shall never see your face again!” [25 aLit give into our hand bLit make 27 cLit made strong 28 dLit Take heed to yourself]

EXODUS 11 [Books]

The Last Plague

1 Now the LORD said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. ²Speak now in the ahearing of the people that each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” ³The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was bgreatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. [2 aLit ears 3 bLit very great]

4 Moses said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, ⁵and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. ⁶Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. ⁷But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even abark, whether against man or beast, that you may bunderstand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ ⁸All these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves cbefore me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who dfollow you,’ and after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. [7 aLit sharpen his tongue bLit know 8 cLit to dLit are at your feet]

9 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet the LORD ahardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land. [10 aLit made strong]

EXODUS 12 [Books]

The Passover Lamb

1 Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of aEgypt, ²“This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. ³Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a blamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a blamb for ceach household. ⁴Now if the household is too small for a blamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the dnumber of persons in them; according to ewhat each man should eat, you are to fdivide the lamb. ⁵Your blamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. ⁶gYou shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it hat twilight. ⁷Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel iof the houses in which they eat it. ⁸They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread jand bitter herbs. ⁹Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. ¹⁰And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. ¹¹Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the LORD’S Passover. ¹²For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the LORD. ¹³The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you klive; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you lto destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. [1 aLit Egypt, saying 3 bOr kid cLit the 4 dOr amount eLit each man’s eating fLit compute for 6 gLit It shall be to you for a guarding hLit between the two evenings 7 iLit upon 8 jLit in addition to 13 kLit are lLit for destruction]

Feast of Unleavened Bread

14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as aa permanent ordinance. ¹⁵Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall bremove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that cperson shall be cut off from Israel. ¹⁶On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten dby every person, that alone may be eprepared by you. ¹⁷You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a fpermanent ordinance. ¹⁸In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. ¹⁹Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that cperson shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. ²⁰You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’ ” [14 aOr an eternal 15 bLit cause to cease cLit soul 16 dLit pertaining to eLit done 17 fOr eternal]

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “aGo and take for yourselves blambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. ²²You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and capply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. [21 aLit Draw out bLit sheep 22 cLit cause to touch]

A Memorial of Redemption

²³For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. ²⁴And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. ²⁵When you enter the land which the LORD will give you, as He has apromised, you shall observe this brite. ²⁶And when your children say to you, ‘cWhat does this rite mean to you?’ ²⁷you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD dwho passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but espared our homes.’ ” And the people bowed low and worshiped. [25 aLit spoken bLit service 26 cLit What is this service to you? 27 dLit because He eLit delivered]

28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

29 Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle. ³⁰Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. ³¹Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, aworship the LORD, as you have said. ³²Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.” [31 aOr serve]

Exodus of Israel

³³The Egyptians urged the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead.” ³⁴So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.

35 Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; ³⁶and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

37 Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. ³⁸A mixed multitude also went up with them, aalong with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock. ³⁹They baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they bprepared any provisions for themselves. [38 aLit and 39 bLit made]

40 Now the time athat the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. ⁴¹And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, bto the very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. [40 aOr of the sons of Israel who dwelt 41 bLit that it happened on this very day]

Ordinance of the Passover

⁴²It is a night ato be observed for the LORD for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the LORD, ato be observed bby all the sons of Israel throughout their generations. [42 aOr of vigil bLit to the sons]

43 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no aforeigner is to eat of it; ⁴⁴but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. ⁴⁵A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. ⁴⁶It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. ⁴⁷All the congregation of Israel are to bcelebrate this. ⁴⁸But if a cstranger sojourns with you, and dcelebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to bcelebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. ⁴⁹eThe same law shall fapply to the native as to the cstranger who sojourns among you.” [43 aLit son of a stranger 47 bLit do 48 cLit sojourner dLit does 49 eLit One law fLit be]

50 Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. ⁵¹And on that same day the LORD brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt aby their hosts. [51 aLit according to]

EXODUS 13 [Books]

Consecration of the Firstborn

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first aoffspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.” [2 aLit opening]

3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of aslavery; for by ba powerful hand the LORD brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. ⁴On this day in the month of Abib, you are about to go forth. ⁵It shall be when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall cobserve this rite in this month. ⁶For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. ⁷Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen damong you, nor shall any leaven be seen damong you in all your borders. ⁸You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹And it shall eserve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder fon your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. ¹⁰Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from gyear to year. [3 aLit slaves bLit strength of hand 5 cLit serve this service 7 dLit to 9 eLit be for fLit between your eyes 10 gLit days to days]

11 “Now when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, ¹²you shall adevote to the LORD the first boffspring of every womb, and cthe first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD. ¹³But every first boffspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. ¹⁴And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a dpowerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of eslavery. ¹⁵It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first boffspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ ¹⁶So it shall fserve as a sign on your hand and as gphylacteries hon your forehead, for with a dpowerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.” [12 aLit cause to pass over bLit opening cLit every issue the offspring of a beast 14 dLit strength of hand eLit slaves 16 fLit be for gOr frontlet-bands hLit between your eyes]

God Leads the People

17 Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the aRed Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt. ¹⁹Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely btake care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.” ²⁰Then they set out from Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. ²¹The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might ctravel by day and by night. ²²dHe did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. [18 aLit Sea of Reeds 19 bLit visit 21 cLit go 22 dOr The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart]

EXODUS 14 [Books]

Pharaoh in Pursuit

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. ³For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ ⁴Thus I will aharden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. [4 aLit make strong]

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, aPharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” ⁶So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; ⁷and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. ⁸The LORD bhardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out cboldly. ⁹Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. [5 aLit the heart of Pharaoh...was changed 8 bLit made strong cLit with a high hand]

10 As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel alooked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD. ¹¹Then they 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 dealt with us in this way, bbringing us out of Egypt? ¹²Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘cLeave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” [10 aLit lifted up their eyes 11 bLit so as to bring 12 cLit Cease from us]

The Sea Is Divided

¹³But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! aStand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. ¹⁴The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” [13 aOr Take your stand]

15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. ¹⁶As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall ago through the midst of the sea on dry land. ¹⁷As for Me, behold, I will bharden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.” [16 aLit enter the 17 bLit make strong]

19 The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud aalong with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night. [20 aLit and the darkness]

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD aswept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. ²²The sons of Israel bwent through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. ²⁴At the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the carmy of the Egyptians dthrough the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the carmy of the Egyptians into confusion. ²⁵He ecaused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let fus flee from Israel, for the LORD is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” [21 aLit caused to go 22 bLit entered the 24 cLit camp dOr in 25 eOr removed fLit me]

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” ²⁷So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing aright into it; then the LORD boverthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. ²⁸The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, ceven Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. ²⁹But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. [27 aLit to meet it bLit shook off 28 cLit in respect to]

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹When Israel saw the great apower which the LORD had bused against the Egyptians, the people cfeared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses. [31 aLit hand bLit done cOr revered]

EXODUS 15 [Books]

The Song of Moses and Israel

1 Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, aand said,

“bI will sing to the LORD, for He cis highly exalted;

The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. [1 aLit and said, saying bOr Let me sing cOr triumphed gloriously]

²“aThe LORD 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 extol Him. [aHeb YAH]

³“The LORD is a warrior;

aThe LORD is His name. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

⁴“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;

And the choicest of his officers are adrowned in the bRed Sea. [aLit sunk bLit Sea of Reeds]

⁵“The deeps cover them;

They went down into the depths like a stone.

⁶“Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power,

Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.

⁷“And in the greatness of Your aexcellence You overthrow those who rise up against You;

You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff. [aOr exaltation]

⁸“At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,

The flowing waters stood up like a heap;

The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

⁹“The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;

My adesire shall be bgratified against them;

I will draw out my sword, my hand will cdestroy them.’ [aLit soul bLit be filled with them cOr dispossess, bring to ruin]

¹⁰“You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;

They sank like lead in the amighty waters. [aOr majestic]

¹¹“Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?

Who is like You, majestic in holiness,

Awesome in praises, working wonders?

¹²“You stretched out Your right hand,

The earth swallowed them.

¹³“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed;

In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.

¹⁴“The peoples have heard, they tremble;

Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.

¹⁵“Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;

The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;

All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.

¹⁶“Terror and dread fall upon them;

By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone;

Until Your people pass over, O LORD,

Until the people pass over whom You have purchased.

¹⁷“You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,

The place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling,

The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

¹⁸“The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”

19 For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea.

20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with adancing. ²¹Miriam answered them,

“Sing to the LORD, for He bis highly exalted;

The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.” [20 aLit dances 21 bOr has triumphed gloriously]

The LORD Provides Water

22 Then Moses aled Israel from the bRed Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters cof Marah, for they were dbitter; therefore it was named eMarah. ²⁴So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ²⁵Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. [22 aLit caused Israel to journey bLit Sea of Reeds 23 cLit from dHeb Marim eI.e. bitterness]

There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. ²⁶And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.”

27 Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

EXODUS 16 [Books]

The LORD Provides Manna

1 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons 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 congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of ameat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” [3 aOr flesh]

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My ainstruction. ⁵On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” ⁶So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, “At evening byou will know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt; ⁷and in the morning byou will see the glory of the LORD, for He hears your grumblings against the LORD; and what are we, that you grumble against us?” [4 aOr law 6 bLit and you]

The LORD Provides Meat

⁸Moses said, “This will happen when the LORD gives you ameat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the LORD hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD.” [8 aOr flesh]

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.’ ” ¹⁰It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they alooked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. ¹¹And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹²“I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘bAt twilight you shall eat cmeat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ ” [10 aLit turned 12 bLit Between the two evenings cOr flesh]

13 So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴When the layer of dew aevaporated, behold, on the bsurface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. ¹⁵When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “cWhat is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. ¹⁶This is dwhat the LORD has commanded, ‘Gather of it every man eas much as he should eat; you shall take fan omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.’ ” ¹⁷The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. ¹⁸When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered eas much as he should eat. ¹⁹Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.” ²⁰But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. ²¹They gathered it morning by morning, every man eas much as he should eat; but when the sun grew hot, it would melt. [14 aLit had gone up bLit face of 15 cHeb Man hu, cf v 31 16 dLit the thing which eLit according to his eating fLit an omer for a head]

The Sabbath Observed

22 Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, ²³then he said to them, “This is what the LORD ameant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over bput aside to be kept until morning.” ²⁴So they cput it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul nor was there any worm in it. ²⁵Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. ²⁶Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be dnone.” [23 aLit spoke bLit lay up for you 24 cLit laid it up 26 dLit none on it]

27 It came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. ²⁸Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My ainstructions? ²⁹See, bthe LORD has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” ³⁰So the people rested on the seventh day. [28 aOr laws 29 bLit for the LORD]

31 The house of Israel named it amanna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey. ³²Then Moses said, “This is bwhat the LORD has commanded, ‘Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ” ³³Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omerful of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” ³⁴As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony, to be kept. ³⁵The sons of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. ³⁶(Now an omer is a tenth of an cephah.) [31 aHeb man, cf v 15 32 bLit the thing which 36 cI.e. Approx one bu]

EXODUS 17 [Books]

Water in the Rock

1 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by astages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the bcommand of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. ²Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” ³But the people thirsted there for water; and cthey grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill dus and eour children and eour livestock with thirst?” ⁴So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me.” ⁵Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷He named the place fMassah and gMeribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us, or not?” [1 aLit their journeyings bLit mouth 3 cLit the people dLit me eLit my 7 fI.e. test gI.e. quarrel]

Amalek Fought

8 Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. ⁹So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” ¹⁰Joshua did as Moses atold him, band fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand cdown, Amalek prevailed. ¹²But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. ¹³So Joshua doverwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. [10 aLit said to bLit to fight 11 cLit rest 13 dLit weakened]

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this in aa book as a memorial and brecite it to Joshua, cthat I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” ¹⁵Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; ¹⁶and he said, “dThe LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.” [14 aLit the book bLit place it in the ears of cOr for 16 dOr Because a hand is against the throne of the LORD; lit Because a hand upon the throne of YAH]

EXODUS 18 [Books]

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law

1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. ²Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, ³and her two sons, of whom aone was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a bsojourner in a foreign land.” ⁴cThe other was named dEliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” [3 aLit the name of the one was bHeb ger 4 cLit The name of the other was dHeb El-ezer; i.e. my God is help]

5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses ain the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. ⁶He bsent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” ⁷Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. ⁸Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them. ⁹Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, cin delivering dthem from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰So Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; eindeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against fthe people.” ¹²Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat ga meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God. [5 aLit unto 6 bLit said 9 cLit in that He had delivered dLit him 11 eLit indeed, in the thing in which they fLit them 12 gLit bread]

13 It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. ¹⁴Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” ¹⁵Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶When they have a adispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.” [16 aLit matter]

Jethro Counsels Moses

¹⁷Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. ¹⁸You will surely wear out, both yourself and athese people who are with you, for the btask is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. ¹⁹Now listen to cme: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. dYou be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the edisputes to God, ²⁰then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. ²¹Furthermore, you shall fselect out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, gof hundreds, hof fifties and iof tens. ²²Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major bdispute they will bring to you, but every minor bdispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. ²³If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to jendure, and all athese people also will go to ktheir place in peace.” [18 aLit this bLit matter 19 cLit my voice dLit You be for the people in front of God eLit matters 21 fLit see gLit leaders of hLit leaders of iLit leaders of 23 jLit stand kLit his]

24 So Moses listened ato his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, bof hundreds, bof fifties and bof tens. ²⁶They judged the people at all times; the difficult cdispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor cdispute they themselves would judge. ²⁷Then Moses dbade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land. [24 aLit to the voice of 25 bLit leaders of 26 cLit matter 27 dLit sent off his father-in-law]

EXODUS 19 [Books]

Moses on Sinai

1 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, aon that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. ²When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. ³Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ⁴‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. ⁵Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My bown possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; ⁶and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” [1 aLit on this day 5 bOr special treasure]

7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him. ⁸All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. ⁹The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.

10 The LORD also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; ¹¹and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹²You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘aBeware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. ¹³No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or bshot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” ¹⁴So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. ¹⁵He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.” [12 aLit Take heed to yourselves 13 bI.e. with arrows]

16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were athunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the bfoot of the mountain. [16 aLit sounds 17 bLit lower part]

The LORD Visits Sinai

¹⁸Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain aquaked violently. ¹⁹When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with bthunder. ²⁰The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down, cwarn the people, so that they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them dperish. ²²Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the LORD will break out against them.” ²³Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You ewarned us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.’ ” ²⁴Then the LORD said to him, “fGo down and come up again, you and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break forth upon them.” ²⁵So Moses went down to the people and told them. [18 aOr trembled 19 bOr a voice; lit a sound 21 cLit testify to dLit fall 23 eLit testified to 24 fLit Go, descend]

EXODUS 20 [Books]

The Ten Commandments

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of aslavery. [2 aLit slaves]

3 “You shall have no other gods abefore Me. [3 aOr besides Me]

4 “You shall not make for yourself aan idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. ⁵You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. [4 aOr a graven image]

7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not aleave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. [7 aOr hold him guiltless]

8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who astays with you. ¹¹For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. [10 aLit is in your gates]

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 All the people perceived the athunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. ¹⁹Then they said to Moses, “Speak bto us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak bto us, or we will die.” ²⁰Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may cremain with you, so that you may not sin.” ²¹So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was. [18 aLit sounds 19 bLit with 20 cLit be before]

22 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken ato you from heaven. ²³You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. ²⁴You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. ²⁶And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’ [22 aLit with]

EXODUS 21 [Books]

Ordinances for the People

1 “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:

2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. ³If he comes aalone, he shall go out aalone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. ⁴If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out aalone. ⁵But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ ⁶then his master shall bring him to bGod, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently. [3 aLit by himself 6 bOr the judges who acted in God’s name]

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to ago free as the male slaves ado. ⁸If she is bdispleasing in the eyes of her master cwho designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his dunfairness to her. ⁹If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. ¹⁰If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her efood, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. ¹¹If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money. [7 aLit go out 8 bLit bad cAnother reading is so that he did not designate her dLit dealing treacherously 10 eLit flesh]

Personal Injuries

12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. ¹³But aif he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. ¹⁴If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die. [13 aLit he who]

15 “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

16 “He who akidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his bpossession, shall surely be put to death. [16 aLit steals bLit hand]

17 “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

18 “If men have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but aremains in bed, ¹⁹if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his bloss of time, and cshall take care of him until he is completely healed. [18 aLit lies 19 bLit his sitting cLit healing, he shall cause to be healed]

20 “If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies aat his hand, he shall bbe punished. ²¹If, however, he csurvives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his dproperty. [20 aLit under bLit suffer vengeance 21 cLit stands dLit money]

22 “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that ashe gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband bmay demand of him, and he shall pay cas the judges decide. ²³But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, ²⁴eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵burn for burn, wound for wound, dbruise for bruise. [22 aOr an untimely birth occurs; lit her children come out bLit lays on him cLit by arbitration 25 dLit welt]

26 “If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye. ²⁷And if he aknocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth. [27 aLit causes to fall]

28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman ato death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. ²⁹If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. ³⁰If a ransom is bdemanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is bdemanded of him. ³¹Whether it gores a son or ca daughter, it shall be done to him according to dthe same rule. ³²If the ox gores a male or female slave, ethe owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. [28 aLit so that he dies 30 bLit laid on him 31 cLit gores a daughter dLit this judgment 32 eLit he]

33 “If a man opens a pit, or adigs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall bgive money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his. [33 aLit if a man digs 34 bLit give back]

35 “If one man’s ox hurts another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide its price equally; and also they shall divide the dead ox. ³⁶Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not confined it, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall become his.

EXODUS 22 [Books]

Property Rights

1 “aIf a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. [1 aCh 21:37 in Heb]

2 “aIf the thief is bcaught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. ³But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. ⁴If what he stole is actually found alive in his cpossession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. [2 aCh 22:1 in Heb bLit found 4 cLit hand]

5 “If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, he who started the fire shall surely make restitution.

7 “If a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep for him and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is acaught, he shall pay double. ⁸If the thief is not acaught, then the owner of the house shall bappear before cthe judges, to determine whether he dlaid his hands on his neighbor’s property. ⁹For every ebreach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the fcase of both parties shall come before cthe judges; he whom cthe judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor. [7 aLit found 8 bLit approach to cOr God dLit stretched his hand 9 eOr matter of transgression fLit matter]

10 “If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking, ¹¹an oath before the LORD shall be made by the two of them athat he has not blaid hands on his neighbor’s property; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. ¹²But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. ¹³If it is all torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn to pieces. [11 aLit whether bLit stretched his hand]

14 “If a man aborrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he shall make full restitution. ¹⁵If its owner is with it, he shall not make restitution; if it is hired, it came for its hire. [14 aLit asks]

Sundry Laws

16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. ¹⁷If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall apay money equal to the dowry for virgins. [17 aLit weigh out silver]

18 “You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.

20 “He who sacrifices to aany god, other than to the LORD alone, shall be butterly destroyed. [20 aLit the gods bLit put under the ban]

21 “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²²You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. ²³If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; ²⁴and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25 “If you lend money to My people, to the poor aamong you, you are not to bact as a creditor to him; you shall not ccharge him interest. ²⁶If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, ²⁷for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his dbody. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious. [25 aLit with bLit be cLit lay upon 27 dLit skin]

28 “You shall not acurse God, nor curse a ruler of your people. [28 aOr revile]

29 “You shall not delay the offering from ayour harvest and your vintage. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. ³⁰You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me. [29 aLit your fullness and your tears]

31 “You shall be holy men to Me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

EXODUS 23 [Books]

Sundry Laws

1 “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. ²You shall not follow athe masses in doing evil, nor shall you btestify in a dispute so as to turn aside after aa multitude in order to pervert justice; ³nor shall you cbe partial to a poor man in his dispute. [2 aLit many men bOr answer 3 cLit honor]

4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. ⁵If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him.

6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. ⁷Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.

8 “You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and asubverts the cause of the just. [8 aOr distorts the words]

9 “You shall not oppress a astranger, since you yourselves know the bfeelings of a astranger, for you also were astrangers in the land of Egypt. [9 aOr sojourner(s) bLit soul]

The Sabbath and Land

10 “You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, ¹¹but on the seventh year you shall let it arest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. [11 aLit drop]

12 “Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as ayour stranger, may refresh themselves. ¹³Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard bfrom your mouth. [12 aLit the sojourner 13 bLit on]

Three National Feasts

14 “Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. ¹⁵You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And anone shall appear before Me empty-handed. ¹⁶Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. ¹⁷Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord bGOD. [15 aLit they...not 17 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

18 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor is the fat of My afeast to remain overnight until morning. [18 aOr festival]

19 “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.

“You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.

Conquest of the Land

20 “Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. ²¹Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him. ²²But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. ²³For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them. ²⁴You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces. ²⁵But you shall serve the LORD your God, aand He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst. ²⁶There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. ²⁷I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. ²⁸I will send hornets ahead of you so that they will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. ²⁹I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. ³⁰I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land. ³¹I will fix your boundary from the bRed Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. ³²You shall cmake no covenant with them or with their gods. ³³They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” [25 aOr that He may bless 31 bLit Sea of Reeds 32 cLit cut]

EXODUS 24 [Books]

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

1 Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. ²Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

3 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the aordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” ⁴Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar bat the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. ⁶Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. ⁷Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” ⁸So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has cmade with you din accordance with all these words.” [3 aOr judgments 4 bLit under 8 cLit cut dLit on all]

9 Then Moses went up awith Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, ¹⁰and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet bthere appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, cas clear as the sky itself. ¹¹Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. [9 aLit and 10 bLit like a pavement cLit and as]

12 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and aremain there, and I will give you the stone tablets bwith the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” ¹³So Moses arose bwith Joshua his cservant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. ¹⁴But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever dhas a legal matter, let him approach them.” ¹⁵Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶The glory of the LORD erested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. ¹⁷And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. ¹⁸Moses entered the midst of the cloud bas he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. [12 aLit be bLit and 13 cOr minister 14 dLit is a master of matters 16 eLit dwelt]

EXODUS 25 [Books]

Offerings for the Sanctuary

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Tell the sons of Israel to araise a bcontribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall araise My bcontribution. ³This is the bcontribution which you are to araise from them: gold, silver and bronze, ⁴cblue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, ⁵rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, ⁶oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁷onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the dbreastpiece. ⁸Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. ⁹According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it. [2 aLit take bOr heave offering 4 cOr violet 7 dOr pouch]

Ark of the Covenant

10 “They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half acubits blong, and one and a half cubits cwide, and one and a half cubits dhigh. ¹¹You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding earound it. ¹²You shall cast four gold rings for it and ffasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. ¹³You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. ¹⁵The poles shall gremain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. ¹⁶You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you. [10 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. bLit its length cLit its width dLit its height 11 eLit on it round about 12 fOr put 15 gLit be]

17 “You shall make a amercy seat of pure gold, two and a half bcubits clong and one and a half cubits dwide. ¹⁸You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work eat the two ends of the mercy seat. ¹⁹Make one cherub eat one end and one cherub eat the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. ²⁰The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and ffacing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. ²¹You shall put the mercy seat gon top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. ²²There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel. [17 aLit propitiatory, and so through v 22 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. cLit its length dLit its width 18 eLit from 20 fLit their faces to 21 gLit above, upon]

The Table of Showbread

23 “You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits along and one cubit bwide and one and a half cubits chigh. ²⁴You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. ²⁵You shall make for it a rim of a handbreadth around it; and you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. ²⁶You shall make four gold rings for it and put rings on the four corners which are on its four feet. ²⁷The rings shall be close to the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. ²⁸You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that with them the table may be carried. ²⁹You shall make its ddishes and its pans and its jars and its ebowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. ³⁰You shall set the bread of the fPresence on the table before Me gat all times. [23 aLit its length bLit its width cLit its height 29 dOr platters eLit libation bowls 30 fLit Face gOr continually]

The Golden Lampstand

31 “Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its abulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. ³²Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its bother side. ³³Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a abulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the cother branch, a abulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; ³⁴and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its dbulbs and its flowers. ³⁵A abulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a abulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a abulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. ³⁶Their dbulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. ³⁷Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall emount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. ³⁸Its snuffers and ftheir trays shall be of pure gold. ³⁹It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. ⁴⁰See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain. [31 aOr calyx 32 bLit second 33 cLit one branch 34 dOr calyxes 37 eLit raise up 38 fLit its snuff dishes]

EXODUS 26 [Books]

Curtains of Linen

1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and ablue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. ²The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight bcubits, and the width of each curtain four bcubits; all the curtains shall have cthe same measurements. ³Five curtains shall be djoined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be djoined to one another. ⁴You shall make loops of ablue on the edge of the eoutermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second fset. ⁵You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the gedge of the curtain that is in the second hset; the loops shall be opposite each other. ⁶You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and ijoin the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the jtabernacle will be a unit. [1 aOr violet 2 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. cLit one measure 3 dOr coupled 4 eLit one curtain from the end in the coupling fLit coupling 5 gLit end hLit coupling 6 iOr couple jOr dwelling place, and so throughout the ch]

Curtains of Goats’ Hair

7 “Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. ⁸The length of each curtain shall be thirty acubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have bthe same measurements. ⁹You shall cjoin five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain dat the front of the tent. ¹⁰You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the ecurtain that is outermost in the first fset, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second gset. [8 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. bLit one measure 9 cOr couple dLit toward the front of the face of the tent 10 eLit one curtain fLit coupling gLit coupling]

11 “You shall make fifty clasps of abronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and bjoin the tent together so that it will be ca unit. ¹²The doverlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other, to cover it. ¹⁴You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins edyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above. [11 aOr copper bOr couple cLit one 12 dLit excess 14 eOr tanned]

Boards and Sockets

15 “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. ¹⁶Ten cubits shall be the length of aeach board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. ¹⁷There shall be two tenons for each board, bfitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. ¹⁸You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards cfor the south side. ¹⁹You shall make forty dsockets of silver under the twenty boards, two dsockets under one board for its two tenons and two dsockets under another board for its two tenons; ²⁰and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, ²¹and their forty dsockets of silver; two dsockets under one board and two dsockets under another board. ²²For the erear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. ²³You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the erear. ²⁴They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete fto its top gto the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. ²⁵There shall be eight boards with their dsockets of silver, sixteen dsockets; two dsockets under one board and two dsockets under another board. [16 aLit the 17 bLit bound 18 cLit toward the side of the Negev to the south 19 dOr bases 22 eLit extreme parts 24 fOr at its head gOr with reference to]

26 “Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷and five bars for the boards of the aother side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the brear side to the west. ²⁸The middle bar in the ccenter of the boards shall pass through from end to end. ²⁹You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. ³⁰Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain. [27 aLit second bLit extreme parts 28 cLit midst]

The Veil and Screen

31 “You shall make a veil of ablue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. ³²You shall bhang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four csockets of silver. ³³You shall bhang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall dserve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. ³⁴You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. ³⁵You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side. [31 aOr violet 32 bLit put cOr bases 33 dLit separate for you between]

36 “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of ablue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a bweaver. ³⁷You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five csockets of dbronze for them. [36 aOr violet bLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors 37 cOr bases dOr copper]

EXODUS 27 [Books]

The Bronze Altar

1 “And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five acubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. ²You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bbronze. ³You shall make its pails for removing its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴You shall make for it a grating of network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings cat its four corners. ⁵You shall put it beneath, under the ledge of the altar, so that the net will reach halfway up the altar. ⁶You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. ⁷Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. ⁸You shall make it hollow with planks; as it was shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it. [1 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 2 bOr copper, and so for bronze throughout the ch 4 cLit on]

Court of the Tabernacle

9 “You shall make the court of the atabernacle. bOn the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side; ¹⁰and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty csockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their dbands shall be of silver. ¹¹Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty csockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. ¹²For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten csockets. ¹³The width of the court on the eeast side shall be fifty cubits. ¹⁴The hangings for the one fside of the gate shall be fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three csockets. ¹⁵And for the gother hside shall be hangings of fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three csockets. ¹⁶For the gate of the court there shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of iblue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a jweaver, with their four pillars and their four csockets. ¹⁷All the pillars around the court shall be furnished with silver bands with their hooks of silver and their csockets of bronze. ¹⁸The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their csockets of bronze. ¹⁹All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze. [9 aOr dwelling place bLit For the side of the Negev to the south 10 cOr bases dOr fillets, rings 13 eLit east side eastward 14 fLit shoulder 15 gLit second hLit shoulder 16 iOr violet jLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors]

20 “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the alight, to make a lamp bburn continually. ²¹In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations cfor the sons of Israel. [20 aOr luminary bLit ascend 21 cLit from]

EXODUS 28 [Books]

Garments of the Priests

1 “Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. ²You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. ³You shall speak to all the askillful persons whom I have endowed with bthe spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me. ⁴These are the garments which they shall make: a cbreastpiece and an ephod and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister as priest to Me. ⁵They shall take the gold and the dblue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen. [3 aLit wise of heart bI.e. artistic skill 4 cOr pouch 5 dOr violet]

6 “They shall also make the ephod of gold, of ablue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of the skillful workman. ⁷It shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends, that it may be joined. ⁸The skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its workmanship, bof the same material: of gold, of ablue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. ⁹You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰six of their names on the one stone and the names of the remaining six on the cother stone, according to their birth. ¹¹dAs a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall eset them in filigree settings of gold. ¹²You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for a memorial. ¹³You shall make filigree settings of gold, ¹⁴and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them of twisted cordage work, and you shall put the corded chains on the filigree settings. [6 aOr violet 8 bLit from it 10 cLit second 11 dLit A work of a lapidary, engravings of a seal eLit make them to be surrounded]

15 “You shall make a abreastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of bblue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it. ¹⁶It shall be square and folded double, a span cin length and a span cin width. ¹⁷You shall dmount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald; ¹⁸and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; ¹⁹and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; ²⁰and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be eset in gold filigree. ²¹The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a seal, each according to his name for the twelve tribes. ²²You shall make on the fbreastpiece chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold. ²³You shall make on the breastpiece two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. ²⁴You shall put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. ²⁵You shall put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, at the front of it. ²⁶You shall make two rings of gold and shall place them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on the edge of it, which is toward the inner side of the ephod. ²⁷You shall make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it close to the place where it is joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. ²⁸They shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a bblue cord, so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod. ²⁹Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. ³⁰You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the gUrim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually. [15 aOr pouch bOr violet 16 cLit its 17 dLit fill in a setting of stones, four rows of stones 20 eLit interwoven with gold in their settings 22 fOr pouch, and so through v 30 30 gI.e. lights and perfections]

31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of ablue. ³²There shall be an opening bat its top in the middle of it; around its opening there shall be a binding of woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn. ³³You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: ³⁴a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe. ³⁵It shall be on Aaron cwhen he ministers; and dits tinkling shall be heard when he enters and eleaves the holy place before the LORD, so that he will not die. [31 aOr violet 32 bOr for his head 35 cLit for ministering dLit its sound eLit comes out from]

36 “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ ³⁷You shall afasten it on a bblue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban. ³⁸It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall ctake away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. [37 aLit place bOr violet 38 cOr bear]

39 “You shall weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen, and shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of a aweaver. [39 aLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors]

40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics; you shall also make sashes for them, and you shall make acaps for them, for glory and for beauty. ⁴¹You shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall anoint them and bordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve Me as priests. ⁴²You shall make for them linen breeches to cover their bare flesh; they shall creach from the loins even to the thighs. ⁴³They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur dguilt and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and to his edescendants after him. [40 aLit headgear 41 bLit fill their hand 42 cLit be 43 dOr iniquity eLit seed]

EXODUS 29 [Books]

Consecration of the Priests

1 “Now this is awhat you shall do to them to consecrate them to minister as priests to Me: take one young bull and two rams without blemish, ²and unleavened bread and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers bspread with oil; you shall make them of fine wheat flour. ³You shall put them in one basket, and present them in the basket along with the bull and the two rams. ⁴Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. ⁵You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the cbreastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod; ⁶and you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. ⁷Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. ⁸You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them. ⁹You shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and bind dcaps on them, and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. So you shall eordain Aaron and his sons. [1 aLit the thing which 2 bOr anointed 5 cOr pouch 9 dLit headgear eLit fill the hand of]

The Sacrifices

10 “Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. ¹¹You shall slaughter the bull before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ¹²You shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³You shall take all the fat that covers the entrails and the alobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and offer them up in smoke on the altar. ¹⁴But the flesh of the bull and its hide and its refuse, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering. [13 aOr appendage on]

15 “You shall also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram; ¹⁶and you shall slaughter the ram and shall take its blood and sprinkle it around on the altar. ¹⁷Then you shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them awith its pieces and bits head. ¹⁸You shall offer up in smoke the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD: it is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. [17 aLit on bLit on its]

19 “Then you shall take the aother ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. ²⁰You shall slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the lobes of his sons’ right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet, and sprinkle the rest of the blood around on the altar. ²¹Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments and on his sons and on his sons’ garments with him; so he and his garments shall be consecrated, as well as his sons and his sons’ garments with him. [19 aLit second]

22 “You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail, and the fat that covers the entrails and the alobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them and the right thigh (for it is a ram of bordination), ²³and one cake of bread and one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread which is set before the LORD; ²⁴and you shall put call these din the ehands of Aaron and din the ehands of his sons, and shall wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. ²⁵You shall take them from their hands, and offer them up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering for a soothing aroma before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD. [22 aOr appendage on bLit filling 24 cLit the whole dLit on eLit palms]

26 “Then you shall take the breast of Aaron’s ram of aordination, and wave it as a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be your portion. ²⁷You shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering which was waved and which was boffered from the ram of aordination, from the one which was for Aaron and from the one which was for his sons. ²⁸It shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the sons of Israel, for it is a heave offering; and it shall be a heave offering from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their heave offering to the LORD. [26 aLit filling 27 bLit heaved; or lifted up]

29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, athat in them they may be anointed and ordained. ³⁰For seven days the one of his sons who is priest in his stead shall put them on when he enters the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place. [29 aLit for anointing in them and filling their hand in them]

Food of the Priests

31 “You shall take the ram of aordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. ³²Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ³³Thus they shall eat bthose things by which atonement was made cat their ordination and consecration; but a dlayman shall not eat them, because they are holy. ³⁴If any of the flesh of aordination or any of the bread remains until morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. [31 aLit filling 33 bLit them cLit to fill their hand to sanctify them dLit stranger]

35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you; you shall aordain them through seven days. ³⁶Each day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement, and you shall bpurify the altar when you make atonement cfor it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it. ³⁷For seven days you shall make atonement cfor the altar and consecrate it; then the altar shall be most holy, and whatever touches the altar shall be holy. [35 aLit fill their hand 36 bOr offer a sin offering on the altar cLit upon]

38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously. ³⁹The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the aother lamb you shall offer at btwilight; ⁴⁰and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering with one lamb. ⁴¹The aother lamb you shall offer at btwilight, and shall offer with it cthe same grain offering and dthe same drink offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁴²It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. ⁴³I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory. ⁴⁴I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me. ⁴⁵I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. ⁴⁶They shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God. [39 aLit second bLit between the two evenings 41 cLit according to the grain offering of the morning dLit according to its]

EXODUS 30 [Books]

The Altar of Incense

1 “Moreover, you shall make an altar as a place for burning incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. ²Its length shall be a acubit, and its width a cubit, it shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits; its horns shall be bof one piece with it. ³You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its csides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding all around for it. ⁴You shall make two gold rings for it under its molding; you shall make them on its two side walls—on dopposite sides—and ethey shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. ⁵You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ⁶You shall put ethis altar in front of the veil that is fnear the ark of the testimony, in front of the gmercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you. ⁷Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps. ⁸When Aaron htrims the lamps at itwilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. ⁹You shall not offer any strange incense on ethis altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; and you shall not pour out a drink offering on it. ¹⁰Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.” [2 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. bLit from itself 3 cLit walls 4 dLit its two eLit it 6 fLit upon or over gLit propitiatory 8 hLit causes to ascend iLit between the two evenings]

11 The LORD also spoke to Moses, saying, ¹²“When you take a acensus of the sons of Israel bto number them, then each one of them shall give a ransom for chimself to the LORD, when you dnumber them, so that there will be no plague among them when you dnumber them. ¹³This is what everyone who eis numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as a fcontribution to the LORD. ¹⁴Everyone who gis numbered, from twenty years old and over, shall give the hcontribution to the LORD. ¹⁵The rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than the half shekel, when you give the icontribution to the LORD to make atonement for jyourselves. ¹⁶You shall take the atonement money from the sons of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for kyourselves.” [12 aLit sum bLit for their being mustered cLit his soul dLit muster 13 eLit passes over to those who are mustered fLit heave offering 14 gV 13, note 1 hLit heave offering of the LORD 15 iLit heave offering of the LORD jLit your souls 16 kLit your souls]

17 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁸“You shall also make a laver of abronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. ¹⁹Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; ²⁰when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the LORD. ²¹So they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they will not die; and it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for bAaron and his cdescendants throughout their generations.” [18 aOr copper 21 bLit him cLit seed]

The Anointing Oil

22 Moreover, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²³“Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, ²⁴and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. ²⁵You shall make aof these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. ²⁶With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, ²⁷and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, ²⁸and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its stand. ²⁹You shall also consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them shall be holy. ³⁰You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister as priests to Me. ³¹You shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. ³²It shall not be poured on banyone’s body, nor shall you make any like it in cthe same proportions; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you. ³³Whoever shall mix any like it or whoever puts any of it on a dlayman eshall be cut off from his people.’ ” [25 aLit it 32 bLit the flesh of man cLit its proportion 33 dLit stranger eLit even he shall]

The Incense

34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each. ³⁵With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. ³⁶You shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you. ³⁷The incense which you shall make, you shall not make in athe same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the LORD. ³⁸Whoever shall make any like it, to buse as perfume, cshall be cut off from his people.” [37 aLit its proportion 38 bLit smell of it cLit even he shall]

EXODUS 31 [Books]

The Skilled Craftsmen

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of acraftsmanship, ⁴to bmake artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in cbronze, ⁵and in the cutting of stones dfor settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of acraftsmanship. ⁶And behold, I Myself have eappointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are fskillful I have put gskill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: ⁷the tent of meeting, and the ark of testimony, and the hmercy seat upon it, and all the furniture of the tent, ⁸the table also and its iutensils, and the pure gold lampstand with all its jutensils, and the altar of incense, ⁹the altar of burnt offering also with all its kutensils, and the laver and its stand, ¹⁰the lwoven garments as well, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, with which to mcarry on their priesthood; ¹¹the anointing oil also, and the fragrant incense for the holy place, they are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.” [3 aOr workmanship 4 bLit devise devices cOr copper 5 dLit to fill in (for a setting) 6 eLit given fLit wise of heart gLit wisdom 7 hLit propitiatory 8 iOr vessels jOr vessels 9 kOr vessels 10 lOr service garments mLit minister as priests]

The Sign of the Sabbath

12 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹³“But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. ¹⁴Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. ¹⁶So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to acelebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ ¹⁷It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” [16 aLit do]

18 When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.

EXODUS 32 [Books]

The Golden Calf

1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us aa god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” ²Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” ³Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. ⁴He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “bThis is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” ⁵Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” ⁶So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. [1 aOr gods 4 bOr These are your gods]

7 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go adown at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. ⁸They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘bThis is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’ ” ⁹The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are can obstinate people. ¹⁰Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.” [7 aLit go down 8 bOr These are your gods 9 cOr a stiff-necked]

Moses’ Entreaty

11 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ¹²Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. ¹³Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your adescendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your adescendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” ¹⁴So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. [13 aLit seed]

15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets which were written on both asides; they were written on one side and the other. ¹⁶The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing engraved on the tablets. ¹⁷Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people bas they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.” ¹⁸But he said,

“It is not the sound of the cry of triumph,

Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat;

But the sound of singing I hear.” [15 aLit their sides 17 bLit in its shouting]

Moses’ Anger

¹⁹It came about, as soon as aMoses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them bat the foot of the mountain. ²⁰He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it. [19 aLit he bLit beneath]

21 Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?” ²²Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are aprone to evil. ²³For they said to me, ‘Make ba god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ²⁴I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” [22 aLit in evil 23 bOr gods]

25 Now when Moses saw that the people were aout of control—for Aaron had let them bget out of control to be a derision among ctheir enemies— ²⁶then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him. ²⁷He said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his dneighbor.’ ” ²⁸So the sons of Levi did eas Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. ²⁹Then Moses said, “fDedicate yourselves today to the LORD—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.” [25 aLit let loose bLit go loose cLit those who rise against them 27 dOr kin 28 eLit according to Moses’ word 29 fLit Fill your hand]

30 On the next day Moses said to the people, “You yourselves have acommitted a great sin; and now I am going up to the LORD, perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” ³¹Then Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Alas, this people has acommitted a great sin, and they have made ba god of gold for themselves. ³²But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” ³³The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. ³⁴But go now, lead the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I cpunish, I will dpunish them for their sin.” ³⁵Then the LORD smote the people, because of what they did with the calf which Aaron had made. [30 aLit sinned 31 bOr gods 34 cLit visit dLit visit their sin upon them]

EXODUS 33 [Books]

The Journey Resumed

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your adescendants I will give it.’ ²I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. ³Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are ban obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.” [1 aLit seed 3 bLit a stiff-necked]

4 When the people heard this asad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments. ⁵For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are ban obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’ ” ⁶So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. [4 aLit evil 5 bLit a stiff-necked]

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. ⁸And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and athe LORD would speak with Moses. ¹⁰When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. ¹¹Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When bMoses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. [9 aLit He 11 bLit he]

Moses Intercedes

12 Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ ¹³Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” ¹⁴And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” ¹⁵Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. ¹⁶For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the aearth?” [16 aLit ground]

17 The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” ¹⁸Then aMoses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” ¹⁹And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” ²⁰But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” ²¹Then the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place bby Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; ²²and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. ²³Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” [18 aLit he 21 bLit with]

EXODUS 34 [Books]

The Two Tablets Replaced

1 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. ²So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and apresent yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. ³No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen banywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain.” ⁴So he cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand. ⁵The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as che called upon the name of the LORD. ⁶Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and dtruth; ⁷who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” ⁸Moses made haste eto bow low toward the earth and worship. ⁹He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though fthe people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own gpossession.” [2 aOr place yourself before 3 bLit on all 5 cOr he called out with the name of the LORD 6 dOr faithfulness 8 eLit and bowed...worshiped 9 fLit it is a people stiff-necked gOr inheritance]

The Covenant Renewed

10 Then aGod said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been bproduced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people camong whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you. [10 aLit He bLit created cLit in whose midst you are]

11 “aBe sure to observe what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. ¹²Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. ¹³But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their bAsherim ¹⁴—for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God— ¹⁵otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you cto eat of his sacrifice, ¹⁶and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also to play the harlot with their gods. ¹⁷You shall make for yourself no molten gods. [11 aLit Observe for yourself 13 bI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity 15 cLit and you eat]

18 “You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, aas I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt. [18 aOr which]

19 “The first offspring from every womb belongs to Me, and all your male livestock, the first offspring from acattle and sheep. ²⁰You shall redeem with a lamb the bfirst offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. cNone shall appear before Me empty-handed. [19 aOr oxen 20 bLit first opening of cLit They shall not]

21 “You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest. ²²You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. ²³Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord aGOD, the God of Israel. ²⁴For I will bdrive out nations before you and enlarge your borders, and no man shall covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the LORD your God. [23 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 24 bOr dispossess]

25 “You shall not aoffer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread, nor is the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover to bbe left over until morning. [25 aLit slaughter bLit remain overnight]

26 “You shall bring the very first of the first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.

“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write adown these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” ²⁸So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And bhe wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten cCommandments. [27 aLit for yourself 28 bOr He, i.e. The LORD cLit Words]

Moses’ Face Shines

29 It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him. ³⁰So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. ³²Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the LORD had spoken ato him on Mount Sinai. ³³When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. ³⁴But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, ³⁵the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him. [32 aLit with]

EXODUS 35 [Books]

The Sabbath Emphasized

1 Then Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to ado: [1 aLit do them]

2 “For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. ³You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.”

4 Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, saying, ⁵‘Take from among you a acontribution to the LORD; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD’S acontribution: gold, silver, and bbronze, ⁶and cblue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goats’ hair, ⁷and rams’ skins ddyed red, and porpoise skins, and acacia wood, ⁸and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense, ⁹and onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the ebreastpiece. [5 aOr heave offering bOr copper 6 cOr violet 7 dOr tanned 9 eOr pouch]

Tabernacle Workmen

10 ‘Let every skillful man among you come, and make all that the LORD has commanded: ¹¹the atabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its bsockets; ¹²the ark and its poles, the cmercy seat, and the curtain of the screen; ¹³the table and its poles, and all its dutensils, and the bread of the ePresence; ¹⁴the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light; ¹⁵and the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the doorway at the fentrance of the tabernacle; ¹⁶the altar of burnt offering with its gbronze grating, its poles, and all its dutensils, the hbasin and its stand; ¹⁷the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bsockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; ¹⁸the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their cords; ¹⁹the iwoven garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’ ” [11 aLit dwelling place bOr bases 12 cLit propitiatory 13 dOr vessels eLit Face 15 fOr doorway 16 gOr copper hOr laver 19 iOr service garments]

Gifts Received

20 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses’ presence. ²¹Everyone whose heart astirred him and everyone whose spirit bmoved him came and brought the LORD’S ccontribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments. ²²Then all dwhose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and eearrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who fpresented an offering of gold to the LORD. ²³Every man, gwho had in his possession hblue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’ hair and rams’ skins idyed red and porpoise skins, brought them. ²⁴Everyone who could make a ccontribution of silver and jbronze brought the LORD’S ccontribution; and every man kwho had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. ²⁵All the lskilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in mblue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. ²⁶All the women whose heart nstirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair. ²⁷The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the obreastpiece; ²⁸and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. ²⁹The pIsraelites, all the men and women, whose heart qmoved them to bring material for all the work, which the LORD had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the LORD. [21 aLit lifted up bOr made him willing cOr heave offering 22 dOr who were willing-hearted eOr nose rings fLit waved a wave offering 23 gLit with whom was found hOr violet iOr tanned 24 jOr copper kLit with whom was found 25 lLit women wise of heart mOr violet 26 nLit lifted them up in wisdom 27 oOr pouch 29 pLit sons of Israel qLit made them willing]

30 Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³¹And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all acraftsmanship; ³²bto make designs for working in gold and in silver and in cbronze, ³³and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. ³⁴He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵He has filled them with dskill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in eblue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs. [31 aOr work 32 bLit devise devices cOr copper 35 dLit wisdom of heart eOr violet]

EXODUS 36 [Books]

The Tabernacle Underwritten

1 “Now Bezalel and Oholiab, and every askillful person in whom the LORD has put bskill and understanding to know how to perform all the work cin the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.” [1 aLit man wise of heart bLit wisdom cOr connected with the service of; lit of the service of]

2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every askillful person in bwhom the LORD had put cskill, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it. ³They received from Moses all the dcontributions which the sons of Israel had brought eto perform the work fin the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. ⁴And all the gskillful men who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from hthe work which ihe was performing, ⁵and they said to jMoses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the kconstruction work which the LORD commanded us to lperform.” ⁶So Moses issued a command, and a mproclamation was circulated throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman any longer perform work for the ncontributions of the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more. ⁷For the omaterial they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it. [2 aLit man wise of heart bLit whose heart cLit wisdom 3 dLit lifted offering eLit to perform it for the work fLit of the service of 4 gLit wise hLit his iLit they were 5 jLit Moses, saying, kLit service for the work lLit perform it 6 mLit voice nLit heave offering 7 oLit work]

Construction Proceeds

8 All the askillful men among those who were performing the work made the btabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and cblue and purple and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman, dBezalel made them. ⁹The length of each curtain was twenty-eight ecubits and the width of each curtain four ecubits; all the curtains had fthe same measurements. ¹⁰He gjoined five curtains to one another and the other five curtains he hjoined to one another. ¹¹He made loops of cblue on the edge of the ioutermost curtain in the first jset; he did likewise on the edge of the curtain that was koutermost in the second lset. ¹²He made fifty loops in the one curtain and he made fifty loops on the medge of the curtain that was in the second nset; the loops were opposite each other. ¹³He made fifty clasps of gold and ojoined the curtains to one another with the clasps, so the tabernacle was pa unit. [8 aLit wise of heart bLit dwelling place cOr violet dLit he 9 eI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. fLit one measure 10 gOr coupled hOr coupled 11 iLit one curtain from the end in the coupling jLit coupling kLit one curtain from the end in the coupling lLit coupling 12 mLit end nLit coupling 13 oOr coupled pLit one]

14 Then he made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven curtains ain all. ¹⁵The length of each curtain was thirty cubits and four cubits the width of each curtain; the eleven curtains had bthe same measurements. ¹⁶He cjoined five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves. ¹⁷Moreover, he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first dset, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second dset. ¹⁸He made fifty clasps of ebronze to fjoin the tent together so that it would be ga unit. ¹⁹He made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins hdyed red, and a covering of porpoise skins above. [14 aLit in number 15 bLit one measure 16 cOr coupled 17 dLit coupling 18 eOr copper fOr couple gLit one 19 hOr tanned]

20 Then he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. ²¹Ten cubits was the length of aeach board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. ²²There were two tenons for each board, bfitted to one another; thus he did for all the boards of the tabernacle. ²³He made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards cfor the south side; ²⁴and he made forty dsockets of silver under the twenty boards; two dsockets under one board for its two tenons and two dsockets under another board for its two tenons. ²⁵Then for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards, ²⁶and their forty dsockets of silver; two dsockets under one board and two dsockets under another board. ²⁷For the erear of the tabernacle, to the west, he made six boards. ²⁸He made two boards for the corners of the ftabernacle at the erear. ²⁹They were double beneath, and together they were complete to its gtop hto the first ring; thus he did with both of them for the two corners. ³⁰There were eight boards with their dsockets of silver, sixteen dsockets, itwo under every board. [21 aLit the 22 bLit bound 23 cLit to the side of the Negev, to the south 24 dOr bases 27 eLit extreme parts 28 fLit dwelling place 29 gOr head hOr with reference to 30 iLit two sockets]

31 Then he made bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, ³²and five bars for the boards of the aother side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the brear side to the west. ³³He made the middle bar to pass through in the ccenter of the boards from end to end. ³⁴He overlaid the boards with gold and made their rings of gold as holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold. [32 aOr second bLit extreme parts 33 cLit midst]

35 Moreover, he made the veil of ablue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. ³⁶He made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold, with their hooks of gold; and he cast four bsockets of silver for them. ³⁷He made a screen for the doorway of the tent, of ablue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, the work of a cweaver; ³⁸and he made its five pillars with their hooks, and he overlaid their tops and their dbands with gold; but their five bsockets were of ebronze. [35 aOr violet 36 bOr bases 37 cLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors 38 dOr fillets, rings eOr copper]

EXODUS 37 [Books]

Construction Continues

1 Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half acubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits; ²and he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding for it all around. ³He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the bother side of it. ⁴He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. ⁵He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry cit. ⁶He made a dmercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits elong and one and a half cubits fwide. ⁷He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work gat the two ends of the mercy seat; ⁸one cherub hat the one end and one cherub iat the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat jat the two ends. ⁹The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the dmercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat. [1 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 3 bLit second 5 cLit the ark 6 dLit propitiatory eLit its length fLit its width 7 gLit from 8 hLit from iLit from jLit from]

10 Then he made the table of acacia wood, two acubits blong and a cubit cwide and one and a half cubits dhigh. ¹¹He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding for it all around. ¹²He made a rim for it of a handbreadth all around, and made a gold molding for its rim all around. ¹³He cast four gold rings for it and put the rings on the four corners that were on its four feet. ¹⁴Close by the rim were the rings, the holders for the poles to carry the table. ¹⁵He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. ¹⁶He made the utensils which were on the table, its edishes and its pans and its fbowls and its jars, with which to pour out drink offerings, of pure gold. [10 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. bLit its length cLit its width dLit its height 16 eOr platters fLit libation bowls]

17 Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its shaft; its cups, its abulbs and its flowers were of one piece with it. ¹⁸There were six branches going out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand from the one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the bother side of it; ¹⁹three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a cbulb and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a cbulb and a flower in the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. ²⁰In the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its abulbs and its flowers; ²¹and a cbulb was under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a cbulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a cbulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. ²²Their abulbs and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was a single hammered work of pure gold. ²³He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its dtrays of pure gold. ²⁴He made it and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold. [17 aOr calyxes 18 bLit second 19 cOr calyx 23 dLit snuff dishes]

25 Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit along and a cubit bwide, square, and two cubits chigh; its horns were of one piece with it. ²⁶He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its dsides all around, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it all around. ²⁷He made two golden rings for it under its molding, on its two sides—on opposite sides—as holders for poles with which to carry it. ²⁸He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. ²⁹And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense of spices, the work of a perfumer. [25 aLit its length bLit its width cLit its height 26 dLit walls]

EXODUS 38 [Books]

The Tabernacle Completed

1 Then he made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, five acubits blong, and five cubits cwide, square, and three cubits dhigh. ²He made its horns on its four corners, its horns ebeing of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with fbronze. ³He made all the utensils of the altar, the pails and the shovels and the basins, the flesh hooks and the firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze. ⁴He made for the altar a grating of bronze network beneath, under its ledge, reaching halfway up. ⁵He cast four rings on the four ends of the bronze grating as holders for the poles. ⁶He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. ⁷He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks. [1 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. bLit its length cLit its width dLit its height 2 eLit were fOr copper, and so for bronze throughout the ch]

8 Moreover, he made the laver of bronze with its base of bronze, afrom the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. [8 aLit with]

9 Then he made the court: afor the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits; ¹⁰their twenty pillars, and their twenty bsockets, made of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their cbands were of silver. ¹¹For the north side there were one hundred cubits; their twenty pillars and their twenty bsockets were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their cbands were of silver. ¹²For the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten bsockets; the hooks of the pillars and their cbands were of silver. ¹³For the deast side fifty cubits. ¹⁴The hangings for the one eside of the gate were fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bsockets, ¹⁵and so for the fother eside. gOn both sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bsockets. ¹⁶All the hangings of the court all around were of fine twisted linen. ¹⁷The bsockets for the pillars were of hbronze, the hooks of the pillars and their cbands, of silver; and the overlaying of their tops, of silver, and all the pillars of the court were furnished with silver cbands. ¹⁸The screen of the gate of the court was the work of the iweaver, of jblue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. And the length was twenty cubits and the kheight was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court. ¹⁹Their four pillars and their four bsockets were of bronze; their hooks were of silver, and the overlaying of their tops and their cbands were of silver. ²⁰All the pegs of the ltabernacle and of the court all around were of bronze. [9 aLit to the side of the Negev, to the south 10 bOr bases cOr fillets, rings 13 dLit east side, eastward 14 eLit shoulder 15 fLit second gLit On this side and on that side 17 hOr copper 18 iLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors jOr violet kLit height in width 20 lLit dwelling place]

The Cost of the Tabernacle

21 aThis is the number of the things for the btabernacle, the btabernacle of the testimony, as they were cnumbered according to the dcommand of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. ²²Now Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD had commanded Moses. ²³With him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and a skillful workman and a eweaver in fblue and in purple and in scarlet material, and fine linen. [21 aLit These are the appointed things of the tabernacle bLit dwelling place cLit appointed dLit mouth 23 eLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors fOr violet]

24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the wave offering, was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. ²⁵The silver of those of the congregation who were anumbered was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; ²⁶a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for each one who passed over to those who were anumbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men. ²⁷The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bsockets of the sanctuary and the bsockets of the veil; one hundred bsockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a bsocket. ²⁸Of the 1,775 shekels, he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their tops and made cbands for them. ²⁹The bronze of the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. ³⁰With it he made the bsockets to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and the bronze altar and its bronze grating, and all the utensils of the altar, ³¹and the bsockets of the court all around and the bsockets of the gate of the court, and all the pegs of the dtabernacle and all the pegs of the court all around. [25 aLit mustered 27 bOr bases 28 cOr fillets, rings 31 dLit dwelling place]

EXODUS 39 [Books]

The Priestly Garments

1 Moreover, from the ablue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place bas well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [1 aOr violet bLit and they made]

2 He made the ephod of gold, and of ablue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. ³Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads bto be woven in with the ablue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman. ⁴They made attaching shoulder pieces for cthe ephod; it was attached at its two upper ends. ⁵The skillfully woven band which was on it was like its workmanship, dof the same material: of gold and of ablue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [2 aOr violet 3 bLit to work 4 cLit it 5 dLit from it]

6 They made the onyx stones, set in gold filigree settings; they were engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷And he placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

8 He made the breastpiece, the work of a skillful workman, like the workmanship of the ephod: of gold and of ablue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. ⁹It was square; they made the breastpiece folded double, a span blong and a span cwide when folded double. ¹⁰And they dmounted four rows of stones on it. The first row was a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; ¹¹and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; ¹²and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ¹³and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were set in gold filigree settings when they were dmounted. ¹⁴The stones were corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were twelve, corresponding to their names, engraved with the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve tribes. ¹⁵They made on the breastpiece chains like cords, of twisted cordage work in pure gold. ¹⁶They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. ¹⁷Then they put the two gold cords in the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. ¹⁸They put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. ¹⁹They made two gold rings and placed them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inner edge which was next to the ephod. ²⁰Furthermore, they made two gold rings and placed them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it, close to the place where it joined, above the woven band of the ephod. ²¹They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a ablue cord, so that it would be on the woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece would not come loose from the ephod, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [8 aOr violet 9 bLit its length cLit its width 10 dLit filled]

22 Then he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of ablue; ²³and the opening of the robe was at the top in the center, as the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding all around its opening, so that it would not be torn. ²⁴They made pomegranates of ablue and purple and scarlet material and twisted linen on the hem of the robe. ²⁵They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the brobe, ²⁶calternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [22 aOr violet 25 bLit robe, between the pomegranates 26 cLit a bell and a pomegranate, a bell...]

27 They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons, ²⁸and the turban of fine linen, and the decorated acaps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twisted linen, ²⁹and the sash of fine twisted linen, and bblue and purple and scarlet material, the work of the cweaver, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [28 aLit headgear 29 bOr violet cLit variegator; i.e. a weaver in colors]

30 They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and ainscribed it like the engravings of a signet, “Holy to the LORD.” ³¹They bfastened a cblue cord to it, to bfasten it on the turban above, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [30 aLit wrote on it a writing 31 bLit put cOr violet]

32 Thus all the work of the atabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. ³³They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its bfurnishings: its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars and its csockets; ³⁴and the covering of rams’ skins ddyed red, and the covering of porpoise skins, and the screening veil; ³⁵the ark of the testimony and its poles and the emercy seat; ³⁶the table, all its utensils, and the bread of the fPresence; ³⁷the pure gold lampstand, gwith its arrangement of lamps and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; ³⁸and the gold altar, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the veil for the doorway of the tent; ³⁹the hbronze altar and its ibronze grating, its poles and all its utensils, the laver and its stand; ⁴⁰the hangings for the court, its pillars and its csockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords and its pegs and all the bequipment for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; ⁴¹the woven garments for ministering in the holy place and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests. ⁴²So the sons of Israel did all the work according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses. ⁴³And Moses jexamined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the LORD had commanded, this they had done. So Moses blessed them. [32 aLit dwelling place 33 bOr utensils cOr bases 34 dOr tanned 35 eLit propitiatory 36 fLit Face 37 gLit its lamps, the lamps set in order 39 hOr copper iOr copper 43 jLit saw]

EXODUS 40 [Books]

The Tabernacle Erected

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the atabernacle of the tent of meeting. ³You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. ⁴You shall bring in the table and barrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and cmount its lamps. ⁵Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle. ⁶You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ⁷You shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water din it. ⁸You shall set up the court all around and ehang up the veil for the gateway of the court. ⁹Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall consecrate it and all its ffurnishings; and it shall be holy. ¹⁰You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. ¹¹You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and consecrate it. ¹²Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. ¹³You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. ¹⁴You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; ¹⁵and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will gqualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.” ¹⁶Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did. [2 aLit dwelling place 4 bLit arrange its arrangement cOr light 7 dLit there 8 eLit put the screen 9 fOr utensils 15 gLit be for them]

17 Now in the first month aof the second year, on the first day of the month, the btabernacle was erected. ¹⁸Moses erected the tabernacle and claid its dsockets, and set up its boards, and cinserted its bars and erected its pillars. ¹⁹He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent eon top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁰Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and fattached the poles to the ark, and put the gmercy seat hon top of the ark. ²¹He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²²Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. ²³He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁴Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. ²⁵He lighted the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁶Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; ²⁷and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁸Then he set up the iveil for the doorway of the tabernacle. ²⁹He set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³⁰He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. ³¹From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. ³²When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³³He erected the court all around the jtabernacle and the altar, and khung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work. [17 aLit in bLit dwelling place 18 cLit put dOr bases 19 eLit over it above 20 fLit set gLit propitiatory hLit over the ark above 28 iOr screen 33 jOr dwelling place kLit put the screen]

The Glory of the LORD

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁶Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; ³⁷but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. ³⁸For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

LEVITICUS 1 [Books]

The Law of Burnt Offerings

1 Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When any man of you brings an aoffering to the LORD, you shall bring your aoffering of animals from the herd or the flock. ³If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. ⁴He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. ⁵He shall slay the byoung bull before the LORD; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁶He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. ⁷The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. ⁸Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. ⁹Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. [2 aHeb qorban 5 bOr one of the herd; lit son of the herd]

10 ‘But if his offering is from the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer it a male without defect. ¹¹He shall slay it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. ¹²He shall then cut it into its pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. ¹³The entrails, however, and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.

14 ‘But if his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young pigeons. ¹⁵The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. ¹⁶He shall also take away its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar eastward, to the place of the aashes. ¹⁷Then he shall tear it by its wings, but shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. [16 aOr fat ashes]

LEVITICUS 2 [Books]

The Law of Grain Offerings

1 ‘Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. ²He shall then bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests; and shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. ³The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy, of the offerings to the LORD by fire.

4 ‘Now when you bring an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers aspread with oil. ⁵If your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil; ⁶you shall break it into bits and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. ⁷Now if your offering is a grain offering made in a bpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. ⁸When you bring in the grain offering which is made of these things to the LORD, it shall be presented to the priest and he shall bring it to the altar. ⁹The priest then shall take up from the grain offering its memorial portion, and shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. ¹⁰The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy of the offerings to the LORD by fire. [4 aLit anointed 7 bLit lidded cooking pan]

11 ‘No grain offering, which you bring to the LORD, shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer aup in smoke any leaven or any honey as an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹²As an offering of first fruits you shall bring them to the LORD, but they shall not ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar. ¹³Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. [11 aLit up from it]

14 ‘Also if you bring a grain offering of early ripened things to the LORD, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things. ¹⁵You shall then put oil on it and lay incense on it; it is a grain offering. ¹⁶The priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its grits and its oil with all its incense as an offering by fire to the LORD.

LEVITICUS 3 [Books]

The Law of Peace Offerings

1 ‘Now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD. ²He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar. ³From the sacrifice of the peace offerings he shall present an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁴and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the alobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. ⁵Then Aaron’s sons shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire; it is an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. ⁶But if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, he shall offer it, male or female, without defect. ⁷If he is going to offer a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD, ⁸and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it before the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. ⁹From the sacrifice of peace offerings he shall bring as an offering by fire to the LORD, its fat, bthe entire fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁰and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the alobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. ¹¹Then the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the LORD. [4 aOr appendage on 9 bLit the fat tail, entire]

12 ‘Moreover, if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD, ¹³and he shall lay his hand on its head and slay it before the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. ¹⁴From it he shall present his offering as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁵and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the alobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. ¹⁶The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD’S. ¹⁷It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.’ ” [15 aOr appendage on]

LEVITICUS 4 [Books]

The Law of Sin Offerings

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally in any of the athings which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them, ³if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bbull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has ccommitted. ⁴He shall bring the bull to the doorway of the tent of meeting before the LORD, and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull and slay the bull before the LORD. ⁵Then the anointed priest is to take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the tent of meeting, ⁶and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary. ⁷The priest shall also put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense which is before the LORD in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁸He shall remove from it all the fat of the bull of the sin offering: the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat which is on the entrails, ⁹and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the dlobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys ¹⁰(just as it is removed from the ox of the sacrifice of peace offerings), and the priest is to offer them up in smoke on the altar of burnt offering. ¹¹But the hide of the bull and all its flesh with its head and its legs and its entrails and its refuse, ¹²ethat is, all the rest of the bull, he is to bring out to a clean place outside the camp where the fashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the gashes are poured out it shall be burned. [2 aLit commands of the LORD which are not to be done 3 bOr bull of the herd cLit sinned 9 dOr appendage on 12 eLit and fOr fat ashes are gOr fat ashes are]

13 ‘Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error and the matter aescapes the notice of the assembly, and they commit any of the bthings which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and they become guilty; ¹⁴when the sin cwhich they have dcommitted becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a ebull of the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting. ¹⁵Then the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be slain before the LORD. ¹⁶Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting; ¹⁷and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. ¹⁸He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD fin the tent of meeting; and all the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ¹⁹He shall remove all its fat from it and offer it up in smoke on the altar. ²⁰He shall also do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. ²¹Then he is to bring out the bull to a place outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull; it is the sin offering for the assembly. [13 aLit is hidden from the eyes of bLit commands of the LORD which are not to be done 14 cLit concerning which dLit sinned eLit son of the herd 18 fLit which is in]

22 ‘When a leader sins and unintentionally does any one of all the athings which the LORD his God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty, ²³bif his sin cwhich he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a dgoat, a male without defect. ²⁴He shall lay his hand on the head of the male goat and slay it in the place where ethey slay the burnt offering before the LORD; it is a sin offering. ²⁵Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering. ²⁶All its fat he shall offer up in smoke on the altar as in the case of the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin, and he will be forgiven. [22 aLit commands of the LORD which are not to be done 23 bLit or cLit in which he has sinned dLit buck of the goats 24 eLit one slays]

27 ‘Now if aanyone of bthe common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the cthings which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty, ²⁸dif his sin which he has ecommitted is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a fgoat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has ecommitted. ²⁹He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. ³⁰The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. ³¹Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, gand he will be forgiven. [27 aLit one soul bLit the people of the land cLit commands of the LORD which are not to be done 28 dLit or eLit sinned fOr female goat 31 gOr so that he may be]

32 ‘But if he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring it, a female without defect. ³³He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay it for a sin offering in the place where athey slay the burnt offering. ³⁴The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. ³⁵Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has bcommitted, and he will be forgiven. [33 aLit one slays 35 bLit sinned]

LEVITICUS 5 [Books]

The Law of Guilt Offerings

1 ‘Now if a person sins after he hears a apublic adjuration to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his bguilt. ²Or if a person touches any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things, though it is hidden from him and he is unclean, then he will be guilty. ³Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. ⁴Or if a person swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these. ⁵So it shall be when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned. ⁶He shall also bring his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin which he has ccommitted, a female from the flock, a lamb or a dgoat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin. [1 aLit voice of an oath bOr iniquity 6 cLit sinned dLit female goat]

7 ‘But if ahe cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ⁸He shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first that which is for the sin offering and shall nip its head at the front of its neck, but he shall not sever it. ⁹He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering. ¹⁰The second he shall then prepare as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has bcommitted, and it will be forgiven him. [7 aLit his hand does not reach enough for 10 bLit sinned]

11 ‘But if his ameans are insufficient for two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then for his offering for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the tenth of an bephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall not put oil on it or place incense on it, for it is a sin offering. ¹²He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar, cwith the offerings of the LORD by fire: it is a sin offering. ¹³So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has dcommitted from one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’ ” [11 aLit hand does not reach bI.e. Approx one bu 12 cLit upon 13 dLit sinned]

14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁵“If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD’S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. ¹⁶He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.

17 “Now if a person sins and does any of the things awhich the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. ¹⁸He is then to bring to the priest a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it will be forgiven him. ¹⁹It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.” [17 aLit the commands of the LORD which are]

LEVITICUS 6 [Books]

Guilt Offering

1 aThen the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD, and deceives his companion in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through robbery, or if he has extorted from his companion, ³or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do; ⁴then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was bentrusted to him or the lost thing which he found, ⁵or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it cin full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering. ⁶Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering, ⁷and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt.” [1 aCh 5:20 in Heb 4 bOr deposited with 5 cLit in its sum]

The Priest’s Part in the Offerings

8 aThen the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁹“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law for the burnt offering: the burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire on the altar is to be kept burning on it. ¹⁰The priest is to put on his linen robe, and he shall put on undergarments next to his flesh; and he shall take up the bashes to which the fire creduces the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar. ¹¹Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments, and carry the bashes outside the camp to a clean place. ¹²The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, but the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay out the burnt offering on it, and offer up in smoke the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. ¹³Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out. [8 aCh 6:1 in Heb 10 bOr fat ashes cLit consumes]

14 ‘Now this is the law of the grain offering: the sons of Aaron shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar. ¹⁵Then one of them shall lift up from it a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, awith its oil and all the incense that is on the grain offering, and he shall offer it up in smoke on the altar, a soothing aroma, as its memorial offering to the LORD. ¹⁶What is left of it Aaron and his sons are to eat. It shall be eaten as unleavened cakes in a holy place; they are to eat it in the court of the tent of meeting. ¹⁷It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their share from My offerings by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. ¹⁸Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat it; it is a permanent ordinance throughout your generations, from the offerings by fire to the LORD. Whoever touches them will become consecrated.’ ” [15 aLit and some of]

19 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁰“This is the offering which Aaron and his sons are to present to the LORD on the day when he is anointed; the tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a aregular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening. ²¹It shall be prepared with oil on a griddle. When it is well stirred, you shall bring it. You shall present the grain offering in baked pieces as a soothing aroma to the LORD. ²²The anointed priest who will be in his place bamong his sons shall coffer it. By a permanent ordinance it shall be entirely offered up in smoke to the LORD. ²³So every grain offering of the priest shall be burned entirely. It shall not be eaten.” [20 aLit grain offering continually 22 bLit from among cLit do]

24 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁵“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is slain the sin offering shall be slain before the LORD; it is most holy. ²⁶The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. ²⁷Anyone who touches its flesh will become consecrated; and when any of its blood asplashes on a garment, in a holy place you shall wash what was splashed on. ²⁸Also the earthenware vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; and if it was boiled in a bronze vessel, then it shall be scoured and rinsed in water. ²⁹Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy. ³⁰But no sin offering of which any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place shall be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. [27 aLit one sprinkles]

LEVITICUS 7 [Books]

The Priest’s Part in the Offerings

1 ‘Now this is the law of the guilt offering; it is most holy. ²In the place where they slay the burnt offering they are to slay the guilt offering, and he shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. ³Then he shall offer from it all its fat: the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, ⁴and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe on the liver he shall remove with the kidneys. ⁵The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a guilt offering. ⁶Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. ⁷The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them; the priest who makes atonement with it ashall have it. ⁸Also the priest who presents any man’s burnt offering, bthat priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has presented. ⁹Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in the oven and everything prepared in a cpan or on a griddle bshall belong to the priest who presents it. ¹⁰Every grain offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall dbelong to all the sons of Aaron, eto all alike. [7 aLit it shall be for him 8 bLit for the priest, it shall be for him 9 cLit lidded cooking pan 10 dLit be eLit a man as his brother]

11 ‘Now this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be presented to the LORD. ¹²If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers aspread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. ¹³With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread. ¹⁴Of bthis he shall present one of every offering as a ccontribution to the LORD; it shall dbelong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings. [12 aOr anointed 14 bLit it cOr heave offering dLit be for]

15 ‘Now as for the flesh of the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offerings, it shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it over until morning. ¹⁶But if the sacrifice of his offering is a votive or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the anext day what is left of it may be eaten; ¹⁷but what is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. ¹⁸So if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings should ever be eaten on the third day, he who offers it will not be accepted, and it will not be reckoned to his benefit. It shall be an offensive thing, and the person who eats of it will bear his own iniquity. [16 aLit morrow and what]

19 ‘Also the flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. aAs for other flesh, anyone who is clean may eat such flesh. ²⁰But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, bin his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people. ²¹When anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean cdetestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.’ ” [19 aLit And the flesh 20 bLit and his uncleanness is on him 21 cSome mss read swarming thing]

22 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²³“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall not eat any fat from an ox, a sheep or a goat. ²⁴Also the fat of an animal which dies and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but you must certainly not eat it. ²⁵For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which aan offering by fire is offered to the LORD, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people. ²⁶You are not to eat any blood, either of bird or animal, in any of your dwellings. ²⁷Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people.’ ” [25 aLit he offers an offering by fire]

28 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁹“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. ³⁰His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to the LORD. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be apresented as a wave offering before the LORD. ³¹The priest shall offer up the fat in smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons. ³²You shall give the right thigh to the priest as a bcontribution from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. ³³The one among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat, the right thigh shall be his as his portion. ³⁴For I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the bcontribution from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their due forever from the sons of Israel. [30 aLit waved 32 bOr heave offering]

35 ‘This is athat which is consecrated to Aaron and athat which is consecrated to his sons from the offerings by fire to the LORD, in that day when he presented them to serve as priests to the LORD. ³⁶bThese the LORD had commanded to be given them from the sons of Israel in the day that He anointed them. It is their due forever throughout their generations.’ ” [35 aLit the anointed portion of 36 bLit Which]

37 This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering and the ordination offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings, ³⁸which the LORD commanded Moses at Mount Sinai in the day that He commanded the sons of Israel to apresent their offerings to the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai. [38 aOr offer]

LEVITICUS 8 [Books]

The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread, ³and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting.” ⁴So Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting, ⁵Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to do.”

6 Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near and washed them with water. ⁷He put the tunic on him and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the artistic band of the ephod, awith which he tied it to him. ⁸He then placed the bbreastpiece on him, and in the bbreastpiece he put cthe Urim and the Thummim. ⁹He also placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [7 aLit and with it 8 bLit pouch cI.e. the lights and perfections]

10 Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the atabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. ¹¹He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. ¹²Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. ¹³Next Moses had Aaron’s sons come near and clothed them with tunics, and girded them with sashes and bound bcaps on them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [10 aOr dwelling place 13 bLit headgear]

14 Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. ¹⁵Next aMoses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. ¹⁶He also took all the fat that was on the entrails and the blobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; and Moses offered it up in smoke on the altar. ¹⁷But the bull and its hide and its flesh and its refuse he burned in the fire outside the camp, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [15 aLit he slaughtered it and Moses took 16 bOr appendage on]

18 Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. ¹⁹aMoses slaughtered it and sprinkled the blood around on the altar. ²⁰When he had cut the ram into its pieces, Moses offered up the head and the pieces and the suet in smoke. ²¹After he had washed the entrails and the legs with water, Moses offered up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [19 aLit He slaughtered it and Moses sprinkled]

22 Then he presented the second ram, the ram of aordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. ²³bMoses slaughtered it and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ²⁴He also had Aaron’s sons come near; and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then sprinkled the rest of the blood around on the altar. ²⁵He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the clobe of the liver and the two kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. ²⁶From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake and one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer, and placed them on the portions of fat and on the right thigh. ²⁷He then put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons and presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. ²⁸Then Moses took them from their hands and offered them up in smoke on the altar with the burnt offering. They were an ordination offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁹Moses also took the breast and presented it for a wave offering before the LORD; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [22 aLit filling, and so throughout the ch 23 bLit He slaughtered it and Moses took 25 cOr appendage on]

30 So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.

31 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ ³²The remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire. ³³You shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will aordain you through seven days. ³⁴The LORD has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf. ³⁵At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the LORD, so that you will not die, for so I have been commanded.” ³⁶Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD had commanded through Moses. [33 aLit fill your hands]

LEVITICUS 9 [Books]

Aaron Offers Sacrifices

1 Now it came about on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel; ²and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the LORD. ³Then to the sons of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without defect, for a burnt offering, ⁴and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD will appear to you.’ ” ⁵So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the LORD. ⁶Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.” ⁷Moses then said to Aaron, “Come near to the altar and aoffer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering bfor the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as the LORD has commanded.” [7 aLit make bLit of]

8 So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself. ⁹Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put some on the horns of the altar, and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹⁰The fat and the kidneys and the alobe of the liver of the sin offering, he then offered up in smoke on the altar just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ¹¹The flesh and the skin, however, he burned with fire outside the camp. [10 aOr appendage on]

12 Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar. ¹³They handed the burnt offering to him in apieces, with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. ¹⁴He also washed the entrails and the legs, and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar. [13 aLit its pieces]

15 Then he presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the first. ¹⁶He also presented the burnt offering, and aoffered it according to the ordinance. ¹⁷Next he presented the grain offering, and filled his bhand with some of it and offered it up in smoke on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning. [16 aLit made 17 bLit palm]

18 Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar. ¹⁹As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail, and the fat covering, and the kidneys and the alobe of the liver, ²⁰they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered bthem up in smoke on the altar. ²¹But the breasts and the right thigh Aaron cpresented as a wave offering before the LORD, just as Moses had commanded. [19 aOr appendage on 20 bLit the portions of fat 21 cLit waved]

22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. ²³Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. ²⁴Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

LEVITICUS 10 [Books]

The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. ²And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. ³Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the LORD spoke, saying,

‘By those who come near Me I awill be treated as holy,

And before all the people I will be honored.’ ”

So Aaron, therefore, kept silent. [3 aOr will show Myself holy]

4 Moses called also to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come forward, carry your arelatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the outside of the camp.” ⁵So they came forward and carried them still in their tunics to the outside of the camp, as Moses had said. ⁶Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not buncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you will not die and that He will not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your akinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has cbrought about. ⁷You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the LORD’S anointing oil is upon you.” So they did according to the word of Moses. [4 aLit brothers 6 bLit unbind cLit burned]

8 The LORD then spoke to Aaron, saying, ⁹“Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations— ¹⁰and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, ¹¹and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses.”

12 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that is left over from the LORD’S offerings by fire and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy. ¹³You shall eat it, moreover, in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due out of the LORD’S offerings by fire; for thus I have been commanded. ¹⁴The breast of the wave offering, however, and the thigh of the offering you may eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you; for they have been given as your due and your sons’ due out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel. ¹⁵The thigh offered by lifting up and the breast offered by waving they shall bring along with the offerings by fire of the portions of fat, to present as a wave offering before the LORD; so it shall be a thing perpetually due you and your sons with you, just as the LORD has commanded.”

16 But Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up! So he was angry with Aaron’s surviving sons Eleazar and Ithamar, saying, ¹⁷“Why did you not eat the sin offering at the holy place? For it is most holy, and aHe gave it to you to bear away the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD. ¹⁸Behold, since its blood had not been brought inside, into the sanctuary, you should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I commanded.” ¹⁹But Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. When things like these happened to me, if I had eaten a sin offering today, would it have been good in the sight of the LORD?” ²⁰When Moses heard that, it seemed good in his sight. [17 aOr was given]

LEVITICUS 11 [Books]

Laws about Animals for Food

1 The LORD spoke again to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth. ³Whatever divides a hoof, thus making split hoofs, and chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. ⁴Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you. ⁵Likewise, the ashaphan, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; ⁶the brabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; ⁷and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. ⁸You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you. [5 aA small, shy, furry animal (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB rock badger 6 bOr hare]

9 ‘These you may eat, whatever is in the water: all that have fins and scales, those in the water, in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. ¹⁰But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you, ¹¹and they shall be aabhorrent to you; you may not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses you shall detest. ¹²Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales is aabhorrent to you. [11 aLit detestable things]

Avoid the Unclean

13 ‘These, moreover, you shall detest among the birds; they are aabhorrent, not to be eaten: the beagle and the vulture and the cbuzzard, ¹⁴and the kite and the falcon in its kind, ¹⁵every raven in its kind, ¹⁶and the ostrich and the owl and the sea gull and the hawk in its kind, ¹⁷and the little owl and the cormorant and the dgreat owl, ¹⁸and the white owl and the epelican and the carrion vulture, ¹⁹and the stork, the heron in its kinds, and the hoopoe, and the bat. [13 aLit a detestable thing bOr vulture cOr black vulture 17 dSpecifically, great horned owl 18 eOr owl or jackdaw]

20 ‘All the awinged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. ²¹Yet these you may eat among all the bwinged insects which walk on all fours: those which have above their feet jointed legs with which to jump on the earth. ²²These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, and the devastating locust in its kinds, and the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds. ²³But all other bwinged insects which are four-footed are detestable to you. [20 aLit swarming things with wings 21 bV 20, note 1]

24 ‘By these, moreover, you will be made unclean: whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening, ²⁵and whoever picks up any of their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. ²⁶Concerning all the animals which divide the hoof but do not make a split hoof, or which do not chew cud, they are unclean to you: whoever touches them becomes unclean. ²⁷Also whatever walks on its paws, among all the creatures that walk on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening, ²⁸and the one who picks up their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening; they are unclean to you.

29 ‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, and the agreat lizard in its kinds, ³⁰and the gecko, and the bcrocodile, and the lizard, and the csand reptile, and the chameleon. ³¹These are to you the unclean among all the swarming things; whoever touches them when they are dead becomes unclean until evening. ³²Also anything on which one of them may fall when they are dead becomes unclean, including any wooden article, or clothing, or a skin, or a sack—any article dof which use is made—it shall be put in the water and be unclean until evening, then it becomes clean. ³³As for any earthenware vessel into which one of them may fall, whatever is in it becomes unclean and you shall break ethe vessel. ³⁴Any of the ffood which may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any gliquid which may be drunk in every vessel shall become unclean. ³⁵Everything, moreover, on which part of their carcass may fall becomes unclean; an oven or a hstove shall be smashed; they are unclean and shall continue as unclean to you. ³⁶Nevertheless a spring or a cistern icollecting water shall be clean, though the one who touches their carcass shall be unclean. ³⁷If a part of their carcass falls on any seed for sowing which is to be sown, it is clean. ³⁸Though if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you. [29 aOr thorn-tailed lizard 30 bOr lizard cSpecies as yet undefined 32 dLit with which work is done 33 eLit it 34 fI.e. if touched by a carcass; cf vv 29-32 gI.e. if touched by a carcass; cf vv 29-32 35 hLit hearth for supporting (two) pots 36 iLit of a gathering of]

39 ‘Also if one of the animals dies which you have for food, the one who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening. ⁴⁰He too, who eats some of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening, and the one who picks up its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

41 ‘Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable, not to be eaten. ⁴²Whatever crawls on its belly, and whatever walks on all fours, whatever has many feet, in respect to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable. ⁴³Do not render ayourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean. ⁴⁴For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. ⁴⁵For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’ ” [43 aLit your souls]

46 This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, ⁴⁷to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.

LEVITICUS 12 [Books]

Laws of Motherhood

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:

‘When a woman agives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of bher menstruation she shall be unclean. ³On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. ⁴Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. ⁵But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her cmenstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days. [2 aLit produces seed bLit the impurity of her sickness 5 cLit impurity]

6 ‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. ⁷Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the aflow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. ⁸But if bshe cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ ” [7 aLit fountain 8 bLit her hand does not find a sufficiency of a lamb]

LEVITICUS 13 [Books]

The Test for Leprosy

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ²“When a man has on the skin of his abody a swelling or a scab or a bright spot, and it becomes ban infection of leprosy on the skin of his abody, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. ³The priest shall look at the mark on the skin of the abody, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his abody, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean. ⁴But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his abody, and cit does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has not turned white, then the priest shall disolate him who has the infection for seven days. ⁵The priest shall look at him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the infection ehas not changed and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall disolate him for seven more days. ⁶The priest shall look at him again on the seventh day, and if the infection has faded and the mark has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a scab. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean. [2 aLit flesh bLit a mark, stroke, and so throughout the ch 4 cLit the appearance of it is not deeper dLit shut up 5 eLit has stood]

7 “But if the scab spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again to the priest. ⁸The priest shall look, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.

9 “When the infection of leprosy is on a man, then he shall be brought to the priest. ¹⁰The priest shall then look, and if there is a white swelling in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling, ¹¹it is aa chronic leprosy on the skin of his bbody, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not cisolate him, for he is unclean. ¹²If the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of him who has the infection from his head even to his feet, das far as the priest can see, ¹³then the priest shall look, and behold, if the leprosy has covered all his bbody, he shall pronounce clean him who has the infection; it has all turned white and he is clean. ¹⁴But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. ¹⁵The priest shall look at the raw flesh, and he shall pronounce him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy. ¹⁶Or if the raw flesh turns again and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest, ¹⁷and the priest shall look at him, and behold, if the infection has turned to white, then the priest shall pronounce clean him who has the infection; he is clean. [11 aLit an old bLit flesh cLit shut up 12 dLit with regard to the whole sight of the priest’s eyes]

18 “When the abody has a boil on its skin and it is healed, ¹⁹and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish-white, bright spot, then it shall be shown to the priest; ²⁰and the priest shall look, and behold, if bit appears to be lower than the skin, and the hair on it has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the infection of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil. ²¹But if the priest looks at it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it and it is not lower than the skin and is faded, then the priest shall cisolate him for seven days; ²²and if it spreads farther on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. ²³But if the bright spot remains in its place and does not spread, it is only the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. [18 aLit flesh 20 bLit the appearance of it is lower 21 cLit shut up]

24 “Or if the abody sustains in its skin a burn by fire, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white, ²⁵then the priest shall look at it. And if the hair in the bright spot has turned white and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is leprosy; it has broken out in the burn. Therefore, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy. ²⁶But if the priest looks at it, and indeed, there is no white hair in the bright spot and it is no bdeeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall cisolate him for seven days; ²⁷and the priest shall look at him on the seventh day. If it spreads farther in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy. ²⁸But if the bright spot remains in its place and has not spread in the skin, but is dim, it is the swelling from the burn; and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar of the burn. [24 aLit flesh 26 bLit lower cLit shut up]

29 “Now if a man or woman has an infection on the head or on the beard, ³⁰then the priest shall look at the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and there is thin yellowish hair in it, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a scale, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard. ³¹But if the priest looks at the infection of the scale, and indeed, it appears to be no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall aisolate the person with the scaly infection for seven days. ³²On the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection, and if the scale has not spread and no yellowish hair has bgrown in it, and the appearance of the scale is no deeper than the skin, ³³then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the scale; and the priest shall aisolate the person with the scale seven more days. ³⁴Then on the seventh day the priest shall look at the scale, and if the scale has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes and be clean. ³⁵But if the scale spreads farther in the skin after his cleansing, ³⁶then the priest shall look at him, and if the scale has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for the yellowish hair; he is unclean. ³⁷If in his sight the scale has remained, however, and black hair has grown in it, the scale has healed, he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. [31 aLit shut up 32 bLit been]

38 “When a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the abody, even white bright spots, ³⁹then the priest shall look, and if the bright spots on the skin of their abodies are a faint white, it is beczema that has broken out on the skin; he is clean. [38 aLit flesh 39 bLit tetter]

40 “Now if a aman loses the hair of his head, he is bald; he is clean. ⁴¹If his head becomes bald at the bfront and sides, he is bald on the forehead; he is clean. ⁴²But if on the bald head or the bald forehead, there occurs a reddish-white infection, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or on his bald forehead. ⁴³Then the priest shall look at him; and if the swelling of the infection is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the cbody, ⁴⁴he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his infection is on his head. [40 aLit man’s head becomes bald 41 bLit border of his face 43 cLit flesh]

45 “As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be auncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. [45 aOr disheveled]

47 “When a garment has a amark of leprosy in it, whether it is a wool garment or a linen garment, ⁴⁸whether in bwarp or woof, of linen or of wool, whether in leather or in any article made of leather, ⁴⁹if the mark is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, or in the bwarp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is a leprous mark and shall be shown to the priest. ⁵⁰Then the priest shall look at the mark and shall cquarantine the article with the mark for seven days. ⁵¹He shall then look at the mark on the seventh day; if the mark has spread in the garment, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in the leather, whatever the purpose for which the leather is used, the mark is a dleprous malignancy, it is unclean. ⁵²So he shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or any article of leather in which the mark occurs, for it is a dleprous malignancy; it shall be burned in the fire. [47 aLit infection, and so throughout the ch 48 bOr weaving or texture 50 cLit shut up 51 dLit malignant leprosy]

53 “But if the priest shall look, and indeed the mark has not spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, ⁵⁴then the priest shall order them to wash the thing in which the mark occurs and he shall aquarantine it for seven more days. ⁵⁵After the article with the mark has been washed, the priest shall again look, and if the mark has not changed its appearance, even though the mark has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire, whether an eating away has produced bareness on the top or on the front of it. [54 aLit shut up]

56 “Then if the priest looks, and if the mark has faded after it has been washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment or out of the leather, whether from the warp or from the woof; ⁵⁷and if it appears again in the garment, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak; the article with the mark shall be burned in the fire. ⁵⁸The garment, whether the warp or the woof, or any article of leather from which the mark has departed when you washed it, it shall then be washed a second time and will be clean.”

59 This is the law for the mark of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.

LEVITICUS 14 [Books]

Law of Cleansing a Leper

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, ³and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the ainfection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, ⁴then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a bscarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. ⁵The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over crunning water. ⁶As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the bscarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the crunning water. ⁷He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. ⁸The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days. ⁹It will be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his dbody in water and be clean. [3 aLit mark, stroke, and so throughout the ch 4 bLit scarlet color and 5 cLit living 9 dLit flesh]

10 “Now on the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, and a yearling ewe lamb without defect, and three-tenths of an aephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one blog of oil; ¹¹and the priest who pronounces him clean shall present the man to be cleansed and the caforesaid before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ¹²Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it for a guilt offering, with the blog of oil, and present them as a wave offering before the LORD. ¹³Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and the burnt offering, at the place of the sanctuary—for the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. ¹⁴The priest shall then take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ¹⁵The priest shall also take some of the blog of oil, and pour it into his left palm; ¹⁶the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the LORD. ¹⁷Of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; ¹⁸while the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD. ¹⁹The priest shall next offer the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then afterward, he shall slaughter the burnt offering. ²⁰The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean. [10 aI.e. Approx one bu bI.e. Approx one pt 11 cLit them]

21 “But if he is poor and his ameans are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb for a guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and one-tenth of an bephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and a clog of oil, ²²and two turtledoves or two young pigeons which dare within his means, the one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. ²³Then the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, before the LORD. ²⁴The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the clog of oil, and the priest shall offer them for a wave offering before the LORD. ²⁵Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ²⁶The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm; ²⁷and with his right-hand finger the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the LORD. ²⁸The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. ²⁹Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the LORD. ³⁰He shall then offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, ewhich are within his means. ³¹He shall offer what fhe can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the one to be cleansed. ³²This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose gmeans are limited for his cleansing.” [21 aLit hand is not reaching bI.e. Approx one bu cI.e. Approx one pt 22 dLit his hand reaches 30 eLit from those which his hand can reach 31 fLit his hand can reach 32 gLit hand does not reach]

Cleansing a Leprous House

33 The LORD further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

34 “When you enter the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, ³⁵then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘Something like a mark of leprosy has become visible to me in the house.’ ³⁶The priest shall then command that they empty the house before the priest goes in to look at the mark, so that everything in the house need not become unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to look at the house. ³⁷So he shall look at the mark, and if the mark on the walls of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the asurface, ³⁸then the priest shall come out of the house, to the bdoorway, and cquarantine the house for seven days. ³⁹The priest shall return on the seventh day and dmake an inspection. If the mark has indeed spread in the walls of the house, ⁴⁰then the priest shall order them to tear out the stones with the mark in them and throw them away eat an unclean place outside the city. ⁴¹He shall have the house scraped all around finside, and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at an unclean place outside the city. ⁴²Then they shall take other stones and replace those stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house. [37 aLit wall 38 bLit doorway of the house cLit shut up 39 dLit look 40 eLit to 41 fLit from the house around]

43 “If, however, the mark breaks out again in the house after he has torn out the stones and scraped the house, and after it has been replastered, ⁴⁴then the priest shall come in and amake an inspection. If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in the house, it is a malignant mark in the house; it is unclean. ⁴⁵He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place. ⁴⁶Moreover, whoever goes into the house during the time that he has bquarantined it, becomes unclean until evening. ⁴⁷Likewise, whoever lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes. [44 aLit look 46 bLit shut up]

48 “If, on the other hand, the priest comes in and amakes an inspection and the mark has not indeed spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the mark has bnot reappeared. ⁴⁹To cleanse the house then, he shall take two birds and cedar wood and a cscarlet string and hyssop, ⁵⁰and he shall slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over drunning water. ⁵¹Then he shall take the cedar wood and the hyssop and the cscarlet string, with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird as well as in the drunning water, and sprinkle the house seven times. ⁵²He shall thus cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the drunning water, along with the live bird and with the cedar wood and with the hyssop and with the cscarlet string. ⁵³However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.” [48 aLit looks bLit healed 49 cLit scarlet color 50 dLit living]

54 This is the law for any mark of leprosy—even for a scale, ⁵⁵and for the leprous garment or house, ⁵⁶and for a swelling, and for a scab, and for a bright spot— ⁵⁷to teach awhen they are unclean and bwhen they are clean. This is the law of leprosy. [57 aLit in the day of uncleanness bLit in the day of cleanness]

LEVITICUS 15 [Books]

Cleansing Unhealthiness

1 The LORD also spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘When any man has a discharge from his abody, bhis discharge is unclean. ³This, moreover, shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: it is his uncleanness whether his body allows its discharge to flow or whether his body obstructs its discharge. ⁴Every bed on which the person with the discharge lies becomes unclean, and everything on which he sits becomes unclean. ⁵Anyone, moreover, who touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening; ⁶and whoever sits on the thing on which the man with the discharge has been sitting, shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ⁷Also whoever touches the cperson with the discharge shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ⁸Or if the man with the discharge spits on one who is clean, he too shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ⁹Every saddle on which the person with the discharge rides becomes unclean. ¹⁰Whoever then touches any of the things which were under him shall be unclean until evening, and he who carries them shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ¹¹Likewise, whomever the one with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ¹²However, an earthenware vessel which the person with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water. [2 aLit flesh, and so throughout the ch bOr by his discharge, he is unclean 7 cLit flesh]

13 ‘Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in arunning water and will become clean. ¹⁴Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD to the doorway of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest; ¹⁵and the priest shall offer them, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD because of his discharge. [13 aLit living]

16 ‘Now if a aman has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. ¹⁷As for any garment or any leather on which there is seminal emission, it shall be washed with water and be unclean until evening. ¹⁸If a man lies with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be unclean until evening. [16 aLit man’s...goes out from him]

19 ‘When a woman has a discharge, if her discharge in her body is blood, she shall continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. ²⁰Everything also on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean, and everything on which she sits shall be unclean. ²¹Anyone who touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ²²Whoever touches any thing on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ²³Whether it be on the bed or on the thing on which she is sitting, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. ²⁴If a man actually lies with her so that her menstrual impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

25 ‘Now if a woman has a discharge of her blood many days, not at the period of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond athat period, all the days of her impure discharge she shall continue as though bin her menstrual impurity; she is unclean. ²⁶Any bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her like cher bed at menstruation; and every thing on which she sits shall be unclean, like dher uncleanness at that time. ²⁷Likewise, whoever touches them shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. ²⁸When she becomes clean from her discharge, she shall count off for herself seven days; and afterward she will be clean. ²⁹Then on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them in to the priest, to the doorway of the tent of meeting. ³⁰The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the LORD because of her impure discharge.’ [25 aLit her menstrual impurity bLit in the days of 26 cLit the bed of her menstrual impurity dLit the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity]

31 “Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My atabernacle that is among them.” ³²This is the law for the one with a discharge, and for the man bwho has a seminal emission so that he is unclean by it, ³³and for the woman who is ill because of menstrual impurity, and for the one who has a discharge, whether a male or a female, or a man who lies with an unclean woman. [31 aOr dwelling place 32 bLit whose seminal emission goes out from him]

LEVITICUS 16 [Books]

Law of Atonement

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the LORD and died. ²The LORD said to Moses:

“Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the amercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the amercy seat. ³Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bbull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. ⁴He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his cbody, and he shall be girded with the linen sash and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his cbody in water and put them on. ⁵He shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. ⁶Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. ⁷He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁸Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the dscapegoat. ⁹Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering. ¹⁰But the goat on which the lot for the dscapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the dscapegoat. [2 aLit propitiatory 3 bOr bull of the herd 4 cLit flesh 8 dLit goat of removal, or else a name: Azazel]

11 “Then Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering which is for himself and make atonement for himself and for his household, and he shall slaughter the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. ¹²He shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the LORD and atwo handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. ¹³He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the bmercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, otherwise he will die. ¹⁴Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the bmercy seat on the east side; also in front of the bmercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. [12 aLit the filling of the hollow of his hands 13 bLit propitiatory]

15 “Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the amercy seat and in front of the amercy seat. ¹⁶He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities. ¹⁷When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. ¹⁸Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. ¹⁹With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel consecrate it. [15 aLit propitiatory]

20 “When he finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. ²¹Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions ain regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. ²²The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. [21 aLit in addition to]

23 “Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there. ²⁴He shall bathe his abody with water in a holy place and put on his clothes, and come forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people. ²⁵Then he shall offer up in smoke the fat of the sin offering on the altar. ²⁶The one who released the goat as the bscapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his abody with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp. ²⁷But the bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be taken outside the camp, and they shall burn their hides, their flesh, and their refuse in the fire. ²⁸Then the one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water, then afterward he shall come into the camp. [24 aLit flesh 26 bLit goat of removal, or else a name: Azazel]

An Annual Atonement

29 “This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; ³⁰for it is on this day that aatonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD. ³¹It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute. ³²So the priest who is anointed and bordained to serve as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement: he shall thus put on the linen garments, the holy garments, ³³and make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar. He shall also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. ³⁴Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year.” And just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so he did. [30 aLit he shall make atonement 32 bLit whose hand is filled]

LEVITICUS 17 [Books]

Blood for Atonement

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the LORD has commanded, saying, ³“Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp, ⁴and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before the atabernacle of the LORD, bloodguiltiness is to be reckoned to that man. He has shed blood and that man shall be cut off from among his people. ⁵bThe reason is so that the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they were sacrificing in the open field, that they may bring them in to the LORD, at the doorway of the tent of meeting to the priest, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD. ⁶The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to the LORD. ⁷They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the cgoat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations.” ’ [4 aLit dwelling place 5 bLit In order that 7 cOr goat-idols]

8 “Then you shall say to them, ‘Any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, ⁹and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to aoffer it to the LORD, that man also shall be cut off from his people. [9 aLit do]

10 ‘And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. ¹¹For the alife of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the alife that makes atonement.’ ¹²Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.’ ¹³So when any man from the sons of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, bin hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. [11 aLit soul 13 bLit who in hunting]

14 “For as for the alife of all flesh, its blood is identified with its alife. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the alife of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’ ¹⁵When any person eats an animal which dies or is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or an alien, he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening; then he will become clean. ¹⁶But if he does not wash them or bathe his body, then he shall bear his bguilt.” [14 aLit soul 16 bOr iniquity]

LEVITICUS 18 [Books]

Laws on Immoral Relations

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am the LORD your God. ³You shall not do awhat is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do awhat is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. ⁴You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, bto live in accord with them; I am the LORD your God. ⁵So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD. [3 aLit according to the deed of 4 bLit to walk in them]

6 ‘None of you shall approach any blood relative aof his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD. ⁷You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. ⁸You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. ⁹The nakedness of your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover. ¹⁰The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for btheir nakedness is yours. ¹¹The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, cborn to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness. ¹²You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s blood relative. ¹³You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s blood relative. ¹⁴You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt. ¹⁵You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. ¹⁶You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. ¹⁷You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is dlewdness. ¹⁸You shall not emarry a woman in addition to fher sister gas a rival while she is alive, to uncover her nakedness. [6 aLit of his flesh 10 bLit they are your nakedness 11 cLit begotten of 17 dOr wickedness 18 eLit take a wife fOr another gLit to be]

19 ‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity. ²⁰You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to be defiled with her. ²¹You shall not give any of your offspring to aoffer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. ²²You shall not lie with a male as bone lies with a female; it is an abomination. ²³Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to cmate with it; it is a perversion. [21 aLit cause to pass over 22 bLit those who lie 23 cOr lie]

24 ‘Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. ²⁵For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its apunishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants. ²⁶But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the alien who sojourns among you ²⁷(for the men of the land who have been before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become defiled); ²⁸so that the land will not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you. ²⁹For whoever does any of these abominations, bthose persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. ³⁰Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your God.’ ” [25 aLit iniquity 29 bOr and the]

LEVITICUS 19 [Books]

Idolatry Forbidden

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. ³Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father, and you shall keep My sabbaths; I am the LORD your God. ⁴Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the LORD your God.

5 ‘Now when you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. ⁶It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and the next day; but what remains until the third day shall be burned with fire. ⁷So if it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an offense; it will not be accepted. ⁸Everyone who eats it will bear his iniquity, for he has profaned the holy thing of the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from his people.

Sundry Laws

9 ‘Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God.

11 ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. ¹²You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.

13 ‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. ¹⁴You shall not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.

15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. ¹⁶You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to aact against the blife of your neighbor; I am the LORD. [16 aLit stand bLit blood]

17 ‘You shall not hate your afellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. ¹⁸You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. [17 aLit brother]

19 ‘You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together.

20 ‘Now if a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave acquired for another man, but who has in no way been redeemed nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment; they shall not, however, be put to death, because she was not free. ²¹He shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD to the doorway of the tent of meeting, a ram for a guilt offering. ²²The priest shall also make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed, and the sin which he has committed will be forgiven him.

23 ‘When you enter the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as aforbidden. Three years it shall be aforbidden to you; it shall not be eaten. ²⁴But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. ²⁵In the fifth year you are to eat of its fruit, that its yield may increase for you; I am the LORD your God. [23 aLit uncircumcised]

26 ‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying. ²⁷You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard. ²⁸You shall not make any cuts in your abody for the bdead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. [28 aLit flesh bLit soul]

29 ‘Do not aprofane your daughter by making her a harlot, so that the land will not fall to harlotry and the land become full of lewdness. ³⁰You shall keep My sabbaths and revere My sanctuary; I am the LORD. [29 aOr degrade]

31 ‘Do not turn to amediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. [31 aOr ghosts or spirits]

32 ‘You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aaged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. [32 aLit face of the aged]

33 ‘When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. ³⁴The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

35 ‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. ³⁶You shall have just balances, just weights, a just aephah, and a just bhin; I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt. ³⁷You shall thus observe all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them; I am the LORD.’ ” [36 aI.e. Approx one bu bI.e. Approx one gal.]

LEVITICUS 20 [Books]

On Human Sacrifice and Immoralities

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“You shall also say to the sons of Israel:

‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his aoffspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. ³I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his aoffspring to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name. ⁴If the people of the land, however, bshould ever disregard that man when he gives any of his aoffspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, ⁵then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech. [2 aLit seed 4 bLit hiding they hide their eyes from]

6 ‘As for the person who turns to amediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. ⁷You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. ⁸You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you. [6 aOr ghosts and spirits]

9 ‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him.

10 ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. ¹¹If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. ¹²If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed aincest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. ¹³If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. ¹⁴If there is a man who bmarries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst. ¹⁵If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. ¹⁶If there is a woman who approaches any animal to cmate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. [12 aLit confusion; i.e. a violation of divine order 14 bLit takes 16 cLit lie]

17 ‘If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt. ¹⁸If there is a man who lies with a amenstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has bexposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people. ¹⁹You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his cblood relative; they will bear their guilt. ²⁰If there is a man who lies with his uncle’s wife he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless. ²¹If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is dabhorrent; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless. [18 aLit sick bOr uncovered 19 cLit flesh 21 dOr an impure deed]

22 ‘You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to alive will not spew you out. ²³Moreover, you shall not bfollow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. ²⁴Hence I have said to you, “You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples. ²⁵You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make cyourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything dthat creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean. ²⁶Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. [22 aLit dwell in it 23 bLit walk in the statutes 25 cLit your souls dLit with which the ground creeps]

27 ‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a aspiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’ ” [27 aLit spiritist among them]

LEVITICUS 21 [Books]

Regulations concerning Priests

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:

‘No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people, ²except for his relatives who are nearest to him, his mother and his father and his son and his daughter and his brother, ³also for his virgin sister, who is near to him abecause she has had no husband; for her he may defile himself. ⁴He shall not defile himself as a brelative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself. ⁵They shall not make any baldness on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh. ⁶They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire cto the LORD, the food of their God; so they shall be holy. ⁷They shall not take a woman who is profaned by harlotry, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God. ⁸You shall consecrate him, therefore, for he offers the food of your God; he shall be holy to you; for I the LORD, who sanctifies you, am holy. ⁹Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire. [3 aOr whom no man has had 4 bLit husband among 6 cLit of]

10 ‘The priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and awho has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not buncover his head nor tear his clothes; ¹¹nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself even for his father or his mother; ¹²nor shall he go out of the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the LORD. ¹³He shall take a wife in her virginity. ¹⁴A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he is to cmarry a virgin of his own people, ¹⁵so that he will not profane his doffspring among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.’ ” [10 aLit whose hand has been filled bLit unbind 14 cLit take as wife 15 dLit seed]

16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁷“Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your aoffspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God. ¹⁸For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a bdisfigured face, or any deformed limb, ¹⁹or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, ²⁰or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a cdefect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles. ²¹No man among the adescendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. ²²He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, ²³only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’ ” ²⁴So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel. [17 aLit seed 18 bLit slit 20 cLit obscurity]

LEVITICUS 22 [Books]

Sundry Rules for Priests

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name; I am the LORD. ³Say to them, ‘If any man among all your adescendants throughout your generations approaches the holy gifts which the sons of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from before Me; I am the LORD. ⁴No man of the adescendants of Aaron, who is a leper or who has a discharge, may eat of the holy gifts until he is clean. And if one touches anything made unclean by a corpse or if a man has a seminal emission, ⁵or if a man touches any teeming things by which he is made unclean, or any man by whom he is made unclean, whatever his uncleanness; ⁶a bperson who touches any such shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy gifts unless he has bathed his cbody in water. ⁷But when the sun sets, he will be clean, and afterward he shall eat of the holy gifts, for it is his dfood. ⁸He shall not eat an animal which dies or is torn by beasts, becoming unclean by it; I am the LORD. ⁹They shall therefore keep My charge, so that they will not bear sin because of it and die thereby because they profane it; I am the LORD who sanctifies them. [3 aLit seed 6 bLit soul cLit flesh 7 dLit bread]

10 ‘No alayman, however, is to eat the holy gift; a sojourner with the priest or a hired man shall not eat of the holy gift. ¹¹But if a priest buys a bslave as his property with his money, cthat one may eat of it, and those who are born in his house may eat of his dfood. ¹²If a priest’s daughter is married to a alayman, she shall not eat of the eoffering of the gifts. ¹³But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or divorced, and has no child and returns to her father’s house as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s dfood; but no alayman shall eat of it. ¹⁴But if a man eats a holy gift unintentionally, then he shall add to it a fifth of it and shall give the holy gift to the priest. ¹⁵They shall not profane the holy gifts of the sons of Israel which they offer to the LORD, ¹⁶and so cause them to bear fpunishment for guilt by eating their holy gifts; for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’ ” [10 aLit stranger 11 bLit soul cLit he may dLit bread 12 eLit heave offering 16 fOr iniquity requiring a guilt offering]

Flawless Animals for Sacrifice

17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁸“Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or of the aliens in Israel who presents his offering, whether it is any of their avotive or any of their freewill offerings, which they present to the LORD for a burnt offering— ¹⁹for you to be accepted—it must be a male without defect from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats. ²⁰Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you. ²¹When a man offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to bfulfill a special vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. ²²Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or having a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the LORD, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the LORD. ²³In respect to an ox or a lamb which has an covergrown or stunted member, you may present it for a freewill offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted. ²⁴Also anything with its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not offer to the LORD, or dsacrifice in your land, ²⁵nor shall you accept any such from the hand of a foreigner for offering as the efood of your God; for their corruption is in them, they have a defect, they shall not be accepted for you.’ ” [18 aLit vows 21 bOr make a special votive offering 23 cOr a deformed 24 dLit do 25 eLit bread]

26 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁷“When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall aremain seven days bwith its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be accepted as a sacrifice of an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁸But, whether it is an ox or a sheep, you shall not kill both it and its young in one day. ²⁹When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. ³⁰It shall be eaten on the same day, you shall leave none of it until morning; I am the LORD. ³¹So you shall keep My commandments, and do them; I am the LORD. [27 aLit be bLit under]

32 “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel; I am the LORD who sanctifies you, ³³who brought you out from the land of Egypt, to be your God; I am the LORD.”

LEVITICUS 23 [Books]

Laws of Religious Festivals

1 The LORD spoke again to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD’S appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these:

3 ‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings.

4 ‘These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them. ⁵In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month aat twilight is the LORD’S Passover. ⁶Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. ⁷On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work. ⁸But for seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.’ ” [5 aLit between the two evenings]

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. ¹¹He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. ¹²Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD. ¹³Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the LORD for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a ahin of wine. ¹⁴Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. [13 aI.e. Approx one gal.]

15 ‘You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. ¹⁶You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD. ¹⁷You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an aephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the LORD. ¹⁸Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. ¹⁹You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. ²⁰The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the LORD; they are to be holy to the LORD for the priest. ²¹On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. [17 aI.e. Approx one bu]

22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the alien. I am the LORD your God.’ ”

23 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a arest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. ²⁵You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD.’ ” [24 aLit sabbath rest]

The Day of Atonement

26 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁷“On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁸You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God. ²⁹If there is any aperson who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. ³⁰As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. ³¹You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. ³²It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.” [29 aLit soul]

33 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ³⁴“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. ³⁵On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. ³⁶For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.

37 ‘These are the appointed times of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, to present offerings by fire to the LORD—burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each day’s matter on its own day— ³⁸besides those of the sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts and besides all your avotive and freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD. [38 aLit vows, and besides all your]

39 ‘On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a arest on the first day and a arest on the eighth day. ⁴⁰Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the bfoliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. ⁴¹You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. ⁴²You shall clive in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall clive in booths, ⁴³so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ” ⁴⁴So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD. [39 aLit sabbath rest 40 bLit products, fruit 42 cLit dwell]

LEVITICUS 24 [Books]

The Lamp and the Bread of the Sanctuary

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the alight, to make a lamp bburn continually. ³Outside the veil of testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD continually; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. ⁴He shall keep the lamps in order on the pure gold lampstand before the LORD continually. [2 aOr luminary bLit ascend]

5 “Then you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. ⁶You shall set them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure gold table before the LORD. ⁷You shall put pure frankincense on each row that it may be a memorial portion for the bread, even an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁸Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually; it is an everlasting covenant afor the sons of Israel. ⁹It shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the LORD’S offerings by fire, his portion forever.” [8 aLit from]

10 Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel struggled with each other in the camp. ¹¹The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) ¹²They put him in acustody bso that the command of the LORD might be made clear to them. [12 aOr prison bLit to declare distinctly to them according to the mouth of the LORD]

13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁴“Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then let all the congregation stone him. ¹⁵You shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone curses his God, then he will bear his sin. ¹⁶Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

“An Eye for an Eye”

17 ‘If a man atakes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸The one who atakes the life of an animal shall make it good, life for life. ¹⁹If a man binjures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: ²⁰fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has cinjured a man, so it shall be dinflicted on him. ²¹Thus the one who akills an animal shall make it good, but the one who akills a man shall be put to death. ²²There shall be one estandard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.’ ” ²³Then Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, and they brought the one who had cursed outside the camp and stoned him with stones. Thus the sons of Israel did, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [17 aLit smites 19 bLit gives a blemish 20 cLit given a blemish dLit given 22 eLit judgment]

LEVITICUS 25 [Books]

The Sabbatic Year and Year of Jubilee

1 The LORD then spoke to Moses aat Mount Sinai, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the LORD. ³Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, ⁴but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. ⁵Your harvest’s baftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. ⁶All of you shall have the sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you. ⁷Even your cattle and the animals that are in your land shall have all its crops to eat. [1 aOr on 5 bLit growth from spilled kernels]

8 ‘You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years. ⁹You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. ¹⁰You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim aa release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, band each of you shall return to his own property, band each of you shall return to his family. ¹¹You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines. ¹²For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field. [10 aOr liberty bOr when]

13 ‘On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property. ¹⁴If you make a sale, moreover, to your friend or buy from your friend’s hand, you shall not wrong one another. ¹⁵Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your afriend; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of crops. ¹⁶In proportion to the bextent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you. ¹⁷So you shall not wrong one another, but you shall cfear your God; for I am the LORD your God. [15 aLit friend’s hands 16 bLit multitude 17 cOr reverence]

18 ‘You shall thus observe My statutes and keep My judgments, so as to carry them out, that you may live securely on the land. ¹⁹Then the land will yield its produce, so that you can eat your fill and live securely on it. ²⁰But if you say, “What are we going to eat on the seventh year aif we do not sow or gather in our crops?” ²¹then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years. ²²When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating the old until the ninth year when its crop comes in. [20 aOr behold]

The Law of Redemption

23 ‘The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me. ²⁴Thus for every apiece of your property, you are to provide for the redemption of the land. [24 aLit land]

25 ‘If a afellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his arelative has sold. ²⁶Or in case a man has no kinsman, but so brecovers his means as to find sufficient for its redemption, ²⁷then he shall calculate the years since its sale and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and so return to his property. ²⁸But if che has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall drevert, that he may return to his property. [25 aLit brother 26 bLit his hand reaches 28 cLit his hand has not found sufficient to dLit go out]

29 ‘Likewise, if a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, then his redemption right remains valid until a full year from its sale; his right of redemption lasts a full year. ³⁰But if it is not bought back for him within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city passes permanently to its purchaser throughout his generations; it does not arevert in the jubilee. ³¹The houses of the villages, however, which have no surrounding wall shall be considered bas open fields; they have redemption rights and arevert in the jubilee. ³²As for cities of the Levites, the Levites have a permanent right of redemption for the houses of the cities which are their possession. ³³What, therefore, cbelongs to the Levites may be redeemed and a house sale din the city of this possession ereverts in the jubilee, for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel. ³⁴But pasture fields of their cities shall not be sold, for that is their perpetual possession. [30 aLit go out 31 bLit according to 33 cLit is from dLit and eLit goes out]

Of Poor Countrymen

35 ‘Now in case a acountryman of yours becomes poor and his bmeans with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. ³⁶Do not take cusurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your acountryman may live with you. ³⁷You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for gain. ³⁸I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. [35 aLit brother bLit hand 36 cLit interest and usury]

39 ‘If a acountryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. ⁴⁰He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee. ⁴¹He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, that he may return to the property of his forefathers. ⁴²For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they are not to be sold in a slave sale. ⁴³You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God. ⁴⁴As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. ⁴⁵Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have bproduced in your land; they also may become your possession. ⁴⁶You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your ccountrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another. [39 aLit brother 45 bLit begotten 46 cLit brothers]

Of Redeeming a Poor Man

47 ‘Now if the ameans of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a bcountryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger’s family, ⁴⁸then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, ⁴⁹or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or cif he prospers, he may redeem himself. ⁵⁰He then with his purchaser shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years. It is like the days of a hired man that he shall be with him. ⁵¹If there are still many years, he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption; ⁵²and if few years remain until the year of jubilee, he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he is to refund the amount for his redemption. ⁵³Like a man hired year by year he shall be with him; he shall not rule over him with severity in your sight. ⁵⁴Even if he is not redeemed by dthese means, he shall still go out in the year of jubilee, he and his sons with him. ⁵⁵For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. [47 aLit hand...reaches bLit brother 49 cLit if his hand has reached and 54 dOr these years]

LEVITICUS 26 [Books]

Blessings of Obedience

1 ‘You shall not make for yourselves aidols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down bto it; for I am the LORD your God. ²You shall keep My sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the LORD. ³If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, ⁴then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. ⁵Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your cfood to the full and live securely in your land. ⁶I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. ⁷But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; ⁸five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. ⁹So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. ¹⁰You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. ¹¹Moreover, I will make My ddwelling among you, and My soul will not ereject you. ¹²I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. ¹³I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. [1 aOr graven images bLit over 5 cLit bread 11 dOr tabernacle eLit abhor]

Penalties of Disobedience

14 ‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, ¹⁵if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, ¹⁶I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. ¹⁷I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. ¹⁸If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. ¹⁹I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. ²⁰Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

21 ‘If then, you aact with hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins. ²²I will let loose among you the beasts of the field, which will bereave you of your children and destroy your cattle and reduce your number so that your roads lie deserted. [21 aLit walk, and so throughout the ch]

23 ‘And if by these things you are not turned to Me, but act with hostility against Me, ²⁴then I will act with hostility against you; and I, even I, will strike you seven times for your sins. ²⁵I will also bring upon you a sword which will execute vengeance for the covenant; and when you gather together into your cities, I will send pestilence among you, so that you shall be delivered into enemy hands. ²⁶When I break your staff of bread, ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread ain rationed amounts, so that you will eat and not be satisfied. [26 aLit by weight]

27 ‘Yet if in spite of this you do not obey Me, but act with hostility against Me, ²⁸then I will act with wrathful hostility against you, and I, even I, will punish you seven times for your sins. ²⁹Further, you will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters you will eat. ³⁰I then will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and heap your aremains on the aremains of your idols, for My soul shall abhor you. ³¹I will blay waste your cities as well and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas. ³²I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled over it. ³³You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. [30 aLit corpses 31 bLit give desolation to]

34 ‘Then the land will aenjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and aenjoy its sabbaths. ³⁵All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it. ³⁶As for those of you who may be left, I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee bas though from the sword, and they will fall. ³⁷They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength cto stand up before your enemies. ³⁸But you will perish among the nations, and your enemies’ land will consume you. ³⁹So those of you who may be left will rot away because of their iniquity in the lands of your enemies; and also because of the iniquities of their forefathers they will rot away with them. [34 aLit satisfy 36 bLit the flight of the sword 37 cLit you will stand]

40 ‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— ⁴¹I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, ⁴²then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. ⁴³For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, abecause they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes. ⁴⁴Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. ⁴⁵But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD.’ ” [43 aLit because and by the cause]

46 These are the statutes and ordinances and laws which the LORD established between Himself and the sons of Israel athrough Moses at Mount Sinai. [46 aLit by the hand of]

LEVITICUS 27 [Books]

Rules concerning Valuations

1 Again, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man makes a difficult vow, he shall be valued according to your valuation of persons belonging to the LORD. ³If your valuation is of the male from twenty years even to sixty years old, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. ⁴Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. ⁵If it be from five years even to twenty years old then your valuation for the male shall be twenty shekels and for the female ten shekels. ⁶But if they are from a month even up to five years old, then your valuation shall be five shekels of silver for the male, and for the female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver. ⁷If they are from sixty years old and upward, if it is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. ⁸But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be placed before the priest and the priest shall value him; according to athe means of the one who vowed, the priest shall value him. [8 aLit what the hand reaches]

9 ‘Now if it is an animal of the kind which amen can present as an offering to the LORD, any such that one gives to the LORD shall be holy. ¹⁰He shall not replace it or exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; or if he does exchange animal for animal, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. ¹¹If, however, it is any unclean animal of the kind which amen do not present as an offering to the LORD, then he shall place the animal before the priest. ¹²The priest shall value it bas either good or bad; as you, the priest, value it, so it shall be. ¹³But if he should ever wish to redeem it, then he shall add one-fifth of it to your valuation. [9 aLit they 12 bLit between]

14 ‘Now if a man consecrates his house as holy to the LORD, then the priest shall value it aas either good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand. ¹⁵Yet if the one who consecrates it should wish to redeem his house, then he shall add one-fifth of your valuation price to it, so that it may be his. [14 aLit between good]

16 ‘Again, if a man consecrates to the LORD part of the fields of his own property, then your valuation shall be aproportionate to the seed needed for it: a homer of barley seed at fifty shekels of silver. ¹⁷If he consecrates his field as of the year of jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand. ¹⁸If he consecrates his field after the jubilee, however, then the priest shall calculate the price for bhim cproportionate to the years that are left until the year of jubilee; and it shall be deducted from your valuation. ¹⁹If the one who consecrates it should ever wish to redeem the field, then he shall add one-fifth of your valuation price to it, so that it may pass to him. ²⁰Yet if he will not redeem the field, dbut has sold the field to another man, it may no longer be redeemed; ²¹and when it ereverts in the jubilee, the field shall be holy to the LORD, like a field fset apart; it shall be for the priest as his gproperty. ²²Or if he consecrates to the LORD a field which he has bought, which is not a part of the field of his own hproperty, ²³then the priest shall calculate for bhim the amount of your valuation up to the year of jubilee; and he shall on that day give your valuation as holy to the LORD. ²⁴In the year of jubilee the field shall return to the one from whom he bought it, to whom the possession of the land belongs. ²⁵Every valuation of yours, moreover, shall be after the shekel of the sanctuary. The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. [16 aLit according to its seed 18 bOr it cLit according to the years 20 dOr if he 21 eLit goes out fOr devoted, banned gLit possession 22 hLit possession]

26 ‘However, a firstborn among animals, which as a firstborn belongs to the LORD, no man may consecrate it; whether ox or sheep, it is the LORD’S. ²⁷But if it is among the unclean animals, then he shall aredeem it according to your valuation and add to it one-fifth of it; and if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation. [27 aOr ransom]

28 ‘Nevertheless, anything which a man asets apart to the LORD out of all that he has, of man or animal or of the fields of his own property, shall not be sold or redeemed. Anything bdevoted to destruction is most holy to the LORD. ²⁹No cone who may have been dset apart among men shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death. [28 aLit anything devoted; or banned bOr puts under the ban 29 cLit one devoted; or banned dOr put under the ban]

30 ‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S; it is holy to the LORD. ³¹If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it. ³²For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. ³³He is not to be concerned whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; or if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed.’ ”

34 These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the sons of Israel at Mount Sinai.

NUMBERS 1 [Books]

The Census of Israel’s Warriors

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ²“Take a acensus of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head ³from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall bnumber them by their armies. ⁴With you, moreover, there shall be a man of each tribe, each one head of his father’s household. ⁵These then are the names of the men who shall stand with you: of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; ⁶of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai; ⁷of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab; ⁸of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar; ⁹of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon; ¹⁰of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur; ¹¹of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni; ¹²of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai; ¹³of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran; ¹⁴of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel; ¹⁵of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan. ¹⁶These are they who were called of the congregation, the leaders of their fathers’ tribes; they were the heads of cdivisions of Israel.” [2 aLit sum 3 bLit muster, and so throughout the ch 16 cLit thousands; or clans]

17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, ¹⁸and they assembled all the congregation together on the first of the second month. Then they registered by ancestry in their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, head by head, ¹⁹just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 Now the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ²¹their numbered men of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.

22 Of the sons of Simeon, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, their numbered men, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ²³their numbered men of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.

24 Of the sons of Gad, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ²⁵their numbered men of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.

26 Of the sons of Judah, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ²⁷their numbered men of the tribe of Judah were 74,600.

28 Of the sons of Issachar, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ²⁹their numbered men of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.

30 Of the sons of Zebulun, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ³¹their numbered men of the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.

32 Of the sons of Joseph, namely, of the sons of Ephraim, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ³³their numbered men of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.

34 Of the sons of Manasseh, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ³⁵their numbered men of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.

36 Of the sons of Benjamin, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ³⁷their numbered men of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.

38 Of the sons of Dan, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ³⁹their numbered men of the tribe of Dan were 62,700.

40 Of the sons of Asher, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ⁴¹their numbered men of the tribe of Asher were 41,500.

42 Of the sons of Naphtali, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war, ⁴³their numbered men of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.

44 These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each of whom was of his father’s household. ⁴⁵So all the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war in Israel, ⁴⁶even all the numbered men were 603,550.

Levites Exempted

47 The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe. ⁴⁸For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying, ⁴⁹“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their acensus among the sons of Israel. ⁵⁰But you shall appoint the Levites over the btabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the btabernacle. ⁵¹So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But the clayman who comes near shall be put to death. ⁵²The sons of Israel shall camp, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own standard, according to their armies. ⁵³But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be no wrath on the congregation of the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.” ⁵⁴Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all which the LORD had commanded Moses, so they did. [49 aLit sum 50 bLit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch 51 cLit stranger]

NUMBERS 2 [Books]

Arrangement of the Camps

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ²“The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the abanners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting bat a distance. ³Now those who camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab, ⁴and his army, even their cnumbered men, 74,600. ⁵Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and the leader of the sons of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar, ⁶and his army, even their numbered men, 54,400. ⁷Then comes the tribe of Zebulun, and the leader of the sons of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon, ⁸and his army, even his numbered men, 57,400. ⁹The total of the numbered men of the camp of Judah: 186,400, by their armies. They shall set out first. [2 aLit signs bOr facing it 4 cLit mustered, and so throughout the ch]

10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur, ¹¹and his army, even their numbered men, 46,500. ¹²Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, and the leader of the sons of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, ¹³and his army, even their numbered men, 59,300. ¹⁴Then comes the tribe of Gad, and the leader of the sons of Gad: Eliasaph the son of aDeuel, ¹⁵and his army, even their numbered men, 45,650. ¹⁶The total of the numbered men of the camp of Reuben: 151,450 by their armies. And they shall set out second. [14 aMany mss read Reuel]

17 “Then the tent of meeting shall set out with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; just as they camp, so they shall set out, every man in his place by their standards.

18 “On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud, ¹⁹and his army, even their numbered men, 40,500. ²⁰Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, and the leader of the sons of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, ²¹and his army, even their numbered men, 32,200. ²²Then comes the tribe of Benjamin, and the leader of the sons of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni, ²³and his army, even their numbered men, 35,400. ²⁴The total of the numbered men of the camp of Ephraim: 108,100, by their armies. And they shall set out third.

25 “On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, ²⁶and his army, even their numbered men, 62,700. ²⁷Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, and the leader of the sons of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran, ²⁸and his army, even their numbered men, 41,500. ²⁹Then comes the tribe of Naphtali, and the leader of the sons of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan, ³⁰and his army, even their numbered men, 53,400. ³¹The total of the numbered men of the camp of Dan was 157,600. They shall set out last by their standards.”

32 These are the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households; the total of the numbered men of the camps by their armies, 603,550. ³³The Levites, however, were not numbered among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³⁴Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, every one by his family according to his father’s household.

NUMBERS 3 [Books]

Levites to Be Priesthood

1 Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. ²These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ³These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he aordained to serve as priests. ⁴But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests bin the lifetime of their father Aaron. [3 aLit filled their hand 4 bLit before the face]

5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶“Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. ⁷They shall perform the duties for ahim and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. ⁸They shall also keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the duties of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. ⁹You shall thus give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel. ¹⁰So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the blayman who comes near shall be put to death.” [7 aLit him and the duties of the whole congregation 10 bLit stranger]

11 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹²“Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. ¹³For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD.”

14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, ¹⁵“aNumber the sons of Levi by their fathers’ households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.” ¹⁶So Moses numbered them according to the bword of the LORD, just as he had been commanded. ¹⁷These then are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. ¹⁸These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei; ¹⁹and the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel; ²⁰and the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. [15 aLit muster, and so throughout the ch 16 bLit mouth]

21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites. ²²Their numbered men, in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, even their numbered men were 7,500. ²³The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the atabernacle westward, ²⁴and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael. [23 aLit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch]

Duties of the Priests

²⁵Now the duties of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting, ²⁶and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the doorway of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords, according to all the service aconcerning them. [26 aLit of it]

27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites. ²⁸In the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, performing the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the southward side of the tabernacle, ³⁰and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Kohathite families was aElizaphan the son of Uzziel. ³¹Now their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service bconcerning them; ³²and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the chief of the leaders of Levi, and had the oversight of those who perform the duties of the sanctuary. [30 aIn Ex 6:22, Elzaphan 31 bLit of it]

33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari. ³⁴Their numbered men in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200. ³⁵The leader of the fathers’ households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the northward side of the tabernacle. ³⁶Now the appointed duties of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its equipment, and the service concerning them, ³⁷and the pillars around the court with their sockets and their pegs and their cords.

38 Now those who were to camp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but the alayman coming near was to be put to death. ³⁹All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the bcommand of the LORD by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000. [38 aLit stranger 39 bLit word]

Firstborn Redeemed

40 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and amake a list of their names. ⁴¹You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the LORD, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel.” ⁴²So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him; ⁴³and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 22,273. [40 aLit take the number]

44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the LORD. ⁴⁶For the ransom of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites, ⁴⁷you shall take five shekels apiece, per head; you shall take them in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty agerahs), ⁴⁸and give the money, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons.” ⁴⁹So Moses took the ransom money from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites; ⁵⁰from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365. ⁵¹Then Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and to his sons, at the bcommand of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [47 aI.e. A gerah equals approx one-fortieth oz 51 bLit mouth]

NUMBERS 4 [Books]

Duties of the Kohathites

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ²“Take aa census of the bdescendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ households, ³from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting. ⁴This is the work of the bdescendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things. [2 aLit the sum bLit sons]

5 “When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and they shall take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it; ⁶and they shall lay a covering of porpoise skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth of pure ablue, and shall insert its poles. ⁷Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall also spread a cloth of ablue and put on it the dishes and the pans and the sacrificial bowls and the jars for the drink offering, and the continual bread shall be on it. ⁸They shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet material, and cover the same with a covering of porpoise skin, and they shall insert its poles. ⁹Then they shall take a ablue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, along with its lamps and its snuffers, and its btrays and all its oil vessels, by which they serve it; ¹⁰and they shall put it and all its utensils in a covering of porpoise skin, and shall put it on the carrying bars. ¹¹Over the golden altar they shall spread a ablue cloth and cover it with a covering of porpoise skin, and shall insert its poles; ¹²and they shall take all the utensils of service, with which they serve in the sanctuary, and put them in a ablue cloth and cover them with a covering of porpoise skin, and put them on the carrying bars. ¹³Then they shall take away the cashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴They shall also put on it all its utensils by which they serve in connection with it: the firepans, the forks and shovels and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread a cover of porpoise skin over it and insert its poles. ¹⁵When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, so that they will not touch the holy objects and die. These are the dthings in the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry. [6 aOr violet 9 bLit snuff dishes 13 cOr fat ashes; i.e. soaked with fat 15 dLit burden...of the sons]

16 “The responsibility of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is the oil for the light and the fragrant incense and the continual grain offering and the anointing oil—the responsibility of all the atabernacle and of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.” [16 aLit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch]

17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ¹⁸“Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. ¹⁹But do this to them that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load; ²⁰but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.”

Duties of the Gershonites

21 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²²“Take aa census of the sons of Gershon balso, by their fathers’ households, by their families; ²³from thirty years and upward to fifty years old, you shall cnumber them; all who enter to perform the service to do the work in the tent of meeting. ²⁴This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in carrying: ²⁵they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering of porpoise skin that is on top of it, and the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting, ²⁶and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the doorway of the gate of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords and all the equipment for their service; and all that is to be done, dthey shall perform. ²⁷All the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their loads and in all their work, shall be performed at the ecommand of Aaron and his sons; and you shall assign to them as a duty all their loads. ²⁸This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, and their duties shall be funder the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. [22 aLit the sum bLit also them 23 cLit muster, and so throughout the ch 26 dLit so they shall serve 27 eLit mouth 28 fLit in the hand]

Duties of the Merarites

29 “As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families, by their fathers’ households; ³⁰from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the tent of meeting. ³¹Now this is the duty of their loads, for all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle and its bars and its pillars and its asockets, ³²and the pillars around the court and their asockets and their pegs and their cords, with all their equipment and with all their service; and you shall assign each man by name the items bhe is to carry. ³³This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the tent of meeting, cunder the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” [31 aOr bases 32 bLit of the duty of their loads 33 cLit in the hand]

34 So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers’ households, ³⁵from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tent of meeting. ³⁶Their numbered men by their families were 2,750. ³⁷These are the numbered men of the Kohathite families, everyone who was serving in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the acommandment of the LORD bthrough Moses. [37 aLit mouth bLit by the hand of]

38 The numbered men of the sons of Gershon by their families and by their fathers’ households, ³⁹from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tent of meeting. ⁴⁰Their numbered men by their families, by their fathers’ households, were 2,630. ⁴¹These are the numbered men of the families of the sons of Gershon, everyone who was serving in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the acommandment of the LORD. [41 aLit mouth]

42 The numbered men of the families of the sons of Merari by their families, by their fathers’ households, ⁴³from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tent of meeting. ⁴⁴Their numbered men by their families were 3,200. ⁴⁵These are the numbered men of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the acommandment of the LORD bthrough Moses. [45 aLit mouth bLit by the hand of]

46 All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and by their fathers’ households, ⁴⁷from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who could enter to do the work of service and the work of carrying in the tent of meeting. ⁴⁸Their numbered men were 8,580. ⁴⁹According to the acommandment of the LORD bthrough Moses, they were numbered, everyone by his serving or carrying; thus these were his numbered men, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [49 aLit mouth bLit by the hand of]

NUMBERS 5 [Books]

On Defilement

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp every leper and everyone having a discharge and everyone who is unclean because of a dead person. ³You shall send away both male and female; you shall send them outside the camp so that they will not defile their camp where I dwell in their midst.” ⁴The sons of Israel did so and sent them outside the camp; just as the LORD had spoken to Moses, thus the sons of Israel did.

5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶“Speak to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the LORD, and that person is guilty, ⁷then ahe shall confess bhis sins which che has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged. ⁸But if the man has no drelative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution which is made for the wrong must go to the LORD for the priest, besides the ram of atonement, by which atonement is made for him. ⁹Also every econtribution pertaining to all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they offer to the priest, shall be his. ¹⁰So every man’s holy gifts shall be his; whatever any man gives to the priest, it becomes his.’ ” [7 aLit they bLit their cLit they have 8 dLit redeemer 9 eLit heave offering]

The Adultery Test

11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, ¹³and a man has intercourse with her and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and she is aundetected, although she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act, ¹⁴bif a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has not defiled herself, ¹⁵the man shall then bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring as can offering for her one-tenth of an dephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of memorial, a reminder of iniquity. [13 aLit concealed 14 bLit and 15 cLit her dI.e. Approx one bu]

16 ‘Then the priest shall bring her near and have her stand before the LORD, ¹⁷and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel; and ahe shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. ¹⁸The priest shall then have the woman stand before the LORD and let the hair of the woman’s head go loose, and place the grain offering of memorial bin her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy, and in the hand of the priest is to be the water of bitterness that brings a curse. ¹⁹The priest shall have her take an oath and shall say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you and if you have not gone astray into uncleanness, being under the authority of your husband, be cimmune to this water of bitterness that brings a curse; ²⁰if you, however, have gone astray, being under the authority of your husband, and if you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has had intercourse with you” ²¹(then the priest shall have the woman swear with the oath of the curse, and the priest shall say to the woman), “the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people by the LORD’S making your thigh dwaste away and your abdomen swell; ²²and this water that brings a curse shall go into your estomach, and make your abdomen swell and your thigh dwaste away.” And the woman shall say, “Amen. Amen.” [17 aLit the priest 18 bLit on her palms 19 cLit free from 21 dLit fall 22 eOr inward parts]

23 ‘The priest shall then write these curses on a scroll, and he shall awash them off into the water of bitterness. ²⁴Then he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings a curse, so that the water which brings a curse will go into her band cause bitterness. ²⁵The priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, and he shall wave the grain offering before the LORD and bring it to the altar; ²⁶and the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering as its memorial offering and offer it up in smoke on the altar, and afterward he shall make the woman drink the water. ²⁷When he has made her drink the water, then it shall come about, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, that the water which brings a curse will go into her band cause bitterness, and her abdomen will swell and her thigh will cwaste away, and the woman will become a curse among her people. ²⁸But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will then be free and conceive dchildren. [23 aLit wipe 24 bLit to 27 cLit fall 28 dLit seed]

29 ‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife, being under the authority of her husband, goes astray and defiles herself, ³⁰or when a spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife, he shall then make the woman stand before the LORD, and the priest shall apply all this law to her. ³¹Moreover, the man will be free from aguilt, but that woman shall bear her aguilt.’ ” [31 aOr iniquity]

NUMBERS 6 [Books]

Law of the Nazirites

1 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man or woman makes a aspecial vow, the vow of a bNazirite, to cdedicate himself to the LORD, ³he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes. ⁴All the days of his dseparation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin. [2 aOr difficult bI.e. one separated cOr live as a Nazirite 4 dOr living as a Nazirite, and so through v 21]

5 ‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.

6 ‘All the days of his separation to the LORD he shall not go near to a dead person. ⁷He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. ⁸All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

9 ‘But if a man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his dedicated head of hair, then he shall shave his head on the day when he becomes clean; he shall shave it on the seventh day. ¹⁰Then on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the doorway of the tent of meeting. ¹¹The priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him aconcerning his sin because of the dead person. And that same day he shall consecrate his head, ¹²and shall dedicate to the LORD his days bas a cNazirite, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering; but the former days will be void because his separation was defiled. [11 aLit because of that which he sinned 12 bOr of dedication cI.e. one separated]

13 ‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall bring athe offering to the doorway of the tent of meeting. ¹⁴He shall present his offering to the LORD: one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering and one ewe-lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering and one ram without defect for a peace offering, ¹⁵and a basket of unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil, along with their grain offering and their drink offering. ¹⁶Then the priest shall present them before the LORD and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering. ¹⁷He shall also offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, together with the basket of unleavened cakes; the priest shall likewise offer its grain offering and its drink offering. ¹⁸The Nazirite shall then shave his dedicated head of hair at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and take the dedicated hair of his head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. ¹⁹The priest shall take the ram’s shoulder when it has been boiled, and one unleavened cake out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the bhands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his cdedicated hair. ²⁰Then the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. It is holy for the priest, together with the breast offered by waving and the thigh offered by lifting up; and afterward the Nazirite may drink wine.’ [13 aLit it 19 bLit palms cOr separated]

21 “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows his offering to the LORD according to his separation, in addition to what else ahe can afford; according to his vow which he takes, so he shall do according to the law of his separation.” [21 aLit his hand can reach]

Aaron’s Benediction

22 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²³“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:

24 The LORD bless you, and keep you;

25 The LORD make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

26 The LORD lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace.’

²⁷So they shall ainvoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.” [aLit put]

NUMBERS 7 [Books]

Offerings of the Leaders

1 Now on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it with all its furnishings and the altar and all its utensils; he anointed them and consecrated them also. ²Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ households, made an offering (they were the leaders of the tribes; they were the ones who awere over the bnumbered men). ³When they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders and an ox for each one, then they presented them before the tabernacle. ⁴Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁵“Accept these things from them, that they may be cused in the service of the tent of meeting, and you shall give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.” ⁶So Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, ⁸and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the ddirection of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. ⁹But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder. [2 aLit stood bLit mustered 5 cLit for serving 8 dLit hand]

10 The leaders offered the dedication offering afor the altar bwhen it was anointed, so the leaders offered their offering before the altar. ¹¹Then the LORD said to Moses, “Let them present their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.” [10 aLit of bLit in the day that]

12 Now the one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; ¹³and his offering was one silver adish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to bthe shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ¹⁵one cbull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ¹⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab. [13 aOr platter, and so through v 85 bI.e. Approx one-half oz, and so through v 86 15 cOr bull of the herd, and so through v 81]

18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, presented an offering; ¹⁹he presented as his offering one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ²²one male goat for a sin offering; ²³and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

24 On the third day it was Eliab the son of Helon, leader of the sons of Zebulun; ²⁵his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ²⁷one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ²⁸one male goat for a sin offering; ²⁹and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day it was Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader of the sons of Reuben; ³¹his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³²one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ³³one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ³⁴one male goat for a sin offering; ³⁵and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day it was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the children of Simeon; ³⁷his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ³⁹one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴¹and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day it was Eliasaph the son of Deuel, leader of the sons of Gad; ⁴³his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁴⁵one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁴⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴⁷and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day it was Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader of the sons of Ephraim; ⁴⁹his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵¹one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁵²one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵³and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day it was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader of the sons of Manasseh; ⁵⁵his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵⁷one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁵⁸one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵⁹and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day it was Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the sons of Benjamin; ⁶¹his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶²one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶³one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁶⁴one male goat for a sin offering; ⁶⁵and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day it was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader of the sons of Dan; ⁶⁷his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶⁹one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁷⁰one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷¹and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day it was Pagiel the son of Ochran, leader of the sons of Asher; ⁷³his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁷⁵one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁷⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷⁷and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.

78 On the twelfth day it was Ahira the son of Enan, leader of the sons of Naphtali; ⁷⁹his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁸¹one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁸²one male goat for a sin offering; ⁸³and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

84 This was the dedication offering afor the altar from the leaders of Israel bwhen it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve gold pans, ⁸⁵each silver dish weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy; all the silver of the utensils was 2,400 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; ⁸⁶the twelve gold pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the pans 120 shekels; ⁸⁷all the oxen for the burnt offering twelve bulls, all the rams twelve, the male lambs one year old with their grain offering twelve, and the male goats for a sin offering twelve; ⁸⁸and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings 24 bulls, all the rams 60, the male goats 60, the male lambs one year old 60. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed. [84 aLit of bLit in the day that]

89 Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the amercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, so He spoke to him. [89 aLit propitiatory]

NUMBERS 8 [Books]

The Seven Lamps

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you amount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in the front of the lampstand.’ ” ³Aaron therefore did so; he bmounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ⁴Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flowers it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand. [2 aLit raise up 3 bLit raised up]

Cleansing the Levites

5 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶“Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them. ⁷Thus you shall do to them, for their acleansing: sprinkle bpurifying water on them, and let them cuse a razor over their whole dbody and wash their clothes, and they will be clean. ⁸Then let them take a ebull with its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and a second ebull you shall take for a sin offering. ⁹So you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting. You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰and present the Levites before the LORD; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. ¹¹Aaron then shall fpresent the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that they may gqualify to perform the service of the LORD. ¹²Now the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³You shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the LORD. [7 aLit this their cleansing bLit water of sin cLit cause to pass dLit flesh 8 eOr bull of the herd 11 fLit wave, and so throughout the ch gLit be able]

14 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine. ¹⁵Then after that the Levites may go in to serve the tent of meeting. But you shall cleanse them and present them as a wave offering; ¹⁶for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel. ¹⁷For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the men and among the animals; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself. ¹⁸But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel. ¹⁹I have given the Levites as aa gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, so that there will be no plague among the sons of Israel by btheir coming near to the sanctuary.” [19 aLit given ones bLit the sons of Israel’s]

20 Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the sons of Israel to the Levites; according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the sons of Israel did to them. ²¹The Levites, too, purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them. ²²Then after that the Levites went in to perform their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before his sons; just as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

Retirement

23 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴“This is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward athey shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting. ²⁵But at the age of fifty years they shall bretire from service in the work and not work any more. ²⁶They may, however, cassist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations.” [24 aLit he 25 bLit return 26 cLit serve]

NUMBERS 9 [Books]

The Passover

1 Thus the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ²“Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time. ³On the fourteenth day of this month, aat twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.” ⁴So Moses btold the sons of Israel to observe the Passover. ⁵They observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. ⁶But there were some men who were unclean because of the cdead person, so that they could not observe Passover on that day; so they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. ⁷Those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of the cdead person, why are we restrained from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?” ⁸Moses therefore said to them, “dWait, and I will listen to what the LORD will command concerning you.” [3 aLit between the two evenings, and so throughout the ch 4 bLit spoke to 6 cLit soul of man 8 dLit Stand]

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead aperson, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, observe the Passover to the LORD. ¹¹In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹²They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it. ¹³But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet bneglects to observe the Passover, that aperson shall then be cut off from his people, for he did not present the offering of the LORD at its appointed time. That man will bear his sin. ¹⁴If an alien sojourns among you and cobserves the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’ ” [10 aLit soul 13 bOr ceases 14 cOr would observe]

The Cloud on the Tabernacle

15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. ¹⁶So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. ¹⁸At the acommand of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the acommand of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. ¹⁹Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, bthe sons of Israel would keep the LORD’S charge and not set out. ²⁰If csometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the acommand of the LORD they remained camped. Then according to the acommand of the LORD they set out. ²¹If csometimes the cloud dremained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. ²²Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out. ²³At the acommand of the LORD they camped, and at the acommand of the LORD they set out; they kept the LORD’S charge, according to the acommand of the LORD through Moses. [18 aLit mouth 19 bLit and the 20 cLit it was that 21 dLit was]

NUMBERS 10 [Books]

The Silver Trumpets

1 The LORD spoke further to Moses, saying, ²“Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out. ³When both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁴Yet if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the adivisions of Israel, shall assemble before you. ⁵But when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched on the east side shall set out. ⁶When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be blown for them to set out. ⁷When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm. ⁸The priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets; and bthis shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations. ⁹When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies. ¹⁰Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed cfeasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the LORD your God.” [4 aLit thousands; or clans 8 bLit it 10 cOr times]

The Tribes Leave Sinai

11 Now in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from over the atabernacle of the testimony; ¹²and the sons of Israel set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³So they moved out for the first time according to the bcommandment of the LORD through Moses. ¹⁴The standard of the camp of the sons of Judah, according to their armies, set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army, ¹⁵and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; ¹⁶and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun. [11 aLit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch 13 bLit mouth]

17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out. ¹⁸Next the standard of the camp of Reuben, according to their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army, ¹⁹and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, ²⁰and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ²²Next the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, according to their armies, was set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army, ²³and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh; ²⁴and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

25 Then the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, according to their armies, which formed the rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army, ²⁶and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher; ²⁷and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali. ²⁸aThis was the order of march of the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out. [28 aLit These are the settings out of the sons]

29 Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us and we will do you good, for the LORD has apromised good concerning Israel.” ³⁰But he said to him, “I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” ³¹Then he said, “Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us. ³²So it will be, if you go with us, that bwhatever good the LORD cdoes for us, we will ddo for you.” [29 aLit spoken 32 bLit that good which cLit does good dLit do good]

33 Thus they set out from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD journeying in front of them for the athree days, to seek out a resting place for them. ³⁴The cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp. [33 aLit three days’ journey]

35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said,

“Rise up, O LORD!

And let Your enemies be scattered,

And let those who hate You flee abefore You.”

³⁶When it came to rest, he said,

“Return, O LORD,

To the myriad thousands of Israel.” [35 aOr from Your presence]

NUMBERS 11 [Books]

The People Complain

1 Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. ²The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire adied out. ³So the name of that place was called bTaberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them. [2 aLit sank down 3 bI.e. burning]

4 The rabble who were among them ahad greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us bmeat to eat? ⁵We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, ⁶but now our cappetite is gone. There is nothing at all dto look at except this manna.” [4 aLit desired a desire bLit flesh, and so throughout the ch 6 cLit soul is dried up dLit for our eyes]

7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. ⁸The people would go about and gather it and grind it abetween two millstones or beat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of bcakes baked with oil. ⁹When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall cwith it. [8 aLit with bLit juice of oil 9 cLit on]

The Complaint of Moses

10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, and aMoses was displeased. ¹¹So Moses said to the LORD, “Why have You bbeen so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? ¹²Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a cnurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’? ¹³Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ ¹⁴I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too dburdensome for me. ¹⁵So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.” [10 aLit it was evil in Moses’ sight 11 bLit dealt ill with 12 cOr foster-father 14 dLit heavy]

Seventy Elders to Assist

16 The LORD therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone. ¹⁸Say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, “Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat and you shall eat. ¹⁹You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, ²⁰abut a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ” ²¹But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’ ²²Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?” ²³The LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’S bpower limited? Now you shall see whether My word will ccome true for you or not.” [20 aLit until 23 bLit hand short cLit befall you]

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent. ²⁵Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the aother Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷So a young man ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “Moses, my lord, restrain them.” ²⁹But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” ³⁰Then Moses breturned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel. [26 aLit second 30 bLit removed himself]

The Quail and the Plague

31 Now there went forth a wind from the LORD and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp and aabout two bcubits deep on the surface of the ground. ³²The people cspent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten dhomers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. ³³While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very severe plague. ³⁴So the name of that place was called eKibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy. ³⁵From Kibroth-hattaavah the people set out for Hazeroth, and they fremained at Hazeroth. [31 aOr from about two cubits above bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 32 cLit rose dI.e. One homer equals approx 11 bu 34 eI.e. the graves of greediness 35 fLit were]

NUMBERS 12 [Books]

The Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron

1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); ²and they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the LORD heard it. ³(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) ⁴Suddenly the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. ⁵Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called aAaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward, ⁶He said,

“Hear now My words:

If there is a prophet among you,

I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision.

I shall speak with him in a dream. [5 aOr “Aaron and Miriam!”]

⁷“Not so, with My servant Moses,

He is faithful in all My household;

⁸With him I speak mouth to mouth,

Even openly, and not in dark sayings,

And he beholds the form of the LORD.

Why then were you not afraid

To speak against My servant, against Moses?”

9 So the anger of the LORD burned against them and He departed. ¹⁰But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous. ¹¹Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned. ¹²Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother’s womb!” ¹³Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “O God, heal her, I pray!” ¹⁴But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.” ¹⁵So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again.

16 Afterward, however, the people moved out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

NUMBERS 13 [Books]

Spies View the Land

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, ²“Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.” ³So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the acommand of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel. ⁴These then were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; ⁵from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; ⁶from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; ⁷from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; ⁸from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; ⁹from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; ¹⁰from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; ¹¹from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; ¹²from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; ¹³from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; ¹⁴from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; ¹⁵from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. ¹⁶These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land; but Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua. [3 aLit mouth]

17 When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up athere into the bNegev; then go up into the hill country. ¹⁸See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many. ¹⁹How is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are they clike open camps or with fortifications? ²⁰How is the land, is it fat or lean? Are there trees in it or not? dMake an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. [17 aLit here bI.e. South country, and so throughout the ch 19 cLit in 20 dLit Use your strength]

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, aat Lebo-hamath. ²²When they had gone up into the Negev, bthey came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the cdescendants of Anak were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) [21 aOr to the entrance of Hamath 22 bLit Most mss read one came cLit children]

23 Then they came to the avalley of bEshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs. ²⁴That place was called the valley of bEshcol, because of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut down from there. [23 aOr wadi bI.e. cluster]

The Spies’ Reports

25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, ²⁶they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel ain the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷Thus they told him, and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the bdescendants of Anak there. ²⁹Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.” [26 aLit to 28 bLit born ones]

30 Then Caleb quieted the people abefore Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” ³¹But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” ³²So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its binhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. ³³There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” [30 aLit toward 32 bOr settlers]

NUMBERS 14 [Books]

The People Rebel

1 Then all the congregation alifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept bthat night. ²All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! ³Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.” [1 aLit lifted and gave their voice bLit in that]

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. ⁶Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our aprey. Their bprotection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” ¹⁰But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel. [9 aLit food bLit shadow]

Moses Pleads for the People

11 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? ¹²I will smite them with apestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.” [12 aLit the pestilence]

13 But Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, ¹⁴and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, for You, O LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will asay, ¹⁶‘Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ ¹⁷But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have bdeclared, ¹⁸‘The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children cto the third and the fourth generations.’ ¹⁹Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” [15 aLit speak, saying 17 bLit spoken, saying 18 cLit on]

The LORD Pardons and Rebukes

20 So the LORD said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; ²¹but indeed, as I live, aall the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD. ²²Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, ²³shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. ²⁴But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, bI will bring into the land cwhich he entered, and his ddescendants shall take possession of it. ²⁵Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the eRed Sea.” [21 aLit and all 24 bLit him I cLit where dLit seed 25 eLit Sea of Reeds]

26 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ²⁷“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are amaking against Me. ²⁸Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; ²⁹your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your bnumbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. ³⁰Surely you shall not come into the land in which I cswore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. ³¹Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey—I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. ³²But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. ³³Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will dsuffer for your eunfaithfulness, until your corpses flie in the wilderness. ³⁴According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your gguilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition. ³⁵I, the LORD, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.’ ” [27 aLit complaining 29 bLit mustered 30 cLit raised My hand 33 dLit bear eLit fornications fLit are finished 34 gOr iniquities]

36 As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, ³⁷even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the LORD. ³⁸But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land.

Israel Repulsed

39 When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. ⁴⁰In the morning, however, they rose up early and went up to the aridge of the hill country, saying, “Here we are; bwe have indeed sinned, but we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised.” ⁴¹But Moses said, “Why then are you transgressing the ccommandment of the LORD, when it will not succeed? ⁴²Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. ⁴³For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned back from following the LORD. And the LORD will not be with you.” ⁴⁴But they went up heedlessly to the aridge of the hill country; neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses left the camp. ⁴⁵Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and beat them down as far as Hormah. [40 aOr top of the mountain bOr and we will go up...for we have sinned 41 cLit mouth]

NUMBERS 15 [Books]

Laws for Canaan

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land awhere you are to live, which I am giving you, ³then make an offering by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering or a sacrifice to bfulfill a special vow, or as a freewill offering or in your appointed times, to make a soothing aroma to the LORD, from the herd or from the flock. ⁴The one who presents his offering shall present to the LORD a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a chin of oil, ⁵and you shall prepare wine for the drink offering, one-fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb. ⁶Or for a ram you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; ⁷and for the drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a soothing aroma to the LORD. ⁸When you prepare a bull as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to bfulfill a special vow, or for peace offerings to the LORD, ⁹then you shall offer with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-half a hin of oil; ¹⁰and you shall offer as the drink offering one-half a hin of wine as an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD. [2 aLit of your dwellings 3 bOr make a special votive offering 4 cI.e. Approx one gal., and so through v 10]

11 ‘Thus it shall be done for each ox, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs, or of the goats. ¹²According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do for everyone according to their number. ¹³All who are native shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD.

Law of the Sojourner

¹⁴If an alien sojourns with you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, just as you do so he shall do. ¹⁵As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before the LORD. ¹⁶There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.’ ”

17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁸“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land where I bring you, ¹⁹then it shall be, that when you eat of the afood of the land, you shall lift up ban offering to the LORD. ²⁰Of the first of your cdough you shall lift up a cake as an doffering; as the doffering of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up. ²¹From the first of your cdough you shall give to the LORD an eoffering throughout your generations. [19 aLit bread bOr a heave offering 20 cOr coarse meal dOr heave offering 21 eOr offering lifted up]

22 ‘But when you unwittingly fail and do not observe all these commandments, which the LORD has spoken to Moses, ²³even all that the LORD has commanded you athrough Moses, from the day when the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations, ²⁴then it shall be, if it is done unintentionally, bwithout the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one bull for a burnt offering, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. ²⁵Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error. ²⁶So all the congregation of the sons of Israel will be forgiven, with the alien who sojourns among them, for it happened to all the people through error. [23 aLit by the hand of 24 bLit from the eyes of the congregation]

27 ‘Also if one person sins unintentionally, then he shall offer a one year old female goat for a sin offering. ²⁸The priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him athat he may be forgiven. ²⁹You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them. ³⁰But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his bguilt will be on him.’ ” [28 aOr and he shall 31 bOr iniquity]

Sabbath-breaking Punished

32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day. ³³Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation; ³⁴and they put him in acustody because it had not been bdeclared what should be done to him. ³⁵Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” ³⁶So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him cto death with stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [34 aOr prison bLit declared distinctly 36 cLit with stones and he died]

37 The LORD also spoke to Moses, saying, ³⁸“Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. ³⁹It shall be a tassel for you ato look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not bfollow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, ⁴⁰so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. ⁴¹I am the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the LORD your God.” [39 aLit and you shall look at it bLit seek]

NUMBERS 16 [Books]

Korah’s Rebellion

1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, ²and they rose up before Moses, atogether with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, bchosen in the assembly, men of renown. ³They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “cYou have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” [2 aLit and men from bLit called ones of 3 cLit It is much for you]

4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face; ⁵and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. ⁶Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all ayour company, ⁷and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the LORD tomorrow; and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the one who is holy. bYou have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!” [6 aLit his 7 bLit It is much for you]

8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, ⁹is it anot enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; ¹⁰and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? ¹¹Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD; but as for Aaron, bwho is he that you grumble against him?” [9 aOr too little for you 11 bLit what]

12 Then Moses sent aa summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. ¹³Is it bnot enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? ¹⁴Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you cput out the eyes of dthese men? We will not come up!” [12 aLit to call 13 bLit a little thing 14 cLit bore out dLit those]

15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” ¹⁶Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the LORD tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. ¹⁷Each of you take his firepan and put incense on ait, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.” ¹⁸So they each took his own censer and put fire on ait, and laid incense on ait; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. [17 aLit them]

20 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ²¹“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” ²²But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

23 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’ ”

25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, ²⁶and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” ²⁷So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. ²⁸Moses said, “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not amy doing. ²⁹If these men die bthe death of all men or cif they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. ³⁰But if the LORD dbrings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into eSheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD.” [28 aLit from my heart 29 bLit like the death cLit the visitation of all men be visited upon them 30 dLit creates a new creation eI.e. the nether world]

31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; ³²and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. ³³So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to aSheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. ³⁴All Israel who were around them fled at their boutcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” ³⁵Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. [33 aI.e. the nether world 34 bOr voice]

36 aThen the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ³⁷“Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the bblaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the cburning coals abroad. ³⁸As for the censers of these dmen who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the LORD and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.” ³⁹So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, ⁴⁰as a ereminder to the sons of Israel that no flayman who is not of the gdescendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and his company—just as the LORD had spoken to him hthrough Moses. [36 aCh 17:1 in Heb 37 bOr place of burning cLit the fire 38 dLit sinners against their lives 40 eOr memorial fLit stranger gLit seed hLit by the hand of]

Murmuring and Plague

41 But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the LORD’S people.” ⁴²It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared. ⁴³Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵“aGet away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. ⁴⁶Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the LORD, the plague has begun!” ⁴⁷Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. ⁴⁹But those who died by the plague were 14,700, besides those who died on account of Korah. ⁵⁰Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been checked. [45 aOr Arise]

NUMBERS 17 [Books]

Aaron’s Rod Buds

1 aThen the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father’s household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod, ³and write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers’ households. ⁴You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you. ⁵It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.” ⁶Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. ⁷So Moses deposited the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. [1 aCh 17:16 in Heb]

8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. ⁹Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. ¹⁰But the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony ato be kept as a sign against the brebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.” ¹¹Thus Moses did; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he did. [10 aLit for preserving bLit sons of rebellion]

12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish, we are dying, we are all dying! ¹³Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Are we to perish completely?”

NUMBERS 18 [Books]

Duties of Levites

1 So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s household with you shall bear the guilt ain connection with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the guilt bin connection with your priesthood. ²But bring with you also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you, while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. ³And they shall thus attend to your obligation and the obligation of all the tent, but they shall not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die. ⁴They shall be joined with you and attend to the obligations of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; but an coutsider may not come near you. ⁵So you shall attend to the obligations of the sanctuary and the obligations of the altar, so that there will no longer be wrath on the sons of Israel. ⁶Behold, I Myself have taken your dfellow Levites from among the sons of Israel; they are a gift to you, ededicated to the LORD, to perform the service for the tent of meeting. ⁷But you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and inside the veil, and you are to perform service. I am giving you the priesthood as a fbestowed service, but the goutsider who comes near shall be put to death.” [1 aLit of the sanctuary bLit of your priesthood 4 cLit a stranger 6 dLit brethren the eLit given 7 fLit service of gift gLit stranger]

The Priests’ Portion

8 Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, “Now behold, I Myself have given you charge of My aofferings, even all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel I have given them to you as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual allotment. ⁹This shall be yours from the most holy gifts reserved from the fire; every offering of theirs, even every grain offering and every sin offering and every guilt offering, which they shall render to Me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons. ¹⁰As the most holy gifts you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you. ¹¹This also is yours, the offering of their gift, even all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel; I have given them to you and to your sons and daughters with you as a perpetual allotment. Everyone of your household who is clean may eat it. ¹²All the bbest of the fresh oil and all the bbest of the fresh wine and of the grain, the first fruits of those which they give to the LORD, I give them to you. ¹³The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; everyone of your household who is clean may eat it. ¹⁴Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. ¹⁵cEvery first issue of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. ¹⁶As to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five dshekels in silver, according to the dshekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. ¹⁷But the firstborn of an ox or the firstborn of a sheep or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall offer up their fat in smoke as an offering by fire, for a soothing aroma to the LORD. ¹⁸Their emeat shall be yours; it shall be yours like the breast of a wave offering and like the right thigh. ¹⁹All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD to you and your fdescendants with you.” ²⁰Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. [8 aLit heave offerings, and so throughout the ch 12 bLit fat 15 cLit Everything that opens 16 dI.e. A shekel equals approx one-half oz 18 eLit flesh 19 fLit seed]

21 “To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting. ²²The sons of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting again, or they will bear sin and die. ²³Only the Levites shall perform the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance. ²⁴For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said concerning them, ‘They shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.’ ”

25 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶“Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. ²⁷Your offering shall be reckoned to you as the grain from the threshing floor or the full produce from the wine vat. ²⁸So you shall also present an offering to the LORD from your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the LORD’S offering to Aaron the priest. ²⁹Out of all your gifts you shall present every offering due to the LORD, from all the abest of them, bthe sacred part from them.’ ³⁰You shall say to them, ‘When you have coffered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be reckoned to the Levites as the product of the threshing floor, and as the product of the wine vat. ³¹You may eat it anywhere, you and your households, for it is your compensation in return for your service in the tent of meeting. ³²You will bear no sin by reason of it when you have coffered the abest of it. But you shall not profane the sacred gifts of the sons of Israel, or you will die.’ ” [29 aLit fat bLit its 30 cLit lifted]

NUMBERS 19 [Books]

Ordinance of the Red Heifer

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ²“This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never abeen placed. ³You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence. ⁴Next Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. ⁵Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its hide and its flesh and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned. ⁶The priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet material and cast it into the midst of the bburning heifer. ⁷The priest shall then wash his clothes and bathe his cbody in water, and afterward come into the camp, but the priest shall be unclean until evening. ⁸The one who burns it shall also wash his clothes in water and bathe his cbody in water, and shall be unclean until evening. ⁹Now a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place, and dthe congregation of the sons of Israel shall keep it as water to remove impurity; it is epurification from sin. ¹⁰The one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening; and it shall be a perpetual statute to the sons of Israel and to the alien who sojourns among them. [2 aLit come up 6 bLit burning of the heifer 7 cLit flesh 9 dLit it shall be to the congregation...Israel, for a guarding as water of impurity eOr a sin offering]

11 ‘The one who touches the corpse of any aperson shall be unclean for seven days. ¹²That one shall purify himself from uncleanness with bthe water on the third day and on the seventh day, and then he will be clean; but if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean. ¹³Anyone who touches a corpse, the cbody of a man who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the dtabernacle of the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from Israel. Because the water for impurity was not esprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him. [11 aLit soul of man 12 bLit it 13 cLit soul dLit dwelling place eOr thrown]

14 ‘This is the law when a man dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent and everyone who is in the tent shall be unclean for seven days. ¹⁵Every open vessel, which has no covering atied down on it, shall be unclean. ¹⁶Also, anyone who in the open field touches one who has been slain with a sword or who has died naturally, or a human bone or a grave, shall be unclean for seven days. ¹⁷Then for the unclean person they shall take some of the bashes of the cburnt dpurification from sin and eflowing water shall be fadded to them in a vessel. ¹⁸A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the furnishings and on the persons who were there, and on the one who touched the bone or the one slain or the one dying naturally or the grave. ¹⁹Then the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify him from uncleanness, and he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and shall be clean by evening. [15 aLit cord 17 bLit dust cLit burning of the dOr sin offering eLit living fLit put]

20 ‘But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself from uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD; the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean. ²¹So it shall be a perpetual statute for them. And he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening. ²²Furthermore, anything that the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening.’ ”

NUMBERS 20 [Books]

Death of Miriam

1 Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

2 There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron. ³The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! ⁴Why then have you brought the LORD’S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die ahere? ⁵Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of bgrain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink.” ⁶Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them; ⁷and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, [4 aLit there 5 bLit seed]

The Water of Meribah

⁸“Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.”

9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him; ¹⁰and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. ¹²But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” ¹³Those were the waters of aMeribah, bbecause the sons of Israel contended with the LORD, and He proved Himself holy among them. [13 aI.e. contention bOr where]

14 From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: “Thus your brother Israel has said, ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us; ¹⁵that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. ¹⁶But when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s highway, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.’ ”

18 Edom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through aus, or I will come out with the sword against you.” ¹⁹Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will bpay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, cnothing else.” ²⁰But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against him with a heavy dforce and with a strong hand. ²¹Thus Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; so Israel turned away from him. [18 aLit me 19 bLit give cOr no great thing 20 dLit people]

22 Now when they set out from Kadesh, the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

Death of Aaron

²³Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying, ²⁴“Aaron will be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My acommand at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up to Mount Hor; ²⁶and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron will be gathered to his people, and will die there.” ²⁷So Moses did just as the LORD had commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. ²⁸After Moses had stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days. [24 aLit mouth]

NUMBERS 21 [Books]

Arad Conquered

1 When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the aNegev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of bAtharim, then he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. ²So Israel made a vow to the LORD and said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will cutterly destroy their cities.” ³The LORD heard the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites; then they dutterly destroyed them and their cities. Thus the name of the place was called eHormah. [1 aI.e. South country bOr the spies 2 cLit devote to destruction 3 dLit devoted to destruction eI.e. a devoted thing; or Destruction]

4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the aRed Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the bpeople became impatient because of the journey. ⁵The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no cfood and no water, and dwe loathe this miserable food.” [4 aLit Sea of Reeds bLit soul of the people was short 5 cLit bread dLit our soul loathes]

The Bronze Serpent

⁶The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. ⁷So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and you; intercede with the LORD, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. ⁸Then the LORD said to Moses, “aMake a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” ⁹And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. [8 aLit Make for yourself]

10 Now the sons of Israel moved out and camped in Oboth. ¹¹They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness which is opposite Moab, to the aeast. ¹²From there they set out and camped in bWadi Zered. ¹³From there they journeyed and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. ¹⁴Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD,

“Waheb in Suphah,

And the wadis of the Arnon, [11 aLit sunrise 12 bI.e. a dry ravine except during rainy season]

¹⁵And the slope of the wadis

That extends to the site of Ar,

And leans to the border of Moab.”

16 From there they continued to aBeer, that is the well where the LORD said to Moses, “Assemble the people, that I may give them water.” [16 aI.e. a well]

17 Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well! Sing to it!

¹⁸“The well, which the leaders sank,

Which the nobles of the people dug,

With the scepter and with their staffs.”

And from the wilderness they continued to Mattanah, ¹⁹and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the land of Moab, at the top of Pisgah which overlooks the awasteland. [20 aOr Jeshimon]

Two Victories

21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying, ²²“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn off into field or vineyard; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the king’s highway until we have passed through your border.” ²³But Sihon would not permit Israel to pass through his border. So Sihon gathered all his people and went out against Israel in the wilderness, and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. ²⁴Then Israel astruck him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon was bJazer. ²⁵Israel took all these cities and Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all her cvillages. ²⁶For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. ²⁷Therefore those who use proverbs say,

“Come to Heshbon! Let it be built!

So let the city of Sihon be established. [24 aLit smote, so with Gr and Lat bM.T. reads strong 25 cLit daughters]

²⁸“For a fire went forth from Heshbon,

A flame from the town of Sihon;

It devoured Ar of Moab,

The adominant bheights of the Arnon. [aLit lords of the bOr Bamoth]

²⁹“Woe to you, O Moab!

You are ruined, O people of Chemosh!

He has given his sons as fugitives,

And his daughters into captivity,

To an Amorite king, Sihon.

³⁰“But we have cast them down,

Heshbon is ruined as far as Dibon,

Then we have laid waste even to Nophah,

Which reaches to Medeba.”

31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. ³²Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.

33 Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan went out awith all his people, for battle at Edrei. ³⁴But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” ³⁵So they bkilled him and his sons and all his people, until there was no remnant left him; and they possessed his land. [33 aLit he and 35 bLit smote]

NUMBERS 22 [Books]

Balak Sends for Balaam

1 Then the sons of Israel journeyed, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.

2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel. ⁴Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this ahorde will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. ⁵So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the bRiver, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. ⁶Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too cmighty for me; perhaps I may be able to ddefeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” [4 aLit assembly 5 bI.e. Euphrates 6 cOr numerous dLit smite]

7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam and arepeated Balak’s words to him. ⁸He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as the LORD may speak to me.” And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, ¹¹‘Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt and they cover the surface of the land; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” ¹²God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” ¹³So Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” ¹⁴The leaders of Moab arose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” [7 aLit spoke]

15 Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and more distinguished than athe former. ¹⁶They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me; ¹⁷for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.’ ” ¹⁸Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the bcommand of the LORD my God. ¹⁹Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me.” ²⁰God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.” [15 aLit these 18 bLit mouth]

21 So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.

The Angel and Balaam

²²But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. ²³When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. ²⁴Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. ²⁵When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again. ²⁶The angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. ²⁷When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. ²⁸And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” ²⁹Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” ³⁰The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed aall the way to the ground. ³²The angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way was bcontrary to me. ³³But the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live.” ³⁴Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.” ³⁵But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I ctell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak. [31 aLit and prostrated himself to his face 32 bLit reckless 35 cOr speak to]

36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the Arnon border, aat the extreme end of the border. ³⁷Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really unable to honor you?” ³⁸So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.” ³⁹And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him. [36 aLit which is at]

41 Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to athe high places of Baal, and he saw from there ba portion of the people. [41 aOr Bamoth-baal bLit the end of the camp]

NUMBERS 23 [Books]

The Prophecies of Balaam

1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” ²Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. ³Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a bare hill.

4 Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.” ⁵Then the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus.” ⁶So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab. ⁷He took up his adiscourse and said,

“From Aram Balak has brought me,

Moab’s king from the mountains of the East,

‘Come curse Jacob for me,

And come, denounce Israel!’ [7 aLit parable]

⁸“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?

And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

⁹“As I see him from the top of the rocks,

And I look at him from the hills;

Behold, a people who dwells apart,

And will not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰“Who can count the dust of Jacob,

Or number the fourth part of Israel?

Let ame die the death of the upright,

And let my end be like his!” [aLit my soul]

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!” ¹²He replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there.” ¹⁴So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ¹⁵And he said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the LORD over there.” ¹⁶Then the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” ¹⁷He came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” ¹⁸Then he took up his adiscourse and said,

“Arise, O Balak, and hear;

Give ear to me, O son of Zippor! [18 aLit parable]

¹⁹“God is not a man, that He should lie,

Nor a son of man, that He should repent;

Has He said, and will He not do it?

Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

²⁰“Behold, I have received a command to bless;

When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.

²¹“He has not observed amisfortune in Jacob;

Nor has He seen trouble in Israel;

The LORD his God is with him,

And the shout of a king is among them. [aOr iniquity]

²²“God brings them out of Egypt,

He is for them like the horns of the wild ox.

²³“For there is no omen against Jacob,

Nor is there any divination against Israel;

At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob

And to Israel, what God has done!

²⁴“Behold, a people rises like a lioness,

And as a lion it lifts itself;

It will not lie down until it devours the prey,

And drinks the blood of the slain.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!” ²⁶But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘aWhatever the LORD speaks, that I must do’?” [26 aLit saying, Whatever]

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be aagreeable with God that you curse them for me from there.” ²⁸So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor which overlooks the bwasteland. ²⁹Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” ³⁰Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. [27 aLit right in the sight of God 28 bOr Jeshimon]

NUMBERS 24 [Books]

The Prophecy from Peor

1 When Balaam saw that it apleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to bseek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness. ²And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel ccamping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. ³He took up his ddiscourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened; [1 aLit was good in the eyes of bLit encounter 2 cLit dwelling 3 dLit parable, and so throughout the ch]

⁴The oracle of him who hears the awords of God,

Who sees the vision of bthe Almighty,

Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered, [aLit sayings bHeb Shaddai]

⁵How fair are your tents, O Jacob,

Your dwellings, O Israel!

⁶“Like avalleys that stretch out,

Like gardens beside the river,

Like aloes planted by the LORD,

Like cedars beside the waters. [aOr possibly palm trees]

⁷“Water will flow from his buckets,

And his seed will be by many waters,

And his king shall be higher than Agag,

And his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸“God brings him out of Egypt,

He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.

He will devour the nations who are his adversaries,

And will crush their bones in pieces,

And shatter them with his arrows.

⁹“He acouches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a blion, who cdares rouse him?

Blessed is everyone who blesses you,

And cursed is everyone who curses you.” [aLit bows down bOr lioness cLit shall]

10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his ahands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times! ¹¹Therefore, bflee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹²Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, ¹³‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the ccommand of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own daccord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak’? ¹⁴And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the edays to come.” [10 aLit palms 11 bLit flee for yourself 13 cLit mouth dLit heart 14 eLit end of the days]

15 He took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

¹⁶The oracle of him who hears the awords of God,

And knows the knowledge of the bMost High,

Who sees the vision of cthe Almighty,

Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered. [aLit sayings bHeb Elyon cHeb Shaddai]

¹⁷“I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near;

A star shall come forth from Jacob,

A scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall crush through the aforehead of Moab,

And btear down all the sons of cSheth. [aLit corners bAnother reading is the crown of the head of cI.e. tumult]

¹⁸“Edom shall be a possession,

Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,

While Israel performs valiantly.

¹⁹“One from Jacob shall have dominion,

And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

20 And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said,

“Amalek was the first of the nations,

But his end shall be adestruction.” [20 aLit to destroying]

21 And he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,

“Your dwelling place is enduring,

And your nest is set in the cliff.

²²“Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;

How long will Asshur akeep you captive?” [aLit take]

23 Then he took up his discourse and said,

“Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?

²⁴“But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,

And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber;

So they also will come to destruction.”

25 Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.

NUMBERS 25 [Books]

The Sin of Peor

1 While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. ²For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. ³So Israel joined themselves to aBaal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel. ⁴The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them bin broad daylight before the LORD, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” ⁵So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to aBaal of Peor.” [3 aOr Baal-peor 4 bLit in front of the sun]

6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his arelatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁷When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, ⁸and he went after the man of Israel into the btent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the cbody. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. ⁹Those who died by the plague were 24,000. [6 aLit brothers 8 bOr inner rooms cOr belly]

The Zeal of Phinehas

10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹¹“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. ¹²Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; ¹³and it shall be for him and his adescendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’ ” [13 aLit seed]

14 Now the name of the aslain man of Israel who was aslain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites. ¹⁵The name of the Midianite woman who was aslain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, bwho was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian. [14 aLit smitten 15 bLit he]

16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁷“Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them; ¹⁸for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.”

NUMBERS 26 [Books]

Census of a New Generation

1 aThen it came about after the plague, bthat the LORD spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, ²“Take a ccensus of all the congregation of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ households, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel.” ³So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ⁴“Take a census of the people from twenty years old and upward, as the LORD has commanded Moses.” [1 aCh 25:19 in Heb bCh 26:1 in Heb 2 cLit sum]

Now the sons of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:

5 Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; ⁶of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. ⁷These are the families of the Reubenites, and those who were numbered of them were 43,730. ⁸The son of Pallu: Eliab. ⁹The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD, ¹⁰and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, so that they became a awarning. ¹¹The sons of Korah, however, did not die. [10 aLit sign]

12 The sons of Simeon according to their families: of aNemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of bJachin, the family of the Jachinites; ¹³of cZerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. ¹⁴These are the families of the Simeonites, 22,200. [12 aIn Gen 46:10 and Ex 6:15, Jemuel bIn 1 Chr 4:24, Jarib 13 cIn Gen 46:10, Zohar]

15 The sons of Gad according to their families: of aZephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; ¹⁶of bOzni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; ¹⁷of cArod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. ¹⁸These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them, 40,500. [15 aIn Gen 46:16, Ziphion 16 bIn Gen 46:16, Ezbon 17 cIn Gen 46:16, Arodi]

19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. ²⁰The sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. ²¹The sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. ²²These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them, 76,500.

23 The sons of Issachar according to their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of aPuvah, the family of the Punites; ²⁴of bJashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. ²⁵These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them, 64,300. [23 aIn Gen 46:13, Puvvah; in 1 Chr 7:1, Puah 24 bIn Gen 46:13, Iob]

26 The sons of Zebulun according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. ²⁷These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them, 60,500.

28 The sons of Joseph according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. ²⁹The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir abecame the father of Gilead: of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. ³⁰These are the sons of Gilead: of bIezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; ³¹and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; ³²and of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. ³³Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. ³⁴These are the families of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were 52,700. [29 aLit begot 30 bIn Josh 17:2, Abiezer]

35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of aBecher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. ³⁶These are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. ³⁷These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families. [35 aIn 1 Chr 7:20, Bered]

38 The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of aAhiram, the family of the Ahiramites; ³⁹of bShephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of cHupham, the family of the Huphamites. ⁴⁰The sons of Bela were dArd and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. ⁴¹These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were 45,600. [38 aIn Gen 46:21, Ehi; in 1 Chr 8:1, Aharah 39 bIn Gen 46:21, Muppim; in 1 Chr 7:12, Shuppim cIn Gen 46:21, Muppim and Huppim 40 dIn 1 Chr 8:3, Addar]

42 These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of aShuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. ⁴³All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were 64,400. [42 aIn Gen 46:23, Hushim]

44 The sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. ⁴⁵Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. ⁴⁶The name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. ⁴⁷These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them, 53,400.

48 The sons of Naphtali according to their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; ⁴⁹of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. ⁵⁰These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were 45,400.

51 These are those who were numbered of the sons of Israel, 601,730.

52 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁵³“aAmong these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. ⁵⁴To the larger group you shall increase their inheritance, and to the smaller group you shall diminish their inheritance; each shall be given their inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. ⁵⁵But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall breceive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. ⁵⁶According to the selection by lot, their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller groups.” [53 aLit To 55 bLit inherit according to]

57 These are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. ⁵⁸These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. Kohath abecame the father of Amram. ⁵⁹The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram: Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam. ⁶⁰To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ⁶¹But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered strange fire before the LORD. ⁶²Those who were numbered of them were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward, for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel since no inheritance was given to them among the sons of Israel. [58 aLit begot]

63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. ⁶⁴But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. ⁶⁵For the LORD had said aof them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” And not a man was left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. [65 aOr to]

NUMBERS 27 [Books]

A Law of Inheritance

1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph, came near; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah and Hoglah and Milcah and Tirzah. ²They stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the leaders and all the congregation, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, saying, ³“Our father died in the wilderness, yet he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons. ⁴Why should the name of our father be withdrawn from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” ⁵So Moses brought their case before the LORD.

6 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁷“The daughters of Zelophehad are right in their statements. You shall surely give them a hereditary possession among their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer the inheritance of their father to them. ⁸Further, you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his own family, and he shall possess it; and it shall be a statutory ordinance to the sons of Israel, just as the LORD commanded Moses.’ ”

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. ¹³When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother awas; ¹⁴for in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My bcommand cto treat Me as holy before their eyes at the water.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) [13 aLit was gathered 14 bLit mouth cLit for My sanctity]

Joshua to Succeed Moses

15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, ¹⁶“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, ¹⁷who will go out aand come in before them, and who will lead them out and bbring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” ¹⁸So the LORD said to Moses, “cTake Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; ¹⁹and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight. ²⁰You shall put some of your dauthority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him. ²¹Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his ecommand they shall go out and at his ecommand they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.” ²²Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. ²³Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the LORD had spoken fthrough Moses. [17 aLit before them and who will bLit who will bring 18 cLit Take for yourself 20 dLit majesty 21 eLit mouth 23 fLit by the hand of]

NUMBERS 28 [Books]

Laws for Offerings

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall abe careful to present My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’ ³You shall say to them, ‘This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs one year old without defect as a continual burnt offering every day. ⁴You shall offer the one lamb in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer bat twilight; ⁵also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil. ⁶It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai as a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁷Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb, in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. ⁸The other lamb you shall offer bat twilight; as the grain offering of the morning and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the LORD. [2 aLit watch 4 bLit between the two evenings]

9 ‘Then on the sabbath day two male lambs one year old without defect, and two-tenths of an aephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering: ¹⁰This is the burnt offering of every sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. [9 aI.e. Approx one bu]

11 ‘Then at the beginning of each of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two abulls and one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect; ¹²and three-tenths of an bephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for each bull; and two-tenths of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for the one ram; ¹³and a tenth of an bephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for each lamb, for a burnt offering of a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹⁴Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull and a third of a hin for the ram and a fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. ¹⁵And one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering. [11 aLit bulls of the herd 12 bI.e. Approx one bu]

16 ‘Then on the fourteenth day of the first month shall be the LORD’S Passover. ¹⁷On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast, unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. ¹⁸On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. ¹⁹You shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two abulls and one ram and seven male lambs one year old, having them without defect. ²⁰For their grain offering, you shall offer fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an bephah for a bull and two-tenths for the ram. ²¹A tenth of an bephah you shall offer for ceach of the seven lambs; ²²and one male goat for a sin offering to make atonement for you. ²³You shall present these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. ²⁴After this manner you shall present daily, for seven days, the food of the offering by fire, of a soothing aroma to the LORD; it shall be presented with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering. ²⁵On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. [19 aOr bulls of the herd 20 bI.e. Approx one bu 21 cLit each lamb]

26 ‘Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the LORD in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. ²⁷You shall offer a burnt offering for a soothing aroma to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs one year old; ²⁸and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an aephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, ²⁹a tenth for beach of the seven lambs; ³⁰also one male goat to make atonement for you. ³¹Besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall present them with their drink offerings. They shall be cwithout defect. [28 aI.e. Approx one bu 29 bLit each lamb 31 cLit without defect to you]

NUMBERS 29 [Books]

Offerings of the Seventh Month

1 ‘Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets. ²You shall offer a burnt offering as a soothing aroma to the LORD: one abull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old without defect; ³also their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an bephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, ⁴and one-tenth for ceach of the seven lambs. ⁵Offer one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you, ⁶besides the burnt offering of the new moon and its grain offering, and the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. [2 aOr bull of a herd, and so throughout the ch 3 bI.e. Approx one bu 4 cLit each lamb, and so throughout the ch]

7 ‘Then on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall humble yourselves; you shall not do any work. ⁸You shall present a burnt offering to the LORD as a soothing aroma: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs one year old, having them without defect; ⁹and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an aephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, ¹⁰a tenth for each of the seven lambs; ¹¹one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement and the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings. [9 aI.e. Approx one bu]

12 ‘Then on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work, and you shall observe a feast to the LORD for seven days. ¹³You shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire as a soothing aroma to the LORD: thirteen bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old, which are without defect; ¹⁴and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an aephah for beach of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for ceach of the two rams, ¹⁵and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; ¹⁶and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering. [14 aI.e. Approx one bu bLit each bull cLit each ram]

17 ‘Then on the second day: twelve bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; ¹⁸and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ¹⁹and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

20 ‘Then on the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; ²¹and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ²²and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

23 ‘Then on the fourth day: ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; ²⁴their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ²⁵and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

26 ‘Then on the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; ²⁷and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ²⁸and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

29 ‘Then on the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; ³⁰and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ³¹and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offerings.

32 ‘Then on the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; ³³and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ³⁴and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

35 ‘On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work. ³⁶But you shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect; ³⁷their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ³⁸and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

39 ‘You shall present these to the LORD at your appointed times, besides your avotive offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings and for your grain offerings and for your drink offerings and for your peace offerings.’ ” ⁴⁰bMoses spoke to the sons of Israel in accordance with all that the LORD had commanded Moses. [39 aLit vows 40 bCh 30:1 in Heb]

NUMBERS 30 [Books]

The Law of Vows

1 Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the LORD has commanded. ²If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

3 “Also if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, ⁴and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father asays nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁵But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her because her father had forbidden her. [4 aLit is silent to her, and so throughout the ch]

6 “However, if she should amarry while bunder her vows or the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself, ⁷and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁸But if on the day her husband hears of it, he forbids her, then he shall annul her vow which cshe is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself; and the LORD will forgive her. [6 aLit be to a husband bLit her vows are on her 8 cLit is on her]

9 “But the vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, everything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her. ¹⁰However, if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an obligation with an oath, ¹¹and her husband heard it, but said nothing to her and did not forbid her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she bound herself shall stand. ¹²But if her husband indeed annuls them on the day he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning the obligation of herself shall not stand; her husband has annulled them, and the LORD will forgive her.

13 “Every vow and every binding oath to humble herself, her husband may confirm it or her husband may annul it. ¹⁴But if her husband indeed says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her obligations which are on her; he has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard them. ¹⁵But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

16 These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses, as between a man and his wife, and as between a father and his daughter, while she is in her youth in her father’s house.

NUMBERS 31 [Books]

The Slaughter of Midian

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.” ³Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may ago against Midian to execute the LORD’S vengeance on Midian. ⁴A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.” ⁵So there were bfurnished from the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. ⁶Moses sent them, a thousand from each tribe, to the war, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war with them, and the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. ⁷So they made war against Midian, just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. ⁸They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. ⁹The sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods they plundered. ¹⁰Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire. ¹¹They took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of beast. ¹²They brought the captives and the prey and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan opposite Jericho. [3 aLit be 5 bLit delivered]

13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went out to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. ¹⁵And Moses said to them, “Have you aspared all the women? ¹⁶Behold, these bcaused the sons of Israel, through the ccounsel of Balaam, to dtrespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD. ¹⁷Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man eintimately. ¹⁸But all the fgirls who have not known man eintimately, gspare for yourselves. ¹⁹And you, camp outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves, you and your captives, on the third day and on the seventh day. ²⁰You shall purify for yourselves every garment and every article of hleather and all the work of goats’ hair, and all articles of wood.” [15 aLit let...live 16 bLit were to cLit word dPossibly defect from the Lord 17 eLit by lying with a man 18 fLit female children gLit keep alive 20 hOr skin]

21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle, “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses: ²²only the gold and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin and the lead, ²³everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean, but it shall be purified with water for impurity. But whatever cannot stand the fire you shall pass through the water. ²⁴And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may enter the camp.”

Division of the Booty

25 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶“You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation take a count of the booty athat was captured, both of man and of animal; ²⁷and divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. ²⁸Levy a tax for the LORD from the men of war who went out to battle, one bin five hundred of the persons and of the cattle and of the donkeys and of the sheep; ²⁹take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest, as an coffering to the LORD. ³⁰From the sons of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys and of the sheep, from all the animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.” ³¹Moses and Eleazar the priest did just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [26 aLit of captives 28 bLit soul from 29 cLit heave offering, and so throughout the ch]

32 Now the booty that remained from the spoil which the amen of war had plundered was 675,000 sheep, ³³and 72,000 cattle, ³⁴and 61,000 donkeys, ³⁵and of human beings, of the women who had not known man bintimately, all the persons were 32,000. [32 aLit people 35 bLit by lying with a man]

36 The half, the portion of those who went out to war, was as follows: the number of sheep was 337,500, ³⁷and the LORD’S levy of the sheep was 675; ³⁸and the cattle were 36,000, from which the LORD’S levy was 72; ³⁹and the donkeys were 30,500, from which the LORD’S levy was 61; ⁴⁰and the human beings were 16,000, from whom the LORD’S levy was 32 persons. ⁴¹Moses gave the levy which was the LORD’S offering to Eleazar the priest, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

42 As for the sons of Israel’s half, which Moses aseparated from the men who had gone to war— ⁴³now the congregation’s half was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴and 36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵and 30,500 donkeys, ⁴⁶and the human beings were 16,000— ⁴⁷and from the sons of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animals, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [42 aOr divided]

48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, approached Moses, ⁴⁹and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a census of men of war who are in our charge, and no man of us is missing. ⁵⁰So we have brought as an offering to the LORD what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” ⁵¹Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all kinds of wrought articles. ⁵²All the gold of the offering which they offered up to the LORD, from the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels. ⁵³The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself. ⁵⁴So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD.

NUMBERS 32 [Books]

Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead

1 Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had an exceedingly large number of livestock. So when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that ait was indeed a place suitable for livestock, ²the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, ³“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon, ⁴the land which the LORD bconquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” ⁵They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession; do not take us across the Jordan.” [1 aLit behold, the place, a place for 4 bLit smote]

6 But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you yourselves sit here? ⁷Now why are you adiscouraging the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the LORD has given them? ⁸bThis is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. ⁹For when they went up to the cvalley of Eshcol and saw the land, they ddiscouraged the sons of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the LORD had given them. ¹⁰So the LORD’S anger burned in that day, and He swore, saying, ¹¹‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully, ¹²except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD fully.’ ¹³So the LORD’S anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the LORD was destroyed. ¹⁴Now behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to add still more to the burning anger of the LORD against Israel. ¹⁵For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.” [7 aLit restraining the hearts of 8 bLit Thus your fathers 9 cOr wadi dLit restrained the hearts of]

16 Then they came near to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our little ones; ¹⁷but we ourselves will be armed ready to go before the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸We will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has possessed his inheritance. ¹⁹For we will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east.”

20 So Moses said to them, “If you will do athis, if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for the war, ²¹and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before the LORD until He has driven His enemies out from before Him, ²²and the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you shall return and be free of obligation toward the LORD and toward Israel, and this land shall be yours for a possession before the LORD. ²³But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out. ²⁴Build yourselves cities for your little ones, and sheepfolds for your sheep, and do bwhat you have promised.” [20 aLit this thing 24 bLit that which has come out of your mouth]

25 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. ²⁶Our little ones, our wives, our livestock and all our cattle shall aremain there in the cities of Gilead; ²⁷while your servants, everyone who is armed for war, will cross over in the presence of the LORD to battle, just as my lord says.” [26 aLit be]

28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. ²⁹Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, everyone who is armed for battle, will cross with you over the Jordan in the presence of the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; ³⁰but if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” ³¹The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, saying, “As the LORD has said to your servants, so we will do. ³²We ourselves will cross over armed in the presence of the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us across the Jordan.”

33 So Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Joseph’s son Manasseh, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og, the king of Bashan, the land with its cities with their aterritories, the cities of the surrounding land. ³⁴The sons of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer, ³⁵and Atroth-shophan and Jazer and Jogbehah, ³⁶and Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and sheepfolds for sheep. ³⁷The sons of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kiriathaim, ³⁸and Nebo and Baal-meon—their names being changed—and Sibmah, and they gave other names to the cities which they built. ³⁹The sons of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. ⁴⁰So Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. ⁴¹Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its btowns, and called them cHavvoth-jair. ⁴²Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah after his own name. [33 aLit borders 41 bLit tent villages cI.e. the towns of Jair]

NUMBERS 33 [Books]

Review of the Journey from Egypt to Jordan

1 These are the journeys of the sons of Israel, by which they came out from the land of Egypt by their armies, under the aleadership of Moses and Aaron. ²Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the bcommand of the LORD, and these are their journeys according to their starting places. ³They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the cnext day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out dboldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, ⁴while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD had also executed judgments on their gods. [1 aLit hand 2 bLit mouth 3 cLit morrow dLit with a high hand]

5 Then the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth. ⁶They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. ⁷They journeyed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol. ⁸They journeyed afrom before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness; and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. ⁹They journeyed from Marah and came to Elim; and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. ¹⁰They journeyed from Elim and camped by the bRed Sea. ¹¹They journeyed from the bRed Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. ¹²They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. ¹³They journeyed from Dophkah and camped at Alush. ¹⁴They journeyed from Alush and camped at Rephidim; now it was there that the people had no water to drink. ¹⁵They journeyed from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. ¹⁶They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. [8 aMany mss read from Pi-hahiroth 10 bLit Sea of Reeds]

17 They journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. ¹⁸They journeyed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. ¹⁹They journeyed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. ²⁰They journeyed from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. ²¹They journeyed from Libnah and camped at Rissah. ²²They journeyed from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. ²³They journeyed from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. ²⁴They journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. ²⁵They journeyed from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. ²⁶They journeyed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. ²⁷They journeyed from Tahath and camped at Terah. ²⁸They journeyed from Terah and camped at Mithkah. ²⁹They journeyed from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. ³⁰They journeyed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. ³¹They journeyed from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. ³²They journeyed from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. ³³They journeyed from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. ³⁴They journeyed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. ³⁵They journeyed from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. ³⁶They journeyed from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh. ³⁷They journeyed from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.

38 Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the acommand of the LORD, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month. ³⁹Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor. [38 aLit mouth]

40 Now the Canaanite, the king of Arad awho lived in the bNegev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the sons of Israel. [40 aLit and he bI.e. South country]

41 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. ⁴²They journeyed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. ⁴³They journeyed from Punon and camped at Oboth. ⁴⁴They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, at the border of Moab. ⁴⁵They journeyed from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. ⁴⁶They journeyed from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. ⁴⁷They journeyed from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. ⁴⁸They journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. ⁴⁹They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

Law of Possessing the Land

50 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, ⁵¹“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ⁵²then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; ⁵³and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. ⁵⁴You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. ⁵⁵But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. ⁵⁶And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’ ”

NUMBERS 34 [Books]

Instruction for Apportioning Canaan

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders. ³Your southern asector shall bextend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom, and your southern border shall bextend from the end of the Salt Sea eastward. ⁴Then your border shall turn direction from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim and ccontinue to Zin, and its dtermination shall be to the south of Kadesh-barnea; and it shall ereach Hazaraddar and ccontinue to Azmon. ⁵The border shall turn direction from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the sea. [3 aLit side bLit be 4 cLit pass along dLit goings out, and so throughout the ch eLit go forth to]

6 ‘As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea, that is, its acoastline; this shall be your west border. [6 aLit border]

7 ‘And this shall be your north border: you shall draw your border line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor. ⁸You shall draw a line from Mount Hor to the aLebo-hamath, and the termination of the border shall be at Zedad; ⁹and the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and its termination shall be at Hazar-enan. This shall be your north border. [8 aOr entrance of Hamath]

10 ‘For your eastern border you shall also draw a line from Hazar-enan to Shepham, ¹¹and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down and reach to the aslope on the east side of the Sea of Chinnereth. ¹²And the border shall go down to the Jordan and its termination shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders all around.’ ” [11 aLit shoulder]

13 So Moses commanded the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you are to apportion by lot among you as a possession, which the LORD has commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes. ¹⁴For the tribe of the sons of Reuben have received theirs according to their fathers’ households, and the tribe of the sons of Gad according to their fathers’ households, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their possession. ¹⁵The two and a half tribes have received their possession across the Jordan opposite Jericho, eastward toward the sunrising.”

16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁷“These are the names of the men who shall apportion the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. ¹⁸You shall take one leader of every tribe to apportion the land for inheritance. ¹⁹These are the names of the men: of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. ²⁰Of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud. ²¹Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. ²²Of the tribe of the sons of Dan a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. ²³Of the sons of Joseph: of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh a leader, Hanniel the son of Ephod. ²⁴Of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim a leader, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. ²⁵Of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun a leader, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. ²⁶Of the tribe of the sons of Issachar a leader, Paltiel the son of Azzan. ²⁷Of the tribe of the sons of Asher a leader, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. ²⁸Of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali a leader, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.” ²⁹These are those whom the LORD commanded to apportion the inheritance to the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan.

NUMBERS 35 [Books]

Cities for the Levites

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, ²“Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities. ³The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their herds and for all their beasts.

4 “The pasture lands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city aoutward a thousand cubits around. ⁵You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities. [4 aLit and outward]

Cities of Refuge

⁶The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. ⁷All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, atogether with their pasture lands. ⁸As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits.” [7 aLit them]

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has akilled any person unintentionally may flee there. ¹²The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for btrial. ¹³The cities which you are to give shall be your six cities of refuge. ¹⁴You shall give three cities across the Jordan and three cities cin the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge. ¹⁵These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who dkills a person unintentionally may flee there. [11 aLit smote 12 bLit judgment 14 cLit you shall give in 15 dLit smites]

16 ‘But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁷If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁹The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. ²⁰If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died, ²¹or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 ‘But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait, ²³or with any adeadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, ²⁴then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances. ²⁵The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, ²⁷and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will not be guilty of blood ²⁸because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession. [23 aLit by which he may die]

29 ‘These things shall be for a statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30 ‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the aevidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. ³¹Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. ³²You shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land bbefore the death of the priest. ³³So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. ³⁴You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’ ” [30 aLit mouth 32 bOr until]

NUMBERS 36 [Books]

Inheritance by Marriage

1 And the heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, ²and they said, “The LORD commanded my lord to give the land by lot to the sons of Israel as an inheritance, and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. ³But if they amarry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; thus it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance. ⁴When the jubilee of the sons of Israel bcomes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.” [3 aLit become wives to, in this ch 4 bLit shall be]

5 Then Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the aword of the LORD, saying, “The tribe of the sons of Joseph are right in their statements. ⁶This is bwhat the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry cwhom they wish; only they must marry within the family of the tribe of their father.’ ⁷Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall dbe transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each ehold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. ⁸Every daughter who comes into possession of an inheritance of any tribe of the sons of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that the sons of Israel each may possess the inheritance of his fathers. ⁹Thus no inheritance shall dbe transferred from one tribe to another tribe, for the tribes of the sons of Israel shall each ehold to his own inheritance.” [5 aLit mouth 6 bLit the thing which cLit to the good one in their eyes 7 dLit turn about eLit cleave]

10 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did: ¹¹Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad married their uncles’ sons. ¹²They married those from the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance aremained with the tribe of the family of their father. [12 aLit was]

13 These are the commandments and the ordinances which the LORD commanded to the sons of Israel through Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.

DEUTERONOMY 1 [Books]

Israel’s History after the Exodus

1 These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite aSuph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab. ²It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. ³In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that the LORD had commanded him to give to them, ⁴after he had bdefeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth cand Edrei. ⁵Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this law, saying, [1 aPerhaps Red Sea 4 bLit smitten cSo with ancient versions; M.T. omits and]

6 “The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, ‘You have astayed long enough at this mountain. ⁷Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the bNegev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. ⁸See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their cdescendants after them.’ [6 aLit dwelt 7 bI.e. South country 8 cLit seed]

9 “I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I am not able to bear the burden of you alone. ¹⁰The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number. ¹¹May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are and bless you, just as He has apromised you! ¹²How can I alone bear the load and burden of you and your strife? ¹³bChoose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ ¹⁴You answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have said to do is good.’ ¹⁵So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and cappointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and dof hundreds, dof fifties and dof tens, and officers for your tribes. [11 aLit spoken to 13 bLit Give for yourselves 15 cLit gave dLit leaders of]

16 “Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your afellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his bfellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. ¹⁷You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear cman, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do. [16 aLit brothers bLit brother 17 cLit because of man]

19 “Then we set out from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, just as the LORD 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 the LORD our God is about to give us. ²¹See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’

22 “Then all of you approached me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter.’ ²³The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe. ²⁴They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol and spied it out. ²⁵Then they took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought us back a report and said, ‘It is a good land which the LORD our God is about to give us.’

26 “Yet you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the acommand of the LORD your God; ²⁷and you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. ²⁸Where can we go up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there.” ’ ²⁹Then I said to you, ‘Do not be shocked, nor fear them. ³⁰The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, bjust as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, ³¹and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’ ³²But cfor all this, you did not trust the LORD your God, ³³who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go. [26 aLit mouth 30 bLit according to all that 32 cLit in this matter]

34 “Then the LORD heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, ³⁵‘Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers, ³⁶except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and to his sons I will give the land on which he has set foot, because he has followed the LORD fully.’ ³⁷The LORD was angry with me also on your account, saying, ‘Not even you shall enter there. ³⁸Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. ³⁹Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it. ⁴⁰But as for you, turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the aRed Sea.’ [40 aLit Sea of Reeds]

41 “Then you said to me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD; we will indeed go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’ And every man of you girded on his weapons of war, and regarded it as easy to go up into the hill country. ⁴²And the LORD said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; otherwise you will be adefeated before your enemies.” ’ ⁴³So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the bcommand of the LORD, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country. ⁴⁴The Amorites who clived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah. ⁴⁵Then you returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD did not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. ⁴⁶So you remained in Kadesh many days, dthe days that you spent there. [42 aLit smitten 43 bLit mouth 44 cLit dwelt 46 dLit as the days]

DEUTERONOMY 2 [Books]

Wanderings in the Wilderness

1 “Then we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the aRed Sea, as the LORD spoke to me, and circled Mount Seir for many days. ²And the LORD spoke to me, saying, ³‘You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, ⁴and command the people, saying, “You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful; ⁵do not bprovoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a cfootstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink. ⁷For the LORD your God has blessed you in all dthat you have done; He has known your ewanderings through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing.” ’ [1 aLit Sea of Reeds 5 bOr engage in strife with cLit treading of a sole of a foot 7 dLit the work of your hand eLit goings]

8 “So we passed beyond our brothers the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road, away from Elath and from Ezion-geber. And we turned and passed through by the way of the wilderness of Moab. ⁹Then the LORD said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of atheir land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot as a possession.’ ¹⁰(The Emim lived there formerly, a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim. ¹¹Like the Anakim, they are also regarded as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim. ¹²The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but the sons of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the land of atheir possession which the LORD gave to them.) ¹³‘Now arise and cross over the bbrook Zered yourselves.’ So we crossed over the bbrook Zered. ¹⁴Now the ctime that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the bbrook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. ¹⁵Moreover the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from within the camp until they all perished. [9 aLit his 13 bOr wadi 14 cLit days in which we went]

16 “So it came about when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, ¹⁷that the LORD spoke to me, saying, ¹⁸‘Today you shall cross over Ar, the border of Moab. ¹⁹When you come opposite the sons of Ammon, do not harass them nor provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot as a possession.’ ²⁰(It is also regarded as the land of the Rephaim, for Rephaim formerly lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin, ²¹a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim, but the LORD destroyed them before them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place, ²²just as He did for the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day. ²³And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the aCaphtorim who came from bCaphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.) ²⁴‘Arise, set out, and pass through the cvalley of Arnon. Look! I have given Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand; begin to take possession and contend with him in battle. ²⁵This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you dupon the peoples eeverywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, will tremble and be in anguish because of you.’ [23 aI.e. Philistines bI.e. Crete 24 cOr wadi 25 dLit in front of eLit under all the heavens]

26 “So I 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 atravel only on the highway; I will not turn aside to the right or to the left. ²⁸You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on bfoot, ²⁹just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the LORD our God is giving to us.’ ³⁰But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass cthrough his land; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today. ³¹The LORD said to me, ‘See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land dover to you. Begin to eoccupy, that you may possess his land.’ [27 aLit go by the way 28 bLit my feet 30 cLit by him 31 dLit before you eLit possess]

32 “Then Sihon awith all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz. ³³The LORD our God delivered him bover to us, and we cdefeated him with his sons and all his people. ³⁴So we captured all his cities at that time and dutterly destroyed ethe men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor. ³⁵We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities which we had captured. ³⁶From Aroer which is on the edge of the fvalley of Arnon and from the city which is in the gvalley, even to Gilead, there was no city that was too high for us; the LORD our God delivered all bover to us. ³⁷Only you did not go near to the land of the sons of Ammon, all along the hriver Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the LORD our God had commanded us. [32 aLit he and 33 bLit before us cLit smote 34 dOr put under the ban eLit every city of man... 36 fOr wadi gOr wadi 37 hOr wadi]

DEUTERONOMY 3 [Books]

Conquests Recounted

1 “Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og, king of Bashan, awith all his people came out to meet us in battle at Edrei. ²But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.’ ³So the LORD our God delivered Og also, king of Bashan, with all his people into our hand, and we smote bthem until no survivor was cleft. ⁴We captured all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ⁵All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides a great many dunwalled towns. ⁶We eutterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, futterly destroying gthe men, women and children of every city. ⁷But all the animals and the spoil of the cities we took as our booty. [1 aLit he and 3 bLit him cLit left to him 5 dOr rural 6 eOr put them under the ban fOr putting under the ban gLit every city of men...]

8 “Thus we took the land at that time from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the avalley of Arnon to Mount Hermon ⁹(Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir): ¹⁰all the cities of the plateau and all Gilead and all Bashan, as far as Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ¹¹(For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bbedstead was an iron bbedstead; it is in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. Its length was nine cubits and its width four cubits cby ordinary cubit.) [8 aOr wadi 11 bOr couch cLit by a man’s forearm]

12 “So we took possession of this land at that time. From Aroer, which is by the avalley of 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 (concerning all Bashan, it is called the land of Rephaim. ¹⁴Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called bit, that is, Bashan, after his own name, cHavvoth-jair, as it is to this day.) ¹⁵To Machir I gave Gilead. ¹⁶To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even as far as the avalley of Arnon, the middle of the avalley das a border and as far as the ariver Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon; ¹⁷the Arabah also, with the Jordan das a border, from eChinnereth even as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, fat the foot of the slopes of Pisgah on the east. [12 aOr wadi 14 bLit them cI.e. the towns of Jair 16 dLit and 17 eI.e. the Sea of Galilee fLit under]

18 “Then I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it; all you valiant men shall cross over armed before your brothers, the sons of Israel. ¹⁹But your wives and your little ones and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in your cities which I have given you, ²⁰until the LORD gives rest to your fellow countrymen as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God will give them beyond the Jordan. Then you may return every man to his possession which I have given you.’ ²¹I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so the LORD shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. ²²Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.’

23 “I also pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, ²⁴‘O Lord aGOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours? ²⁵Let me, I pray, cross over and see the fair land that is beyond the Jordan, bthat good hill country and Lebanon.’ ²⁶But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; and the LORD said to me, ‘cEnough! Speak to Me no more of this matter. ²⁷Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. ²⁸But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across dat the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’ ²⁹So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor. [24 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 25 bLit this 26 cLit Enough for you 28 dLit before this people]

DEUTERONOMY 4 [Books]

Israel Urged to Obey God’s Law

1 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. ²You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. ³Your eyes have seen what the LORD has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, the LORD your God has destroyed athem from among you. ⁴But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you. [3 aLit him]

5 “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. ⁶So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ ⁷For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? ⁸Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

9 “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. ¹⁰Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn to afear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ ¹¹You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom. ¹²Then the LORD spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form—only a voice. ¹³So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten bCommandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. ¹⁴The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them in the land where you are going over to possess it. [10 aOr reverence 13 bLit Words]

15 “So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, ¹⁶so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, ¹⁸the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth. ¹⁹And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. ²⁰But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.

21 “Now the LORD was angry with me on your account, and swore that I would not cross the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. ²²For I will die in this land, I shall not cross the Jordan, but you shall cross and take possession of this good land. ²³So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you. ²⁴For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

25 “When you abecome the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an bidol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God so as to provoke Him to anger, ²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not clive long on it, but will be utterly destroyed. ²⁷The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD drives you. ²⁸There you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. ²⁹But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. ³⁰When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. ³¹For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them. [25 aLit beget bOr a graven image 26 cLit prolong your days]

32 “Indeed, ask now concerning the former days which were before you, since the day that God created aman on the earth, and inquire from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything been done like this great thing, or has anything been heard like it? ³³Has any people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, as you have heard it, and survived? ³⁴Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation by trials, by signs and wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm and by great terrors, bas the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? ³⁵To you it was shown that you might know that the LORD, He is God; there is no other besides Him. ³⁶Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire. ³⁷cBecause He loved your fathers, therefore He chose dtheir descendants after them. And He epersonally brought you from Egypt by His great power, ³⁸driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today. ³⁹Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. ⁴⁰So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am fgiving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may glive long on the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.” [32 aOr Adam 34 bLit according to all that 37 cLit And instead, because dLit his seed eLit with His presence 40 fLit commanding gLit prolong your days]

41 Then Moses set apart three cities across the Jordan to the aeast, ⁴²that a manslayer might flee there, who unintentionally slew his neighbor without having enmity toward him in time past; and by fleeing to one of these cities he might live: ⁴³Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites. [41 aLit sunrise]

44 Now this is the law which Moses set before the sons of Israel; ⁴⁵these are the testimonies and the statutes and the ordinances which Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, when they came out from Egypt, ⁴⁶across the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the sons of Israel adefeated when they came out from Egypt. ⁴⁷They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were across the Jordan to the beast, ⁴⁸from Aroer, which is on the edge of the cvalley of Arnon, even as far as Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), ⁴⁹with all the Arabah across the Jordan to the east, even as far as the sea of the Arabah, dat the foot of the slopes of Pisgah. [46 aLit smote 47 bLit sunrise 48 cOr wadi 49 dLit under]

DEUTERONOMY 5 [Books]

The Ten Commandments Repeated

1 Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them:

“Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your ahearing, that you may learn them and observe bthem carefully. ²The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. ³The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of cus alive here today. ⁴The LORD spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire, ⁵while I was standing between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain. dHe said, [1 aLit ears bLit to do them 3 cLit us ourselves 5 dLit saying]

6 ‘I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of aslavery. [6 aLit slaves]

7 ‘You shall have no other gods abefore Me. [7 aOr besides]

8 ‘You shall not make for yourself aan idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above bor on the earth beneath bor in the water under the earth. ⁹You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, ¹⁰but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. [8 aOr a graven image bLit or what is]

11 ‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not aleave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. [11 aOr hold him guiltless]

12 ‘Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. ¹³Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁴but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who astays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. [14 aLit is in your gates]

16 ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.

17 ‘You shall not murder.

18 ‘You shall not commit adultery.

19 ‘You shall not steal.

20 ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

21 ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire 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.’

Moses Interceded

22 “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. ²³And when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. ²⁴You said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives. ²⁵Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, then we will die. ²⁶For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? ²⁷aGo near and hear all that the LORD our God says; then speak to us all that the LORD our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.’ [27 aLit Go yourself]

28 “The LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me, ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. ²⁹Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever! ³⁰Go, say to them, “Return to your tents.” ³¹But as for you, stand here by Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I give them to possess.’ ³²So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. ³³You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.

DEUTERONOMY 6 [Books]

Obey God and Prosper

1 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, ²so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. ³O Israel, you should listen and abe careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. [3 aLit keep]

4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! ⁵You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. ⁷You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. ⁸You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as afrontals bon your forehead. ⁹You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. [8 aOr frontlet bands bLit between your eyes]

10 “Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, ¹¹and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, ¹²then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of aslavery. ¹³You shall bfear only the LORD your God; and you shall cworship Him and swear by His name. ¹⁴You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, ¹⁵for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will dwipe you off the face of the earth. [12 aLit slaves 13 bOr reverence cOr serve 15 dLit destroy]

16 “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. ¹⁷You should diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you. ¹⁸You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which the LORD swore to give your fathers, ¹⁹by driving out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has spoken.

20 “When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the LORD our God commanded you?’ ²¹then you shall say to your son, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand. ²²Moreover, the LORD showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household; ²³He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.’ ²⁴So the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. ²⁵It will be righteousness for us if we aare careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us. [25 aLit keep]

DEUTERONOMY 7 [Books]

Warnings

1 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, ²and when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you adefeat them, then you shall butterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. ³Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your cdaughters to dtheir sons, nor shall you take etheir daughters for your fsons. ⁴For gthey will turn your hsons away from ifollowing Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you. ⁵But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their jAsherim, and burn their graven images with fire. ⁶For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His kown possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the learth. [2 aLit smite bLit surely devote to the ban 3 cLit daughter dLit his son eLit his daughter fLit son 4 gLit he hLit son iLit after 5 jI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity 6 kOr special treasure lLit ground]

7 “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, ⁸but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of aslavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps bHis covenant and bHis lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; ¹⁰but repays those who hate Him to ctheir faces, to destroy dthem; He will not delay ewith him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. ¹¹Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. [8 aLit slaves 9 bLit the 10 cLit his face dLit him eLit to]

Promises of God

12 “Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you aHis covenant and aHis lovingkindness which He swore to your forefathers. ¹³He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock, bin the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you. ¹⁴You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle. ¹⁵The LORD will remove from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will lay them on all who hate you. ¹⁶You shall consume all the peoples whom the LORD your God will deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. [12 aLit the 13 bLit on the ground]

17 “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’ ¹⁸you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: ¹⁹the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. ²⁰Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet against them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you perish. ²¹You shall not dread athem, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. ²²The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, for the bwild beasts would grow too numerous for you. ²³But the LORD your God will deliver them before you, and will cthrow them into great confusion until they are destroyed. ²⁴He will deliver their kings into your hand so that you will make their name perish from under heaven; no man will be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them. ²⁵The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, or you will be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. ²⁶You shall not bring an abomination into your house, and like it come under the ban; you shall utterly detest it and you shall utterly abhor it, for it is something banned. [21 aLit from before them 22 bLit beasts of the field 23 cLit confuse them with]

DEUTERONOMY 8 [Books]

God’s Gracious Dealings

1 “All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers. ²You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. ³He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you aunderstand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. ⁴Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. ⁵Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. ⁶Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to bfear Him. ⁷For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; ⁸a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; ⁹a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. [3 aLit know 6 bOr reverence]

11 “aBeware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; ¹²otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, ¹³and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, ¹⁴then your heart will become bproud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of cslavery. ¹⁵He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. ¹⁶In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you din the end. ¹⁷Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ ¹⁸But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. ²⁰Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God. [11 aLit Take heed to yourself 14 bLit lifted up cLit slaves 16 dLit at your end]

DEUTERONOMY 9 [Books]

Israel Provoked God

1 “Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities afortified to heaven, ²a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ ³Know therefore today that it is the LORD your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the LORD has spoken to you. [1 aLit and fortified]

4 “Do not say in your heart when the LORD your God has driven them out before ayou, ‘Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. ⁵It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the boath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. [4 aLit you saying 5 bLit word]

6 “Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a astubborn people. ⁷Remember, do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness; from the day that you left the land of Egypt until you arrived at this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. ⁸Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that He would have destroyed you. ⁹When I went up to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD had made with you, then I remained on the mountain forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. ¹⁰The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. ¹¹It came about at the end of forty days and nights that the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant. ¹²Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down from here quickly, for your people whom you brought out of Egypt have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them; they have made a molten image for themselves.’ ¹³The LORD spoke further to me, saying, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed, it is a astubborn people. ¹⁴Let Me alone, 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.’ [6 aOr stiff-necked]

15 “So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire, and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. ¹⁶And I saw that you had indeed sinned against the LORD your God. You had made for yourselves a molten calf; you had turned aside quickly from the way which the LORD had commanded you. ¹⁷I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my hands and smashed them before your eyes. ¹⁸I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger. ¹⁹For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the LORD was wrathful against you in order to destroy you, but the LORD listened to me that time also. ²⁰The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him; so I also prayed for Aaron at the same time. ²¹I took your asinful thing, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small until it was as fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook that came down from the mountain. [21 aLit sin]

22 “Again at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath. ²³When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the acommand of the LORD your God; you neither believed Him nor listened to His voice. ²⁴You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day I knew you. [23 aLit mouth]

25 “So I fell down before the LORD the forty days and nights, which I adid because the LORD had said He would destroy you. ²⁶I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²⁷Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look at the stubbornness of this people or at their wickedness or their sin. ²⁸Otherwise the land from which You brought us may say, “Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which He had bpromised them and because He hated them He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.” ²⁹Yet they are Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have brought out by Your great power and Your outstretched arm.’ [25 aLit fell down 28 bLit spoken to]

DEUTERONOMY 10 [Books]

The Tablets Rewritten

1 “At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the former ones, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood for yourself. ²I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark.’ ³So I made an ark of acacia wood and cut out two tablets of stone like the former ones, and went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. ⁴He wrote on the tablets, like the former writing, the Ten aCommandments which the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. ⁵Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, as the LORD commanded me.” [4 aLit Words]

6 (Now the sons of Israel set out from aBeeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and there he was buried and Eleazar his son ministered as priest in his place. ⁷From there they set out to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water. ⁸At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him and to bless in His name until this day. ⁹Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, just as the LORD your God spoke to him.) [6 aOr the wells of the sons of Jaakan]

10 “I, moreover, stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights like the first time, and the LORD listened to me that time also; the LORD was not willing to destroy you. ¹¹Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, proceed on your journey ahead of the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.’

12 “Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to afear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? ¹⁴Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the bhighest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. ¹⁵Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their cdescendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. ¹⁶So circumcise dyour heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. ¹⁷For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. ¹⁸He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. ¹⁹So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. ²⁰You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. ²¹He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. ²²Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven. [12 aOr reverence 14 bLit heaven of heavens 15 cLit seed 16 dLit the foreskin of your heart]

DEUTERONOMY 11 [Books]

Rewards of Obedience

1 “You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments. ²Know this day that I am not speaking with your sons who have not known and who have not seen the adiscipline of the LORD your God—His greatness, His mighty hand and His outstretched arm, ³and His signs and His works which He did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land; ⁴and what He did to Egypt’s army, to its horses and its chariots, when He made the water of the bRed Sea to cengulf them while they were pursuing you, and the LORD dcompletely destroyed them; ⁵and what He did to you in the wilderness until you came to this place; ⁶and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that efollowed them, among all Israel— ⁷but your own eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which He did. [2 aOr instruction 4 bLit Sea of Reeds cLit flow over their faces dLit to this day 6 eLit was at their feet]

8 “You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today, so that you may be strong and go in and possess the land into which you are about to cross to possess it; ⁹so that you may prolong your days on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their adescendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰For the land, into which you are entering to possess it, is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you used to sow your seed and water it with your bfoot like a vegetable garden. ¹¹But the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven, ¹²a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the cbeginning even to the end of the year. [9 aLit seed 10 bI.e. probably a treadmill 12 cLit beginning of the year]

13 “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, ¹⁴that aHe will give the rain for your land in its season, the bearly and clate rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. ¹⁵aHe will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. ¹⁶dBeware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. ¹⁷Or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you. [14 aSo some ancient versions; M.T. reads I bI.e. autumn cI.e. spring 16 dLit Watch yourselves]

18 “You shall therefore aimpress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as bfrontals con your forehead. ¹⁹You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. ²⁰You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as dlong as the heavens remain above the earth. ²²For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, ²³then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. ²⁴Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as ethe western sea. ²⁵No man will be able to stand before you; the LORD your God will lay the dread of you and the fear of you on all the land on which you set foot, as He has spoken to you. [18 aLit put bLit frontlet bands cLit between your eyes 21 dLit the days of the heavens 24 eI.e. the Mediterranean]

26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: ²⁷the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; ²⁸and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, aby following other gods which you have not known. [28 aLit to follow]

29 “It shall come about, when the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. ³⁰Are they not across the Jordan, west of the way toward the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the aoaks of Moreh? ³¹For you are about to cross the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall possess it and live in it, ³²and you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the judgments which I am setting before you today. [30 aLit terebinths]

DEUTERONOMY 12 [Books]

Laws of the Sanctuary

1 “These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess aas long as you live on the bearth. ²You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. ³You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their cAsherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. ⁴You shall not act like this toward the LORD your God. ⁵But you shall seek the LORD at the place which the LORD your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. ⁶There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the dcontribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. ⁷There also you and your households shall eat before the LORD your God, and rejoice in all eyour undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you. [1 aLit all the days bLit ground 3 cI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity 6 dOr heave offering 7 eLit the putting forth of your hand]

8 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; ⁹for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. ¹⁰When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, ¹¹then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the acontribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD. ¹²And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. [11 aOr heave offering]

13 “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, ¹⁴but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, awhatever you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. ¹⁶Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. ¹⁷You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the bcontribution of your hand. ¹⁸But you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all cyour undertakings. ¹⁹Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite das long as you live in your land. [15 aLit in every desire of your soul 17 bLit heave offering 18 cLit the putting forth of your hand 19 dLit all your days upon your land]

20 “When the LORD your God extends your border as He has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because ayou desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, bwhatever you desire. ²¹If the place which the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter of your herd and flock which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates bwhatever you desire. ²²Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you will eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. ²³Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the clife, and you shall not eat the clife with the flesh. ²⁴You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. ²⁵You shall not eat it, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you, for you will be doing what is right in the sight of the LORD. ²⁶Only your holy things which you may have and your votive offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the LORD chooses. ²⁷And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, and you shall eat the flesh. [20 aLit your soul desires bLit in every desire of your soul 23 cLit soul]

28 “Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.

29 “When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, ³⁰beware that you are not ensnared ato follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ ³¹You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. [30 aLit after them]

32 “aWhatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it. [32 aLit Everything that]

DEUTERONOMY 13 [Books]

Shun Idolatry

1 “aIf a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, ²and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ ³you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. ⁵But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has bcounseled crebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of dslavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you. [1 aCh 13:2 in Heb 5 bLit spoken cLit turning aside dLit slaves]

6 “If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife ayou cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, ⁷of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), ⁸you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him. ⁹But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. ¹⁰So you shall stone him bto death because he has sought to seduce you from the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of cslavery. ¹¹Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you. [6 aLit of your bosom 10 bLit with stones so that he dies cLit slaves]

12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that ¹³some worthless men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known), ¹⁴then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you, ¹⁵you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, autterly destroying it and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword. ¹⁶Then you shall gather all its booty into the middle of its open square and burn the city and all its booty with fire as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God; and it shall be a bruin forever. It shall never be rebuilt. ¹⁷Nothing from that which is put under the ban shall cling to your hand, in order that the LORD may turn from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase, just as He has sworn to your fathers, ¹⁸cif you will listen to the voice of the LORD your God, dkeeping all His commandments which I am commanding you today, eand doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God. [15 aOr putting it under the ban 16 bLit mound 18 cOr for dLit to keep eLit to do]

DEUTERONOMY 14 [Books]

Clean and Unclean Animals

1 “You are the sons of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor ashave your forehead for the sake of the dead. ²For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His bown possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. [1 aLit make a baldness between your eyes 2 bOr special treasure]

3 “You shall not eat any detestable thing. ⁴These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, ⁵athe deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. ⁶Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof split in btwo and cchews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. ⁷Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these among those which cchew the cud, or among those that divide the hoof in dtwo: the camel and the erabbit and the fshaphan, for though they cchew the cud, they do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you. ⁸The pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses. [5 aExact identification of these animals is uncertain 6 bLit two hoofs cLit brings up 7 dLit a cleaving eOr hare fA small, shy, furry animal (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB rock-badger]

9 “These you may eat of all that are in water: anything that has fins and scales you may eat, ¹⁰but anything that does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.

11 “You may eat any clean bird. ¹²But these are the ones which you shall not eat: the aeagle and the vulture and the bbuzzard, ¹³and the red kite, the falcon, and the kite in their kinds, ¹⁴and every raven in its kind, ¹⁵and the ostrich, the owl, the sea gull, and the hawk in their kinds, ¹⁶the little owl, the cgreat owl, the white owl, ¹⁷the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, ¹⁸the stork, and the heron in their kinds, and the hoopoe and the bat. ¹⁹And all the dteeming life with wings are unclean to you; they shall not be eaten. ²⁰You may eat any clean bird. [12 aOr vulture bOr black vulture 16 cOr great horned owl 19 dI.e. flying insects]

21 “You shall not eat anything which dies of itself. You may give it to the alien who is in your atown, so that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk. [21 aLit gates]

22 “You shall surely tithe all the produce from awhat you sow, which comes out of the field every year. ²³You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. ²⁴If the bdistance is so great for you that you are not able to cbring the tithe, since the place where the LORD your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the LORD your God blesses you, ²⁵then you shall dexchange it for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. ²⁶You may spend the money for whatever your eheart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your eheart fdesires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. ²⁷Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your gtown, for he has no portion or inheritance among you. [22 aLit your seed 24 bLit way cLit carry it 25 dLit give in money 26 eLit soul fLit asks of you 27 gLit gates]

28 “At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your atown. ²⁹The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the borphan and the widow who are in your atown, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. [28 aLit gates 29 bOr fatherless]

DEUTERONOMY 15 [Books]

The Sabbatic Year

1 “At the end of every seven years you shall agrant a remission of debts. ²This is the manner of remission: every creditor shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because the LORD’S remission has been proclaimed. ³From a foreigner you may exact it, but your hand shall release whatever of yours is with your brother. ⁴However, there will be no poor among you, since the LORD will surely bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, ⁵if only you listen obediently to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today. ⁶For the LORD your God will bless you as He has promised you, and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you. [1 aLit make a release]

7 “If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your atowns in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; ⁸but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. ⁹Beware that there is no base bthought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,’ and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the LORD against you, and it will be a sin in you. ¹⁰You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all cyour undertakings. ¹¹For the poor will never cease to be din the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’ [7 aLit gates 9 bLit word 10 cLit the putting forth of your hand 11 dLit in the midst of]

12 “If your akinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him bfree. ¹³When you set him bfree, you shall not send him away empty-handed. ¹⁴You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you cthis today. ¹⁶It shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; ¹⁷then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant. [12 aLit brother bLit free from you 15 cLit this thing]

18 “It shall not seem hard to you when you set him afree, for he has given you six years with bdouble the service of a hired man; so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever you do. [18 aLit free from you bLit double the amount]

19 “You shall consecrate to the LORD your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. ²⁰You and your household shall eat it every year before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses. ²¹But if it has any adefect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious adefect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. ²²You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer. ²³Only you shall not eat its blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. [21 aLit blemish]

DEUTERONOMY 16 [Books]

The Feasts of Passover, of Weeks, and of Booths

1 “Observe the month of Abib and acelebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. ²You shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to establish His name. ³You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. ⁴For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning. ⁵You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your btowns which the LORD your God is giving you; ⁶but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name, you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt. ⁷You shall cook and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses. In the morning you are to return to your tents. ⁸Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work on it. [1 aLit perform 5 bLit gates]

9 “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. ¹⁰Then you shall acelebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God blesses you; ¹¹and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your btown, and the stranger and the corphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name. ¹²You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes. [10 aLit perform 11 bLit gates cOr fatherless]

13 “You shall acelebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; ¹⁴and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the borphan and the widow who are in your ctowns. ¹⁵Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful. [13 aLit perform 14 bOr fatherless cLit gates]

16 “Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. ¹⁷Every man ashall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you. [17 aLit according to the gift of his hand]

18 “You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your atowns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. ¹⁹You shall not distort justice; you shall not bbe partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. ²⁰Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you. [18 aLit gates 19 bLit regard persons]

21 “You shall not plant for yourself an aAsherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the LORD your God, which you shall make for yourself. ²²You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the LORD your God hates. [21 aI.e. wooden symbol of a female deity]

DEUTERONOMY 17 [Books]

Administration of Justice

1 “You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any adefect, for that is a detestable thing to the LORD your God. [1 aLit evil thing]

2 “If there is found in your midst, in any of your atowns, which the LORD your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, by transgressing His covenant, ³and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded, ⁴and if it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. Behold, if it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, ⁵then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil deed to your gates, that is, the man or the woman, and you shall stone them to bdeath. ⁶On the cevidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the cevidence of one witness. ⁷The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. [2 aLit gates 5 bLit death with stones 6 cLit mouth]

8 “If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between aone kind of homicide or another, between bone kind of lawsuit or another, and between cone kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your dcourts, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses. ⁹So you shall come to the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall inquire of them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. ¹⁰You shall do according to the eterms of the verdict which they declare to you from that place which the LORD chooses; and you shall be careful to observe according to all that they teach you. ¹¹According to the eterms of the law which they teach you, and according to the verdict which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. ¹²The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. ¹³Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again. [8 aLit blood to blood bLit judgment to judgment cLit stroke to stroke dLit gates 10 eLit mouth]

14 “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ ¹⁵you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your acountrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your acountryman. ¹⁶Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ ¹⁷He shall not multiply wives for himself, bor else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. [15 aLit brother(s) 17 bLit nor]

18 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll ain the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, bby carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, ²⁰that his heart may not be lifted up above his ccountrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel. [18 aLit from before 19 bLit to keep to do them 20 cLit brothers]

DEUTERONOMY 18 [Books]

Portion of the Levites

1 “The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the LORD’S offerings by fire and His aportion. ²They shall have no inheritance among their bcountrymen; the LORD is their inheritance, as He cpromised them. [1 aOr inheritance 2 bLit brothers cLit spoke to]

3 “Now this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, either an ox or a sheep, of which they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. ⁴You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first shearing of your sheep. ⁵For the LORD your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand aand serve in the name of the LORD forever. [5 aLit to]

6 “Now if a Levite comes from any of your atowns throughout Israel where he resides, and comes bwhenever he desires to the place which the LORD chooses, ⁷then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD. ⁸They shall eat cequal portions, except what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates. [6 aLit gates bLit with all the desire of his soul 8 cLit portion like portion]

Spiritism Forbidden

9 “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to aimitate the detestable things of those nations. ¹⁰There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, ¹¹or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. ¹²For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. ¹³You shall be bblameless before the LORD your God. ¹⁴For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so. [9 aLit do according to 13 bLit complete, perfect; or having integrity]

15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your acountrymen, you shall listen to him. ¹⁶This is according to all that you asked of the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ ¹⁷The LORD said to me, ‘They have bspoken well. ¹⁸I will raise up a prophet from among their acountrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. ¹⁹It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. ²⁰But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, cthat prophet shall die.’ ²¹dYou may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ ²²When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. [15 aLit brothers 17 bLit done well what they have spoken 20 cLit and that 21 dLit if you say]

DEUTERONOMY 19 [Books]

Cities of Refuge

1 “When the LORD your God cuts off the nations, whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and in their houses, ²you shall set aside three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to apossess. ³You shall prepare the broads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the LORD your God will give you as a possession, cso that any manslayer may flee there. [2 aLit possess it 3 bLit road cLit and it shall be for every manslayer to flee there]

4 “Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: when he akills his friend bunintentionally, cnot hating him previously— ⁵as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand dswings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the ehandle and fstrikes his friend so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live; ⁶otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer gin the heat of his anger, and overtake him, because the way is long, and htake his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously. ⁷Therefore, I command you, saying, ‘You shall set aside three cities for yourself.’ [4 aLit smites bLit without knowledge cLit and he was not hating him previously 5 dLit is thrust with eLit wood fLit finds 6 gLit while his heart is hot hLit smite him in the soul]

8 “If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, just as He has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which He apromised to give your fathers— ⁹if you bcarefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three. ¹⁰So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, and bloodguiltiness be on you. [8 aLit spoke 9 bLit keep...to do it]

11 “But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes ahim so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities, ¹²then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. ¹³bYou shall not pity him, but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you. [11 aLit him in the soul 13 bLit Your eye]

Laws of Landmark and Testimony

14 “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God gives you to apossess. [14 aLit possess it]

15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin awhich he has committed; on the bevidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. ¹⁶If a malicious witness rises up against a man to caccuse him of dwrongdoing, ¹⁷then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. ¹⁸The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has eaccused his brother falsely, ¹⁹then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. ²⁰The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you. ²¹Thus fyou shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. [15 aLit in any sin, which he sins bLit mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three 16 cLit testify against dLit turning aside 18 eLit testified against 21 fLit your eye]

DEUTERONOMY 20 [Books]

Laws of Warfare

1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. ²When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people. ³He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, ⁴for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ ⁵The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. ⁶Who is the man that has planted a vineyard and has not abegun to use its fruit? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man awould begin to use its fruit. ⁷And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not bmarried her? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man cwould marry her.’ ⁸Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that dhe might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’ ⁹When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people. [6 aLit treat(ed) it as common 7 bLit taken cLit take 8 dSo with Gr and other ancient versions]

10 “When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall aoffer it terms of peace. ¹¹If it bagrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. ¹²However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. ¹³When the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the cmen in it with the edge of the sword. ¹⁴Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself; and you shall duse the spoil of your enemies which the LORD your God has given you. ¹⁵Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations enearby. ¹⁶Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. ¹⁷But you shall futterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the LORD your God has commanded you, ¹⁸so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the LORD your God. [10 aLit call to it for peace 11 bLit answers peace 13 cLit males 14 dLit eat 15 eLit here 17 fOr put them under the ban]

19 “When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. aFor is the tree of the field a man, that it should bbe besieged by you? ²⁰Only the trees which you know care not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. [19 aRead as interrogative with ancient versions bLit come before you in the siege 20 cLit they are not trees for food]

DEUTERONOMY 21 [Books]

Expiation of a Crime

1 “If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the LORD your God gives you to apossess, and it is not known who has struck him, ²then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one. ³It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke; ⁴and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. ⁵Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the LORD; and every dispute and every bassault cshall be settled by them. ⁶All the elders of that city dwhich is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; ⁷and they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. ⁸eForgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O LORD, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.’ And the bloodguiltiness shall be fforgiven them. ⁹So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD. [1 aLit possess it 5 bLit stroke cLit shall be according to their mouth 6 dLit who are 8 eLit Cover over, atone for fLit covered over, atoned for]

Domestic Relations

10 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your hands and you take them away captive, ¹¹and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her and would take her as a wife for yourself, ¹²then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and atrim her nails. ¹³She shall also bremove the clothes of her captivity and shall remain in your house, and mourn her father and mother a full month; and after that you may go in to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. ¹⁴It shall be, if you are not pleased with her, then you shall let her go cwherever she wishes; but you shall certainly not sell her for money, you shall not dmistreat her, because you have humbled her. [12 aLit do 13 bLit remove from her 14 cLit according to her soul dOr enslave]

15 “If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other aunloved, and both the loved and the aunloved have borne him sons, if the firstborn son belongs to the aunloved, ¹⁶then it shall be in the day he bwills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the firstborn before the son of the aunloved, who is the firstborn. ¹⁷But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the aunloved, by giving him a double portion of all that che has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn. [15 aLit hated 16 bLit makes to inherit 17 cLit is found with him]

18 “If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, ¹⁹then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city aat the gateway of his hometown. ²⁰They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ ²¹Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear. [19 aLit and to the gate of his place]

22 “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, ²³his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is aaccursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance. [23 aLit the curse of God]

DEUTERONOMY 22 [Books]

Sundry Laws

1 “You shall not see your acountryman’s ox or his sheep straying away, and bpay no attention to them; you shall certainly bring them back to your countryman. ²If your countryman is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall remain with you until your countryman looks for it; then you shall restore it to him. ³Thus you shall do with his donkey, and you shall do the same with his garment, and you shall do likewise with anything lost by your countryman, which he has lost and you have found. You are not allowed to cneglect them. ⁴You shall not see your countryman’s donkey or his ox fallen down on the way, and bpay no attention to them; you shall certainly help him to raise them up. [1 aLit brother, and so through v 4 bLit hide yourself from them 3 cLit hide yourself]

5 “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.

6 “If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young; ⁷you shall certainly let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, in order that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.

8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.

9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, or aall the produce of the seed which you have sown and the increase of the vineyard will become defiled. [9 aLit the fullness]

10 “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

11 “You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together.

12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.

Laws on Morality

13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then aturns against her, ¹⁴and charges her with shameful deeds and bpublicly defames her, and says, ‘I took this woman, but when I came near her, I did not find her a virgin,’ ¹⁵then the girl’s father and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of the girl’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. ¹⁶The girl’s father shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man for a wife, but he cturned against her; ¹⁷and behold, he has charged her with shameful deeds, saying, “I did not find your daughter a virgin.” But dthis is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. ¹⁸So the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him, ¹⁹and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give it to the girl’s father, because he epublicly defamed a virgin of Israel. And she shall remain his wife; he cannot fdivorce her all his days. [13 aLit hates her 14 bLit causes an evil name to go out against her 16 cLit hated her 17 dLit these are 19 eLit caused an evil name to go out against a virgin fLit send her away]

20 “But if this acharge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin, ²¹then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her bto death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house; thus you shall purge the evil from among you. [20 aLit matter 21 bLit with stones so that she dies]

22 “If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.

23 “If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, ²⁴then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them ato death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. [24 aLit with stones so that they die]

25 “But if in the field the man finds the girl who is engaged, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die. ²⁶But you shall do nothing to the girl; there is no sin in the girl worthy of death, for just as a man rises against his neighbor and murders him, so is this case. ²⁷When he found her in the field, the engaged girl cried out, but there was no one to save her.

28 “If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, ²⁹then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days.

30 “aA man shall not take his father’s wife so that he will not uncover his father’s skirt. [30 aCh 23:1 in Heb]

DEUTERONOMY 23 [Books]

Persons Excluded from the Assembly

1 “No one who is aemasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD. ²No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the LORD. ³No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD, ⁴because they did not meet you with bfood and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of cMesopotamia, to curse you. ⁵Nevertheless, the LORD your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. ⁶You shall never seek their peace or their prosperity all your days. [1 aLit wounded by crushing of testicles 4 bLit bread cHeb Aram-naharaim]

7 “You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not detest an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land. ⁸The sons of the third generation who are born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD.

9 “When you go out as aan army against your enemies, you shall keep yourself from every evil thing. [9 aOr a camp]

10 “If there is among you any man who is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, then he must go outside the camp; he may not areenter the camp. ¹¹But it shall be when evening approaches, he shall bathe himself with water, and at sundown he may areenter the camp. [10 aLit come to the midst of]

12 “You shall also have a place outside the camp and go out there, ¹³and you shall have a aspade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall turn bto cover up your excrement. ¹⁴Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to cdefeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see danything indecent among you bor He will turn away from you. [13 aLit peg bLit and 14 cLit give dLit nakedness of anything]

15 “You shall not hand over to his master a slave who has aescaped from his master to you. ¹⁶He shall live with you in your midst, in the place which he shall choose in one of your btowns where it pleases him; you shall not mistreat him. [15 aLit delivered himself 16 bLit gates]

17 “None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, nor shall any of the sons of Israel be a cult prostitute. ¹⁸You shall not bring the hire of a harlot or the wages of a adog into the house of the LORD your God for any votive offering, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God. [18 aI.e. male prostitute, sodomite]

19 “You shall not charge interest to your acountrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest. ²⁰You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your acountrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all bthat you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to cpossess. [19 aLit brother 20 bLit the putting forth of your hand cLit possess it]

21 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, aand the LORD your God will surely require it of you. ²²However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. ²³You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have bpromised. [21 aLit for 23 bLit spoken with your mouth]

24 “When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat grapes auntil you are fully satisfied, but you shall not put any in your bbasket. [24 aLit according to your satisfaction of your soul bOr vessel]

25 “When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain.

DEUTERONOMY 24 [Books]

Law of Divorce

1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens athat she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, ²and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, ³and if the latter husband bturns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, ⁴then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance. [1 aLit if 3 bLit hates her]

5 “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

Sundry Laws

6 “No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.

7 “If a man is acaught kidnapping any of his bcountrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you. [7 aLit found stealing bLit brothers]

8 “Be careful against aan infection of leprosy, that you diligently observe and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you; as I have commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. ⁹Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt. [8 aLit a mark or stroke]

10 “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. ¹¹You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. ¹²If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. ¹³When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God.

14 “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your acountrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your btowns. ¹⁵You shall give him his wages on his day cbefore the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his dheart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the LORD and it become sin in you. [14 aLit brothers bLit gates 15 cLit that the sun shall not go down on it dLit soul]

16 “Fathers shall not be put to death afor their sons, nor shall sons be put to death afor their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. [16 aOr with]

17 “You shall not pervert the justice adue an alien or ban orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. ¹⁸But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing. [17 aLit of bOr the fatherless]

19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, for the aorphan, and for the widow, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. ²⁰When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs bagain; it shall be for the alien, for the aorphan, and for the widow. [19 aOr fatherless 20 bLit after yourself]

21 “When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not ago over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the borphan, and for the widow. ²²You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing. [21 aLit glean it after yourself bOr fatherless]

DEUTERONOMY 25 [Books]

Sundry Laws

1 “If there is a dispute between men and they go to acourt, and bthe judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, ²then it shall be if the wicked man cdeserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his dguilt. ³He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes. [1 aLit the judgment bLit they judge them 2 cLit is a son of beating dOr wickedness]

4 “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.

5 “When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. ⁶It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall aassume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. ⁷But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ ⁸Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’ ⁹then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall bdeclare, ‘Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ ¹⁰In Israel his name shall be called, ‘The house of him whose sandal is removed.’ [6 aLit stand on 9 bLit answer and say]

11 “If two men, a man and his acountryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, ¹²then you shall cut off her bhand; cyou shall not show pity. [11 aLit brother 12 bLit palm cLit your eye]

13 “You shall not have in your bag adiffering weights, a large and a small. ¹⁴You shall not have in your house bdiffering measures, a large and a small. ¹⁵You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just cmeasure, that your days may be prolonged in the dland which the LORD your God gives you. ¹⁶For everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the LORD your God. [13 aLit a stone and a stone 14 bLit an ephah and an ephah 15 cLit ephah dLit ground]

17 “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, ¹⁸how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not afear God. ¹⁹Therefore it shall come about when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance to bpossess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget. [18 aOr reverence 19 bLit possess it]

DEUTERONOMY 26 [Books]

Offering First Fruits

1 “Then it shall be, when you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, and you possess it and live in it, ²that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground which you bring in from your land that the LORD your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name. ³You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare this day to the LORD amy God that I have entered the land which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.’ ⁴Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. ⁵You shall answer and say before the LORD your God, ‘My father was a bwandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and csojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty and populous nation. ⁶And the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. ⁷Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression; ⁸and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders; ⁹and He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, O LORD have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God; ¹¹and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given you and your household. [3 aSo with Gr; Heb your 5 bOr perishing cOr lived as an alien]

12 “When you have finished apaying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the borphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your ctowns and be satisfied. ¹³You shall say before the LORD your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion from my house, and also have given it to the Levite and the alien, the borphan and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed or forgotten any of Your commandments. ¹⁴I have not eaten of it dwhile mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the LORD my God; I have done according to all that You have commanded me. ¹⁵Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers.’ [12 aLit tithing bOr fatherless cLit gates 14 dLit while in my]

16 “This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. ¹⁷You have today declared the LORD to be your God, and athat you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. ¹⁸The LORD has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and bthat you should keep all His commandments; ¹⁹and cthat He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the LORD your God, as He has spoken.” [17 aLit to walk in 18 bLit to keep all 19 cLit to set you]

DEUTERONOMY 27 [Books]

The Curses of Mount Ebal

1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I command you today. ²So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime ³and write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, apromised you. ⁴So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, bas I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. ⁵Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not cwield an iron tool on them. ⁶You shall build the altar of the LORD your God of duncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the LORD your God; ⁷and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God. ⁸You shall write on the estones all the words of this law very distinctly.” [3 aLit spoke to 4 bLit which 5 cLit lift up 6 dLit whole 8 eI.e. stones coated with lime, cf v 4]

9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for the LORD your God. ¹⁰You shall therefore aobey the LORD your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.” [10 aLit listen to the voice of]

11 Moses also charged the people on that day, saying, ¹²“When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. ¹³For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴The Levites shall then answer and say to all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes aan idol or a molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’ [15 aOr a graven image]

16 ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary mark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

18 ‘Cursed is he who misleads a blind person on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

19 ‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, aorphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ [19 aOr fatherless]

20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

24 ‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

25 ‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

DEUTERONOMY 28 [Books]

Blessings at Gerizim

1 “Now it shall be, if you diligently aobey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. ²All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you aobey the LORD your God: [1 aLit listen to the voice of]

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the acountry. [3 aOr field]

4 “Blessed shall be the aoffspring of your bbody and the aproduce of your ground and the aoffspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. [4 aLit fruit bLit womb]

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be adefeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways. ⁸The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you. ⁹The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. ¹⁰So all the peoples of the earth will see that byou are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you. ¹¹The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the coffspring of your dbody and in the coffspring of your beast and in the cproduce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. ¹²The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. ¹³The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to eobserve them carefully, ¹⁴and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. [7 aLit smitten 10 bLit the name of the LORD is called upon you 11 cLit fruit dOr womb 13 eLit keep and do]

Consequences of Disobedience

15 “But it shall come about, if you do not aobey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: [15 aLit listen to the voice of]

16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the acountry. [16 aOr field]

17 “Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

18 “Cursed shall be the aoffspring of your bbody and the aproduce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. [18 aLit fruit bOr womb]

19 “Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

20 “The LORD will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all ayou undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me. ²¹The LORD will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land where you are entering to possess it. ²²The LORD will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with bthe sword and with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until you perish. ²³cThe heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron. ²⁴The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. [20 aLit the putting forth of your hand which you do 22 bAnother reading is drought 23 cLit Your]

25 “The LORD shall cause you to be adefeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. ²⁶Your carcasses will be food to all birds of the sky and to the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away. [25 aLit smitten]

27 “The LORD will smite you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. ²⁸The LORD will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; ²⁹and you will agrope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you. ³⁰You shall betroth a wife, but another man will violate her; you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not buse its fruit. ³¹Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat of it; your donkey shall be torn away from you, and will not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you will have none to save you. ³²Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing cyou can do. ³³A people whom you do not know shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors, and you will never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually. ³⁴You shall be driven mad by the sight of dwhat you see. ³⁵The LORD will strike you on the knees and legs with sore boils, from which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. ³⁶The LORD will bring you and your king, whom you set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. ³⁷You shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the LORD drives you. [29 aLit be groping 30 bLit begin it 32 cLit in the power of your hand 34 dLit your eyes which you]

38 “You shall bring out much seed to the field but you will gather in little, for the locust will consume it. ³⁹You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm will devour them. ⁴⁰You shall have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off. ⁴¹You shall ahave sons and daughters but they will not be yours, for they will go into captivity. ⁴²The cricket shall possess all your trees and the produce of your ground. ⁴³The alien who is among you shall rise above you higher and higher, but you will go down lower and lower. ⁴⁴He shall lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you will be the tail. [41 aLit beget]

45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not aobey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. ⁴⁶They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your bdescendants forever. [45 aLit listen to the voice of 46 bLit seed]

47 “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; ⁴⁸therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.

49 “The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand, ⁵⁰a nation of fierce countenance who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young. ⁵¹Moreover, it shall eat the aoffspring of your herd and the produce of your ground until you are destroyed, who also leaves you no grain, new wine, or oil, nor the increase of your herd or the young of your flock until they have caused you to perish. ⁵²It shall besiege you in all your btowns until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout your land, and it shall besiege you in all your btowns throughout your land which the LORD your God has given you. ⁵³Then you shall eat the aoffspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will coppress you. ⁵⁴The man who is drefined and very delicate among you eshall be hostile toward his brother and toward the wife fhe cherishes and toward the rest of his children who remain, ⁵⁵so that he will not give even one of them any of the flesh of his children which he will eat, since he has nothing else left, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will coppress you in all your btowns. ⁵⁶The drefined and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and grefinement, hshall be hostile toward the husband ishe cherishes and toward her son and daughter, ⁵⁷and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her jlegs and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will coppress you in your btowns. [51 aLit fruit 52 bLit gates 53 cOr distress 54 dLit tender eLit his eye shall be evil toward fLit of his bosom 56 gLit tenderness hLit her eye shall be evil toward iLit of her bosom 57 jLit feet]

58 “If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to afear this honored and awesome name, bthe LORD your God, ⁵⁹then the LORD will bring extraordinary plagues on you and cyour descendants, even dsevere and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses. ⁶⁰He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you. ⁶¹Also every sickness and every plague which, not written in the book of this law, the LORD will bring on you until you are destroyed. ⁶²Then you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, because you did not eobey the LORD your God. ⁶³It shall come about that as the LORD delighted over you to prosper you, and multiply you, so the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it. ⁶⁴Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known. ⁶⁵Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul. ⁶⁶So your life shall fhang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. ⁶⁷In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see. ⁶⁸The LORD will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way about which I spoke to you, ‘You will never see it again!’ And there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.” [58 aOr reverence bHeb YHWH 59 cLit plague on your seed dLit great 62 eLit listen to the voice of 66 fLit be hung for you in front]

DEUTERONOMY 29 [Books]

The Covenant in Moab

1 aThese are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb. [1 aCh 28:69 in Heb]

2 aAnd Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land; ³the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders. ⁴Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. ⁵I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. ⁶You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the LORD your God. ⁷When you breached this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out to meet us for battle, but we cdefeated them; ⁸and we took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites. ⁹So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. [2 aCh 29:1 in Heb 7 bLit came to cLit smote]

10 “You stand today, all of you, before the LORD your God: your chiefs, your tribes, your elders and your officers, even all the men of Israel, ¹¹your little ones, your wives, and the alien who is within your camps, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, ¹²that you may enter into the covenant with the LORD your God, and into His oath which the LORD your God is making with you today, ¹³in order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your God, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

14 “Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath, ¹⁵but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God and with those who are not with us here today ¹⁶(for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed; ¹⁷moreover, you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which they had with them); ¹⁸so that there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; that there will not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood. ¹⁹It shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will aboast, saying, ‘I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order bto destroy the watered land with the dry.’ ²⁰The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will cburn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will drest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven. ²¹Then the LORD will single him out for eadversity from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant which are written in this book of the law. [19 aLit bless himself in his heart bI.e. to destroy everything 20 cLit smoke dLit lie down 21 eLit evil]

22 “Now the generation to come, your sons who rise up after you and the foreigner who comes from a distant land, when they see the plagues of the land and the diseases with which the LORD has aafflicted it, will say, ²³‘All its land is brimstone and salt, a burning waste, bunsown and unproductive, and no grass grows in it, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and in His wrath.’ ²⁴All the nations will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land? Why this great coutburst of anger?’ ²⁵Then men will say, ‘Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. ²⁶They went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they have not known and whom He had not dallotted to them. ²⁷Therefore, the anger of the LORD burned against that land, to bring upon it every curse which is written in this book; ²⁸and the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger and in fury and in great wrath, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’ [22 aLit made it sick 23 bLit it is not sown and does not cause to sprout 24 cLit heat 26 dLit portioned]

29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.

DEUTERONOMY 30 [Books]

Restoration Promised

1 “So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you acall them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, ²and you return to the LORD your God and bobey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, ³then the LORD your God will restore cyou from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. ⁴If your outcasts are at the ends of the dearth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will ebring you back. ⁵The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. [1 aLit cause them to return to your heart 2 bLit listen to His voice 3 cLit your captivity 4 dLit sky eLit take you]

6 “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your adescendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. ⁷The LORD your God will binflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. ⁸And you shall again cobey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. ⁹Then the LORD your God will dprosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the eoffspring of your fbody and in the eoffspring of your cattle and in the eproduce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; ¹⁰gif you cobey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, hif you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. [6 aLit seed 7 bLit put 8 cLit listen to the voice of 9 dLit make you have excess for good eLit fruit fLit womb 10 gOr for you will hOr for you will]

11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it aout of reach. ¹²It is not in heaven, bthat you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ ¹³Nor is it beyond the sea, bthat you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ ¹⁴But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. [11 aLit far off 12 bLit to say]

Choose Life

15 “See, I have set before you today life and aprosperity, and death and badversity; ¹⁶in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. ¹⁷But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, ¹⁸I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter cand possess it. ¹⁹I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your ddescendants, ²⁰by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for ethis is your life and the length of your days, fthat you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” [15 aLit good bLit evil 18 cLit to 19 dLit seed 20 eLit that fLit to dwell]

DEUTERONOMY 31 [Books]

Moses’ Last Counsel

1 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. ²And he said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’ ³It is the LORD your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the LORD has spoken. ⁴The LORD will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. ⁵The LORD will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you. ⁶Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

7 Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. ⁸The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

9 So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. ¹⁰Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, ¹¹when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. ¹²Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and athe alien who is in your btown, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. ¹³Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live on the land cwhich you are about to cross the Jordan to dpossess.” [12 aLit your alien bLit gates 13 cLit where dLit possess it]

Israel Will Fall Away

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, athe time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. ¹⁵The LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent. ¹⁶The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. ¹⁷Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’ ¹⁸But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods. [14 aLit your days to die are]

19 “Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it aon their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. ²⁰For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become bprosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant. ²¹Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the clips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are ddeveloping today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.” ²²So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel. [19 aLit in their mouths 20 bLit fat 21 cLit mouth of its seed dLit making]

Joshua Is Commissioned

23 Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”

24 It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, ²⁵that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, ²⁶“Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may aremain there as a witness against you. ²⁷For I know your rebellion and your bstubbornness; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the LORD; how much more, then, after my death? ²⁸Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. ²⁹For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.” [26 aLit be 27 bLit stiff neck]

30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete:

DEUTERONOMY 32 [Books]

The Song of Moses

1 “Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak;

And let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

²“Let my teaching drop as the rain,

My speech distill as the dew,

As the droplets on the fresh grass

And as the showers on the herb.

³“For I proclaim the name of the LORD;

Ascribe greatness to our God!

⁴“The Rock! His work is perfect,

For all His ways are ajust;

A God of faithfulness and without injustice,

Righteous and upright is He. [aOr judgment]

⁵“aThey have acted corruptly toward Him,

They are not His children, because of their defect;

But are a perverse and crooked generation. [aLit It has]

⁶“Do you thus repay the LORD,

O foolish and unwise people?

Is not He your Father who has bought you?

He has made you and established you.

⁷“Remember the days of old,

Consider the years of all generations.

Ask your father, and he will inform you,

Your elders, and they will tell you.

⁸“When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,

When He separated the sons of aman,

He set the boundaries of the peoples

According to the number of the sons of Israel. [aOr Adam]

⁹“For the LORD’S portion is His people;

Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.

¹⁰“He found him in a desert land,

And in the howling waste of a wilderness;

He encircled him, He cared for him,

He guarded him as the pupil of His eye.

¹¹“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,

That hovers over its young,

He spread His wings and caught them,

He carried them on His pinions.

¹²“The LORD alone guided him,

And there was no foreign god with him.

¹³“He made him ride on the high places of the earth,

And he ate the produce of the field;

And He made him suck honey from the rock,

And oil from the flinty rock,

¹⁴Curds of cows, and milk of the flock,

With fat of lambs,

And rams, the breed of Bashan, and goats,

With the finest of the wheat—

And of the blood of grapes you drank wine.

15 “But aJeshurun grew fat and kicked—

You are grown fat, thick, and sleek—

Then he forsook God who made him,

And scorned the Rock of his salvation. [aI.e. Israel]

¹⁶“They made Him jealous with strange gods;

With abominations they provoked Him to anger.

¹⁷“They sacrificed to demons who were not God,

To gods whom they have not known,

New gods who came lately,

Whom your fathers did not dread.

¹⁸“You neglected the Rock who begot you,

And forgot the God who gave you birth.

19 “The LORD saw this, and spurned them

Because of the provocation of His sons and daughters.

²⁰“Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them,

I will see what their end shall be;

For they are a perverse generation,

Sons in whom is no faithfulness.

²¹‘They have made Me jealous with what is not God;

They have provoked Me to anger with their aidols.

So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people;

I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation, [aLit vanities]

²²For a fire is kindled in My anger,

And burns to the lowest part of aSheol,

And consumes the earth with its yield,

And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. [aI.e. the nether world]

23 ‘I will heap misfortunes on them;

I will use My arrows on them.

²⁴‘They will be wasted by famine, and consumed by aplague

And bitter destruction;

And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them,

With the venom of crawling things of the dust. [aLit burning heat]

²⁵‘Outside the sword will bereave,

And inside terror—

Both young man and virgin,

The nursling with the man of gray hair.

²⁶‘I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces,

I will remove the memory of them from men,”

²⁷Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy,

That their adversaries would misjudge,

That they would say, “Our hand is atriumphant,

And the LORD has not done all this.” ’ [aLit high]

28 “For they are a nation alacking in counsel,

And there is no understanding in them. [aLit perishing]

²⁹“Would that they were wise, that they understood this,

That they would discern their afuture! [aOr latter end]

³⁰“How could one chase a thousand,

And two put ten thousand to flight,

Unless their Rock had sold them,

And the LORD had given them up?

³¹“Indeed their rock is not like our Rock,

Even our enemies athemselves judge this. [aLit are judges]

³²“For their vine is from the vine of Sodom,

And from the fields of Gomorrah;

Their grapes are grapes of poison,

Their clusters, bitter.

³³“Their wine is the venom of aserpents,

And the bdeadly poison of cobras. [aLit dragons bLit cruel]

34 ‘Is it not laid up in store with Me,

Sealed up in My treasuries?

³⁵‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution,

In due time their foot will slip;

For the day of their calamity is near,

And the impending things are hastening upon them.’

³⁶“For the LORD will vindicate His people,

And will have compassion on His servants,

When He sees that their astrength is gone,

And there is none remaining, bond or free. [aLit hand]

³⁷“And He will say, ‘Where are their gods,

The rock in which they sought refuge?

³⁸‘Who ate the fat of their sacrifices,

And drank the wine of their drink offering?

Let them rise up and help you,

Let them be your hiding place!

³⁹‘See now that I, I am He,

And there is no god besides Me;

It is I who put to death and give life.

I have wounded and it is I who heal,

And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.

⁴⁰‘Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven,

And say, as I live forever,

⁴¹If I sharpen My aflashing sword,

And My hand takes hold on justice,

I will render vengeance on My adversaries,

And I will repay those who hate Me. [aOr lightning]

⁴²‘I will make My arrows drunk with blood,

And My sword will devour flesh,

With the blood of the slain and the captives,

From the long-haired aleaders of the enemy.’ [aLit head]

⁴³“Rejoice, O nations, with His people;

For He will avenge the blood of His servants,

And will render vengeance on His adversaries,

And will atone for His land and His people.”

44 Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he, with aJoshua the son of Nun. ⁴⁵When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, ⁴⁶he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe bcarefully, even all the words of this law. ⁴⁷For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, cwhich you are about to cross the Jordan to dpossess.” [44 aLit Hoshea 46 bLit to do 47 cLit where dLit possess it]

48 The LORD spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, ⁴⁹“Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab aopposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. ⁵⁰Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, ⁵¹because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. ⁵²For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.” [49 aLit which is opposite]

DEUTERONOMY 33 [Books]

The Blessing of Moses

1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. ²He said,

“The LORD came from Sinai,

And adawned on them from Seir;

He shone forth from Mount Paran,

And He came from the bmidst of ten thousand holy ones;

At His right hand there was cflashing lightning for them. [2 aLit rose to bLit myriads of holiness cOr a fiery law]

³“Indeed, He loves athe people;

All bYour holy ones are in Your hand,

And they cfollowed in Your steps;

Everyone receives of Your words. [aLit peoples bLit His cOr lie down at Your feet]

⁴“Moses charged us with a law,

A possession for the assembly of Jacob.

⁵“And He was king in Jeshurun,

When the heads of the people were gathered,

The tribes of Israel together.

6 “May Reuben live and not die,

Nor his men be few.”

7 And this regarding Judah; so he said,

“Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah,

And bring him to his people.

With his hands he contended for athem,

And may You be a help against his adversaries.” [7 aLit him]

8 Of Levi he said,

“Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to aYour godly man,

Whom You proved at Massah,

With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah; [8 aLit him]

⁹Who said of his father and his mother,

‘I did not consider them’;

And he did not acknowledge his brothers,

Nor did he regard his own sons,

For they observed Your word,

And kept Your covenant.

¹⁰“They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob,

And Your law to Israel.

They shall put incense abefore You,

And whole burnt offerings on Your altar. [aLit in Your nostrils]

¹¹“O LORD, bless his substance,

And accept the work of his hands;

Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him,

And those who hate him, so that they will not rise again.”

12 Of Benjamin he said,

“May the beloved of the LORD dwell in security by Him,

Who shields him all the day,

And he dwells between His shoulders.”

13 Of Joseph he said,

“Blessed of the LORD be his land,

With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,

And from the deep lying beneath,

¹⁴And with the choice yield of the sun,

And with the choice produce of the months.

¹⁵“And with the abest things of the ancient mountains,

And with the choice things of the everlasting hills, [aOr chief]

¹⁶And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,

And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.

Let it come to the head of Joseph,

And to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

¹⁷“As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his,

And his horns are the horns of the wild ox;

With them he will push the peoples,

All aat once, to the ends of the earth.

And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,

And those are the thousands of Manasseh.” [aOr together]

18 Of Zebulun he said,

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth,

And, Issachar, in your tents.

¹⁹“They will call peoples to the mountain;

There they will offer righteous sacrifices;

For they will adraw out the abundance of the seas,

And the hidden treasures of the sand.” [aLit suck]

20 Of Gad he said,

“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;

He lies down as a alion,

And tears the arm, also the crown of the head. [20 aOr lioness]

²¹“Then he aprovided the first part for himself,

For there the ruler’s portion was breserved;

And he came with the leaders of the people;

He executed the justice of the LORD,

And His ordinances with Israel.” [aLit saw bOr covered up]

22 Of Dan he said,

“Dan is a lion’s whelp,

That leaps forth from Bashan.”

23 Of Naphtali he said,

“O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,

And full of the blessing of the LORD,

Take possession of the sea and the south.”

24 Of Asher he said,

“More blessed than sons is Asher;

May he be favored by his brothers,

And may he dip his foot in oil.

²⁵“Your locks will be iron and bronze,

And according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be.

26 “There is none like the God of aJeshurun,

Who rides the heavens bto your help,

And through the skies in His majesty. [aI.e. Israel bLit in]

²⁷“The eternal God is a adwelling place,

And underneath are the everlasting arms;

And He drove out the enemy from before you,

And said, ‘Destroy!’ [aOr refuge]

²⁸“So Israel dwells in security,

The fountain of Jacob secluded,

In a land of grain and new wine;

His heavens also drop down dew.

²⁹“Blessed are you, O Israel;

Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD,

Who is the shield of your help

And the sword of your majesty!

So your enemies will cringe before you,

And you will tread upon their high places.”

DEUTERONOMY 34 [Books]

The Death of Moses

1 Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, ²and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the awestern sea, ³and the bNegev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. ⁴Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your cdescendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” ⁵So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the dword of the LORD. ⁶And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. ⁷Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated. ⁸So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end. [2 aI.e. Mediterranean Sea 3 bI.e. South country 4 cLit seed 5 dLit mouth]

9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. ¹⁰Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, ¹¹for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, ¹²and for all the mighty apower and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. [12 aLit hand]

JOSHUA 1 [Books]

God’s Charge to Joshua

1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ aservant, saying, ²“Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. ³Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. ⁴From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. ⁵No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. ⁶Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷Only be strong and very courageous; bbe careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may chave success wherever you go. ⁸This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may bbe careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will chave success. ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” [1 aOr minister 7 bLit observe cOr act wisely]

Joshua Assumes Command

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, ¹¹“Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.’ ”

12 To the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua asaid, ¹³“Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God gives you rest and will give you this land.’ ¹⁴Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross before your brothers in battle array, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, ¹⁵until the LORD gives your brothers rest, as He gives you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to byour own land, and possess cthat which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.” [12 aLit said, saying 15 bLit the land of your possession cLit it]

16 They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. ¹⁷Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses. ¹⁸Anyone who rebels against your acommand and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.” [18 aLit mouth]

JOSHUA 2 [Books]

Rahab Shelters Spies

1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and alodged there. ²It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” ³And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” ⁴But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. ⁵It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” ⁶But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. ⁷So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate. [1 aLit lay down]

8 Now before they lay down, ashe came up to them on the roof, ⁹and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have bmelted away before you. ¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the cRed Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you dutterly destroyed. ¹¹When we heard it, our hearts melted and no ecourage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. ¹²Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of ftruth, ¹³and gspare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our hlives from death.” ¹⁴So the men said to her, “Our ilife jfor yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and kfaithfully with you.” [8 aLit then she 9 bOr become demoralized 10 cLit Sea of Reeds dOr put under the ban 11 eLit spirit arose 12 fOr faithfulness 13 gLit let live hLit souls 14 iLit soul jLit instead of you to die kOr truly]

The Promise to Rahab

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. ¹⁶She said to them, “Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” ¹⁷The men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath ato you which you have made us swear, ¹⁸bunless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. ¹⁹It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. ²⁰But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.” ²¹She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. [17 aLit of yours 18 bLit behold]

22 They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them aall along the road, but had not found them. ²³Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. ²⁴They said to Joshua, “Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have bmelted away before us.” [22 aLit through all the road 24 bOr become demoralized]

JOSHUA 3 [Books]

Israel Crosses the Jordan

1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed. ²At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; ³and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. ⁴However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 acubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” [4 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.]

5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” ⁶And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. ⁸You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’ ” ⁹Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.” ¹⁰Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. ¹¹Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. ¹²Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. ¹³It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are aflowing down from above bwill stand in one heap.” [13 aLit going bLit and they will]

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, ¹⁵and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), ¹⁶the waters which were aflowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were aflowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. ¹⁷And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan. [16 aLit going]

JOSHUA 4 [Books]

Memorial Stones from Jordan

1 Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, ²“Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, ³and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’ ” ⁴So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; ⁵and Joshua said to them, “aCross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. ⁶bLet this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask clater, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ ⁷then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” [5 aLit Cross before the ark 6 bLit That this may be cLit tomorrow]

8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there. ⁹Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day. ¹⁰For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed; ¹¹and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed before the people. ¹²The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them; ¹³about 40,000 equipped for war, crossed for battle before the LORD to the desert plains of Jericho.

14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they arevered him, just as they had arevered Moses all the days of his life. [14 aOr feared]

15 Now the LORD said to aJoshua, ¹⁶“Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan.” ¹⁷So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” ¹⁸It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were blifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before. [15 aLit Joshua, saying 18 bLit drawn out]

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. ²⁰aThose twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. ²¹He said to the sons of bIsrael, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ ²²then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ ²³For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the cRed Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; ²⁴that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may dfear the LORD your God eforever.” [20 aLit these 21 bLit Israel, saying, 23 cLit Sea of Reeds 24 dOr reverence eLit all the days]

JOSHUA 5 [Books]

Israel Is Circumcised

1 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until athey had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel. [1 aOther mss read we]

2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.” ³So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at aGibeath-haaraloth. ⁴This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt. ⁵For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. ⁶For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, bperished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, to whom the LORD had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷Their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua ccircumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way. [3 aI.e. the hill of the foreskins 6 bLit were finished 7 cLit circumcised them]

8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they were ahealed. ⁹Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called bGilgal to this day. [8 aLit revived 9 bI.e. rolling]

10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. ¹¹On the aday after the Passover, on bthat very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. ¹²The manna ceased on the aday after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year. [11 aLit morrow bLit this]

13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” ¹⁴He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” ¹⁵The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

JOSHUA 6 [Books]

The Conquest of Jericho

1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. ²The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. ³You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. ⁴Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down aflat, and the people will go up every man bstraight ahead.” [5 aLit in its place bLit before himself]

6 So Joshua the 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 before the ark of the LORD.” ⁷Then ahe said to the people, “Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the LORD.” ⁸And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. ⁹The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. ¹⁰But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” ¹¹So he had the ark of the LORD btaken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. [7 aOr they 11 bLit to go around]

12 Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. ¹³The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while they continued to blow the trumpets. ¹⁴Thus the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did so for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. ¹⁶At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. ¹⁷The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot aand all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. ¹⁸But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not bcovet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. ¹⁹But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” ²⁰So the people shouted, and cpriests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down dflat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight eahead, and they took the city. ²¹They futterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. [17 aLit she and all 18 bLit devote 20 cOr they dLit in its place eLit before himself 21 fOr put under the ban]

22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the harlot’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her.” ²³So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. ²⁴They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the ahouse of the LORD. ²⁵However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua bspared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. [24 aI.e. tabernacle 25 bLit let live]

26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates.” ²⁷So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

JOSHUA 7 [Books]

Israel Is Defeated at Ai

1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “aGo up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. ³They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up bto Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.” ⁴So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled cfrom the men of Ai. ⁵The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them dfrom the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water. [2 aLit saying, Go 3 bLit and smite 4 cLit before 5 dOr before]

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. ⁷Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord aGOD, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing bto dwell beyond the Jordan! ⁸O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their cback before their enemies? ⁹For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?” [7 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit and had dwelt 8 cLit neck]

10 So the LORD said to Joshua, “Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? ¹¹Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. ¹²Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their abacks before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. ¹³Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said, “There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” ¹⁴In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the LORD takes shall come near by households, and the household which the LORD takes shall come near man by man. ¹⁵It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’ ” [12 aLit necks]

The Sin of Achan

16 So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by atribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. ¹⁷He brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken. ¹⁸He brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken. ¹⁹Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” ²⁰So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and bthis is what I did: ²¹when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.” [16 aLit its tribes 20 bLit thus and thus I did]

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. ²³They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the LORD. ²⁴Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his aoxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of bAchor. ²⁵Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned cthem with stones; and they burned them with fire dafter they had stoned them with stones. ²⁶They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of bAchor to this day. [24 aOr cattle bI.e. trouble 25 cLit him dLit and they stoned]

JOSHUA 8 [Books]

The Conquest of Ai

1 Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. ²You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. aSet an ambush for the city behind it.” [2 aLit Set for yourself]

3 So Joshua rose with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose 30,000 men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night. ⁴He commanded them, saying, “See, you are going to ambush the city from behind ait. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. ⁵Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us as at the first, we will flee before them. ⁶They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ So we will flee before them. ⁷And you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. ⁸Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it according to the word of the LORD. See, I have commanded you.” ⁹So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people. [4 aLit the city]

10 Now Joshua rose early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai. ¹¹Then all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near and arrived in front of the city, and camped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai. ¹²And he took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the acity. ¹³So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley. ¹⁴It came about when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose up early and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. ¹⁵Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. ¹⁶And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. ¹⁷So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel, and they left the city bunguarded and pursued Israel. [12 aI.e. Ai 17 bLit open]

18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” So Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city. ¹⁹The men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire. ²⁰When the men of Ai turned aback and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers. ²¹When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and bslew the men of Ai. ²²cThe others came out from the city to encounter them, so that they were trapped in the midst of Israel, dsome on this side and some on that side; and they bslew them until no one was left eof those who survived or escaped. ²³But they took alive the king of Ai and brought him to Joshua. [20 aLit behind them 21 bLit smote 22 cLit These came dLit these...those eLit for it]

24 Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them were fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed, then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. ²⁵All who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000—all the apeople of Ai. ²⁶For Joshua did not withdraw his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had butterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. ²⁷Israel took only the cattle and the spoil of that city as plunder for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He had commanded Joshua. ²⁸So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation until this day. ²⁹He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening; and at sunset Joshua gave command and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate, and raised over it a great heap of stones that stands to this day. [25 aLit men 26 bOr put under the ban]

30 Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, ³¹just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. ³²He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which ahe had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. ³³All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had given command at first to bless the people of Israel. ³⁴Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. ³⁵There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were bliving among them. [32 aI.e. Moses 35 bLit walking]

JOSHUA 9 [Books]

Guile of the Gibeonites

1 Now it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, ²that they gathered themselves together with aone accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. [2 aLit one mouth]

3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴they also acted craftily and aset out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and bmended, ⁵and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. ⁶They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ⁷The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you are living cwithin our land; how then shall we make a covenant with you?” ⁸But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” ⁹They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the dfame of the LORD your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, ¹⁰and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth. ¹¹So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.” ’ ¹²This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. ¹³These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” ¹⁴So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the ecounsel of the LORD. ¹⁵Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. [4 aLit went and traveled as envoys bLit tied up 7 cLit among us 9 dOr name 14 eLit mouth]

16 It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living awithin their land. ¹⁷Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. ¹⁸The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. ¹⁹But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. ²⁰This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.” ²¹The leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them. [16 aLit among them]

22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you are living awithin our land? ²³Now therefore, you are cursed, and byou shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” ²⁴So they answered Joshua and said, “Because it was certainly told your servants that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. ²⁵Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.” ²⁶Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. ²⁷But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place which He would choose. [22 aLit among us 23 bLit a servant shall not be cut off from you]

JOSHUA 10 [Books]

Five Kings Attack Gibeon

1 Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had autterly destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were bwithin their land, ²that che feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. ³Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron and to Piram king of Jarmuth and to Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, ⁴“Come up to me and help me, and let us dattack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.” ⁵So the 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, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it. [1 aOr put under the ban bLit among them 2 cLit they 4 dLit smite]

6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not aabandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.” ⁷So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors. ⁸The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not bone of them shall stand before you.” ⁹So Joshua came upon them suddenly cby marching all night from Gilgal. ¹⁰And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He dslew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died efrom the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword. [6 aLit slacken your hands from 8 bLit a man 9 cLit he went up 10 dLit struck 11 eLit with]

12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“O sun, stand still at Gibeon,

And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”

¹³So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,

Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.

Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. ¹⁴There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.

15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp to Gilgal.

Victory at Makkedah

16 Now these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷It was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” ¹⁸Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and assign men by it to guard them, ¹⁹but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and aattack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” ²⁰It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished bslaying them with a very great slaughter, until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them chad entered the fortified cities, ²¹that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one duttered a word against any of the sons of Israel. [19 aLit smite their tail 20 bLit striking cLit and had 21 dLit sharpened his tongue]

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave.” ²³They did so, and brought these five kings out to him 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 these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” ²⁶So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. ²⁷It came about at asunset that Joshua gave a command, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day. [27 aLit the time of the going of the sun]

28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; he autterly destroyed bit and every cperson who was in it. He left no survivor. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho. [28 aOr put under the ban bSome mss read them cLit soul, and so throughout the ch]

Joshua’s Conquest of Southern Palestine

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. ³⁰The LORD gave it also with its king into the hands of Israel, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. Thus he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it. ³²The LORD gave Lachish into the hands of Israel; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua adefeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor. [33 aLit smote]

34 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it. ³⁵They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and he autterly destroyed that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish. [35 aOr put under the ban]

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron, and they fought against it. ³⁷They captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he autterly destroyed it and every person who was in it. [37 aOr put it under the ban]

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to Debir, and they fought against it. ³⁹He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and autterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king. [39 aOr put it under the ban]

40 Thus Joshua struck all the land, the hill country and the aNegev and the lowland and the slopes and all their kings. He left no survivor, but he butterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. ⁴¹Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen even as far as Gibeon. ⁴²Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. ⁴³So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal. [40 aI.e. South country bOr put it under the ban]

JOSHUA 11 [Books]

Northern Palestine Taken

1 Then it came about, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph, ²and to the kings who were of the north in the hill country, and in the Arabah—south of aChinneroth and in the lowland and on the bheights of Dor on the west— ³to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite cat the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. ⁴They came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. ⁵So all of these kings having agreed to meet, came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. [2 aI.e. Sea of Galilee bOr Naphoth-dor 3 cLit under]

6 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” ⁷So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. ⁸The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they adefeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim and the valley of Mizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them. ⁹Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. [8 aLit smote]

10 Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. ¹¹They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, autterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. ¹²Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. ¹³However, Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone, which Joshua burned. ¹⁴All the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the sons of Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed. ¹⁵Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses. [11 aOr putting them under the ban, and so throughout the ch]

16 Thus Joshua took all that land: the hill country and all the aNegev, all that land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland ¹⁷from Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir, even as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon bat the foot of Mount Hermon. And he captured all their kings and struck them down and put them to death. ¹⁸Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings. ¹⁹There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. ²⁰For it was of the LORD to charden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might dreceive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. [16 aI.e. South country 17 bLit under 20 cLit make strong dLit have]

21 Then Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab and from all the hill country of Judah and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. ²²There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod some remained. ²³So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.

JOSHUA 12 [Books]

Kings Defeated by Israel

1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel adefeated, and whose land they possessed beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon as far as Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east: ²Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, even as far as the brook Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon; ³and the Arabah as far as the Sea of bChinneroth toward the east, and as far as the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward ctoward Beth-jeshimoth, and on the south, dat the foot of the slopes of Pisgah; ⁴and the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, ⁵and ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. ⁶Moses the servant of the LORD and the sons of Israel adefeated them; and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh as a possession. [1 aLit smote 3 bI.e. Galilee cLit the way of dLit under]

7 Now these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel adefeated beyond the Jordan toward the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even as far as Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir; and Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, ⁸in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, on the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the bNegev; the Hittite, the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite: ⁹the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; ¹⁰the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; ¹¹the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; ¹²the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; ¹³the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; ¹⁴the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; ¹⁵the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; ¹⁶the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; ¹⁷the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; ¹⁸the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; ¹⁹the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; ²⁰the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; ²¹the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; ²²the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; ²³the king of Dor in the cheights of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one; ²⁴the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings. [7 aLit smote 8 bI.e. South country 23 cOr Naphath-dor]

JOSHUA 13 [Books]

Canaan Divided among the Tribes

1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed. ²This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Geshurites; ³from the Shihor which is aeast of Egypt, even as far as the border of Ekron to the north (it is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines: the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite ⁴bto the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite; ⁵and the land of the Gebalite, and all of Lebanon, toward the ceast, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon as far as dLebo-hamath. ⁶All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians, I will edrive them out from before the sons of Israel; only allot it to Israel for an inheritance as I have commanded you. ⁷Now therefore, apportion this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.” [3 aLit on the face of 4 bOr from the Teman 5 cLit sunrise dOr the entrance of Hamath 6 eOr dispossess]

8 With athe other half-tribe, the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance which Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the servant of the LORD gave to them; ⁹from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, with the city which is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba, as far as Dibon; ¹⁰and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the sons of Ammon; ¹¹and Gilead, and the bterritory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah; ¹²all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (he alone was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moses struck them and dispossessed them. ¹³But the sons of Israel did not dispossess the Geshurites or the Maacathites; for Geshur and Maacath live among Israel until this day. ¹⁴Only to the tribe of Levi he did not give an inheritance; the offerings by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are ctheir inheritance, as He spoke to him. [8 aLit it, the 11 bOr border 14 cLit his]

15 So Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the sons of Reuben according to their families. ¹⁶Their aterritory was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, with the city which is in the middle of the valley and all the plain by Medeba; ¹⁷Heshbon, and all its cities which are on the plain: 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, ²⁰and Beth-peor and the slopes of Pisgah and Beth-jeshimoth, ²¹even all the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land. ²²The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner, with the sword among the rest of their slain. ²³The border of the sons of Reuben was the bJordan. This was the inheritance of the sons of Reuben according to their families, the cities and their villages. [16 aOr border 23 bLit Jordan and border]

24 Moses also gave an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad, according to their families. ²⁵Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the sons of Ammon, as far as Aroer which is before Rabbah; ²⁶and from Heshbon as far as Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim as far as the border of aDebir; ²⁷and in the valley, Beth-haram and Beth-nimrah and Succoth and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan bas a border, as far as the lower end of the Sea of cChinnereth beyond the Jordan to the east. ²⁸This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages. [26 aOr Lidebir 27 bLit and border cI.e. Galilee]

29 Moses also gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families. ³⁰Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the atowns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities; ³¹also half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families. [30 aLit tent villages]

32 These are the territories which Moses apportioned for an inheritance in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho to the east. ³³But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had apromised to them. [33 aLit spoken to]

JOSHUA 14 [Books]

Caleb’s Request

1 Now these are the territories which the sons of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the ahouseholds of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned to them for an inheritance, ²by the lot of their inheritance, as the LORD commanded bthrough Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. ³For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but he did not give an inheritance to the Levites among them. ⁴For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they did not give a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property. ⁵Thus the sons of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land. [1 aLit fathers’ 2 bLit by the hand of]

6 Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning ayou and me in Kadesh-barnea. ⁷I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. ⁸Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people bmelt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully. ⁹So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.’ ¹⁰Now behold, the LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. ¹¹I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. ¹²Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will cdrive them out as the LORD has spoken.” [6 aLit me and concerning you 8 bLit become demoralized 12 cOr dispossess]

13 So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. ¹⁴Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the LORD God of Israel fully. ¹⁵Now the name of Hebron was formerly aKiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war. [15 aI.e. the city of Arba]

JOSHUA 15 [Books]

Territory of Judah

1 Now the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families areached the border of Edom, southward to the wilderness of Zin at the extreme south. ²Their south border was from the lower end of the Salt Sea, from the bay that turns to the south. ³Then it proceeded southward to the ascent of Akrabbim and continued to Zin, then went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea and continued to Hezron, and went up to Addar and turned about to Karka. ⁴It continued to Azmon and proceeded to the bbrook of Egypt, and the cborder ended at the sea. This shall be your south border. ⁵The east border was the Salt Sea, as far as the dmouth of the Jordan. And the border of the north side was from the bay of the sea at the dmouth of the Jordan. ⁶Then the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and continued on the north of Beth-arabah, and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. ⁷The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and turned northward toward Gilgal which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south of the valley; and the border continued to the waters of En-shemesh and eit ended at En-rogel. ⁸Then the border went up the valley of Ben-hinnom to the slope of the Jebusite on the south (that is, Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain which is before the valley of Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the valley of Rephaim toward the north. ⁹From the top of the mountain the border curved to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah and proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron, then the border curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). ¹⁰The border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and continued to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is, Chesalon), and went down to Beth-shemesh and continued through Timnah. ¹¹The border proceeded to the side of Ekron northward. Then the border curved to Shikkeron and continued to Mount Baalah and proceeded to Jabneel, and the fborder ended at the sea. ¹²The west border was at the Great Sea, even its gcoastline. This is the border around the sons of Judah according to their families. [1 aLit was to 4 bOr wadi cLit goings out of the border were 5 dLit end 7 eLit the goings out of it were 11 fLit goings out...were 12 gLit border]

13 Now he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah, according to the acommand of the LORD to Joshua, namely, bKiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron). ¹⁴Caleb cdrove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the children of Anak. ¹⁵Then he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. ¹⁶And Caleb said, “The one who dattacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, eI will give him Achsah my daughter as a wife.” ¹⁷Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it; so he gave him Achsah his daughter as a wife. ¹⁸It came about that when she came to him, she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she alighted from the donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” ¹⁹Then she said, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me the land of the fNegev, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. [13 aLit mouth bI.e. the city of Arba 14 cOr dispossessed 16 dLit smites eLit and I 19 fI.e. South country]

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families.

21 Now the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah toward the border of Edom in the south were Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur, ²²and Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah, ²³and Kedesh and Hazor and Ithnan, ²⁴Ziph and Telem and Bealoth, ²⁵and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), ²⁶Amam and Shema and Moladah, ²⁷and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-pelet, ²⁸and Hazar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah, ²⁹Baalah and Iim and Ezem, ³⁰and Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah, ³¹and Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah, ³²and Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon; in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

33 In the lowland: Eshtaol and Zorah and Ashnah, ³⁴and Zanoah and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam, ³⁵Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah, ³⁶and Shaaraim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.

37 Zenan and Hadashah and Migdal-gad, ³⁸and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel, ³⁹Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon, ⁴⁰and Cabbon and Lahmas and Chitlish, ⁴¹and Gederoth, Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.

42 Libnah and Ether and Ashan, ⁴³and Iphtah and Ashnah and Nezib, ⁴⁴and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.

45 Ekron, with its towns and its villages; ⁴⁶from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the aside of Ashdod, with their villages. [46 aLit hand]

47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; as far as the abrook of Egypt and the Great Sea, even its bcoastline. [47 aOr wadi bLit border]

48 In the hill country: Shamir and Jattir and Socoh, ⁴⁹and Dannah and Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), ⁵⁰and Anab and Eshtemoh and Anim, ⁵¹and Goshen and Holon and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.

52 Arab and Dumah and Eshan, ⁵³and Janum and Beth-tappuah and Aphekah, ⁵⁴and Humtah and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.

55 Maon, Carmel and Ziph and Juttah, ⁵⁶and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah, ⁵⁷Kain, Gibeah and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.

58 Halhul, Beth-zur and Gedor, ⁵⁹and Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.

60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.

61 In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin and Secacah, ⁶²and Nibshan and the City of Salt and Engedi; six cities with their villages.

63 Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not adrive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day. [63 aOr dispossess them]

JOSHUA 16 [Books]

Territory of Ephraim

1 Then the lot for the sons of Joseph went from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east into the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel. ²It went from Bethel to Luz, and continued to the border of the Archites at Ataroth. ³It went down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of lower Beth-horon even to Gezer, and ait ended at the sea. [3 aLit the goings out of it were]

4 The sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance. ⁵Now this was the territory of the sons of Ephraim according to their families: the border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth-addar, as far as upper Beth-horon. ⁶Then the border went westward at Michmethath on the north, and the border turned about eastward to Taanath-shiloh and continued beyond it to the east of Janoah. ⁷It went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, then reached Jericho and came out at the Jordan. ⁸From Tappuah the border continued westward to the abrook of Kanah, and bit ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim according to their families, ⁹together with the cities which were set apart for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. ¹⁰But they did not cdrive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and they became forced laborers. [8 aOr wadi bLit the goings out of it were 10 cOr dispossess]

JOSHUA 17 [Books]

Territory of Manasseh

1 Now this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, awere allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. ²So the lot was made for the rest of the sons of Manasseh according to their families: for the sons of Abiezer and for the sons of Helek and for the sons of Asriel and for the sons of Shechem and for the sons of Hepher and for the sons of Shemida; these were the male bdescendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families. [1 aLit and there was to him 2 bLit sons]

3 However, Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. ⁴They came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So according to the acommand of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers. ⁵Thus there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan, ⁶because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. [4 aLit mouth]

7 The border of Manasseh aran from Asher to Michmethath which was east of Shechem; then the border went bsouthward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. ⁸The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim. ⁹The border went down to the cbrook of Kanah, southward of the cbrook (these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh), and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the cbrook and dit ended at the sea. ¹⁰The south side belonged to Ephraim and the north side to Manasseh, and the sea was etheir border; and they reached to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east. ¹¹In Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, the third is Napheth. ¹²But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. ¹³It came about when the sons of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not fdrive them out completely. [7 aLit was bLit to the right hand 9 cOr wadi dLit goings out of it were 10 eLit its 13 fOr dispossess]

14 Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance, since I am a numerous people whom the LORD has thus far blessed?” ¹⁵Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go aup to the forest and bclear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” ¹⁶The sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.” ¹⁷Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “You are a numerous people and have great power; you shall not have one lot only, ¹⁸but the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall cclear it, and to its dfarthest borders it shall be yours; for you shall edrive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong.” [15 aLit up for yourself bLit cut down 18 cLit cut it down dLit goings out eOr dispossess]

JOSHUA 18 [Books]

Rest of the Land Divided

1 Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled themselves at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there; and the land was subdued before them.

2 There remained among the sons of Israel seven tribes who had not divided their inheritance. ³So Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? ⁴Provide for yourselves three men from aeach tribe that I may send them, and that they may arise and walk through the land and write a description of it according to their inheritance; then they shall breturn to me. ⁵They shall divide it into seven portions; Judah shall stay in its territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall stay in their territory on the north. ⁶You shall describe the land in seven divisions, and bring the description here to me. I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. ⁷For the Levites have no portion among you, because the priesthood of the LORD is ctheir inheritance. Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh also have received their inheritance eastward beyond the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.” [4 aLit the bLit come 7 cLit his]

8 Then the men arose and went, and Joshua commanded those who went to describe the land, saying, “Go and walk through the land and describe it, and return to me; then I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” ⁹So the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities in seven divisions in a book; and they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel according to their divisions.

The Territory of Benjamin

11 Now the lot of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot alay between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph. ¹²Their border on the north side was from the Jordan, then the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward, and bit ended at the wilderness of Beth-aven. ¹³From there the border continued to Luz, to the side of Luz (that is, Bethel) southward; and the border went down to Ataroth-addar, near the hill which lies on the south of lower Beth-horon. ¹⁴The border extended from there and turned round on the west side southward, from the hill which lies before Beth-horon southward; and bit ended at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the west side. ¹⁵Then the south side was from the edge of Kiriath-jearim, and the border went westward and went to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah. ¹⁶The border went down to the edge of the hill which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the slope of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En-rogel. ¹⁷It extended northward and went to En-shemesh and went to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. ¹⁸It continued to the side in front of the Arabah northward and went down to the Arabah. ¹⁹The border continued to the side of Beth-hoglah northward; and the cborder ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south border. ²⁰Moreover, the Jordan was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, according to their families and according to its borders all around. [11 aLit went out 12 bLit the goings out of it were 19 cLit goings out of the border were]

21 Now the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho and Beth-hoglah and Emek-keziz, ²²and Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Bethel, ²³and Avvim and Parah and Ophrah, ²⁴and Chephar-ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve cities with their villages. ²⁵Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth, ²⁶and Mizpeh and Chephirah and Mozah, ²⁷and Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah, ²⁸and Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families.

JOSHUA 19 [Books]

Territory of Simeon

1 Then the second lot afell to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. ²So they had as their inheritance Beersheba or bSheba and Moladah, ³and Hazar-shual and Balah and Ezem, ⁴and Eltolad and Bethul and Hormah, ⁵and Ziklag and Beth-marcaboth and Hazar-susah, ⁶and Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages; ⁷Ain, Rimmon and Ether and Ashan; four cities with their villages; ⁸and all the villages which were around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the cNegev. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. ⁹The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was taken from the portion of the sons of Judah, for the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of dJudah’s inheritance. [1 aLit came out 2 bIn Josh 15:26, Shema 8 cI.e. South country 9 dLit their]

Territory of Zebulun

10 Now the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun according to their families. And the territory of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. ¹¹Then their border went up to the west and to Maralah, it then atouched Dabbesheth and reached to the bbrook that is before Jokneam. ¹²Then it turned from Sarid to the east toward the sunrise as far as the border of Chisloth-tabor, and it proceeded to Daberath and cup to Japhia. ¹³From there it continued eastward toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and it proceeded to Rimmon dwhich stretches to Neah. ¹⁴The border circled around it on the north to Hannathon, and eit ended at the valley of Iphtahel. ¹⁵Included also were Kattah and Nahalal and Shimron and Idalah and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages. ¹⁶This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages. [11 aOr reached to bOr wadi 12 cLit went up 13 dOr and is marked off 14 eLit the goings out of it were]

Territory of Issachar

17 The fourth lot afell to Issachar, to the sons of Issachar according to their families. ¹⁸Their territory was to Jezreel and included Chesulloth and Shunem, ¹⁹and Hapharaim and Shion and Anaharath, ²⁰and Rabbith and Kishion and Ebez, ²¹and Remeth and En-gannim and En-haddah and Beth-pazzez. ²²The border reached to Tabor and Shahazumah and Beth-shemesh, and btheir border ended at the Jordan; sixteen cities with their villages. ²³This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages. [17 aLit came out 22 bLit the goings out of their border were]

Territory of Asher

24 Now the fifth lot afell to the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families. ²⁵Their territory was Helkath and Hali and Beten and Achshaph, ²⁶and Allammelech and Amad and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel on the west and to Shihor-libnath. ²⁷It turned toward the beast to Beth-dagon and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it proceeded on cnorth to Cabul, ²⁸and Ebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon. ²⁹The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and dit ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. ³⁰Included also were Ummah, and Aphek and Rehob; twenty-two cities with their villages. ³¹This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages. [24 aLit came out 27 bLit sunrise cLit from the left hand 29 dLit the goings out of it were]

Territory of Naphtali

32 The sixth lot afell to the sons of Naphtali; to the sons of Naphtali according to their families. ³³Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and bit ended at the Jordan. ³⁴Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded from there to Hukkok; and it reached to Zebulun on the south and ctouched Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the deast. ³⁵The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer and Hammath, Rakkath and Chinnereth, ³⁶and Adamah and Ramah and Hazor, ³⁷and Kedesh and Edrei and En-hazor, ³⁸and Yiron and Migdal-el, Horem and Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. ³⁹This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages. [32 aLit came out 33 bLit the goings out of it were 34 cOr reached to dLit sunrise]

Territory of Dan

40 The seventh lot afell to the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families. ⁴¹The territory of their inheritance was Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh, ⁴²and Shaalabbin and Aijalon and Ithlah, ⁴³and Elon and Timnah and Ekron, ⁴⁴and Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath, ⁴⁵and Jehud and Bene-berak and Gath-rimmon, ⁴⁶and Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the territory over against bJoppa. ⁴⁷The territory of the sons of Dan proceeded cbeyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and possessed it and dsettled in it; and they called eLeshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. ⁴⁸This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages. [40 aLit came out 46 bHeb Japho 47 cLit from dLit dwelt eI.e. Laish]

49 When they finished apportioning the land for inheritance by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance in their midst to Joshua the son of Nun. ⁵⁰In accordance with the acommand of the LORD they gave him the city for which he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and bsettled in it. [50 aLit mouth bLit dwelt]

51 These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the ahouseholds of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land. [51 aLit fathers]

JOSHUA 20 [Books]

Six Cities of Refuge

1 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, ²“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘aDesignate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you bthrough Moses, ³that the manslayer who ckills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. ⁴He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall dtake him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them. ⁵Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand. ⁶He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall ereturn to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’ ” [2 aLit Set for yourselves bLit by the hand of 3 cLit smites 4 dLit gather 6 eLit return and come]

7 So they aset apart Kedesh in bGalilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. ⁸Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they cdesignated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. ⁹These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever dkills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation. [7 aLit sanctified bHeb Galil 8 cLit set 9 dLit smites]

JOSHUA 21 [Books]

Forty-eight Cities of the Levites

1 Then the heads of ahouseholds of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of ahouseholds of the tribes of the sons of Israel. ²They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The LORD commanded bthrough Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasture lands for our cattle.” ³So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these cities with their pasture lands, according to the ccommand of the LORD. ⁴Then the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, dreceived thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of the Simeonites and from the tribe of Benjamin. [1 aLit fathers 2 bLit by the hand of 3 cLit mouth 4 dLit had]

5 The rest of the sons of Kohath areceived ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh. [5 aLit had]

6 The sons of Gershon areceived thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. [6 aLit had]

7 The sons of Merari according to their families areceived twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zebulun. [7 aLit had]

8 Now the sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the LORD had commanded athrough Moses. [8 aLit by the hand of]

9 They gave these cities which are here mentioned by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon; ¹⁰and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first. ¹¹Thus they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands. ¹²But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13 So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands, ¹⁴and Jattir with its pasture lands and Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, ¹⁵and aHolon with its pasture lands and Debir with its pasture lands, ¹⁶and bAin with its pasture lands and Juttah with its pasture lands and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities from these two tribes. ¹⁷From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, ¹⁸Anathoth with its pasture lands and cAlmon with its pasture lands; four cities. ¹⁹All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands. [15 aIn 1 Chr 6:58, Hilen 16 bIn 1 Chr 6:59, Ashan 18 cIn 1 Chr 6:60, Allemeth]

20 Then the cities from the tribe of Ephraim were allotted to the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, even to the rest of the sons of Kohath. ²¹They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands, ²²and Kibzaim with its pasture lands and Beth-horon with its pasture lands; four cities. ²³From the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, ²⁴Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; four cities. ²⁵From the half-tribe of Manasseh, they allotted Taanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; two cities. ²⁶All the cities with their pasture lands for the families of the rest of the sons of Kohath were ten.

27 To the sons of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands; two cities. ²⁸From the tribe of Issachar, they gave Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, ²⁹Jarmuth with its pasture lands, En-gannim with its pasture lands; four cities. ³⁰From the tribe of Asher, they gave Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, ³¹Helkath with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities. ³²From the tribe of Naphtali, they gave Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities. ³³All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.

34 To the families of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, they gave from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands and Kartah with its pasture lands. ³⁵Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities. ³⁶From the tribe of Reuben, they gave Bezer with its pasture lands and Jahaz with its pasture lands, ³⁷Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities. ³⁸From the tribe of Gad, they gave Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Mahanaim with its pasture lands, ³⁹Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands; four cities in all. ⁴⁰All these were the cities of the sons of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands. ⁴²These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands; thus it was with all these cities.

43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. ⁴⁴And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. ⁴⁵Not aone of the good promises which the LORD had bmade to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. [45 aLit a word from every good word bLit spoken]

JOSHUA 22 [Books]

Tribes beyond Jordan Return

1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, ²and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. ³You have not forsaken your brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. ⁴And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them; therefore turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan. ⁵Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” ⁶So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

7 Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua gave a possession among their brothers westward beyond the Jordan. So when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, ⁸and said to athem, “Return to your tents with great riches and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and with very many clothes; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.” ⁹The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home and departed from the sons of Israel at Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession which they had possessed, according to the bcommand of the LORD cthrough Moses. [8 aLit them, saying, “Return 9 bLit mouth cLit by the hand of]

The Offensive Altar

10 When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a large altar in appearance. ¹¹And the sons of Israel heard it asaid, “Behold, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the bfrontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, on the side belonging to the sons of Israel.” ¹²When the sons of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves at Shiloh to go up against them in war. [11 aLit saying bLit front]

13 Then the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, ¹⁴and with him ten chiefs, one chief for each father’s household from each of the tribes of Israel; and each one of them was the head of his father’s household among the athousands of Israel. ¹⁵They came to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them saying, ¹⁶“Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the LORD this day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the LORD this day? ¹⁷Is not the iniquity of Peor benough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came on the congregation of the LORD, ¹⁸that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? If you rebel against the LORD today, He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow. ¹⁹If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then ccross into the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORD’S tabernacle dstands, and take possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves, besides the altar of the LORD our God. ²⁰Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’ ” [14 aOr families 17 bLit little for us 19 cLit cross for yourselves dLit abides]

21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the afamilies of Israel. ²²“The Mighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the LORD do not save us this day! ²³If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD, or if to offer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself require it. ²⁴But truly we have done this out of concern, bfor a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our csons, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? ²⁵For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no portion in the LORD.” So your sons may make our sons stop fearing the LORD.’ [21 aLit thousands 24 bLit from cLit sons, saying]

26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let us abuild an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; ²⁷rather it shall be a witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to perform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion in the LORD.” ’ ²⁸Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it is a witness between us and you.” ’ ²⁹Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away from following the LORD this day, by building an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the LORD our God which is before His btabernacle.” [26 aLit prepare to build for ourselves 29 bLit dwelling place]

30 So when Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the congregation, even the heads of the afamilies of Israel who were with him, heard the words which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. ³¹And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this unfaithful act against the LORD; now you have delivered the sons of Israel from the hand of the LORD.” [30 aLit thousands]

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and from the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought back word to them. ³³The word pleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel blessed God; and they did not speak of going up against them in war to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad were living. ³⁴The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

JOSHUA 23 [Books]

Joshua’s Farewell Address

1 Now it came about after many days, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies aon every side, and Joshua was old, advanced in years, ²that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and their heads and their judges and their officers, and said to them, “I am old, advanced in years. ³And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the LORD your God is He who has been fighting for you. ⁴See, I have apportioned to you these nations which remain as an inheritance for your tribes, with all the nations which I have cut off, from the Jordan even to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun. ⁵The LORD your God, He will thrust them out from before you and bdrive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the LORD your God cpromised you. ⁶Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, ⁷so that you will not dassociate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. ⁸But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. ⁹For the LORD has edriven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. ¹⁰One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He cpromised you. ¹¹So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God. ¹²For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you dassociate with them and they with you, ¹³know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to bdrive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you. [1 aLit from round about 5 bOr dispossess cLit spoke to 7 dLit go among 9 eOr dispossessed]

14 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have abeen fulfilled for you, not bone of them has failed. ¹⁵It shall come about that just as all the good words which the LORD your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you. ¹⁶When you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you.” [14 aLit come bLit one word]

JOSHUA 24 [Books]

Joshua Reviews Israel’s History

1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God. ²Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the aRiver, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. ³Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the aRiver, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his bdescendants and gave him Isaac. ⁴To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. ⁵Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt cby what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out. ⁶I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the dRed Sea. ⁷But when they cried out to the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them; and your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness for a long time. ⁸Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land when I destroyed them before you. ⁹Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel, and he sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. ¹⁰But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his hand. ¹¹You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Girgashite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Thus I gave them into your hand. ¹²Then I sent the hornet before you and it edrove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, but not by your sword or your bow. ¹³I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’ [2 aI.e. Euphrates 3 bLit seed 5 cLit according to 6 dLit Sea of Reeds 12 eLit drove them out]

“We Will Serve the LORD”

14 “Now, therefore, afear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and btruth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the cRiver and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” [14 aOr reverence bOr faithfulness cI.e. Euphrates]

16 The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; ¹⁷for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of abondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. ¹⁸The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.” [17 aLit bondmen]

19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. ²⁰If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.” ²¹The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” ²²Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” ²³“Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” ²⁴The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and we will aobey His voice.” ²⁵So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. ²⁶And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. ²⁷Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke bto us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God.” ²⁸Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance. [24 aLit listen to 27 bLit with]

Joshua’s Death and Burial

29 It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. ³⁰And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash.

31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who asurvived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel. [31 aLit prolonged days after]

32 Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred apieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons. ³³And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him bat Gibeah of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim. [32 aHeb qesitah 33 bOr on the hill]

JUDGES 1 [Books]

Jerusalem Is Captured

1 Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” ²The LORD said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.” ³Then Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into athe territory allotted me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and bI in turn will go with you into cthe territory allotted you.” So Simeon went with him. ⁴Judah went up, and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they ddefeated ten thousand men at Bezek. ⁵They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they edefeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. ⁶But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his fthumbs and big toes. ⁷Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to gather up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there. [3 aLit my lot bLit I, even I cLit your lot 4 dLit smote them 5 eLit smote 6 fLit thumbs of his hands and his feet]

8 Then the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire. ⁹Afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country and in the aNegev and in the lowland. ¹⁰So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba); and they struck Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai. [9 aI.e. South country]

Capture of Other Cities

11 Then from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher). ¹²And Caleb said, “The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah for a wife.” ¹³Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah for a wife. ¹⁴Then it came about when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. Then she alighted from aher donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What bdo you want?” ¹⁵She said to him, “Give me a blessing, since you have given me the land of the cNegev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. [14 aLit the bLit for yourself 15 cI.e. South country]

16 The adescendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people. ¹⁷Then Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah. ¹⁸And Judah took Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory. ¹⁹Now the LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not bdrive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots. ²⁰Then they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had cpromised; and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak. ²¹But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. [16 aLit sons 19 bOr dispossess 20 cLit spoken]

22 Likewise the house of Joseph went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with them. ²³The house of Joseph spied out Bethel (now the name of the city was formerly Luz). ²⁴The spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly.” ²⁵So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go free. ²⁶The man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city and named it Luz awhich is its name to this day. [26 aLit it]

Places Not Conquered

27 But Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. ²⁸It came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

29 Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of aNahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor. [30 aPerhaps same as Nahalal]

31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob. ³²So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.

33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.

34 Then the Amorites aforced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley; ³⁵yet the Amorites persisted in bliving in Mount Heres, in Aijalon and in Shaalbim; but when the cpower of the house of Joseph dgrew strong, they became forced labor. ³⁶The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward. [34 aLit pressed 35 bLit dwelling cLit hand dLit was heavy]

JUDGES 2 [Books]

Israel Rebuked

1 Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, ²and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not aobeyed Me; what is this you have done? ³Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will bbecome as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’ ” ⁴When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. ⁵So they named that place cBochim; and there they sacrificed to the LORD. [2 aLit listened to My voice 3 bSome ancient mss read be adversaries, and 5 cI.e. weepers]

Joshua Dies

6 When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land. ⁷The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who asurvived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. ⁸Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. ⁹And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. ¹⁰All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. [7 aLit prolonged days after]

Israel Serves Baals

11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and aserved the Baals, ¹²and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger. ¹³So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. ¹⁴The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. ¹⁵Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed. [11 aOr worshiped]

16 Then the LORD raised up judges awho delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. ¹⁷Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers. ¹⁸When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. ¹⁹But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways. ²⁰So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, ²¹I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, ²²in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers bdid, or not.” ²³So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua. [16 aLit and they 22 bLit kept]

JUDGES 3 [Books]

Idolatry Leads to Servitude

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not aexperienced any of the wars of Canaan; ²only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might bbe taught war, cthose who had not aexperienced it formerly). ³These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as dLebo-hamath. ⁴They were for etesting Israel, to find out if they would fobey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers gthrough Moses. ⁵The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; ⁶and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods. [1 aLit known 2 bLit know, to teach them cLit only 3 dOr the entrance of Hamath 4 eLit testing by them fLit hear gLit by the hand of]

7 The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the aAsheroth. ⁸Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of bMesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. [7 aI.e. wooden symbol of a female deity 8 bHeb Aram-naharaim]

The First Judge Delivers Israel

⁹When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. ¹⁰The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of aMesopotamia into his hand, so that bhe prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. ¹¹Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. [10 aHeb Aram bLit his hand was strong]

12 Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. ¹³And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and adefeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees. ¹⁴The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. [13 aLit smote]

Ehud Delivers from Moab

15 But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by ahim to Eglon the king of Moab. ¹⁶Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak. ¹⁷He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. ¹⁸It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. ¹⁹But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he said, “Keep silence.” And all who attended him left him. ²⁰Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. ²¹Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly. ²²The handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out. ²³Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them. [15 aLit his hand]

24 When he had gone out, his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, “He is only arelieving himself in the cool room.” ²⁵They waited until they bbecame anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the cfloor dead. [24 aLit covering his feet 25 bLit were ashamed cLit earth]

26 Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. ²⁷It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them. ²⁸He said to them, “Pursue them, for the LORD has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross. ²⁹They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped. ³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.

Shamgar Delivers from Philistines

31 After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.

JUDGES 4 [Books]

Deborah and Barak Deliver from Canaanites

1 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. ²And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. ³The sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

4 Now Deborah, a aprophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵She used to bsit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. ⁶Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “cBehold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. ⁷I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his dmany troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.’ ” ⁸Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” ⁹She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. ¹⁰Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up ewith him; Deborah also went up with him. [4 aLit woman prophetess 5 bOr live 6 cOr Has not...commanded...? 7 dLit multitude 10 eLit at his feet]

11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the aoak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. [11 aOr terebinth]

12 Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. ¹³Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. ¹⁴Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; abehold, the LORD has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. ¹⁵The LORD brouted Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. ¹⁶But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left. [14 aOr has not the LORD gone...? 15 bLit confused]

17 Now Sisera fled 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 house of Heber the Kenite. ¹⁸Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a arug. ¹⁹He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a bbottle of milk and gave him a drink; then she covered him. ²⁰He said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’ ” ²¹But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and cseized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died. ²²And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” And he entered dwith her, and behold Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple. [18 aOr blanket 19 bI.e. skin container 21 cLit placed 22 dLit to]

23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the sons of Israel. ²⁴The hand of the sons of Israel pressed heavier and heavier upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had adestroyed Jabin the king of Canaan. [24 aLit cut off]

JUDGES 5 [Books]

The Song of Deborah and Barak

1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,

²“That athe leaders led in Israel,

That the people volunteered,

Bless the LORD! [aOr locks hung loose in]

³“Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers!

I—to the LORD, I will sing,

I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

⁴“LORD, when You went out from Seir,

When You marched from the field of Edom,

The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped,

Even the clouds dripped water.

⁵“The mountains aquaked at the presence of the LORD,

This Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel. [aLit flowed]

6 “In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

In the days of Jael, the highways awere deserted,

And travelers bwent by croundabout ways. [aLit had ceased bLit walked cLit twisted]

⁷“The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel,

Until I, Deborah, arose,

Until I arose, a mother in Israel.

⁸“New gods were chosen;

Then war was in the gates.

Not a shield or a spear was seen

Among forty thousand in Israel.

⁹“My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,

The volunteers among the people;

Bless the LORD!

¹⁰“You who ride on awhite donkeys,

You who sit on rich carpets,

And you who travel on the road—bsing! [aOr tawny bOr declare it]

¹¹“At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places,

There they shall recount the righteous deeds of the LORD,

The righteous deeds for His apeasantry in Israel.

Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates. [aOr rural dwellers]

12 “Awake, awake, Deborah;

Awake, awake, asing a song!

Arise, Barak, and take away your captives, O son of Abinoam. [aOr utter]

¹³“Then survivors came down to the nobles;

The people of the LORD came down to me as warriors.

¹⁴“From Ephraim those whose root is in Amalek came down,

Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples;

From Machir commanders came down,

And from Zebulun those who wield the staff of aoffice. [aLit the scribe]

¹⁵“And the aprinces of Issachar were with Deborah;

As was Issachar, so was Barak;

Into the valley they rushed at his bheels;

Among the divisions of Reuben

There were great resolves of heart. [aSo with ancient versions; Heb My princes bLit feet]

¹⁶“Why did you sit among the asheepfolds,

To hear the piping for the flocks?

Among the divisions of Reuben

There were great searchings of heart. [aOr saddlebags]

¹⁷“Gilead aremained across the Jordan;

And why did Dan stay in ships?

Asher sat at the seashore,

And aremained by its landings. [aOr dwelt]

¹⁸“Zebulun was a people who despised their lives even to death,

And Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

19 “The kings came and fought;

Then fought the kings of Canaan

At Taanach near the waters of Megiddo;

They took no plunder in silver.

²⁰“The stars fought from heaven,

From their courses they fought against Sisera.

²¹“The torrent of Kishon swept them away,

The ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.

O my soul, march on with strength.

²²“Then the horses’ hoofs beat

From the dashing, the dashing of his avaliant steeds. [aLit mighty ones]

²³‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD,

‘Utterly curse its inhabitants;

Because they did not come to the help of the LORD,

To the help of the LORD against the warriors.’

24 “Most blessed of women is Jael,

The wife of Heber the Kenite;

Most blessed is she of women in the tent.

²⁵“He asked for water and she gave him milk;

In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.

²⁶“She reached out her hand for the tent peg,

And her right hand for the workmen’s hammer.

Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head;

And she shattered and pierced his temple.

²⁷“Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;

Between her feet he bowed, he fell;

Where he bowed, there he fell adead. [aLit devastated]

28 “Out of the window she looked and lamented,

The mother of Sisera through the alattice,

‘Why does his chariot delay in coming?

Why do the bhoofbeats of his chariots tarry?’ [aOr window bLit steps]

²⁹“Her wise princesses would answer her,

Indeed she repeats her words to herself,

³⁰‘Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil?

A maiden, two maidens for every warrior;

To Sisera a spoil of dyed work,

A spoil of dyed work embroidered,

Dyed work of double embroidery on the aneck of the spoiler?’ [aLit necks of the spoil]

³¹“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD;

But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.”

And the land was undisturbed for forty years.

JUDGES 6 [Books]

Israel Oppressed by Midian

1 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. ²The apower of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. ³For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and bgo against them. ⁴So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth cas far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. ⁵For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it. ⁶So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the LORD. [2 aLit hand 3 bLit go up 4 cLit until your coming to]

7 Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD on account of Midian, ⁸that the LORD sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of aslavery. ⁹I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, ¹⁰and I said to you, “I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not bobeyed Me.” ’ ” [8 aLit slaves 10 bLit listened to My voice]

Gideon Is Visited

11 Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the aoak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. ¹²The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.” ¹³Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” ¹⁴The LORD blooked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” ¹⁵He said to Him, “O Lord, chow shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” ¹⁶But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall ddefeat Midian as one man.” ¹⁷So eGideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. ¹⁸Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.” [11 aOr terebinth 14 bOr turned toward 15 cLit with what 16 dLit smite 17 eLit he]

19 Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an aephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket band the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the coak and presented them. ²⁰The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. ²¹Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD dvanished from his sight. ²²When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, ehe said, “Alas, O Lord fGOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” ²³The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” ²⁴Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it gThe LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. [19 aI.e. Approx one bu bLit and he put cOr terebinth 21 dOr departed 22 eLit Gideon fHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 24 gHeb Yahweh-shalom]

25 Now on the same night the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull aand a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the bAsherah that is beside it; ²⁶and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” ²⁷Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night. [25 aOr even bI.e. wooden symbol of a female deity, also vv 26, 28, 30]

The Altar of Baal Destroyed

28 When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built. ²⁹They said to one another, “Who did this thing?” And when they searched about and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.” ³⁰Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.” ³¹But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will aplead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.” ³²Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had torn down his altar. [31 aOr contend]

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel. ³⁴So the Spirit of the LORD acame upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. ³⁵He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. [34 aLit clothed]

Sign of the Fleece

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel athrough me, as You have spoken, ³⁷behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel athrough me, as You have spoken.” ³⁸And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. ³⁹Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” ⁴⁰God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground. [36 aLit by my hand]

JUDGES 7 [Books]

Gideon’s 300 Chosen Men

1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside athe spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of bthem by the hill of Moreh in the valley. [1 aOr En-Harod bLit him]

2 The LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel awould become boastful, saying, ‘My own bpower has delivered me.’ ³Now therefore ccome, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained. [2 aLit glorify itself against me bLit hand 3 cOr please]

4 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” ⁵So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” ⁶Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. ⁷The LORD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his ahome.” ⁸So bthe 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And cGideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. [7 aLit place 8 bLit they cLit he]

9 Now the same night it came about that the LORD said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands. ¹⁰But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, ¹¹and you will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the aoutposts of the army that was in the camp. ¹²Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. ¹³When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I bhad a dream; ca loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it dupside down so that the tent lay flat.” ¹⁴His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” [11 aLit extremity of the battle array 13 bLit dreamed cLit and behold, a loaf dLit upwards]

15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” ¹⁶He divided the 300 men into three acompanies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. ¹⁷He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, bdo as I do. ¹⁸When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’ ” [16 aLit heads 17 bLit it shall come about that just as I do, so you shall do]

Confusion of the Enemy

19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. ²⁰When the three acompanies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” ²¹Each stood in his place around the camp; and all the barmy ran, crying out as they fled. ²²When they blew 300 trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole barmy; and the barmy fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. ²³The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian. [20 aLit heads 21 bOr camp]

24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down aagainst Midian and take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. ²⁵They captured the two leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from across the Jordan. [24 aLit to meet]

JUDGES 8 [Books]

Zebah and Zalmunna Routed

1 Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him vigorously. ²But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ³God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their aanger toward him subsided when he said bthat. [3 aLit spirit bLit this thing]

4 Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. ⁵He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” ⁶The leaders of Succoth said, “aAre the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?” ⁷Gideon said, “bAll right, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will cthrash your dbodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” ⁸He went up from there to ePenuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. ⁹So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, I will tear down this tower.” [6 aLit Is the palm 7 bLit For thus cOr trample dLit flesh 8 eIn Gen 32:30, Peniel]

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their aarmies with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire barmy of the sons of the east; for the fallen were 120,000 cswordsmen. ¹¹Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and dattacked the camp when the camp was eunsuspecting. ¹²When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole barmy. [10 aOr camps bOr camp cLit men who drew sword 11 dLit smote eOr secure]

13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle aby the ascent of Heres. ¹⁴And he captured a youth bfrom Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. ¹⁵He came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘cAre the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ ” ¹⁶He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he ddisciplined the men of Succoth with them. ¹⁷He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city. [13 aOr from 14 bLit of the men of 15 cLit Is the palm 16 dLit made the men...to know]

18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said, “They were like you, each one aresembling the son of a king.” ¹⁹He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.” ²⁰So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth. ²¹Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and fall on us; for as the man, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks. [18 aLit like the form of the sons]

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” ²³But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.” ²⁴Yet Gideon said to them, “I would arequest of you, that each of you give me ban earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) ²⁵They said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. ²⁶The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. ²⁷Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. [24 aLit request a request bOr a nose ring]

Forty Years of Peace

²⁸So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. ³⁰Now Gideon had seventy sons who awere his direct descendants, for he had many wives. ³¹His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he bnamed him Abimelech. ³²And Gideon the son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. [30 aLit came from his loins 31 bLit appointed his name]

33 Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god. ³⁴Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; ³⁵nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

JUDGES 9 [Books]

Abimelech’s Conspiracy

1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s arelatives, and spoke to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying, ²“Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” ³And his mother’s arelatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and bthey were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our crelative.” ⁴They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. ⁵Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. ⁶All the men of Shechem and all dBeth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the eoak of the pillar which was in Shechem. [1 aLit brothers 3 bLit their hearts inclined after cLit brother 6 dOr the house of Millo eOr terebinth]

7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. ⁸Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ ⁹But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness with awhich God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ ¹⁰Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ ¹¹But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good bfruit, and go to wave over the trees?’ ¹²Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ ¹³But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?’ ¹⁴Finally all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ ¹⁵The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in ctruth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’ [9 aLit which by me 11 bOr produce 15 cOr sincerity]

16 “Now therefore, if you have dealt in atruth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and bhave dealt with him cas he deserved— ¹⁷for my father fought for you and drisked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; ¹⁸but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your erelative— ¹⁹if then you have dealt in atruth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. ²⁰But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem and fBeth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from gBeth-millo, and consume Abimelech.” ²¹Then Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother. [16 aOr sincerity bLit if you have cLit according to the dealing of his hands 17 dLit cast his soul in front 18 eLit brother 20 fOr the house of Millo gOr the house of Millo]

Shechem and Abimelech Fall

22 Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. ²³Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, ²⁴so that the violence adone to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. ²⁵The men of Shechem set bmen in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech. [24 aLit of the seventy 25 bLit liers-in-wait for]

26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his arelatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. ²⁷They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and held a bfestival; and they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. ²⁸Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his clieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? ²⁹dWould, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.” [26 aLit brothers 27 bLit rejoicing 28 cLit overseer 29 dLit And who will give this people into my hand]

30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned. ³¹He sent messengers to Abimelech adeceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brelatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are cstirring up the city against you. ³²Now therefore, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. ³³In the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall do to them dwhatever you can.” [31 aOr in Tormah bLit brothers cLit besieging 33 dLit as your hand can find]

34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four acompanies. ³⁵Now Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. ³⁶When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “bLook, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” ³⁷Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from the chighest part of the land, and one dcompany comes by the way of ethe diviners’ foak.” ³⁸Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your gboasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them!” ³⁹So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. ⁴⁰Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many fell wounded up to the entrance of the gate. ⁴¹Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his hrelatives so that they could not remain in Shechem. [34 aLit heads 36 bLit Behold 37 cOr center dLit head eHeb Elommeonenim fOr terebinth 38 gLit mouth 41 hLit brothers]

42 Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. ⁴³So he took ahis people and divided them into three bcompanies, and lay in wait in the field; when he looked and csaw the people coming out from the city, he arose against them and dslew them. ⁴⁴Then Abimelech and the ecompany who was with him dashed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; the other two bcompanies then dashed against all who were in the field and dslew them. ⁴⁵Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he razed the city and sowed it with salt. [43 aLit the bLit heads cLit behold dLit smote 44 eSingular with Gr; Heb plural, heads]

46 When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the inner chamber of the atemple of El-berith. ⁴⁷It was told Abimelech that all the leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. ⁴⁸So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took ban axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do clikewise.” ⁴⁹All the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women. [46 aLit house 48 bLit the axes cLit like me]

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. ⁵¹But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. ⁵²So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. ⁵³But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. ⁵⁴Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman slew him.’ ” So athe young man pierced him through, and he died. ⁵⁵When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each departed to his bhome. ⁵⁶Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. ⁵⁷Also God returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came cupon them. [54 aLit his 55 bLit place 57 cLit to]

JUDGES 10 [Books]

Oppression of Philistines and Ammonites

1 Now after Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel; and he lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. ²He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

3 After him, Jair the Gileadite arose and judged Israel twenty-two years. ⁴He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities ain the land of Gilead that are called bHavvoth-jair to this day. ⁵And Jair died and was buried in Kamon. [4 aLit which are in bI.e. the towns of Jair]

6 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. ⁷The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon. ⁸They aafflicted and crushed the sons of Israel bthat year; for eighteen years they afflicted all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan cin Gilead in the land of the Amorites. ⁹The sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed. [8 aLit shattered bLit in that cLit which is in]

10 Then the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for indeed, we have forsaken our God and served the Baals.” ¹¹The LORD said to the sons of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the sons of Ammon, and the Philistines? ¹²Also when the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hands. ¹³Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you. ¹⁴Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.” ¹⁵The sons of Israel said to the LORD, “We have sinned, do to us whatever seems good to You; only please deliver us this day.” ¹⁶So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD; and aHe could bear the misery of Israel no longer. [16 aLit His soul was short with the misery]

17 Then the sons of Ammon were summoned and they camped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel gathered together and camped in Mizpah. ¹⁸The people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

JUDGES 11 [Books]

Jephthah the Ninth Judge

1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a avaliant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead bwas the father of Jephthah. ²Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” ³So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob; and worthless fellows gathered themselves cabout Jephthah, and they went out with him. [1 aOr mighty man of valor bLit begat 3 cLit to]

4 It came about after a while that the sons of Ammon fought against Israel. ⁵When the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob; ⁶and they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief that we may fight against the sons of Ammon.” ⁷Then Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me from my father’s house? So why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?” ⁸The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “For this reason we have now returned to you, that you may go with us and fight with the sons of Ammon and become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” ⁹So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the LORD gives them up ato me, will I become your head?” ¹⁰The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is bwitness between us; surely we will do cas you have said.” ¹¹Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD at Mizpah. [9 aLit before 10 bLit hearer cLit according to your word]

12 Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” ¹³The king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceably now.” ¹⁴But Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon, ¹⁵and they said to him, “Thus says Jephthah, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon. ¹⁶For when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the aRed Sea and came to Kadesh, ¹⁷then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us pass through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. And they also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh. ¹⁸Then they went through the wilderness and around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came to the east side of the land of Moab, and they camped beyond the Arnon; but they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. ¹⁹And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.” ²⁰But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people and camped in Jahaz and fought with Israel. ²¹The LORD, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they bdefeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. ²²So they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan. ²³Since now the LORD, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites from before His people Israel, are you then to possess it? ²⁴Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God has driven out before us, we will possess it. ²⁵Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them? ²⁶While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? ²⁷I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; may the LORD, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’ ” ²⁸But the king of the sons of Ammon cdisregarded the message which Jephthah sent him. [16 aLit Sea of Reeds 21 bLit smote 28 cLit did not listen to the words]

Jephthah’s Tragic Vow

29 Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. ³⁰Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, ³¹then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” ³²So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD gave them into his hand. ³³He struck them with a very great slaughter from Aroer ato the entrance of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel. [33 aLit even until you are coming to]

34 When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. ³⁵When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have agiven my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.” ³⁶So she said to him, “My father, you have bgiven your word to the LORD; do to me cas you have said, since the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” ³⁷She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may dgo to the mountains and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions.” ³⁸Then he said, “Go.” So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity. ³⁹At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she ehad no relations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel, ⁴⁰that the daughters of Israel went yearly to fcommemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year. [35 aLit opened my mouth 36 bLit opened your mouth cLit according to what has proceeded from your mouth 37 dLit go and go down on 39 eLit knew no man 40 fLit recount; ancient versions, lament]

JUDGES 12 [Books]

Jephthah and His Successors

1 Then the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they crossed ato Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you.” ²Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand. ³When I saw that you would not deliver me, I btook my life in my hands and crossed over against the sons of Ammon, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” ⁴Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim; and the men of Gilead cdefeated Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, O Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.” ⁵The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Ephraim. And it happened when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” ⁶then they would say to him, “Say now, ‘Shibboleth.’ ” But he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not dpronounce it correctly. Then they seized him and slew him at the fords of the Jordan. Thus there fell at that time 42,000 of Ephraim. [1 aOr northward 3 bLit put my soul in my palm 4 cLit smote 6 dLit speak so]

7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

8 Now Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel after him. ⁹He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he agave in marriage outside the family, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. ¹⁰Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem. [9 aLit sent outside]

11 Now Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel after him; and he judged Israel ten years. ¹²Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

13 Now Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel after him. ¹⁴He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel eight years. ¹⁵Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

JUDGES 13 [Books]

Philistines Oppress Again

1 Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, so that the LORD gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.

2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no children. ³Then the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son. ⁴Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. ⁵For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” ⁶Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. ⁷But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’ ”

8 Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.” ⁹God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. ¹⁰So the woman ran quickly and told her ahusband, “Behold, the man who bcame the other day has appeared to me.” ¹¹Then Manoah arose and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to the woman?” And he said, “I am.” ¹²Manoah said, “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?” ¹³So the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Let the woman pay attention cto all that I said. ¹⁴She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; let her observe all that I commanded.” [10 aLit husband, and said to him bLit came to me 13 cLit from]

15 Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you.” ¹⁶The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I will not eat your afood, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD. ¹⁷Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?” ¹⁸But the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is bwonderful?” ¹⁹So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the LORD, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on. ²⁰For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. [16 aLit bread 18 bI.e. incomprehensible]

21 Now the angel of the LORD did not appear to Manoah or his wife again. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD. ²²So Manoah said to his wife, “We will surely die, for we have seen God.” ²³But his wife said to him, “If the LORD had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time.”

24 Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the LORD blessed him. ²⁵And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in aMahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. [25 aI.e. the camp of Dan]

JUDGES 14 [Books]

Samson’s Marriage

1 Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. ²So he came aback and told his father and bmother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” ³Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your crelatives, or among all dour people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she elooks good to me.” ⁴However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel. [2 aLit up bLit mother, saying, 3 cLit brothers dLit my eLit is right in my eyes]

5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. ⁶The Spirit of the LORD acame upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. ⁷So he went down and talked to the woman; and she blooked good to Samson. ⁸When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion. ⁹So he scraped cthe honey into his dhands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion. [6 aLit rushed upon 7 bLit was right in Samson’s eyes 9 cLit it dLit palms]

10 Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this. ¹¹When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Samson’s Riddle

¹²Then Samson said to them, “Let me now propound a riddle to you; if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes. ¹³But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Propound your riddle, that we may hear it.” ¹⁴So he said to them,

“Out of the eater came something to eat,

And out of the strong came something sweet.”

But they could not tell the riddle in three days.

15 Then it came about on the afourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?” ¹⁶Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?” ¹⁷However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people. ¹⁸So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

“What is sweeter than honey?

And what is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,

You would not have found out my riddle.”

¹⁹Then the Spirit of the LORD bcame upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house. ²⁰But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his cfriend. [15 aSo with some ancient versions; Heb seventh 19 bLit rushed upon 20 cOr best man]

JUDGES 15 [Books]

Samson Burns Philistine Crops

1 But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter. ²Her father said, “I really thought that you hated her intensely; so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister amore beautiful than she? Please let her be yours binstead.” ³Samson then said to them, “This time I shall be blameless in regard to the Philistines when I do them harm.” ⁴Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in the middle between two tails. ⁵When he had set fire to the torches, he released cthe foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, thus burning up both the shocks and the standing grain, along with the vineyards and groves. ⁶Then the Philistines said, “Who did this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because dhe took his wife and gave her to his companion.” So the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire. ⁷Samson said to them, “Since you act like this, I will surely take revenge on you, but after that I will quit.” ⁸He struck them eruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam. [2 aLit better bLit instead of her 5 cLit them 6 dI.e. the Timnite 8 eLit leg on thigh]

9 Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah, and spread out in Lehi. ¹⁰The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson in order to do to him as he did to us.” ¹¹Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” ¹²They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not akill me.” ¹³So they said to bhim, “No, but we will bind you fast and give you into their hands; yet surely we will not kill you.” Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock. [12 aLit fall upon me yourselves 13 bLit him, saying]

14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of the LORD acame upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds bdropped from his hands. ¹⁵He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he creached out and took it and dkilled a thousand men with it. ¹⁶Then Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,

eHeaps upon heaps,

With the jawbone of a donkey

I have fkilled a thousand men.”

¹⁷When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place gRamath-lehi. ¹⁸Then he became very thirsty, and he called to the LORD and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant, and now hshall I die of thirst iand fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” ¹⁹But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi so that water came out of it. When he drank, his jstrength returned and he revived. Therefore he named it kEn-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. ²⁰So he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines. [14 aLit rushed upon bLit were melted 15 cLit stretched out his hand dLit smote 16 eLit Heap, two heaps; Heb is same root as donkey fLit smitten 17 gI.e. the high place of the jawbone 18 hOr I shall...uncircumcised iOr or 19 jLit spirit kI.e. the spring of him who called]

JUDGES 16 [Books]

Samson’s Weakness

1 Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. ²When it was told to the Gazites, saying, “Samson has come here,” they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. And they kept silent all night, saying, “Let us wait until the morning light, then we will kill him.” ³Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.

4 After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. ⁵The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and ahow we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” ⁶So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength is and ahow you may be bound to afflict you.” ⁷Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” ⁸Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. ⁹Now she had men lying in wait in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the cords as a string of tow snaps when it btouches fire. So his strength was not discovered. [5 aLit by what 9 bLit smells]

10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and told me lies; now please tell me ahow you may be bound.” ¹¹He said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes bwhich have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” ¹²So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” For the men were lying in wait in the inner room. But he snapped cthe ropes from his arms like a thread. [10 aLit by what 11 bLit with which work has not been done 12 cLit them]

13 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies; tell me ahow you may be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my bhair with the web c[and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” ¹⁴So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his bhair and wove them into the web]. And she fastened it with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web. [13 aLit by what bLit head cThe passage in brackets is found in Gr but not in any Heb mss]

Delilah Extracts His Secret

15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have deceived me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.” ¹⁶It came about when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was aannoyed to death. ¹⁷So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, “A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man.” [16 aLit impatient to the point of]

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. ¹⁹She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his ahair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. ²⁰She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. ²¹Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. ²²However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off. [19 aLit head]

23 Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said,

“Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.”

²⁴When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said,

“Our god has given our enemy into our hands,

Even the destroyer of our country,

Who has slain many of us.”

²⁵It so happened when athey were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he bentertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. ²⁶Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” ²⁷Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them. [25 aLit their heart was pleasant bLit made sport before them]

Samson Is Avenged

28 Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord aGOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” ²⁹Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. ³⁰And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with ball his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life. ³¹Then his brothers and all his father’s household came down, took him, brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. Thus he had judged Israel twenty years. [28 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 30 bLit strength]

JUDGES 17 [Books]

Micah’s Idolatry

1 Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. ²He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse ain my hearing, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD.” ³He then returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the LORD for my son to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore, I will return bthem to you.” ⁴So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made bthem into a graven image and a molten image, and cthey were in the house of Micah. ⁵And the man Micah had a dshrine and he made an ephod and ehousehold idols and fconsecrated one of his sons, that he might become his priest. ⁶In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes. [2 aLit and also spoke it in my ears 3 bLit it 4 cLit it was 5 dLit house of gods eHeb teraphim fLit filled the hand of]

7 Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was astaying there. ⁸Then the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to bstay wherever he might find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. ⁹Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to bstay wherever I may find a place.” ¹⁰Micah then said to him, “Dwell with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your maintenance.” So the Levite went in. ¹¹The Levite agreed to live with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. ¹²So Micah cconsecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest and dlived in the house of Micah. ¹³Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, seeing I have a Levite as priest.” [7 aOr sojourning 8 bOr sojourn 12 cLit filled the hand of dLit was]

JUDGES 18 [Books]

Danites Seek Territory

1 In those days there was no king of Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for themselves to live in, for until that day aan inheritance had not bbeen allotted to them as a possession among the tribes of Israel. ²So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, cvaliant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, “Go, search the land.” And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. ³When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned aside there and said to him, “Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?” ⁴He said to them, “Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me and I have become his priest.” ⁵They said to him, “Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether our way on which we are going will be prosperous.” ⁶The priest said to them, “Go in peace; your way in which you are going dhas the LORD’S approval.” [1 aLit it bLit fallen 2 cLit men, sons of valor 6 dLit is before the LORD]

7 Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were in it living in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no aruler humiliating them for anything in the land, and they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. ⁸When they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?” ⁹They said, “Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And will you bsit still? Do not delay to go, to enter, to possess the land. ¹⁰When you enter, you will come to a secure people with a spacious land; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth.” [7 aLit possessor of restraint 9 bLit be]

11 Then from the family of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, six hundred men armed with weapons of war set out. ¹²They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place aMahaneh-dan to this day; behold, it is bwest of Kiriath-jearim. ¹³They passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah. [12 aI.e. the camp of Dan bLit behind]

Danites Take Micah’s Idols

14 Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish said to their kinsmen, “Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod and ahousehold idols and a graven image and a molten image? Now therefore, consider what you should do.” ¹⁵They turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. ¹⁶The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate. ¹⁷Now the five men who went to spy out the land went up and entered there, and took the graven image and the ephod and ahousehold idols and the molten image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. ¹⁸When these went into Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod and ahousehold idols and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” ¹⁹They said to him, “Be silent, put your hand over your mouth and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?” ²⁰The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod and ahousehold idols and the graven image and went among the people. [14 aHeb teraphim]

21 Then they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the livestock and the valuables in front of them. ²²When they had gone some distance from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house assembled and overtook the sons of Dan. ²³They cried to the sons of Dan, who turned aaround and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you have assembled together?” ²⁴He said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what do I have besides? So how can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’ ” ²⁵The sons of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, or else bfierce men will fall upon you and you will close your life, with the lives of your household.” ²⁶So the sons of Dan went on their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house. [23 aLit their faces 25 bLit bitter of soul cLit gather]

27 Then they took what Micah had made and the priest who had belonged to him, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burned the city with fire. ²⁸And there was no one to deliver them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone, and it was in the valley which is near Beth-rehob. And they rebuilt the city and lived in it. ²⁹They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish. ³⁰The sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of aManasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. ³¹So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image which he had made, all the time that the house of God was at Shiloh. [30 aSome ancient versions read Moses]

JUDGES 19 [Books]

A Levite’s Concubine Degraded

1 Now it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite astaying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah. ²But his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of four months. ³Then her husband arose and went after her to speak btenderly to her in order to bring her back, ctaking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. So she brought him into her father’s house, and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him. ⁴His father-in-law, the girl’s father, detained him; and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there. ⁵Now on the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he dprepared to go; and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Sustain eyourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.” ⁶So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.” ⁷Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again. ⁸On the fifth day he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl’s father said, “Please sustain eyourself, and wait until fafternoon”; so both of them ate. ⁹When the man arose to go along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now, the day has drawn gto a close; please spend the night. Lo, the day is hcoming to an end; spend the night here that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go ihome.” [1 aOr sojourning 3 bLit to her heart cLit and 5 dLit arose eLit your heart 8 fLit the day declines 9 gLit toward evening hLit declining iLit to your tent]

10 But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him. ¹¹When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and the servant said to his master, “Please come, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” ¹²However, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; but we will go on as far as Gibeah.” ¹³He said to his servant, “Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” ¹⁴So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. ¹⁵They turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When athey entered, athey sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night. [15 aSo with Gr; M.T. he]

16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was astaying in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites. ¹⁷And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?” ¹⁸He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to bmy house, and no man will take me into his house. ¹⁹Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, cyour maidservant, and the young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.” ²⁰The old man said, “Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square.” ²¹So he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank. [16 aOr sojourning 18 bHeb the house of the LORD, cf v 29 19 cI.e. my concubine]

22 While they were acelebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain bworthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have crelations with him.” ²³Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly. ²⁴Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them dwhatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.” ²⁵But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn. ²⁶eAs the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight. [22 aLit making their hearts merry bLit sons of Belial cLit intercourse 24 dLit the good in your eyes 26 eLit At the turning of the morning]

27 When her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. ²⁸He said to her, “Get up and let us go,” but there was no answer. Then he placed her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his ahome. ²⁹When he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. ³⁰All who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel and speak up!” [28 aLit place]

JUDGES 20 [Books]

Resolve to Punish the Guilty

1 Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to the LORD at Mizpah. ²The achiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 foot bsoldiers who drew the sword. ³(Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness take place?” ⁴So the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “I came with my concubine to spend the night at Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. ⁵But the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they ravished my concubine so that she died. ⁶And I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. ⁷Behold, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here.” [2 aLit cornerstones bLit men]

8 Then all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us return to his house. ⁹But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot. ¹⁰And we will take 10 men out of 100 throughout the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of 1,000, and 1,000 out of 10,000 to asupply food for the people, that when they come to bGibeah of Benjamin, they may cpunish them for all the disgraceful acts that they have committed in Israel.” ¹¹Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man. [10 aLit take bHeb Geba cLit do]

12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire atribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you? ¹³Now then, deliver up the men, the bworthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. ¹⁴The sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. ¹⁵From the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were cnumbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were cnumbered, 700 choice men. ¹⁶Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. [12 aLit tribes 13 bLit sons of Belial 15 cOr mustered]

17 Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were anumbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war. [17 aOr mustered]

Civil War, Benjamin Defeated

18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, “Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then the LORD said, “Judah shall go up first.”

19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. ²⁰The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah. ²¹Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and afelled to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. ²²But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day. ²³The sons of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And the LORD said, “Go up against him.” [21 aLit destroyed]

24 Then the sons of Israel acame against the sons of Benjamin the second day. ²⁵Benjamin went out bagainst them from Gibeah the second day and cfelled to the ground again 18,000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword. ²⁶Then all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. ²⁷The sons of Israel inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, ²⁸and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron’s son, stood before it to minister in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And the LORD said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.” [24 aLit approached 25 bLit to meet cLit destroyed]

29 So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. ³⁰The sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. ³¹The sons of Benjamin went out aagainst the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike band kill some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. ³²The sons of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways.” ³³Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. ³⁴When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became cfierce; but dBenjamin did not know that edisaster was fclose to them. ³⁵And the LORD struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all gwho draw the sword. [31 aLit to meet bLit slain ones 34 cLit heavy dLit they eLit evil fLit touching 35 gLit these]

36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were adefeated. When the men of Israel gave bground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah, ³⁷the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush also deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. ³⁸Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city. ³⁹Then the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike cand kill about thirty men of Israel, for they said, “Surely they are adefeated before us, as in the first battle.” ⁴⁰But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. ⁴¹Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that ddisaster was eclose to them. ⁴²Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them. ⁴³They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest and trod them down opposite Gibeah toward the feast. ⁴⁴Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant warriors. ⁴⁵gThe rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they hcaught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them iat Gidom and jkilled 2,000 of them. ⁴⁶So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who draw the sword; all these were valiant warriors. ⁴⁷But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. ⁴⁸The men of Israel then turned back against the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle and all that they found; they also set on fire all the cities which they found. [36 aLit smitten bLit place 39 cLit slain ones 41 dLit evil eLit touching 43 fLit sunrise 45 gSo with Gr; Heb And they hLit gleaned iLit as far as jLit smote]

JUDGES 21 [Books]

Mourning Lost Tribe

1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin ain marriage.” ²So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and lifted up their voices and wept bbitterly. ³They said, “Why, O LORD, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?” ⁴It came about the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. [1 aLit for a wife 2 bLit with great weeping]

5 Then the sons of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?” For athey had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the LORD at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” ⁶And the sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel today. ⁷What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?” [5 aLit there was a great oath]

Provision for Their Survival

8 And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD at Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. ⁹For when the people were anumbered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. ¹⁰And the congregation sent 12,000 of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones. ¹¹This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has blain with a man.” ¹²And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with chim; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. [9 aOr mustered 11 bLit known lying with 12 cLit a male]

13 Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them. ¹⁴Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they awere not enough for them. ¹⁵And the people were sorry for Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. [14 aLit did not find it so]

16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?” ¹⁷They said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel. ¹⁸But we cannot give them wives of our daughters.” For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”

19 So they said, “Behold, there is a feast of the LORD from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah.” ²⁰And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, ²¹and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to atake part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. ²²It shall come about, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we shall say to them, ‘Give them to us voluntarily, because we did not take for each man of Benjamin ba wife in battle, cnor did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.’ ” ²³The sons of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they carried away. And they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the cities and lived in them. ²⁴The sons of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and each one of them went out from there to his inheritance. [21 aLit dance 22 bLit his cLit because]

25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

RUTH 1 [Books]

Naomi Widowed

1 Now it came about in the days when the judges agoverned, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab bwith his wife and his two sons. ²The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. ³Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. ⁴They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. ⁵Then cboth Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband. [1 aOr judged bLit he, and 5 cLit both of them]

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the LORD had visited His people in giving them food. ⁷So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. ⁸And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. ⁹May the LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. ¹⁰And they said to her, “No, but we will surely return with you to your people.” ¹¹But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? ¹²Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, ¹³would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is aharder for me than for you, for the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me.” [13 aLit more bitter]

Ruth’s Loyalty

¹⁴And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” ¹⁶But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. ¹⁷Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” ¹⁸When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she asaid no more to her. [18 aLit ceased to speak]

19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and athe women said, “Is this Naomi?” ²⁰She said to them, “Do not call me bNaomi; call me cMara, for dthe Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has witnessed against me and dthe Almighty has afflicted me?” [19 aLit they 20 bI.e. pleasant cI.e. bitter dHeb Shaddai]

22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

RUTH 2 [Books]

Ruth Gleans in Boaz’ Field

1 Now Naomi had aa kinsman of her husband, a bman of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. ²And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” ³So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and cshe happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. ⁴Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the LORD be with you.” And they said to him, “May the LORD bless you.” ⁵Then Boaz said to his servant who was din charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” ⁶The servant ein charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. ⁷And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.” [1 aOr an acquaintance bOr mighty, valiant man 3 cLit her chance chanced upon 5 dLit appointed over 6 eLit who was appointed over]

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “aListen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. ⁹Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the bwater jars and drink from what the servants draw.” ¹⁰Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” ¹¹Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. ¹²May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” ¹³Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken ckindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” [8 aLit Have you not heard 9 bLit vessels 13 cLit to the heart of your]

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “aCome here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he bserved her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left. ¹⁵When she rose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. ¹⁶Also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” [14 aLit Draw near bLit held out to]

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. ¹⁸She took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took it out and gave aNaomi what she had left after bshe was satisfied. ¹⁹Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” ²⁰Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the LORD who has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is cour relative, he is one of our dclosest relatives.” ²¹Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “eFurthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” ²²Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that others do not fall upon you in another field.” ²³So she stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law. [18 aLit her bLit her satiety 20 cLit near to us dLit redeemers 21 eLit Also that]

RUTH 3 [Books]

Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek asecurity for you, that it may be well with you? ²Now is not Boaz our bkinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight. ³Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴It shall be when he lies down, that you shall cnotice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.” ⁵She said to her, “All that you say I will do.” [1 aLit rest 2 bOr acquaintance 4 cLit know]

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. ⁷When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. ⁸It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and abent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. ⁹He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a bclose relative.” ¹⁰Then he said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. ¹¹Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you cask, for all my people in the dcity know that you are a woman of excellence. ¹²Now it is true I am a bclose relative; however, there is a brelative closer than I. ¹³Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will eredeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to eredeem you, then I will redeem you, as the LORD lives. Lie down until morning.” [8 aLit twisted himself 9 bOr redeemer 11 cLit say dLit gate 13 eOr act as close relative to]

14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” ¹⁵Again he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then ashe went into the city. ¹⁶When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “bHow did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. ¹⁷She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” ¹⁸Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter cturns out; for the man will not rest until he has dsettled it today.” [15 aSo with many mss; M.T. he 16 bLit Who are you? 18 cLit falls dLit finished the matter]

RUTH 4 [Books]

The Marriage of Ruth

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the aclose relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, bfriend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. ²He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. ³Then he said to the cclosest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. ⁴So I thought to dinform you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if enot, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.” ⁵Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” ⁶The cclosest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would fjeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.” [1 aOr redeemer bLit a certain one 3 cLit redeemer 4 dLit uncover your ear eLit no one will redeem 6 fLit ruin]

7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. ⁸So the aclosest relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. ⁹Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the bcourt of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” ¹¹All the people who were in the bcourt, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve cwealth in Ephrathah and dbecome famous in Bethlehem. ¹²Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the eoffspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.” [8 aLit redeemer 10 bLit gate 11 cOr power dLit call the name in 12 eLit seed]

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the LORD aenabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a bredeemer today, and may his name cbecome famous in Israel. ¹⁵May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you dand is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” [13 aLit gave her conception 14 bOr closest relative cLit be called in 15 dLit who]

The Line of David Began Here

¹⁶Then Naomi took the child aand laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. ¹⁷The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. [16 aI.e. as her own]

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez awas born Hezron, ¹⁹and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, ²⁰and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, ²¹and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, ²²and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David. [18 aLit begot, and so through v 22]

1 SAMUEL 1 [Books]

Elkanah and His Wives

1 Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ²He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD there. ⁴When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; ⁵but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb. ⁶Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. ⁷It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. ⁸Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. ¹⁰She, agreatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. ¹¹She made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a bson, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” [10 aLit bitter of soul 11 bLit seed of men]

12 Now it came about, as she acontinued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. ¹³As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. ¹⁴Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” ¹⁵But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman boppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. ¹⁶Do not cconsider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and dprovocation.” ¹⁷Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” ¹⁸She said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. [12 aLit multiplied 15 bLit severe 16 cLit give dLit my provocation]

Samuel Is Born to Hannah

19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah ahad relations with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. ²⁰It came about bin due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.” [19 aLit knew 20 bLit at the circuit of the days]

21 Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. ²²But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and stay there forever.” ²³Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best ato you. Remain until you have weaned him; only may the LORD confirm His word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. ²⁴Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young. ²⁵Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. ²⁶She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD. ²⁷For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. ²⁸So I have also bdedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is bdedicated to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there. [23 aLit in your eyes 28 bLit lent]

1 SAMUEL 2 [Books]

Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving

1 Then Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the LORD;

My ahorn is exalted in the LORD,

My mouth bspeaks boldly against my enemies,

Because I rejoice in Your salvation. [1 aI.e. strength bLit is enlarged]

²“There is no one holy like the LORD,

Indeed, there is no one besides You,

Nor is there any rock like our God.

³“aBoast no more so very proudly,

Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;

For the LORD is a God of knowledge,

And with Him actions are weighed. [aLit Talk much]

⁴“The bows of the mighty are shattered,

But the feeble gird on strength.

⁵“Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,

But those who were hungry cease to hunger.

Even the barren gives birth to seven,

But she who has many children languishes.

⁶“The LORD kills and makes alive;

He brings down to aSheol and raises up. [aI.e. the nether world]

⁷“The LORD makes poor and rich;

He brings low, He also exalts.

⁸“He raises the poor from the dust,

He lifts the needy from the ash heap

To make them sit with nobles,

And inherit a seat of honor;

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S,

And He set the world on them.

⁹“He keeps the feet of His godly ones,

But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;

For not by might shall a man prevail.

¹⁰“Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered;

Against them He will thunder in the heavens,

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;

And He will give strength to His king,

And will exalt the ahorn of His anointed.” [aI.e. strength]

11 Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

The Sin of Eli’s Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were aworthless men; they did not know the LORD ¹³and the custom of the priests with the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. ¹⁴Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. ¹⁵Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat for roasting, as he will not take boiled meat from you, only raw.” ¹⁶If the man said to him, “They must surely bburn the fat cfirst, and then take as much as dyou desire,” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.” ¹⁷Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for the men despised the offering of the LORD. [12 aLit sons of Belial 16 bLit offer up in smoke cLit like the day dLit your soul]

Samuel before the LORD as a Boy

18 Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy awearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the LORD give you bchildren from this woman in place of cthe one she dedicated to the LORD.” And they went to their own dhome. [18 aLit girded with 20 bLit seed cLit the one asked for which was lent dLit place]

21 The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ²³He said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? ²⁴No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear athe LORD’S people circulating. ²⁵If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death. [24 aOr making the LORD’S people transgress]

26 Now the boy Samuel awas growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men. [26 aLit was going on both great and good]

27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? ²⁸Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? ²⁹Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the achoicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ ³⁰Therefore the LORD God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the LORD declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. ³¹Behold, the days are coming when I will break your bstrength and the bstrength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house. ³²You will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that cI do for Israel; and an old man will not be in your house forever. ³³Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar dso that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die ein the prime of life. ³⁴This will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them will die. ³⁵But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always. ³⁶Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a fpiece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, “Please gassign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.” ’ ” [29 aOr first 31 bOr arm 32 cLit He does 33 dLit to waste away your eyes and to grieve your soul eLit as men 36 fOr payment gLit attach]

1 SAMUEL 3 [Books]

The Prophetic Call to Samuel

1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, avisions were infrequent. [1 aLit no vision spread abroad]

2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), ³and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, ⁴that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” ⁵Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down. ⁶The LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he aanswered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.” ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. ⁸So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. ⁹And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. [6 aLit said]

10 Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” ¹¹The LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. ¹²In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. ¹⁴Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹⁷He said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” ¹⁸So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.”

19 Thus Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words afail. ²⁰All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. ²¹And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, because the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. [19 aLit fall to the ground]

1 SAMUEL 4 [Books]

Philistines Take the Ark in Victory

1 Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside Ebenezer while the Philistines camped in Aphek. ²The Philistines drew up in battle array to meet Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was adefeated before the Philistines who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. ³When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that bit may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.” ⁴So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. [2 aLit smitten 3 bOr he]

5 As the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded. ⁶When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. ⁷The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. ⁸Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. ⁹Take courage and be men, O Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight.”

10 So the Philistines fought and Israel was adefeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. [10 aLit smitten]

12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and adust on his head. ¹³When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat bby the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. So the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out. ¹⁴When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?” Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli. ¹⁵Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were set so that he could not see. ¹⁶The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.” And he said, “How did things go, my son?” ¹⁷Then the one who brought the news replied, “Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.” ¹⁸When he mentioned the ark of God, cEli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for dhe was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years. [12 aLit ground 13 bGr version reads beside the gate watching the road 18 cLit he dLit the man]

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. ²⁰And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. ²¹And she called the boy aIchabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. ²²She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.” [21 aI.e. No glory]

1 SAMUEL 5 [Books]

Capture of the Ark Provokes God

1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ²Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. ³When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. ⁴But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; aonly the trunk of Dagon was left to him. ⁵Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. [4 aSo with ancient versions; Heb only Dagon]

6 Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories. ⁷When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” ⁸So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around. ⁹After they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. ¹⁰So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to aus, to kill aus and bour people.” ¹¹They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill aus and bour people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. ¹²And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven. [10 aLit me bLit my]

1 SAMUEL 6 [Books]

The Ark Returned to Israel

1 Now the ark of the LORD had been in the acountry of the Philistines seven months. ²And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us bhow we shall send it to its place.” ³They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but you shall surely return to Him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.” ⁴Then they said, “What shall be the guilt offering which we shall return to Him?” And they said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on all of cyou and on your lords. ⁵So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will ease His hand from you, your gods, and your land. ⁶Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, did they not allow cthe people to go, and they departed? ⁷Now therefore, take and prepare a new cart and two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves home, away from them. ⁸Take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering in a box by its side. Then send it away that it may go. ⁹Watch, if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.” [1 aLit field 2 bOr with what 4 cLit them]

10 Then the men did so, and took two milch cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. ¹¹They put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the box with the golden mice and the likenesses of their tumors. ¹²And the cows took the straight way in the adirection of Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh. [12 aLit way]

13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it. ¹⁴The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stood there where there was a large stone; and they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. ¹⁵The Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the LORD. ¹⁶When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.

17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron; ¹⁸and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages. The large astone on which they set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite. [18 aSo some mss and versions; Heb Abel]

19 He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. ²⁰The men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?” ²¹So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up to you.”

1 SAMUEL 7 [Books]

Deliverance from the Philistines

1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. ²From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.

5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the LORD for you.” ⁶They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7 Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. ⁸Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him. ¹⁰Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great athunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were brouted before Israel. ¹¹The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car. [10 aLit voice bLit smitten]

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it aEbenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” ¹³So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. [12 aI.e. The stone of help]

Samuel’s Ministry

15 Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. ¹⁷Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the LORD.

1 SAMUEL 8 [Books]

Israel Demands a King

1 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. ²Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. ³His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; ⁵and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶But the thing was adispleasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. ⁷The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. ⁸Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. ⁹Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly bwarn them and tell them of the cprocedure of the king who will reign over them.” [6 aOr evil 9 bLit testify to cLit custom]

Warning concerning a King

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king. ¹¹He said, “This will be the aprocedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. ¹²He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to bdo his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. ¹⁵He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. ¹⁶He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and cuse them for his work. ¹⁷He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. ¹⁸Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” [11 aLit custom 12 bLit plow his plowing 16 cLit make]

19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, ²⁰that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” ²¹Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD’S hearing. ²²The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and aappoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” [22 aLit cause a king to reign for them]

1 SAMUEL 9 [Books]

Saul’s Search

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of avalor. ²He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people. [1 aOr wealth or influence]

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the servants, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” ⁴He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, 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.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, or else my father will cease to be concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious for us.” ⁶He said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” ⁷Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” ⁸The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us our way.” ⁹(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now 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.

11 As they went up the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” ¹²They answered them and said, “He is; asee, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, for the people have a sacrifice on the high place today. ¹³As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up for you will find him at once.” ¹⁴So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place. [12 aOr behold]

God’s Choice for King

15 Now a day before Saul’s coming, the LORD had arevealed this to Samuel saying, ¹⁶“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.” ¹⁷When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD bsaid to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” ¹⁸Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” ¹⁹Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. ²⁰As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” ²¹Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ctribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?” [15 aLit uncovered the ear 17 bLit answered 21 cSo some ancient versions; Heb tribes]

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. ²³Samuel said to the cook, “aBring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it baside.’ ” ²⁴Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, csince I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. [23 aLit Give bLit with you 24 cLit saying]

25 When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the aroof. ²⁶And they arose early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. ²⁷As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you.” [25 aGr adds and they spread a bed for Saul on the roof and he slept]

1 SAMUEL 10 [Books]

Saul among Prophets

1 Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance? ²When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has aceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’ ³Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the boak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; ⁴and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand. ⁵Afterward you will come to cthe hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. ⁶Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. ⁷It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what dthe occasion requires, for God is with you. ⁸And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.” [2 aLit abandoned the matter of 3 bOr terebinth 5 cOr Gibeath-haelohim 7 dLit your hand finds]

9 Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed ahis heart; and all those signs came about on that day. ¹⁰When they came to bthe hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them. ¹¹It came about, when all who knew him previously saw that he prophesied now with the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” ¹²A man there said, “Now, who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ¹³When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place. [9 aLit for him another heart 10 bOr Gibeath]

14 Now Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.” ¹⁵Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.” ¹⁶So Saul said 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 which Samuel had mentioned.

Saul Publicly Chosen King

17 Thereafter Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah; ¹⁸and he said to the sons of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the apower of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ ¹⁹But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have bsaid, ‘No, but set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.” [18 aLit hand 19 bSo with several mss and versions; M.T. said to Him]

20 Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. ²¹Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found. ²²Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” So the LORD said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.” ²³So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. ²⁴Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “aLong live the king!” [24 aLit May the king live]

25 Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and placed it before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house. ²⁶Saul also went to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him. ²⁷But certain aworthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent. [27 aLit sons of Belial, cf 2 Cor 6:15]

1 SAMUEL 11 [Books]

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1 Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and abesieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.” ²But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel.” ³The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.” ⁴Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept. [1 aLit camped against]

5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and ahe said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh. ⁶Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and bhe became very angry. ⁷He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man. ⁸He cnumbered them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. ⁹They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’ ” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. ¹⁰Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good dto you.” ¹¹The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. [5 aLit Saul 6 bLit his anger burned exceedingly 8 cLit mustered 10 dLit in your sight]

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ aBring the men, that we may put them to death.” ¹³But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.” [12 aLit Give]

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.” ¹⁵So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

1 SAMUEL 12 [Books]

Samuel Addresses Israel

1 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me and I have aappointed a king over you. ²Now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day. ³Here I am; bear witness against me before the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you.” ⁴They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand.” ⁵He said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.” [1 aLit made]

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who aappointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. ⁷So now, take your stand, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did for you and your fathers. ⁸When Jacob went into Egypt and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron bwho brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. ⁹But they forgot the LORD their God, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. ¹⁰They cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ ¹¹Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal and cBedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security. [6 aLit made 8 bLit and they brought 11 cGr and Syr read Barak]

The King Confirmed

¹²When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ although the LORD your God was your king. ¹³Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, the LORD has set a king over you. ¹⁴If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the acommand of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God. ¹⁵If you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the acommand of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers. ¹⁶Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes. ¹⁷Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that He may send bthunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king.” ¹⁸So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent bthunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. [14 aLit mouth 17 bLit sounds]

19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king.” ²⁰Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. ²¹You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile. ²²For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. ²³Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. ²⁴Only afear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. ²⁵But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.” [24 aOr reverence]

1 SAMUEL 13 [Books]

War with the Philistines

1 Saul was athirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned bforty two years over Israel. [1 aAs in some mss of the LXX; Heb omits thirty bSee Acts 13:21; Heb omits forty]

2 Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. ³Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” ⁴All Israel heard athe news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned bto Saul at Gilgal. [4 aLit saying bLit after]

5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven. ⁶When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. ⁷Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. ⁹So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. ¹⁰As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to agreet him. ¹¹But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, ¹²therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” ¹³Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom bover Israel forever. ¹⁴But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” [10 aLit bless 13 bLit to]

15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul anumbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. ¹⁶Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. ¹⁷And the braiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three ccompanies: one dcompany turned etoward Ophrah, to the land of Shual, ¹⁸and another dcompany turned ftoward Beth-horon, and another dcompany turned gtoward the border which overlooks the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. [15 aLit mustered 17 bLit destroyers cLit heads dLit head eLit toward the direction of 18 fLit the direction of gLit the direction of]

19 Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make aswords or spears.” ²⁰So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. ²¹The charge was btwo-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the hoes. ²²So it came about on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. ²³And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. [19 aLit sword or spear 21 bHeb pim]

1 SAMUEL 14 [Books]

Jonathan’s Victory

1 Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. ²Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men, ³and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the LORD at Shiloh, was awearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. ⁴Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp crag on the one side and a sharp crag on the other side, and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. ⁵The one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba. [3 aLit carrying]

6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few.” ⁷His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and here I am with you according to your adesire.” ⁸Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them. ⁹If they bsay to us, ‘Wait until we come to you’; then we will stand in our place and not go up to them. ¹⁰But if they bsay, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hands; and this shall be the sign to us.” ¹¹When both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said, “Behold, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” ¹²So the men of the garrison chailed Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, “Come up to us and we will tell you something.” And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hands of Israel.” ¹³Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer behind him; and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death after him. ¹⁴That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land. ¹⁵And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders trembled, and the earth quaked so that it became a dgreat trembling. [7 aLit heart 9 bLit say thus 12 cLit answered 15 dLit trembling of God]

16 Now Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away; and they went here and there. ¹⁷Saul said to the people who were with him, “aNumber now and see who has gone from us.” And when they had anumbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. ¹⁸Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel. ¹⁹While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” ²⁰Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. ²¹Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²²When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also pursued them closely in the battle. ²³So the LORD delivered Israel that day, and the battle bspread beyond Beth-aven. [17 aLit muster(ed) 23 bLit passed over]

Saul’s Foolish Order

24 Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food abefore evening, and until I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. ²⁵All the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶When the people entered the forest, behold, there was a flow of honey; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. ²⁷But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath; therefore, he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. ²⁸Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’ ” And the people were weary. ²⁹Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See now, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰How much more, if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.” [24 aLit until]

31 They struck among the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very weary. ³²The people arushed greedily upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. ³³Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone to me today.” ³⁴Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’ ” So all the people that night brought each one his ox bwith him and slaughtered it there. ³⁵And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD. [32 aLit did with regard to the spoil 34 bLit in his hand]

36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good ato you.” So the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” ³⁷Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him on that day. ³⁸Saul said, “Draw near here, all you bchiefs of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. ³⁹For as the LORD lives, who delivers Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not one of all the people answered him. ⁴⁰Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good ato you.” ⁴¹Therefore, Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. ⁴²Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken. [36 aLit in your eyes 38 bLit corners]

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!” ⁴⁴Saul said, “May God do athis to me and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan.” ⁴⁵But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who has bbrought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people crescued Jonathan and he did not die. ⁴⁶Then Saul went up from dpursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. [44 aLit thus 45 bLit worked cLit ransomed 46 dLit after]

Constant Warfare

47 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, the sons of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he ainflicted punishment. ⁴⁸He acted valiantly and bdefeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of cthose who plundered them. [47 aOr condemned 48 bLit smote cLit its plunderers]

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab and the name of the younger Michal. ⁵⁰The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. ⁵¹Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

52 Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he aattached him to bhis staff. [52 aLit gathered bLit himself]

1 SAMUEL 15 [Books]

Saul’s Disobedience

1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the awords of the LORD. ²Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will bpunish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. ³Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ” [1 aLit sound of the words 2 bOr visit]

4 Then Saul summoned the people and anumbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. ⁵Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. ⁶Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. ⁷So Saul bdefeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is ceast of Egypt. ⁸He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. ⁹But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. [4 aLit mustered 7 bLit smote cLit before]

Samuel Rebukes Saul

10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from afollowing Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night. ¹²Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on bdown to Gilgal.” ¹³Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.” ¹⁴But Samuel said, “What then is this cbleating of the sheep in my ears, and the clowing of the oxen which I hear?” ¹⁵Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.” ¹⁶Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!” [11 aLit after 12 bLit and went down 14 cLit sound]

17 Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel, ¹⁸and the LORD sent you on a amission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ ¹⁹Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” [18 aLit way]

20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the amission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” ²²Samuel said,

“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

As in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

And to heed than the fat of rams. [20 aLit way]

²³“For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

He has also rejected you from being king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the acommand of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. ²⁵Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.” ²⁶But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” ²⁷As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. ²⁹Also the bGlory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.” ³⁰Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.” ³¹So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD. [24 aLit mouth 29 bOr Eminence]

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him acheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” ³³But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal. [32 aOr in bonds]

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

1 SAMUEL 16 [Books]

Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.” ²But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ ³You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I adesignate to you.” ⁴So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” ⁵He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. [3 aLit say to you]

6 When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” ⁷But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for aGod sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” ⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” ⁹Next Jesse made bShammah pass by. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” ¹⁰Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” ¹¹And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and cbring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” [7 aSo with Gr; Heb He does not see what man sees 9 bIn 2 Sam 13:3, Shimeah; in 1 Chr 2:13, Shimea 11 cLit take]

David Anointed

¹²So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” ¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. ¹⁵Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. ¹⁶Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” ¹⁷So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” ¹⁸Then one of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him.” ¹⁹So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” ²⁰Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son. ²¹Then David came to Saul and aattended him; and bSaul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. ²²Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” ²³So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him. [21 aLit stood before him bLit he]

1 SAMUEL 17 [Books]

Goliath’s Challenge

1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ²Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and camped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines. ³The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. ⁴Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six acubits and a span. ⁵He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor bwhich weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. ⁶He also had bronze cgreaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. ⁷The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. ⁸He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. ⁹If he is able to fight with me and dkill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and dkill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” ¹⁰Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” ¹¹When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. [4 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 5 bLit and the weight of the armor was 6 cOr shin guards 9 dLit smite]

12 Now David was the son of athe Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And bJesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. ¹³The three older sons of Jesse had cgone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. ¹⁴David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed Saul, ¹⁵but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. ¹⁶The Philistine came dforward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand. [12 aLit this bLit the man 13 cLit gone; they went 16 dLit near]

17 Then Jesse said to David his son, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers. ¹⁸Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back anews of them. ¹⁹For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.” [18 aLit their pledge]

David Accepts the Challenge

20 So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. ²¹Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army. ²²Then David left his baggage in the acare of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. ²³As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them. [22 aLit hand]

24 When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. ²⁵The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house afree in Israel.” [25 aI.e. free from taxes and public service]

26 Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” ²⁷The people aanswered him in accord with this word, saying, “Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.” [27 aLit said to]

28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” ²⁹But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a aquestion?” ³⁰Then he turned baway from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as cbefore. [29 aLit word 30 bLit from beside him cLit the former word]

David Kills Goliath

31 When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them ato Saul, and he sent for him. ³²David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ³³Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” ³⁴But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, ³⁵I went out after him and battacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and bstruck him and killed him. ³⁶Your servant has ckilled both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” ³⁷And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you.” ³⁸Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. ³⁹David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them doff. ⁴⁰He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine. [31 aLit before 35 bLit smote 36 cLit smitten 39 dLit off from himself]

41 Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. ⁴²When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. ⁴³The 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 also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” ⁴⁵Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. ⁴⁶This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.”

48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. ⁵¹Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵²The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines aas far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines blay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. ⁵³The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps. ⁵⁴Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent. [52 aLit until your coming to bLit fell]

55 Now when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner said, “By your life, O king, I do not know.” ⁵⁶The king said, “You inquire whose son the youth is.” ⁵⁷So when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head in his hand. ⁵⁸Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

1 SAMUEL 18 [Books]

Jonathan and David

1 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. ²Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house. ³Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. ⁴Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt. ⁵So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and aprospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. [5 aOr acted wisely]

6 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with amusical instruments. ⁷The women sang as they bplayed, and said,

“Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands.”

⁸Then Saul became very angry, for this saying cdispleased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” ⁹Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. [6 aI.e. triangles; or three-stringed instruments 7 bOr danced 8 cLit was evil in his eyes]

Saul Turns against David

10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, aas usual; and ba spear was in Saul’s hand. ¹¹Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will cpin David to the wall.” But David descaped from his presence twice. [10 aLit day by day bLit the 11 cLit strike David and the wall dLit turned about]

12 Now Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. ¹³Therefore Saul removed him from ahis presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. ¹⁴David was bprospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him. ¹⁵When Saul saw that he was cprospering greatly, he dreaded him. ¹⁶But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them. [13 aLit with him 14 bOr acting wisely 15 cOr acting very wisely]

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the LORD’S battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” ¹⁸But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” ¹⁹So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable ato him. ²¹Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.” ²²Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” ²³So Saul’s servants spoke these words bto David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” ²⁴The servants of Saul reported to him caccording to these words which David spoke. ²⁵Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. ²⁶When his servants told David these words, dit pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. eBefore the days had expired ²⁷David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife. ²⁸When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, ²⁹then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually. [20 aLit in his sight 23 bLit in the ears of 24 cLit by saying according 26 dLit it was agreeable in the sight of eLit And the days had not expired]

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.

1 SAMUEL 19 [Books]

David Protected from Saul

1 Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David. ²So Jonathan told David saying, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 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 afind out anything, then I will tell you.” ⁴Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very bbeneficial to you. ⁵For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?” ⁶Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” ⁷Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as formerly. [3 aLit see 4 bLit good]

8 When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines and adefeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled before him. ⁹Now there was an evil spirit from the LORD on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand. ¹⁰Saul tried to bpin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he cstuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. [8 aLit smote 10 bLit strike David and the wall cLit struck]

11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.” ¹²So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped. ¹³Michal took the ahousehold idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothes. ¹⁴When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on bhis bed, that I may put him to death.” ¹⁶When the messengers entered, behold, the ahousehold idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head. ¹⁷So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I put you to death?’ ” [13 aHeb teraphim 15 bLit the]

18 Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. ¹⁹It was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” ²⁰Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied. ²¹When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. ²²Then he himself went to Ramah and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” ²³He aproceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and blay down cnaked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” [23 aLit went 24 bLit fell cI.e. without outward garments]

1 SAMUEL 20 [Books]

David and Jonathan Covenant

1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said ato Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” ²He said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small bwithout disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!” ³Yet David vowed again, csaying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is dhardly a step between me and death.” ⁴Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever eyou say, I will do for you.” ⁵So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening. ⁶If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’ ⁷If he fsays, ‘It is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil. ⁸Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” ⁹Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” ¹⁰Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me gif your father answers you harshly?” ¹¹Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field. [1 aLit before 2 bLit and he does not uncover my ear 3 cLit and said dLit about 4 eLit your soul says 7 fLit says thus 10 gLit or what]

12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and amake it known to you? ¹³If it please my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not amake it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father. ¹⁴If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die? ¹⁵You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the LORD 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, saying, “May the LORD require it at the hands of David’s enemies.” ¹⁷Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life. [12 aLit uncover your ear]

18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel. ²⁰I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. ²¹And behold, I will send the lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come; for there is safety for you and ano harm, as the LORD lives. ²²But if I bsay to the youth, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the LORD has sent you away. ²³As for the cagreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.” [21 aLit there is nothing 22 bLit say thus 23 cLit word]

24 So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁵The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. ²⁶Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean.” ²⁷It came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” ²⁸Jonathan then answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, ²⁹for he said, ‘Please alet me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.” [29 aLit send me away]

Saul Is Angry with Jonathan

30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? ³¹For aas long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he bmust surely die.” ³²But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” ³³Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. ³⁴Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him. [31 aLit all the days which bLit is a son of death]

35 Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him. ³⁶He said to his lad, “Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot aan arrow past him. ³⁷When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” ³⁸And Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master. ³⁹But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter. ⁴⁰Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.” ⁴¹When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more. ⁴²Jonathan said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD will be between me and you, and between my bdescendants and your bdescendants forever.’ ” cThen he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city. [36 aLit the 42 bLit seed cCh 21:1 in Heb]

1 SAMUEL 21 [Books]

David Takes Consecrated Bread

1 Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came trembling to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone and no one with you?” ²David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the matter on which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you; and I have directed the young men to a certain place.’ ³Now therefore, what ado you have on hand? Give bme five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.” ⁴The priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread con hand, but there is consecrated bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.” ⁵David answered the priest and said to him, “Surely women have been kept from us as previously when I set out and the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was an ordinary journey; how much more then today will dtheir vessels be holy?” ⁶So the priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence which was removed from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place when it was taken away. [3 aLit is under your hand? bLit in my hand 4 cLit under my hand 5 dLit it be holy in the vessel]

7 Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.

8 David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there not a spear or a sword aon hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons bwith me, because the king’s matter was urgent.” ⁹Then the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you ckilled in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” [8 aLit under your hand bLit in my hand 9 cLit smote]

10 Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath. ¹¹But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?”

¹²David took these words ato heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. ¹³So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. ¹⁴Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me? ¹⁵Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this one to act the madman in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?” [12 aLit in his]

1 SAMUEL 22 [Books]

The Priests Slain at Nob

1 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. ²Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who awas in debt, and everyone who was bdiscontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him. [2 aLit had a creditor bLit bitter of soul]

3 And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” ⁴Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. ⁵The prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

6 Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. ⁷Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? ⁸For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who adiscloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or adiscloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.” ⁹Then Doeg the Edomite, who was bstanding by the servants of Saul, said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. ¹⁰He inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” [8 aLit uncovers my ear 9 bOr set over]

11 Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. ¹²Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he aanswered, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me by lying in ambush as it is this day?” [12 aLit said]

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king’s son-in-law, who ais captain over your guard, and is honored in your house? ¹⁵Did I just begin to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing bat all of this whole affair.” ¹⁶But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!” ¹⁷And the king said to the cguards who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the LORD to death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not dreveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hands to eattack the priests of the LORD. ¹⁸Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and fattack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and gattacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword. [14 aSo with Gr; Heb turns aside to 15 bLit small or great 17 cLit runners dLit uncover my ear eLit fall upon 18 fLit smite gLit smote]

20 But one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. ²¹Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. ²²Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have brought about the death of every person in your father’s household. ²³Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, for you are asafe with me.” [23 aLit a charge]

1 SAMUEL 23 [Books]

David Delivers Keilah

1 Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.” ²So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and aattack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and aattack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.” ³But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?” ⁴Then David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” ⁵So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. [2 aLit smite]

6 Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. ⁷When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has adelivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” ⁸So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. ⁹Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰Then David said, “O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. ¹¹Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” ¹²Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.” ¹³Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he bgave up the pursuit. ¹⁴David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. [7 aLit alienated 13 bLit ceased going out]

Saul Pursues David

15 Now David abecame aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. ¹⁶And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and bencouraged him in God. ¹⁷Thus he said to him, “Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.” ¹⁸So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house. [15 aLit saw 16 bLit strengthened his hand]

19 Then Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the asouth of bJeshimon? ²⁰Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to cdo so; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” ²¹Saul said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. ²²Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his dhaunt is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. ²³So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” [19 aLit right side bOr the desert 20 cLit come down 22 dLit foot]

24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the asouth of bJeshimon. ²⁵When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. ²⁶Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them. ²⁷But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.” ²⁸So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place cthe Rock of Escape. ²⁹dDavid went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi. [24 aLit right side bOr the desert 28 cHeb Sela-hammahlekoth 29 dCh 24:1 in Heb]

1 SAMUEL 24 [Books]

David Spares Saul’s Life

1 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” ²Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to arelieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. ⁴The men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good bto you.’ ” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. ⁵It came about afterward that David’s cconscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. ⁶So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed.” ⁷David dpersuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, eleft the cave, and went on his way. [3 aLit cover his feet 4 bLit in your sight 5 cLit heart struck 7 dLit tore apart eLit from]

8 Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. ⁹David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks ato harm you’? ¹⁰Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’S anointed.’ ¹¹Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or brebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. ¹²May the LORD judge between cyou and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. ¹³As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. ¹⁴After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea? ¹⁵The LORD therefore be judge and decide between cyou and me; and may He see and plead my cause and ddeliver me from your hand.” [9 aLit your hurt 11 bLit transgression 12 cLit me and you 15 dLit vindicate]

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. ¹⁷He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you. ¹⁸You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the LORD delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me. ¹⁹For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away asafely? May the LORD therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day. ²⁰Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. ²¹So now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my bdescendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household.” ²²David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. [19 aLit on a good road 21 bLit seed]

1 SAMUEL 25 [Books]

Samuel’s Death

1 Then Samuel died; and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

Nabal and Abigail

2 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very arich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel ³(now the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was bintelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite), ⁴that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. ⁵So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, cvisit Nabal and greet him in my name; ⁶and thus you shall say, ‘dHave a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. ⁷Now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us and we have not insulted them, nor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel. ⁸Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a efestive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ” [2 aLit great 3 bLit of good understanding 5 cLit go into 6 dLit To life 8 eLit good]

9 When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in David’s name; then they waited. ¹⁰But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. ¹¹Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men awhose origin I do not know?” ¹²So David’s young men retraced their way and went back; and they came and told him according to all these words. ¹³David said to his men, “Each of you gird on his sword.” So each man girded on his sword. And David also girded on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David while two hundred stayed with the baggage. [11 aLit from where they are]

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to agreet our master, and he scorned them. ¹⁵Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not insulted, nor did we miss anything bas long as we went about with them, while we were in the fields. ¹⁶They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep. ¹⁷Now therefore, know and cconsider what you should do, for evil is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a dworthless man that no one can speak to him.” [14 aLit bless 15 bLit all the days 17 cLit see dLit son of Belial]

Abigail Intercedes

18 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two jugs of wine and five sheep already prepared and five measures of roasted grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. ¹⁹She said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. ²⁰It came about as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; so she met them. ²¹Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have 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 morning I leave as much as one amale of any who belong to him.” [22 aLit who urinates against the wall]

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from her donkey, and fell on her face before David and bowed herself to the ground. ²⁴She fell at his feet and said, “On me aalone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak bto you, and listen to the words of your maidservant. ²⁵Please do not let my lord cpay attention to this dworthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. eNabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. [24 aLit even me bLit in your ears 25 cLit set his heart to dLit man of Belial eI.e. Fool]

26 “Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, since the LORD has restrained you from ashedding blood, and from bavenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek evil against my lord, be as Nabal. ²⁷Now let this cgift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who daccompany my lord. ²⁸Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil will not be found in you all your days. ²⁹Should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your elife, then the elife of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; but the elives of your enemies He will sling out fas from the hollow of a sling. ³⁰And when the LORD does for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel, ³¹this will not gcause grief or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having havenged himself. When the LORD deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” [26 aLit coming in with blood bLit saving 27 cLit blessing dLit walk at the feet of 29 eLit soul fLit in the midst 31 gLit become staggering to you or a stumbling of the heart hLit saved]

32 Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, ³³and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from abloodshed and from bavenging myself by my own hand. ³⁴Nevertheless, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one cmale.” ³⁵So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to dyou and egranted your request.” [33 aLit coming in with blood bLit saving 34 cLit who urinates against the wall 35 dLit your voice eLit lifted up your face]

36 Then Abigail came to Nabal, and 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 did not tell him anything aat all until the morning light. ³⁷But in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him so that he became as a stone. ³⁸About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died. [36 aLit small or large]

David Marries Abigail

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has kept back His servant from evil. The LORD has also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent aa proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife. ⁴⁰When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you to take you as his wife.” ⁴¹She arose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” ⁴²Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who battended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife. [39 aLit and spoke 42 bLit walked at her feet]

43 David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives.

44 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

1 SAMUEL 26 [Books]

David Again Spares Saul

1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before aJeshimon?” ²So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. ³Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before aJeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, ⁴David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming. ⁵David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him. [1 aOr the desert]

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” ⁷So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him. ⁸Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear ato the ground with one stroke, and I will not bstrike him the second time.” ⁹But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’S anointed and be without guilt?” ¹⁰David also said, “As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish. ¹¹The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.” ¹²So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the LORD had fallen on them. [8 aLit even into bLit repeat with respect to him]

13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them. ¹⁴David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?” ¹⁵So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord. ¹⁶This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, all of you amust surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the LORD’S anointed. And now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.” [16 aLit are surely sons of death]

17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” ¹⁸He also said, “Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? ¹⁹Now therefore, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let Him aaccept an offering; but if it is bmen, cursed are they before the LORD, for they have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ ²⁰Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.” [19 aLit smell bLit sons of men]

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.” ²²David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it. ²³The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed. ²⁴Now behold, as your life was highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of the LORD, and may He deliver me from all distress.” ²⁵Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 SAMUEL 27 [Books]

David Flees to the Philistines

1 Then David said ato himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than bto escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” ²So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. ³And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s cwidow. ⁴Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him. [1 aLit in his heart bLit that I should surely escape 3 cLit wife]

5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” ⁶So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. ⁷The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. ⁹David aattacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. ¹⁰Now Achish said, “Where have you made a raid today?” And David said, “Against the bNegev of Judah and against the bNegev of the Jerahmeelites and against the bNegev of the Kenites.” ¹¹David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’ ” ¹²So Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.” [9 aLit smote 10 bI.e. South country]

1 SAMUEL 28 [Books]

Saul and the Spirit Medium

1 Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” ²David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you amy bodyguard for life.” [2 aLit keeper of my head]

3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. ⁴So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. ⁵When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. ⁷Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”

8 Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall aname to you.” ⁹But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” ¹⁰Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” ¹¹Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” ¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” ¹³The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a bdivine being coming up out of the earth.” ¹⁴He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage. [8 aLit say 13 bOr god]

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.” ¹⁶Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? ¹⁷The LORD has done aaccordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. ¹⁸As you did not bobey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day. ¹⁹Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!” [17 aLit for himself 18 bLit listen to the voice of]

20 Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no afood all day and all night. ²¹The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has bobeyed you, and I have ctaken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. ²²So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way.” ²³But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to dthem. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. ²⁴The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. ²⁵She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night. [20 aLit bread 21 bLit listened to your voice cLit put 23 dLit their voices]

1 SAMUEL 29 [Books]

The Philistines Mistrust David

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel. ²And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish. ³Then the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not 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 in him from the day he adeserted to me to this day?” ⁴But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man go back, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of bthese men? ⁵Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?” [3 aLit fell 4 bLit those]

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. ⁷Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” ⁸David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” ⁹But Achish replied to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’ ¹⁰Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart.” ¹¹So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 SAMUEL 30 [Books]

David’s Victory over the Amalekites

1 Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the aNegev and on Ziklag, and had boverthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; ²and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, cwithout killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way. ³When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. ⁴Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. ⁵Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the dwidow of Nabal the Carmelite. ⁶Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were eembittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. [1 aI.e. South country bLit smote 2 cLit they did not kill 5 dLit wife 6 eLit bitter in soul]

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ⁸David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.” ⁹So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. ¹⁰But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

11 Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. ¹²They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit arevived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. ¹³David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago. ¹⁴We made a raid on the bNegev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the bNegev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” ¹⁵Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.” [12 aLit returned to him 14 bI.e. South country]

16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were aspread over all the land, eating and drinking and bdancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. ¹⁷David cslaughtered them from the twilight duntil the evening of ethe next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. ¹⁸So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and frescued his two wives. ¹⁹But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. ²⁰So David had gcaptured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of hthe other livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.” [16 aLit left bLit keeping a pilgrim-feast 17 cLit smote dLit even until eLit their 18 fLit David rescued 20 gLit taken hLit those livestock]

The Spoils Are Divided

21 When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. ²²Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with aus, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.” ²³Then David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. ²⁴And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” ²⁵So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. [22 aLit me]

26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a agift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: ²⁷to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the bNegev, 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, ²⁹and to those who were in Racal, 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 Athach, ³¹and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to go.” [26 aLit blessing 27 bI.e. South country]

1 SAMUEL 31 [Books]

Saul and His Sons Slain

1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ²The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines akilled Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul. ³The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers bhit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. ⁴Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. ⁶Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together. [2 aLit smote 3 bLit found]

7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 It came about on the anext day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them bthroughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. ¹⁰They put his weapons in the ctemple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. ¹¹Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard dwhat the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹²all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. ¹³They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. [8 aLit morrow 9 bLit into...around 10 cLit house 11 dLit about him what]

2 SAMUEL 1 [Books]

David Learns of Saul’s Death

1 Now it came about after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David remained two days in Ziklag. ²On the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and adust on his head. And it came about when he came to David that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. ³Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” ⁴David said to him, “How did things go? Please tell me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” ⁵So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ⁶The young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen pursued him closely. ⁷When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ ⁸He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I banswered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ ⁹Then he said to me, ‘Please stand beside me and kill me, for agony has seized me because my clife still lingers in me.’ ¹⁰So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” [2 aLit ground 8 bLit said to 9 cLit whole life is still in me]

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. ¹²They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. ¹³David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he aanswered, “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.” ¹⁴Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?” ¹⁵And David called one of the young men and said, “Go, bcut him down.” So he struck him and he died. ¹⁶David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’S anointed.’ ” [13 aLit said 15 bLit fall upon him]

David’s Dirge for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David chanted with this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, ¹⁸and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

¹⁹“aYour beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!

How have the mighty fallen! [aLit The]

²⁰“Tell it not in Gath,

Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,

Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,

The daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

²¹“O mountains of Gilboa,

Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings;

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,

The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

²²“From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,

The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

²³“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life,

And in their death they were not parted;

They were swifter than eagles,

They were stronger than lions.

²⁴“O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,

Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

²⁵“How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan is slain on your high places.

²⁶“I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;

You have been very pleasant to me.

Your love to me was more wonderful

Than the love of women.

²⁷“How have the mighty fallen,

And the weapons of war perished!”

2 SAMUEL 2 [Books]

David Made King over Judah

1 Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” ²So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the awidow of Nabal the Carmelite. ³And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. ⁴Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. [2 aLit wife]

And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” ⁵David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of the LORD because you have ashown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him. ⁶Now may the LORD bshow lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will bshow this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. ⁷Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be cvaliant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” [5 aLit done 6 bLit do 7 cLit sons of valor]

Ish-bosheth Made King over Israel

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken aIsh-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. ⁹He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. ¹⁰Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. ¹¹The btime that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. [8 aI.e. man of shame; cf 1 Chr 8:33, Eshbaal 11 bLit number of days]

Civil War

12 Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. ¹³And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met athem by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, bone on the one side of the pool and bthe other on the other side of the pool. ¹⁴Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and chold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” ¹⁵So they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. ¹⁶Each one of them seized his dopponent by the head and thrust his sword in his eopponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called fHelkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. ¹⁷That day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. [13 aLit them together bLit these 14 cLit make sport 16 dLit fellow eLit fellow’s fI.e. the field of sword-edges]

18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was as aswift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field. ¹⁹Asahel pursued Abner and did not bturn to the right or to the left from following Abner. ²⁰Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” ²¹So Abner said to him, “cTurn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. ²²Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn daside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” ²³However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still. [18 aLit light in his feet 19 bLit turn to go to 21 cLit Turn for yourself 22 dLit aside for yourself]

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill. ²⁶Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you arefrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?” ²⁷Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.” ²⁸So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore. ²⁹Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim. [26 aLit not tell the people]

30 Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, anineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing. ³¹But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died. ³²And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day bdawned at Hebron. [30 aLit nineteen men 32 bLit lighted on them]

2 SAMUEL 3 [Books]

The House of David Strengthened

1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.

2 Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; ³and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the awidow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; ⁴and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron. [3 aLit wife]

Abner Joins David

6 It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. ⁷Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and aIsh-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” ⁸Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman. ⁹May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, ¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.” ¹¹And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him. [7 aSo some ancient mss and versions; M.T. he]

12 Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” ¹³He said, “Good! I will make a covenant with you, but I demand one thing of you, anamely, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see bme.” ¹⁴So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” ¹⁵Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from cPaltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned. [13 aLit saying bLit my face 15 cIn 1 Sam 25:44, Palti]

17 Now Abner had aconsultation with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. ¹⁸Now then, do it! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David bI will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’ ” ¹⁹Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. [17 aLit a word 18 bSo many ancient mss and versions; M.T. he]

20 Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22 And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” ²⁴Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you sent him away and he is already gone? ²⁵You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to learn of your going out and coming in and to find out all that you are doing.”

Joab Murders Abner

26 When Joab came out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. ²⁷So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸Afterward when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ²⁹May it afall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a distaff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. [29 aLit whirl]

David Mourns Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. ³²Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. ³³The king chanted a lament for Abner and said,

“Should Abner die as a fool dies?

³⁴“Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters;

As one falls before the awicked, you have fallen.”

And all the people wept again over him. ³⁵Then all the people came to bpersuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” ³⁶Now all the people took note of it, and it cpleased them, just as everything the king did dpleased all the people. ³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. ³⁸Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil.” [34 aLit sons of wickedness 35 bLit cause 36 cLit was good in their eyes dLit was good in the eyes of all]

2 SAMUEL 4 [Books]

Ish-bosheth Murdered

1 Now when aIsh-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, bhe lost courage, and all Israel was disturbed. ²Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of bands: the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin, ³and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been aliens there until this day). [1 aSo some ancient mss; M.T. he bLit his hands dropped]

4 Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was aMephibosheth. [4 aI.e. Merib-baal]

5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest. ⁶aThey came to the middle of the house as bif to get wheat, and they struck him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. ⁷Now when they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him and beheaded him. And they took his head and ctraveled by way of the Arabah all night. ⁸Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; thus the LORD has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his ddescendants.” [6 aLit And here bLit takers of wheat 7 cLit went 8 dLit seed]

9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, ¹⁰when one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and athought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. ¹¹How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and bdestroy you from the earth?” ¹²Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron. [10 aLit he was as a bearer of good news in his own eyes 11 bLit burn]

2 SAMUEL 5 [Books]

David King over All Israel

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and asaid, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. ²Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the LORD said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’ ” ³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. ⁵At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. [1 aLit said, saying]

6 Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to aDavid, “You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away”; bthinking, “David cannot enter here.” ⁷Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. ⁸David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” Therefore they say, “The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.” ⁹So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the cMillo and inward. ¹⁰David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of hosts was with him. [6 aLit David, saying bLit saying 9 cI.e. citadel]

11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David. ¹²And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

13 Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. ¹⁴Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

War with the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard of it, he went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸Now the Philistines came and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹Then David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” ²⁰So David came to Baal-perazim and adefeated them there; and he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place bBaal-perazim. ²¹They abandoned their idols there, so David and his men carried them away. [20 aLit David smote bI.e. the master of breakthrough]

22 Now the Philistines came up once again and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. ²³When David inquired of the LORD, He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the abalsam trees. ²⁴It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the abalsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” ²⁵Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from bGeba cas far as Gezer. [23 aOr baka-shrubs 25 bIn 1 Chr 14:16, Gibeon cLit until you are coming to]

2 SAMUEL 6 [Books]

Peril in Moving the Ark

1 Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ²And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to aBaale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the LORD of hosts who is benthroned above the cherubim. ³They cplaced the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. ⁴So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. ⁵Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of dfir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals. [2 aI.e. Kiriath-jearim bLit sitting 3 cLit caused to ride 5 dOr cypress]

6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. ⁷And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for ahis irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. ⁸David became angry because bof the LORD’S outburst against Uzzah, and that place is called cPerez-uzzah to this day. ⁹So David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” ¹⁰And David was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹¹Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household. [7 aLit the 8 bLit the LORD broke through a breakthrough cI.e. the breakthrough of Uzzah]

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. ¹³And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. ¹⁴And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was awearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet. [14 aLit girded with]

16 Then it happened as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

17 So they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. ¹⁸When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. ¹⁹Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.

20 But when David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” ²¹So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. ²²I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished.” ²³Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

2 SAMUEL 7 [Books]

David Plans to Build a Temple

1 Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, ²that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” ³Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the LORD is with you.”

4 But in the same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, ⁵“Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? ⁶For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a atabernacle. ⁷Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ [6 aLit dwelling place]

God’s Covenant with David

⁸“Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. ¹⁰I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the awicked afflict them any more as formerly, ¹¹even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you. ¹²When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your bdescendant after you, who will come forth from cyou, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He shall 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 a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, ¹⁵but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom shall endure before dMe forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” ¹⁷In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. [10 aLit sons of wickedness 12 bLit seed cLit your bowels 16 dSo with Gr and some ancient mss; M.T. you]

David’s Prayer

18 Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord aGOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? ¹⁹And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the bcustom of man, O Lord GOD. ²⁰Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD! ²¹For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know. ²²For this reason You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²³And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? ²⁴For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God. ²⁵Now therefore, O LORD God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken, ²⁶that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. ²⁷For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have cmade a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found dcourage to pray this prayer to You. ²⁸Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have epromised this good thing to Your servant. ²⁹Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” [18 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so through out the ch 19 bOr law 27 cLit uncovered the ear of dLit his heart 28 eOr spoken]

2 SAMUEL 8 [Books]

David’s Triumphs

1 Now after this it came about that David adefeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took bcontrol of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines. [1 aLit smote bLit the bridle of the mother city]

2 He adefeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute. [2 aLit smote]

3 Then David adefeated Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as he went to restore his brule at the cRiver. ⁴David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers; and David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for 100 chariots. ⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David akilled 22,000 Arameans. ⁶Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And the LORD helped David wherever he went. ⁷David took the shields of gold which were dcarried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From eBetah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a very large amount of bronze. [3 aLit smote bLit hand cI.e. Euphrates 7 dLit on 8 eIn 1 Chr 18:8, Tibhath]

9 Now when Toi king of Hamath heard that David had adefeated all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰Toi sent bJoram his son to King David to cgreet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and adefeated him; for Hadadezer dhad been at war with Toi. And eJoram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued: ¹²from fAram and Moab and the sons of Ammon and the Philistines and Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. [9 aLit smitten 10 bIn 1 Chr 18:10, Hadoram cLit ask him of his welfare dLit was a man of wars eLit there were in his hand 12 fSome mss read Edom]

13 So David made a name for himself when he returned from akilling 18,000 bArameans in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴He put garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the LORD helped David wherever he went. [13 aLit smiting bSome mss read Edom]

15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David aadministered justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁶Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder. ¹⁷Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary. ¹⁸Benaiah the son of Jehoiada bwas over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were cchief ministers. [15 aLit was doing 18 bLit and the Cherethites cLit priests]

2 SAMUEL 9 [Books]

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

1 Then David said, “Is there yet aanyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ²Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” ³The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.” ⁴So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.” ⁵Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. ⁶Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!” ⁷David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the bland of your cgrandfather Saul; and you shall deat at my table regularly.” ⁸Again he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?” [1 aLit he who is 7 bLit field cLit father dLit eat bread]

9 Then the king called Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s agrandson. ¹⁰You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson may have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall beat at my table regularly.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. ¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at cDavid’s table as one of the king’s sons. ¹²Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. ¹³So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king’s table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet. [9 aLit son 10 bLit eat bread 11 cLit my]

2 SAMUEL 10 [Books]

Ammon and Aram Defeated

1 Now it happened afterwards that the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son became king in his place. ²Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent asome of his servants to console him concerning his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, ³the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “bDo you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” ⁴So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. ⁵When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “cStay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.” [2 aLit by the hand of 3 bLit In your eyes is David honoring 5 cLit Return to]

6 Now when the sons of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men. ⁷When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. ⁸The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the acity, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. [8 aLit gate]

9 Now when Joab saw that athe battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans. ¹⁰But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon. ¹¹He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. ¹²Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.” ¹³So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem. [9 aLit the faces of the battle were against]

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been adefeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. ¹⁶And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the bRiver, and they came to Helam; and Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer cled them. ¹⁷Now when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans arrayed themselves to meet David and fought against him. ¹⁸But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. ¹⁹When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they were adefeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans feared to help the sons of Ammon anymore. [15 aLit smitten before 16 bI.e. Euphrates cLit before]

2 SAMUEL 11 [Books]

Bathsheba, David’s Great Sin

1 Then it happened ain the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. [1 aLit at the return of the year]

2 Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. ³So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” ⁴David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. ⁵The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am pregnant.”

6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. ⁷When Uriah came to him, David asked concerning the welfare of Joab and athe people and the state of the war. ⁸Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and a present from the king bwas sent out after him. ⁹But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. ¹⁰Now when they told David, saying, “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 said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in ctemporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” ¹²Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the dnext. ¹³Now David called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, but he did not go down to his house. [7 aLit welfare of 8 bLit went out 11 cOr booths 12 dLit morrow]

14 Now in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. ¹⁵He had written in the letter, saying, “aPlace Uriah in the front line of the bfiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” ¹⁶So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he put Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. ¹⁷The men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died. ¹⁸Then Joab sent and reported to David all the events of the war. ¹⁹He charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king, ²⁰and if it happens that the king’s wrath rises and he says 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 struck down Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ” [15 aLit Give bLit strong]

22 So the messenger departed and came and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell. ²³The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we apressed them as far as the entrance of the gate. ²⁴Moreover, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” ²⁵Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this thing bdisplease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; make your battle against the city stronger and overthrow it’; and so encourage him.” [23 aLit were upon 25 bLit be evil in your sight]

26 Now when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. ²⁷When the time of mourning was over, David sent and abrought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD. [27 aLit gathered]

2 SAMUEL 12 [Books]

Nathan Rebukes David

1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and asaid,

“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. [1 aLit said to him]

²“The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

³“But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb

Which he bought and nourished;

And it grew up together with him and his children.

It would eat of his abread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,

And was like a daughter to him. [aLit morsel]

⁴“Now a traveler came to the rich man,

And he awas unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,

To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;

Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

⁵Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this bdeserves to die. ⁶He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.” [4 aLit spared 5 bLit is a son of death]

7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. ⁸I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your acare, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! ⁹Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. ¹⁰Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ ¹¹Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in bbroad daylight. ¹²Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and cunder the sun.’ ” ¹³Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has dtaken away your sin; you shall not die. ¹⁴However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” ¹⁵So Nathan went to his house. [8 aLit bosom 11 bLit the sight of this sun 12 cLit before 13 dLit caused your sin to pass away]

Loss of a Child

Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s awidow bore to David, so that he was very sick. ¹⁶David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. ¹⁷The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. ¹⁸Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!” ¹⁹But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” ²⁰So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. [15 aLit wife]

21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? aWhile the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” ²²He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ ²³But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” [21 aLit On account of]

Solomon Born

24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and ahe named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him ²⁵and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him bJedidiah for the LORD’S sake. [24 aSome mss read she 25 bI.e. beloved of the LORD]

War Again

26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and captured the royal city. ²⁷Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters. ²⁸Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and camp against the city and capture it, or I will capture the city myself and it will be named after me.” ²⁹So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it. ³⁰Then he took the crown of atheir king from his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it bwas a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in great amounts. ³¹He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. [30 aOr Malcam; cf Zeph 1:5 bOr were precious stones]

2 SAMUEL 13 [Books]

Amnon and Tamar

1 Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her. ²Amnon was so frustrated because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed ahard to Amnon to do anything to her. ³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of bShimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. ⁴He said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Then Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” ⁵Jonadab then said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat from her hand.’ ” ⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.” [2 aLit hard in Amnon’s eyes 3 bIn 1 Sam 16:9, Shammah; in 1 Chr 2:13, Shimea]

7 Then David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” ⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying down. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. ⁹She took the pan and adished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” So everyone went out from him. ¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bbedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon. ¹¹When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” ¹²But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing! ¹³As for me, where could I cget rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the dfools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” ¹⁴However, he would not listen to eher; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. [9 aLit poured 10 bOr inner room 13 cLit cause to go dOr disgraceful ones 14 eLit her voice]

15 Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go away!” ¹⁶But she said to him, “No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!” Yet he would not listen to her. ¹⁷Then he called his young man who attended him and said, “Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her.” ¹⁸Now she had on a along-sleeved garment; for in this manner the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her. ¹⁹Tamar put bashes on her head and tore her clong-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went. [18 aLit a varicolored tunic 19 bOr dust cLit varicolored tunic]

20 Then Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained and was desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. ²¹Now when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry. ²²But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

23 Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

Absalom Avenges Tamar

²⁴Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” ²⁵But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be burdensome to you.” Although he aurged him, he would not go, but blessed him. ²⁶Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” ²⁷But when Absalom aurged him, he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. [25 aLit broke through]

28 Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “See now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have not I myself commanded you? Be courageous and be avaliant.” ²⁹The servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose and each mounted his mule and fled. [28 aLit sons of valor]

30 Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” ³¹Then the king arose, tore his clothes and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn. ³²Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, aresponded, “Do not let my lord bsuppose they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead; because by the cintent of Absalom this has been determined since the day that he violated his sister Tamar. ³³Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take the report to dheart, namely, ‘all the king’s sons are dead,’ for only Amnon is dead.” [32 aLit answered and said bLit say cLit mouth 33 dLit his heart]

34 Now Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain. ³⁵Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; according to your servant’s word, so it happened.” ³⁶As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted their voices and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept avery bitterly. [36 aLit with a very great weeping]

37 Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. ³⁸So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years. ³⁹The heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

2 SAMUEL 14 [Books]

The Woman of Tekoa

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom. ²So Joab sent to Tekoa and abrought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; ³then go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth. [2 aLit took]

4 Now when the woman of Tekoa aspoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said, “Help, O king.” ⁵The king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she banswered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. ⁶Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no cone to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him. ⁷Now behold, the whole family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to dleave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.” [4 aMany mss and ancient versions read came 5 bLit said 6 cLit deliverer between 7 dLit set]

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” ⁹The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, the iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but the king and his throne are guiltless.” ¹⁰So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.” ¹¹Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” ¹³The woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one. ¹⁴For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but plans aways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him. ¹⁵Now bthe reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your maidservant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the crequest of his maidservant. ¹⁶For the king will hear dand deliver his maidservant from the ehand of the man who would destroy fboth me and my son from the inheritance of God.’ ¹⁷Then your maidservant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be gcomforting, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.’ ” [14 aLit devices 15 bLit that cLit word 16 dLit to eLit palm fLit together 17 gLit for rest]

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.” ¹⁹So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman replied, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant; ²⁰in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”

Absalom Is Recalled

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I will surely do this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.” ²²Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the arequest of his servant.” ²³So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. ²⁴However the king said, “Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face. [22 aLit word]

25 Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. ²⁶When he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight. ²⁷To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king’s face. ²⁹Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he would not come. ³⁰Therefore he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s afield is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the afield on fire. ³¹Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my afield on fire?” ³²Absalom banswered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.” ’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.” ³³So when Joab came to the king and told him, he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom. [30 aLit portion 32 bLit said to]

2 SAMUEL 15 [Books]

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1 Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him. ²Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your aclaims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.” ⁴Moreover, Absalom would say, “Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice.” ⁵And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel. [3 aLit words]

7 Now it came about at the end of aforty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. ⁸For your servant vowed a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’ ” ⁹The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. ¹⁰But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’ ” ¹¹Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went binnocently, and they did not know anything. ¹²And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom. [7 aSome ancient versions render four 11 bLit in their integrity]

David Flees Jerusalem

13 Then a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are awith Absalom.” ¹⁴David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring down calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” ¹⁵Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.” ¹⁶So the king went out and all his household bwith him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house. ¹⁷The king went out and all the people bwith him, and they stopped at the last house. ¹⁸Now all his servants passed on beside him, all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come bwith him from Gath, passed on before the king. [13 aLit after 16 bLit at his feet]

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place. ²⁰You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander with us, while I go where I will? Return and take back your brothers; mercy and atruth be with you.” ²¹But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.” ²²Therefore David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. ²³While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. [20 aOr faithfulness]

24 Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. ²⁵The king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation. ²⁶But if He should say thus, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good ato Him.” ²⁷The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸See, I am going to wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹Therefore Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. [26 aLit in His sight]

30 And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. ³¹Now someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”

32 It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his acoat torn and bdust on his head. ³³David said to him, “If you pass over 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, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me. ³⁵Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶Behold their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” ³⁷So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. [32 aOr tunic bLit ground]

2 SAMUEL 16 [Books]

Ziba, a False Servant

1 Now when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. ²The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.” ³Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ” ⁴So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!”

David Is Cursed

5 When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came. ⁶He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left. ⁷Thus Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow! ⁸The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and acut off his head.” ¹⁰But the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” ¹¹Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from bme seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him. ¹²Perhaps the LORD will look on my affliction and creturn good to me instead of his cursing this day.” ¹³So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him. ¹⁴The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there. [9 aLit take off 11 bLit my body 12 cLit the LORD will return]

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

15 Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶Now it came about when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” ¹⁷Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your aloyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸Then Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whom the LORD, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.” [17 aOr kindness]

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” ²¹Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” ²²So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³The advice of Ahithophel, which he agave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom. [23 aLit advised]

2 SAMUEL 17 [Books]

Hushai’s Counsel

1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. ²I will come upon him while he is weary and aexhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone, ³and I will bring back all the people to you. bThe return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace.” ⁴So the cplan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. [2 aLit slack of hands 3 bLit Like the return of the whole is the man whom you seek 4 cLit word was pleasing in the sight of]

5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what ahe has to say.” ⁶When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to bhim, “Ahithophel has spoken cthus. Shall we dcarry out his plan? If not, you speak.” ⁷So Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the advice that Ahithophel has egiven is not good.” ⁸Moreover, Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are ffierce, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an gexpert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people. ⁹Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the hcaves or in another place; and it will be iwhen he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ ¹⁰And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will completely jlose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. ¹¹But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that kyou personally go into battle. ¹²So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will lfall on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. ¹³If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the mvalley until not even a small stone is found there.” ¹⁴Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring calamity on Absalom. [5 aLit is in his mouth—even he 6 bLit him, saying cLit according to this word dLit do his word 7 eLit advised 8 fLit bitter of soul gLit man of war 9 hLit pits iLit according to a falling among them 10 jLit melt 11 kLit your face go 12 lLit settle down 13 mOr wadi]

Hushai’s Warning Saves David

15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “aThis is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and athis is what I have counseled. ¹⁶Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be bdestroyed.’ ” ¹⁷Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, and a maidservant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸But a lad did see them and told Absalom; so the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down cinto it. ¹⁹And the woman dtook a covering and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known. ²⁰Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. [15 aLit Thus and thus 16 bLit swallowed up 18 cLit there 19 dLit took and spread the covering]

21 It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.” ²²Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by adawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan. [22 aLit the light of the morning]

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not afollowed, he bsaddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and cset his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father. [23 aLit done bLit bound cLit gave charge to]

24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵Absalom set Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was aIthra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. [25 aIn 1 Chr 2:17, Jether the Ishmaelite]

27 Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, ²⁸brought beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, ²⁹honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

2 SAMUEL 18 [Books]

Absalom Slain

1 Then David anumbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ²David sent the people out, one third under the bcommand of Joab, one third under the bcommand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the bcommand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.” ³But the people said, “You should not go out; for if we indeed flee, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But cyou are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.” ⁴Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. ⁵The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom. [1 aLit mustered 2 bLit hand 3 cSo with some ancient versions; M.T. for now there are ten thousand like us]

6 Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷The people of Israel were adefeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men. ⁸For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. [7 aLit smitten]

9 Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was aleft hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. ¹⁰When a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” ¹¹Then Joab said to the man who had told him, “Now behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” ¹²The man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘bProtect for me the young man Absalom!’ ¹³Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” ¹⁴Then Joab said, “I will not cwaste time here with you.” So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the dmidst of the oak. ¹⁵And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him. [9 aLit placed 12 bSo with some mss and the ancient versions; M.T. Take care whoever you are of 14 cLit tarry thus dLit heart]

16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. ¹⁷They took Absalom and cast him into aa deep pit in the forest and erected over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled, each to his tent. ¹⁸Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son bto preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day. [17 aLit the great 18 bLit for the sake of remembering]

David Is Grief-stricken

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has afreed him from the hand of his enemies.” ²⁰But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to carry news this day, but you shall carry news another day; however, you shall carry no news today because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. ²²Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since you will have no reward for going?” ²³“But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed up the Cushite. [19 aLit vindicated]

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself. ²⁵The watchman called and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. ²⁶Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” ²⁷The watchman said, “I athink the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “This is a good man and comes with good news.” [27 aLit see]

28 Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “aAll is well.” And he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “Blessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” ²⁹The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was.” ³⁰Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still. [28 aLit Peace]

31 Behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for the LORD has afreed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” ³²Then the king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!” [31 aLit vindicated]

33 aThe king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” [33 aCh 19:1 in Heb]

2 SAMUEL 19 [Books]

Joab Reproves David’s Lament

1 Then it was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” ²The avictory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” ³So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. ⁴The king covered his face and bcried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” ⁵Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, ⁶by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that cprinces and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then dyou would be pleased. ⁷Now therefore arise, go out and speak ekindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” [2 aLit salvation 4 bLit the king cried 6 cOr commanders dLit it would be right in your eyes 7 eLit to the heart]

David Restored as King

⁸So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.

Now Israel had fled, each to his tent. ⁹All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the ahand of our enemies and saved us from the ahand of the Philistines, but now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. ¹⁰However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?” [9 aLit palm]

11 Then King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? ¹²You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’ ” ¹⁴Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” ¹⁵The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

16 Then Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. ¹⁸Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. ¹⁹So he said to the king, “Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would atake it to heart. ²⁰For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’S anointed?” ²²David then said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” ²³The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him. [19 aLit set]

24 Then Mephibosheth the ason of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither bcared for his feet, nor btrimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. ²⁵It was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. ²⁷Moreover, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. ²⁸For all my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should ccomplain anymore to the king?” ²⁹So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have ddecided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’ ” ³⁰Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.” [24 aI.e. grandson bLit done 28 cLit cry out 29 dLit said]

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to aescort him over the Jordan. ³²Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had bsustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. ³³The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me and I will csustain you in Jerusalem with me.” ³⁴But Barzillai said to the king, “How long dhave I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵I am enow eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? ³⁷Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” ³⁸The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you frequire of me, I will do for you.” ³⁹All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place. [31 aLit send 32 bOr provided food for 33 cOr provide food for 34 dLit are the days of the years of my life 35 eLit today 38 fLit choose]

40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel aaccompanied the king. ⁴¹And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why had our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan?” ⁴²Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative to bus. Why then care you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has danything been taken for us?” ⁴³But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “eWe have ten parts in the king, therefore ewe also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not eour advice first to bring back eour king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel. [40 aLit crossed over with 42 bLit me cLit is it hot to you dOr a gift 43 eSingular in Heb]

2 SAMUEL 20 [Books]

Sheba’s Revolt

1 Now a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said,

“We have no portion in David,

Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse;

Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

²So all the men of Israel awithdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah bremained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. [2 aLit went up bLit clung to]

3 Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and placed them under guard and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.” ⁵So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. ⁶And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight.” ⁷So Joab’s men went out after him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. ⁸When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came ato meet them. Now Joab was bdressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out. ⁹Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. [8 aLit before bLit girded with military garment as clothing]

Amasa Murdered

¹⁰But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand so he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. ¹¹Now there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” ¹²But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he aremoved Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. [12 aLit caused to turn]

Revolt Put Down

¹³As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were gathered together and also went after him. ¹⁵They came and besieged him in Abel Beth-maacah, and they acast up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood by the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall. ¹⁶Then a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’ ” ¹⁷So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” ¹⁸Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute. ¹⁹I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?” ²⁰Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy! ²¹Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” ²²Then the woman wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem. [15 aLit poured out]

23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; ²⁴and Adoram was over the forced labor, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; ²⁵and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ²⁶and Ira the Jairite was also a priest to David.

2 SAMUEL 21 [Books]

Gibeonite Revenge

1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” ²So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel amade a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to bkill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah). ³Thus David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?” ⁴Then the Gibeonites said to him, “We have no concern of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “I will do for you whatever you say.” ⁵So they said to the king, “The man who consumed us and who planned cto exterminate us from remaining within any border of Israel, ⁶let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will dhang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.” [2 aLit had sworn to bLit smite 5 cLit against us that we should be exterminated 6 dLit expose them]

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the LORD which was between them, between David and Saul’s son Jonathan. ⁸So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of aMerab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. ⁹Then he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they bhanged them in the mountain before the LORD, so that the seven of them fell together; and they were put to death in the first days of harvest at the beginning of barley harvest. [8 aSo Gr and Heb mss 9 bLit exposed them]

10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until ait rained on them from the sky; and she ballowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. ¹¹When it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, ¹²then 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 open square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them on the day the Philistines struck down Saul in Gilboa. ¹³He brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there, and they gathered the bones of those who had been changed. ¹⁴They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father; thus they did all that the king commanded, and after that God was moved by prayer for the land. [10 aLit water was poured bLit gave 13 cLit exposed]

15 Now when the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David went down and his servants with him; and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. ¹⁶Then Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the agiant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, bwas girded with a new sword, and he cintended to kill David. ¹⁷But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish the lamp of Israel.” [16 aHeb Raphah bLit and he was cLit said]

18 Now it came about after this that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was among the descendants of the agiant. ¹⁹There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite bkilled cGoliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. ²⁰There was war at Gath again, where there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born to the agiant. ²¹When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck him down. ²²These four were born to the agiant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. [18 aHeb Raphah 19 bLit smote cIn 1 Chr 20:5, Lahmi, the brother of Goliath]

2 SAMUEL 22 [Books]

David’s Psalm of Deliverance

1 And David spoke the words of this song to the LORD in the day that the LORD delivered him from the ahand of all his enemies and from the ahand of Saul. ²He said,

“The LORD is my brock and my fortress and my deliverer; [1 aLit palm 2 bLit crag]

³aMy God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;

My savior, You save me from violence. [aLit God of my rock]

⁴“I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies.

⁵“For the waves of death encompassed me;

The torrents of adestruction boverwhelmed me; [aHeb Belial bOr terrified]

⁶The cords of aSheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me. [aI.e. the nether world]

⁷“In my distress I called upon the LORD,

Yes, I acried to my God;

And from His temple He heard my voice,

And my cry for help came into His ears. [aOr called]

⁸“Then the earth shook and quaked,

The foundations of heaven were trembling

And were shaken, because He was angry.

⁹“Smoke went up aout of His nostrils,

Fire from His mouth devoured;

Coals were kindled by it. [aOr in His wrath]

¹⁰“He bowed the heavens also, and came down

With thick darkness under His feet.

¹¹“And He rode on a cherub and flew;

And He aappeared on the wings of the wind. [aMany mss read sped]

¹²“And He made darkness acanopies around Him,

A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky. [aOr pavilions]

¹³“From the brightness before Him

Coals of fire were kindled.

¹⁴“The LORD thundered from heaven,

And the Most High uttered His voice.

¹⁵“And He sent out arrows, and scattered them,

Lightning, and arouted them. [aLit confused]

¹⁶“Then the channels of the sea appeared,

The foundations of the world were alaid bare

By the rebuke of the LORD,

At the blast of the breath of His nostrils. [aOr uncovered]

¹⁷“He sent from on high, He took me;

He drew me out of many waters.

¹⁸“He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

¹⁹“They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my support.

²⁰“He also brought me forth into a broad place;

He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

²¹“The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

²²“For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

And have not acted wickedly against my God.

²³“For all His ordinances were before me,

And as for His statutes, I did not depart from athem. [aLit it]

²⁴“I was also ablameless toward Him,

And I kept myself from my iniquity. [aLit complete; or having integrity]

²⁵“Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,

According to my cleanness before His eyes.

²⁶“With the akind You show Yourself akind,

With the bblameless You show Yourself bblameless; [aOr loyal bLit complete; or having integrity]

²⁷With the pure You show Yourself pure,

And with the perverted You show Yourself aastute. [aLit twisted]

²⁸“And You save an afflicted people;

But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase.

²⁹“For You are my lamp, O LORD;

And the LORD illumines my darkness.

³⁰“For by You I can arun upon a troop;

By my God I can leap over a wall. [aOr crush a troop]

³¹“As for God, His way is ablameless;

The word of the LORD is tested;

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. [aLit complete; or having integrity]

³²“For who is God, besides the LORD?

And who is a rock, besides our God?

³³“God is my strong fortress;

And He asets the bblameless in cHis way. [aOr sets free bLit complete; or having integrity cAnother reading is my]

³⁴“He makes amy feet like hinds’ feet,

And sets me on my high places. [aAnother reading is His]

³⁵“He trains my hands for battle,

So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,

And Your ahelp makes me great. [aLit answering]

³⁷“You enlarge my steps under me,

And my afeet have not slipped. [aLit ankles]

³⁸“I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,

And I did not turn back until they were consumed.

³⁹“And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise;

And they fell under my feet.

⁴⁰“For You have girded me with strength for battle;

You have asubdued under me those who rose up against me. [aLit caused to bow down]

⁴¹“You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

And I adestroyed those who hated me. [aOr silenced]

⁴²“They looked, but there was none to save;

Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.

⁴³“Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth;

I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets.

⁴⁴“You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people;

You have kept me as head of the nations;

A people whom I have not known serve me.

⁴⁵“Foreigners pretend obedience to me;

As soon as they hear, they obey me.

⁴⁶“Foreigners alose heart,

And bcome trembling out of their cfortresses. [aLit languish bLit gird themselves cLit fastnesses]

⁴⁷“The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock;

And exalted be aGod, the rock of my salvation, [aLit the God of the rock]

⁴⁸The God who executes vengeance for me,

And brings down peoples under me,

⁴⁹Who also brings me out from my enemies;

You even lift me above those who rise up against me;

You rescue me from the violent man.

⁵⁰“Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations,

And I will sing praises to Your name.

⁵¹“He is a tower of adeliverance to His king,

And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,

To David and his bdescendants forever.” [aI.e. victories; lit salvation bLit seed]

2 SAMUEL 23 [Books]

David’s Last Song

1 Now these are the last words of David.

David the son of Jesse declares,

The man who was raised on high declares,

The anointed of the God of Jacob,

And the sweet psalmist of Israel,

²“The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,

And His word was on my tongue.

³“The God of Israel said,

The Rock of Israel spoke to me,

‘He who rules over men righteously,

Who rules in the fear of God,

⁴Is as the light of the morning when the sun rises,

A morning without clouds,

When the tender grass springs out of the earth,

Through sunshine after rain.’

⁵“Truly is not my house so with God?

For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,

Ordered in all things, and secured;

For all my salvation and all my desire,

Will He not indeed make it grow?

⁶“But the worthless, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns,

Because they cannot be taken in hand;

⁷But the man who touches them

Must be aarmed with iron and the shaft of a spear,

And they will be completely burned with fire in their bplace.” [aLit filled bLit sitting]

His Mighty Men

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the acaptains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; ⁹and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they bdefied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had cwithdrawn. ¹⁰He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and dclung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great evictory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain. [8 aOr three 9 bLit reproached cLit gone up 10 dLit his hand clung eLit salvation]

11 Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered ainto a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. ¹²But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great bvictory. [11 aPossibly, at Lehi 12 bLit salvation]

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” ¹⁶So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD; ¹⁷and he said, “Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the athirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred band killed them, and had a name as well as the three. ¹⁹He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three. [18 aSo two Heb mss and Syriac; M.T. three bLit slain ones]

20 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, akilled the btwo sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. ²¹He akilled an Egyptian, can impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²²These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. ²³He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard. [20 aLit smote bOr two lion-like heroes 21 cLit a man of appearance]

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ²⁵Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ²⁶Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ²⁷Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ²⁸Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, ²⁹Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, ³⁰Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, ³¹Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, ³²Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, ³³Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, ³⁴Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, ³⁵Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ³⁶Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ³⁷Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah, ³⁸Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ³⁹Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.

2 SAMUEL 24 [Books]

The Census Taken

1 Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” ²The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and aregister the people, that I may know the number of the people.” ³But Joab said to the king, “Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” ⁴Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to aregister the people of Israel. ⁵They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad and toward Jazer. ⁶Then they came to Gilead and to bthe land of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon, ⁷and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites, and they went out to the south of Judah, to Beersheba. ⁸So when they had gone about through the whole land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. ⁹And Joab gave the number of the aregistration of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. [2 aLit muster 6 bOr Kadesh in the land of the Hittite]

10 Now David’s heart atroubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please btake away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” ¹¹When David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, ¹²“Go and speak to David, ‘Thus the LORD says, “I am offering you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.” ’ ” ¹³So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” ¹⁴Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” [10 aLit smote bLit cause to pass away]

Pestilence Sent

15 So the LORD asent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. ¹⁶When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!” And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ¹⁷Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father’s house.” [15 aLit gave]

David Builds an Altar

18 So Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of aAraunah the Jebusite.” ¹⁹David went up according to the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded. ²⁰Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him; and Araunah went out and bowed his face to the ground before the king. ²¹Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people.” ²²Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. ²³Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.” ²⁴However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God bwhich cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. ²⁵David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel. [18 aIn 2 Chr 3:1, Ornan 24 bLit gratuitously]

1 KINGS 1 [Books]

David in Old Age

1 Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. ²So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her aattend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” ³So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not bcohabit with her. [2 aLit stand before 4 bLit know her]

5 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him. ⁶His father had never acrossed him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?” And he was also a very handsome man, and bhe was born after Absalom. ⁷cHe had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and following Adonijah they helped him. ⁸But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. [6 aLit pained him bLit she gave him birth 7 cLit his words were]

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the astone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and 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, and Solomon his brother. [9 aOr Gliding or Serpent Stone]

Nathan and Bathsheba

11 Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? ¹²So now come, please let me give you counsel and save your life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³Go aat once to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴“Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.” [13 aLit and enter]

15 So Bathsheba went in to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. ¹⁶Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself abefore the king. And the king said, “What bdo you wish?” ¹⁷She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God, saying, ‘Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸Now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. ²⁰As for you now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹Otherwise it will come about, as soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered coffenders.” [16 aLit to bLit to you 21 cLit sinners]

22 Behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. ²³They told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he prostrated himself abefore the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? ²⁵For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and your servant Solomon, he has not invited. ²⁷Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not shown to your bservants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” [23 aLit to 27 bSome mss read servant]

28 Then King David said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. ²⁹The king vowed and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, ³⁰surely as I vowed to you by the LORD the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will indeed do so this day.” ³¹Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and prostrated herself abefore the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever.” [31 aLit to]

32 Then King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came into the king’s presence. ³³The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. ³⁴Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel, and blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ³⁵Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne and be king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” ³⁶Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! Thus may the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say. ³⁷As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”

Solomon Anointed King

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. ³⁹Zadok the priest then took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” ⁴⁰All the people went up after him, and the people awere playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth bshook at their noise. [40 aLit fluting bLit was split]

41 Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why ais the city making such an uproar?” ⁴²While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a valiant man and bring good news.” ⁴³But Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. ⁴⁴The king has also sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. ⁴⁵Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which you have heard. ⁴⁶Besides, Solomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. ⁴⁷Moreover, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ And the king bowed himself on the bed. ⁴⁸The king has also said thus, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’ ” [41 aLit is the sound of the city an uproar]

49 Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified; and they arose and each went on his way. ⁵⁰And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, and he arose, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. ⁵¹Now it was told Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ” ⁵²Solomon said, “If he is a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he will die.” ⁵³So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and prostrated himself abefore King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” [53 aLit to]

1 KINGS 2 [Books]

David’s Charge to Solomon

1 As David’s atime to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, ²“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and bshow yourself a man. ³Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, ⁴so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in ctruth with all their heart and with all their soul, dyou shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ [1 aLit days 2 bLit become a man 4 cOr faithfulness dLit there shall not be cast off to you a man from before Me]

5 “Now you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also ashed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt babout his waist, and on his sandals con his feet. ⁶So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to dSheol in peace. ⁷But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for they eassisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother. ⁸Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a fviolent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ ⁹Now therefore, do not let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to dSheol with blood.” [5 aLit made bLit that was about cLit that were on 6 dI.e. the nether world 7 eLit came near to 8 fOr grievous]

Death of David

10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. ¹¹The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years he reigned in Hebron and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem. ¹²And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.” ¹⁴Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” ¹⁵So he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel aexpected me to be king; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the LORD. ¹⁶Now I am making one request of you; do not brefuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” ¹⁷Then he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not crefuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” ¹⁸Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.” [15 aLit set their faces on me 16 bLit turn away my face 17 cLit turn away your face]

Adonijah Executed

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king arose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. ²⁰Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; do not arefuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not brefuse you.” ²¹So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” ²²King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him also the kingdom—for he is my older brother—even for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!” ²³Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “May God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own clife. ²⁴Now therefore, as the LORD 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 shall be put to death today.” ²⁵So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him so that he died. [20 aLit turn away my face bLit turn away your face 23 cLit soul]

26 Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth to your own field, for you adeserve to die; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord bGOD before my father David, and because you were afflicted in everything with which my father was afflicted.” ²⁷So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD, which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. [26 aLit are a man of death bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

Joab Executed

28 Now the news came to Joab, for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he had not followed Absalom. And Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. ²⁹It was told King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD, and behold, he is beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall upon him.” ³⁰So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, “Thus the king has said, ‘Come out.’ ” But he said, “No, for I will die here.” And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus spoke Joab, and thus he answered me.” ³¹The king said to him, “Do as he has spoken and fall upon him and bury him, that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without cause. ³²The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword, while my father David did not know it: Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. ³³So shall their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his adescendants forever; but to David and his adescendants and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the LORD forever.” ³⁴Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house in the wilderness. ³⁵The king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king appointed Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar. [33 aLit seed]

Shimei Executed

36 Now the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build for yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there to any place. ³⁷For on the day you go out and cross over the abrook Kidron, you will know for certain that you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.” ³⁸Shimei then said to the king, “The word is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days. [37 aOr wadi]

39 But it came about at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your servants are in Gath.” ⁴⁰Then Shimei arose and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to look for his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. ⁴¹It was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. ⁴²So the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘You will know for certain that on the day you depart and go anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word which I have heard is good.’ ⁴³Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD, and the command which I ahave laid on you?” ⁴⁴The king also said to Shimei, “You know all the evil which byou acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore the LORD shall return your evil on your own head. ⁴⁵But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.” ⁴⁶So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him so that he died. [43 aLit commanded 44 bLit your heart acknowledges]

Thus the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.

1 KINGS 3 [Books]

Solomon’s Rule Consolidated

1 Then Solomon aformed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem. ²The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the LORD until those days. [1 aLit made himself a son-in-law of Pharaoh]

3 Now Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. ⁴The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

Solomon’s Prayer

⁶Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in atruth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have breserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. ⁷Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. ⁹So give Your servant can understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this dgreat people of Yours?” [6 aOr faithfulness bLit kept 9 cLit a hearing dLit heavy]

God’s Answer

10 aIt was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself blong life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself cdiscernment to understand justice, ¹²behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise 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 walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.” [10 aLit the thing 11 bLit many days cLit hearing]

15 Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

Solomon Wisely Judges

16 Then two women who were harlots came to the king and stood before him. ¹⁷The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, athis woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. ¹⁸It happened on the third day after I gave birth, that this woman also gave birth to a child, and we were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, only the two of us in the house. ¹⁹This woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on it. ²⁰So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom. ²¹When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, behold, he was dead; but when I looked at him carefully in the morning, behold, he was not my son, whom I had borne.” ²²Then the other woman said, “No! For the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” But bthe first woman said, “No! For the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king. [17 aLit I and this woman 22 bLit this one was saying]

23 Then the king said, “aThe one says, ‘This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one’; and athe other says, ‘No! For your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’ ” ²⁴The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. ²⁵The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” ²⁶Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for bshe was deeply stirred over her son and said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!” ²⁷Then the king said, “Give cthe 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 dhanded down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to eadminister justice. [23 aLit this one 26 bLit her compassion grew warm 27 cLit her the living child 28 dLit judged eLit do]

1 KINGS 4 [Books]

Solomon’s Officials

1 Now King Solomon was king over all Israel. ²These were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; ³Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; ⁴and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ⁵and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the deputies; and Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest, was the king’s friend; ⁶and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.

7 Solomon had twelve deputies over all Israel, who aprovided for the king and his household; each man had to bprovide for a month in the year. ⁸These are their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; ⁹Ben-deker in Makaz and Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh and Elonbeth-hanan; ¹⁰Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh was his and all the land of Hepher); ¹¹Ben-abinadab, in all cthe height of Dor (Taphath the daughter of Solomon was his wife); ¹²Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah as far as the other side of Jokmeam; ¹³Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (the towns of Jair, the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead were his: the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars were his); ¹⁴Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; ¹⁵Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also married Basemath the daughter of Solomon); ¹⁶Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and dBealoth; ¹⁷Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; ¹⁸Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; ¹⁹Geber the 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. [7 aLit nourished bLit nourish 11 cOr Naphoth-dor 16 dOr in Aloth]

Solomon’s Power, Wealth and Wisdom

20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the aseashore in abundance; they were eating and drinking and rejoicing. [20 aLit sea]

21 aNow Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the bRiver to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. [21 aCh 5:1 in Heb bI.e. Euphrates]

22 Solomon’s aprovision for one day was thirty bkors of fine flour and sixty bkors of meal, ²³ten fat oxen, twenty cpasture-fed oxen, a hundred sheep besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. ²⁴For he had dominion over everything dwest of the eRiver, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings dwest of the eRiver; and he had peace on all sides around about him. ²⁵So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. ²⁶Solomon had f40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. ²⁷Those deputies gprovided for King Solomon and all who came to King Solomon’s table, each in his month; they left nothing lacking. ²⁸They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where it should be, each according to his charge. [22 aLit bread bI.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu 23 cLit oxen of the pasture 24 dLit beyond eI.e. Euphrates 26 fOne ms reads 4000, cf 2 Chr 9:25 27 gOr nourished]

29 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of amind, like the sand that is on the seashore. ³⁰Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and bDarda, the sons of Mahol; and his cfame was known in all the surrounding nations. ³²He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. ³³He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. ³⁴dMen came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. [29 aLit heart 31 bIn 1 Chr 2:6, Dara cLit name 34 dLit they]

1 KINGS 5 [Books]

Alliance with King Hiram

1 aNow Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had balways been a friend of David. ²Then Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, ³“You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. ⁴But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor cmisfortune. ⁵Behold, I dintend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ ⁶Now therefore, command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.” [1 aCh 5:15 in Heb bLit all the day 4 cLit evil occurrence 5 dLit say]

7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” ⁸So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do awhat you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber. ⁹My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place where you bdirect me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then you shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.” ¹⁰So cHiram dgave Solomon eas much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. ¹¹Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 fkors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty gkors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. ¹²The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He hpromised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant. [8 aLit all your pleasure 9 bLit send 10 cHeb Hirom dLit was giving eLit all his desire 11 fI.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu gI.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu 12 hLit spoke to]

Conscription of Laborers

13 Now King Solomon alevied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers bnumbered 30,000 men. ¹⁴He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And Adoniram was over the forced laborers. ¹⁵Now Solomon had 70,000 ctransporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains, ¹⁶besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the dproject and who ruled over the people who were doing the work. ¹⁷Then the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. ¹⁸So Solomon’s builders and eHiram’s builders and the Gebalites fcut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house. [13 aLit raised up bLit was 15 cOr burden bearers 16 dLit work 18 eHeb Hirom’s fOr chiseled]

1 KINGS 6 [Books]

The Building of the Temple

1 Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons 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, that he abegan to build the house of the LORD. ²As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty bcubits and its width twenty cubits and its height thirty cubits. ³The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits cin length, dcorresponding to the width of the house, and its edepth along the front of the house was ten cubits. ⁴Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames. ⁵Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary; thus he made side chambers all around. ⁶The lowest story was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he fmade offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not gbe inserted in the walls of the house. [1 aLit built 2 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 3 cLit in its length dLit on the face of eLit width 6 fLit gave gLit take hold]

7 The house, while it was being built, was built of stone aprepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built. [7 aLit finished]

8 The doorway for the alowest side chamber was on the right side of the house; and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third. ⁹So he built the house and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and bplanks of cedar. ¹⁰He also built the stories against the whole house, each five ccubits high; and they dwere fastened to the house with timbers of cedar. [8 aSo with Gr and versions; M.T. middle 9 bLit rows 10 cI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. dLit took hold]

11 Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon saying, ¹²“Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. ¹³I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”

14 So Solomon built the house and finished it. ¹⁵Then he built the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar; from the floor of the house to the aceiling he overlaid the walls on the inside with wood, and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress. ¹⁶He built twenty cubits on the rear part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the bceiling; he built them for it on the inside as an inner sanctuary, even as the most holy place. ¹⁷The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty ccubits long. ¹⁸There was cedar on the house within, carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen. ¹⁹Then he prepared an inner sanctuary within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. ²⁰dThe inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar with cedar. ²¹So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold. And he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold. ²²He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar which was by the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold. [15 aLit walls of ceiling 16 bLit walls 17 cI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 20 dLit before]

23 Also in the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. ²⁴Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing were ten cubits. ²⁵The other cherub was ten cubits; both the cherubim were of the same measure and the same form. ²⁶The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub. ²⁷He placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of the one was touching the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall. So their wings were touching each other in the center of the house. ²⁸He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 Then he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inner and outer sanctuaries. ³⁰He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inner and outer sanctuaries.

31 For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and five-sided doorposts. ³²So he made two doors of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

33 So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood ³⁴and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door turned on pivots, and the two aleaves of the other door turned on pivots. ³⁵He carved on it cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work. ³⁶He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams. [34 aSo with Gr; M.T. curtains]

37 In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv. ³⁸In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

1 KINGS 7 [Books]

Solomon’s Palace

1 Now Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. ²He built the house of the forest of Lebanon; its length was 100 acubits and its width 50 cubits and its height 30 cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams on the pillars. ³It was paneled with cedar above the side chambers which were on the 45 pillars, 15 in each row. ⁴There were artistic window frames in three rows, and window was opposite window in three ranks. ⁵All the doorways and doorposts had squared artistic frames, and window was opposite window in three ranks. [2 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.]

6 Then he made the hall of pillars; its length was 50 cubits and its width 30 cubits, and a porch was in front of them and pillars and a threshold in front of them.

7 He made the hall of the throne where he was to judge, the hall of judgment, and it was paneled with cedar from floor to floor.

8 His house where he was to live, the other court inward from the hall, was of the same workmanship. He also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom Solomon had married.

9 All these were of costly stones, of stone cut according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside; even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court.

10 The foundation was of costly stones, even large stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. ¹¹And above were costly stones, stone cut according to measure, and cedar. ¹²So the great court all around had three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams even as the inner court of the house of the LORD, and the porch of the house.

Hiram’s Work in the Temple

13 Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work.

15 He fashioned the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits ameasured the circumference of both. ¹⁶He also made two capitals of molten bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five bcubits and the height of the other capital was five cubits. ¹⁷There were nets of network and twisted threads of chainwork for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital. ¹⁸So he made the pillars, and two rows around on the one network to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital. ¹⁹The capitals which were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits. ²⁰There were capitals on the two pillars, even above and close to the crounded projection which was beside the network; and the pomegranates numbered two hundred in rows around dboth capitals. ²¹Thus he set up the pillars at the porch of the nave; and he set up the right pillar and named it eJachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it fBoaz. ²²On the top of the pillars was lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished. [15 aLit went around the other pillar 16 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 20 cLit belly dLit on the other capital 21 eI.e. he shall establish fI.e. in it is strength]

23 Now he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and athirty cubits in circumference. ²⁴Under its brim gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, completely surrounding the sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast bwith the rest. ²⁵It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward. ²⁶It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it could hold two thousand baths. [23 aLit a line of 30 cubits went around it 24 bLit in its casting]

27 Then he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was four cubits and its width four cubits and its height three cubits. ²⁸This was the design of the stands: they had borders, even borders between the aframes, ²⁹and on the borders which were between the aframes were lions, oxen and cherubim; and on the aframes there was a pedestal above, and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. ³⁰Now each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and its four feet had supports; beneath the basin were cast supports with wreaths at each side. ³¹Its opening inside the crown at the top was a cubit, and its opening was round like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its opening there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round. ³²The four wheels were underneath the borders, and the axles of the wheels were on the stand. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. ³³The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel. Their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. ³⁴Now there were four supports at the four corners of each stand; its supports were part of the stand itself. ³⁵On the top of the stand there was a circular form half a bcubit high, and on the top of the stand its cstays and its borders were part of it. ³⁶He engraved on the plates of its stays and on its borders, cherubim, lions and palm trees, according to the clear space on each, with wreaths all around. ³⁷He made the ten stands like this: all of them had one casting, one measure and one form. [28 aOr crossbars 35 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. cLit hands]

38 He made ten basins of bronze, one basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin. ³⁹Then he set the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward the south.

40 Now Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram finished doing all the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of the LORD: ⁴¹the two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; ⁴²and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the tops of the pillars; ⁴³and the ten stands with the ten basins on the stands; ⁴⁴and the one sea and the twelve oxen under the sea; ⁴⁵and the pails and the shovels and the bowls; even all these utensils which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of the LORD were of polished bronze. ⁴⁶In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. ⁴⁷Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; the weight of the bronze could not be ascertained.

48 Solomon made all the furniture which was in the house of the LORD: the golden altar and the golden table on which was the bread of the Presence; ⁴⁹and the lampstands, five on the right side and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and the flowers and the lamps and the tongs, of gold; ⁵⁰and the cups and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold.

51 Thus all the work that King Solomon performed in the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the things dedicated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the utensils, and he put them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

1 KINGS 8 [Books]

The Ark Brought into the Temple

1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion. ²All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. ³Then all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. ⁴They brought up the ark of the LORD and the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils, which were in the tent, and the priests and the Levites brought them up. ⁵And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing aso many sheep and oxen they could not be counted or numbered. ⁶Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim. ⁷For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above. ⁸But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; they are there to this day. ⁹There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, ¹¹so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. [5 aLit sheep and oxen...numbered for multitude]

Solomon Addresses the People

12 Then Solomon said,

“The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

¹³“I have surely built You a lofty house,

A place for Your dwelling forever.”

14 Then the king afaced about and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. ¹⁵He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hand, saying, ¹⁶‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ ¹⁷Now it was bin the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁸But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was bin your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was bin your heart. ¹⁹Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who cwill be born to you, he will build the house for My name.’ ²⁰Now the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD dpromised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ²¹There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with our fathers when He brought them from the land of Egypt.” [14 aLit turned his face about 17 bLit with 19 cLit will come forth from your loins 20 dLit spoke]

The Prayer of Dedication

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. ²³He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, ²⁴who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You have apromised him; indeed, You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day. ²⁵Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have apromised him, saying, ‘bYou shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked.’ ²⁶Now therefore, O God of Israel, let Your word, I pray, be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David. [24 aLit spoken to 25 bLit There shall not be cut off to you a man from before Me]

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the ahighest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! ²⁸Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; ²⁹that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. ³⁰Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive. [27 aLit heaven of heavens]

31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, ³²then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

33 “When Your people Israel are adefeated before an enemy, because they have sinned against You, if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house, ³⁴then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers. [33 aLit smitten]

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, ³⁶then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel, indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land, which You have given Your people for an inheritance.

37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their acities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, ³⁸whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, beach knowing the caffliction of his own heart, and spreading his dhands toward this house; ³⁹then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, ⁴⁰that they may efear You all the days that they live fin the land which You have given to our fathers. [37 aLit gates 38 bLit who shall know each cLit plague dLit palms 40 eOr revere fLit on the face of the land]

41 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake ⁴²(for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, ⁴³hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to afear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that bthis house which I have built is called by Your name. [43 aOr reverence bLit Your name is called upon this house which I have built]

44 “When Your people go out to battle against atheir enemy, by whatever way You shall send them, and they pray to the LORD btoward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, ⁴⁵then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their ccause. [44 aLit his bLit in the way of 45 cLit right or justice]

46 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that athey take them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; ⁴⁷if they btake thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’; ⁴⁸if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; ⁴⁹then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Your dwelling place, and maintain their ccause, ⁵⁰and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them ⁵¹(for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought forth from Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace), ⁵²that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. ⁵³For You have separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord dGOD.” [46 aLit their captors take them captive 47 bLit return to their heart 49 cLit judgment 53 dHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

Solomon’s Benediction

54 When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his ahands spread toward heaven. ⁵⁵And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: [54 aLit palms]

56 “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He apromised; not one word has bfailed of all His good cpromise, which He apromised through Moses His servant. ⁵⁷May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us, ⁵⁸that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers. ⁵⁹And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the dcause of His servant and the dcause of His people Israel, eas each day requires, ⁶⁰so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else. ⁶¹Let your heart therefore be fwholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.” [56 aLit spoke bLit fallen cLit word 59 dLit judgment eLit the thing of a day in its day 61 fLit complete with]

Dedicatory Sacrifices

62 Now the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD. ⁶³Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. ⁶⁴On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, because there he aoffered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings; for the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings. [64 aLit made]

65 So Solomon observed the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, for seven days and seven more days, even fourteen days. ⁶⁶On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had ashown to David His servant and to Israel His people. [66 aLit done]

1 KINGS 9 [Books]

God’s Promise and Warning

1 Now it came about when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all athat Solomon desired to do, ²that the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. ³The LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. ⁴As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, ⁵then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I bpromised to your father David, saying, ‘cYou shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ [1 aLit Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do 5 bLit spoke cLit There shall not be cut off to you a man]

6 “But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, ⁷then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will acast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. ⁸And this house will become ba heap of ruins; everyone who passes by will be astonished and hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ ⁹And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore the LORD has brought all this adversity on them.’ ” [7 aLit send 8 bHeb high]

Cities Given to Hiram

10 It came about at the end of twenty years in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD and the king’s house ¹¹(Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold according to all his desire), then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. ¹²So Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they adid not please him. ¹³He said, “What are these cities which you have given me, my brother?” So bthey were called the land of cCabul to this day. ¹⁴And Hiram sent to the king 120 talents of gold. [12 aLit were not right in his sight 13 bLit he called them cI.e. as good as nothing]

15 Now this is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon levied to build the house of the LORD, his own house, the aMillo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. ¹⁶For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. ¹⁷So Solomon rebuilt Gezer and the lower Beth-horon ¹⁸and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, ¹⁹and all the storage cities which Solomon had, even the cities for bhis chariots and the cities for bhis horsemen, and call that it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land dunder 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 sons of Israel, ²¹their descendants who were left after them in the land whom the sons of Israel were unable to destroy utterly, from them Solomon levied forced laborers, even to this day. ²²But Solomon did not make slaves of the sons of Israel; for they were men of war, his servants, his princes, his captains, his chariot commanders, and his horsemen. [15 aI.e. citadel 19 bLit the cLit the desire of Solomon which he desired to build in Jerusalem dLit of]

23 These were the achief officers who were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people doing the work. [23 aOr officers of the deputies]

24 As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her, then he built the Millo.

25 Now three times in a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to the LORD, burning incense with them on the altar which was before the LORD. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon also built a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the aRed Sea, in the land of Edom. ²⁷And Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, along with the servants of Solomon. ²⁸They went to Ophir and took four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon. [26 aLit Sea of Reeds]

1 KINGS 10 [Books]

The Queen of Sheba

1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. ²So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. ³Solomon aanswered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king which he did not bexplain to her. ⁴When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁵the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and chis stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. ⁶Then she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. ⁷Nevertheless I did not believe the dreports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. ⁸How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. ⁹Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” ¹⁰She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. [3 aLit told her all her words bLit tell her 5 cOr his burnt offering which he offered 7 dLit words]

11 Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones. ¹²The king made of the almug trees supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

13 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to ahis royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land btogether with her servants. [13 aLit the hand of King Solomon bLit she and]

Wealth, Splendor and Wisdom

14 Now the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, ¹⁵besides that from the traders and the awares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country. ¹⁶King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, busing 600 shekels of gold on each large shield. ¹⁷He made 300 shields of beaten gold, busing three minas of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. ¹⁸Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold. ¹⁹There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and carms don each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the carms. ²⁰Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. ²¹All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered evaluable in the days of Solomon. ²²For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks. [15 aOr traffic 16 bLit he brought up 19 cLit hands dLit on this side and on this at the place of the seat 21 eLit anything]

23 So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. ²⁴All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. ²⁵They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he astationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ²⁷The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the blowland. ²⁸Also Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price. ²⁹A chariot cwas imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and dby the same means they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans. [26 aSo with ancient versions; Heb led 27 bHeb Shephelah 29 cLit came up and went out from dLit in like manner by their hand]

1 KINGS 11 [Books]

Solomon Turns from God

1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, ²from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not aassociate with them, nor shall they aassociate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love. ³He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. ⁴For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not bwholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after cMilcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. ⁶Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done. ⁷Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is deast of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. ⁸Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. [2 aLit go among 4 bLit complete with 5 cIn Jer 49:1, 3, Malcam 7 dLit before]

9 Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, ¹⁰and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded. ¹¹So the LORD said to Solomon, “Because ayou have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. ¹²Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.” [11 aLit this is with you]

God Raises Adversaries

14 Then the LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the aroyal line in Edom. ¹⁵For it came about, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck down every male in Edom ¹⁶(for Joab and all Israel stayed there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom), ¹⁷that Hadad fled bto Egypt, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, while Hadad was a young boy. ¹⁸They arose from Midian and came to Paran; and they took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and assigned him food and gave him land. ¹⁹Now Hadad found great favor cbefore Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. ²⁰The sister of Tahpenes bore his son Genubath, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh. ²¹But when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Send me away, that I may go to my own country.” ²²Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you are seeking to go to your own country?” And he answered, “Nothing; nevertheless you must surely dlet me go.” [14 aLit king’s seed 17 bLit to go into 19 cLit in the sight of 22 dLit send me away]

23 God also raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. ²⁴He gathered men to himself and became leader of a marauding band, after David slew them of Zobah; and they went to Damascus and stayed athere, and reigned in Damascus. ²⁵So he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, along with the evil that Hadad did; and he abhorred Israel and reigned over Aram. [24 aLit in it]

26 Then Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also arebelled against the king. ²⁷Now this was the reason why he arebelled against the king: Solomon built the bMillo, and closed up the breach of the city of his father David. ²⁸Now the man Jeroboam was a valiant warrior, and when Solomon saw that the young man was cindustrious, he appointed him over all the dforced labor of the house of Joseph. ²⁹It came about at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now eAhijah had clothed himself with a new cloak; and both of them were alone in the field. ³⁰Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. ³¹He said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes ³²(but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), ³³because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did. ³⁴Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him fruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes; ³⁵but I will take the kingdom from his son’s hand and give it to you, even ten tribes. ³⁶But to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name. ³⁷I will take you, and you shall reign over whatever gyou desire, and you shall be king over Israel. ³⁸Then it will be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. ³⁹Thus I will afflict the hdescendants of David for this, but not always.’ ” ⁴⁰Solomon sought therefore to put Jeroboam to death; but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt to Shishak king of Egypt, and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. [26 aLit lifted up a hand 27 bI.e. citadel 28 cLit a doer of work dLit burden 29 eLit he 34 fOr prince 37 gLit your soul desires 39 hLit seed]

The Death of Solomon

41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? ⁴²Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. ⁴³And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

1 KINGS 12 [Books]

King Rehoboam Acts Foolishly

1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ²Now when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, ahe was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon). ³Then they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, ⁴“Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” ⁵Then he said to them, “Depart bfor three days, then return to me.” So the people departed. [2 aLit Jeroboam 5 bLit yet three]

6 King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had aserved his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?” ⁷Then they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and bgrant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” ⁸But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him cand served him. ⁹So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” ¹⁰The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! ¹¹Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ” [6 aLit stood before 7 bLit answer them 8 cLit who stood before]

12 Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had adirected, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” ¹³The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had bgiven him, ¹⁴and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” ¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. [12 aLit spoken 13 bLit advised]

The Kingdom Divided; Jeroboam Rules Israel

16 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying,

“What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;

To your tents, O Israel!

Now look after your own house, David!”

So Israel departed to their tents. ¹⁷But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. ¹⁸Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him ato death. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. [18 aLit with stones that he died]

20 It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

21 Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. ²²But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, ²³“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, ²⁴‘Thus says the LORD, “You must not go up and fight against your arelatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.” ’ ” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD. [24 aLit brothers]

Jeroboam’s Idolatry

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived athere. And he went out from there and built Penuel. ²⁶Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. ²⁷If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” ²⁸So the king bconsulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” ²⁹He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. ³⁰Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. ³¹And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among call the people who were not of the sons of Levi. ³²Jeroboam dinstituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he ewent up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. ³³Then he ewent up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had ddevised fin his own heart; and he dinstituted a feast for the sons of Israel and ewent up to the altar to burn gincense. [25 aLit in it 28 bLit took counsel 31 cOr extremities of 32 dLit made eOr offered upon 33 fLit from gOr sacrifices]

1 KINGS 13 [Books]

Jeroboam Warned, Stricken

1 Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. ²He cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’ ” ³Then he gave a asign the same day, saying, “This is the asign which the LORD has spoken, ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart and the bashes which are on it shall be poured out.’ ” ⁴Now when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” But his hand which he stretched out against him dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. ⁵The altar also was split apart and the bashes were poured out from the altar, according to the asign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. ⁶The king said to the man of God, “Please centreat the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God dentreated the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before. ⁷Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” ⁸But the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give me half your house I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place. ⁹For so eit was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came.’ ” ¹⁰So he went another way and did not return by the way which he came to Bethel. [3 aLit wonder bLit ashes of fat 6 cLit soften the face of dLit softened the face of 9 eLit he commanded me]

The Disobedient Prophet

11 Now an old prophet was living in Bethel; and his asons came and told him all the deeds which the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king, these also they related to their father. ¹²Their father said to them, “bWhich way did he go?” Now his sons chad seen the way which the man of God who came from Judah had gone. ¹³Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it. ¹⁴So he went after the man of God and found him sitting under dan oak; and he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” ¹⁵Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” ¹⁶He said, “I cannot return with you, nor go with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. ¹⁷For a command came to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came.’ ” ¹⁸He said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” But he lied to him. ¹⁹So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water. [11 aLit son 12 bLit Where is the way he went cSome ancient versions read showed him 14 dOr a terebinth]

20 Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; ²¹and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have adisobeyed the bcommand of the LORD, and have not observed the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, ²²but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water”; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.’ ” ²³It came about after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back. ²⁴Now when he had gone, a lion met him on the way and killed him, and his body was thrown on the road, with the donkey standing beside it; the lion also was standing beside the body. ²⁵And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the road, and the lion standing beside the body; so they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. [21 aLit rebelled against bLit mouth]

26 Now when the prophet who brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God, who adisobeyed the bcommand of the LORD; therefore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to him.” ²⁷Then he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. ²⁸He went and found his body thrown on the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside the body; the lion had not eaten the body nor torn the donkey. ²⁹So the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back, and he came to the city of the old prophet to mourn and to bury him. ³⁰He laid his body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” ³¹After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. ³²For the thing shall surely come to pass which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria.” [26 aLit rebelled against bLit mouth]

33 After this event Jeroboam did not return from his evil way, but again he made priests of the high places from among aall the people; any who would, he ordained, to be priests of the high places. ³⁴bThis event became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to blot it out and destroy it from off the face of the earth. [33 aOr extremities of 34 bLit by this thing he became]

1 KINGS 14 [Books]

Ahijah Prophesies against the King

1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. ²Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. ³Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”

4 Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were adim because of his age. ⁵Now the LORD had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to binquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that she will pretend to be another woman.” [4 aLit set 5 bLit seek a word from]

6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message. ⁷Go, say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, ⁸and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight; ⁹you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back— ¹⁰therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam aevery male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone. ¹¹Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the LORD has spoken it.” ’ ¹²Now you, arise, go to your house. When your feet enter the city the child will die. ¹³All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for bhe alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. ¹⁴Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day cand from now on. [10 aLit him who urinates against the wall 13 bLit the one 14 cLit and what even now?]

15 “For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their aAsherim, provoking the LORD to anger. ¹⁶He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he bcommitted and with which he made Israel to sin.” [15 aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity 16 bLit sinned]

17 Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. As she was entering the threshold of the house, the child died. ¹⁸All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ²⁰The time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.

Rehoboam Misleads Judah

21 Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. ²²Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with athe sins which they bcommitted. ²³For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and cAsherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. ²⁴There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. [22 aLit their bLit sinned 23 cI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity]

25 Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. ²⁶He took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, aeven taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. ²⁷So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the bcare of the commanders of the cguard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. ²⁸Then it happened as often as the king entered the house of the LORD, that the dguards would carry them and would bring them back into the dguards’ room. [26 aLit and he took away 27 bLit hand cLit runner 28 dLit runners]

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ³⁰There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. ³¹And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son became king in his place.

1 KINGS 15 [Books]

Abijam Reigns over Judah

1 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. ²He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was aMaacah the daughter of bAbishalom. ³He walked in all the sins of his father which he had committed before him; and his heart was not cwholly devoted to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David. ⁴But for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem; ⁵because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. ⁶There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. [2 aIn 2 Chr 13:2, Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel bIn 2 Chr 11:20, Absalom 3 cLit complete with]

7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

Asa Succeeds Abijam

⁸And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place.

9 So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. ¹⁰He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. ¹¹Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father. ¹²He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made. ¹³aHe also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image bas an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron. ¹⁴But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was cwholly devoted to the LORD all his days. ¹⁵He brought into the house of the LORD the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils. [13 aLit also Maacah his mother and he removed her bOr for Asherah 14 cLit complete with]

16 Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. ¹⁷Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and afortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah. ¹⁸Then Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying, ¹⁹“Let there be a treaty between byou and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” ²⁰So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and cconquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali. ²¹When Baasha heard of it, he ceased dfortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah. ²²Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah—none was exempt—and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. [17 aLit built 19 bLit me and you 20 cLit smote 21 dLit building]

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

23 Now the rest of all the acts of Asa and all his might and all that he did and the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. ²⁴And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab, then Baasha, Rules over Israel

25 Now Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. ²⁶He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin. ²⁷Then Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.

28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. ²⁹It came about as soon as he was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam aany persons alive, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, ³⁰and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger. [29 aLit any breath]

31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

War with Judah

³²There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. ³⁴He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.

1 KINGS 16 [Books]

Prophecy against Baasha

1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, ²“Inasmuch as I exalted you from the dust and made you leader over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made My people Israel sin, provoking Me to anger with their sins, ³behold, I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ⁴Anyone of Baasha who dies in the city the dogs will eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat.”

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

The Israelite Kings

⁶And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son became king in his place. ⁷Moreover, the word of the LORD through the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani also came against Baasha and his household, both because of all the evil which he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck ait. [7 aOr him]

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel at Tirzah, and reigned two years. ⁹His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was at Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household at Tirzah. ¹⁰Then Zimri went in and struck him and put him to death in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and became king in his place. ¹¹It came about when he became king, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he akilled all the household of Baasha; he did not leave ba single male, neither of his crelatives nor of his friends. [11 aLit smote bLit him who urinates against the wall cLit redeemers]

12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the household of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke against Baasha through Jehu the prophet, ¹³for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their aidols. ¹⁴Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? [13 aLit vanities]

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days at Tirzah. Now the people were camped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. ¹⁶The people who were camped heard ait said, “Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. ¹⁷Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. ¹⁸When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire, and died, ¹⁹because of his sins which he sinned, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, making Israel sin. ²⁰Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his conspiracy which he bcarried out, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? [16 aLit saying 20 bLit conspired]

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; the other half followed Omri. ²²But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. And Tibni died and Omri became king. ²³In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel and reigned twelve years; he reigned six years at Tirzah. ²⁴He bought the hill aSamaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and named the city which he built aSamaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. [24 aHeb Shomeron]

25 Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, and acted more wickedly than all who were before him. ²⁶For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and in his sins which he made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel with their aidols. ²⁷Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did and his might which he bshowed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ²⁸So Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son became king in his place. [26 aLit vanities 27 bLit did]

29 Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. ³⁰Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him.

31 It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. ³²So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. ³³Ahab also made the aAsherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. ³⁴In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. [33 aI.e. wooden symbol of a female deity]

1 KINGS 17 [Books]

Elijah Predicts Drought

1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of athe settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” ²The word of the LORD came to him, saying, ³“Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is beast of the Jordan. ⁴It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” ⁵So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is beast of the Jordan. ⁶The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. ⁷It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. [1 aOr Tishbe in Gilead 3 bLit before]

8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ⁹“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, 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, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a ajar, that I may drink.” ¹¹As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” ¹²But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no bbread, only a handful of flour in the cbowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering da few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” ¹³Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from eit first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. ¹⁴For thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘The cbowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil fbe empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.’ ” ¹⁵So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The cbowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil gbecome empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah. [10 aOr vessel 12 bLit cake cLit pitcher dLit two 13 eLit there 14 fLit lack 16 gLit lack]

Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son

17 Now it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, O man of God? aYou have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!” ¹⁹He said to her, “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰He called to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am bstaying, by causing her son to die?” ²¹Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray You, let this child’s life return cto him.” ²²The LORD heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned cto him and he revived. ²³Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” ²⁴Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.” [18 aOr Have you come...death? 20 bLit sojourning 21 cLit upon his inward part]

1 KINGS 18 [Books]

Obadiah Meets Elijah

1 Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.” ²So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. ³Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah afeared the LORD greatly; ⁴for when Jezebel bdestroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) ⁵Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not bhave to kill some of the cattle.” ⁶So they divided the land between them to csurvey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself. [3 aOr revered 4 bLit cut off 6 cLit pass through]

7 Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah amet him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is this you, Elijah my master?” ⁸He said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ” ⁹He said, “What bsin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death? ¹⁰As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. ¹¹And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’ ¹²It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have cfeared the LORD from my youth. ¹³Has it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, that I hid da hundred prophets of the LORD by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water? ¹⁴And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here” ’; he will then kill me.” ¹⁵Elijah said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” ¹⁶So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. [7 aLit to meet 9 bLit have I sinned 12 cOr revered 13 dLit a hundred men of the prophets]

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” ¹⁸He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals. ¹⁹Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

20 So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel. ²¹Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you ahesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. ²²Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. ²³Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. ²⁴Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “bThat is a good idea.” [21 aLit limp on the two divided opinions 24 bLit The matter is good]

25 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” ²⁶Then they took the ox which awas given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they bleaped about the altar which cthey made. ²⁷It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” ²⁸So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. ²⁹When midday was past, they draved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no eone paid attention. [26 aLit he gave bLit limped; i.e. a type of ceremonial dance cSo some mss and the ancient versions; M.T. he 29 dLit prophesied eLit attentiveness]

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down. ³¹Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” ³²So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two ameasures of seed. ³³Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. ³⁴And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. ³⁵The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. [32 aHeb seahs; i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qts]

Elijah’s Prayer

³⁶At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. ³⁷Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” ³⁸Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” ⁴⁰Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” ⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. ⁴³He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. ⁴⁴It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘aPrepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ ” ⁴⁵In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and boutran Ahab cto Jezreel. [44 aLit Tie, harness 46 bLit ran before cLit until you are coming to]

1 KINGS 19 [Books]

Elijah Flees from Jezebel

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and ahow 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 even more, if I do not make your blife as the blife of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” ³And he cwas afraid and arose and ran for his blife 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 djuniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my blife, for I am not better than my fathers.” ⁵He lay down and slept under a djuniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” ⁶Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. ⁷The angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” ⁸So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. [1 aLit all about how 2 bLit soul 3 cReading of many mss; Heb text may read saw 4 dOr broom-tree]

Elijah at Horeb

9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰He said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

11 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹²After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁴Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

15 The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; ¹⁶and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. ¹⁷It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. ¹⁸Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. ²⁰He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” ²¹So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.

1 KINGS 20 [Books]

War with Aram

1 Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it. ²Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ³‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’ ” ⁴The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” ⁵Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says aBen-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,” ⁶but about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and bwhatever is desirable in your eyes, they will ctake in their hand and carry away.’ ” [5 aLit Ben-hadad, saying 6 bLit all the desire of your eyes cLit put]

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and see how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” ⁸All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” ⁹So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’ ” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. ¹⁰Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who afollow me.” ¹¹Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’ ” ¹²When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking bwith the kings in the ctemporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city. [10 aLit are at my feet 12 bLit he and cOr booths]

Ahab Victorious

13 Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’ ” ¹⁴Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who shall abegin the battle?” And he banswered, “You.” ¹⁵Then he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, even all the sons of Israel, 7,000. [14 aLit bind bLit said]

16 They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the atemporary shelters bwith the thirty-two kings who helped him. ¹⁷The young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.” ¹⁸Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.” [16 aOr booths bLit he and the 32 kings]

19 So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. ²⁰They akilled each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. ²¹The king of Israel went out and astruck the horses and chariots, and akilled the Arameans with a great slaughter. [20 aLit smote]

22 Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they. ²⁴Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, ²⁵and amuster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so. [25 aLit number]

Another Aramean War

26 At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. ²⁷The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country. ²⁸Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’ ” ²⁹So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel akilled of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. ³⁰But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber. [29 aLit smote]

31 His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your alife.” ³²So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” ³³Now the men btook this as an omen, and quickly ccatching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he dtook him up into the chariot. ³⁴Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go. [31 aLit soul 33 bLit divined cLit caught from him dLit caused him to come up]

35 Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to aanother by the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. ³⁶Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will bkill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and ckilled him. ³⁷Then he found another man and said, “Please bstrike me.” And the man cstruck him, dwounding him. ³⁸So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. ³⁹As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ ⁴⁰While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” ⁴¹Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. ⁴²He said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your elife shall go for his elife, and your people for his people.’ ” ⁴³So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria. [35 aLit his neighbor 36 bLit smite cLit smote 37 dLit striking and wounding 42 eLit soul]

1 KINGS 21 [Books]

Ahab Covets Naboth’s Vineyard

1 Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. ²Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if ayou like, I will give you the price of bit in money.” ³But Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” ⁴So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no cfood. [2 aLit it is good in your eyes bLit this 4 cLit bread]

5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating afood?” ⁶So he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ” ⁷Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now breign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” [5 aLit bread 7 bLit exercise kingship]

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. ⁹Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people; ¹⁰and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him ato death.” [10 aLit so that he dies]

Jezebel’s Plot

11 So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. ¹²They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. ¹³Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him ato death with stones. ¹⁴Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.” [13 aLit with stones so that he died]

15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” ¹⁶When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ¹⁸“Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. ¹⁹You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours.” ’ ”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he aanswered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. ²¹Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; ²²and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin. ²³Of Jezebel also has the LORD spoken, saying, ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the bdistrict of Jezreel.’ ²⁴The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat.” [20 aLit said 23 bLit portion; some mss read rampart]

25 Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, abecause Jezebel his wife incited him. ²⁶He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the sons of Israel. [25 aOr whom Jezebel his wife incited]

27 It came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put aon sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about bdespondently. ²⁸Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ²⁹“Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son’s days.” [27 aLit sackcloth on his flesh bOr softly]

1 KINGS 22 [Books]

Ahab’s Third Campaign against Aram

1 Three ayears passed without war between Aram and Israel. ²In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. ³Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we bare still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” ⁴And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” [1 aLit they sat for three years 3 bLit are silent so as not]

5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire afirst for the word of the LORD.” ⁶Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” ⁷But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” ⁸The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” ⁹Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “bBring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” ¹⁰Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹¹Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’ ” ¹²All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” [5 aLit as the day 9 bLit Hasten Micaiah]

Micaiah Predicts Defeat

13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” ¹⁴But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak.”

15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he aanswered him, “Go up and succeed, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” ¹⁶Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” ¹⁷So he said,

“I saw all Israel

Scattered on the mountains,

Like sheep which have no shepherd.

And the LORD said,

‘These have no master.

Let each of them return to his house in peace.’ ”

¹⁸Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” [15 aLit said to]

19 aMicaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. ²⁰The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. ²¹Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ²²The LORD said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.’ ²³Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you.” [19 aLit he]

24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?” ²⁵Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.” ²⁶Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁷and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this man in prison and feed him asparingly with bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ” ²⁸Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people.” [27 aLit with bread of affliction and water of affliction]

Defeat and Death of Ahab

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. ³⁰The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your 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 fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.” ³²So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. ³³When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel ain a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn baround and take me out of the cfight; for I am severely wounded.” ³⁵The battle draged that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans, and died at evening, and the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot. ³⁶Then a cry passed throughout the army close to sunset, saying, “Every man to his city and every man to his ecountry.” [34 aLit between the scale-armor and the breastplate bLit your hand cLit camp 35 dLit went up 36 eLit land]

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. ³⁸They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots bathed themselves there), according to the word of the LORD which He spoke. ³⁹Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ⁴⁰So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

The New Rulers

41 Now Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴²Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³He walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places. ⁴⁴Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might which he showed and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ⁴⁶The remnant of the sodomites who remained in the days of his father Asa, he aexpelled from the land. [46 aLit consumed]

47 Now there was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. ⁴⁸Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber. ⁴⁹Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat was not willing. ⁵⁰And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place.

51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. ⁵²He did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. ⁵³So he served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

2 KINGS 1 [Books]

Ahaziah’s Messengers Meet Elijah

1 Now Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. ²And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.” ³But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ ⁴Now therefore thus says the LORD, ‘aYou shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” Then Elijah departed. [4 aLit The bed where you went up, you shall not come down from it]

5 When the messengers returned to him he said to them, “aWhy have you returned?” ⁶They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore byou shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’ ” ’ ” ⁷He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” ⁸They canswered him, “He was a hairy man with a leather girdle dbound about his loins.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” [5 aLit What is this that you have returned? 6 bV 4, note 1 8 cLit said dOr girt]

9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’ ” ¹⁰Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

11 So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, “O man of God, thus says the king, ‘Come down quickly.’ ” ¹²Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

13 So he again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, “O man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. ¹⁴Behold fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my alife be precious in your sight.” ¹⁵The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king. ¹⁶Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word?—therefore byou shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’ ” [14 aLit soul 16 bV 4, note 1]

Jehoram Reigns over Israel

17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And because he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. ¹⁸Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

2 KINGS 2 [Books]

Elijah Taken to Heaven

1 And it came about when the LORD was about to take up Elijah by a awhirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. ³Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over byou today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.” [1 aOr windstorm 3 bLit your head]

4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. ⁵The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over ayou today?” And he banswered, “Yes, I know; be still.” ⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. [5 aLit your head bLit said]

7 Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” ¹⁰He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” ¹¹As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a awhirlwind to heaven. ¹²Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the bchariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw cElijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. ¹³He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. [11 aOr windstorm 12 bLit chariot cLit him]

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. ¹⁶They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” ¹⁷But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. ¹⁸They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land ais unfruitful.” ²⁰He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt bin it.” So they brought it to him. ²¹He went out to the spring of water and threw salt bin it and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I have cpurified these waters; there shall not be from there death or dunfruitfulness any longer.’ ” ²²So the waters have been cpurified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. [19 aLit causes barrenness 20 bLit there 21 cLit healed dLit barrenness]

23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” ²⁴When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of atheir number. ²⁵He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. [24 aLit them]

2 KINGS 3 [Books]

Jehoram Meets Moab Rebellion

1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. ²He did evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and his mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal which his father had made. ³Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. ⁵But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. ⁶And King Jehoram went out of Samaria aat that time and mustered all Israel. ⁷Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” ⁸He said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he banswered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.” [6 aLit in that day 8 bLit said]

9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey, and there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. ¹⁰Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” ¹¹But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” ¹²Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” ¹⁴Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. ¹⁵But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. ¹⁶He said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ ¹⁷For thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts. ¹⁸This is but a slight thing in the sight of the LORD; He will also give the Moabites into your hand. ¹⁹Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’ ” ²⁰It happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to aput on armor and older were summoned and stood on the border. ²²They rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. ²³Then they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together, and they have slain one another. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!” ²⁴But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites arose and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward binto the land, cslaughtering the Moabites. ²⁵Thus they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. So they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it. ²⁶When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. ²⁷Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land. [21 aLit gird themselves with a belt 24 bLit into it cLit smiting]

2 KINGS 4 [Books]

The Widow’s Oil

1 Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to aElisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” ²Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” ³Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. ⁴And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.” ⁵So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. ⁶When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not one vessel more.” And the oil stopped. ⁷Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” [1 aLit Elisha, saying]

The Shunammite Woman

8 Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a aprominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat bfood. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bfood. ⁹She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually. ¹⁰Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.” [8 aLit great bLit bread]

11 aOne day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and brested. ¹²Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. ¹³He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been ccareful for us with all this dcare; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’ ” And she eanswered, “I live among my own people.” ¹⁴So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi eanswered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.” ¹⁵He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. ¹⁶Then he said, “At this season fnext year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.” [11 aLit Now a day came that bLit lay there 13 cLit fearful dLit fear eLit said 16 fLit when the time revives]

17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season athe next year, as Elisha had said to her. [17 aLit when the time revived]

The Shunammite’s Son

18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers. ¹⁹He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” ²⁰When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her alap until noon, and then died. ²¹She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out. ²²Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” ²³He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.” ²⁴Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down bthe pace for me unless I tell you.” ²⁵So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. [20 aLit knees 24 bLit riding]

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, athere is the Shunammite. ²⁶Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she banswered, “It is well.” ²⁷When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is ctroubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” ²⁸Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” [25 aLit this Shunammite 26 bLit said 27 cLit bitter]

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the lad’s face.” ³⁰The mother of the lad said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her. ³¹Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or aresponse. So he returned to meet him and told bhim, “The lad has not awakened.” [31 aLit attentiveness bLit him, saying]

32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. ³³So he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD. ³⁴And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. ³⁵Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. ³⁶He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” ³⁷Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.

The Poisonous Stew

38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. aAs the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” ³⁹Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. ⁴⁰So they poured it out for the men to eat. And as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” And they were unable to eat. ⁴¹But he said, “Now bring meal.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was no harm in the pot. [38 aLit And]

42 Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat.” ⁴³His attendant said, “What, will I set this before a hundred men?” But he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ” ⁴⁴So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

2 KINGS 5 [Books]

Naaman Is Healed

1 Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man awith his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. ²Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she bwaited on Naaman’s wife. ³She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were awith the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” ⁴cNaaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” ⁵Then the king of Aram said, “Go dnow, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes. [1 aLit before 2 bLit was before 4 cLit He 5 dLit enter]

6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” ⁷When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking aa quarrel against me.” [7 aLit an occasion]

8 It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. ¹⁰Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” ¹¹But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I athought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ ¹²Are not bAbanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. [11 aLit said 12 bAnother reading is Amanah]

Gehazi’s Greed

15 When he returned to the man of God awith all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a bpresent from your servant now.” ¹⁶But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. ¹⁷Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. ¹⁸In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master 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, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” ¹⁹He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance. [15 aLit he and bLit blessing]

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, athought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, bby not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” ²¹So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” ²²He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just 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 said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. ²⁴When he came to the chill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. ²⁵But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” [20 aLit said bLit from 24 cLit Ophel]

26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants? ²⁷Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your adescendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. [27 aLit seed]

2 KINGS 6 [Books]

The Axe Head Recovered

1 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. ²Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.” So he said, “Go.” ³Then one said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he aanswered, “I shall go.” ⁴So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. ⁵But as one was felling a beam, bthe axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.” ⁶Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. ⁷He said, “Take it up for yourself.” So he put out his hand and took it. [3 aLit said 5 bLit as for the iron, it fell]

The Arameans Plot to Capture Elisha

8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he acounseled with his servants saying, “In such and such a place shall be my camp.” ⁹The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there.” ¹⁰The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, bmore than once or twice. [8 aLit took counsel 10 bLit not once or twice]

11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” ¹²One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” ¹³So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him.” And it was told him, saying, “Behold, he is in Dothan.” ¹⁴He sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! aWhat shall we do?” ¹⁶So he banswered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” ¹⁷Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. ¹⁸When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “Strike this cpeople with blindness, I pray.” So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. ¹⁹Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he brought them to Samaria. [15 aLit How 16 bLit said 18 cLit nation]

20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. ²¹Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I akill them? Shall I akill them?” ²²He banswered, “You shall not akill them. Would you akill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” ²³So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel. [21 aLit smite 22 bLit said]

The Siege of Samaria—Cannibalism

24 Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria. ²⁵There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a akab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. ²⁶As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” ²⁷He said, “bIf the LORD does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?” ²⁸And the king said to her, “What cis the matter with you?” And she danswered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son 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.” ³⁰When 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 behold, he had sackcloth ebeneath on his fbody. ³¹Then he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat gremains on him today.” [25 aI.e. One kab equals approx 2 qts 27 bLit No, let the LORD help you 28 cLit to you dLit said 30 eLit within fLit flesh 31 gLit stands]

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man from his presence; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and ahold 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 and he said, “Behold, this evil is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?” [32 aLit press him with the door]

2 KINGS 7 [Books]

Elisha Promises Food

1 Then Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, ‘Tomorrow about this time a ameasure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’ ” ²The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said, “Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” Then he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat bof it.” [1 aHeb seah 2 bLit from there]

Four Lepers Relate Arameans’ Flight

3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die? ⁴If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us ago over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die.” ⁵They arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no one there. ⁶For the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.” ⁷Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life. ⁸When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid them. [4 aLit fall]

9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will aovertake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” ¹⁰So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and they told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor the voice of man, only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.” ¹¹The gatekeepers called and told it within the king’s household. ¹²Then the king arose in the night and said to his servants, “I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore they have gone from the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.’ ” ¹³One of his servants said, “Please, let some men take five of the horses which remain, which are left bin the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send and see.” ¹⁴They took therefore two chariots with horses, and the king sent after the army of the Arameans, saying, “Go and see.” [9 aLit find 13 bLit in it]

The Promise Fulfilled

¹⁵They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.

16 So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a ameasure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two ameasures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. ¹⁷Now the king appointed the royal officer on whose hand he leaned bto have charge of the gate; but the people trampled on him at the gate, and he died just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. ¹⁸It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two ameasures of barley for a shekel and a ameasure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria.” ¹⁹Then the royal officer answered the man of God and said, “Now behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat cof it.” ²⁰And so it happened to him, for the people trampled on him at the gate and he died. [16 aHeb seah; i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qts 17 bLit over the gate 19 cLit from there]

2 KINGS 8 [Books]

Jehoram Restores the Shunammite’s Land

1 Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go awith your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years.” ²So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God, and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. ³At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went out to bappeal to the king for her house and for her field. ⁴Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done.” ⁵As he was relating to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life cappealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.” ⁶When the king asked the woman, she related it to him. So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now.” [1 aLit you and your 3 bLit cry out 5 cLit cried out]

Elisha Predicts Evil from Hazael

7 Then Elisha came to Damascus. Now Ben-hadad king of Aram was sick, and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” ⁸The king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ” ⁹So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ” ¹⁰Then Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the LORD has shown me that he will certainly die.” ¹¹He afixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept. ¹²Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” Then he banswered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you will dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up.” ¹³Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” And Elisha banswered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.” ¹⁴So he departed from Elisha and returned to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he banswered, “He told me that you would surely recover.” ¹⁵On the following day, he took the cover and dipped it in water and spread it on his face, so that he died. And Hazael became king in his place. [11 aLit made his face stand fast and he set 12 bLit said]

Another Jehoram Reigns in Judah

16 Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then the king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king. ¹⁷He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. ¹⁸He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. ¹⁹However, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David His servant, since He had apromised him to give a blamp to him through his sons always. [19 aLit said bI.e. descendant on the throne]

20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. ²¹Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; but his aarmy fled to their tents. ²²So Edom revolted bagainst Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. ²³The rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? [21 aLit the people 22 bLit from under the hand of]

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

²⁴So Joram slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. ²⁶Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. ²⁷He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

28 Then he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans awounded Joram. ²⁹So King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had binflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick. [28 aLit smote 29 bLit struck]

2 KINGS 9 [Books]

Jehu Reigns over Israel

1 Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead. ²When you arrive there, asearch out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bbid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. ³Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.” [2 aLit and look there for bLit cause him to]

4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. ⁵When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O captain.” And Jehu said, “aFor which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O captain.” ⁶He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. ⁷You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. ⁸For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person both bond and free in Israel. ⁹I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. ¹⁰The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’ ” Then he opened the door and fled. [5 aLit To whom of us all?]

11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know very well the man and his talk.” ¹²They said, “It is a lie, tell us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ ” ¹³Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Jehoram (Joram) Is Assassinated

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram awith all Israel was bdefending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, ¹⁵but King cJoram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had dinflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or eleave the city to go tell it in Jezreel.” ¹⁶Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram. [14 aLit he and bLit keeping 15 cHeb Jehoram dLit struck eLit go out from]

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the acompany of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a acompany.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ” ¹⁸So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman breported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” ¹⁹Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu canswered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” ²⁰The watchman breported, “He came even to them, and he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.” [17 aLit multitude 18 bLit told, saying 19 cLit said]

21 Then aJoram said, “bGet ready.” And they made his chariot ready. aJoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the cproperty of Naboth the Jezreelite. ²²When aJoram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he danswered, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” ²³So aJoram ereined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, O Ahaziah!” ²⁴And Jehu fdrew his bow with his full strength and gshot aJoram between his arms; and the arrow went hthrough his heart and he sank in his chariot. ²⁵Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Take him up and cast him into the cproperty of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when iyou and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this oracle against him: ²⁶‘Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will repay you in this cproperty,’ says the LORD. Now then, take and cast him into the cproperty, according to the word of the LORD.” [21 aHeb Jehoram bLit Yoke the chariot cLit portion 22 dLit said 23 eLit turned his hands 24 fLit filled his hand with the bow gLit smote hLit out at 25 iLit I and you]

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

27 When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “aShoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. ²⁸Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David. [27 aLit smite]

29 Now in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. ³¹As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it awell, Zimri, byour master’s murderer?” ³²Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him. [31 aLit peace bLit his]

Jezebel Is Slain

³³He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot. ³⁴When he came in, he ate and drank; and 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 nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. ³⁶Therefore they returned and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the aproperty of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; ³⁷and the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the aproperty of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.” ’ ” [36 aLit portion]

2 KINGS 10 [Books]

Judgment upon Ahab’s House

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, ²“Now, when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, aas well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons, ³select the best and bfittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” ⁴But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?” ⁵And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight.” ⁶Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. ⁷When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. ⁸When the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” ⁹Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are cinnocent; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who dkilled all these? ¹⁰Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what He spoke ethrough His servant Elijah.” ¹¹So Jehu dkilled all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor. [2 aLit and with you the 3 bLit most upright 9 cLit just dLit smote 10 eLit by the hand of]

12 Then he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way while he was at aBeth-eked of the shepherds, ¹³Jehu bmet the crelatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they danswered, “We are the crelatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down eto greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” ¹⁴He said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and killed them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them. [12 aI.e. house of binding 13 bLit found cLit brothers dLit said eLit about the welfare of]

15 Now when he had departed from there, he amet Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he bgreeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab canswered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. ¹⁶He said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.” So dhe made him ride in his chariot. ¹⁷When he came to Samaria, he ekilled all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah. [15 aLit found bLit blessed cLit said 16 dLit they 17 eLit smote]

Jehu Destroys Baal Worshipers

18 Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. ¹⁹Now, summon all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers and all his priests; let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it in acunning, so that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal. ²⁰And Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And they proclaimed it. ²¹Then Jehu sent bthroughout Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And when they went into the house of Baal, the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. ²²He said to the one who was cin charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them. ²³Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that there is here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but only the worshipers of Baal.” ²⁴Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. [19 aLit insidiousness 21 bLit in all 22 cLit over the]

Now Jehu had stationed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “The one who permits any of the men whom I bring into your hands to escape ashall give up his life in exchange.” [24 aLit his soul for his soul]

25 Then it came about, as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the aguard and to the royal officers, “Go in, bkill them; let none come out.” And they ckilled them with the edge of the sword; and the aguard and the royal officers threw them out, and went to the dinner room of the house of Baal. ²⁶They brought out the sacred pillars of the house of Baal and burned them. ²⁷They also broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day. [25 aLit runners bLit smite cLit smote dLit city]

28 Thus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel. ²⁹However, as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the golden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan. ³⁰The LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” ³¹But Jehu awas not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin. [31 aLit did not watch]

32 In those days the LORD began to cut off portions afrom Israel; and Hazael bdefeated them throughout the territory 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, even Gilead and Bashan. [32 aLit in bLit smote]

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu

³⁴Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ³⁵And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son became king in his place. ³⁶Now the atime which Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years. [36 aLit days]

2 KINGS 11 [Books]

Athaliah Queen of Judah

1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal aoffspring. ²But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death. ³So he was hidden with her in the house of the LORD six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the land. [1 aLit seed]

4 Now in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds of the Carites and of the aguard, and brought them to him in the house of the LORD. Then he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king’s son. ⁵He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, who come in on the sabbath and keep watch over the king’s house ⁶(one third also shall be at the gate Sur, and one third at the gate behind the aguards), bshall keep watch over the house for defense. ⁷Two parts of you, even all who go out on the sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king. ⁸Then you shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.” [4 aLit runners 6 bLit and shall]

9 So the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. ¹⁰The priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the LORD. ¹¹The aguards stood each with his weapons in his hand, from the right bside of the house to the left bside of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. ¹²Then he brought the king’s son out and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!” [11 aLit runners bLit shoulder]

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people in the house of the LORD. ¹⁴She looked and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, with the captains and the atrumpeters beside the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” ¹⁵And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out bbetween the ranks, and whoever follows her put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” ¹⁶So they cseized her, and when she arrived at the horses’ entrance of the king’s house, she was put to death there. [14 aLit trumpets 15 bLit from within 16 cLit placed hands to her]

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they would be the LORD’S people, also between the king and the people. ¹⁸All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed aofficers over the house of the LORD. ¹⁹He took the captains of hundreds and the Carites and the bguards and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the bguards to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. ²⁰So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house. [18 aLit offices 19 bLit runners]

21 aJehoash was seven years old when he became king. [21 aCh 12:1 in Heb]

2 KINGS 12 [Books]

Joash (Jehoash) Reigns over Judah

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. ²Jehoash did right in the sight of the LORD all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. ³Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

The Temple to Be Repaired

4 Then Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the sacred things which is brought into the house of the LORD, in current money, both the money of each man’s assessment and all the money awhich any man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the LORD, ⁵let the priests take it for themselves, each from his acquaintance; and they shall repair the bdamages of the house wherever any damage may be found.” [4 aLit which it comes into...to bring 5 bLit breaches, and so through v 12]

6 But it came about that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damages of the house. ⁷Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests and said to them, “Why do you not repair the damages of the house? Now therefore take no more money from your acquaintances, but pay it for the damages of the house.” ⁸So the priests agreed that they would take no more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the house.

9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid and put it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money which was brought into the house of the LORD. ¹⁰When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and tied it in bags and counted the money which was found in the house of the LORD. ¹¹They gave the money which was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they apaid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the LORD; ¹²and to the masons and the stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the damages to the house of the LORD, and for all that was blaid out for the house to repair it. ¹³But there were not made for the house of the LORD silver cups, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver from the money which was brought into the house of the LORD; ¹⁴for they gave that to those who did the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD. ¹⁵Moreover, they did not require an accounting from the men into whose hand they gave the money to pay to those who did the work, for they dealt faithfully. ¹⁶The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it was for the priests. [11 aLit brought 12 bLit went out]

17 Then Hazael king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it, and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. ¹⁸Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things and all the gold that was found among the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Aram. Then he went away from Jerusalem.

Joash (Jehoash) Succeeded by Amaziah in Judah

19 Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ²⁰His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash at the house of Millo as he was going down to Silla. ²¹For Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son became king in his place.

2 KINGS 13 [Books]

Kings of Israel: Jehoahaz and Jehoash

1 In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel at Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. ²He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin; he did not turn from them. ³So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. ⁴Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. ⁵The LORD gave Israel a adeliverer, so that they bescaped from under the hand of the Arameans; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as formerly. ⁶Nevertheless they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel sin, but walked in cthem; and the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria. ⁷For he left to Jehoahaz of the darmy not more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and 10,000 footmen, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. ⁸Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ⁹And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash his son became king in his place. [5 aOr savior bLit went out 6 cLit it 7 dLit people]

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. ¹¹He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin, but he walked in athem. ¹²Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ¹³So Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. [11 aLit it]

Death of Elisha

14 When Elisha abecame sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over bhim and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” ¹⁵Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he ctook a bow and arrows. ¹⁶Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, then Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. ¹⁷He said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And he said, “The LORD’S arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will ddefeat the Arameans at Aphek until you have edestroyed them.” ¹⁸Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and fstopped. ¹⁹So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have edestroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.” [14 aLit was sick with his sickness bLit his face 15 cLit took to himself 17 dLit smite eLit made an end of 18 fLit stood]

20 Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites would invade the land in the spring of the year. ²¹As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band; and they cast the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the man atouched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet. [21 aLit went and touched]

22 Now Hazael king of Aram had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. ²³But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from His presence until now.

24 When Hazael king of Aram died, Ben-hadad his son became king in his place. ²⁵Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken in war from the hand of Jehoahaz his father. Three times Joash adefeated him and recovered the cities of Israel. [25 aLit smote]

2 KINGS 14 [Books]

Amaziah Reigns over Judah

1 In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king. ²He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. ³He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father; he did according to all that Joash his father had done. ⁴Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. ⁵Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, that he akilled his servants who had slain the king his father. ⁶But the sons of the bslayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.” [5 aLit smote 6 bLit smiters]

7 He akilled of Edom in the Valley of Salt 10,000 and took Sela by war, and named it Joktheel to this day. [7 aLit smote]

8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.” ⁹Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled the thorn bush. ¹⁰You have indeed adefeated Edom, and your heart has bbecome proud. Enjoy your glory and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall, and Judah with you?” [10 aLit smitten bLit lifted you up]

11 But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. ¹²Judah was defeated aby Israel, and they fled each to his tent. ¹³Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 bcubits. ¹⁴He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. [12 aLit before 13 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.]

Jeroboam II Succeeds Jehoash in Israel

15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ¹⁶So Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son became king in his place.

Azariah (Uzziah) Succeeds Amaziah in Judah

17 Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. ¹⁸Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ¹⁹They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. ²⁰Then they brought him on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. ²¹All the people of Judah took aAzariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. ²²He built Elath and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. [21 aIn 2 Chr 26:1, Uzziah]

23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years. ²⁴He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. ²⁵He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke athrough His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher. ²⁶For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, which was very bitter; for there was neither bond nor free, nor was there any helper for Israel. ²⁷The LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. [25 aLit by]

Zechariah Reigns over Israel

28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did and his might, how he fought and how he recovered for Israel, Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ²⁹And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son became king in his place.

2 KINGS 15 [Books]

Series of Kings: Azariah (Uzziah) over Judah

1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king. ²He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was aJecoliah of Jerusalem. ³He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. ⁴Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. ⁵The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death. And he lived in a separate house, bwhile Jotham the king’s son was over the household, judging the people of the land. ⁶Now the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ⁷And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son became king in his place. [2 aIn 2 Chr 26:3, Jechiliah 5 bLit and]

Zechariah over Israel

8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in Samaria for six months. ⁹He did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. ¹⁰Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him before the people and akilled him, and reigned in his place. ¹¹Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹²This is the word of the LORD which He spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” And so it was. [10 aLit smote]

13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned one month in Samaria. ¹⁴Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and struck Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, and killed him and became king in his place. ¹⁵Now the rest of the acts of Shallum and his conspiracy which he made, behold they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁶Then Menahem struck Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, because they did not open to him; therefore he struck it and ripped up all its women who were with child.

Menahem over Israel

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel and reigned ten years in Samaria. ¹⁸He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

19 Pul, king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver so that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom aunder his rule. ²⁰Then Menahem exacted the money from Israel, even from all the mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels of silver to pay the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned and did not remain there in the land. ²¹Now the rest of the acts of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ²²And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son became king in his place. [19 aLit in his hand]

Pekahiah over Israel

23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. ²⁴He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. ²⁵Then Pekah son of Remaliah, his officer, conspired against him and struck him in Samaria, in the castle of the king’s house with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites, and he killed him and became king in his place. ²⁶Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah and all that he did, behold they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah over Israel

27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. ²⁸He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, aTiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and bcaptured Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. ³⁰And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck him and put him to death and became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. ³¹Now the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. [29 aIn 1 Chr 5:6, 26, Tilgath-pilneser bLit took]

Jotham over Judah

32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham the son of aUzziah king of Judah became king. ³³He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. ³⁴He did what was right in the sight of the LORD; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. ³⁵Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD. ³⁶Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ³⁷In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah. ³⁸And Jotham slept with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Ahaz his son became king in his place. [32 aI.e. Azariah]

2 KINGS 16 [Books]

Ahaz Reigns over Judah

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king. ²Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done. ³But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had adriven out from before the sons of Israel. ⁴He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree. [3 aOr dispossessed]

5 Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to wage war; and they besieged Ahaz, but could not aovercome him. ⁶At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram, and cleared the Judeans out of bElath entirely; and the cArameans came to Elath and have lived there to this day. [5 aLit fight 6 bHeb Eloth cSo with some ancient versions; Heb Edomites]

Ahaz Seeks Help of Aram

7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son; come up and deliver me from the ahand of the king of Aram and from the ahand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.” ⁸Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria. ⁹So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death. [7 aLit palm]

Damascus Falls

10 Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar which was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the apattern of the altar and its model, according to all its workmanship. ¹¹So Urijah the priest built an altar; according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, thus Urijah the priest made it, bbefore the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus. ¹²When the king came from Damascus, the king saw the altar; then the king approached the altar and cwent up to it, ¹³and dburned his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar. ¹⁴The bronze altar, which was before the LORD, ehe brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and the house of the LORD, and he put it on the north side of his altar. ¹⁵Then King Ahaz fcommanded Urijah the priest, saying, “Upon the great altar gburn the morning burnt offering and the evening meal offering and the king’s burnt offering and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land and their meal offering and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering and all the blood of the sacrifice. But the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by.” ¹⁶So Urijah the priest did according to all that King Ahaz commanded. [10 aLit likeness 11 bLit until 12 cOr offered on it 13 dLit offered in smoke 14 eLit he also 15 fLit commanded him, Urijah gLit offer in smoke]

17 Then King Ahaz cut off the borders of the stands, and removed the laver from them; he also took down the sea from the bronze oxen which were under it and put it on a pavement of stone. ¹⁸The covered way for the sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the LORD because of the king of Assyria.

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

¹⁹Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ²⁰So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

2 KINGS 17 [Books]

Hoshea Reigns over Israel

1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned nine years. ²He did evil in the sight of the LORD, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him. ³Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. ⁴But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had 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.

5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years.

Israel Captive

⁶In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

Why Israel Fell

7 Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had afeared other gods ⁸and walked in the bcustoms of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had cintroduced. ⁹The sons of Israel ddid things secretly which were not right against the LORD their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. ¹⁰They set for themselves sacred pillars and eAsherim on every high hill and under every green tree, ¹¹and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the LORD had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the LORD. ¹²They served idols, concerning which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” ¹³Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” ¹⁴However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck flike their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God. ¹⁵They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the LORD had commanded them not to do like them. ¹⁶They forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an gAsherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. ¹⁷Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him. ¹⁸So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His hsight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. [7 aLit revered, and so throughout the ch 8 bLit statutes cLit made 9 dOr uttered words which 10 eI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity 14 fLit like the neck of 16 gI.e. a wooden symbol of a female deity 18 hLit face]

19 Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the acustoms bwhich Israel had cintroduced. ²⁰The LORD rejected all the ddescendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them eout of His sight. [19 aLit statutes bLit of Israel which they cLit made 20 dLit seed eLit from His face]

21 When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the LORD and made them acommit a great sin. ²²The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them ²³until the LORD removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day. [21 aLit sin]

Cities of Israel Filled with Strangers

24 The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from aAvva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. ²⁵At the beginning of their living there, they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them which killed some of them. ²⁶So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have carried away into exile in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.” [24 aIn 2 Kin 18:34, Ivvah]

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you carried away into aexile and let bhim go and live there; and let him teach them the custom of the god of the land.” ²⁸So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. [27 aLit exile from there bLit them]

29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. ³⁰The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, ³¹and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim. ³²They also feared the LORD and aappointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. ³³They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile. [32 aLit made for themselves from among]

34 To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the LORD, nor do they afollow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the LORD commanded the sons of Jacob, whom He named Israel; ³⁵with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. ³⁶But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. ³⁷The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. ³⁸The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. ³⁹But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” ⁴⁰However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. ⁴¹So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their bidols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day. [34 aLit do according to 41 bOr graven images]

2 KINGS 18 [Books]

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

1 Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. ²He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. ³He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. ⁴He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the aAsherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called bNehushtan. ⁵He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. ⁶For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. [4 aI.e. a wooden symbol of a female deity bI.e. a piece of bronze]

Hezekiah Victorious

⁷And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. ⁸He adefeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. [8 aLit smote]

9 Now in 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 captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. ¹¹Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, ¹²because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

Invasion of Judah

13 Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. ¹⁴Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong. aWithdraw from me; whatever you bimpose on me I will bear.” So the king of Assyria crequired of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. ¹⁵Hezekiah gave him all the silver which was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. ¹⁶At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. [14 aLit Return bLit give cLit put on]

17 Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway of the afuller’s field. ¹⁸When they called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came out to them. [17 aI.e. launderer’s]

19 Then Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What is this confidence that you ahave? ²⁰You say (but they are bonly empty words), ‘I have counsel and strength for the war.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me? ²¹Now behold, you crely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his dhand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. ²²But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? ²³Now therefore, ecome, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. ²⁴How then can you frepulse one gofficial of the least of my master’s servants, and crely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ²⁵Have I now come up hwithout the LORD’S approval against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’ ” ’ ” [19 aLit trust 20 bLit a word of the lips 21 cLit rely for yourself dLit palm 23 eLit please exchange pledges 24 fLit turn away the face of gOr governor 25 hLit without the LORD]

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we aunderstand it; and do not speak with us in bJudean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” ²⁷But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?” [26 aLit hear bI.e. Hebrew]

28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, asaying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. ²⁹Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from bmy hand; ³⁰nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ³¹Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “cMake your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, ³²until 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, that you may live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” ³³Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ³⁴Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and dIvvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? ³⁵Who among all the gods of the lands ehave delivered their land from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’ ” [28 aLit and spoke, saying, 29 bHeb his 31 cLit Make with me a blessing 34 dIn 2 Kin 17:24, Avva 35 eLit who have]

36 But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.” ³⁷Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

2 KINGS 19 [Books]

Isaiah Encourages Hezekiah

1 And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the LORD. ²Then he sent Eliakim who was over the household with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. ³They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and rejection; for children have come to birth and there is no strength to deliver. ⁴Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ” ⁵So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. ⁶Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. ⁷Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.” ’ ”

Sennacherib Defies God

8 Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that athe king had left Lachish. ⁹When he heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of bCush, “Behold, he has come out to fight against you,” he sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying, ¹⁰“Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of cJudah, ‘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.” ¹¹Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be dspared? ¹²Did the gods of ethose nations which my fathers destroyed deliver them, even Gozan and Haran and Rezeph and the sons of Eden who were in Telassar? ¹³Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’ ” [8 aLit he 9 bOr Ethiopia 10 cLit Judah, saying, 11 dLit delivered 12 eLit the]

Hezekiah’s Prayer

14 Then Hezekiah took the aletter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the LORD and bspread it out before the LORD. ¹⁵Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, who are centhroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁶Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. ¹⁷Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands ¹⁸and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. ¹⁹Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.” [14 aLit letters...read them bLit Hezekiah spread 15 cLit seated]

God’s Answer through Isaiah

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you.’ ²¹This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him:

‘She has despised you and mocked you,

The virgin daughter of Zion;

She has shaken her head behind you,

The daughter of Jerusalem!

²²‘Whom have you reproached and blasphemed?

And against whom have you raised your voice,

And ahaughtily lifted up your eyes?

Against the Holy One of Israel! [aLit on high]

²³‘Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord,

And you have said, “With my many chariots

I came up to the heights of the mountains,

To the remotest parts of Lebanon;

And I acut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses.

And I aentered its farthest lodging place, its thickest forest. [aSo with some ancient versions; M.T. will cut...will enter]

²⁴“I dug wells and drank foreign waters,

And with the sole of my feet I adried up

All the rivers of bEgypt.” [aSo with some ancient versions; M.T. will dry up bLit the besieged place]

25 ‘Have you not heard?

Long ago I did it;

From ancient times I planned it.

Now I have brought it to pass,

That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.

²⁶‘Therefore their inhabitants were short of strength,

They were dismayed and put to shame;

They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb,

As grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up.

²⁷‘But I know your sitting down,

And your going out and your coming in,

And your raging against Me.

²⁸‘Because of your raging against Me,

And because your aarrogance has come up to My ears,

Therefore I will put My hook in your nose,

And My bridle in your lips,

And I will turn you back by the way which you came. [aLit complacency]

29 ‘Then this shall be the sign for you: ayou will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. ³⁰The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. ³¹For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion bsurvivors. The zeal of cthe LORD will perform this. [29 aLit eating 31 bLit those who escape cSome ancient mss read the LORD of hosts]

32 ‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. ³³By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,” ’ declares the LORD. ³⁴‘For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

35 Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when amen rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were bdead. ³⁶So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh. ³⁷It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that cAdrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place. [35 aLit they bLit dead bodies 37 cSome ancient mss read Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him]

2 KINGS 20 [Books]

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

1 In those days Hezekiah became amortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ” ²Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, ³“Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bbitterly. ⁴Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ⁵“Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. ⁶I will add fifteen years to your clife, and I will deliver 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.” ’ ” ⁷Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. [1 aLit sick to the point of death 3 bLit great weeping 6 cLit days]

8 Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?” ⁹Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” ¹⁰So Hezekiah aanswered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” ¹¹Isaiah the prophet cried to the LORD, and He brought the shadow on the bstairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the bstairway of Ahaz. [10 aLit said 11 bLit steps]

Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures

12 At that time aBerodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and the house of his armor and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. ¹⁴Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” ¹⁵He said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah banswered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.” [12 aMany mss and ancient versions read Merodach-baladan; cf Is 39:1 15 bLit said]

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD. ¹⁷‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. ¹⁸‘Some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away; and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ” ¹⁹Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” For he athought, “Is it not so, if there will be peace and truth in my days?” [19 aLit said]

20 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ²¹So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son became king in his place.

2 KINGS 21 [Books]

Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hephzibah. ²He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. ³For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an aAsherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. ⁴He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” ⁵For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. ⁶He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger. ⁷Then he set the carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. ⁸And I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.” ⁹But they did not listen, and Manasseh seduced them to do evil more than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel. [3 aI.e. a wooden symbol of a female deity]

The King’s Idolatries Rebuked

10 Now the LORD spoke through His servants the prophets, saying, ¹¹“Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, having done wickedly more than all the Amorites did who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols; ¹²therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle. ¹³I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. ¹⁴I will abandon the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hand of their enemies, and they will become as plunder and spoil to all their enemies; ¹⁵because they have done evil in My sight, and have been provoking Me to anger since the day their fathers came from Egypt, even to this day.’ ”

16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin with which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD. ¹⁷Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did and his sin which he acommitted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ¹⁸And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son became king in his place. [17 aLit sinned]

Amon Succeeds Manasseh

19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. ²⁰He did evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. ²¹For he walked in all the way that his father had walked, and served the idols that his father had served and worshiped them. ²²So he forsook the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD. ²³The servants of Amon conspired against him and killed the king in his own house. ²⁴Then the people of the land akilled all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. ²⁵Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ²⁶He was buried in his grave in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son became king in his place. [24 aLit smote]

2 KINGS 22 [Books]

Josiah Succeeds Amon

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. ²He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left.

3 Now in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam the scribe, to the house of the LORD saying, ⁴“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest that he may acount the money brought in to the house of the LORD which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people. ⁵Let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of the LORD to repair the bdamages of the house, ⁶to the carpenters and the builders and the masons and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house. ⁷Only no accounting shall be made with them for the money delivered into their hands, for they deal faithfully.” [4 aOr total 5 bLit breach]

The Lost Book

8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it. ⁹Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” ¹⁰Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. ¹²Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, aAchbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant saying, ¹³“Go, inquire of the LORD for me and the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” [12 aIn 2 Chr 34:20, Abdon, son of Micah]

Huldah Predicts

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of aTikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her. ¹⁵She said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, ¹⁶thus says the LORD, “Behold, I bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. ¹⁷Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched.” ’ ¹⁸But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD thus shall you say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you have heard, ¹⁹because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD. ²⁰“Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king. [14 aIn 2 Chr 34:22, Tokhath, son of Hasrah]

2 KINGS 23 [Books]

Josiah’s Covenant

1 Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. ²The king went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. ³The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people aentered into the covenant. [3 aLit took a stand in]

Reforms under Josiah

4 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the adoorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for bAsherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. ⁵He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven. ⁶He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the ccommon people. ⁷He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the LORD, where the women were weaving dhangings for the Asherah. ⁸Then he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. ⁹Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. ¹⁰He also defiled eTopheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for Molech. ¹¹He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. ¹²The altars which were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king broke down; and he fsmashed them there and threw their dust into the brook Kidron. ¹³The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled. ¹⁴He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones. [4 aLit keepers of the threshold bI.e. a wooden symbol of a female deity, and so throughout the ch 6 cLit sons of the people 7 dOr tents; lit houses 10 eI.e. place of burning 12 fOr ran from there]

15 Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he ademolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah. ¹⁶Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent and took the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. ¹⁷Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” ¹⁸He said, “Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones.” So they bleft his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. ¹⁹Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking cthe LORD; and he did to them djust as he had done in Bethel. ²⁰All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem. [15 aSo the Gr; Heb burned the high place 18 bLit let his bones escape with 19 cSo with ancient versions dLit according to all the acts]

Passover Reinstituted

21 Then the king commanded all the people saying, “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant.” ²²Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah. ²³But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.

24 Moreover, Josiah aremoved the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might bconfirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. ²⁵Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him. [24 aLit consumed bOr perform]

26 However, the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him. ²⁷The LORD said, “I will remove Judah also from My sight, as I have removed Israel. And I will cast off Jerusalem, this city which I have chosen, and the atemple of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’ ” [27 aLit house]

Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah

28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ²⁹In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. And King Josiah went to meet him, and when Pharaoh Neco saw him he killed him at Megiddo. ³⁰His servants drove ahis body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father. [30 aLit him, dead]

31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ³²He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. ³³Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

Jehoiakim Made King by Pharaoh

³⁴Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and abrought him to Egypt, and he died there. ³⁵So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the bcommand of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco. [34 aSo with Gr; Heb he came 35 bLit mouth]

36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. ³⁷He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

2 KINGS 24 [Books]

Babylon Controls Jehoiakim

1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. ²The LORD sent against him bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. So He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken through His servants the prophets. ³Surely at the acommand of the LORD it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, ⁴and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the LORD would not forgive. ⁵Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? [3 aLit mouth]

Jehoiachin Reigns

⁶So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son became king in his place. ⁷The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.

8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. ⁹He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

Deportation to Babylon

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. ¹¹And Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it. ¹²Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his captains and his officials. So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign. ¹³He carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, just as the LORD had said. ¹⁴Then he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.

15 So he led Jehoiachin away into exile to Babylon; also the king’s mother and the king’s wives and his officials and the leading men of the land, he led away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ¹⁶All the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all strong and fit for war, and these the king of Babylon brought into exile to Babylon.

Zedekiah Made King

¹⁷Then the king of Babylon made ahis uncle Mattaniah king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. [17 aI.e. Jehoiachin’s uncle]

18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰For through the anger of the LORD this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

2 KINGS 25 [Books]

Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem

1 Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around ait. ²So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. ³On 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. ⁴Then the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls beside the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And bthey went by way of the Arabah. ⁵But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho and all his army was scattered from him. ⁶Then they captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and che passed sentence on him. ⁷They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon. [1 aLit against it 4 bSo some ancient mss and versions; M.T. he 6 cLit they spoke judgment with him]

Jerusalem Burned and Plundered

8 Now on the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ⁹He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire. ¹⁰So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. ¹¹Then the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the people, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile. ¹²But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

13 Now the bronze pillars which were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea which were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the abronze to Babylon. ¹⁴They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. ¹⁵The captain of the guard also took away the firepans and the basins, what was fine gold and what was fine silver. ¹⁶The two pillars, the one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD—the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. ¹⁷The height of the one pillar was eighteen bcubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three bcubits, with a network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these with network. [13 aLit bronze of them 17 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.]

18 Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three aofficers of the temple. ¹⁹From the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and five bof the king’s advisers who were found in the city; and the cscribe of the captain of the army who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. ²⁰Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²¹Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its land. [18 aLit keepers of the door 19 bLit men of those seeing the king’s face cOr scribe, a captain]

Gedaliah Made Governor

22 Now as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them. ²³When all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. ²⁴Gedaliah swore to them and their men and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans; live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”

25 But it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal afamily, came bwith ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. ²⁶Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. [25 aLit seed bLit and ten men with him]

27 Now it came about 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 Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, areleased Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; ²⁸and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. ²⁹bJehoiachin changed his prison clothes and chad his meals in dthe king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; ³⁰and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life. [27 aLit lifted up the head of 29 bLit he cLit ate bread dLit his presence]

1 CHRONICLES 1 [Books]

Genealogy from Adam

1 Adam, Seth, Enosh, ²Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, ³Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, ⁴Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

5 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. ⁶The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, aDiphath, and Togarmah. ⁷The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and bRodanim. [6 aIn Gen 10:3, Riphath 7 bIn Gen 10:4, Dodanim]

8 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. ⁹The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. ¹⁰Cush abecame the father of Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. [10 aLit begot, and so throughout the ch]

11 Mizraim became the father of the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, ¹²Pathrus, Casluh, from which the aPhilistines came, and Caphtor. [12 aOr people of Pelisht]

13 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, Heth, ¹⁴and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, ¹⁵the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, ¹⁶the Arvadites, the Zemarites and the Hamathites.

17 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether and aMeshech. ¹⁸Arpachshad became the father of Shelah and Shelah became the father of Eber. ¹⁹Two sons were born to Eber, the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. ²⁰Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, ²¹Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, ²²bEbal, Abimael, Sheba, ²³Ophir, Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. [17 aIn Gen 10:23, Mash 22 bIn Gen 10:28, Obal]

24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, ²⁵Eber, Peleg, Reu, ²⁶Serug, Nahor, Terah, ²⁷Abram, that is Abraham.

Descendants of Abraham

28 The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. ²⁹These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ³⁰Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, ³¹Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah; these were the sons of Ishmael. ³²The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, whom she bore, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan. ³³The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

34 Abraham 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, aZephi, 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 bHomam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. ⁴⁰The sons of Shobal were cAlian, Manahath, Ebal, dShephi and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. ⁴¹The eson of Anah was Dishon. And the sons of Dishon were fHamran, Eshban, Ithran and Cheran. ⁴²The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan and gJaakan. The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran. [36 aIn Gen 36:11, Zepho 39 bIn Gen 36:22, Hemam 40 cIn Gen 36:23, Alvan dIn Gen 36:23, Shepho 41 eLit sons fIn Gen 36:26, Hemdan 42 gOr Akan, as in Gen 36:27]

43 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king of the sons of Israel reigned. Bela was the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. ⁴⁴When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place. ⁴⁵When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place. ⁴⁶When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who adefeated Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. ⁴⁷When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place. ⁴⁸When Samlah died, Shaul of Rehoboth by the River became king in his place. ⁴⁹When Shaul died, Baal-hanan the son of Achbor became king in his place. ⁵⁰When Baal-hanan died, bHadad became king in his place; and the name of his city was cPai, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. ⁵¹Then Hadad died. [46 aLit smote 50 bIn Gen 36:39, Hadar cIn Gen 36:39, Pau]

Now the chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief aAliah, chief Jetheth, ⁵²chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, ⁵³chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, ⁵⁴chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom. [51 aIn Gen 36:40, Alvah]

1 CHRONICLES 2 [Books]

Genealogy: Twelve Sons of Jacob (Israel)

1 These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, ²Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

3 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan and Shelah; these three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put him to death. ⁴Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

5 The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. ⁶The sons of Zerah were aZimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and bDara; five of them in all. ⁷The cson of Carmi was dAchar, the troubler of Israel, who violated the ban. ⁸The cson of Ethan was Azariah. [6 aIn Josh 7:1, Zabdi bIn 1 Kin 4:31, Darda 7 cLit sons dIn Josh 7:18, Achan]

Genealogy of David

9 Now the sons of Hezron, who were born to him were Jerahmeel, Ram and Chelubai. ¹⁰Ram abecame the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, leader of the sons of Judah; ¹¹Nahshon became the father of Salma, Salma became the father of Boaz, ¹²Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse; ¹³and Jesse became the father of Eliab his firstborn, then Abinadab the second, bShimea the third, ¹⁴Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, ¹⁵Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; ¹⁶and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the three sons of Zeruiah were cAbshai, Joab and Asahel. ¹⁷Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was dJether the Ishmaelite. [10 aLit begot, and so throughout the ch 13 bIn 1 Sam 16:9, Shammah; in 2 Sam 13:3, Shimeah 16 cIn 2 Sam 2:18, Abishai 17 dIn 2 Sam 17:25, Ithra the Israelite]

18 Now Caleb the son of Hezron had sons by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. ¹⁹When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. ²⁰Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel.

21 Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub. ²²Segub became the father of Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. ²³But Geshur and Aram took athe towns of Jair from them, with Kenath and its villages, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. ²⁴After the death of Hezron in Caleb-ephrathah, Abijah, Hezron’s wife, bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa. [23 aOr Havvoth-jair]

25 Now the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, then 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. And the sons of Shammai were Nadab and Abishur. ²⁹The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. ³⁰The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim, and Seled died without sons. ³¹The ason of Appaim was Ishi. And the ason of Ishi was Sheshan. And the ason of Sheshan was Ahlai. ³²The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai were Jether and Jonathan, and Jether died without sons. ³³The sons of Jonathan were Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. ³⁴Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. And Sheshan had an Egyptian servant whose name was Jarha. ³⁵Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant in marriage, and she bore him Attai. ³⁶Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad, ³⁷and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, ³⁸and Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah, ³⁹and Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah, ⁴⁰and Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum, ⁴¹and Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama. [31 aLit sons]

42 Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and ahis son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron. ⁴³The sons of Hebron were Korah and Tappuah and Rekem and Shema. ⁴⁴Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. ⁴⁵The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Bethzur. ⁴⁶Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. ⁴⁷The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph. ⁴⁸Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. ⁴⁹She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. ⁵⁰These were the sons of Caleb. [42 aLit the sons of]

The asons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, were 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 sons: Haroeh, half of the Manahathites, ⁵³and the families of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites and the Mishraites; from these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. ⁵⁴The sons of Salma were Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. ⁵⁵The families of scribes who lived at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites and the Sucathites. Those are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab. [50 aLit son]

1 CHRONICLES 3 [Books]

Family of David

1 Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second was Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelitess; ²the third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith; ³the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth was Ithream, by his wife Eglah. ⁴Six were born to him in Hebron, and there he reigned seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. ⁵These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four, by Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel; ⁶and Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, ⁷Nogah, Nepheg and Japhia, ⁸Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet, nine. ⁹All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

10 Now Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, ¹¹Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, ¹²Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, ¹³Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, ¹⁴Amon his son, Josiah his son. ¹⁵The sons of Josiah were Johanan the firstborn, and the second was Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. ¹⁶The sons of Jehoiakim were Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. ¹⁷The sons of Jeconiah, the prisoner, were Shealtiel his son, ¹⁸and Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah. ¹⁹The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. And the asons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; ²⁰and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-hesed, five. ²¹The asons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. ²²The bdescendants of Shecaniah were Shemaiah, and the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat, six. ²³The asons of Neariah were Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam, three. ²⁴The sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani, seven. [19 aLit son 22 bLit sons]

1 CHRONICLES 4 [Books]

Line of Hur, Asher

1 The sons of Judah were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur and Shobal. ²Reaiah the son of Shobal abecame the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. ³These were the bsons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. ⁴Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons 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 sons of Naarah. ⁷The sons of Helah were Zereth, cIzhar and Ethnan. ⁸Koz became the father of Anub and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. ⁹Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.” ¹⁰Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested. [2 aLit begot, and so throughout the ch 3 bSo with some ancient versions; Heb father 7 cAnother reading is Zohar]

11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. ¹²Eshton became the father of Beth-rapha and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of aIr-nahash. These are the men of Recah. [12 aOr the city of Nahash]

13 Now the sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah. And the sons of Othniel were Hathath and Meonothai. ¹⁴Meonothai became the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of aGe-harashim, for they were craftsmen. ¹⁵The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh were Iru, Elah and Naam; and the bson of Elah was cKenaz. ¹⁶The sons of Jehallelel were Ziph and Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel. ¹⁷The dsons of Ezrah were Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. (eAnd these are the sons of Bithia the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took) and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. ¹⁸His Jewish wife bore Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. ¹⁹The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the ffathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. ²⁰The sons of Shimon were Amnon and Rinnah, Benhanan and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. ²¹The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea; ²²and Jokim, the men of Cozeba, Joash, Saraph, who ruled in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And the grecords are ancient. ²³These were the potters and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah; they lived there with the king for his work. [14 aOr valley of craftsmen 15 bLit sons cLit and Kenaz 17 dLit son eIn the Heb the words in () are at the end of v 18 19 fLit father 22 gLit words]

Descendants of Simeon

24 The sons of Simeon were aNemuel and Jamin, bJarib, cZerah, Shaul; ²⁵Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. ²⁶The sons of Mishma were Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. ²⁷Now Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many sons, nor did all their family multiply like the sons of Judah. ²⁸They lived at Beersheba, Moladah and Hazar-shual, ²⁹at Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ³⁰Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. ³²Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen and Ashan, five cities; ³³and all their villages that were around the same cities as far as dBaal. These were their settlements, and they have their genealogy. [24 aIn Gen 46:10 and Ex 6:15, Jemuel bIn Num 26:12, Jachin cIn Gen 46:10 and Ex 6:15, Zohar 33 dIn Josh 19:8, Baalath]

34 Meshobab and Jamlech and Joshah the son of Amaziah, ³⁵and Joel and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, ³⁶and Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, ³⁷Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah; ³⁸these mentioned by name were leaders in their families; and their fathers’ houses increased greatly. ³⁹They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. ⁴⁰They found rich and good pasture, and the land was broad and quiet and peaceful; for those who lived there formerly were Hamites. ⁴¹These, recorded by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and aattacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and destroyed them utterly to this day, and lived in their place, because there was pasture there 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 leaders. ⁴³They adestroyed the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day. [41 aLit smote]

1 CHRONICLES 5 [Books]

Genealogy from Reuben

1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. ²Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), ³the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. ⁴The sons of Joel were Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, ⁵Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, ⁶Beerah his son, whom aTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was leader of the Reubenites. ⁷His bkinsmen by their families, in the genealogy of their generations, were Jeiel the chief, then Zechariah ⁸and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal-meon. ⁹To the east he settled as far as the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their cattle had increased in the land of Gilead. ¹⁰In the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand, so that they coccupied their tents throughout dall the land east of Gilead. [6 aIn 2 Kin 15:29, Tiglath-pileser 7 bLit brothers 10 cLit dwelt in dLit all the face of the east]

11 Now the sons of Gad lived opposite them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah. ¹²Joel was the chief and Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. ¹³Their akinsmen of their fathers’ households were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven. ¹⁴These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; ¹⁵Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their fathers’ households. ¹⁶They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon, as far as their bborders. ¹⁷All of these were enrolled in the genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. [13 aLit brother 16 bLit goings out]

18 The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, consisting of valiant men, men who bore shield and sword and shot with bow and were skillful in battle, were 44,760, who went to war. ¹⁹They made war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. ²⁰They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand; for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him. ²¹They took away their cattle: their 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys; and 100,000 amen. ²²For many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they settled in their place until the exile. [21 aLit souls of men]

23 Now the sons of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land; from Bashan to Baal-hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon they were numerous. ²⁴These were the heads of their fathers’ households, even Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ households.

25 But they acted treacherously against the God of their fathers and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. ²⁶So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of aTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away into exile, namely the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara and to the river of Gozan, to this day. [26 aIn 2 Kin 15:29, Tiglath-pileser]

1 CHRONICLES 6 [Books]

Genealogy: The Priestly Line

1 aThe sons of Levi were bGershon, Kohath and Merari. ²The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ³The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ⁴Eleazar cbecame the father of Phinehas, and Phinehas became the father of Abishua, ⁵and Abishua became the father of Bukki, and Bukki became the father of Uzzi, ⁶and Uzzi 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, ⁸and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz, ⁹and Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Johanan, ¹⁰and Johanan became the father of Azariah (it was he who served as the priest in the house which Solomon built in Jerusalem), ¹¹and Azariah became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub, ¹²and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of dShallum, ¹³and Shallum became the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah became the father of Azariah, ¹⁴and Azariah became the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak; ¹⁵and Jehozadak went along when the LORD carried Judah and Jerusalem away into exile eby Nebuchadnezzar. [1 aCh 5:27 in Heb bIn v 16, Gershom 4 cLit begot, and so throughout the ch 12 dIn ch 9:11, Meshullam 15 eLit by the hand of]

16 aThe sons of Levi were bGershom, Kohath and Merari. ¹⁷These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁸The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ¹⁹The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. ²⁰Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, ²¹Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. ²²The sons of Kohath were Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, ²³Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son and Assir his son, ²⁴Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son. ²⁵The sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth. ²⁶As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah were Zophai his son and Nahath his son, ²⁷Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. ²⁸The sons of Samuel were Joel the firstborn, and Abijah the second. ²⁹The sons of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, ³⁰Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son. [16 aCh 6:1 in Heb bIn v 1, Gershon]

31 Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark rested there. ³²They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem; and they aserved in their office according to their order. ³³These are those who bserved with their sons: From the sons of the Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, ³⁴the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, ³⁵the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, ³⁶the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, ³⁷the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, ³⁸the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. ³⁹Heman’s brother Asaph stood at his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, ⁴⁰the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, ⁴¹the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, ⁴²the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, ⁴³the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. ⁴⁴On the left hand were their ckinsmen the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, ⁴⁵the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, ⁴⁶the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, ⁴⁷the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. ⁴⁸Their ckinsmen the Levites were dappointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God. [32 aLit stood over 33 bLit stood 44 cLit brothers 48 dLit given]

49 But Aaron and his sons aoffered on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. ⁵⁰These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, ⁵¹Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, ⁵²Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, ⁵³Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son. [49 aLit offered up in smoke]

54 Now these are their settlements according to their camps within their borders. To the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot), ⁵⁵to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its pasture lands around it; ⁵⁶but the fields of the city and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. ⁵⁷To the sons of Aaron they gave the following cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, ⁵⁸aHilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands, ⁵⁹bAshan with its pasture lands and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; ⁶⁰and from the tribe of Benjamin: Geba with its pasture lands, cAllemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. [58 aIn Josh 21:15, Holon 59 bIn Josh 21:16, Ain 60 cIn Josh 21:18, Almon]

61 Then to the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, from the family of the tribe, from the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. ⁶²To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, were given from the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher, the tribe of Naphtali, and the tribe of Manasseh, thirteen cities in Bashan. ⁶³To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. ⁶⁴So the sons of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands. ⁶⁵They gave by lot from the tribe of the sons of Judah, the tribe of the sons of Simeon and the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name.

66 Now some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their territory from the tribe of Ephraim. ⁶⁷They gave to them the following cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, Gezer also with its pasture lands, ⁶⁸Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth-horon with its pasture lands, ⁶⁹Aijalon with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; ⁷⁰and from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Aner with its pasture lands and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.

71 To the sons of Gershom were given, from the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands; ⁷²and from the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands ⁷³and Ramoth with its pasture lands, Anem with its pasture lands; ⁷⁴and from the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, ⁷⁵Hukok with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands; ⁷⁶and from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands.

77 To the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, from the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasture lands, Tabor with its pasture lands; ⁷⁸and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness with its pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands, ⁷⁹Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mephaath with its pasture lands; ⁸⁰and from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands, ⁸¹Heshbon with its pasture lands and Jazer with its pasture lands.

1 CHRONICLES 7 [Books]

Genealogy from Issachar

1 Now the sons of Issachar were four: Tola, aPuah, bJashub and Shimron. ²The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Tola were mighty men of valor in their generations; their number in the days of David was 22,600. ³The cson of Uzzi was Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Isshiah; all five of them were chief men. ⁴With them by their generations according to their fathers’ households were 36,000 dtroops of the army for war, for they had many wives and sons. ⁵Their erelatives among all the families of Issachar were mighty men of valor, enrolled by genealogy, in all 87,000. [1 aIn Gen 46:13, Puvvah; in Num 26:23, Puvah bIn Gen 46:13, Iob 3 cLit sons 4 dOr bands 5 eLit brothers, and so throughout the ch]

Descendants of Benjamin

6 The sons of Benjamin were three: Bela and Becher and Jediael. ⁷The sons of Bela were five: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri. They were heads of fathers’ households, mighty men of valor, and were 22,034 enrolled by genealogy. ⁸The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. ⁹They were enrolled by genealogy, according to their generations, heads of their fathers’ households, 20,200 mighty men of valor. ¹⁰The ason of Jediael was Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar. ¹¹All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, 17,200 mighty men of valor, who were bready to go out with the army to war. ¹²cShuppim and dHuppim were the sons of eIr; Hushim was the ason of fAher. [10 aLit sons 11 bLit going out 12 cIn Num 26:39, Shephupham dIn Num 26:39, Hupham eIn v 7, Iri fIn Num 26:38, Ahiram]

Sons of Naphtali

13 The sons of Naphtali were aJahziel, Guni, Jezer, and bShallum, the sons of Bilhah. [13 aIn Gen 46:24, Jahzeel bIn Gen 46:24 and Num 26:49, Shillem]

Descendants of Manasseh

14 The sons of Manasseh were Asriel, whom his Aramean concubine bore; she bore Machir the father of Gilead. ¹⁵Machir took a wife for Huppim and Shuppim, awhose sister’s name was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. ¹⁶Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. ¹⁷The bson of Ulam was Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. ¹⁸His sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod and cAbiezer and Mahlah. ¹⁹The sons of Shemida were Ahian and Shechem and Likhi and Aniam. [15 aLit and his 17 bLit sons 18 cIn Num 26:30, Iezer]

Descendants of Ephraim

20 The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah and aBered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, ²¹Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take their livestock. ²²Their father Ephraim mourned many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. ²³Then he went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and he named him bBeriah, because misfortune had come upon his house. ²⁴His daughter was Sheerah, who built lower and upper Beth-horon, also Uzzen-sheerah. ²⁵Rephah was his son along with Resheph, Telah his son, Tahan his son, ²⁶Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, ²⁷cNon his son and Joshua his son. [20 aIn Num 26:35, Becher 23 bI.e. on misfortune 27 cIn Ex 33:11, Nun]

28 Their possessions and settlements were Bethel with its towns, and to the east aNaaran, and to the west Gezer with its towns, and Shechem with its towns as far as bAyyah with its towns, ²⁹and along the borders of the sons of Manasseh, Beth-shean with its towns, Taanach with its towns, Megiddo with its towns, Dor with its towns. In these lived the sons of Joseph the son of Israel. [28 aIn Josh 16:7, Naarah bMany mss read Azzah]

Descendants of Asher

30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah, and Serah their sister. ³¹The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. ³²Heber abecame the father of Japhlet, bShomer and Hotham, and Shua their sister. ³³The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal and Ashvath. These were the sons of Japhlet. ³⁴The sons of cShemer were Ahi and Rohgah, Jehubbah and Aram. ³⁵The dsons of his brother Helem were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal. ³⁶The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri and Imrah, ³⁷Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran and Beera. ³⁸The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispa and Ara. ³⁹The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel and Rizia. ⁴⁰All these were the sons of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, heads of the princes. And the number of them enrolled by genealogy for service in war was 26,000 men. [32 aLit begot bIn v 34, Shemer 34 cIn v 32, Shomer 35 dLit son]

1 CHRONICLES 8 [Books]

Genealogy from Benjamin

1 And Benjamin abecame the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, ²Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth. ³Bela had sons: bAddar, Gera, Abihud, ⁴Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, ⁵Gera, Shephuphan and Huram. ⁶These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them into exile to Manahath, ⁷namely, Naaman, Ahijah and Gera—he carried them into exile; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. ⁸Shaharaim became the father of children in the ccountry of Moab after he had dsent away Hushim and Baara his wives. ⁹By Hodesh his wife he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰Jeuz, Sachia, Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ households. ¹¹By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. ¹²The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns; ¹³and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath; ¹⁴and eAhio, Shashak and 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, Zichri, Zabdi, ²⁰Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, ²¹Adaiah, Beraiah and Shimrath were the sons of fShimei. ²²Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, ²³Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, ²⁴Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, ²⁵Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. ²⁶Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, ²⁷Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. ²⁸These were heads of the fathers’ households according to their generations, chief men gwho lived in Jerusalem. [1 aLit begot, and so throughout the ch 3 bIn Gen 46:21 and Num 26:40, Ard 8 cLit field dLit sent them away 14 eOr his brothers 21 fIn v 13, Shema 28 gLit these]

29 Now in Gibeon, Jeiel, the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife’s name was Maacah; ³⁰and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, ³¹Gedor, Ahio and aZecher. ³²Mikloth became the father of bShimeah. And they also lived with their crelatives in Jerusalem opposite their other crelatives. [31 aIn ch 9:37, Zechariah 32 bIn ch 9:38, Shimeam cLit brothers]

Genealogy from King Saul

³³Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, aAbinadab and bEshbaal. ³⁴The son of Jonathan was cMerib-baal, and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. ³⁵The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, dTarea and Ahaz. ³⁶Ahaz became the father of eJehoaddah, and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. ³⁷Moza became the father of Binea; fRaphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. ³⁸Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. ³⁹The sons of Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second and Eliphelet the third. ⁴⁰The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons and grandsons, 150 of them. All these were of the sons of Benjamin. [33 a1 Sam 14:49, Ishvi bIn 2 Sam 2:8, Ish-bosheth 34 cIn 2 Sam 4:4, Mephibosheth 35 dIn 9:41, Tahrea 36 eIn 9:42, Jarah 37 fIn 9:43, Rephaiah]

1 CHRONICLES 9 [Books]

People of Jerusalem

1 So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was carried away into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.

2 Now the first who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites and the atemple servants. ³Some of the sons of Judah, of the sons of Benjamin and of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem: ⁴Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the son of Judah. ⁵From the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. ⁶From the sons of Zerah were Jeuel and their brelatives, 690 of them. ⁷From the sons of Benjamin were Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah, ⁸and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; ⁹and their relatives according to their generations, 956. All these were heads of fathers’ households according to their fathers’ houses. [2 aHeb Nethinim 6 bLit brothers, and so throughout the ch]

10 From the priests were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, ¹¹and aAzariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief officer of the house of God; ¹²and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; ¹³and their relatives, heads of their fathers’ households, 1,760 very able men for the work of the service of the house of God. [11 aIn Neh 11:11, Seraiah]

14 Of the Levites were Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; ¹⁵and Bakbakkar, Heresh and Galal and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of aZichri, the son of Asaph, ¹⁶and bObadiah the son of cShemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. [15 aIn Neh 11:17, Zabdi 16 bIn Neh 11:17, Abda cIn Neh 11:17, Shammua]

17 Now the gatekeepers were aShallum and Akkub and Talmon and Ahiman and their relatives (Shallum the chief ¹⁸being stationed until now at the king’s gate to the east). These were the gatekeepers for the camp of the sons of Levi. ¹⁹Shallum the son of Kore, the son of bEbiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent; and their fathers had been over the camp of the LORD, keepers of the entrance. ²⁰Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them previously, and the LORD was with him. ²¹Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting. ²²All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds were 212. These were enrolled by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer appointed in their office of trust. ²³So they and their sons chad charge of the gates of the house of the LORD, even the house of the tent, as guards. ²⁴The gatekeepers were don the four sides, to the east, west, north and south. ²⁵Their relatives in their villages were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with ethem; ²⁶for the four chief gatekeepers who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. ²⁷They spent the night around the house of God, because the watch was fcommitted to them; and they were gin charge of opening it morning by morning. [17 aIn v 21, Meshelemiah; in 26:14, Shelemiah; in Neh 12:25, Meshullam 19 bIn Ex 6:24, Abiasaph 23 cLit were over the gates 24 dLit to the four winds 25 eLit these 27 fLit on them gLit over the opening]

28 Now some of them ahad charge of the utensils of service, for bthey counted them when they brought them in and when they took them out. ²⁹Some of them also were appointed over the furniture and over all the utensils of the sanctuary and over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the frankincense and the spices. ³⁰Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices. ³¹Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the cresponsibility over the things which were baked in pans. ³²Some of their relatives of the sons of the Kohathites were over the showbread to prepare it every sabbath. [28 aLit were over the bLit by count they brought them in and by count they took them out 31 cLit office of trust]

33 Now these are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the chambers of the temple free from other service; for they were aengaged in their work day and night. ³⁴These were heads of fathers’ households of the Levites according to their generations, chief men, bwho lived in Jerusalem. [33 aLit over them in the work 34 bLit these]

Ancestry and Descendants of Saul

35 In Gibeon Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife’s name was Maacah, ³⁶and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, ³⁷Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. ³⁸Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives. ³⁹Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab and Eshbaal. ⁴⁰The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. ⁴¹The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea and Ahaz. ⁴²Ahaz became the father of Jarah, and Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza, ⁴³and Moza became the father of Binea and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. ⁴⁴Azel had six sons whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru and Ishmael and Sheariah and Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

1 CHRONICLES 10 [Books]

Defeat and Death of Saul and His Sons

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ²The Philistines closely pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, aAbinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. ³The battle became heavy against Saul, and the archers bovertook him; and he was wounded by the archers. 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 greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died. ⁶Thus Saul died with his three sons, and all those of his house died together. [2 aIn 1 Sam 14:49, Ishvi 3 bLit found him]

7 When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 It came about the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹So they stripped him and took his head and his armor and sent messengers around the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. ¹⁰They put his armor in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.

Jabesh-gilead’s Tribute to Saul

¹¹When all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹²all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh, and they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

13 So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it, ¹⁴and did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

1 CHRONICLES 11 [Books]

David Made King over All Israel

1 Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron aand said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. ²In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be prince over My people Israel.’ ” ³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel. [1 aLit saying]

Jerusalem, Capital City

4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. ⁵The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not enter here.” Nevertheless David captured the stronghold of Zion (that is, the city of David). ⁶Now David had said, “Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. ⁷Then David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. ⁸He abuilt the city all around, from the bMillo even to the surrounding area; and Joab crepaired the rest of the city. ⁹David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him. [8 aOr fortified bI.e. citadel cLit revived]

David’s Mighty Men

10 Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. ¹¹These constitute the list of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred awhom he killed at one time. [11 aLit slain ones]

12 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was aone of the three mighty men. ¹³He was with David at bPasdammim when the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled before the Philistines. ¹⁴They took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and struck down the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great cvictory. [12 aLit among 13 bIn 1 Sam 17:1, Ephesdammim 14 cOr salvation]

15 Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁷David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ¹⁸So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; nevertheless David would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD; ¹⁹and he said, “Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went aat the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. [19 aLit with their souls]

20 As for aAbshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the bthirty, and he swung his spear against three hundred cand killed them; and he had a name as well as the bthirty. ²¹Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the first three. [20 aIn 2 Sam 23:18, Abishai bSo Syriac; M.T. three cLit slain ones]

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the atwo sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and bkilled a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. ²³He bkilled an Egyptian, a man of great stature five ccubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and bkilled him with his own spear. ²⁴These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. ²⁵Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three; and David appointed him over his guard. [22 aOr two lion-like heroes of bLit smote 23 cI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.]

26 Now the mighty men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ²⁷aShammoth the Harorite, Helez the bPelonite, ²⁸Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, ²⁹cSibbecai the Hushathite, dIlai the Ahohite, ³⁰Maharai the Netophathite, eHeled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, ³¹Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, ³²fHurai of the brooks of Gaash, gAbiel the Arbathite, ³³Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, ³⁴the sons of hHashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, ³⁵Ahiam the son of iSacar the Hararite, jEliphal the son of Ur, ³⁶Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷Hezro the Carmelite, kNaarai the son of Ezbai, ³⁸Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, ³⁹Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, ⁴⁰Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ⁴¹Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, ⁴²Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, ⁴³Hanan the son of Maacah and Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother, the Tizite, ⁴⁶Eliel the Mahavite and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷Eliel and Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. [27 aIn 2 Sam 23:25, Shammah the Harodite bIn 2 Sam 23:26, Paltite 29 cIn 2 Sam 23:27, Mebunnai dIn 2 Sam 23:28, Zalmon 30 eIn 2 Sam 23:29, Heleb 32 fIn 2 Sam 23:30, Hiddai gIn 2 Sam 23:31, Abi-albon 34 hIn 2 Sam 23:32, Jashen 35 iIn 2 Sam 23:33, Sharar jIn 2 Sam 23:34, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai 37 kIn 2 Sam 23:35, Paarai the Arbite]

1 CHRONICLES 12 [Books]

David’s Supporters in Ziklag

1 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. ²They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin. ³The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite, ⁴and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. aThen Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, ⁵bEluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, ⁶Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites, ⁷and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. [4 aIn Heb the beginning of v 5, making 41 vv in ch 5 bV 6 in Heb]

8 From the Gadites there acame over to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains. ⁹Ezer was the first, 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, Machbannai the eleventh. ¹⁴These of the sons of Gad were bcaptains of the army; he who was least was equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand. ¹⁵These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west. [8 aLit separated themselves 14 bOr chiefs]

16 Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. ¹⁷David went out to meet them, and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no awrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and decide.” ¹⁸Then the Spirit bcame upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said,

“We are yours, O David,

And with you, O son of Jesse!

Peace, peace to you,

And peace to him who helps you;

Indeed, your God helps you!”

Then David received them and made them ccaptains of the band. [17 aLit violence 18 bLit clothed cOr chiefs]

19 From Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after consultation sent him away, saying, “At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul.” ²⁰As he went to Ziklag there defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, acaptains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. ²¹They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army. ²²For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army like the army of God. [20 aOr chiefs]

Supporters Gathered at Hebron

23 Now these are the numbers of the adivisions equipped for war, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the bword of the LORD. ²⁴The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for war. ²⁵Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100. ²⁶Of the sons of Levi 4,600. ²⁷Now Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him were 3,700, ²⁸also Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains. ²⁹Of the sons of Benjamin, Saul’s kinsmen, 3,000; for until now the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. ³⁰Of the sons of Ephraim 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ households. ³¹Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king. ³²Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command. ³³Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David cwith an undivided heart. ³⁴Of Naphtali there were 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 with shield and spear. ³⁵Of the Danites who could draw up in battle formation, there were 28,600. ³⁶Of Asher there were 40,000 who went out in the army to draw up in battle formation. ³⁷From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons of war for the battle. [23 aLit heads bLit mouth 33 cLit not of double heart]

38 All these, being men of war who could draw up in battle formation, came to Hebron with a perfect heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one mind to make David king. ³⁹They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had prepared for them. ⁴⁰Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and on oxen, great quantities of flour cakes, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen and sheep. There was joy indeed in Israel.

1 CHRONICLES 13 [Books]

Peril in Transporting the Ark

1 Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader. ²David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from the LORD our God, let us send everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may meet with us; ³and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” ⁴Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the LORD who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. ⁷They acarried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. ⁸David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals and with trumpets. [7 aLit caused to ride]

9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. ¹⁰The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. ¹¹Then David became angry because aof the LORD’S outburst against Uzza; and he called that place bPerez-uzza to this day. ¹²David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” ¹³So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had. [11 aLit the LORD had broken through a breakthrough bI.e. the breakthrough of Uzza]

1 CHRONICLES 14 [Books]

David’s Family Enlarged

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons and carpenters, to build a house for him. ²And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted, for the sake of His people Israel.

3 Then David took more wives at Jerusalem, and David abecame the father of more sons and daughters. ⁴These are the names of the children bborn to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet. [3 aLit begot 4 bLit were to]

Philistines Defeated

8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; and David heard of it and went out against them. ⁹Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You give them into my hand?” Then the LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will give them into your hand.” ¹¹So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David adefeated them there; and David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore they named that place bBaal-perazim. ¹²They abandoned their gods there; so David gave the order and they were burned with fire. [11 aLit smote bI.e. the master of breakthrough]

13 The Philistines made yet another raid in the valley. ¹⁴David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around abehind them and come at them in front of the bbalsam trees. ¹⁵It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” ¹⁶David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines from cGibeon even as far as Gezer. ¹⁷Then the fame of David went out into all the lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him on all the nations. [14 aLit from upon bOr baka shrubs 16 cIn 2 Sam 5:25, Geba]

1 CHRONICLES 15 [Books]

Plans to Move the Ark to Jerusalem

1 Now David built houses for himself in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. ²Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.” ³And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place which he had prepared for it. ⁴David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: ⁵of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and 120 of his arelatives; ⁶of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and 220 of his relatives; ⁷of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and 130 of his relatives; ⁸of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and 200 of his relatives; ⁹of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and 80 of his relatives; ¹⁰of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and 112 of his relatives. [5 aLit brothers; i.e. fellow tribesmen, and so throughout the ch]

11 Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab, ¹²and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it. ¹³Because you did not carry it at the first, the LORD our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance.” ¹⁴So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. ¹⁵The sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

16 Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. ¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah, ¹⁸and with them their relatives of the second rank, Zechariah, aBen, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. ¹⁹So the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound aloud cymbals of bronze; ²⁰and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah, with bharps tuned to alamoth; ²¹and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel and Azaziah, to lead with clyres tuned to the sheminith. ²²Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he was skillful. ²³Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah also were gatekeepers for the ark. [18 aOmitted in Gr and many mss 20 bOr harps of maiden-like tone 21 cOr octave harps]

25 So it was David, with the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with joy. ²⁶Because God was helping the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. ²⁷Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore an ephod of linen. ²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps and lyres.

29 It happened when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and celebrating; and she despised him in her heart.

1 CHRONICLES 16 [Books]

A Tent for the Ark

1 And they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. ²When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. ³He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.

4 He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: ⁵Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then aJeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals, ⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. [5 aIn 1 Chr 15:18, Jaaziel]

7 Then on that day David first assigned aAsaph and his brelatives to give thanks to the LORD. [7 aLit by the hand of Asaph bLit brothers]

Psalm of Thanksgiving

⁸Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples.

⁹Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;

aSpeak of all His bwonders. [aOr Meditate on bI.e. wonderful acts]

¹⁰aGlory in His holy name;

Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. [aOr Boast]

¹¹Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face continually.

¹²Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,

His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,

¹³O seed of Israel His servant,

Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!

¹⁴He is the LORD our God;

His judgments are in all the earth.

¹⁵Remember His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,

¹⁶The covenant which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac.

¹⁷He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

¹⁸Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,

As the portion of your inheritance.”

¹⁹When they were only a few in number,

Very few, and strangers in it,

²⁰And they wandered about from nation to nation,

And from one kingdom to another people,

²¹He permitted no man to oppress them,

And He reproved kings for their sakes, saying,

²²“Do not touch My anointed ones,

And do My prophets no harm.”

²³Sing to the LORD, all the earth;

Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

²⁴Tell of His glory among the nations,

His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

²⁵For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;

He also is to be feared above all gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the peoples are aidols,

But the LORD made the heavens. [aOr non-existent things]

²⁷Splendor and majesty are before Him,

Strength and joy are in His place.

²⁸Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

²⁹Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;

Bring an aoffering, and come before Him;

Worship the LORD in bholy array. [aOr a grain offering bOr the splendor of holiness]

³⁰Tremble before Him, all the earth;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

³¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

³²Let the sea aroar, and ball it contains;

Let the field exult, and all that is in it. [aOr thunder bLit its fullness]

³³Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD;

For He is coming to judge the earth.

³⁴O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

³⁵Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation,

And gather us and deliver us from the nations,

To give thanks to Your holy name,

And aglory in Your praise.” [aLit boast]

³⁶Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

From everlasting even to everlasting.

Then all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD.

Worship before the Ark

37 So he left Asaph and his arelatives there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; ³⁸and Obed-edom with bhis 68 relatives; Obed-edom, also the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah as gatekeepers. ³⁹He left Zadok the priest and his arelatives the priests before the ctabernacle of the LORD in the high place which was at Gibeon, ⁴⁰to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which He commanded Israel. ⁴¹With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His lovingkindness is everlasting. ⁴²And with them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun for the gate. [37 aLit brothers 38 bLit their brothers, 68 39 cLit dwelling place]

43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David returned to bless his household.

1 CHRONICLES 17 [Books]

God’s Covenant with David

1 And it came about, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under curtains.” ²Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

3 It came about the same night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, ⁴“Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the LORD, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; ⁵for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have agone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another. ⁶In all places where I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ ⁷Now, therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel. ⁸I have been with you wherever you have gone, 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 in the earth. ⁹I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and not be moved again; and the bwicked will not waste them anymore as formerly, ¹⁰even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. [5 aLit been 9 bLit sons of wickedness]

Moreover, I tell you that the LORD will build a house for you. ¹¹When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your adescendants after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. ¹⁴But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” ¹⁵According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. [11 aLit seed]

David’s Prayer in Response

16 Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? ¹⁷This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O LORD God. ¹⁸What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. ¹⁹O LORD, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. ²⁰O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²¹And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? ²²For Your people Israel You made Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, became their God.

23 “Now, O LORD, let the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as You have spoken. ²⁴Let Your name be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel; and the house of David Your servant is established before You.’ ²⁵For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You. ²⁶Now, O LORD, You are God, and have apromised this good thing to Your servant. ²⁷And now it has pleased You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may bcontinue forever before You; for You, O LORD, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.” [26 aLit said 27 bLit be]

1 CHRONICLES 18 [Books]

David’s Kingdom Strengthened

1 Now after this it came about that David adefeated the Philistines and subdued them and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. ²He defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute. [1 aLit smote, and so in vv 1-3]

3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his arule to the Euphrates River. ⁴David took from him 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers, and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for 100 chariots. [3 aLit hand]

5 When the Arameans of aDamascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David bkilled 22,000 men of the Arameans. ⁶Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of aDamascus; and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And the LORD helped David wherever he went. ⁷David took the shields of gold which were ccarried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸Also from dTibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a very large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the bronze utensils. [5 aHeb Darmeseq bLit smote 7 cLit on 8 dIn 2 Sam 8:8, Betah]

9 Now when aTou king of Hamath heard that David had bdefeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, ¹⁰he sent cHadoram his son to King David to dgreet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had bdefeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. And Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the LORD with the silver and the gold which he had carried away from all the nations: from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and from Amalek. [9 aIn 2 Sam 8:9, Toi bLit smitten 10 cIn 2 Sam 8:10, Joram dLit ask him of his welfare]

12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah adefeated 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ¹³Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the LORD helped David wherever he went. [12 aLit smote]

14 So David reigned over all Israel; and he aadministered justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁵Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁶and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was secretary; ¹⁷and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were chiefs at the king’s side. [14 aLit was doing]

1 CHRONICLES 19 [Books]

David’s Messengers Abused

1 Now it came about after this, that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son became king in his place. ²Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun to console him. ³But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “aDo you think that David is honoring your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” ⁴So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. ⁵Then certain persons went and told David about the men. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “bStay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.” [3 aLit In your eyes is David honoring your father because 5 bLit Return to]

6 When the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah and from Zobah. ⁷So they hired for themselves 32,000 chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped before Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to battle. ⁸When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. ⁹The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

Ammon and Aram Defeated

10 Now when Joab saw that the abattle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel and they arrayed themselves against the Arameans. ¹¹But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of bAbshai his brother; and they arrayed themselves against the sons of Ammon. ¹²He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.” ¹⁴So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁵When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abshai his brother and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. [10 aLit the face of the battle 11 bIn 2 Sam 10:10, Abishai]

16 When the Arameans saw that they had been adefeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the bRiver, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer cleading them. ¹⁷When it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came upon them and drew up in formation against them. And when David drew up in battle array against the Arameans, they fought against him. ¹⁸The Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed of the Arameans 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, and put to death Shophach the commander of the army. ¹⁹So when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were adefeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. Thus the Arameans were not willing to help the sons of Ammon anymore. [16 aLit smitten before bI.e. Euphrates cLit before]

1 CHRONICLES 20 [Books]

War with Philistine Giants

1 Then it happened ain the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it. ²David took the crown of btheir king from his head, and he found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. ³He brought out the people who were in it, and cut them with saws and with sharp instruments and with axes. And thus David did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. [1 aLit at the return of the year 2 bIn Zeph 1:5, Malcam]

4 Now it came about after this, that war abroke out at bGezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite ckilled Sippai, one of the descendants of the dgiants, and they were subdued. ⁵And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair ckilled Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. ⁶Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants. ⁷When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, ckilled him. ⁸These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. [4 aLit stood up bIn 2 Sam 21:18, Gob cLit smote dHeb Raphah, and so in vv 6, 8]

1 CHRONICLES 21 [Books]

Census Brings Pestilence

1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. ²So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number.” ³Joab said, “May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” ⁴Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. ⁵Joab gave the number of the acensus of all the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. ⁶But he did not anumber Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s bcommand was abhorrent to Joab. [5 aLit muster 6 bLit word]

7 aGod was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel. ⁸David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” [7 aLit it was evil in the sight of God]

9 The LORD spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, ¹⁰“Go and speak to David, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I aoffer you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.” ’ ” ¹¹So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Take for yourself ¹²either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” ¹³David said to Gad, “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man.” [10 aLit stretch out to]

14 So the LORD asent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000 men of Israel fell. ¹⁵And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw and was sorry over the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough; now relax your hand.” And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of bOrnan the Jebusite. ¹⁶Then David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. ¹⁷David said to God, “Is it not I who ccommanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father’s household, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.” [14 aLit gave 15 bIn 2 Sam 24:16, Araunah 17 cLit said]

David’s Altar

18 Then the angel of the LORD acommanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁹So David went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the LORD. ²⁰Now Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat. ²¹As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself bbefore David with his face to the ground. ²²Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the csite of this threshing floor, that I may build on it an altar to the LORD; for the full price you shall give it to me, that the plague may be restrained from the people.” ²³Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself; and let my lord the king do what is good in his sight. See, I will give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I will give it all.” ²⁴But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, or offer a burnt offering dwhich costs me nothing.” ²⁵So David gave Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the csite. ²⁶Then David built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called to the LORD and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. ²⁷The LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath. [18 aLit said to 21 bLit to 22 cLit place 24 dLit gratuitously]

28 At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifice there. ²⁹For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were in the high place at Gibeon at that time. ³⁰But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

1 CHRONICLES 22 [Books]

David Prepares for Temple Building

1 Then David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

2 So David agave orders to gather the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to hew out stones to build the house of God. ³David prepared large quantities of iron bto make the nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps, and more bronze than could be weighed; ⁴and timbers of cedar logs beyond number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David. ⁵David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it.” So David made ample preparations before his death. [2 aLit said to 3 bLit for]

Solomon Charged with the Task

6 Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. ⁷David said to Solomon, “My son, aI had intended to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have bwaged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me. ⁹Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be cSolomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ ¹¹Now, my son, the LORD be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you. ¹²Only the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and give you charge over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. ¹³Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. ¹⁴Now behold, dwith great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight, for ethey are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. ¹⁵Moreover, there are many workmen with you, stonecutters and masons of stone and carpenters, and all men who are skillful in every kind of work. ¹⁶Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no limit. Arise and work, and may the LORD be with you.” [7 aLit as for me, it was in my heart 8 bLit made 9 cI.e. peaceful 14 dLit in my affliction eLit it is]

17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, ¹⁸“Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people. ¹⁹Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD.”

1 CHRONICLES 23 [Books]

Solomon Reigns

1 Now when David areached old age, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. ²And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levites. [1 aLit became old and sated with days]

Offices of the Levites

³The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward, and their number by acensus of men was 38,000. ⁴Of these, 24,000 were to oversee the work of the house of the LORD; and 6,000 were officers and judges, ⁵and 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 were praising the LORD with the instruments which bDavid made for giving praise. ⁶David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. [3 aLit their heads 5 bLit I made]

Gershonites

7 Of the Gershonites were aLadan and Shimei. ⁸The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the first and Zetham and Joel, three. ⁹The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth and Haziel and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan. ¹⁰The sons of Shimei were Jahath, bZina, Jeush and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. ¹¹Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became a father’s household, one cclass. [7 aIn Ex 6:17, Libni 10 bIn v 11, Zizah 11 cLit mustering]

Kohathites

12 The sons of Kohath were four: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ¹³The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever. ¹⁴But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. ¹⁵The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. ¹⁶The ason of Gershom was bShebuel the chief. ¹⁷The cson of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. ¹⁸The ason of Izhar was dShelomith the chief. ¹⁹The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth. ²⁰The sons of Uzziel were Micah the first and Isshiah the second. [16 aLit sons bIn ch 24:20, Shubael 17 cLit sons...were 18 dIn ch 24:22, Shelomoth]

Merarites

21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. ²²Eleazar died and had no sons, but daughters only, so their brothers, the sons of Kish, took them as wives. ²³The sons of Mushi were three: Mahli, Eder and Jeremoth.

Duties Revised

24 These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers’ households, even the heads of the fathers’ households of those of them who were acounted, in the number of names by their bcensus, doing the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from twenty years old and upward. ²⁵For David said, “The LORD God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever. ²⁶Also, the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its utensils for its service.” ²⁷For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward. ²⁸For their office is cto assist the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts and in the chambers and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God, ²⁹and with the showbread, and the fine flour for a grain offering, and unleavened wafers, or what is baked in the pan or what is well-mixed, and all measures of volume and size. ³⁰They are to stand every morning to thank and to praise the LORD, and likewise at evening, ³¹and to offer all burnt offerings to the LORD, on the sabbaths, the new moons and the fixed festivals in the number set by the ordinance concerning them, continually before the LORD. ³²Thus they are to keep charge of the tent of meeting, and charge of the holy place, and charge of the sons of Aaron their drelatives, for the service of the house of the LORD. [24 aLit mustered bLit heads 28 cLit at the hand of 32 dLit brothers]

1 CHRONICLES 24 [Books]

Divisions of Levites

1 Now the divisions of the adescendants of Aaron were these: the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ²But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no bsons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. ³David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices cfor their ministry. ⁴Since more chief men were found from the adescendants of Eleazar than the adescendants of Ithamar, they divided them thus: there were sixteen heads of fathers’ households of the adescendants of Eleazar and eight of the adescendants of Ithamar, according to their fathers’ households. ⁵Thus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the adescendants of Eleazar and the adescendants of Ithamar. ⁶Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites; one father’s household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar. [1 aLit sons 2 bOr children 3 cLit in their service]

7 Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, ⁸the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, ⁹the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, ¹⁰the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah, ¹¹the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, ¹²the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, ¹³the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, ¹⁴the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, ¹⁵the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, ¹⁶the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, ¹⁷the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, ¹⁸the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. ¹⁹These were their offices for their ministry when they came in to the house of the LORD according to the ordinance given to them through Aaron their father, just as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

20 Now for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, aShubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. ²¹Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the first. ²²Of the Izharites, bShelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. ²³The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. ²⁴Of the sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. ²⁵The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. ²⁶The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, Beno. ²⁷The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri. ²⁸By Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. ²⁹By Kish: the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel. ³⁰The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. ³¹These also cast lots just as their crelatives the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites—the head of fathers’ households as well as those of his younger brother. [20 aIn 23:16, Shebuel 22 bIn 23:18, Shelomith 31 cLit brothers]

1 CHRONICLES 25 [Books]

Number and Services of Musicians

1 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of athose who performed their service was: ²Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and bAsharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the cdirection of Asaph, who prophesied under the cdirection of the king. ³Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, dZeri, Jeshaiah, eShimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the fdirection of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the LORD. ⁴Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, gUzziel, hShebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer to iexalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. ⁶All these were under the jdirection of their father to sing in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the kdirection of the king. ⁷Their number who were trained in singing to the LORD, with their lrelatives, all who were skillful, was 288. [1 aLit workmen according to their service 2 bIn v 14, Jesharelah cLit hand(s) 3 dIn v 11, Izri eSo with mss and ancient versions, cf v 17 fLit hands 4 gIn v 18, Azarel hIn v 20, Shubael 5 iLit lift up the horn 6 jLit hands kLit hands 7 lLit brothers, and so throughout the ch]

Divisions of Musicians

⁸They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.

9 Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve; ¹⁰the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹¹the fourth to aIzri, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹²the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹³the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁴the seventh to bJesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁷the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁰for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²¹for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²²for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²³for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁴for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁵for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁶for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁷for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁸for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁹for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ³⁰for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ³¹for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve. [11 aIn v 3, Zeri 14 bIn v 2, Asherelah]

1 CHRONICLES 26 [Books]

Divisions of the Gatekeepers

1 For the divisions of the gatekeepers there were of the Korahites, aMeshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of bAsaph. ²Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, ³Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. ⁴Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, ⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth; God had indeed blessed him. ⁶Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over the house of their father, for they were mighty men of valor. ⁷The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose brothers, Elihu and Semachiah, were valiant men. ⁸All these were of the sons of Obed-edom; they and their sons and their crelatives were able men with strength for the service, 62 from Obed-edom. ⁹Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, 18 valiant men. ¹⁰Also Hosah, one of the sons of Merari had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first), ¹¹Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and relatives of Hosah were 13. [1 aIn v 14, Shelemiah bIn 9:19, Ebiasaph 8 cLit brothers, and so throughout the ch]

12 To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given duties like their relatives to minister in the house of the LORD. ¹³They cast lots, the small and the great alike, according to their fathers’ households, for every gate. ¹⁴The lot to the east fell to aShelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north. ¹⁵For Obed-edom it fell to the south, and to his sons went the storehouse. ¹⁶For Shuppim and Hosah it was to the west, by the gate of Shallecheth, on the ascending highway. Guard corresponded to guard. ¹⁷On the east there were six Levites, on the north four daily, on the south four daily, and at the storehouse two by two. ¹⁸At the bParbar on the west there were four at the highway and two at the Parbar. ¹⁹These were the divisions of the gatekeepers of the sons of Korah and of the sons of Merari. [14 aIn 9:17, Shallum 18 bPossibly court or colonnade]

Keepers of the Treasure

20 aThe Levites, their relatives, bhad charge of the treasures of the house of God and of the treasures of the dedicated gifts. ²¹The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, namely, the Jehielites, were the heads of the fathers’ households, belonging to Ladan the Gershonite. [20 aSo Gr; Heb As for the Levites, Ahijah had bLit were over]

22 The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and Joel his brother, ahad charge of the treasures of the house of the LORD. ²³As for the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites, ²⁴Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was officer over the treasures. ²⁵His relatives by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son and Shelomoth his son. ²⁶This Shelomoth and his relatives ahad charge of all the treasures of the dedicated gifts which King David and the heads of the fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had dedicated. ²⁷They dedicated bpart of the spoil won in battles to repair the house of the LORD. ²⁸And all that Samuel the seer had dedicated and Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah, everyone who had dedicated anything, all of this was cin the care of dShelomoth and his relatives. [22 aLit were over 27 bHeb from the battles and from the spoil 28 cLit under the hand dHeb Shelomith]

Outside Duties

29 As for the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were assigned to outside duties for Israel, as officers and judges. ³⁰As for the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had charge of the affairs of Israel awest of the Jordan, for all the work of the LORD and the service of the king. ³¹As for the Hebronites, Jerijah the chief b(these Hebronites were investigated according to their genealogies and fathers’ households, in the fortieth year of David’s reign, and men of outstanding capability were found among them at Jazer of Gilead) ³²and his relatives, capable men, were 2,700 in number, heads of fathers’ households. And King David made them overseers of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of the Manassites concerning call the affairs of God and of the king. [30 aLit beyond the Jordan westward 31 bHeb according to the Hebronites...father’s households 32 cLit every matter of God and matter of the king]

1 CHRONICLES 27 [Books]

Commanders of the Army

1 Now this is the enumeration of the sons of Israel, the heads of fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all the affairs of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, each division numbering 24,000:

2 Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel ahad charge of the first division for the first month; and in his division were 24,000. ³He was from the sons of Perez, and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month. ⁴Dodai the Ahohite and his division had charge of the division for the second month, Mikloth being the chief officer; and in his division were 24,000. ⁵The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, as chief; and in his division were 24,000. ⁶This Benaiah was the mighty man of the thirty, and had charge of thirty; and over his division was Ammizabad his son. ⁷The fourth for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him; and in his division were 24,000. ⁸The fifth for the fifth month was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite; and in his division were 24,000. ⁹The sixth for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; and in his division were 24,000. ¹⁰The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000. ¹¹The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000. ¹²The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites; and in his division were 24,000. ¹³The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000. ¹⁴The eleventh for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000. ¹⁵The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000. [2 aLit was over, and so throughout the ch]

Chief Officers of the Tribes

16 Now in charge of the tribes of Israel: chief officer for the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah; ¹⁷for Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok; ¹⁸for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri the son of Michael; ¹⁹for Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel; ²⁰for the sons of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah; ²¹for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner; ²²for Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel. ²³But David did not acount those twenty years of age and under, because the LORD had said He would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven. ²⁴Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count them, but did not finish; and because of this, wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not included in the account of the chronicles of King David. [23 aLit take their number from]

Various Overseers

25 Now Azmaveth the son of Adiel had charge of the king’s storehouses. And Jonathan the son of Uzziah had charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers. ²⁶Ezri the son of Chelub had charge of the aagricultural workers who tilled the soil. ²⁷Shimei the Ramathite had charge of the vineyards; and Zabdi the Shiphmite had charge of the bproduce of the vineyards stored in the wine cellars. ²⁸Baal-hanan the Gederite had charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the cShephelah; and Joash had charge of the stores of oil. ²⁹Shitrai the Sharonite had charge of the cattle which were grazing in Sharon; and Shaphat the son of Adlai had charge of the cattle in the valleys. ³⁰Obil the Ishmaelite had charge of the camels; and Jehdeiah the Meronothite had charge of the donkeys. ³¹Jaziz the Hagrite had charge of the flocks. All these were doverseers of the property which belonged to King David. [26 aLit doers of the work of the field for the tilling of... 27 bLit what was in the vineyards of the storehouses of wine 28 cOr lowlands 31 dOr rulers]

Counselors

32 Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni atutored the king’s sons. ³³Ahithophel was counselor to the king; and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend. ³⁴Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar bsucceeded Ahithophel; and Joab was the commander of the king’s army. [32 aLit was with 34 bLit after]

1 CHRONICLES 28 [Books]

David’s Address about the Temple

1 Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the valiant men. ²Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had aintended to build a bpermanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. ³But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ ⁴Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. ⁵Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. ⁶He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. ⁷I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as cis done now.’ ⁸So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of the LORD your God so that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever. [2 aLit in my heart bLit house of rest 7 cLit at this day]

9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with aa whole heart and a willing bmind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. ¹⁰Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.” [9 aOr the same bLit soul]

11 Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; ¹²and the plan of all that he had in amind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things; ¹³also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the utensils of service in the house of the LORD; ¹⁴for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service; ¹⁵and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand; ¹⁶and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables; ¹⁷and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl; ¹⁸and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. [12 aLit the spirit with him]

19 “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the adetails of this pattern.” [19 aLit works]

20 Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. ²¹Now behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man of any skill will be with you in all the work for all kinds of service. The officials also and all the people will be entirely at your command.”

1 CHRONICLES 29 [Books]

Offerings for the Temple

1 Then King David said to the entire assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the atemple is not for man, but for the LORD God. ²Now with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and inlaid stones, stones of antimony and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones and alabaster in abundance. ³Moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy btemple, ⁴namely, 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the cbuildings; ⁵of gold for the things of gold and of silver for the things of silver, that is, for all the work ddone by the craftsmen. Who then is willing eto consecrate himself this day to the LORD?” [1 aLit palace 3 bLit house 4 cLit houses 5 dLit by the hand of the craftsmen eLit to fill his hand]

6 Then the rulers of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with the overseers over the king’s work, offered willingly; ⁷and for the service for the house of God they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron. ⁸aWhoever possessed precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, bin care of Jehiel the Gershonite. ⁹Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the LORD with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly. [8 aLit Those with whom were found bLit under the hand of]

David’s Prayer

10 So David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever. ¹¹Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. ¹²Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. ¹³Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.

14 “But who am I and who are my people that we should abe able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. ¹⁵For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. ¹⁶O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. ¹⁷Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. ¹⁸O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in the bintentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You; ¹⁹and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the ctemple, for which I have made provision.” [14 aLit retain strength 18 bLit intent of the thoughts of the heart 19 cLit palace]

20 Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD your God.” And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and did homage to the LORD and to the king.

Sacrifices

²¹On the next day they amade sacrifices to the LORD and offered burnt offerings to the LORD, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. ²²So they ate and drank that day before the LORD with great gladness. [21 aLit sacrificed]

Solomon Again Made King

And they made Solomon the son of David king a second time, and they anointed him as ruler for the LORD and Zadok as priest. ²³Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. ²⁴All the officials, the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David apledged allegiance to King Solomon. ²⁵The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him royal majesty which had not been on any king before him in Israel. [24 aLit put a hand under Solomon]

26 Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. ²⁷The period which he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and ain Jerusalem thirty-three years. [27 aLit he reigned in]

Death of David

²⁸Then he died in a aripe old age, full of days, riches and honor; and his son Solomon reigned in his place. ²⁹Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer, ³⁰with all his reign, his power, and the circumstances which came on him, on Israel, and on all the kingdoms of the lands. [28 aLit good]

2 CHRONICLES 1 [Books]

Solomon Worships at Gibeon

1 Now Solomon the son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and exalted him greatly.

2 Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ households. ³Then Solomon and all the assembly with him went to the high place which was at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. ⁴However, David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim ato the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. ⁵Now the bronze altar, which Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, bwas there before the tabernacle of the LORD, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out. ⁶Solomon went up there before the LORD to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it. [4 aLit where David had prepared for it 5 bLit he put]

7 In that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.”

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

⁸Solomon said to God, “You have dealt with my father David with great lovingkindness, and have made me king in his place. ⁹Now, O LORD God, Your apromise to my father David is fulfilled, for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?” ¹¹God said to Solomon, “Because byou had this in mind, and did not ask for riches, wealth or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king, ¹²wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honor, csuch as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor those who will dcome after you.” ¹³So Solomon went efrom the high place which was at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel. [9 aLit word 11 bLit this was in your heart 12 cLit which was not so to the kings who were before you dLit be 13 eLit to]

Solomon’s Wealth

14 Solomon amassed chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. ¹⁵The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the alowland. ¹⁶Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s traders procured them from Kue for a price. ¹⁷They bimported chariots from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver apiece and horses for 150 apiece, and cby the same means they dexported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. [15 aHeb shephelah 17 bLit brought up and brought out cLit and in like manner by their hand dLit brought out]

2 CHRONICLES 2 [Books]

Solomon Will Build a Temple and Palace

1 aNow Solomon bdecided to build a house for the name of the LORD and a croyal palace for himself. ²dSo Solomon eassigned 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains and 3,600 to supervise them. [1 aCh 1:18 in Heb bLit said cLit house for his royalty 2 dCh 2:1 in Heb eLit numbered]

3 Then Solomon sent word to aHuram the king of Tyre, saying, “As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build him a house to dwell in, so do for me. ⁴Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, this being required forever in Israel. ⁵The house which I am about to build will be great, for greater is our God than all the gods. ⁶But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to bburn incense before Him? ⁷Now send me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass and iron, and in purple, crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men cwhom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. ⁸Send me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed my servants will work with your servants, ⁹to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful. ¹⁰Now behold, I will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, 20,000 dkors of crushed wheat and 20,000 dkors of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil.” [3 aIn 1 Kin 5:18, Hiram 6 bLit offer up in smoke 7 cLit who are with me 10 dI.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu]

Huram to Assist

11 Then Huram, king of Tyre, aanswered in a letter sent to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them.” ¹²Then Huram bcontinued, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, cendowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and a droyal palace for himself. [11 aLit said...and he sent 12 bLit said cLit knowing discretion dLit house for his royalty]

13 “Now I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, aendowed with understanding, ¹⁴the son of a bDanite woman and ca Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood, and in purple, violet, linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to dexecute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with ethose of my lord David your father. ¹⁵Now then, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which he has spoken. ¹⁶We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.” [13 aLit knowing understanding 14 bLit a woman of the daughters of Dan cLit whose father is a Tyrian man dLit devise any device eLit skilled men]

17 Solomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, following the acensus which his father David had btaken; and 153,600 were found. ¹⁸He appointed 70,000 of them to carry loads and 80,000 to quarry stones in the mountains and 3,600 supervisors to make the people work. [17 aLit numbering bLit numbered of them]

2 CHRONICLES 3 [Books]

The Temple Construction in Jerusalem

1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of aOrnan the Jebusite. ²He began to build on the second day in the second month bof the fourth year of his reign. [1 aIn 2 Sam 24:18, Araunah 2 bLit in]

Dimensions and Materials of the Temple

³Now these are the afoundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in bcubits, according to the old standard was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. ⁴The porch which was in front of the house was as long as the width of the house, twenty cubits, and the height 120; and inside he overlaid it with pure gold. ⁵He overlaid the cmain room with cypress wood and overlaid it with fine gold, and dornamented it with palm trees and chains. ⁶Further, he eadorned the house with precious stones; and the gold was gold from fParvaim. ⁷He also overlaid the house with gold—the beams, the thresholds and its walls and its doors; and he carved cherubim on the walls. [3 aLit founding of Solomon to build bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 5 cLit great house dLit put on it palm trees 6 eLit overlaid...for beauty fOr country of gold]

8 Now he made the aroom of the holy of holies: its length across the width of the house was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to 600 talents. ⁹The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid the upper rooms with gold. [8 aLit house]

10 Then he made two asculptured cherubim in the room of the holy of holies and overlaid them with gold. ¹¹The wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits; the wing of one, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house, and its other wing, of five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub. ¹²The wing of the other cherub, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and its other wing of five cubits was attached to the wing of the bfirst cherub. ¹³The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits, and they stood on their feet cfacing the main room. ¹⁴He made the veil of violet, purple, crimson and fine linen, and he worked cherubim on it. [10 aLit cherubim of sculptured work 12 bLit other 13 cLit and their faces to]

15 He also made two pillars for the front of the house, thirty-five cubits ahigh, and the capital on the top of each was five cubits. ¹⁶He made chains in the inner sanctuary and placed them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates and placed them on the chains. ¹⁷He erected the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right and the other on the left, and named the one on the right Jachin and the one on the left Boaz. [15 aLit long]

2 CHRONICLES 4 [Books]

Furnishings of the Temple

1 Then he made a bronze altar, twenty cubits in length and twenty cubits in width and ten cubits in height. ²Also he made the cast metal sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits and aits circumference thirty cubits. ³Now figures like oxen were under it and all around it, ten cubits, entirely encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast bin one piece. ⁴It stood on twelve oxen, three facing the north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them and all their hindquarters turned inwards. ⁵It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it could hold 3,000 baths. ⁶He also made ten basins in which to wash, and he set five on the right side and five on the left cto rinse things for the burnt offering; but the sea was for the priests to wash in. [2 aLit a line of 30 cubits encircling it round about 3 bLit in its casting 6 cLit in which to]

7 Then he made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed for them and he set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. ⁸He also made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made one hundred golden bowls. ⁹Then he made the court of the priests and the great court and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze. ¹⁰He set the sea on the right aside of the house toward the southeast. [10 aLit shoulder]

11 Huram also made the pails, the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of God: ¹²the two pillars, the bowls and the two capitals on top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on top of the pillars, ¹³and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the pillars. ¹⁴He also made the stands and he made the basins on the stands, ¹⁵and the one sea with the twelve oxen under it. ¹⁶The pails, the shovels, the forks and all its utensils, Huram-abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the LORD. ¹⁷On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. ¹⁸Thus Solomon made all these utensils in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze could not be found out.

19 Solomon also made all the things that were in the house of God: even the golden altar, the tables with the bread of the Presence on them, ²⁰the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary in the way prescribed; ²¹the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold, of purest gold; ²²and the snuffers, the bowls, the spoons and the firepans of pure gold; and the entrance of the house, its inner doors for the holy of holies and the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold.

2 CHRONICLES 5 [Books]

The Ark Is Brought into the Temple

1 Thus all the work that Solomon performed for the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the athings that David his father had dedicated, even the silver and the gold and all the utensils, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God. [1 aLit dedicated things of David,]

2 Then Solomon assembled to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. ³All the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, that is in the seventh month. ⁴Then all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark. ⁵They brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils which were in the tent; the Levitical priests brought them up. ⁶And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing aso many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. ⁷Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the holy of holies, under the wings of the cherubim. ⁸For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its bpoles. ⁹The poles were so long that the ends of the poles of the ark could be seen in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; and cthey are there to this day. ¹⁰There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. [6 aLit sheep...numbered for multitude 8 bLit poles above 9 cLit it is]

The Glory of God Fills the Temple

11 When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to divisions), ¹²and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets ¹³in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, ¹⁴so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

2 CHRONICLES 6 [Books]

Solomon’s Dedication

1 Then Solomon said,

“The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

²“I have built You a lofty house,

And a place for Your dwelling forever.”

3 Then the king afaced about and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. ⁴He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hands, saying, ⁵‘Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a leader over My people Israel; ⁶but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ ⁷Now it was bin the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁸But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was bin your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was bin your heart. ⁹Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who cwill be born to you, he shall build the house for My name.’ ¹⁰Now the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD dpromised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹¹There I have set the ark in which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with the sons of Israel.” [3 aLit turned his face about 7 bLit with 9 cLit will come forth from your loins 10 dLit spoke]

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

12 Then he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. ¹³Now Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. ¹⁴He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart; ¹⁵who has kept with Your servant David, my father, that which You have apromised him; indeed You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. ¹⁶Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David, my father, that which You have apromised him, saying, ‘bYou shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way, to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ ¹⁷Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant David. [15 aLit spoken to 16 bLit There shall not be cut off to you a man from before Me]

18 “But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the ahighest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built. ¹⁹Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You; ²⁰that Your eye may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place of which You have said that You would put Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. ²¹Listen to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place; hear from Your dwelling place, from heaven; hear and forgive. [18 aLit heaven of heavens]

22 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, ²³then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, apunishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. [23 aLit returning]

24 “If Your people Israel aare defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house, ²⁵then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You have given to them and to their fathers. [24 aLit smitten]

26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them; ²⁷then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel, indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their acities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, ²⁹whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, beach knowing his own affliction and his own pain, and spreading his hands toward this house, ³⁰then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men, ³¹that they may cfear You, to walk in Your ways das long as they live in the land which You have given to our fathers. [28 aLit gates 29 bLit whoever shall know 31 cOr reverence dLit all the days that they live on the face of the land]

32 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not from Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, ³³then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, and afear You as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that bthis house which I have built is called by Your name. [33 aOr reverence bLit Your name is called upon this house]

34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way You shall send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, ³⁵then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

36 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that athey take them away captive to a land far off or near, ³⁷if they btake thought in the land where they are taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have committed iniquity and have acted wickedly’; ³⁸if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been taken captive, and pray toward their land which You have given to their fathers and the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name, ³⁹then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and supplications, and maintain their cause and forgive Your people who have sinned against You. [36 aLit their captors take them captive 37 bLit return to their heart]

40 “Now, O my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 “Now therefore arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good.

42 “O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David.”

2 CHRONICLES 7 [Books]

The Shekinah Glory

1 Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house. ²The priests could not enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’S house. ³All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the LORD, saying, “Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Sacrifices Offered

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. ⁵King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. ⁶The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites also, with the instruments of music to the LORD, which King David had made for giving praise to the LORD—“for His lovingkindness is everlasting”—whenever ahe gave praise by their bmeans, while the priests on the other side blew trumpets; and all Israel was standing. [6 aLit David bLit hand]

7 Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat.

The Feast of Dedication

8 So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly who came from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. ⁹On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar they observed seven days and the feast seven days. ¹⁰Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the LORD had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel.

God’s Promise and Warning

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s palace, and successfully completed all that ahe had planned on doing in the house of the LORD and in his palace. [11 aLit came upon the heart of Solomon to do]

12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³If 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 pestilence among My people, ¹⁴and My people awho are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the bprayer offered in this place. ¹⁶For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. ¹⁷As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, even to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, ¹⁸then I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David, saying, ‘cYou shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.’ [14 aLit over whom My name is called 15 bLit prayer of this place 18 cLit There shall not be cut off to you a man]

19 “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, ²⁰then I will uproot you from My land which I have given ayou, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. ²¹As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ ²²And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this adversity on them.’ ” [20 aAncient versions and Heb read them]

2 CHRONICLES 8 [Books]

Solomon’s Activities and Accomplishments

1 Now it came about at the end of the twenty years in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house ²that he built the cities which Huram had given to ahim, and settled the sons of Israel there. [2 aLit Solomon]

3 Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it. ⁴He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities which he had built in Hamath. ⁵He also built upper Beth-horon and lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates and bars; ⁶and Baalath and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for ahis chariots and cities for ahis horsemen, and all that it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land bunder his rule. [6 aLit the bLit of]

7 All of the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, ⁸namely, from their descendants who were left after them in the land whom the sons of Israel had not destroyed, them Solomon raised as forced laborers to this day. ⁹But Solomon did not make slaves for his work from the sons of Israel; they were men of war, his chief captains and commanders of his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁰These were the chief aofficers of King Solomon, two hundred and fifty who ruled over the people. [10 aOr deputies]

11 Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because athe places are holy where the ark of the LORD has entered.” [11 aLit they are]

12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD which he had built before the porch; ¹³and did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.

14 Now according to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their duties of praise and ministering before the priests according to the daily rule, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate; for David the man of God had so commanded. ¹⁵And they did not depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites in any manner or concerning the storehouses.

16 Thus all the work of Solomon was carried out afrom the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed. [16 aSo ancient versions; M.T. as far as]

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth on the seashore in the land of Edom. ¹⁸And Huram by his servants sent him ships and servants who knew the sea; and they went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir, and took from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold and brought them to King Solomon.

2 CHRONICLES 9 [Books]

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions. She had a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was on her heart. ²Solomon aanswered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not bexplain to her. ³When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built, ⁴the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and chis stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, she was breathless. ⁵Then she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. ⁶Nevertheless I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You surpass the report that I heard. ⁷How dblessed are your men, how dblessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. ⁸Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for the LORD your God; because your God loved Israel establishing them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.” ⁹Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones; there had never been spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. [2 aLit told her all her words bLit tell 4 cOr his burnt offering which he offered 7 dOr happy]

10 The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones. ¹¹From the algum trees the king made steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and none like that was seen before in the land of Judah.

12 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested besides a return for what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants.

Solomon’s Wealth and Power

13 Now the weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, ¹⁴besides that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. ¹⁵King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, ausing 600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. ¹⁶He made 300 shields of beaten gold, ausing three hundred shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. [15 aLit he brought up]

17 Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. ¹⁸There were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and aarms bon each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the aarms. ¹⁹Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. ²⁰All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered cvaluable in the days of Solomon. ²¹For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks. [18 aLit hands bLit on this side and on this at the place of the seat 20 cLit anything]

22 So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. ²³And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. ²⁴They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses and mules, so much year by year.

25 Now Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ²⁶He was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River even to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt. ²⁷The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the alowland. ²⁸And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries. [27 aHeb shephelah]

29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the arecords of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of bIddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? ³⁰Solomon reigned forty years in Jerusalem over all Israel. [29 aLit words bHeb Jedo]

Death of Solomon

³¹And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

2 CHRONICLES 10 [Books]

Rehoboam’s Reign of Folly

1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ²When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), Jeroboam returned from Egypt. ³So they sent and summoned him. When Jeroboam and all Israel came, they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, ⁴“Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” ⁵He said to them, “Return to me again in three days.” So the people departed.

6 Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had aserved his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?” ⁷They spoke to him, saying, “If you will be kind to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” ⁸But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him band served him. ⁹So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” ¹⁰The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.’ Thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! ¹¹Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ” [6 aLit stood before 8 bLit who stood before]

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had adirected, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” ¹³The king answered them harshly, and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the elders. ¹⁴He spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “bMy father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” ¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. [12 aLit spoken 14 bMany mss read I have made]

16 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them the people answered the king, saying,

“What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

Every man to your tents, O Israel;

Now look after your own house, David.”

So all Israel departed to their tents. ¹⁷But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. ¹⁸Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the forced labor, and the sons of Israel stoned him ato death. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. [18 aLit with stones that he died]

2 CHRONICLES 11 [Books]

Rehoboam Reigns over Judah and Builds Cities

1 Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. ²But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, ³“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, ⁴‘Thus says the LORD, “You shall not go up or fight against your arelatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam. [4 aLit brothers]

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah. ⁶Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, ⁷Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, ⁸Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, ⁹Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, ¹⁰Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. ¹¹He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine. ¹²He put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

13 Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.

Jeroboam Appoints False Priests

¹⁴For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD. ¹⁵He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made. ¹⁶Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel afollowed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. ¹⁷They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. [16 aLit came after]

Rehoboam’s Family

18 Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, ¹⁹and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. ²⁰After her he took Maacah the daughter of aAbsalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. ²¹Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. ²²Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. ²³He acted wisely and distributed bsome of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he sought many wives for them. [20 aIn 1 Kin 15:2, Abishalom 23 bLit from all]

2 CHRONICLES 12 [Books]

Shishak of Egypt Invades Judah

1 When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong, he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the LORD. ²And it came about in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem ³with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. And the people who came with him from Egypt were without number: the Lubim, the Sukkiim and the Ethiopians. ⁴He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. ⁵Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, ‘You have forsaken Me, so I also have forsaken you ato Shishak.’ ” ⁶So the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is righteous.” [5 aLit in the hand of]

7 When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak. ⁸But they will become his slaves so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”

Plunder Impoverishes Judah

9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s palace. He took everything; he even took the golden shields which Solomon had made. ¹⁰Then King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and committed them to the acare of the commanders of the bguard who guarded the door of the king’s house. ¹¹As often as the king entered the house of the LORD, the bguards came and carried them and then brought them back into the bguards’ room. ¹²And when he humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and also conditions were good in Judah. [10 aLit hands bLit runners]

13 So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. ¹⁴He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the arecords of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, according to genealogical enrollment? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. ¹⁶And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David; and his son Abijah became king in his place. [15 aLit words]

2 CHRONICLES 13 [Books]

Abijah Succeeds Rehoboam

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. ²He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. ³Abijah began the battle with an army of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors.

Civil War

4 Then Abijah 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 the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David aand his sons by a covenant of salt? ⁶Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his bmaster, ⁷and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when che was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. [5 aLit to him and to his sons 6 bOr lord 7 cLit Rehoboam]

8 “So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD athrough the sons of David, bbeing a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. ⁹Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods. ¹⁰But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the Levites cattend to their work. ¹¹Every morning and evening they dburn to the LORD burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. ¹²Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.” [8 aLit in the hands of bLit and you are a 10 cLit in the work 11 dLit offer up in smoke]

13 But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. ¹⁴When Judah turned around, behold, athey were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. ¹⁵Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God brouted Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. ¹⁶When the sons of Israel fled before Judah, God gave them into their hand. ¹⁷Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. ¹⁸Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah cconquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers. ¹⁹Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages and dEphron with its villages. [14 aLit the battle was before and behind them 15 bLit smote 18 cLit were strong 19 dAnother reading is Ephrain]

Death of Jeroboam

²⁰Jeroboam did not again recover strength in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him and he died.

21 But Abijah became powerful; and took fourteen wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. ²²Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the atreatise of the prophet Iddo. [22 aHeb midrash]

2 CHRONICLES 14 [Books]

Asa Succeeds Abijah in Judah

1 aSo Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days. [1 aCh 13:23 in Heb]

2 aAsa did good and right in the sight of the LORD his God, ³for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the bAsherim, ⁴and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment. ⁵He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was undisturbed under him. ⁶He built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and cthere was no one at war with him during those years, because the LORD had given him rest. ⁷For he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still dours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. ⁸Now Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, bearing shields and wielding bows; all of them were valiant warriors. [2 aCh 14:1 in Heb 3 bI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity 6 cLit there was not with him war 7 dLit before us]

9 Now Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came to Mareshah. ¹⁰So Asa went out ato meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. ¹¹Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.” ¹²So the LORD brouted the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. ¹³Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that cthey could not recover, for they were shattered before the LORD and before His army. And they carried away very much plunder. ¹⁴They ddestroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the dread of the LORD had fallen on them; and they despoiled all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. ¹⁵They also struck down ethose who owned livestock, and they carried away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem. [10 aLit before him 12 bLit struck 13 cOr there was none left alive 14 dLit smote 15 eLit tents of livestock]

2 CHRONICLES 15 [Books]

The Prophet Azariah Warns Asa

1 Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded, ²and he went out ato meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. ³For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law. ⁴But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him. ⁵In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for many disturbances bafflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. ⁶Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. ⁷But you, be strong and do not close courage, for there is reward for your work.” [2 aLit before Asa 5 bLit were on 7 cLit let your hands drop]

Asa’s Reforms

8 Now when Asa heard these words and the aprophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD which was in front of the porch of the LORD. ⁹He gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. ¹⁰So they assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. ¹¹They sacrificed to the LORD that day 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep from the spoil they had brought. ¹²They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul; ¹³and whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. ¹⁴Moreover, they made an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets and with horns. ¹⁵All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him bearnestly, and He let them find Him. So the LORD gave them rest on every side. [8 aWith several ancient versions; Heb the prophecy, Oded the prophet 15 bLit with their whole desire]

16 He also removed Maacah, the mother of King Asa, from the position of queen mother, because she had made a horrid image aas an Asherah, and Asa cut down her horrid image, crushed it and burned it at the brook Kidron. ¹⁷But the high places were not removed from Israel; nevertheless Asa’s heart was blameless all his days. ¹⁸He brought into the house of God the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils. ¹⁹And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. [16 aOr for Asherah]

2 CHRONICLES 16 [Books]

Asa Wars against Baasha

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and afortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah. ²Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the king’s house, and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying, ³“Let there be a treaty between byou and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” ⁴So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they cconquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and all the dstore cities of Naphtali. ⁵When Baasha heard of it, he ceased efortifying Ramah and stopped his work. ⁶Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he afortified Geba and Mizpah. [1 aLit built 3 bLit me and you 4 cLit smote dLit storage places of the cities 5 eLit building]

Asa Imprisons the Prophet

7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand. ⁸Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. ⁹For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” ¹⁰Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in aprison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. [10 aLit the house of the stocks]

11 Now, the acts 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 became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians. ¹³So Asa slept with his fathers, ahaving died in the forty-first year of his reign. ¹⁴They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him. [13 aLit and]

2 CHRONICLES 17 [Books]

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

1 Jehoshaphat his son then became king in his place, and made his position over Israel firm. ²He placed troops 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.

His Good Reign

³The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he afollowed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, ⁴but sought the God of his father, bfollowed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did. ⁵So the LORD established the kingdom in his ccontrol, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. ⁶dHe took great pride in the ways of the LORD and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah. [3 aLit walked in the earlier ways of his father 4 bLit walked in 5 cLit hand 6 dLit his heart was high]

7 Then in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; ⁸and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. ⁹They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

10 Now the dread of the LORD was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Some of the Philistines brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat; the Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. ¹²So Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. ¹³He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and warriors, valiant men, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴This was their muster according to their fathers’ households: of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 valiant warriors; ¹⁵and next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000; ¹⁶and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for the LORD, and with him 200,000 valiant warriors; ¹⁷and of Benjamin, Eliada a valiant warrior, and with him 200,000 armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war. ¹⁹These are they who served the king, apart from those whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.

2 CHRONICLES 18 [Books]

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

1 Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. ²Some years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. ³Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And he said to him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle.”

4 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire afirst for the word of the LORD.” ⁵Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” ⁶But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” ⁷The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” [4 aLit as the day]

Ahab’s False Prophets Assure Victory

⁸Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “aBring quickly Micaiah, Imla’s son.” ⁹Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹⁰Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’ ” ¹¹All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” [8 aLit Hasten]

Micaiah Brings Word from God

12 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably.” ¹³But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

14 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand.” ¹⁵Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” ¹⁶So he said,

“I saw all Israel

Scattered on the mountains,

Like sheep which have no shepherd;

And the LORD said,

‘These have no master.

Let each of them return to his house in peace.’ ”

¹⁷Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

18 Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. ¹⁹The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. ²⁰Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘How?’ ²¹He said, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.’ ²²Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you.”

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “aHow did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?” ²⁴Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.” ²⁵Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁶and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this man in prison and feed him bsparingly with bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ” ²⁷Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people.” [23 aLit Which way 26 bLit with bread of affliction and water of affliction]

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. ²⁹The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. ³⁰Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.” ³¹So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. ³²When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. ³³A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel ain a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn baround and take me out of the cfight, for I am severely wounded.” ³⁴The battle raged that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot in front of the Arameans until the evening; and at sunset he died. [33 aLit between the scale-armor and the breastplate bLit your hand cLit camp]

2 CHRONICLES 19 [Books]

Jehu Rebukes Jehoshaphat

1 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. ²Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and aso bring wrath on yourself from the LORD? ³But bthere is some good in you, for you have removed the cAsheroth from the land and you have set your heart to seek God.” [2 aLit by this 3 bLit good things are found cI.e. wooden pillars]

4 So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem and went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Reforms Instituted

⁵He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. ⁶He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD who is with you awhen you render judgment. ⁷Now then let the fear of the LORD be upon you; bbe very careful what you do, for cthe LORD our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.” [6 aLit in the word of judgment 7 bLit be careful and do cLit there is not with the LORD our God]

8 In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD and to judge adisputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁹Then he charged them saying, “Thus you shall do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and wholeheartedly. ¹⁰Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brethren who live in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before the LORD, and wrath may not come on you and your brethren. Thus you shall do and you will not be guilty. ¹¹Behold, Amariah the chief priest will be over you in ball that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in ball that pertains to the king. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. cAct resolutely, and the LORD be with the upright.” [8 aSo the versions; Heb reads disputes. And they returned to Jerusalem, or And they lived in Jerusalem 11 bLit every matter of cLit Be strong and do]

2 CHRONICLES 20 [Books]

Judah Invaded

1 Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the aMeunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. ²Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of bAram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” ³Jehoshaphat was afraid and cturned his attention to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD. [1 aSo with Gr; Heb Ammonites 2 bAnother reading is Edom 3 cLit set his face]

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, ⁶and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. ⁷Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? ⁸They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, ⁹‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.’ ¹⁰Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and aMount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), ¹¹see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. ¹²O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” [10 aI.e. Edom]

13 All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their infants, their wives and their children.

Jahaziel Answers the Prayer

¹⁴Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; ¹⁵and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. ¹⁶Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. ¹⁹The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

Enemies Destroy Themselves

20 They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” ²¹When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” ²²When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were arouted. ²³For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. [22 aLit struck down]

24 When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped. ²⁵When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, agarments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much. [25 aSo several ancient mss; others read corpses]

Triumphant Return to Jerusalem

²⁶Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore they have named that place “The Valley of aBeracah” until today. ²⁷Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres and trumpets to the house of the LORD. ²⁹And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God gave him rest on all sides. [26 aI.e. blessing]

31 Now Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ³²He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD. ³³The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first ato last, behold, they are written in the annals of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is brecorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel. [34 aLit and bLit taken up]

Alliance Displeases God

35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly ain so doing. ³⁶So he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. ³⁷Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish. [35 aLit to do]

2 CHRONICLES 21 [Books]

Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat in Judah

1 Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place. ²He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, aAzaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. ³Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. [2 aOr Azariah]

4 Now when Jehoram had ataken over the kingdom of his father and made himself bsecure, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also. ⁵Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. ⁷Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever. [4 aLit risen up bLit strong]

Revolt against Judah

8 In his days Edom revolted aagainst the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves. ⁹Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck down the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots. ¹⁰So Edom revolted aagainst Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time bagainst his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. ¹¹Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and led Judah astray. [8 aLit from under the hand of 10 bLit from under his hand]

12 Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, “Thus says the LORD God of your father David, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and the ways of Asa king of Judah, ¹³but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot as the house of Ahab played the harlot, and you have also killed your brothers, ayour own family, who were better than you, ¹⁴behold, the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great bcalamity; ¹⁵and you will suffer csevere sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.’ ” [13 aLit your father’s house 14 bLit blow 15 cLit in many sicknesses]

16 Then the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who abordered the Ethiopians; ¹⁷and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except bJehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. [16 aLit were at the hand of 17 bIn 2 Chr 22:1, Ahaziah]

18 So after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable sickness. ¹⁹Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers. ²⁰He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed awith no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. [20 aLit without desire]

2 CHRONICLES 22 [Books]

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

1 Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made aAhaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with the Arabs to the camp had slain all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. ²Ahaziah was btwenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the cgranddaughter of Omri. ³He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. ⁴He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. [1 aIn 2 Chr 21:17, Jehoahaz 2 bSo some versions and 2 Kin 8:26; Heb 42 years cLit daughter]

Ahaziah Allies with Jehoram of Israel

⁵He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the aArameans bwounded cJoram. ⁶So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds dwhich they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And eAhaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. [5 aHeb archers bLit smote cI.e. Jehoram 6 dLit with which...smitten eSo with 2 Kin 8:29; Heb Azariah]

7 Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that ahe went to Joram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. [7 aLit to go]

Jehu Murders Princes of Judah

⁸It came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them. ⁹He also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

10 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal aoffspring of the house of Judah. ¹¹But Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she would not put him to death. ¹²He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land. [10 aLit seed]

2 CHRONICLES 23 [Books]

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

1 Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him. ²They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. ³Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And aJehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David. ⁴This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, ⁵and one third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. ⁶But let no one enter the house of the LORD except the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of the LORD. ⁷The Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be killed. Thus be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.” [3 aLit he]

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions. ⁹Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. ¹⁰He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right aside of the house to the left aside of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. ¹¹Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!” [10 aLit shoulder]

Athaliah Murdered

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the LORD to the people. ¹³She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the atrumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments bleading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!” ¹⁴Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out cbetween the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” ¹⁵So they dseized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they put her to death there. [13 aLit trumpets bLit and leading for praising 14 cLit from within 15 dLit placed hands to her]

Reforms Carried Out

16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the LORD’S people. ¹⁷And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. ¹⁸Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the LORD under the aauthority of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned over the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses—with rejoicing and singing according to the border of David. ¹⁹He stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the LORD, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. ²⁰He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the royal throne. ²¹So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword. [18 aLit hand bLit hands of]

2 CHRONICLES 24 [Books]

Young Joash Influenced by Jehoiada

1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba. ²Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. ³Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

Faithless Priests

4 Now it came about after this that Joash adecided to restore the house of the LORD. ⁵He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to brepair the house of your God cannually, and you shall do the matter quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. ⁶So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the levy fixed by Moses the servant of the LORD on the congregation of Israel for the tent of the testimony?” ⁷For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even dused the holy things of the house of the LORD for the Baals. [4 aLit was with a heart 5 bLit to strengthen cLit from year to year 7 dLit made]

Temple Repaired

8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the LORD. ⁹They made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the LORD the levy fixed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. ¹⁰All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought in their levies and adropped them into the chest until they had finished. ¹¹It came about whenever the chest was brought in to the king’s officer by the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, then the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come, empty the chest, take it, and return it to its place. Thus they did daily and collected much money. ¹²The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the LORD; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, and also workers in iron and bronze to brepair the house of the LORD. ¹³So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they crestored the house of God daccording to its specifications and strengthened it. ¹⁴When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and it was made into utensils for the house of the LORD, utensils for the service and the burnt offering, and pans and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada. [10 aLit threw 12 bLit to strengthen 13 cLit set up dLit upon its proportion]

15 Now when Jehoiada areached a ripe old age he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. ¹⁶They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in Israel and bto God and His house. [15 aLit became old and satisfied with days 16 bLit with]

17 But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. ¹⁸They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the aAsherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. ¹⁹Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the LORD; though they testified against them, they would not listen. [18 aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity]

Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada

20 Then the Spirit of God acame on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.’ ” ²¹So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him bto death in the court of the house of the LORD. ²²Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as he died he said, “May the LORD see and cavenge!” [20 aLit clothed 21 bLit with stones 22 cLit seek, or require]

Aram Invades and Defeats Judah

23 Now it happened at the turn of the year that the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. ²⁴Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the LORD delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the ason of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. ²⁶Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. ²⁷As to his sons and the many boracles against him and the crebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the dtreatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place. [25 aSo some ancient versions; Heb sons 27 bOr burdens upon cLit founding dHeb midrash]

2 CHRONICLES 25 [Books]

Amaziah Succeeds Joash in Judah

1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. ²He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. ³Now it came about as soon as the kingdom was afirmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had slain his father the king. ⁴However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.” [3 aLit firm upon him]

Amaziah Defeats Edomites

5 Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he atook a census of those from twenty years old and upward and found them to be 300,000 choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield. ⁶He hired also 100,000 valiant warriors out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. ⁷But a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim. ⁸But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will bbring you down before the enemy, for God has power to help and to bbring down.” ⁹Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The LORD has much more to give you than this.” ¹⁰Then Amaziah cdismissed them, the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah and they returned dhome in fierce anger. [5 aLit mustered 8 bLit cause to stumble 10 cLit separated dLit to their own place]

11 Now Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people forth, and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 of the sons of Seir. ¹²The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all dashed to pieces. ¹³But the atroops whom Amaziah sent back from going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 of them and plundered much spoil. [13 aLit sons of the troops]

Amaziah Rebuked for Idolatry

14 Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. ¹⁵Then the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” ¹⁶As he was talking with him, athe king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.” [16 aLit he]

Amaziah Defeated by Joash of Israel

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.” ¹⁸Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trampled the thorn bush. ¹⁹You said, ‘Behold, you have adefeated Edom.’ And your heart has bbecome proud in boasting. Now stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall and Judah with you?” [19 aLit smitten bLit lifted you up to boast]

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash because they had sought the gods of Edom. ²¹So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. ²²Judah was defeated aby Israel, and they fled each to his tent. ²³Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 bcubits. ²⁴He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. [22 aLit before 23 bI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.]

25 And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. ²⁶Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? ²⁷From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. ²⁸Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

2 CHRONICLES 26 [Books]

Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah

1 And all the people of Judah took aUzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. ²He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. ³Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was bJechiliah of Jerusalem. ⁴He did right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done. ⁵He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding cthrough the vision of God; and das long as he sought the LORD, God prospered him. [1 aIn 2 Kin 14:21, Azariah 3 bIn 2 Kin 15:2, Jecoliah 5 cMany mss read in the fear of God dLit in the days of his seeking]

Uzziah Succeeds in War

6 Now he went out and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. ⁷God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. ⁸The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah, and his afame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. ⁹Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. ¹⁰He built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the blowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. ¹¹Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which centered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, dprepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers. ¹²The total number of the heads of the ehouseholds, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. ¹³Under their direction was an felite army of 307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. ¹⁴Moreover, Uzziah prepared gfor all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. ¹⁵In Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his hfame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong. [8 aLit name went to the entering of Egypt 10 bHeb shephelah 11 cLit goes out to dLit by the hand of 12 eLit fathers 13 fLit powerful 14 gLit for them, for all 15 hLit name]

Pride Is Uzziah’s Undoing

16 But when he became strong, his heart was so aproud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. ¹⁷Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the LORD, valiant men. ¹⁸They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the LORD God.” ¹⁹But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. ²⁰Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the LORD had smitten him. ²¹King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land. [16 aLit lifted up]

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. ²³So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son became king in his place.

2 CHRONICLES 27 [Books]

Jotham Succeeds Uzziah in Judah

1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. ²He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; however he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people continued acting corruptly. ³He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD, and he built extensively the wall of Ophel. ⁴Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and he built fortresses and towers on the wooded hills. ⁵He fought also with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them so that the Ammonites gave him during that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand akors of wheat and ten thousand of barley. The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second and in the third year. ⁶So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God. ⁷Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, even all his wars and his acts, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Ahaz his son became king in his place. [5 aI.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu]

2 CHRONICLES 28 [Books]

Ahaz Succeeds Jotham in Judah

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done. ²But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made molten images for the Baals. ³Moreover, he burned incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel. ⁴He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree.

Judah Is Invaded

5 Wherefore, the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they adefeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who binflicted him with heavy casualties. ⁶For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah 120,000 in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. ⁷And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king. [5 aLit smote bLit smote him with a great smiting]

8 The sons of Israel carried away captive of their brethren 200,000 women, sons and daughters; and they atook also a great deal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. ⁹But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven. ¹⁰Now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God? ¹¹Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” ¹²Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim—Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai—arose against those who were coming from the battle, ¹³and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the LORD adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burning anger is against Israel.” ¹⁴So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officers and all the assembly. ¹⁵Then the men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria. [8 aLit plundered]

Compromise with Assyria

16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the akings of Assyria for help. ¹⁷For again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. ¹⁸The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the blowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there. ¹⁹For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the LORD. ²⁰So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. ²¹Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him. [16 aAncient versions read king 18 bHeb shephelah]

22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD. ²³For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had adefeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the bdownfall of him and all Israel. ²⁴Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. ²⁵In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. ²⁶Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place. [23 aLit smitten bLit stumbling]

2 CHRONICLES 29 [Books]

Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah

1 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. ²He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. ⁴He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the square on the east.

Reforms Begun

⁵Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out from the holy place. ⁶For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the LORD our God, and have forsaken Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and have aturned their backs. ⁷They have also shut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. ⁸Therefore the wrath of the LORD was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. ⁹For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. ¹⁰Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. ¹¹My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.” [6 aLit given]

12 Then the Levites arose: Mahath, the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of the Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; ¹³and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and aJeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; ¹⁴and from the sons of Heman, bJehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. ¹⁵They assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in to cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the commandment of the king by the words of the LORD. ¹⁶So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites received it to carry out to the Kidron cvalley. ¹⁷Now they began dthe consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the LORD. Then they consecrated the house of the LORD in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. ¹⁸Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils, and the table of showbread with all of its utensils. ¹⁹Moreover, all the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.” [13 aOr Jeuel 14 bOr Jehuel, 1 Chr 15:18, 20 16 cOr wadi 17 dLit to consecrate]

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20 Then King Hezekiah arose early and assembled the princes of the city and went up to the house of the LORD. ²¹They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. ²²So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs also and sprinkled the blood on the altar. ²³Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. ²⁴The priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood to atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 He then stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with harps and with lyres, according to the command of David and of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for the command was from the LORD through His prophets. ²⁶The Levites stood with the musical instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. ²⁷Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD also began with the trumpets, aaccompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. ²⁸While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. [27 aLit and according to the authority of the instruments]

29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, the king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. ³⁰Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “Now that you have aconsecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those who were bwilling brought burnt offerings. ³²The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. ³³The consecrated things were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. ³⁴But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more cconscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. ³⁵There were also dmany burnt offerings with the fat of the peace offerings and with the libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the LORD was established again. ³⁶Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly. [31 aLit filled your hands bLit willing of heart 34 cLit upright of heart 35 dLit the burnt offerings to an abundance]

2 CHRONICLES 30 [Books]

All Israel Invited to the Passover

1 Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to acelebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. ²For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month, ³since they could not celebrate it at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. ⁴Thus the thing was right in the sight of the king and ball the assembly. ⁵So they established a decree to circulate a cproclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was dprescribed. ⁶The ecouriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “O sons of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from the fhand of the kings of Assyria. ⁷Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them a horror, as you see. ⁸Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but gyield to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you. ⁹For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.” [1 aLit do, so in vv 2, 3, 5, 13, 21, 23 4 bLit in the sight of all 5 cLit voice dLit written 6 eLit runners fLit palm 8 gLit give a hand]

10 So the acouriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. ¹¹Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. ¹²The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD. [10 aLit runners]

Passover Reinstituted

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very large assembly. ¹⁴They arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and cast them into the brook Kidron. ¹⁵Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD. ¹⁶They stood at their stations after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. ¹⁷For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the LORD. ¹⁸For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than aprescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon ¹⁹everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” ²⁰So the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. ²¹The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day after day with loud instruments to the LORD. ²²Then Hezekiah spoke bencouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the LORD. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers. [18 aLit written 22 bLit to the heart of]

23 Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. ²⁴For Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep; and a large number of priests consecrated themselves. ²⁵All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and all the assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. ²⁶So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. ²⁷Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

2 CHRONICLES 31 [Books]

Idols Are Destroyed

1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the aAsherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, buntil they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession. [1 aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity bLit even to completion]

2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD.

Reforms Continued

³He also appointed the king’s portion of his goods for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the fixed festivals, as it is written in the law of the LORD. ⁴Also he acommanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the law of the LORD. ⁵As soon as the border spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all. ⁶The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of csacred gifts which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and placed them in heaps. ⁷In the third month they began to dmake the heaps, and finished them by the seventh month. ⁸When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel. ⁹Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. ¹⁰Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok said to ehim, “Since the contributions began to be brought into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.” [4 aLit said to 5 bLit word 6 cLit consecrated things 7 dLit found 10 eLit him, and he said]

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them. ¹²They faithfully brought in the contributions and the tithes and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them and his brother Shimei was second. ¹³Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers aunder the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. ¹⁴Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to apportion the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. ¹⁵bUnder his authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, ¹⁶without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from cthirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the LORD for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; ¹⁷as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites from twenty years old and upwards, by their duties and their divisions. ¹⁸The genealogical enrollment included dall their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves efaithfully in holiness. ¹⁹Also for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites. [13 aLit from the hand of 15 bLit under his hand 16 cHeb three 18 dLit with all eLit in their faithfulness]

20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the LORD his God. ²¹Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

2 CHRONICLES 32 [Books]

Sennacherib Invades Judah

1 After these aacts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and bthought to break into them for himself. ²Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that che intended to make war on Jerusalem, ³he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. ⁴So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed dthrough the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” ⁵And he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and eerected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. ⁶He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and spoke fencouragingly to them, saying, ⁷“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. ⁸With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. [1 aLit things and this faithfulness bLit said 2 cLit his face for war against 4 dLit in the midst of the land 5 eLit raised on the towers 6 fLit upon their hearts]

Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah

9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was abesieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, ¹⁰“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege? ¹¹Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the bhand of the king of Assyria”? ¹²Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and cJerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall dburn incense”? ¹³Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand? ¹⁴Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? ¹⁵Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ” [9 aLit against 11 bLit palm 12 cLit Jerusalem, saying, dLit offer up in smoke]

16 His servants spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷He also wrote letters to insult the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands ahave not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” ¹⁸They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city. ¹⁹They spoke bof the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands. [17 aLit who have 19 bLit to]

Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered

20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. ²¹And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned ain shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword. ²²So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and bguided them on every side. ²³And many were bringing gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter. [21 aLit in shame of face 22 bAnother reading is gave them rest]

24 In those days Hezekiah became amortally ill; and he prayed to the LORD, and bthe LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign. ²⁵But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit che received, because his heart was dproud; therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. ²⁶However, Hezekiah ehumbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah. [24 aLit sick to the point of death bLit He 25 cLit to him dLit high 26 eLit humbled himself in]

27 Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles, ²⁸storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and asheepfolds for the flocks. ²⁹He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great bwealth. ³⁰It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. ³¹Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. [28 aSo ancient versions; Heb flocks for the sheepfolds 29 bLit possessions, property]

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ³³So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the aupper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place. [33 aOr ascent to]

2 CHRONICLES 33 [Books]

Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah in Judah

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. ²He did evil in the sight of the LORD according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. ³For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he also erected altars for the Baals and made aAsherim, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. ⁴He built altars in the house of the LORD of which the LORD had said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” ⁵For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. ⁶He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. ⁷Then he put the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; ⁸and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them according to all the law, the statutes and the ordinances given through Moses.” ⁹Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel. [3 aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity]

Manasseh’s Idolatry Rebuked

10 The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹Therefore the LORD brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with ahooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. ¹²When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. ¹³When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. [11 aI.e. thongs put through the nose]

14 Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate; and he encircled the Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. ¹⁵He also removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. ¹⁶He set up the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. ¹⁷Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of Israel. ¹⁹His prayer also and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the aHozai. ²⁰So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And Amon his son became king in his place. [19 aGr reads seers]

Amon Becomes King in Judah

21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. ²²He did evil in the sight of the LORD as Manasseh his father had done, and Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. ²³Moreover, he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had adone, but Amon multiplied guilt. ²⁴Finally his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. ²⁵But the people of the land bkilled all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. [23 aLit humbled himself 25 bLit smote]

2 CHRONICLES 34 [Books]

Josiah Succeeds Amon in Judah

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. ²He did right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. ³For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images. ⁴They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars that were high above them he chopped down; also the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images he broke in pieces and ground to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. ⁵Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and purged Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins, ⁷he also tore down the altars and beat the Asherim and the carved images into powder, and chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah Repairs the Temple

8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah an official of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. ⁹They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the adoorkeepers, had collected bfrom Manasseh and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁰Then they gave it into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and the workmen who were working in the house of the LORD cused it to restore and repair the house. ¹¹They in turn gave it to the carpenters and to the builders to buy quarried stone and timber for couplings and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had let go to ruin. ¹²The men did the work faithfully with foremen over them to supervise: Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites of the sons of Merari, Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites, and the Levites, all who were skillful with musical instruments. ¹³They were also over the burden bearers, and supervised all the workmen from job to job; and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers. [9 aLit guardians of the threshold bLit from the hand of 10 cLit gave]

Hilkiah Discovers Lost Book of the Law

14 When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. ¹⁵Hilkiah responded and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. ¹⁶Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and areported further word to the king, saying, “Everything that was bentrusted to your servants they are doing. ¹⁷They have also emptied out the money which was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hands of the supervisors and the workmen.” ¹⁸Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. [16 aLit returned bLit given into the hand of]

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. ²⁰Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, aAbdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, ²¹“Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD which is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.” [20 aIn 2 Kin 22:12, Achbor, son of Micaiah]

Huldah, the Prophetess, Speaks

22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king ahad told went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of bTokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her regarding this. ²³She said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, ²⁴thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah. ²⁵Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place and it shall not be quenched.” ’ ²⁶But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus you will say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard, ²⁷Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD. ²⁸Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.” ’ ” And they brought back word to the king. [22 aSo with Gr bIn 2 Kin 22:14 Tikvah, son of Harhas]

29 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. ³⁰The king went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites and all the people, from the greatest to the least; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.

Josiah’s Good Reign

³¹Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book. ³²Moreover, he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand with him. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. ³³Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his alifetime they did not turn from following the LORD God of their fathers. [33 aLit days]

2 CHRONICLES 35 [Books]

The Passover Observed Again

1 Then Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month. ²He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD. ³He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. ⁴Prepare yourselves by your fathers’ households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon. ⁵Moreover, stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers’ households of your brethren the alay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father’s household. ⁶Now slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses.” [5 aLit sons of the people, and so throughout the ch]

7 Josiah contributed to the lay people, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young goats, all for the Passover offerings, numbering 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls; these were from the king’s possessions. ⁸His officers also contributed a freewill offering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600 from the flocks and 300 bulls. ⁹Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000 from the flocks and 500 bulls.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king’s command. ¹¹aThey slaughtered the Passover animals, and while the priests sprinkled bthe blood received from their hand, the Levites skinned them. ¹²Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers’ households of the lay people to present to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls. ¹³So they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled the holy things in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carried them speedily to all the lay people. ¹⁴Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. ¹⁵The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethren prepared for them. [11 aI.e. the Levites bSo with Gr]

16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD according to the command of King Josiah. ¹⁷Thus the sons of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days. ¹⁸There had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁹In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign this Passover was celebrated.

Josiah Dies in Battle

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the atemple in order, Neco king of Egypt came up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to engage him. ²¹But bNeco sent messengers to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you.” ²²However, Josiah would not turn caway from him, but disguised himself in order to make war with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the plain of Megiddo. ²³The archers 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 carried him in the second chariot which he had, and brought him to Jerusalem dwhere he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. ²⁵Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations. ²⁶Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the law of the LORD, ²⁷and his acts, first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. [20 aLit house 21 bLit he 22 cLit his face 24 dLit and]

2 CHRONICLES 36 [Books]

Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, then Jehoiachin Rule

1 Then the people of the land took aJoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in place of his father in Jerusalem. ²Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. ³Then the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold. ⁴The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Joahaz his brother and brought him to Egypt. [1 aI.e. short form of Jehoahaz]

5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. ⁶Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon. ⁷Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the articles of the house of the LORD to Babylon and put them in his temple at Babylon. ⁸Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and athe abominations which he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son became king in his place. [8 aLit his]

9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Captivity in Babylon Begun

¹⁰At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the valuable articles of the house of the LORD, and he made his kinsman Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Rules in Judah

11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. ¹²He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God; he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet awho spoke for the LORD. ¹³He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God. But he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. ¹⁴Furthermore, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the LORD which He had sanctified in Jerusalem. [12 aLit from the mouth of the LORD]

15 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; ¹⁶but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy. ¹⁷Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand. ¹⁸All the articles of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his officers, he brought them all to Babylon. ¹⁹Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles. ²⁰Those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, ²¹to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath auntil seventy years were complete. [21 aLit to fulfill seventy years]

Cyrus Permits Return

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah—the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, ²³“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!’ ”

EZRA 1 [Books]

Cyrus’s Proclamation

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ³Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. ⁴Every survivor, at whatever place he may alive, let the men of bthat place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ” [4 aOr reside as an alien bLit his]

Holy Vessels Restored

5 Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. ⁶All those about them aencouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. ⁷Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods; ⁸and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. ⁹Now this was their number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 bduplicates; ¹⁰30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a second kind and 1,000 other articles. ¹¹All the articles of gold and silver numbered 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem. [6 aLit strengthened their hands 9 bHeb obscure; other possible meanings are knives, censers]

EZRA 2 [Books]

Number of Those Returning

1 Now these are the apeople of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city. ²bThese came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, cSeraiah, dReelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, eMispar, Bigvai, fRehum and Baanah. [1 aLit sons 2 bLit who cIn Neh 7:7, Azariah dIn Neh 7:7, Raamiah eIn Neh 7:7, Mispereth fIn Neh 7:7, Nehum]

The number of the men of the people of Israel: ³the sons of Parosh, 2,172; ⁴the sons of Shephatiah, 372; ⁵the sons of Arah, 775; ⁶the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812; ⁷the sons of Elam, 1,254; ⁸the sons of Zattu, 945; ⁹the sons of Zaccai, 760; ¹⁰the sons of aBani, 642; ¹¹the sons of Bebai, 623; ¹²the sons of Azgad, 1,222; ¹³the sons of Adonikam, 666; ¹⁴the sons of Bigvai, 2,056; ¹⁵the sons of Adin, 454; ¹⁶the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98; ¹⁷the sons of Bezai, 323; ¹⁸the sons of bJorah, 112; ¹⁹the sons of Hashum, 223; ²⁰the sons of cGibbar, 95; ²¹the dmen of Bethlehem, 123; ²²the men of Netophah, 56; ²³the men of Anathoth, 128; ²⁴the sons of eAzmaveth, 42; ²⁵the sons of fKiriath-arim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; ²⁶the sons of Ramah and Geba, 621; ²⁷the men of Michmas, 122; ²⁸the men of Bethel and Ai, 223; ²⁹the sons of Nebo, 52; ³⁰the sons of Magbish, 156; ³¹the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; ³²the sons of Harim, 320; ³³the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725; ³⁴the dmen of Jericho, 345; ³⁵the sons of Senaah, 3,630. [10 aIn Neh 7:15, Binnui 18 bIn Neh 7:24, Hariph 20 cIn Neh 7:25, Gibeon 21 dLit sons 24 eIn Neh 7:28, Beth-azmaveth 25 fIn Neh 7:29, Kiriath-jearim]

Priests Returning

36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; ³⁷the sons of Immer, 1,052; ³⁸the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; ³⁹the sons of Harim, 1,017.

Levites Returning

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of aHodaviah, 74. ⁴¹The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128. ⁴²The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all 139. [40 aIn Ezra 3:9, Judah; in Neh 7:43, Hodevah]

43 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁴the sons of Keros, the sons of aSiaha, the sons of Padon, ⁴⁵the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, ⁴⁶the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, ⁴⁷the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, ⁴⁸the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, ⁴⁹the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, ⁵⁰the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of bNephisim, ⁵¹the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, ⁵²the sons of cBazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, ⁵³the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, ⁵⁴the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. [44 aIn Neh 7:47, Sia 50 bIn Neh 7:52, Nephushesim 52 cIn Neh 7:54, Bazlith]

55 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of aHassophereth, the sons of bPeruda, ⁵⁶the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, ⁵⁷the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of cAmi. [55 aIn Neh 7:57, Sophereth bIn Neh 7:57, Perida 57 cIn Neh 7:59, Amon]

58 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

59 Now these are those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, aAddan and Immer, but they were not able to bgive evidence of their fathers’ households and their cdescendants, whether they were of Israel: ⁶⁰the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 652. [59 aIn Neh 7:61, Addon bLit tell cLit seed]

Priests Removed

⁶¹Of the sons of the priests: the sons of aHabaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their name. ⁶²These searched among their ancestral registration, but they could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. ⁶³The bgovernor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim. [61 aIn Neh 7:63, Hobaiah 63 bHeb Tirshatha, a Persian title]

64 The whole assembly anumbered 42,360, ⁶⁵besides their male and female servants bwho numbered 7,337; and they had 200 singing men and women. ⁶⁶Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; ⁶⁷their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720. [64 aLit together was 65 bLit they were]

68 Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they arrived at the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to arestore it on its foundation. ⁶⁹According to their ability they gave to the treasury for the work 61,000 gold drachmas and 5,000 silver minas and 100 priestly bgarments. [68 aLit establish 69 bOr tunics]

70 Now the priests and the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

EZRA 3 [Books]

Altar and Sacrifices Restored

1 Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. ²Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. ³So they set up the altar on its foundation, for athey were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. ⁴They celebrated the Feast of bBooths, as it is written, and offered cthe fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required; ⁵and afterward there was a continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the LORD that were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the LORD. ⁶From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, but the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. ⁷Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the permission they had dfrom Cyrus king of Persia. [3 aLit terror was upon them 4 bOr Tabernacles cLit by number 7 dLit of]

Temple Restoration Begun

8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites from twenty years and older to oversee the work of the house of the LORD. ⁹Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers stood united with Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of aJudah and the sons of Henadad with their sons and brothers the Levites, to oversee the workmen in the temple of God. [9 aIn Ezra 2:40, Hodaviah]

10 Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, athe priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD according to the bdirections of King David of Israel. ¹¹They sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. ¹²Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first ctemple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, ¹³so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away. [10 aSo with the Gr and some mss; M.T. they set the priests bLit hands 12 cLit house]

EZRA 4 [Books]

Adversaries Hinder the Work

1 Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the LORD God of Israel, ²they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.” ³But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land adiscouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building, ⁵and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. [4 aLit weakened the hands of]

6 Now in the reign of aAhasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. [6 aOr Xerxes; Heb Ahash-verosh]

7 And in the days of aArtaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the btext of the letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic. [7 aHeb Artah-shashta bLit writing]

The Letter to King Artaxerxes

⁸aRehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows— ⁹then wrote Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the lesser governors, the officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, ¹⁰and the rest of the nations which the great and honorable bOsnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the region beyond the cRiver. Now ¹¹this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: [8 aCh 4:8-6:18 is in Aram 10 bI.e. probably Ashurbanipal cI.e. Euphrates River, and so throughout the ch]

“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now ¹²let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. ¹³Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings. ¹⁴Now because we aare in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king, ¹⁵so that a search may be made in the record books of your fathers. And you will discover in the record books and learn that that city is a rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces, and that they have incited revolt within it in past days; therefore that city was laid waste. ¹⁶We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River.” [14 aLit eat the salt]

The King Replies and Work Stops

17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest of the provinces beyond the River: “Peace. And now ¹⁸the document which you sent to us has been atranslated and read before me. ¹⁹A decree has been bissued by me, and a search has been made and it has been discovered that that city has risen up against the kings in past days, that rebellion and revolt have been perpetrated in it, ²⁰that mighty kings have cruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces beyond the River, and that tribute, custom and toll were paid to them. ²¹So, now issue a decree to make these men stop work, that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. ²²Beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?” [18 aLit plainly read before 19 bLit put forth 20 cLit been]

23 Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.

24 Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

EZRA 5 [Books]

Temple Work Resumed

1 When the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, ²then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

3 At that time Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the aRiver, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them thus, “Who issued you a decree to rebuild this btemple and to finish this structure?” ⁴Then we told them accordingly what the names of the men were who were reconstructing this building. ⁵But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it. [3 aI.e. Euphrates River, and so throughout the ch bLit house, and so in vv 9, 11, 12]

Adversaries Write to Darius

6 This is the copy of the letter which Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. ⁷They sent a report to him in which it was written thus: “To Darius the king, all peace. ⁸Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and abeams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands. ⁹Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’ ¹⁰We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the names of the men who were at their head. ¹¹Thus they banswered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. ¹²But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. ¹³However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. ¹⁴Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple cin Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. ¹⁵He said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple din Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place.” ¹⁶Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God din Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is not yet completed.’ ¹⁷“Now if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter.” [8 aLit timber is 11 bLit returned us the word 14 cLit that was in 15 dLit that is in]

EZRA 6 [Books]

Darius Finds Cyrus’s Decree

1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and search was made in the aarchives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. ²In bEcbatana in the fortress, which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: “Memorandum— ³In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the ctemple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be dretained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; ⁴with three layers of huge stones and eone layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the froyal treasury. ⁵Also let the gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and gbrought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in the house of God.’ [1 aLit house of the books 2 bAram Achmetha 3 cLit house dOr fixed, laid 4 eSo Gr; Aram a layer of new timber fLit king’s house 5 gLit go]

6 “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the aRiver, Shethar-bozenai and byour colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the aRiver, ckeep away from there. ⁷Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. ⁸Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay. ⁹Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to be given to them daily without fail, ¹⁰that they may offer dacceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. ¹¹And I issued a decree that any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this. ¹²May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who eattempts to change it, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!” [6 aI.e. Euphrates River, and so throughout the ch bAram their cLit be distant 10 dLit pleasing; or sweet-smelling sacrifices 12 eLit sends his hand]

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

13 Then Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent. ¹⁴And the elders of the Jews awere successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And bthey finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. ¹⁵This ctemple was completed don the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. [14 aLit were building and succeeding bLit built and finished 15 cLit house dLit until]

16 And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the aexiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. ¹⁷They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God bin Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. [16 aLit sons of the captivity 18 bLit which is in]

The Passover Observed

19 The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month. ²⁰For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves. ²¹The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate the Passover. ²²And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to aencourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. [22 aLit strengthen their hands]

EZRA 7 [Books]

Ezra Journeys from Babylon to Jerusalem

1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ²son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. ⁶This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all ahe requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. ⁷Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. [6 aLit his request]

8 He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. ⁹For on the first of the first month ahe began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him. ¹⁰For Ezra had set his heart to bstudy the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. [9 aLit was the foundation 10 bLit seek]

King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

11 Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, alearned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes to Israel: ¹²“bArtaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now ¹³I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. ¹⁴Forasmuch as you are sent cby the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand, ¹⁵and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; ¹⁷with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. ¹⁸Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God. ¹⁹Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. ²⁰The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury. [11 aLit the scribe of 12 bCh 7:12-26 is in Aram 14 cLit from before]

21 “I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the aRiver, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, ²²even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 bkors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt cas needed. ²³Whatever is dcommanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. ²⁴We also inform you that it is not allowed to eimpose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God. [21 aI.e. Euphrates River, and so throughout the ch 22 bI.e. One kor equals approx ten bu cLit without prescription 23 dLit from the decree of 24 eLit throw on them]

25 “You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. ²⁶Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for abanishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.” [26 aLit rooting out]

The King’s Kindness

27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, ²⁸and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered aleading men from Israel to go up with me. [28 aLit heads]

EZRA 8 [Books]

People Who Went with Ezra

1 Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households and the genealogical enrollment of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes: ²of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush; ³of the sons of Shecaniah who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah and with him 150 males who were in the genealogical list; ⁴of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 males with him; ⁵of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel and 300 males with him; ⁶and of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 males with him; ⁷and of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 males with him; ⁸and of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him; ⁹of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 males with him; ¹⁰and of the sons of Bani, Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah and 160 males with him; ¹¹and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 males with him; ¹²and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 males with him; ¹³and of the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and 60 males with them; ¹⁴and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and aZabbud, and 70 males with bthem. [14 aOr Zakkur bOr him]

Ezra Sends for Levites

15 Now I assembled them at the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days; and when I observed the people and the priests, I did not find any Levites there. ¹⁶So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, aleading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers. ¹⁷I sent them to Iddo the bleading man at the place Casiphia; and I ctold them what to say to dIddo and his brothers, the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to us for the house of our God. ¹⁸According to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men; ¹⁹and Hashabiah and eJeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men; ²⁰and 220 of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, all of them designated by name. [16 aLit heads 17 bLit head cLit put words in their mouth to say dSo Gr; Heb Iddo his brother 19 eSo Gr; Heb with him Jeshaiah]

Protection of God Invoked

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a asafe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. ²²For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to bprotect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is cfavorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.” ²³So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He dlistened to our entreaty. [21 aLit straight way 22 bLit help cLit upon all...for good 23 dLit was entreated by us]

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; ²⁵and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered. ²⁶Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents, ²⁷and 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. ²⁸Then I said to them, “You are holy to the LORD, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers. ²⁹Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.” ³⁰So the priests and the Levites accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

31 Then we journeyed from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way. ³²Thus we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days.

Treasure Placed in the Temple

³³On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the utensils were weighed out in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. ³⁴Everything was numbered and weighed, and all the weight was recorded at that time.

35 The exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to the LORD. ³⁶Then they delivered the king’s edicts to the king’s satraps and to the governors in the provinces beyond the aRiver, and they supported the people and the house of God. [36 aI.e. Euphrates River]

EZRA 9 [Books]

Mixed Marriages

1 Now when these things had been completed, the princes approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites. ²For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy arace has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.” ³When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled. ⁴Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering. [2 aLit seed]

Prayer of Confession

5 But at the evening offering I arose from my ahumiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my bhands to the LORD my God; ⁶and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have crisen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. ⁷Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity and to plunder and to dopen shame, as it is this day. ⁸But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. ⁹For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. [5 aOr fasting bLit palms 6 cLit multiplied over the head 7 dLit shame of faces]

10 “Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, ¹¹which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from end to end and with their impurity. ¹²So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons, and never seek their peace or their prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’ ¹³After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this, ¹⁴shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples awho commit these abominations? Would You not be angry with us bto the point of destruction, until there is no remnant nor any who escape? ¹⁵O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this.” [14 aLit of these abominations bLit to destroy]

EZRA 10 [Books]

Reconciliation with God

1 Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. ²Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God and have amarried foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. ³So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and btheir children, according to the counsel of cmy lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. ⁴Arise! For this matter is dyour responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act.” [2 aLit given dwelling to 3 bLit that which is born of them cOr the Lord 4 dLit upon you]

5 Then Ezra rose and made the leading priests, the Levites and all Israel, take oath that they would do according to this aproposal; so they took the oath. ⁶Then Ezra rose from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not eat bread nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. ⁷They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, ⁸and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited and he himself excluded from the assembly of the exiles. [5 aLit word, thing]

9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain. ¹⁰Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel. ¹¹Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” ¹²Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, “That’s right! As you have said, so it is aour duty to do. ¹³But there are many people; it is the rainy season and we are not able to stand in the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. ¹⁴Let our leaders brepresent the whole assembly and let all those in our cities who have married foreign wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city, until the fierce anger of our God on account of this matter is turned away from us.” ¹⁵Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah copposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them. [12 aLit upon us 14 bLit stand for 15 cLit stood against]

16 But the exiles did so. And aEzra the priest selected men who were heads of fathers’ households for each of their father’s households, all of them by name. So they bconvened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter. ¹⁷They finished investigating all the men who had married foreign wives by the first day of the first month. [16 aHeb reads there were set apart Ezra the priest, men... bLit sat]

List of Offenders

18 Among the sons of the priests who had married foreign wives were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. ¹⁹They apledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their offense. ²⁰Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah; ²¹and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah; ²²and of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah. [19 aLit gave their hand]

23 Of Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

24 Of the singers there was Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.

25 Of Israel, of the sons of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah; ²⁶and of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah; ²⁷and of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza; ²⁸and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai; ²⁹and of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch and Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth; ³⁰and of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh; ³¹and of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, ³²Benjamin, Malluch and Shemariah; ³³of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei; ³⁴of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, ³⁵Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, ³⁶Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, ³⁷Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, ³⁸Bani, Binnui, Shimei, ³⁹Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, ⁴⁰Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, ⁴¹Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, ⁴²Shallum, Amariah and Joseph. ⁴³Of the sons of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah. ⁴⁴All these had married foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

NEHEMIAH 1 [Books]

Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the acapitol, ²that Hanani, one of my brothers, and bsome men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. ³They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” [1 aOr palace or citadel 2 bLit he and some]

4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, ⁶let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. ⁷We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. ⁸Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; ⁹but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ ¹⁰They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. ¹¹O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to arevere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.” [11 aOr fear]

Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

NEHEMIAH 2 [Books]

Nehemiah’s Prayer Answered

1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. ²So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. ³I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” ⁴Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” ⁶Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. ⁷And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, ⁸and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the atemple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me. [8 aLit house]

9 Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. ¹⁰When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite aofficial heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel. [10 aLit servant]

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. ¹²And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my amind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. ¹³So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the bRefuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire. ¹⁴Then I passed on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no place for cmy mount to pass. ¹⁵So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. ¹⁶The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work. [12 aLit heart 13 bLit Gate of Ash-heaps 14 cLit the animal under me]

17 Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” ¹⁸I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work. ¹⁹But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite aofficial, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” ²⁰So I answered them and said to them, “The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.” [19 aLit servant]

NEHEMIAH 3 [Books]

Builders of the Walls

1 Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated athe wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. ²Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to bthem Zaccur the son of Imri built. [1 aLit it 2 bLit him]

3 Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. ⁴Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs. And next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel made repairs. And next to ahim Zadok the son of Baana also made repairs. ⁵Moreover, next to ahim the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not bsupport the work of their masters. [4 aLit them 5 bLit bring their neck to]

6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. ⁷Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, aalso made repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the River. ⁸Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths made repairs. And next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. ⁹Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. ¹⁰Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. ¹¹Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of Furnaces. ¹²Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters. [7 aOr which was under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province beyond the River, also made repairs]

13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the aRefuse Gate. [13 aLit Gate of Ash-heaps]

14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, the official of the district of Beth-haccherem repaired the aRefuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. [14 aLit Gate of Ash-heaps]

15 Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David. ¹⁶After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men. ¹⁷After him the Levites carried out repairs under Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. ¹⁸After him their brothers carried out repairs under Bavvai the son of Henadad, official of the other half of the district of Keilah. ¹⁹Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the official of Mizpah, repaired aanother section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle. ²⁰After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. ²¹After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the doorway of Eliashib’s house even as far as the end of bhis house. ²²After him the priests, the men of the cvalley, carried out repairs. ²³After dthem Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house. After dthem Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, carried out repairs beside his house. ²⁴After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah as far as the Angle and as far as the corner. ²⁵Palal the son of Uzai made repairs in front of the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs. ²⁶The temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. ²⁷After dthem the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel. [19 aLit a second measure, and so in vv 20, 21, 24, 30 21 bLit Eliashib’s 22 cLit circle; i.e. lower Jordan valley 23 dLit him]

28 Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house. ²⁹After athem Zadok the son of Immer carried out repairs in front of his house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs. ³⁰After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own bquarters. ³¹After him Malchijah, cone of the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the dInspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner. ³²Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs. [29 aLit him 30 bOr cell 31 cLit son of dOr Mustering]

NEHEMIAH 4 [Books]

Work Is Ridiculed

1 aNow it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. ²He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the bwealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the cdusty rubble even the burned ones?” ³Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building—if a fox should djump on it, he would break their stone wall down!” [1 aCh 3:33 in Heb 2 bOr army cLit heaps of dust 3 dLit go up]

4 Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. ⁵Do not aforgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have bdemoralized the builders. [5 aLit cover bLit offended against]

6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a amind to work. [6 aLit heart]

7 aNow when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the brepair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. ⁸All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. [7 aCh 4:1 in Heb bLit healing]

Discouragement Overcome

⁹But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

10 Thus ain Judah it was said,

“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,

Yet there is much brubbish;

And we ourselves are unable

To rebuild the wall.”

¹¹Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” ¹²When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “cThey will come up against us from every place where you may turn,” ¹³then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the dexposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. ¹⁴When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” [10 aLit Judah said bLit dust 12 cSo Gr; Heb omits they...up 13 dLit bare]

15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. ¹⁶From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. ¹⁷Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. ¹⁸As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while athe trumpeter stood near me. ¹⁹I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. ²⁰At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, brally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” [18 aLit he who sounded the trumpet 20 bLit assemble yourselves]

21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from adawn until the stars bappeared. ²²At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.” ²³So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water. [21 aLit rising of the dawn bLit came out]

NEHEMIAH 5 [Books]

Usury Abolished

1 Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. ²For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.” ³There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.” ⁴Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. ⁵Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and awe are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” [5 aLit there is not the power in our hands]

6 Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. ⁷I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. ⁸I said to them, “We according to our ability have aredeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? ¹⁰And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. ¹¹Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.” ¹²Then they said, “We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this bpromise. ¹³I also shook out the cfront of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this bpromise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this bpromise. [8 aLit bought 12 bLit word 13 cLit bosom]

Nehemiah’s Example

14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my akinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. ¹⁵But the former governors who were before me blaid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God. ¹⁶I also capplied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. ¹⁷Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. ¹⁸Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. ¹⁹Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. [14 aLit brothers 15 bLit made heavy 16 cOr held fast]

NEHEMIAH 6 [Books]

The Enemy’s Plot

1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, ²then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at aChephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to bharm me. ³So I 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 messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. ⁵Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. ⁶In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and cGashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. ⁷You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning dyou, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” ⁸Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them ein your own mind.” ⁹For all of them were trying to frighten us, fthinking, “gThey will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands. [2 aAnother reading is, one of the villages bLit do evil to me 6 cIn v 1 and elsewhere, Geshem 7 dLit you, saying 8 eLit from your heart 9 fLit saying, gLit Their hands will drop from]

10 When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was aconfined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” ¹¹But I said, “Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple bto save his life? I will not go in.” ¹²Then I perceived cthat surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. ¹⁴Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me. [10 aLit shut up 11 bLit and live 12 cLit and behold God]

The Wall Is Finished

15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. ¹⁶When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they alost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished bwith the help of our God. ¹⁷Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. ¹⁸For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. ¹⁹Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. [16 aLit fell exceedingly in their own eyes bLit from our God]

NEHEMIAH 7 [Books]

Census of First Returned Exiles

1 Now when the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, ²then I put Hanani my brother, and Hananiah the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. ³Then I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.” ⁴Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.

5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first ain which I found the following record: [5 aLit and I found written in it]

6 These are the apeople of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, ⁷who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, bAzariah, cRaamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, dMispereth, Bigvai, eNehum, Baanah. [6 aLit sons 7 bIn Ezra 2:2, Seraiah cIn Ezra 2:2, Reelaiah dIn Ezra 2:2, Mispar eIn Ezra 2:2, Rehum]

The number of men of the people of Israel: ⁸the sons of Parosh, 2,172; ⁹the sons of Shephatiah, 372; ¹⁰the sons of Arah, 652; ¹¹the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; ¹²the sons of Elam, 1,254; ¹³the sons of Zattu, 845; ¹⁴the sons of Zaccai, 760; ¹⁵the sons of aBinnui, 648; ¹⁶the sons of Bebai, 628; ¹⁷the sons of Azgad, 2,322; ¹⁸the sons of Adonikam, 667; ¹⁹the sons of Bigvai, 2,067; ²⁰the sons of Adin, 655; ²¹the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98; ²²the sons of Hashum, 328; ²³the sons of Bezai, 324; ²⁴the sons of bHariph, 112; ²⁵the sons of cGibeon, 95; ²⁶the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; ²⁷the men of Anathoth, 128; ²⁸the men of dBeth-azmaveth, 42; ²⁹the men of eKiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; ³⁰the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; ³¹the men of Michmas, 122; ³²the men of Bethel and Ai, 123; ³³the men of the other Nebo, 52; ³⁴the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; ³⁵the sons of Harim, 320; ³⁶the fmen of Jericho, 345; ³⁷the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721; ³⁸the sons of Senaah, 3,930. [15 aIn Ezra 2:10, Bani 24 bIn Ezra 2:18, Jorah 25 cIn Ezra 2:20, Gibbar 28 dIn Ezra 2:24, Azmaveth 29 eIn Ezra 2:25, Kiriath-arim 36 fLit sons]

39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; ⁴⁰the sons of Immer, 1,052; ⁴¹the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; ⁴²the sons of Harim, 1,017.

43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of aHodevah, 74. ⁴⁴The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. ⁴⁵The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138. [43 aIn Ezra 2:40, Hodaviah]

46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁷the sons of Keros, the sons of aSia, the sons of Padon, ⁴⁸the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, ⁴⁹the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, ⁵⁰the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, ⁵¹the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, ⁵²the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of bNephushesim, ⁵³the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, ⁵⁴the sons of cBazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, ⁵⁵the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, ⁵⁶the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. [47 aIn Ezra 2:44, Siaha 52 bIn Ezra 2:50, Nephisim 54 cIn Ezra 2:52, Bazluth]

57 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of aSophereth, the sons of bPerida, ⁵⁸the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, ⁵⁹the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of cAmon. [57 aIn Ezra 2:55, Hassophereth bIn Ezra 2:55, Peruda 59 cIn Ezra 2:57, Ami]

60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

61 These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, aAddon and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses or their bdescendants, whether they were of Israel: ⁶²the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. ⁶³Of the priests: the sons of cHobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. ⁶⁴These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. ⁶⁵The dgovernor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with Urim and Thummim. [61 aIn Ezra 2:59, Addan bLit seed 63 cIn Ezra 2:61, Habaiah 65 dHeb Tirshatha, a Persian title]

Total of People and Gifts

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, ⁶⁷besides their male and their female servants, aof whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. ⁶⁸bTheir horses were 736; their mules, 245; ⁶⁹their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720. [67 aLit these 68 bSo with some ancient mss and Gr]

70 Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The agovernor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments. ⁷¹Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. ⁷²That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas and 67 priests’ garments. [70 aHeb Tirshatha, a Persian title]

73 Now the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities.

And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.

NEHEMIAH 8 [Books]

Ezra Reads the Law

1 And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they aasked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had bgiven to Israel. ²Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. ³He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from cearly morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. ⁴Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. ⁵Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. ⁶Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. ⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. ⁸They read from the book, from the law of God, dtranslating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. [1 aLit said to bLit commanded 3 cLit the light 8 dOr explaining]

“This Day Is Holy”

9 Then Nehemiah, who was the agovernor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” ¹¹So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” ¹²All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to bcelebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. [9 aHeb Tirshatha, a Persian title 12 bLit make a great rejoicing]

Feast of Booths Restored

13 Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. ¹⁴They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. ¹⁵aSo they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and bwild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” ¹⁶So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. ¹⁷The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in cthem. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing. ¹⁸He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance. [15 aLit And that they will cause to be heard bLit oil tree, species unknown 17 cLit the booths]

NEHEMIAH 9 [Books]

The People Confess Their Sin

1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. ²The adescendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. ³While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God. ⁴Now on the Levites’ platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God. [2 aLit seed]

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and ever!

O may Your glorious name be blessed

And exalted above all blessing and praise!

⁶“You alone are the LORD.

You have made the heavens,

The heaven of heavens with all their host,

The earth and all that is on it,

The seas and all that is in them.

You give life to all of them

And the heavenly host bows down before You.

⁷“You are the LORD God,

Who chose Abram

And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees,

And gave him the name Abraham.

⁸“You found his heart faithful before You,

And made a covenant with him

To give him the land of the Canaanite,

Of the Hittite and the Amorite,

Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—

To give it to his adescendants.

And You have fulfilled Your promise,

For You are righteous. [aLit seed]

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,

And heard their cry by the aRed Sea. [aLit Sea of Reeds]

¹⁰“Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,

Against all his servants and all the people of his land;

For You knew that they acted arrogantly toward them,

And made a name for Yourself as it is this day.

¹¹“You divided the sea before them,

So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground;

And their pursuers You hurled into the depths,

Like a stone into araging waters. [aLit strong, mighty]

¹²“And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day,

And with a pillar of fire by night

To light for them the way

In which they were to go.

¹³“Then You came down on Mount Sinai,

And spoke with them from heaven;

You gave them just ordinances and true laws,

Good statutes and commandments.

¹⁴“So You made known to them Your holy sabbath,

And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law,

Through Your servant Moses.

¹⁵“You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger,

You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst,

And You told them to enter in order to possess

The land which You aswore to give them. [aLit lifted up Your hand]

16 “But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly;

They abecame stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments. [aLit stiffened their neck; so also v 17]

¹⁷“They refused to listen,

And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them;

So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery ain Egypt.

But You are a God of forgiveness,

Gracious and compassionate,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;

And You did not forsake them. [aSo Gr and some Heb mss; Heb reads in their rebellion]

¹⁸“Even when they made for themselves

A calf of molten metal

And said, ‘This is your God

Who brought you up from Egypt,’

And committed great ablasphemies, [aLit acts of contempt]

¹⁹You, in Your great compassion,

Did not forsake them in the wilderness;

The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day,

To guide them on their way,

Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.

²⁰“You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,

Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth,

And You gave them water for their thirst.

²¹“Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want;

Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.

²²“You also gave them kingdoms and peoples,

And allotted them to them as a aboundary.

They took possession of the land of Sihon bthe king of Heshbon

And the land of Og the king of Bashan. [aLit side, corner bSo the Gr and the Latin; Heb reads and the land of the king of Heshbon]

²³“You made their sons numerous as the stars of heaven,

And You brought them into the land

Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

²⁴“So their sons entered and possessed the land.

And You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites,

And You gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land,

To do with them aas they desired. [aLit according to their desire]

²⁵“They captured fortified cities and a afertile land.

They took possession of houses full of every good thing,

Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves,

Fruit trees in abundance.

So they ate, were filled and grew fat,

And reveled in Your great goodness. [aLit fat]

26 “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You,

And cast Your law behind their backs

And killed Your prophets who had admonished them

So that they might return to You,

And they committed great ablasphemies. [aLit acts of contempt]

²⁷“Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them,

But when they cried to You in the time of their distress,

You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion

You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.

²⁸“But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You;

Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them.

When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven,

And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,

²⁹And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law.

Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances,

By which if a man observes them he shall live.

And they aturned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen. [aLit gave]

³⁰“However, You bore with them for many years,

And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets,

Yet they would not give ear.

Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

³¹“Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them,

For You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 “Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness,

Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You,

Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people,

From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.

³³“However, You are just in all that has come upon us;

For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.

³⁴“For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law

Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your aadmonitions with which You have badmonished them. [aLit testimonies bOr witnessed]

³⁵“But they, in their own kingdom,

With Your great goodness which You gave them,

With the broad and rich land which You set before them,

Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds.

³⁶“Behold, we are slaves today,

And as to the land which You gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty,

Behold, we are slaves in it.

³⁷“Its abundant produce is for the kings

Whom You have set over us because of our sins;

They also rule over our bodies

And over our cattle as they please,

So we are in great distress.

A Covenant Results

38 “aNow because of all this

We are making an agreement in writing;

And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.” [aCh 10:1 in Heb]

NEHEMIAH 10 [Books]

Signers of the Document

1 aNow on the sealed document were the names of: Nehemiah the bgovernor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, ²Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, ³Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, ⁴Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, ⁵Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, ⁶Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, ⁷Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, ⁸Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah. These were the priests. ⁹And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; ¹⁰also their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, ¹¹Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, ¹²Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, ¹³Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. ¹⁴The leaders of the people: 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, ²⁷Malluch, Harim, Baanah. [1 aCh 10:2 in Heb bHeb Tirshatha, a Persian title]

Obligations of the Document

28 Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding, ²⁹are joining with their akinsmen, their nobles, and are btaking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of cGOD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes; ³⁰and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. ³¹As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. [29 aLit brothers bLit entering into a cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

32 We also aplaced ourselves under obligation to contribute yearly one third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: ³³for the showbread, for the continual grain offering, for the continual burnt offering, the sabbaths, the new moon, for the appointed times, for the holy things and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God. [32 aLit imposed commandments on us]

34 Likewise we cast lots for the supply of wood among the priests, the Levites and the people so that they might bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers’ households, at fixed times annually, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law; ³⁵and that they might bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the LORD annually, ³⁶and bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God. ³⁷We will also bring the first of our adough, our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the new wine and the oil to the priests at the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground to the Levites, for the Levites are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns. ³⁸The priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. ³⁹For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine and the oil to the chambers; there are the utensils of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers and the singers. Thus we will not bneglect the house of our God. [37 aOr coarse meal 39 bLit forsake]

NEHEMIAH 11 [Books]

Time Passes; Heads of Provinces

1 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the other cities. ²And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

3 Now these are the heads of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah each lived on his own property in their cities—the aIsraelites, the priests, the Levites, the btemple servants and the cdescendants of Solomon’s servants. ⁴Some of the sons of Judah and some of the sons of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. From the sons of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; ⁵and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite. ⁶All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 able men. [3 aLit Israel bHeb Nethinim cLit sons]

7 Now these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah; ⁸and after him Gabbai and Sallai, 928. ⁹Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second ain command of the city. [9 aLit over]

10 From the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, ¹¹Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the leader of the house of God, ¹²and their akinsmen who performed the work of the btemple, 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, ¹³and his kinsmen, heads of fathers’ households, 242; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, ¹⁴and their brothers, valiant warriors, 128. And their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of cHaggedolim. [12 aLit brothers, and so throughout the ch bLit house 14 cOr the great ones]

15 Now from the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; ¹⁶and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the aleaders of the Levites, who were bin charge of the outside work of the house of God; ¹⁷and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of cZabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the dleader in beginning the thanksgiving at prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and eAbda the son of fShammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. ¹⁸All the Levites in the holy city were 284. [16 aLit heads bLit over 17 cIn 1 Chr 9:15, Zichri dLit head eIn 1 Chr 9:16, Obadiah fIn 1 Chr 9:16, Shemaiah]

19 Also the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brethren who kept watch at the gates, were 172.

Outside Jerusalem

²⁰The rest of Israel, of the priests and of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own inheritance. ²¹But the temple servants were living in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were ain charge of the temple servants. [21 aLit over]

22 Now the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, from the sons of Asaph, who were the singers for the aservice of the house of God. ²³For there was a commandment from the king concerning them and a firm regulation for the song leaders day by day. ²⁴Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king’s brepresentative in all matters concerning the people. [22 aOr work 24 bLit hand]

25 Now as for the villages with their fields, some of the sons of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its atowns, in Dibon and its atowns, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, ²⁶and in Jeshua, in Moladah and Beth-pelet, ²⁷and in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba and its towns, ²⁸and in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns, ²⁹and in En-rimmon, in Zorah and in Jarmuth, ³⁰Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba as far as the valley of Hinnom. ³¹The sons of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, at Bethel and its towns, ³²at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵Lod and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. ³⁶From the Levites, some divisions in Judah belonged to Benjamin. [25 aLit daughters, and so throughout the ch]

NEHEMIAH 12 [Books]

Priests and Levites Who Returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, ²Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, ³Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, ⁴Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, ⁵Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, ⁶Shemaiah and Joiarib, Jedaiah, ⁷Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their akinsmen in the days of Jeshua. [7 aLit brothers]

8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who was ain charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his brothers. ⁹Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, stood opposite them in their service divisions. ¹⁰Jeshua bbecame the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim bbecame the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib bbecame the father of Joiada, ¹¹and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua. [8 aLit over 10 bLit begot, and so in vv 11, 12]

12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers’ households were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; ¹³of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; ¹⁴of aMalluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; ¹⁵of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; ¹⁶of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; ¹⁷of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; ¹⁸of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; ¹⁹of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; ²⁰of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; ²¹of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. [14 aIn Neh 12:2, Malluch]

The Chief Levites

22 As for the Levites, the heads of fathers’ households were registered in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua; so were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³The sons of Levi, the heads of fathers’ households, were registered in the Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. ²⁴The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks, aas prescribed by David the man of God, division corresponding to division. ²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates. ²⁶These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe. [24 aLit in the commandment of]

Dedication of the Wall

27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres. ²⁸So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites, ²⁹from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. ³⁰The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.

Procedures for the Temple

31 Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two great achoirs, bthe first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward the Refuse Gate. ³²Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, ³³with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, ³⁵and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, ³⁶and his ckinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. ³⁷At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east. [31 aLit thanksgiving choirs bHeb and processions to the right 36 cLit brothers]

38 The second achoir proceeded to the bleft, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall, ³⁹and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard. ⁴⁰Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; ⁴¹and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets; ⁴²and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers csang, with Jezrahiah their leader, ⁴³and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar. [38 aLit thanksgiving choir bLit front 42 cLit caused their voices to be heard]

44 On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who aserved. ⁴⁵For they performed the bworship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. ⁴⁶For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were cleaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron. [44 aLit stood 45 bLit service 46 cLit heads]

NEHEMIAH 13 [Books]

Foreigners Excluded

1 On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, ²because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.

Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed

4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being arelated to Tobiah, ⁵had prepared a large broom for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the ccontributions for the priests. ⁶But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, ⁷and I came to Jerusalem and dlearned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a eroom for him in the courts of the house of God. ⁸It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. ⁹Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense. [4 aLit close to 5 bOr chamber cLit heave offerings 7 dOr understood eOr chamber, and so in vv 8, 9]

Tithes Restored

10 I also adiscovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had bgone away, each to his own field. ¹¹So I creprimanded the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. ¹²All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses. ¹³In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was dtheir task to distribute to their ekinsmen. ¹⁴Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services. [10 aOr knew bLit fled 11 cOr contended with 13 dLit on them to eLit brothers]

Sabbath Restored

15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. ¹⁶Also men of Tyre were living athere who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. ¹⁷Then I breprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, cby profaning the sabbath day? ¹⁸Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.” [16 aLit in it 17 bOr contended with cLit and]

19 It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut aand that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. ²⁰Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. ²¹Then I bwarned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will cuse force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. ²²And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness. [19 aLit and commanded 21 bLit witnessed against cLit send a hand against]

Mixed Marriages Forbidden

23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had amarried women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. ²⁴As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but bthe language of his own people. ²⁵So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. ²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. ²⁷cDo we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by dmarrying foreign women?” ²⁸Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. ²⁹Remember them, O my God, ebecause they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. [23 aLit given dwelling to 24 bLit according to the tongue of people and people 27 cOr Is it reported dLit giving dwelling to 29 eLit for the defilings of]

30 Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, ³¹and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

ESTHER 1 [Books]

The Banquets of the King

1 Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to aEthiopia over 127 provinces, ²in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, ³in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. ⁴bAnd he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. [1 aLit Cush 4 bLit When]

5 When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. ⁶There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. ⁷Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king’s abounty. ⁸The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. ⁹Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the bpalace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. [7 aLit hand 9 bLit royal house]

Queen Vashti’s Refusal

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, ¹¹to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. ¹²But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice ¹⁴and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who ahad access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom— ¹⁵“According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not bobey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” ¹⁶In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷For the queen’s conduct will cbecome known to all the women causing them dto look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ ¹⁸This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. ¹⁹If it pleases the king, let a royal eedict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot fbe repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to ganother who is more worthy than she. ²⁰When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, hgreat as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.” [14 aLit saw the face of the king 15 bLit do 17 cLit go forth dLit to despise...in their eyes 19 eLit word go forth from fLit pass away gLit her neighbor 20 hLit for great is it]

21 This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did aas Memucan proposed. ²²So he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people. [21 aLit according to the word of]

ESTHER 2 [Books]

Vashti’s Successor Sought

1 After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. ²Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. ³Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them. ⁴Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

5 Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, ⁶who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled. ⁷He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and aface, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. [7 aLit good of appearance]

Esther Finds Favor

8 So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s apalace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. ⁹Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and bfood, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. ¹⁰Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known. ¹¹Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared. [8 aLit house 9 bLit portions]

12 Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women— ¹³the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she adesired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. ¹⁴In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the bcustody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name. [13 aLit said 14 bLit hand]

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, aadvised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. ¹⁶So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. [15 aLit said]

Esther Becomes Queen

17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. ²⁰Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did awhat Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care. [20 aLit the word of Mordecai]

Mordecai Saves the King

²¹In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to alay hands on King Ahasuerus. ²²But the bplot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther cinformed the king in Mordecai’s name. ²³Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a dgallows; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence. [21 aLit send a hand against 22 bLit matter, so also v 23 cLit told 23 dLit tree]

ESTHER 3 [Books]

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1 After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and aestablished his authority over all the princes who were with him. ²All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down band paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. ³Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” ⁴Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. ⁶But he cdisdained to dlay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. [1 aLit set his seat 2 bLit and prostrated themselves before 6 cLit despised in his eyes dLit send a hand against]

7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, aPur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, buntil the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. ⁸Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. ⁹If it is pleasing to the king, let it be cdecreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” ¹⁰Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹The king said to Haman, “The silver is dyours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.” [7 aLit he cast Pur...before bGr and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of 9 cLit written 11 dLit given to you]

12 Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder. ¹⁴A copy of the edict to be aissued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. ¹⁵The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was aissued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion. [14 aLit given]

ESTHER 4 [Books]

Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot

1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, ahe tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. ²He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. ³In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes. [1 aLit Mordecai]

4 Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. ⁵Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom athe king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. ⁶So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. ⁷Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people. [5 aLit he]

9 Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. ¹⁰Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: ¹¹“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” ¹²They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. ¹⁴For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Esther Plans to Intercede

¹⁵Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ¹⁶“Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” ¹⁷So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

ESTHER 5 [Books]

Esther Plans a Banquet

1 Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s arooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the bthrone room, opposite the entrance to the palace. ²When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. ³Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” ⁴Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.” [1 aLit house bLit royal house]

5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly that we may do aas Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. ⁶bAs they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” ⁷So Esther replied, “My petition and my request is: ⁸if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do cwhat I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do das the king says.” [5 aLit the word of Esther 6 bLit at the banquet of wine 8 cLit my request dLit according to the word of the king]

Haman’s Pride

9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or atremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. ¹⁰Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and bsent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the cnumber of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had dpromoted him above the princes and servants of the king. ¹²Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am einvited by her with the king. ¹³Yet all of this fdoes not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” ¹⁴Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a ggallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the hadvice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. [9 aOr move for 10 bLit sent and brought 11 cLit multitude dLit lifted 12 eLit summoned to her 13 fLit is not suitable to me 14 gLit tree hLit thing]

ESTHER 6 [Books]

The King Plans to Honor Mordecai

1 During that night athe king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. ²It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. ³The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” ⁴So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. ⁵The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” ⁶So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said bto himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” ⁷Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, ⁸let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; ⁹and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’ ” [1 aLit the king’s sleep fled 6 bLit in his heart]

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” ¹¹So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. ¹³Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is aof Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.” [13 aLit from the seed of the Jews]

14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

ESTHER 7 [Books]

Esther’s Plea

1 Now the king and Haman came to drink wine with Esther the queen. ²And the king said to Esther on the second day also aas they drank their wine at the banquet, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” ³Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; ⁴for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the btrouble would not be commensurate with the cannoyance to the king.” ⁵Then King Ahasuerus dasked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, ewho would presume to do thus?” ⁶Esther said, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen. [2 aLit at the banquet of wine 4 bOr enemy could not compensate for the loss cOr damage 5 dLit said and said to eLit whose heart has been filled]

Haman Is Hanged

⁷The king arose in his anger from adrinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. ⁸Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the bplace where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. ⁹Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, “Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman’s house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!” And the king said, “Hang him on it.” ¹⁰So they hanged Haman on the cgallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided. [7 aLit the banquet of wine 8 bLit house of the banquet of wine 10 cLit tree]

ESTHER 8 [Books]

Mordecai Promoted

1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had disclosed what he was to her. ²The king took off his signet ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Then Esther spoke again to the king, fell at his feet, wept and implored him to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews. ⁴The king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king. ⁵Then she said, “If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. ⁶For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?” ⁷So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and him they have hanged on the gallows because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews.

The King’s Decree Avenges the Jews

⁸Now you write to the Jews aas you see fit, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.” [8 aLit according to the good in your eyes]

9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third aday; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors and the princes of the provinces which extended from India to bEthiopia, 127 provinces, to every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. ¹⁰He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horses, riding on steeds sired by the royal stud. ¹¹cIn them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil, ¹²on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). ¹³A copy of the edict to be dissued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies. ¹⁴The couriers, hastened and impelled by the king’s command, went out, riding on the royal steeds; and the decree was given out at the citadel in Susa. [9 aLit in it bLit Cush 11 cLit Which 13 dLit given]

15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of ablue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor. ¹⁷In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a bholiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them. [15 aOr violet 17 bLit good day]

ESTHER 9 [Books]

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

1 Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth aday when the king’s command and edict bwere about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them. ²The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. ³Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business cassisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. ⁴Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai became greater and greater. ⁵Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with dthe sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. ⁶At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, ⁷and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, ¹⁰the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. [1 aLit day in it bLit drew near 3 cLit lifted up 5 dLit the stroke of]

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa awas reported to the king. ¹²The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.” ¹³Then said Esther, “If it pleases the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” ¹⁴So the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. ¹⁵The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. [11 aLit came]

16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and arid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. ¹⁷This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth bday they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. [16 aLit have rest from 17 bLit in it]

18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth aof the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth aday and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. ¹⁹Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a bholiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another. [18 aLit in it 19 bLit rejoicing and feasting and a good day and sending]

The Feast of Purim Instituted

20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, ²¹obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day aof the same month, annually, ²²because on those days the Jews brid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a choliday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor. [21 aLit in it 22 bLit had rest from cLit good day]

23 Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. ²⁴For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them. ²⁵But when it came ato the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he had bdevised against the Jews, should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the cgallows. ²⁶Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. dAnd because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, ²⁷the Jews established and emade a custom for themselves and for their fdescendants and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that gthey would not fail to celebrate these two days according to their hregulation and according to their appointed time annually. ²⁸So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not to ifail from among the Jews, or their memory jfade from their kdescendants. [25 aLit before the king, he bLit schemed cLit tree 26 dLit Therefore because of all the words 27 eLit received fLit seed gLit it should not pass away hLit writing 28 iLit pass away jLit end kLit seed]

29 Then Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. ³⁰He sent letters to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, ³¹to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their adescendants with binstructions for their times of fasting and their lamentations. ³²The command of Esther established these bcustoms for Purim, and it was written in the book. [31 aLit seed bLit words]

ESTHER 10 [Books]

Mordecai’s Greatness

1 Now King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. ²And all the aaccomplishments of his authority and strength, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king badvanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? ³For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation. [2 aLit doings bLit made him great]

JOB 1 [Books]

Job’s Character and Wealth

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. ²Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. ³His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the amen of the east. ⁴His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. [3 aLit sons]

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and aSatan also came among them. ⁷The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” ⁸The LORD said to Satan, “Have you bconsidered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, cfearing God and turning away from evil.” ⁹Then Satan answered the dLORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” ¹²Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your epower, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. [6 aI.e. the adversary, and so throughout chs 1 and 2 8 bLit set your heart to cOr revering 9 dLit LORD and said 12 eLit hand]

Satan Allowed to Test Job

13 Now on the day when 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 adonkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵and bthe Sabeans cattacked and took them. They also dslew the servants with the edge of the sword, and eI alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁶While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁷While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and dslew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁸While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” [14 aLit female donkeys 15 bLit Sheba cLit fell upon dLit smote eLit only I alone, and so also vv 16, 17, 19]

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹He said,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked I shall return there.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.

Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he ablame God. [22 aLit ascribe unseemliness to]

JOB 2 [Books]

Job Loses His Health

1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. ²The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” ³The LORD said to Satan, “Have you aconsidered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man bfearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to cruin him without cause.” ⁴Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. ⁵However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” ⁶So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your dpower, only spare his life.” [3 aLit set your heart to bOr revering cLit swallow him up 6 dLit hand]

7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. ¹²When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. ¹³Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

JOB 3 [Books]

Job’s Lament

1 Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed athe day of his birth. ²And Job bsaid, [1 aLit his day 2 bLit answered and said]

³“Let the day perish on which I was to be born,

And the night which said, ‘A aboy is conceived.’ [aLit man-child]

⁴“May that day be darkness;

Let not God above care for it,

Nor light shine on it.

⁵“Let darkness and black gloom claim it;

Let a cloud settle on it;

Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

⁶“As for that night, let darkness seize it;

Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;

Let it not come into the number of the months.

⁷“Behold, let that night be barren;

Let no joyful shout enter it.

⁸“Let those curse it who curse the day,

Who are aprepared to rouse Leviathan. [aOr skillful]

⁹“Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;

Let it wait for light but have none,

And let it not see the abreaking dawn; [aLit eyelids]

¹⁰Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb,

Or hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “Why did I not die aat birth,

Come forth from the womb and expire? [aLit from the womb]

¹²“Why did the knees receive me,

And why the breasts, that I should suck?

¹³“For now I would have lain down and been quiet;

I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,

¹⁴With kings and with counselors of the earth,

Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;

¹⁵Or with princes who had gold,

Who were filling their houses with silver.

¹⁶“Or like a miscarriage which is adiscarded, I would not be,

As infants that never saw light. [aLit hidden]

¹⁷“There the wicked cease from raging,

And there the aweary are at rest. [aLit weary of strength]

¹⁸“The prisoners are at ease together;

They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

¹⁹“The small and the great are there,

And the slave is free from his master.

20 “Why is light given to him who suffers,

And life to the bitter of soul,

²¹Who along for death, but there is none,

And dig for it more than for hidden treasures, [aLit wait]

²²Who rejoice greatly,

And exult when they find the grave?

²³“Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,

And whom God has hedged in?

²⁴“For my groaning comes at the sight of my food,

And my cries pour out like water.

²⁵“For awhat I fear comes upon me,

And what I dread befalls me. [aLit the fear I fear and]

²⁶“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet,

And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”

JOB 4 [Books]

Eliphaz: Innocent Do Not Suffer

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?

But who can refrain afrom speaking? [aLit in words]

³“Behold you have admonished many,

And you have strengthened weak hands.

⁴“Your words have ahelped the tottering to stand,

And you have strengthened bfeeble knees. [aLit caused bLit bowing]

⁵“But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;

It touches you, and you are dismayed.

⁶“Is not your afear of God your confidence,

And the integrity of your ways your hope? [aOr reverence]

7 “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?

Or where were the upright destroyed?

⁸“According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity

And those who sow trouble harvest it.

⁹“By the breath of God they perish,

And by the ablast of His anger they come to an end. [aLit wind]

¹⁰“The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,

And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

¹¹“The lion perishes for lack of prey,

And the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily,

And my ear received a whisper of it.

¹³“Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

¹⁴Dread came upon me, and trembling,

And made aall my bones shake. [aLit the multitude of]

¹⁵“Then a aspirit passed by my face;

The hair of my flesh bristled up. [aOr breath passed over]

¹⁶“It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;

A form was before my eyes;

There was silence, then I heard a voice:

¹⁷‘Can mankind be just abefore God?

Can a man be pure abefore his Maker? [aLit from]

¹⁸‘He puts no trust even in His servants;

And against His angels He charges error.

¹⁹‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,

Whose foundation is in the dust,

Who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰‘Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces;

Unobserved, they perish forever.

²¹‘Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them?

They die, yet without wisdom.’

JOB 5 [Books]

God Is Just

1 “Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?

And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

²“For anger slays the foolish man,

And jealousy kills the simple.

³“I have seen the foolish taking root,

And I cursed his abode immediately.

⁴“His sons are far from safety,

They are even aoppressed in the gate,

And there is no deliverer. [aLit crushed]

⁵“aHis harvest the hungry devour

And take it to a place of thorns,

And the bschemer is eager for their wealth. [aLit Whose bAncient versions read thirsty]

⁶“For affliction does not come from the dust,

Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

⁷For man is born for trouble,

As sparks fly upward.

8 “But as for me, I would seek God,

And I would place my cause before God;

⁹Who does great and unsearchable things,

aWonders without number. [aOr Miracles]

¹⁰“He gives rain on the earth

And sends water on the fields,

¹¹So that He sets on high those who are lowly,

And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

¹²“He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd,

So that their hands cannot attain success.

¹³“He captures the wise by their own shrewdness,

And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.

¹⁴“By day they meet with darkness,

And grope at noon as in the night.

¹⁵“But He saves from the sword of their mouth,

And the poor from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶“So the helpless has hope,

And unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

17 “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,

So do not despise the discipline of athe Almighty. [aHeb Shaddai, and so throughout ch 6]

¹⁸“For He inflicts pain, and agives relief;

He wounds, and His hands also heal. [aLit binds]

¹⁹“aFrom six troubles He will deliver you,

Even in seven evil will not touch you. [aLit In]

²⁰“In famine He will redeem you from death,

And in war from the power of the sword.

²¹“You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,

And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.

²²“You will laugh at violence and famine,

And you will not be afraid of awild beasts. [aLit beasts of the earth]

²³“For you will be in league with the stones of the field,

And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

²⁴“You will know that your tent is secure,

For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

²⁵“You will know also that your adescendants will be many,

And your offspring as the grass of the earth. [aLit seed]

²⁶“You will come to the grave in full vigor,

Like the stacking of grain in its season.

²⁷“Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.

Hear it, and know for yourself.”

JOB 6 [Books]

Job’s Friends Are No Help

1 Then Job aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Oh that my grief were actually weighed

And laid in the balances together with my calamity!

³“For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;

Therefore my words have been rash.

⁴“For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,

aTheir poison my spirit drinks;

The terrors of God are arrayed against me. [aLit Whose]

⁵“Does the wild donkey bray over his grass,

Or does the ox low over his fodder?

⁶“Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,

Or is there any taste in the awhite of an egg? [aHeb hallamuth, meaning uncertain. Perhaps the juice of a plant]

⁷“My soul refuses to touch them;

They are like loathsome food to me.

8 “Oh that my request might come to pass,

And that God would grant my longing!

⁹“Would that God were willing to crush me,

That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

¹⁰“But it is still my consolation,

And I rejoice in unsparing pain,

That I have not adenied the words of the Holy One. [aLit hidden]

¹¹“What is my strength, that I should wait?

And what is my end, that I should aendure? [aLit prolong my soul]

¹²“Is my strength the strength of stones,

Or is my flesh bronze?

¹³“Is it that my help is not within me,

And that adeliverance is driven from me? [aSo ancient versions]

14 “For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;

So that he does not forsake the afear of the Almighty. [aOr reverence]

¹⁵“My brothers have acted deceitfully like a awadi,

Like the torrents of awadis which vanish, [aOr brooks]

¹⁶Which are turbid because of ice

And into which the snow amelts. [aLit hides itself]

¹⁷“When they become waterless, they aare silent,

When it is hot, they vanish from their place. [aOr cease]

¹⁸“The apaths of their course wind along,

They go up into nothing and perish. [aOr caravans turn from their course, they go up into the waste and perish]

¹⁹“The caravans of Tema looked,

The travelers of Sheba hoped for them.

²⁰“They were adisappointed for they had trusted,

They came there and were confounded. [aLit ashamed]

²¹“Indeed, you have now become such,

You see a terror and are afraid.

²²“Have I said, ‘Give me something,’

Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’

²³Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’

Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24 “Teach me, and I will be silent;

And show me how I have erred.

²⁵“How painful are honest words!

But what does your argument prove?

²⁶“Do you intend to reprove my words,

When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?

²⁷“You would even cast lots for the orphans

And barter over your friend.

²⁸“Now please look at me,

And see if I lie to your face.

²⁹“Desist now, let there be no injustice;

Even desist, my righteousness is yet in it.

³⁰“Is there injustice on my tongue?

Cannot my palate discern acalamities? [aOr words]

JOB 7 [Books]

Job’s Life Seems Futile

1 “aIs not man forced to labor on earth,

And are not his days like the days of a hired man? [aLit Has not man compulsory labor]

²“As a slave who pants for the shade,

And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,

³So am I allotted months of vanity,

And nights of trouble are appointed me.

⁴“When I lie down I say,

‘When shall I arise?’

But the night continues,

And I am acontinually tossing until dawn. [aLit sated with]

⁵“My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt,

My skin hardens and runs.

⁶“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,

And come to an end without hope.

7 “Remember that my life is but breath;

My eye will not again see good.

⁸“The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer;

Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.

⁹“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone,

So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.

¹⁰“He will not return again to his house,

Nor will his place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,

I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹²“Am I the sea, or the sea monster,

That You set a guard over me?

¹³“If I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,

My couch will aease my complaint,’ [aLit bear]

¹⁴Then You frighten me with dreams

And terrify me by visions;

¹⁵So that my soul would choose suffocation,

Death rather than my apains. [aLit bones]

¹⁶“I awaste away; I will not live forever.

Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. [aOr loathe]

¹⁷“What is man that You magnify him,

And that You aare concerned about him, [aLit set Your heart on]

¹⁸That You examine him every morning

And try him every moment?

¹⁹“aWill You never turn Your gaze away from me,

Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle? [aLit How long will You not]

²⁰“Have I sinned? What have I done to You,

O watcher of men?

Why have You set me as Your target,

So that I am a burden to myself?

²¹“Why then do You not pardon my transgression

And take away my iniquity?

For now I will lie down in the dust;

And You will seek me, but I will not be.”

JOB 8 [Books]

Bildad Says God Rewards the Good

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“How long will you say these things,

And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

³“Does God pervert justice?

Or does athe Almighty pervert what is right? [aHeb Shaddai]

⁴“If your sons sinned against Him,

Then He delivered them into the apower of their transgression. [aLit hand]

⁵“If you would seek God

And implore the compassion of athe Almighty, [aHeb Shaddai]

⁶If you are pure and upright,

Surely now He would rouse Himself for you

And restore your righteous aestate. [aLit place]

⁷“Though your beginning was insignificant,

Yet your end will increase greatly.

8 “Please inquire of past generations,

And consider the things searched out by their fathers.

⁹“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,

Because our days on earth are as a shadow.

¹⁰“Will they not teach you and tell you,

And bring forth words from their minds?

11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?

Can the rushes grow without water?

¹²“While it is still green and not cut down,

Yet it withers before any other aplant. [aLit reed]

¹³“So are the paths of all who forget God;

And the hope of the godless will perish,

¹⁴Whose confidence is fragile,

And whose trust a spider’s aweb. [aLit house]

¹⁵“He atrusts in his house, but it does not stand;

He holds fast to it, but it does not endure. [aLit leans on]

¹⁶“He athrives before the sun,

And his shoots spread out over his garden. [aLit is lush]

¹⁷“His roots wrap around a rock pile,

He agrasps a house of stones. [aHeb sees]

¹⁸“If he is aremoved from his place,

Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’ [aLit swallowed up]

¹⁹“Behold, this is the joy of His way;

And out of the dust others will spring.

²⁰“Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity,

Nor will He asupport the evildoers. [aLit strengthen the hand of]

²¹“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter

And your lips with shouting.

²²“Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,

And the tent of the wicked will be no longer.”

JOB 9 [Books]

Job Says There Is No Arbitrator between God and Man

1 Then Job aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“In truth I know that this is so;

But how can a man be in the right abefore God? [aLit with]

³“If one wished to dispute with Him,

He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

⁴“Wise in heart and mighty in strength,

Who has adefied Him bwithout harm? [aLit stiffened his neck against bLit and remained safe]

⁵“It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how,

When He overturns them in His anger;

⁶Who shakes the earth out of its place,

And its pillars tremble;

⁷Who commands the sun anot to shine,

And sets a seal upon the stars; [aLit and it does not shine]

⁸Who alone stretches out the heavens

And atramples down the waves of the sea; [aLit treads upon the heights of]

⁹Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,

And the chambers of the south;

¹⁰Who does great things, aunfathomable,

And wondrous works without number. [aLit until there is no searching out]

¹¹“Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him;

Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

¹²“Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him?

Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 “God will not turn back His anger;

Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

¹⁴“How then can I aanswer Him,

And choose my words bbefore Him? [aOr plead my case bLit with]

¹⁵“For though I were right, I could not aanswer;

I would have to implore the mercy of my judge. [aOr plead my case]

¹⁶“If I called and He answered me,

I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

¹⁷“For He bruises me with a tempest

And multiplies my wounds without cause.

¹⁸“He will not allow me to get my breath,

But saturates me with bitterness.

¹⁹“If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one!

And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon aHim? [aSo with Gr; Heb me]

²⁰“Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;

Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.

²¹“I am guiltless;

I do not take notice of myself;

I despise my life.

²²“It is all one; therefore I say,

‘He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’

²³“If the scourge kills suddenly,

He mocks the despair of the innocent.

²⁴“The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;

He covers the faces of its judges.

If it is not He, then who is it?

25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner;

They flee away, they see no good.

²⁶“They slip by like reed boats,

Like an eagle that swoops on aits prey. [aLit food]

²⁷“Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

²⁸I am afraid of all my pains,

I know that You will not acquit me.

²⁹“I am accounted wicked,

Why then should I toil in vain?

³⁰“If I should wash myself with snow

And cleanse my hands with lye,

³¹Yet You would plunge me into the pit,

And my own clothes would abhor me.

³²“For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him,

That we may go to acourt together. [aLit judgment]

³³“There is no umpire between us,

Who may lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴“Let Him remove His rod from me,

And let not dread of Him terrify me.

³⁵“Then I would speak and not fear Him;

But I am not like that in myself.

JOB 10 [Books]

Job Despairs of God’s Dealings

1 “aI loathe my own life;

I will give full vent to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. [aLit My soul loathes]

²“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;

Let me know why You contend with me.

³‘Is it aright for You indeed to oppress,

To reject the labor of Your hands,

And bto look favorably on the schemes of the wicked? [aLit good bLit You shine forth]

⁴‘Have You eyes of flesh?

Or do You see as a man sees?

⁵‘Are Your days as the days of a mortal,

Or Your years as man’s years,

⁶That You should seek for my guilt

And search after my sin?

⁷‘According to Your knowledge I am indeed not guilty,

Yet there is no deliverance from Your hand.

8 ‘Your hands fashioned and made me aaltogether,

And would You destroy me? [aLit together round about]

⁹‘Remember now, that You have made me as clay;

And would You turn me into dust again?

¹⁰‘Did You not pour me out like milk

And curdle me like cheese;

¹¹Clothe me with skin and flesh,

And knit me together with bones and sinews?

¹²‘You have granted me life and lovingkindness;

And Your care has preserved my spirit.

¹³‘Yet these things You have concealed in Your heart;

I know that this is within You:

¹⁴If I sin, then You would take note of me,

And would not acquit me of my guilt.

¹⁵‘If I am wicked, woe to me!

And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.

I am sated with disgrace and aconscious of my misery. [aLit see]

¹⁶‘Should my head be lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion;

And again You would show Your power against me.

¹⁷‘You renew Your witnesses against me

And increase Your anger toward me;

aHardship after hardship is with me. [aLit Changes and warfare are with me]

18 ‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb?

Would that I had died and no eye had seen me!

¹⁹‘I should have been as though I had not been,

Carried from womb to tomb.’

²⁰“Would He not let my few days alone?

aWithdraw from me that I may have a little cheer [aLit Put]

²¹Before I go—and I shall not return—

To the land of darkness and deep shadow,

²²The land of utter gloom as darkness itself,

Of deep shadow without order,

And which shines as the darkness.”

JOB 11 [Books]

Zophar Rebukes Job

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,

And a talkative man be acquitted?

³“Shall your boasts silence men?

And shall you scoff and none rebuke?

⁴“For you have said, ‘My teaching is pure,

And I am innocent in your eyes.’

⁵“But would that God might speak,

And open His lips against you,

⁶And show you the secrets of wisdom!

For sound wisdom ahas two sides.

Know then that God bforgets a part of your iniquity. [aLit is double bLit causes to be forgotten for you]

7 “Can you discover the depths of God?

Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

⁸“They are high as athe heavens, what can you do?

Deeper than bSheol, what can you know? [aLit the heights of heaven bI.e. the nether world]

⁹“Its measure is longer than the earth

And broader than the sea.

¹⁰“If He passes by or shuts up,

Or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him?

¹¹“For He knows false men,

And He sees iniquity awithout investigating. [aOr even He does not consider]

¹²“aAn idiot will become intelligent

When the bfoal of a wild donkey is born a man. [aLit A hollow man bLit donkey]

13 “If you would direct your heart right

And spread out your hand to Him,

¹⁴If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents;

¹⁵“Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect,

And you would be steadfast and not fear.

¹⁶“For you would forget your trouble,

As waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

¹⁷“Your alife would be bbrighter than noonday;

Darkness would be like the morning. [aLit duration of life bLit above noonday]

¹⁸“Then you would trust, because there is hope;

And you would look around and rest securely.

¹⁹“You would lie down and none would disturb you,

And many would entreat your afavor. [aLit face]

²⁰“But the eyes of the wicked will fail,

And athere will be no escape for them;

And their hope is bto breathe their last.” [aLit escape has perished from them bLit the expiring of the soul]

JOB 12 [Books]

Job Chides His Accusers

1 Then Job aresponded, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Truly then you are the people,

And with you wisdom will die!

³“But I have intelligence as well as you;

I am not inferior to you.

And awho does not know such things as these? [aLit with whom is there not like these?]

⁴“I am a joke to amy friends,

The one who called on God and He answered him;

The just and blameless man is a joke. [aLit his]

⁵“aHe who is at ease holds calamity in contempt,

As prepared for those whose feet slip. [aLit Contempt for calamity is the thought of him who is at ease]

⁶“The tents of the destroyers prosper,

And those who provoke God are secure,

aWhom God brings into their power. [aOr He who brings God into his hand]

7 “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you;

And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.

⁸“Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you;

And let the fish of the sea declare to you.

⁹“Who among all these does not know

That the hand of the LORD has done this,

¹⁰In whose hand is the life of every living thing,

And the breath of all mankind?

¹¹“Does not the ear test words,

As the palate atastes its food? [aLit tastes food for itself]

¹²“Wisdom is with aged men,

With along life is understanding. [aLit length of days]

Job Speaks of the Power of God

13 “With Him are wisdom and might;

To Him belong counsel and understanding.

¹⁴“Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt;

He aimprisons a man, and bthere can be no release. [aLit shuts against bLit it is not opened]

¹⁵“Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up;

And He sends them out, and they ainundate the earth. [aLit overturn]

¹⁶“With Him are strength and sound wisdom,

The misled and the misleader belong to Him.

¹⁷“He makes counselors walk abarefoot

And makes fools of judges. [aOr stripped]

¹⁸“He loosens the abond of kings

And binds their loins with a girdle. [aOr discipline]

¹⁹“He makes priests walk abarefoot

And overthrows the secure ones. [aOr stripped]

²⁰“He deprives the trusted ones of speech

And takes away the discernment of the elders.

²¹“He pours contempt on nobles

And loosens the belt of the strong.

²²“He reveals mysteries from the darkness

And brings the deep darkness into light.

²³“He makes the nations great, then destroys them;

He aenlarges the nations, then leads them away. [aOr spreads out]

²⁴“He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people

And makes them wander in a pathless waste.

²⁵“They grope in darkness with no light,

And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

JOB 13 [Books]

Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes

1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,

My ear has heard and understood it.

²“What you know I also know;

I am not inferior to you.

3 “But I would speak to athe Almighty,

And I desire to argue with God. [aHeb Shaddai]

⁴“But you smear with lies;

You are all worthless physicians.

⁵“O that you would be completely silent,

And that it would become your wisdom!

⁶“Please hear my argument

And listen to the contentions of my lips.

⁷“Will you speak what is unjust for God,

And speak what is deceitful for Him?

⁸“Will you show partiality for Him?

Will you contend for God?

⁹“Will it be well when He examines you?

Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?

¹⁰“He will surely reprove you

If you secretly show partiality.

¹¹“Will not His amajesty terrify you,

And the dread of Him fall on you? [aLit exaltation]

¹²“Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,

Your defenses are defenses of clay.

Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated

13 “Be silent before me so that I may speak;

Then let come on me what may.

¹⁴“Why should I take my flesh in my teeth

And put my life in my ahands? [aLit palm]

¹⁵“Though He slay me,

I will hope in Him.

Nevertheless I will argue my ways abefore Him. [aLit to His face]

¹⁶“This also will be my salvation,

For a godless man may not come before His presence.

¹⁷“Listen carefully to my speech,

And let my declaration fill your ears.

¹⁸“Behold now, I have prepared my case;

I know that I will be vindicated.

¹⁹“Who will contend with me?

For then I would be silent and die.

20 “Only two things do not do to me,

Then I will not hide from Your face:

²¹Remove Your ahand from me,

And let not the dread of You terrify me. [aLit palm]

²²“Then call, and I will answer;

Or let me speak, then reply to me.

²³“How many are my iniquities and sins?

Make known to me my arebellion and my sin. [aOr transgression]

²⁴“Why do You hide Your face

And consider me Your enemy?

²⁵“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble?

Or will You pursue the dry chaff?

²⁶“For You write bitter things against me

And make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷“You put my feet in the stocks

And watch all my paths;

You aset a limit for the soles of my feet, [aLit carve for]

²⁸While aI am decaying like a rotten thing,

Like a garment that is moth-eaten. [aLit he is]

JOB 14 [Books]

Job Speaks of the Finality of Death

1 “Man, who is born of woman,

Is ashort-lived and full of turmoil. [aLit short of days]

²“Like a flower he comes forth and withers.

He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.

³“You also open Your eyes on him

And bring ahim into judgment with Yourself. [aSo with some ancient versions; M.T. me]

⁴“Who can make the clean out of the unclean?

No one!

⁵“Since his days are determined,

The number of his months is with You;

And his limits You have aset so that he cannot pass. [aLit made]

⁶“Turn Your gaze from him that he may arest,

Until he bfulfills his day like a hired man. [aLit cease bLit makes acceptable]

7 “For there is hope for a tree,

When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,

And its shoots will not afail. [aOr cease]

⁸“Though its roots grow old in the ground

And its stump dies in the dry soil,

⁹At the scent of water it will flourish

And put forth sprigs like a plant.

¹⁰“But man dies and lies prostrate.

Man expires, and where is he?

¹¹“As water aevaporates from the sea,

And a river becomes parched and dried up, [aLit disappears]

¹²So man lies down and does not rise.

Until the heavens are no longer,

aHe will not awake nor be aroused out of bhis sleep. [aLit They bLit their]

13 “Oh that You would hide me in aSheol,

That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You,

That You would set a limit for me and remember me! [aI.e. the nether world]

¹⁴“If a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my struggle I will wait

Until my change comes.

¹⁵“You will call, and I will answer You;

You will long for the work of Your hands.

¹⁶“For now You number my steps,

You do not observe my sin.

¹⁷“My transgression is sealed up in a bag,

And You awrap up my iniquity. [aLit plaster; or glue together]

18 “But the falling mountain acrumbles away,

And the rock moves from its place; [aLit withers]

¹⁹Water wears away stones,

Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;

So You destroy man’s hope.

²⁰“You forever overpower him and he departs;

You change his appearance and send him away.

²¹“His sons achieve honor, but he does not know it;

Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it.

²²“But his abody pains him,

And he mourns only for himself.” [aLit flesh]

JOB 15 [Books]

Eliphaz Says Job Presumes Much

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite aresponded, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge

And fill ahimself with the east wind? [aLit his belly]

³“Should he argue with useless talk,

Or with words which are not profitable?

⁴“Indeed, you do away with areverence

And hinder meditation before God. [aLit fear]

⁵“For your guilt teaches your mouth,

And you choose the language of the crafty.

⁶“Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

And your own lips testify against you.

7 “Were you the first man to be born,

Or were you brought forth before the hills?

⁸“Do you hear the secret counsel of God,

And limit wisdom to yourself?

⁹“What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that awe do not? [aLit is not within us?]

¹⁰“Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,

Older than your father.

¹¹“Are the consolations of God too small for you,

Even the word spoken gently with you?

¹²“Why does your heart carry you away?

And why do your eyes flash,

¹³That you should turn your spirit against God

And allow such words to go out of your mouth?

¹⁴“What is man, that he should be pure,

Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵“Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones,

And the heavens are not pure in His sight;

¹⁶How much less one who is detestable and corrupt,

Man, who drinks iniquity like water!

What Eliphaz Has Seen of Life

17 “I will tell you, listen to me;

And what I have seen I will also declare;

¹⁸What wise men have told,

And have not concealed from their fathers,

¹⁹To whom alone the land was given,

And no alien passed among them.

²⁰“The wicked man writhes in pain all his days,

And anumbered are the years stored up for the ruthless. [aLit the number of years are]

²¹“aSounds of terror are in his ears;

While at peace the destroyer comes upon him. [aLit A sound of terrors is]

²²“He does not believe that he will return from darkness,

And he is destined for the sword.

²³“He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’

He knows that a day of darkness is aat hand. [aLit ready at his hand]

²⁴“Distress and anguish terrify him,

They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,

²⁵Because he has stretched out his hand against God

And conducts himself arrogantly against athe Almighty. [aHeb Shaddai]

²⁶“He rushes aheadlong at Him

With bhis massive shield. [aLit with a stiff neck bLit the thick-bossed shields]

²⁷“For he has covered his face with his fat

And made his thighs heavy with flesh.

²⁸“He has lived in desolate cities,

In houses no one would inhabit,

Which are destined to become aruins. [aOr heaps]

²⁹“He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;

And his grain will not bend down to the ground.

³⁰“He will not aescape from darkness;

The flame will wither his shoots,

And by the breath of His mouth he will go away. [aLit turn aside]

³¹“Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;

For emptiness will be his areward. [aLit exchange]

³²“It will be accomplished before his time,

And his palm branch will not be green.

³³“He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine,

And will cast off his flower like the olive tree.

³⁴“For the company of the godless is barren,

And fire consumes the tents of athe corrupt. [aLit a bribe]

³⁵“They conceive amischief and bring forth iniquity,

And their bmind prepares deception.” [aOr pain bLit belly]

JOB 16 [Books]

Job Says Friends Are Sorry Comforters

1 Then Job aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“I have heard many such things;

aSorry comforters are you all. [aLit Comforters of trouble]

³“Is there no limit to windy words?

Or what plagues you that you answer?

⁴“I too could speak like you,

If aI were in your place.

I could compose words against you

And shake my head at you. [aLit your soul were in place of my soul]

⁵“I could strengthen you with my mouth,

And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.

Job Says God Shattered Him

6 “If I speak, my pain is not lessened,

And if I hold back, what has left me?

⁷“But now He has exhausted me;

You have laid waste all my company.

⁸“You have shriveled me up,

It has become a witness;

And my leanness rises up against me,

It testifies to my face.

⁹“His anger has torn me and ahunted me down,

He has gnashed at me with His teeth;

My adversary bglares at me. [aLit borne a grudge against me bLit sharpens his eyes]

¹⁰“They have gaped at me with their mouth,

They have aslapped me on the cheek with contempt;

They have massed themselves against me. [aLit struck]

¹¹“God hands me over to ruffians

And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.

¹²“I was at ease, but He shattered me,

And He has grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces;

He has also set me up as His target.

¹³“His arrows surround me.

Without mercy He splits my kidneys open;

He pours out my gall on the ground.

¹⁴“He breaks through me with breach after breach;

He runs at me like a warrior.

¹⁵“I have sewed sackcloth over my skin

And thrust my horn in the dust.

¹⁶“My face is flushed from weeping,

And deep darkness is on my eyelids,

¹⁷Although there is no violence in my hands,

And my prayer is pure.

18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,

And let there be no resting place for my cry.

¹⁹“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,

And my aadvocate is on high. [aOr witness]

²⁰“My friends are my scoffers;

My eye aweeps to God. [aOr drips]

²¹“O that a man might plead with God

As a man with his neighbor!

²²“For when a few years are past,

I shall go the way of no return.

JOB 17 [Books]

Job Says He Has Become a Byword

1 “My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished,

The agrave is ready for me. [aLit graves]

²“Surely mockers are with me,

And my eye agazes on their provocation. [aLit lodges]

3 “Lay down, now, a pledge for me with Yourself;

Who is there that will abe my guarantor? [aLit strike hands with me]

⁴“For You have akept their heart from understanding,

Therefore You will not exalt them. [aLit hidden]

⁵“He who informs against friends for a share of the spoil,

The eyes of his children also will languish.

6 “But He has made me a byword of the people,

And I am aone at whom men spit. [aLit a spitting to the faces]

⁷“My eye has also grown dim because of grief,

And all my members are as a shadow.

⁸“The upright will be appalled at this,

And the innocent will stir up himself against the godless.

⁹“Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,

And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

¹⁰“But come again all of ayou now,

For I do not find a wise man among you. [aWith some ancient mss and versions; M.T. them]

¹¹“My days are past, my plans are torn apart,

Even the wishes of my heart.

¹²“They make night into day, saying,

‘The light is near,’ in the presence of darkness.

¹³“If I look for Sheol as my home,

I amake my bed in the darkness; [aLit spread out]

¹⁴If I call to the pit, ‘You are my father’;

To the worm, ‘my mother and my sister’;

¹⁵Where now is my hope?

And who regards my hope?

¹⁶“aWill it go down with me to Sheol?

Shall we together go down into the dust?” [aSo the Gr; Heb possibly Let my limbs sink down to Sheol, since there is rest in the dust for all]

JOB 18 [Books]

Bildad Speaks of the Wicked

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite aresponded, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“How long will you hunt for words?

Show understanding and then we can talk.

³“Why are we regarded as beasts,

As stupid in your eyes?

⁴“O ayou who tear yourself in your anger—

For your sake is the earth to be abandoned,

Or the rock to be moved from its place? [aLit he...tears himself...his]

5 “Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out,

And the aflame of his fire gives no light. [aLit spark]

⁶“The light in his tent is darkened,

And his lamp goes out above him.

⁷“His avigorous stride is shortened,

And his own scheme brings him down. [aLit steps of his strength]

⁸“For he is thrown into the net by his own feet,

And he steps on the webbing.

⁹“A snare seizes him by the heel,

And a trap snaps shut on him.

¹⁰“A noose for him is hidden in the ground,

And a trap for him on the path.

¹¹“All around terrors frighten him,

And harry him at every step.

¹²“His strength is famished,

And calamity is ready at his side.

¹³“aHis skin is devoured by disease,

The firstborn of death devours his blimbs. [aHeb It eats parts of his skin bOr parts]

¹⁴“He is torn from athe security of his tent,

And bthey march him before the king of terrors. [aLit his tent his trust bOr you or she shall march]

¹⁵“aThere dwells in his tent nothing of his;

Brimstone is scattered on his habitation. [aA suggested reading is Fire dwells in his tent]

¹⁶“His roots are dried below,

And his branch is cut off above.

¹⁷“Memory of him perishes from the earth,

And he has no name abroad.

¹⁸“aHe is driven from light into darkness,

And chased from the inhabited world. [aLit They drive him...And chase him]

¹⁹“He has no offspring or posterity among his people,

Nor any survivor where he sojourned.

²⁰“Those ain the west are appalled at his bfate,

And those cin the east are seized with horror. [aLit who come after bLit day cLit who have gone before]

²¹“Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,

And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

JOB 19 [Books]

Job Feels Insulted

1 Then Job aresponded, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“How long will you torment ame

And crush me with words? [aLit my soul]

³“These ten times you have insulted me;

You are not ashamed to wrong me.

⁴“Even if I have truly erred,

My error lodges with me.

⁵“If indeed you vaunt yourselves against me

And prove my disgrace to me,

⁶Know then that God has wronged me

And has closed His net around me.

Everything Is against Him

7 “Behold, I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer;

I shout for help, but there is no justice.

⁸“He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass,

And He has put darkness on my paths.

⁹“He has stripped my honor from me

And removed the crown from my head.

¹⁰“He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone;

And He has uprooted my hope like a tree.

¹¹“He has also kindled His anger against me

And considered me as His enemy.

¹²“His troops come together,

And build up their away against me

And camp around my tent. [aI.e. siegework]

13 “He has removed my brothers far from me,

And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.

¹⁴“My relatives have failed,

And my intimate friends have forgotten me.

¹⁵“Those who live in my house and my maids consider me a stranger.

I am a foreigner in their sight.

¹⁶“I call to my servant, but he does not answer;

I have to implore him with my mouth.

¹⁷“My breath is aoffensive to my wife,

And I am loathsome to my own brothers. [aLit strange]

¹⁸“Even young children despise me;

I rise up and they speak against me.

¹⁹“All amy associates abhor me,

And those I love have turned against me. [aLit the men of my council]

²⁰“My bone clings to my skin and my flesh,

And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.

²¹“Pity me, pity me, O you my friends,

For the hand of God has struck me.

²²“Why do you persecute me as God does,

And are not satisfied with my flesh?

Job Says, “My Redeemer Lives”

23 “Oh that my words were written!

Oh that they were inscribed in a book!

²⁴“That with an iron stylus and lead

They were engraved in the rock forever!

²⁵“As for me, I know that my aRedeemer lives,

And bat the last He will take His stand on the cearth. [aOr Vindicator, defender; lit kinsman bOr as the Last cLit dust]

²⁶“Even after my skin ais destroyed,

Yet from my flesh I shall see God; [aLit which they have cut off]

²⁷Whom I amyself shall behold,

And whom my eyes will see and not another.

My bheart faints cwithin me! [aOr on my side bLit kidneys cLit in my loins]

²⁸“If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’

And ‘aWhat pretext for a case against him can we find?’ [aOr the root of the matter is found in him]

²⁹“Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves,

For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,

So that you may know there is judgment.”

JOB 20 [Books]

Zophar Says, “The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short”

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me arespond,

Even because of my binward agitation. [aLit return bLit haste within me]

³“I listened to the reproof which insults me,

And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

⁴“Do you know this from of old,

From the establishment of man on earth,

⁵That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the godless momentary?

⁶“Though his loftiness areaches the heavens,

And his head touches the clouds, [aLit goes up to]

⁷He perishes forever like his refuse;

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

⁸“He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;

Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

⁹“The eye which saw him sees him no longer,

And his place no longer beholds him.

¹⁰“His sons afavor the poor,

And his hands give back his wealth. [aOr seek the favor of]

¹¹“His bones are full of his youthful vigor,

But it lies down with him ain the dust. [aLit on]

12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth

And he hides it under his tongue,

¹³Though he adesires it and will not let it go,

But holds it in his bmouth, [aLit has compassion on bLit palate]

¹⁴Yet his food in his stomach is changed

To the avenom of cobras within him. [aLit gall]

¹⁵“He swallows riches,

But will vomit them up;

God will expel them from his belly.

¹⁶“He sucks the poison of cobras;

The viper’s tongue slays him.

¹⁷“He does not look at the streams,

The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

¹⁸“He returns what he has attained

And cannot swallow it;

As to the riches of his trading,

He cannot even enjoy them.

¹⁹“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor;

He has seized a house which he has not built.

20 “Because he knew no quiet awithin him,

He does not retain anything he desires. [aLit in his belly]

²¹“Nothing remains afor him to devour,

Therefore his prosperity does not endure. [aOr of what he devours]

²²“In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;

The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

²³“When he fills his belly,

God will send His fierce anger on him

And will rain it on him awhile he is eating. [aOr as his food]

²⁴“He may flee from the iron weapon,

But the bronze bow will pierce him.

²⁵“It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,

Even the glittering point from his gall.

Terrors come upon him,

²⁶Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,

And unfanned fire will devour him;

It will consume the survivor in his tent.

²⁷“The heavens will reveal his iniquity,

And the earth will rise up against him.

²⁸“The increase of his house will depart;

His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

²⁹“This is the wicked man’s portion from God,

Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”

JOB 21 [Books]

Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked

1 Then Job aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Listen carefully to my speech,

And let this be your way of consolation.

³“Bear with me that I may speak;

Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

⁴“As for me, is my complaint ato man?

And why should bI not be impatient? [aOr against bLit my spirit]

⁵“Look at me, and be astonished,

And put your hand over your mouth.

⁶“Even when I remember, I am disturbed,

And horror takes hold of my flesh.

⁷“Why do the wicked still live,

Continue on, also become very powerful?

⁸“Their adescendants are established with them in their sight,

And their offspring before their eyes, [aLit seed]

⁹Their houses are safe from fear,

And the rod of God is not on them.

¹⁰“His ox mates awithout fail;

His cow calves and does not abort. [aLit and does not fail]

¹¹“They send forth their little ones like the flock,

And their children skip about.

¹²“They asing to the timbrel and harp

And rejoice at the sound of the flute. [aLit lifted up the voice]

¹³“They spend their days in prosperity,

And asuddenly they go down to bSheol. [aSo with most versions; M.T. are shattered by Sheol bI.e. the nether world]

¹⁴“They say to God, ‘Depart from us!

We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

¹⁵‘aWho is bthe Almighty, that we should serve Him,

And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’ [aLit What bHeb Shaddai]

¹⁶“Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;

The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,

Or does their calamity fall on them?

Does aGod apportion destruction in His anger? [aLit He]

¹⁸“Are they as straw before the wind,

And like chaff which the storm carries away?

¹⁹“You say, ‘God stores away aa man’s iniquity for his sons.’

Let bGod repay him so that he may know it. [aLit his bLit Him]

²⁰“Let his own eyes see his decay,

And let him drink of the wrath of athe Almighty. [aHeb Shaddai]

²¹“For what does he care for his household aafter him,

When the number of his months is cut off? [aI.e. after he dies]

²²“Can anyone teach God knowledge,

In that He judges those on high?

²³“One dies in his full strength,

Being wholly at ease and asatisfied; [aOr quiet]

²⁴His asides are filled out with fat,

And the marrow of his bones is moist, [aSo with Syr; Heb uncertain. Some render as, his pails are full of milk]

²⁵While another dies with a bitter soul,

Never even atasting anything good. [aLit eating]

²⁶“Together they lie down in the dust,

And worms cover them.

27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,

And the plans by which you would wrong me.

²⁸“For you say, ‘Where is the house of the nobleman,

And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’

²⁹“Have you not asked wayfaring men,

And do you not recognize their awitness? [aLit signs]

³⁰“For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity;

They will be led forth at the day of fury.

³¹“Who will aconfront him with his actions,

And who will repay him for what he has done? [aLit declare his way to his face]

³²“While he is carried to the grave,

Men will keep watch over his tomb.

³³“The clods of the valley will agently cover him;

Moreover, all men will bfollow after him,

While countless ones go before him. [aLit be sweet to him bLit draw]

³⁴“How then will you vainly comfort me,

For your answers remain full of afalsehood?” [aOr faithlessness]

JOB 22 [Books]

Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite aresponded, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Can a vigorous man be of use to God,

Or a wise man be useful to himself?

³“Is there any pleasure to athe Almighty if you are righteous,

Or profit if you make your ways perfect? [aHeb Shaddai]

⁴“Is it because of your areverence that He reproves you,

That He enters into judgment against you? [aOr fear]

⁵“Is not your wickedness great,

And your iniquities without end?

⁶“For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause,

And stripped amen naked. [aLit clothing of the naked]

⁷“To the weary you have given no water to drink,

And from the hungry you have withheld bread.

⁸“But the earth belongs to the mighty man,

And the honorable man dwells in it.

⁹“You have sent widows away empty,

And the astrength of the orphans has been crushed. [aLit arms]

¹⁰“Therefore snares surround you,

And sudden dread terrifies you,

¹¹Or darkness, so that you cannot see,

And an abundance of water covers you.

12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?

Look also at the adistant stars, how high they are! [aLit head, top-most]

¹³“You say, ‘What does God know?

Can He judge through the thick darkness?

¹⁴‘Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;

And He walks on the avault of heaven.’ [aLit circle]

¹⁵“Will you keep to the ancient path

Which wicked men have trod,

¹⁶Who were snatched away before their time,

Whose foundations were awashed away by a river? [aLit poured out]

¹⁷“They said to God, ‘Depart from us!’

And ‘What can athe Almighty do to them?’ [aHeb Shaddai]

¹⁸“Yet He filled their houses with good things;

But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁹“The righteous see and are glad,

And the innocent mock them,

²⁰Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off,

And their aabundance the fire has consumed.’ [aOr excess]

21 “aYield now and be at peace with Him;

Thereby good will come to you. [aOr Know intimately]

²²“Please receive ainstruction from His mouth

And establish His words in your heart. [aOr law]

²³“If you return to athe Almighty, you will be brestored;

If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent, [aHeb Shaddai bLit built up]

²⁴And place your agold in the dust,

And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks, [aLit ore]

²⁵Then athe Almighty will be your bgold

And choice silver to you. [aHeb Shaddai bLit ore]

²⁶“For then you will delight in athe Almighty

And lift up your face to God. [aHeb Shaddai]

²⁷“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you;

And you will pay your vows.

²⁸“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;

And light will shine on your ways.

²⁹“When ayou are cast down, you will speak with bconfidence,

And the chumble person He will save. [aLit they cast you down bLit pride cLit lowly of eyes]

³⁰“He will deliver one who is not innocent,

And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

JOB 23 [Books]

Job Says He Longs for God

1 Then Job areplied, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Even today my complaint is rebellion;

aHis hand is heavy despite my groaning. [aSo with Gr and Syr; M.T. My]

³“Oh that I knew where I might find Him,

That I might come to His seat!

⁴“I would present my case before Him

And fill my mouth with arguments.

⁵“I would learn the words which He would aanswer,

And perceive what He would say to me. [aLit answer me]

⁶“Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power?

No, surely He would pay attention to me.

⁷“There the upright would reason with Him;

And I awould be delivered forever from my Judge. [aOr bring forth my justice forever]

8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,

And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

⁹When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;

He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.

¹⁰“But He knows the away I take;

When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. [aLit way with me]

¹¹“My foot has held fast to His path;

I have kept His way and not turned aside.

¹²“I have not departed from the command of His lips;

I have treasured the words of His mouth amore than my bnecessary food. [aOr with some versions, in my breast bLit prescribed portion]

¹³“But He is unique and who can turn Him?

And what His soul desires, that He does.

¹⁴“For He performs what is appointed for me,

And many such decrees are with Him.

¹⁵“Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence;

When I consider, I am terrified of Him.

¹⁶“It is God who has made my heart faint,

And the Almighty who has dismayed me,

¹⁷But I am not silenced by the darkness,

Nor deep gloom which covers me.

JOB 24 [Books]

Job Says God Seems to Ignore Wrongs

1 “Why are atimes not stored up by the Almighty,

And why do those who know Him not see His days? [aI.e. times of judgment]

²“aSome remove the landmarks;

They seize and bdevour flocks. [aLit They bOr pasture]

³“They drive away the donkeys of the orphans;

They take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

⁴“They push the needy aside from the road;

The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

⁵“Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness

They go forth seeking food in their activity,

As abread for their children in the desert. [aLit his bread]

⁶“They harvest their fodder in the field

And glean the vineyard of the wicked.

⁷“They spend the night naked, without clothing,

And have no covering against the cold.

⁸“They are wet with the mountain rains

And hug the rock for want of a shelter.

⁹“aOthers snatch the orphan from the breast,

And against the poor they take a pledge. [aLit They]

¹⁰“They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing,

And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

¹¹“Within the walls they produce oil;

They tread wine presses but thirst.

¹²“From the city men groan,

And the souls of the wounded cry out;

Yet God does not pay attention to folly.

13 “aOthers have been with those who rebel against the light;

They do not want to know its ways

Nor abide in its paths. [aLit They]

¹⁴“The murderer arises at dawn;

He kills the poor and the needy,

And at night he is as a thief.

¹⁵“The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight,

Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’

And he adisguises his face. [aOr puts a covering on his face]

¹⁶“In the dark they dig into houses,

They shut themselves up by day;

They do not know the light.

¹⁷“For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness,

For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.

18 “They are ainsignificant on the surface of the water;

Their portion is cursed on the earth.

They do not turn btoward the vineyards. [aOr light or swift bLit to the path of]

¹⁹“Drought and heat aconsume the snow waters,

So does bSheol those who have sinned. [aLit seize bI.e. nether world]

²⁰“A amother will forget him;

The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered.

And wickedness will be broken like a tree. [aLit womb]

²¹“He wrongs the abarren woman

And does no good for the widow. [aLit barren who does not bear]

²²“But He drags off the valiant by His power;

He rises, but no one has assurance of life.

²³“He provides them with security, and they are supported;

And His eyes are on their ways.

²⁴“They are exalted a little while, then they are gone;

Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up;

Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

²⁵“Now if it is not so, who can prove me a liar,

And make my speech worthless?”

JOB 25 [Books]

Bildad Says Man Is Inferior

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite aanswered, [1 aLit answered and said]

²“Dominion and awe abelong to Him

Who establishes peace in His heights. [aLit are with Him]

³“Is there any number to His troops?

And upon whom does His light not rise?

⁴“How then can a man be just with God?

Or how can he be clean who is born of woman?

⁵“If even the moon has no brightness

And the stars are not pure in His sight,

⁶How much less man, that maggot,

And the son of man, that worm!”

JOB 26 [Books]

Job Rebukes Bildad

1 Then Job aresponded, [1 aLit responded and said]

²“What a help you are to athe weak!

How you have saved the arm without strength! [aLit no power]

³“What counsel you have given to one without wisdom!

What helpful insight you have abundantly aprovided! [aLit made known]

⁴“To whom have you uttered words?

And whose aspirit was expressed through you? [aLit breath has gone forth]

The Greatness of God

5 “The adeparted spirits tremble

Under the waters and their inhabitants. [aOr shades; Heb Rephaim]

⁶“Naked is aSheol before Him,

And bAbaddon has no covering. [aI.e. the nether world bI.e. place of destruction]

⁷“He stretches out the north over empty space

And hangs the earth on nothing.

⁸“He wraps up the waters in His clouds,

And the cloud does not burst under them.

⁹“He aobscures the face of the bfull moon

And spreads His cloud over it. [aLit covers bOr throne]

¹⁰“He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters

At the boundary of light and darkness.

¹¹“The pillars of heaven tremble

And are amazed at His rebuke.

¹²“He quieted the sea with His power,

And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

¹³“By His breath the heavens are acleared;

His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent. [aLit made beautiful]

¹⁴“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;

And how faint a word we hear of Him!

But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

JOB 27 [Books]

Job Affirms His Righteousness

1 Then Job acontinued his discourse and said, [1 aOr again took up]

²“As God lives, who has taken away my right,

And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,

³For as long as alife is in me,

And the bbreath of God is in my nostrils, [aLit breath bOr spirit]

⁴My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,

Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.

⁵“Far be it from me that I should declare you right;

Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

⁶“I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go.

My heart does not reproach any of my days.

The State of the Godless

7 “May my enemy be as the wicked

And amy opponent as the unjust. [aLit he who rises up against me]

⁸“For what is the hope of the godless awhen he is cut off,

When God requires his blife? [aOr though he gains bLit soul]

⁹“Will God hear his cry

When distress comes upon him?

¹⁰“Will he take delight in the Almighty?

Will he call on God at all times?

¹¹“I will instruct you in the apower of God;

What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. [aLit hand]

¹²“Behold, all of you have seen it;

Why then do you aact foolishly? [aOr speak vanity]

13 “This is the portion of a wicked man from God,

And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty.

¹⁴“Though his sons are many, athey are destined for the sword;

And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread. [aLit the sword is for them]

¹⁵“His survivors will be buried because of the plague,

And atheir widows will not be able to weep. [aSo ancient versions; Heb his]

¹⁶“Though he piles up silver like dust

And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,

¹⁷He may prepare it, but the just will wear it

And the innocent will divide the silver.

¹⁸“He has built his house like the aspider’s web,

Or as a hut which the watchman has made. [aSo ancient versions; Heb moth]

¹⁹“He lies down rich, but never aagain;

He opens his eyes, and it is no longer. [aSo ancient versions; Heb will be gathered]

²⁰“Terrors overtake him like a flood;

A tempest steals him away in the night.

²¹“The east wind carries him away, and he is gone,

For it whirls him away from his place.

²²“For it will hurl at him without sparing;

He will surely try to flee from its apower. [aLit hand]

²³“Men will clap their hands at him

And will hiss him from his place.

JOB 28 [Books]

Job Tells of Earth’s Treasures

1 “Surely there is a amine for silver

And a place bwhere they refine gold. [aOr source bLit for gold they refine]

²“Iron is taken from the dust,

And copper is smelted from rock.

³“Man puts an end to darkness,

And to the farthest limit he searches out

The rock in gloom and deep shadow.

⁴“He asinks a shaft far from bhabitation,

Forgotten by the foot;

They hang and swing to and fro far from men. [aLit breaks open bLit sojourning]

⁵“The earth, from it comes food,

And underneath it is turned up as fire.

⁶“Its rocks are the asource of sapphires,

And its dust contains gold. [aOr place]

⁷“The path no bird of prey knows,

Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.

⁸“The aproud beasts have not trodden it,

Nor has the fierce lion passed over it. [aLit sons of pride]

⁹“He puts his hand on the flint;

He overturns the mountains at the abase. [aLit roots]

¹⁰“He hews out channels through the rocks,

And his eye sees anything precious.

¹¹“He dams up the streams from aflowing,

And what is hidden he brings out to the light. [aLit weeping]

The Search for Wisdom Is Harder

12 “But where can wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

¹³“Man does not know its value,

Nor is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁴“The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;

And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

¹⁵“Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,

Nor can silver be weighed as its price.

¹⁶“It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

In precious onyx, or sapphire.

¹⁷“Gold or glass cannot equal it,

Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold.

¹⁸“Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;

And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.

¹⁹“The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,

Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

²⁰“Where then does wisdom come from?

And where is the place of understanding?

²¹“Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living

And concealed from the birds of the sky.

²²“aAbaddon and Death say,

‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’ [aI.e. Destruction]

23 “God understands its way,

And He knows its place.

²⁴“For He looks to the ends of the earth

And sees everything under the heavens.

²⁵“When He imparted weight to the wind

And meted out the waters by measure,

²⁶When He set a limit for the rain

And a course for the thunderbolt,

²⁷Then He saw it and declared it;

He established it and also searched it out.

²⁸“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;

And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

JOB 29 [Books]

Job’s Past Was Glorious

1 And Job again took up his discourse and said,

²“Oh that I were as in months gone by,

As in the days when God watched over me;

³When His lamp shone over my head,

And by His light I walked through darkness;

⁴As I was in athe prime of my days,

When the bfriendship of God was over my tent; [aLit the days of my autumn bLit counsel]

⁵When athe Almighty was yet with me,

And my children were around me; [aHeb Shaddai]

⁶When my steps were bathed in butter,

And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

⁷“When I went out to the gate of the city,

When I atook my seat in the square, [aLit set up]

⁸The young men saw me and hid themselves,

And the old men arose and stood.

⁹“The princes stopped talking

And put their hands on their mouths;

¹⁰The voice of the nobles was ahushed,

And their tongue stuck to their palate. [aLit hidden]

¹¹“For when the ear heard, it called me blessed,

And when the eye saw, it gave witness of me,

¹²Because I delivered the poor who cried for help,

And the orphan who had no helper.

¹³“The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me,

And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

¹⁴“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

My justice was like a robe and a turban.

¹⁵“I was eyes to the blind

And feet to the lame.

¹⁶“I was a father to the needy,

And I investigated the case which I did not know.

¹⁷“I broke the jaws of the wicked

And snatched the prey from his teeth.

¹⁸“Then I athought, ‘I shall die bin my nest,

And I shall multiply my days as the sand. [aLit said bLit with]

¹⁹‘My root is spread out to the waters,

And dew lies all night on my branch.

²⁰‘My glory is ever new with me,

And my bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “To me they listened and waited,

And kept silent for my counsel.

²²“After my words they did not speak again,

And my speech dropped on them.

²³“They waited for me as for the rain,

And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.

²⁴“I smiled on them when they did not believe,

And the light of my face they did not cast down.

²⁵“I chose a way for them and sat as chief,

And dwelt as a king among the troops,

As one who comforted the mourners.

JOB 30 [Books]

Job’s Present State Is Humiliating

1 “But now those younger than I mock me,

Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.

²“Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me?

Vigor had perished from them.

³“From want and famine they are gaunt

Who gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation,

⁴Who pluck amallow by the bushes,

And whose food is the root of the broom shrub. [aI.e. plant of the salt marshes]

⁵“They are driven from the community;

They shout against them as against a thief,

⁶So that they dwell in dreadful avalleys,

In holes of the earth and of the rocks. [aOr wadis]

⁷“Among the bushes they acry out;

Under the nettles they are gathered together. [aOr bray]

⁸“aFools, even bthose without a name,

They were scourged from the land. [aLit Sons of fools bLit sons]

9 “And now I have become their ataunt,

I have even become a byword to them. [aLit song]

¹⁰“They abhor me and stand aloof from me,

And they do not arefrain from spitting at my face. [aLit withhold spit from my face]

¹¹“Because aHe has loosed bHis cbowstring and afflicted me,

They have cast off the bridle before me. [aOr they bSome mss read my cOr cord]

¹²“On the right hand their abrood arises;

They thrust aside my feet and build up against me their ways of destruction. [aPossibly sprout or offspring]

¹³“They break up my path,

They profit afrom my destruction;

No one restrains them. [aLit for]

¹⁴“As through a wide breach they come,

aAmid the tempest they roll on. [aLit Under]

¹⁵“Terrors are turned against me;

They pursue my ahonor as the wind,

And my bprosperity has passed away like a cloud. [aOr nobility bOr welfare]

16 “And now my soul is poured out awithin me;

Days of affliction have seized me. [aLit upon]

¹⁷“At night it pierces my bones awithin me,

And my gnawing pains take no rest. [aLit from upon]

¹⁸“By a great force my garment is distorted;

It binds me about as the collar of my coat.

¹⁹“He has cast me into the mire,

And I have become like dust and ashes.

²⁰“I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me;

I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me.

²¹“You have abecome cruel to me;

With the might of Your hand You persecute me. [aLit turned to be]

²²“You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride;

And You dissolve me in a storm.

²³“For I know that You will bring me to death

And to the house of meeting for all living.

24 “Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand,

Or in his disaster therefore cry out for help?

²⁵“Have I not wept for the aone whose life is hard?

Was not my soul grieved for the needy? [aLit hard of day]

²⁶“When I expected good, then evil came;

When I waited for light, then darkness came.

²⁷“aI am seething within and cannot relax;

Days of affliction confront me. [aLit My inward parts are boiling]

²⁸“I go about amourning without comfort;

I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help. [aOr blackened, but not by the heat of the sun]

²⁹“I have become a brother to jackals

And a companion of ostriches.

³⁰“My skin turns black aon me,

And my bones burn with bfever. [aLit from upon bLit heat]

³¹“Therefore my harp ais turned to mourning,

And my flute to the sound of those who weep. [aLit becomes]

JOB 31 [Books]

Job Asserts His Integrity

1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;

How then could I gaze at a virgin?

²“And what is the portion of God from above

Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

³“Is it not calamity to the unjust

And disaster to those who work iniquity?

⁴“Does He not see my ways

And number all my steps?

5 “If I have walked with falsehood,

And my foot has hastened after deceit,

⁶Let Him weigh me with aaccurate scales,

And let God know my integrity. [aLit just]

⁷“If my step has turned from the way,

Or my heart afollowed my eyes,

Or if any spot has stuck to my hands, [aLit walked after]

⁸Let me sow and another eat,

And let my acrops be uprooted. [aOr offspring]

9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

¹⁰May my wife grind for another,

And let others akneel down over her. [aI.e. sexual relations]

¹¹“For that would be a lustful crime;

Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

¹²“For it would be fire that consumes to aAbaddon,

And would uproot all my bincrease. [aI.e. place of destruction bOr yield]

13 “If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves

When they filed a complaint against me,

¹⁴What then could I do when God arises?

And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

¹⁵“Did not He who made me in the womb make him,

And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

¹⁷Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the orphan has not ashared it [aLit eaten from it]

¹⁸(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

And from ainfancy I guided her), [aLit my mother’s womb]

¹⁹If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering,

²⁰If his loins have not athanked me,

And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep, [aLit blessed]

²¹If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,

Because I saw aI had support in the gate, [aLit my help]

²²Let my shoulder fall from the asocket,

And my arm be broken off bat the elbow. [aLit shoulder; or back bLit from the bone of the upper arm]

²³“For calamity from God is a terror to me,

And because of His amajesty I can do nothing. [aLit exaltation]

24 “If I have put my confidence in gold,

And called fine gold my trust,

²⁵If I have gloated because my wealth was great,

And because my hand had secured so much;

²⁶If I have looked at the asun when it shone

Or the moon going in splendor, [aLit light]

²⁷And my heart became secretly enticed,

And my hand athrew a kiss from my mouth, [aLit kissed my mouth]

²⁸That too would have been an iniquity calling for ajudgment,

For I would have denied God above. [aLit judges]

29 “Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,

Or aexulted when evil befell him? [aLit lifted myself up]

³⁰“aNo, I have not ballowed my mouth to sin

By asking for his life in a curse. [aLit And bLit given my palate]

³¹“Have the men of my tent not said,

‘Who can afind one who has not been satisfied with his meat’? [aLit give]

³²“The alien has not lodged outside,

For I have opened my doors to the atraveler. [aM.T. way]

³³“Have I covered my transgressions like aAdam,

By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, [aOr mankind]

³⁴Because I feared the great multitude,

And the contempt of families terrified me,

And kept silent and did not go out of doors?

³⁵“Oh that I had one to hear me!

Behold, here is my asignature;

Let the Almighty answer me!

And the indictment which my adversary has written, [aLit mark]

³⁶Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,

I would bind it to myself like a crown.

³⁷“I would declare to Him the number of my steps;

Like a prince I would approach Him.

38 “If my land cries out against me,

And its furrows weep together;

³⁹If I have eaten its afruit without money,

Or have caused bits owners to lose their lives, [aLit strength bLit the soul of its owners to expire]

⁴⁰Let briars agrow instead of wheat,

And stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended. [aLit come forth]

JOB 32 [Books]

Elihu in Anger Rebukes Job

1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. ²But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself abefore God. ³And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. ⁴Now Elihu had waited bto speak to Job because they were years older than he. ⁵And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned. [2 aOr more than 4 bLit for Job with words; or possibly while they were speaking with Job]

6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite aspoke out and said,

“I am young in years and you are old;

Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you bwhat I think. [6 aLit answered bLit my knowledge]

⁷“I athought bage should speak,

And cincreased years should teach wisdom. [aLit said bLit days cLit many]

⁸“But it is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

⁹“The aabundant in years may not be wise,

Nor may elders understand justice. [aOr nobles]

¹⁰“So I asay, ‘Listen to me,

I too will tell bwhat I think.’ [aOr said bLit my knowledge]

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened to your reasonings,

While you apondered what to say. [aLit searched out words]

¹²“I even paid close attention to you;

aIndeed, there was no one who refuted Job,

Not one of you who answered his words. [aLit Behold]

¹³“Do not say,

‘We have found wisdom;

God will arout him, not man.’ [aLit drive away]

¹⁴“For he has not arranged his words against me,

Nor will I reply to him with your aarguments. [aLit words]

15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer;

Words have afailed them. [aLit moved away from]

¹⁶“Shall I wait, because they do not speak,

Because they astop and no longer answer? [aLit stand]

¹⁷“I too will answer my share,

I also will tell my opinion.

¹⁸“For I am full of words;

The spirit within me constrains me.

¹⁹“Behold, my belly is like unvented wine,

Like new wineskins it is about to burst.

²⁰“Let me speak that I may get relief;

Let me open my lips and answer.

²¹“Let me now be partial to no one,

Nor flatter any man.

²²“For I do not know how to flatter,

Else my Maker would soon take me away.

JOB 33 [Books]

Elihu Claims to Speak for God

1 “However now, Job, please hear my speech,

And listen to all my words.

²“Behold now, I open my mouth,

My tongue in my amouth speaks. [aLit palate]

³“My words are from the uprightness of my heart,

And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

⁴“The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of athe Almighty gives me life. [aHeb Shaddai]

⁵“Refute me if you can;

Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

⁶“Behold, I belong to God like you;

I too have been aformed out of the clay. [aLit cut out of]

⁷“Behold, no fear of me should terrify you,

Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

And I have heard the sound of your words:

⁹‘I am pure, without transgression;

I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

¹⁰‘Behold, He ainvents pretexts against me;

He counts me as His enemy. [aLit finds]

¹¹‘He puts my feet in the stocks;

He watches all my paths.’

¹²“Behold, let me atell you, you are not right in this,

For God is greater than man. [aLit answer]

13 “Why do you complain against Him

That He does not give an account of all His doings?

¹⁴“Indeed God speaks once,

Or twice, yet no one notices it.

¹⁵“In a dream, a vision of the night,

When sound sleep falls on men,

While they slumber in their beds,

¹⁶Then He opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction,

¹⁷That He may turn man aside from his conduct,

And akeep man from pride; [aLit hide]

¹⁸He keeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from apassing over into Sheol. [aM.T. perishing by the sword]

19 “aMan is also chastened with pain on his bed,

And with unceasing complaint in his bones; [aLit He]

²⁰So that his life loathes bread,

And his soul favorite food.

²¹“His flesh wastes away from sight,

And his bones which were not seen stick out.

²²“Then his soul draws near to the pit,

And his life to those who bring death.

23 “If there is an angel as mediator for him,

One out of a thousand,

To remind a man what is aright for him, [aLit his uprightness]

²⁴Then let him be gracious to him, and say,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,

I have found a ransom’;

²⁵Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

²⁶Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,

That he may see His face with joy,

And He may restore His righteousness to man.

²⁷“He will sing to men and say,

‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,

And it is not proper for me.

²⁸‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,

And my life shall see the light.’

29 “Behold, God does all these aoftentimes with men, [aLit twice, three times]

³⁰To bring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

³¹“Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

Keep silent, and let me speak.

³²“Then if ayou have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you. [aLit there are words]

³³“If not, listen to me;

Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

JOB 34 [Books]

Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice

1 Then Elihu continued and said,

²“Hear my words, you wise men,

And listen to me, you who know.

³“For the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

⁴“Let us choose for ourselves what is right;

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

But God has taken away my right;

⁶aShould I lie concerning my right?

My bwound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ [aOr Although I am right I am accounted a liar bLit arrow]

⁷“What man is like Job,

Who drinks up derision like water,

⁸Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walks with wicked men?

⁹“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

When he ais pleased with God.’ [aOr takes delight in God]

10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do wickedness,

And from the Almighty to do wrong.

¹¹“For He pays a man according to his work,

And makes ahim find it according to his way. [aLit a man]

¹²“Surely, God will not act wickedly,

And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

¹³“Who gave Him authority over the earth?

And who has laid on Him the whole world?

¹⁴“If He should adetermine to do so,

If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, [aLit set His mind on Himself]

¹⁵All flesh would perish together,

And man would return to dust.

16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;

Listen to the sound of my words.

¹⁷“Shall one who hates justice rule?

And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

¹⁸Who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’

To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;

¹⁹Who shows no partiality to princes

Nor regards the rich above the poor,

For they all are the work of His hands?

²⁰“In a moment they die, and at midnight

People are shaken and pass away,

And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

21 “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man,

And He sees all his steps.

²²“There is no darkness or deep shadow

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³“For He does not need to consider a man further,

That he should go before God in judgment.

²⁴“He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,

And sets others in their place.

²⁵“Therefore He knows their works,

And He overthrows them in the night,

And they are crushed.

²⁶“He strikes them like the wicked

aIn a public place, [aLit In the place of the ones seeing]

²⁷Because they turned aside from following Him,

And had no regard for any of His ways;

²⁸So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,

And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted—

²⁹When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?

And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him,

That is, in regard to both nation and man?—

³⁰So that godless men would not rule

Nor be snares of the people.

31 “For has anyone said to God,

‘I have borne chastisement;

I will not offend anymore;

³²Teach me what I do not see;

If I have done iniquity,

I will not do it again’?

³³“Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it?

For you must choose, and not I;

Therefore declare what you know.

³⁴“Men of understanding will say to me,

And a wise man who hears me,

³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge,

And his words are without wisdom.

³⁶‘Job ought to be tried ato the limit,

Because he answers like wicked men. [aOr to the end]

³⁷‘For he adds rebellion to his sin;

He claps his hands among us,

And multiplies his words against God.’ ”

JOB 35 [Books]

Elihu Sharply Reproves Job

1 Then Elihu continued and said,

²“Do you think this is according to justice?

Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

³“For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to aYou?

What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’ [aOr you]

⁴“I will answer you,

And your friends with you.

⁵“Look at the heavens and see;

And behold the clouds—they are higher than you.

⁶“If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?

And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?

⁷“If you are righteous, what do you give to Him,

Or what does He receive from your hand?

⁸“Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,

And your righteousness is for a son of man.

9 “Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;

They cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.

¹⁰“But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,

Who gives songs in the night,

¹¹Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth

And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

¹²“There they cry out, but He does not answer

Because of the pride of evil men.

¹³“Surely God will not listen to aan empty cry,

Nor will the Almighty regard it. [aOr falsehood]

¹⁴“How much less when you say you do not behold Him,

The case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

¹⁵“And now, because He has not visited in His anger,

Nor has He acknowledged atransgression well, [aOr arrogance]

¹⁶So Job opens his mouth aemptily;

He multiplies words without knowledge.” [aLit vainly]

JOB 36 [Books]

Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men

1 Then Elihu continued and said,

²“Wait for me a little, and I will show you

That there ais yet more to be said in God’s behalf. [aLit are yet words for God]

³“I will fetch my knowledge from afar,

And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

⁴“For truly my words are not false;

One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

⁵“Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any;

He is mighty in strength of understanding.

⁶“He does not keep the wicked alive,

But gives justice to the afflicted.

⁷“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;

But with kings on the throne

He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.

⁸“And if they are bound in fetters,

And are caught in the cords of affliction,

⁹Then He declares to them their work

And their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves.

¹⁰“He opens their ear to instruction,

And commands that they return from evil.

¹¹“If they hear and serve Him,

They will end their days in prosperity

And their years in pleasures.

¹²“But if they do not hear, they shall aperish by the sword

And they will die without knowledge. [aLit pass away]

¹³“But the godless in heart lay up anger;

They do not cry for help when He binds them.

¹⁴“aThey die in youth,

And their life perishes among the cult prostitutes. [aOr Their soul dies]

¹⁵“He delivers the afflicted in atheir affliction,

And opens their ear bin time of oppression. [aLit his bOr in adversity]

¹⁶“Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress,

Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;

And that which was set on your table was full of afatness. [aOr rich food]

17 “But you were full of judgment on the wicked;

Judgment and justice take hold of you.

¹⁸“Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing;

And do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

¹⁹“Will your ariches keep you from distress,

Or all the forces of your strength? [aOr cry]

²⁰“Do not long for the night,

When people avanish in their place. [aLit go up]

²¹“Be careful, do not turn to evil,

For you have preferred this to affliction.

²²“Behold, God is exalted in His power;

Who is a teacher like Him?

²³“Who has appointed Him His way,

And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 “Remember that you should exalt His work,

Of which men have sung.

²⁵“All men have seen it;

Man beholds from afar.

²⁶“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;

The number of His years is unsearchable.

²⁷“For He draws up the drops of water,

They distill rain from athe bmist, [aLit its bOr flood]

²⁸Which the clouds pour down,

They drip upon man abundantly.

²⁹“Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,

The thundering of His apavilion? [aLit booth]

³⁰“Behold, He spreads His alightning about Him,

And He covers the depths of the sea. [aLit light]

³¹“For by these He judges peoples;

He gives food in abundance.

³²“He covers His hands with the alightning,

And commands it to strike the mark. [aLit light]

³³“Its noise declares aHis presence;

The cattle also, concerning what is coming up. [aLit concerning Him]

JOB 37 [Books]

Elihu Says God Is Back of the Storm

1 “At this also my heart trembles,

And leaps from its place.

²“Listen closely to the thunder of His voice,

And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.

³“Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,

And His alightning to the ends of the earth. [aLit light]

⁴“After it, a voice roars;

He thunders with His majestic voice,

And He does not restrain athe lightnings when His voice is heard. [aLit them]

⁵“God thunders with His voice wondrously,

Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.

⁶“For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’

And to the adownpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’ [aLit shower of rain and shower of rains]

⁷“He seals the hand of every man,

That all men may know His work.

⁸“Then the beast goes into its lair

And remains in its aden. [aLit dens]

⁹“Out of the asouth comes the storm,

And out of the bnorth the cold. [aLit chamber bLit scattering winds]

¹⁰“From the breath of God ice is made,

And the expanse of the waters is frozen.

¹¹“Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud;

He disperses the cloud of His alightning. [aLit light]

¹²“It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,

That ait may do whatever He commands bit

On the face of the inhabited earth. [aLit they bLit them]

¹³“Whether for acorrection, or for His world,

Or for lovingkindness, He causes it to bhappen. [aLit the rod bLit be found]

14 “Listen to this, O Job,

Stand and consider the wonders of God.

¹⁵“Do you know how God establishes them,

And makes the alightning of His cloud to shine? [aLit light]

¹⁶“Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,

The wonders of one perfect in knowledge,

¹⁷You whose garments are hot,

When the land is still because of the south wind?

¹⁸“Can you, with Him, spread out the skies,

Strong as a molten mirror?

¹⁹“Teach us what we shall say to Him;

We cannot arrange our case because of darkness.

²⁰“Shall it be told Him that I would speak?

aOr should a man say that he would be swallowed up? [aOr If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up]

21 “Now amen do not see the light which is bright in the skies;

But the wind has passed and cleared them. [aLit they]

²²“Out of the north comes golden splendor;

Around God is awesome majesty.

²³“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;

He is exalted in power

And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness.

²⁴“Therefore men fear Him;

He does not regard any who are wise of heart.”

JOB 38 [Books]

God Speaks Now to Job

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

²“Who is this that darkens counsel

By words without knowledge?

³“Now gird up your loins like a man,

And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

⁴“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell Me, if you ahave understanding, [aLit know understanding]

⁵Who set its measurements? Since you know.

Or who stretched the line on it?

⁶“On what were its bases sunk?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷When the morning stars sang together

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 “Or who enclosed the sea with doors

When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;

⁹When I made a cloud its garment

And thick darkness its swaddling band,

¹⁰And I aplaced boundaries on it

And set a bolt and doors, [aLit broke My decree on it]

¹¹And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;

And here shall your proud waves stop’?

God’s Mighty Power

12 “Have you aever in your life commanded the morning,

And caused the dawn to know its place, [aLit from your days]

¹³That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,

And the wicked be shaken out of it?

¹⁴“It is changed like clay under the seal;

And they stand forth like a garment.

¹⁵“From the wicked their light is withheld,

And the uplifted arm is broken.

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea

Or walked ain the recesses of the deep? [aOr in search of]

¹⁷“Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

¹⁸“Have you understood the aexpanse of the earth?

Tell Me, if you know all this. [aOr width]

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?

And darkness, where is its place,

²⁰That you may take it to its territory

And that you may discern the paths to its ahome? [aLit house]

²¹“You know, for you were born then,

And the number of your days is great!

²²“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

²³Which I have reserved for the time of distress,

For the day of war and battle?

²⁴“Where is the way that the light is divided,

Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

25 “Who has cleft a channel for the flood,

Or a way for the thunderbolt,

²⁶To bring rain on a land without apeople,

On a desert without a man in it, [aLit man]

²⁷To satisfy the waste and desolate land

And to make the aseeds of grass to sprout? [aOr growth]

²⁸“Has the rain a father?

Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹“From whose womb has come the ice?

And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

³⁰“Water abecomes hard like stone,

And the surface of the deep is imprisoned. [aLit hides itself]

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,

Or loose the cords of Orion?

³²“Can you lead forth a aconstellation in its season,

And guide the Bear with her bsatellites? [aHeb Mazzaroth bLit sons]

³³“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,

Or fix their rule over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

So that an abundance of water will cover you?

³⁵“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go

And say to you, ‘Here we are’?

³⁶“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being

Or given understanding to the amind? [aOr rooster]

³⁷“Who can count the clouds by wisdom,

Or tip the water jars of the heavens,

³⁸When the dust hardens into a mass

And the clods stick together?

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰When they crouch in their dens

And lie in wait in their lair?

⁴¹“Who prepares for the raven its nourishment

When its young cry to God

And wander about without food?

JOB 39 [Books]

God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings

1 “Do you know the time the amountain goats give birth?

Do you observe the calving of the deer? [aLit goats of the rock]

²“Can you count the months they fulfill,

Or do you know the time they give birth?

³“They kneel down, they bring forth their young,

They get rid of their labor pains.

⁴“Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;

They leave and do not return to them.

5 “Who sent out the wild donkey free?

And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,

⁶To whom I gave the wilderness for a home

And the salt land for his dwelling place?

⁷“He scorns the tumult of the city,

The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.

⁸“He explores the mountains for his pasture

And searches after every green thing.

⁹“Will the wild ox consent to serve you,

Or will he spend the night at your manger?

¹⁰“Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with aropes,

Or will he harrow the valleys after you? [aLit his rope]

¹¹“Will you trust him because his strength is great

And leave your labor to him?

¹²“Will you have faith in him that he will return your agrain

And gather it from your threshing floor? [aLit seed]

13 “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously

With the pinion and plumage of alove, [aOr a stork]

¹⁴For she abandons her eggs to the earth

And warms them in the dust,

¹⁵And she forgets that a foot may crush athem,

Or that a wild beast may trample athem. [aLit it]

¹⁶“She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers;

Though her labor be in vain, she is aunconcerned; [aLit without fear]

¹⁷Because God has made her forget wisdom,

And has not given her a share of understanding.

¹⁸“When she lifts herself aon high,

She laughs at the horse and his rider. [aOr to flee]

19 “Do you give the horse his might?

Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

²⁰“Do you make him leap like the locust?

His majestic snorting is terrible.

²¹“aHe paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;

He goes out to meet the weapons. [aLit They paw]

²²“He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;

And he does not turn back from the sword.

²³“The quiver rattles against him,

The flashing spear and javelin.

²⁴“With shaking and rage he araces over the ground,

And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet. [aOr swallows up]

²⁵“As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’

And he scents the battle from afar,

And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,

Stretching his wings toward the south?

²⁷“Is it at your acommand that the eagle mounts up

And makes his nest on high? [aLit mouth]

²⁸“On the cliff he dwells and lodges,

Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place.

²⁹“From there he spies out food;

His eyes see it from afar.

³⁰“His young ones also suck up blood;

And where the slain are, there is he.”

JOB 40 [Books]

Job: What Can I Say?

1 Then the LORD said to Job,

²“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

Let him who reproves God answer it.”

3 Then Job answered the LORD and said,

⁴“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?

I lay my hand on my mouth.

⁵“Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;

Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

God Questions Job

6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said,

⁷“Now gird up your loins like a man;

I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

⁸“Will you really annul My judgment?

Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

⁹“Or do you have an arm like God,

And can you thunder with a voice like His?

10 “Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity,

And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.

¹¹“Pour out the overflowings of your anger,

And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.

¹²“Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him,

And tread down the wicked awhere they stand. [aLit under them]

¹³“Hide them in the dust together;

Bind athem in the hidden place. [aOr their faces]

¹⁴“Then I will also aconfess to you,

That your own right hand can save you. [aOr praise you]

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

15 “Behold now, aBehemoth, which I made bas well as you;

He eats grass like an ox. [aOr the hippopotamus bLit with]

¹⁶“Behold now, his strength in his loins

And his power in the muscles of his belly.

¹⁷“He bends his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

¹⁸“His bones are tubes of bronze;

His alimbs are like bars of iron. [aLit bones]

19 “He is the first of the ways of God;

Let his maker bring near his sword.

²⁰“Surely the mountains bring him food,

And all the beasts of the field play there.

²¹“Under the lotus plants he lies down,

In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.

²²“The lotus plants cover him with ashade;

The willows of the brook surround him. [aLit his shade]

²³“If a river arages, he is not alarmed;

He is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth. [aOr oppresses]

²⁴“Can anyone capture him awhen he is on watch,

With bbarbs can anyone pierce his nose? [aLit in his eyes bLit snares]

JOB 41 [Books]

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

1 “aCan you draw out bLeviathan with a fishhook?

Or press down his tongue with a cord? [aCh 40:25 in Heb bOr the crocodile]

²“Can you put a arope in his nose

Or pierce his jaw with a bhook? [aLit rope of rushes bOr thorn or ring]

³“Will he make many supplications to you,

Or will he speak to you soft words?

⁴“Will he make a covenant with you?

Will you take him for a servant forever?

⁵“Will you play with him as with a bird,

Or will you bind him for your maidens?

⁶“Will the atraders bargain over him?

Will they divide him among the merchants? [aLit partners]

⁷“Can you fill his skin with harpoons,

Or his head with fishing spears?

⁸“Lay your hand on him;

Remember the battle; ayou will not do it again! [aLit do not add]

⁹“aBehold, byour expectation is false;

Will cyou be laid low even at the sight of him? [aCh 41:1 in Heb bLit his cLit he]

¹⁰“No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him;

Who then is he that can stand before Me?

¹¹“Who has agiven to Me that I should repay him?

Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine. [aLit anticipated]

12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,

Or his mighty strength, or his aorderly frame. [aOr graceful]

¹³“Who can astrip off his outer armor?

Who can come within his double bmail? [aLit uncover the face of his garment bSo Gr; Heb bridle]

¹⁴“Who can open the doors of his face?

Around his teeth there is terror.

¹⁵“His astrong scales are his pride,

Shut up as with a tight seal. [aLit rows of shields]

¹⁶“One is so near to another

That no air can come between them.

¹⁷“They are joined one to another;

They clasp each other and cannot be separated.

¹⁸“His sneezes flash forth light,

And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

¹⁹“Out of his mouth go burning torches;

Sparks of fire leap forth.

²⁰“Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth

As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

²¹“His breath kindles coals,

And a flame goes forth from his mouth.

²²“In his neck lodges strength,

And dismay leaps before him.

²³“The folds of his flesh are joined together,

Firm on him and immovable.

²⁴“His heart is as hard as a stone,

Even as hard as a lower millstone.

²⁵“When he raises himself up, the amighty fear;

Because of the crashing they are bewildered. [aOr gods]

²⁶“The sword that reaches him cannot avail,

Nor the spear, the dart or the javelin.

²⁷“He regards iron as straw,

Bronze as rotten wood.

²⁸“The aarrow cannot make him flee;

Slingstones are turned into stubble for him. [aLit son of the bow]

²⁹“Clubs are regarded as stubble;

He laughs at the rattling of the javelin.

³⁰“His underparts are like sharp potsherds;

He aspreads out like a threshing sledge on the mire. [aOr moves across]

³¹“He makes the depths boil like a pot;

He makes the sea like a jar of ointment.

³²“Behind him he makes a wake to shine;

One would think the deep to be gray-haired.

³³“Nothing on aearth is like him,

One made without fear. [aLit dust]

³⁴“aHe looks on everything that is high;

He is king over all the sons of pride.” [aCh 41:26 in Heb]

JOB 42 [Books]

Job’s Confession

1 Then Job answered the LORD and said,

²“I know that You can do all things,

And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

³‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,

Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

⁴‘Hear, now, and I will speak;

I will ask You, and You instruct me.’

⁵“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;

But now my eye sees You;

⁶Therefore I retract,

And I repent in dust and ashes.”

God Displeased with Job’s Friends

7 It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will aaccept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” ⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD baccepted Job. [8 aLit lift up his face 9 bLit lifted up the face of]

God Restores Job’s Fortunes

10 The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. ¹¹Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him. And each one gave him one apiece of money, and each a ring of gold. ¹²The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. ¹³He had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴He named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. ¹⁵In all the land no women were found so fair as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers. ¹⁶After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. ¹⁷And Job died, an old man and full of days. [11 aHeb qesitah]

Book 1

Psalm 1 [Books]

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the apath of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! [aOr way]

²But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

³He will be like a tree firmly planted by astreams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its bleaf does not wither;

And cin whatever he does, he prospers. [aOr canals bOr foliage cOr all that he does prospers]

4 The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶For the LORD aknows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish. [aOr approves or has regard to]

Psalm 2 [Books]

The Reign of the LORD’S Anointed.

1 Why are the anations in an uproar

And the peoples devising a vain thing? [aOr Gentiles]

²The kings of the earth take their stand

And the rulers take counsel together

Against the LORD and against His aAnointed, saying, [aOr Messiah]

³“Let us tear their fetters apart

And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who asits in the heavens laughs,

The Lord scoffs at them. [aOr is enthroned]

⁵Then He will speak to them in His anger

And terrify them in His fury, saying,

⁶“But as for Me, I have ainstalled My King

Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” [aOr consecrated]

7 “I will surely tell of the adecree of the LORD:

He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You. [aOr decree: The LORD said to Me]

⁸‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the anations as Your inheritance,

And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. [aOr Gentiles]

⁹‘You shall abreak them with a brod of iron,

You shall shatter them like cearthenware.’ ” [aAnother reading is rule bOr scepter or staff cLit potter’s ware]

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;

Take warning, O ajudges of the earth. [aOr leaders]

¹¹aWorship the LORD with breverence

And rejoice with trembling. [aOr Serve bOr fear]

¹²aDo homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,

For His wrath may bsoon be kindled.

How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! [aLit Kiss; some ancient versions read Do homage purely, or, Lay hold of instruction bOr quickly, suddenly, easily]

Psalm 3 [Books]

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when ahe fled from Absalom his son.

[a2 Sam 15:13-17, 29]

1 O LORD, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me.

²Many are saying aof my soul,

“There is no bdeliverance for him in God.” cSelah. [aOr to bOr salvation cSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

3 But You, O LORD, are a shield about me,

My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

⁴I was crying to the LORD with my voice,

And He answered me from His holy amountain. Selah. [aOr hill]

⁵aI lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the LORD sustains me. [aOr As for me, I]

⁶I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me round about.

7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God!

For You ahave smitten all my enemies on the bcheek;

You chave shattered the teeth of the wicked. [aOr smite bOr jaw cOr shatter]

⁸aSalvation belongs to the LORD;

Your blessing bbe upon Your people! Selah. [aOr Deliverance bOr is]

Psalm 4 [Books]

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

aFor the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

[aI.e. Belonging to the choir director’s anthology]

1 Answer me when I call, O God aof my righteousness!

You have brelieved me in my distress;

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. [aI.e. who maintains my right bLit made room for]

2 O sons of men, how long will my ahonor become a reproach?

How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? bSelah. [aOr glory bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

³But know that the LORD has aset apart the godly man for Himself;

The LORD hears when I call to Him. [aAnother reading is dealt wonderfully with]

4 aTremble, band do not sin;

cMeditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. [aI.e. with anger or fear bOr but cLit Speak]

⁵Offer athe sacrifices of righteousness,

And trust in the LORD. [aOr righteous sacrifices]

6 Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”

Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD!

⁷You have put gladness in my heart,

More than when their grain and new wine abound.

⁸In peace I will aboth lie down and sleep,

For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety. [aOr at the same time]

Psalm 5 [Books]

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the choir director; for aflute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

[aHeb Nehiloth]

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,

Consider my agroaning. [aOr meditation]

²Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,

For to You I pray.

³In the morning, O LORD, aYou will hear my voice;

In the morning I will order my bprayer to You and eagerly watch. [aOr May You hear bOr sacrifice]

4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;

No evil adwells with You. [aLit sojourns]

⁵The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;

You hate all who do iniquity.

⁶You destroy those who speak falsehood;

The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

⁷But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,

aAt Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You. [aOr Toward]

8 O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of amy foes;

Make Your way bstraight before me. [aOr those who lie in wait for me bOr smooth]

⁹There is nothing areliable in bwhat they say;

Their inward part is destruction itself.

Their throat is an open grave;

They cflatter with their tongue. [aOr true bLit his mouth cOr make their tongue smooth]

¹⁰Hold them guilty, O God;

By their own devices let them fall!

In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out,

For they are rebellious against You.

11 But let all who take refuge in You be glad,

Let them ever sing for joy;

And amay You shelter them,

That those who love Your name may exult in You. [aOr You shelter]

¹²For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD,

You surround him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 6 [Books]

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the choir director; with stringed instruments, aupon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

[aOr according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)]

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger,

Nor chasten me in Your wrath.

²Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away;

Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.

³And my soul is greatly dismayed;

But You, O LORD—how long?

4 Return, O LORD, rescue my asoul;

Save me because of Your lovingkindness. [aOr life]

⁵For there is no amention of You in death;

In bSheol who will give You thanks? [aOr remembrance bI.e. the nether world]

6 I am weary with my sighing;

Every night I make my bed swim,

I dissolve my couch with my tears.

⁷My eye has wasted away with grief;

It has become old because of all my adversaries.

8 Depart from me, all you who do iniquity,

For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.

⁹The LORD has heard my supplication,

The LORD receives my prayer.

¹⁰All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed;

They shall aturn back, they will suddenly be ashamed. [aOr again be ashamed suddenly]

Psalm 7 [Books]

The LORD Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A aShiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD bconcerning Cush, a Benjamite.

[aI.e. Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild passionate song bOr concerning the words of]

1 O LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge;

Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

²Or he will tear amy soul like a lion,

bDragging me away, while there is none to deliver. [aOr me bOr Rending it in pieces, while]

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this,

If there is injustice in my hands,

⁴If I have rewarded evil to amy friend,

Or have plundered bhim who without cause was my adversary, [aLit him who was at peace with me bOr my adversary without cause]

⁵Let the enemy pursue amy soul and overtake bit;

And let him trample my life down to the ground

And lay my glory in the dust. cSelah. [aOr me bOr me cSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;

Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries,

And arouse Yourself afor me; You have appointed judgment. [aOne ancient version reads O my God]

⁷Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You,

And over athem return on high. [aLit it]

⁸The LORD judges the peoples;

aVindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me. [aLit Judge]

⁹O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;

For the righteous God tries the hearts and aminds. [aLit kidneys, figurative for inner man]

¹⁰My shield is awith God,

Who saves the upright in heart. [aLit upon]

¹¹God is a righteous judge,

And a God who has indignation every day.

12 If aa man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;

He has bent His bow and bmade it ready. [aLit he bLit fixed it]

¹³He has also prepared afor Himself deadly weapons;

He makes His arrows fiery shafts. [aOr His deadly weapons]

¹⁴Behold, he travails with wickedness,

And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.

¹⁵He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,

And has fallen into the hole which he made.

¹⁶His mischief will return upon his own head,

And his violence will descend upon ahis own pate. [aI.e. the crown of his own head]

17 I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness

And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Psalm 8 [Books]

The LORD’S Glory and Man’s Dignity.

For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who have adisplayed Your splendor above the heavens! [aOr set]

²From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established astrength

Because of Your adversaries,

To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. [aOr a bulwark]

3 When I aconsider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have bordained; [aOr see bOr appointed, fixed]

⁴What is man that You atake thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him? [aOr remember him]

⁵Yet You have made him a little lower than aGod,

And You crown him with glory and majesty! [aOr the angels; Heb Elohim]

⁶You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

⁷All sheep and oxen,

And also the abeasts of the field, [aOr animals]

⁸The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,

Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Psalm 9 [Books]

A Psalm of Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

For the choir director; on aMuth-labben. A Psalm of David.

[aI.e. “Death to the Son”]

1 I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;

I will tell of all Your awonders. [aOr miracles]

²I will be glad and exult in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,

They stumble and perish before You.

⁴For You have maintained amy just cause;

You have sat on the throne bjudging righteously. [aLit my right and my cause bOr a righteous Judge]

⁵You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;

You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

⁶aThe enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,

And You have uprooted the cities;

The very memory of them has perished. [aOr O enemy, desolations are finished forever; And their cities You have plucked up]

7 But the LORD aabides forever;

He has established His throne for judgment, [aOr sits as king]

⁸And He will judge the world in righteousness;

He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.

⁹aThe LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,

A stronghold in times of trouble; [aOr Let the LORD also be]

¹⁰And athose who know Your name will put their trust in You,

For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. [aOr let those...name put]

11 Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion;

Declare among the peoples His deeds.

¹²For He who arequires blood remembers them;

He does not forget the cry of the afflicted. [aI.e. avenges bloodshed]

¹³Be gracious to me, O LORD;

See my affliction from those who hate me,

You who lift me up from the gates of death,

¹⁴That I may tell of all Your praises,

That in the gates of the daughter of Zion

I may rejoice in Your asalvation. [aOr deliverance]

¹⁵The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made;

In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.

¹⁶The LORD has made Himself known;

He has executed judgment.

In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared. aHiggaion bSelah. [aPerhaps, resounding music or meditation bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

17 The wicked will areturn to bSheol,

Even all the nations who forget God. [aOr turn bI.e. the nether world]

¹⁸For the needy will not always be forgotten,

Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.

¹⁹Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail;

Let the nations be judged before You.

²⁰Put them in fear, O LORD;

Let the nations know that they are but men. Selah.

Psalm 10 [Books]

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

1 Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?

Why do You hide aYourself in times of trouble? [aOr Your eyes]

²In pride the wicked ahotly pursue the afflicted;

bLet them be caught in the plots which they have devised. [aLit burn bOr They will be caught]

3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire,

And athe greedy man curses and spurns the LORD. [aOr blesses the greedy man]

⁴The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him.

All his athoughts are, “There is no God.” [aOr plots]

5 His ways aprosper at all times;

Your judgments are on high, out of his sight;

As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them. [aLit are strong]

⁶He says to himself, “I will not be moved;

aThroughout all generations I will not be in adversity.” [aLit To]

⁷His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression;

Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.

⁸He sits in the lurking places of the villages;

In the hiding places he kills the innocent;

His eyes astealthily watch for the bunfortunate. [aLit lie in wait bOr poor]

⁹He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his alair;

He lurks to catch the afflicted;

He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net. [aOr thicket]

¹⁰He acrouches, he bbows down,

And the cunfortunate fall dby his mighty ones. [aOr is crushed bOr is bowed down cOr poor dOr into his claws]

¹¹He says to himself, “God has forgotten;

He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the afflicted.

¹³Why has the wicked spurned God?

He has said to himself, “You will not require it.”

¹⁴You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to atake it into Your hand.

The bunfortunate commits himself to You;

You have been the helper of the orphan. [aLit put, give bOr poor]

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,

aSeek out his wickedness until You find none. [aOr May You seek]

16 The LORD is King forever and ever;

Nations have perished from His land.

¹⁷O LORD, You have heard the desire of the ahumble;

You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear [aOr afflicted]

¹⁸To avindicate the orphan and the oppressed,

So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror. [aLit judge]

Psalm 11 [Books]

The LORD a Refuge and Defense.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 In the LORD I take refuge;

How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain;

²For, behold, the wicked bend the bow,

They amake ready their arrow upon the string

To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. [aOr fixed]

³If the foundations are destroyed,

What can the righteous do?”

4 The LORD is in His holy temple; the aLORD’S throne is in heaven;

His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. [aLit LORD, His throne]

⁵The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked,

And the one who loves violence His soul hates.

⁶Upon the wicked He will rain asnares;

Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. [aOr coals of fire]

⁷For the LORD is righteous, He loves arighteousness;

The upright will behold His face. [aOr righteous deeds]

Psalm 12 [Books]

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

For the choir director; aupon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

[aOr according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)]

1 Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be,

For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.

²They speak afalsehood to one another;

With flattering blips and with a double heart they speak. [aOr emptiness bLit lip]

³May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,

The tongue that speaks great things;

⁴Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;

Our lips are aour own; who is lord over us?” [aLit with us]

⁵“Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy,

Now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he longs.”

6 The words of the LORD are pure words;

As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

⁷You, O LORD, will keep them;

You will preserve him from this generation forever.

⁸The wicked strut about on every side

When avileness is exalted among the sons of men. [aOr worthlessness]

Psalm 13 [Books]

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?

²How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

Having sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;

Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

⁴And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

⁶I will sing to the LORD,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 14 [Books]

Folly and Wickedness of Men.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they have committed abominable adeeds;

There is no one who does good. [aLit doings]

²The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men

To see if there are any who aunderstand,

Who seek after God. [aOr act wisely]

³They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;

There is no one who does good, not even one.

4 Do all the workers of wickedness not know,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And do not call upon the Lord?

⁵There they are in great dread,

For God is with the righteous generation.

⁶You would put to shame the counsel of the afflicted,

But the LORD is his refuge.

7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel awould come out of Zion!

When the LORD brestores His captive people,

Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad. [aLit would be bOr restores the fortunes of His people]

Psalm 15 [Books]

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, who may aabide in Your tent?

Who may dwell on Your holy hill? [aLit sojourn]

²He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,

And speaks truth in his heart.

³He does not slander awith his tongue,

Nor does evil to his neighbor,

Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; [aLit according to]

⁴In awhose eyes a reprobate is despised,

But bwho honors those who fear the LORD;

He swears to his own hurt and does not change; [aLit his bLit he]

⁵He does not put out his money aat interest,

Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things will never be shaken. [aI.e. to a fellow Israelite]

Psalm 16 [Books]

The LORD the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.

A aMikhtam of David.

[aPossibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm]

1 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.

²aI said to the LORD, “You are bmy Lord;

I have no good besides You.” [aOr O my soul, you said bOr the Lord]

³As for the asaints who are in the earth,

bThey are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. [aLit holy ones; i.e. the godly bLit And the majestic ones...delight]

⁴The asorrows of those who have bbartered for another god will be multiplied;

I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,

Nor will I take their names upon my lips. [aI.e. sorrows due to idolatry bOr hastened to]

5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You support my lot.

⁶The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;

Indeed, my amind instructs me in the night. [aLit kidneys, figurative for inner man]

⁸I have set the LORD continually before me;

Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will dwell securely.

¹⁰For You will not abandon my soul to aSheol;

Nor will You ballow Your cHoly One to dundergo decay. [aI.e. the nether world bLit give cOr godly one dOr see corruption or the pit]

¹¹You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 17 [Books]

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

1 Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry;

Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.

²Let my ajudgment come forth from Your presence;

Let Your eyes look with equity. [aI.e. vindication]

³You have tried my heart;

You have visited me by night;

You have tested me and You find anothing;

I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. [aOr no evil device in me; My mouth]

⁴As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips

I have kept from the paths of the violent.

⁵My steps have held fast to Your apaths.

My feet have not slipped. [aLit tracks]

6 I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God;

Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.

⁷Wondrously show Your lovingkindness,

O Savior of those who take refuge aat Your right hand

From those who rise up against them. [aOr from those who rise up...at Your right hand]

⁸Keep me as athe apple of the eye;

Hide me in the shadow of Your wings [aLit the pupil, the daughter of the eye]

⁹From the wicked who despoil me,

My deadly enemies who surround me.

¹⁰They have closed their aunfeeling heart,

With their mouth they speak proudly. [aLit fat]

¹¹They have now surrounded us in our steps;

They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground.

¹²He is like a lion that is eager to tear,

And as a young lion lurking in hiding places.

13 Arise, O LORD, confront him, bring him low;

Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,

¹⁴From men with Your hand, O LORD,

From men aof the world, whose portion is in this life,

And whose belly You fill with Your treasure;

They are satisfied with children,

And leave their abundance to their babes. [aOr whose portion in life is of the world]

¹⁵As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness;

I will be satisfied awith Your likeness when I awake. [aOr with beholding]

Psalm 18 [Books]

The LORD Praised for Giving Deliverance.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, awho spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

[a2 Sam 22:1-51]

1 “I love You, O LORD, my strength.”

²The LORD is my arock and my fortress and my deliverer,

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. [aOr crag]

³I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death encompassed me,

And the torrents of aungodliness bterrified me. [aOr destruction; Heb Belial bOr were assailing or terrifying]

⁵The cords of aSheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me. [aI.e. the nether world]

⁶In my distress I called upon the LORD,

And cried to my God for help;

He heard my voice out of His temple,

And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

7 Then the earth shook and quaked;

And the foundations of the mountains were trembling

And were shaken, because He was angry.

⁸Smoke went up aout of His nostrils,

And fire from His mouth devoured;

Coals were kindled by it. [aOr in His wrath]

⁹He bowed the heavens also, and came down

With thick darkness under His feet.

¹⁰He rode upon a cherub and flew;

And He sped upon the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness His hiding place, His acanopy around Him,

Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. [aOr pavilion]

¹²From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹³The LORD also thundered in the heavens,

And the Most High uttered His voice,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹⁴He sent out His arrows, and scattered them,

And lightning flashes in abundance, and arouted them. [aLit confused]

¹⁵Then the channels of water appeared,

And the foundations of the world were alaid bare

At Your rebuke, O LORD,

At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. [aOr uncovered]

16 He sent from on high, He took me;

He drew me out of many waters.

¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy,

And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my stay.

¹⁹He brought me forth also into a broad place;

He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

20 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

²¹For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

And have not wickedly departed from my God.

²²For all His ordinances were before me,

And I did not put away His statutes from me.

²³I was also ablameless with Him,

And I kept myself from my iniquity. [aLit complete; or having integrity; or perfect]

²⁴Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,

According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

25 With the kind You show Yourself kind;

With the ablameless You show Yourself blameless; [aV 23, note 1]

²⁶With the pure You show Yourself pure,

And with the crooked You show Yourself aastute. [aLit twisted]

²⁷For You save an afflicted people,

But haughty eyes You abase.

²⁸For You light my lamp;

The LORD my God illumines my darkness.

²⁹For by You I can arun upon a troop;

And by my God I can leap over a wall. [aOr crush a troop]

30 As for God, His way is ablameless;

The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. [aV 23, note 1]

³¹For who is God, but the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God,

³²The God who girds me with strength

And amakes my way bblameless? [aOr has made bLit complete; or having integrity]

³³He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

And sets me upon my high places.

³⁴He trains my hands for battle,

So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,

And Your right hand upholds me;

And Your agentleness makes me great. [aOr condescension]

³⁶You enlarge my steps under me,

And my afeet have not slipped. [aLit ankles]

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,

And I did not turn back until they were consumed.

³⁸I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise;

They fell under my feet.

³⁹For You have girded me with strength for battle;

You have asubdued under me those who rose up against me. [aLit caused to bow down]

⁴⁰You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

And I adestroyed those who hated me. [aOr silenced]

⁴¹They cried for help, but there was none to save,

Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.

⁴²Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind;

I emptied them out as the mire of the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the contentions of the people;

You have placed me as head of the nations;

A people whom I have not known serve me.

⁴⁴As soon as they hear, they obey me;

Foreigners asubmit to me. [aLit deceive me; i.e. give feigned obedience]

⁴⁵Foreigners fade away,

And come trembling out of their afortresses. [aLit fastnesses]

46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock;

And exalted be the God of my salvation,

⁴⁷The God who executes vengeance for me,

And subdues peoples under me.

⁴⁸He delivers me from my enemies;

Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me;

You rescue me from the violent man.

⁴⁹Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O LORD,

And I will sing praises to Your name.

⁵⁰He gives great adeliverance to His king,

And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,

To David and his bdescendants forever. [aI.e. victories; lit salvations bLit seed]

Psalm 19 [Books]

The Works and the Word of God.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

²Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge.

³There is no speech, nor are there words;

Their voice is not heard.

⁴Their aline has gone out through all the earth,

And their utterances to the end of the world.

In them He has placed a tent for the sun, [aAnother reading is sound]

⁵Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;

It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

⁶Its rising is from aone end of the heavens,

And its circuit to the bother end of them;

And there is nothing hidden from its heat. [aLit the bLit the ends]

7 The law of the LORD is aperfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. [aI.e. blameless]

⁸The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

¹⁰They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

¹²Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

¹³Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;

Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be ablameless,

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. [aLit complete]

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 20 [Books]

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!

²May He send you help from the sanctuary

And support you from Zion!

³May He remember all your meal offerings

And find your burnt offering aacceptable! bSelah. [aLit fat bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

4 May He grant you your heart’s desire

And fulfill all your acounsel! [aOr purpose]

⁵aWe will sing for joy over your bvictory,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. [aOr Let us sing bOr salvation]

6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the asaving strength of His right hand. [aOr mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand]

⁷Some aboast in chariots and some in horses,

But we bwill boast in the name of the LORD, our God. [aOr praise chariots, or trust, or are strong through bLit make mention of; or praise the name]

⁸They have bowed down and fallen,

But we have risen and stood upright.

⁹aSave, O LORD;

May the King answer us in the day we call. [aOr O LORD, save the king; answer us]

Psalm 21 [Books]

Praise for Deliverance.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad,

And in Your asalvation how greatly he will rejoice! [aOr victory]

²You have given him his heart’s desire,

And You have not withheld the request of his lips. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

³For You meet him with the blessings of good things;

You set a crown of fine gold on his head.

⁴He asked life of You,

You gave it to him,

Length of days forever and ever.

⁵His glory is great through Your asalvation,

Splendor and majesty You place upon him. [aOr victory]

⁶For You make him amost blessed forever;

You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence. [aLit blessings]

7 For the king trusts in the LORD,

And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.

⁸Your hand will find out all your enemies;

Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

⁹You will make them as a fiery oven in the time aof your anger;

The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath,

And fire will devour them. [aOr of your presence]

¹⁰Their aoffspring You will destroy from the earth,

And their bdescendants from among the sons of men. [aLit fruit bLit seed]

¹¹Though they aintended evil against You

And devised a plot,

They will not succeed. [aLit stretched out]

¹²For You will make them turn their back;

You will aaim with Your bowstrings at their faces. [aLit make ready]

¹³Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength;

We will sing and praise Your power.

Psalm 22 [Books]

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the choir director; upon aAijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

[aLit the hind of the morning]

1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?

aFar from my deliverance are the words of my bgroaning. [aOr Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? bLit roaring]

²O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;

And by night, but aI have no rest. [aLit there is no silence for me]

³Yet You are holy,

O You who aare enthroned upon the praises of Israel. [aOr inhabit the praises]

⁴In You our fathers trusted;

They trusted and You delivered them.

⁵To You they cried out and were delivered;

In You they trusted and were not adisappointed. [aOr ashamed]

6 But I am a worm and not a man,

A reproach of men and despised by the people.

⁷All who see me asneer at me;

They bseparate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, [aOr mock me bI.e. make mouths at me]

⁸“aCommit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him;

Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.” [aLit Roll; another reading is He committed himself]

9 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb;

You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.

¹⁰Upon You I was cast from abirth;

You have been my God from my mother’s womb. [aLit a womb]

11 Be not far from me, for atrouble is near;

For there is none to help. [aOr distress]

¹²Many bulls have surrounded me;

Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

¹³They open wide their mouth at me,

As a ravening and a roaring lion.

¹⁴I am poured out like water,

And all my bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax;

It is melted within ame. [aLit my inward parts]

¹⁵My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And my tongue cleaves to my jaws;

And You lay me ain the dust of death. [aLit to]

¹⁶For dogs have surrounded me;

aA band of evildoers has encompassed me;

bThey pierced my hands and my feet. [aOr An assembly bAnother reading is Like a lion, my...]

¹⁷I can count all my bones.

They look, they stare at me;

¹⁸They divide my garments among them,

And for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But You, O LORD, be not far off;

O You my help, hasten to my assistance.

²⁰Deliver my asoul from the sword,

My only life from the bpower of the dog. [aOr life bLit paw]

²¹Save me from the lion’s mouth;

From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.

22 I will tell of Your name to my brethren;

In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

²³You who fear the LORD, praise Him;

All you adescendants of Jacob, glorify Him,

And stand in awe of Him, all you adescendants of Israel. [aLit seed]

²⁴For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;

Nor has He hidden His face from him;

But when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

25 From You comes my praise in the great assembly;

I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.

²⁶The aafflicted will eat and be satisfied;

Those who seek Him will praise the LORD.

Let your heart live forever! [aOr poor]

²⁷All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,

And all the families of the nations will worship before aYou. [aSome versions read Him]

²⁸For the kingdom is the LORD’S

And He rules over the nations.

²⁹All the aprosperous of the earth will eat and worship,

All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,

Even he who bcannot keep his soul alive. [aLit fat ones bOr did not]

³⁰aPosterity will serve Him;

It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation. [aLit A seed]

³¹They will come and will declare His righteousness

To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.

Psalm 23 [Books]

The LORD, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd,

I ashall not want. [aOr do]

²He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside aquiet waters. [aLit waters of rest]

³He restores my soul;

He guides me in the apaths of righteousness

For His name’s sake. [aLit tracks]

4 Even though I walk through the avalley of the shadow of death,

I fear no bevil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. [aOr valley of deep darkness bOr harm]

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You ahave anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows. [aOr anoint]

⁶aSurely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will bdwell in the house of the LORD cforever. [aOr Only bAnother reading is return to cLit for length of days]

Psalm 24 [Books]

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

1 The earth is the LORD’S, and aall it contains,

The world, and those who dwell in it. [aLit its fullness]

²For He has founded it upon the seas

And established it upon the rivers.

³Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

And who may stand in His holy place?

⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul ato falsehood

And has not sworn deceitfully. [aOr in vain]

⁵He shall receive a blessing from the LORD

And arighteousness from the God of his salvation. [aI.e. as vindicated]

⁶aThis is the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face—even Jacob. bSelah. [aOr Such bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

7 Lift up your heads, O gates,

And be lifted up, O aancient doors,

That the King of glory may come in! [aLit everlasting]

⁸Who is the King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

The LORD mighty in battle.

⁹Lift up your heads, O gates,

And lift them up, O aancient doors,

That the King of glory may come in! [aLit everlasting]

¹⁰Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah.

Psalm 25 [Books]

Prayer for Protection, Guidance and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

1 To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

²O my God, in You I trust,

Do not let me be ashamed;

Do not let my enemies exult over me.

³Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;

aThose who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed. [aOr Let those...be ashamed]

4 Make me know Your ways, O LORD;

Teach me Your paths.

⁵Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

For You I wait all the day.

⁶Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,

For they have been afrom of old. [aOr everlasting]

⁷Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

According to Your lovingkindness remember me,

For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;

Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.

⁹He leads the ahumble in justice,

And He teaches the ahumble His way. [aOr afflicted]

¹⁰All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth

To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

¹¹For Your name’s sake, O LORD,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man who fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

¹³His soul will abide in aprosperity,

And his bdescendants will inherit the cland. [aLit good bLit seed cOr earth]

¹⁴The asecret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,

bAnd He will make them know His covenant. [aOr counsel or intimacy bOr And His covenant, to make them know it]

¹⁵My eyes are continually toward the LORD,

For He will apluck my feet out of the net. [aLit bring out]

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,

For I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷aThe troubles of my heart are enlarged;

Bring me out of my distresses. [aSome commentators read Relieve the troubles of my heart]

¹⁸Look upon my affliction and my atrouble,

And forgive all my sins. [aLit toil]

¹⁹Look upon my enemies, for they are many,

And they hate me with violent hatred.

²⁰Guard my soul and deliver me;

Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.

²¹Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I wait for You.

²²Redeem Israel, O God,

Out of all his troubles.

Psalm 26 [Books]

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

1 aVindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,

And I have trusted in the LORD bwithout wavering. [aLit Judge bLit I do not slide]

²Examine me, O LORD, and try me;

Test my amind and my heart. [aLit kidneys, figurative for inner man]

³For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in Your atruth. [aOr faithfulness]

⁴I do not sit with adeceitful men,

Nor will I go with bpretenders. [aOr worthless men; lit men of falsehood bOr dissemblers, hypocrites]

⁵I hate the assembly of evildoers,

And I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶I shall wash my hands in innocence,

And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,

⁷That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving

And declare all Your awonders. [aOr miracles]

8 O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house

And the place awhere Your glory dwells. [aLit of the tabernacle of Your glory]

⁹Do not atake my soul away along with sinners,

Nor my life with men of bloodshed, [aLit gather]

¹⁰In whose hands is a wicked scheme,

And whose right hand is full of bribes.

¹¹But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

Redeem me, and be gracious to me.

¹²My foot stands on a level place;

In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.

Psalm 27 [Books]

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the adefense of my life;

Whom shall I dread? [aOr refuge]

²When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,

My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

³Though a host encamp against me,

My heart will not fear;

Though war arise against me,

In spite of this I ashall be confident. [aLit am confident]

4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,

To behold the abeauty of the LORD

And to bmeditate in His temple. [aLit delightfulness bLit inquire]

⁵For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His atabernacle;

In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;

He will lift me up on a rock. [aOr shelter]

⁶And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,

And I will offer in His tent sacrifices awith shouts of joy;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. [aLit of shouts]

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice,

And be gracious to me and answer me.

⁸When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,

“Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”

⁹Do not hide Your face from me,

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

Do not abandon me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation!

¹⁰aFor my father and my mother have forsaken me,

But the LORD will take me up. [aOr If my father...forsake me, Then the LORD]

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,

And lead me in a level path

Because of amy foes. [aOr those who lie in wait for me]

¹²Do not deliver me over to the adesire of my adversaries,

For false witnesses have risen against me,

And such as breathe out violence. [aLit soul]

¹³aI would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living. [aOr Surely I believed]

¹⁴Wait for the LORD;

Be strong and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for the LORD.

Psalm 28 [Books]

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

1 To You, O LORD, I call;

My rock, do not be deaf to me,

For if You are silent to me,

I will become like those who go down to the pit.

²Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,

When I lift up my hands toward aYour holy sanctuary. [aLit the innermost place of Your sanctuary]

³Do not drag me away with the wicked

And with those who work iniquity,

Who speak peace with their neighbors,

While evil is in their hearts.

⁴Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;

Requite them according to the deeds of their hands;

Repay them their arecompense. [aOr dealings]

⁵Because they do not regard the works of the LORD

Nor the deeds of His hands,

He will tear them down and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the LORD,

Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

⁷The LORD is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart exults,

And with my song I shall thank Him.

⁸The LORD is atheir strength,

And He is a bsaving defense to His anointed. [aA few mss and ancient versions read the strength of His people bOr refuge of salvation]

⁹Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;

Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.

Psalm 29 [Books]

The Voice of the LORD in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O asons of the mighty,

Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. [aOr sons of gods]

²Ascribe to the LORD the glory adue to His name;

Worship the LORD in bholy array. [aLit of His name bOr the majesty of holiness]

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;

The God of glory thunders,

The LORD is over amany waters. [aOr great]

⁴The voice of the LORD is powerful,

The voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

And Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the LORD hews out aflames of fire. [aI.e. lightning]

⁸The voice of the LORD ashakes the wilderness;

The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. [aOr causes...to whirl]

⁹The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

10 The LORD sat as King at the flood;

Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.

¹¹aThe LORD will give strength to His people;

bThe LORD will bless His people with peace. [aOr May the LORD give bOr May the LORD bless]

Psalm 30 [Books]

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,

And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

²O LORD my God,

I cried to You for help, and You healed me.

³O LORD, You have brought up my soul from aSheol;

You have kept me alive, bthat I would not go down to the pit. [aI.e. the nether world bSome mss read from among those who go down]

⁴Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,

And give thanks to His holy aname. [aLit memorial]

⁵For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for a lifetime;

Weeping may last for the night,

But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

6 Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,

“I will never be moved.”

⁷O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;

You hid Your face, I was dismayed.

⁸To You, O LORD, I called,

And to the Lord I made supplication:

⁹“What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

10 “Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me;

O LORD, be my helper.”

¹¹You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,

¹²That my asoul may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever. [aLit glory]

Psalm 31 [Books]

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;

Let me never be ashamed;

In Your righteousness deliver me.

²Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;

Be to me a rock of astrength,

A stronghold to save me. [aOr refuge, protection]

³For You are my arock and my fortress;

For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me. [aOr crag]

⁴You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,

For You are my strength.

⁵Into Your hand I commit my spirit;

You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of atruth. [aOr faithfulness]

6 I hate those who regard avain idols,

But I trust in the LORD. [aLit empty vanities]

⁷I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,

Because You have seen my affliction;

You have known the troubles of my soul,

⁸And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;

You have set my feet in a large place.

9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;

My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.

¹⁰For my life is spent with sorrow

And my years with sighing;

My strength has failed because of my iniquity,

And my abody has wasted away. [aOr bones, substance]

¹¹Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,

Especially to my neighbors,

And an object of dread to my acquaintances;

Those who see me in the street flee from me.

¹²I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;

I am like a broken vessel.

¹³For I have heard the aslander of many,

Terror is on every side;

While they took counsel together against me,

They schemed to take away my life. [aLit whispering]

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,

I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

¹⁶Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;

Save me in Your lovingkindness.

¹⁷Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You;

Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in aSheol. [aI.e. the nether world]

¹⁸Let the lying lips be mute,

Which speak arrogantly against the righteous

With pride and contempt.

19 How great is Your goodness,

Which You have stored up for those who fear You,

Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,

Before the sons of men!

²⁰You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;

You keep them secretly in a ashelter from the strife of tongues. [aOr pavilion]

²¹Blessed be the LORD,

For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.

²²As for me, I said in my alarm,

“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;

Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried to You.

23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones!

The LORD preserves the faithful

And fully recompenses the proud doer.

²⁴Be strong and let your heart take courage,

All you who ahope in the LORD. [aOr wait for]

Psalm 32 [Books]

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A aMaskil.

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered!

²How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my abody wasted away

Through my bgroaning all day long. [aOr bones, substance bLit roaring]

⁴For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My avitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. bSelah. [aLit life juices were turned into the drought of summer bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁵I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;

And You forgave the aguilt of my sin. Selah. [aOr iniquity]

⁶Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You ain a time when You may be found;

Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. [aLit in a time of finding out]

⁷You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;

You surround me with asongs of deliverance. Selah. [aOr shouts]

8 I 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 as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,

Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,

Otherwise they will not come near to you.

¹⁰Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.

¹¹Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;

And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Psalm 33 [Books]

Praise to the Creator and Preserver.

1 Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming to the upright.

²Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;

Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

³Sing to Him a new song;

Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

⁴For the word of the LORD is upright,

And all His work is done in faithfulness.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice;

The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,

And by the breath of His mouth all their host.

⁷He gathers the waters of the sea together aas a heap;

He lays up the deeps in storehouses. [aSome versions read in a water skin; i.e. container]

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD;

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

⁹For He spoke, and it was done;

He commanded, and it astood fast. [aOr stood forth]

¹⁰The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;

He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

¹¹The counsel of the LORD stands forever,

The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.

13 The LORD looks from heaven;

He sees all the sons of men;

¹⁴From His dwelling place He looks out

On all the inhabitants of the earth,

¹⁵He who fashions athe hearts of them all,

He who understands all their works. [aOr their heart together]

¹⁶The king is not saved by a mighty army;

A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

¹⁷A horse is a false hope for victory;

Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,

On those who ahope for His lovingkindness, [aOr wait]

¹⁹To deliver their soul from death

And to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰Our soul waits for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

²¹For our heart rejoices in Him,

Because we trust in His holy name.

²²Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,

According as we have ahoped in You. [aOr waited for]

Psalm 34 [Books]

The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.

A Psalm of David when he afeigned madness before bAbimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

[aOr changed his behavior bPossibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15]

1 I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

²My soul will make its boast in the LORD;

The humble will hear it and rejoice.

³O magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

⁵They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces will never be ashamed.

⁶This apoor man cried, and the LORD heard him

And saved him out of all his troubles. [aOr afflicted]

⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,

And rescues them.

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

⁹O fear the LORD, you His saints;

For to those who fear Him there is no want.

¹⁰The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;

But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

¹¹Come, you children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

¹²Who is the man who desires life

And loves length of days that he may see good?

¹³Keep your tongue from evil

And your lips from speaking deceit.

¹⁴Depart from evil and do good;

Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous

And His ears are open to their cry.

¹⁶The face of the LORD is against evildoers,

To cut off the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry, and the LORD hears

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

And saves those who are acrushed in spirit. [aOr contrite]

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But the LORD delivers him out of them all.

²⁰He keeps all his bones,

Not one of them is broken.

²¹Evil shall slay the wicked,

And those who hate the righteous will be acondemned. [aOr held guilty]

²²The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,

And none of those who take refuge in Him will be acondemned. [aV 21, note 1]

Psalm 35 [Books]

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;

Fight against those who fight against me.

²Take hold of abuckler and shield

And rise up for my help. [aI.e. small shield]

³Draw also the spear and athe battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;

Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” [aOr close up the path against those]

⁴Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my alife;

Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me. [aOr soul]

⁵Let them be like chaff before the wind,

With the angel of the LORD driving them on.

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery,

With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

⁷For without cause they hid their net for me;

Without cause they dug a apit for my soul. [aPit has been transposed from line above]

⁸Let destruction come upon him unawares,

And let the net which he hid catch himself;

Into that very destruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;

It shall exult in His salvation.

¹⁰All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You,

Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him,

And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”

¹¹Malicious witnesses rise up;

They ask me of things that I do not know.

¹²They repay me evil for good,

To the bereavement of my soul.

¹³But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled my soul with fasting,

And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

¹⁴I went about as though it were my friend or brother;

I bowed down amourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. [aOr dressed in black]

¹⁵But at my astumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;

The bsmiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,

They cslandered me without ceasing. [aOr limping bOr smitten ones cLit tore]

¹⁶Like godless jesters at a feast,

They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You look on?

Rescue my soul from their ravages,

My only life from the lions.

¹⁸I will give You thanks in the great congregation;

I will praise You among a mighty throng.

¹⁹Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;

Nor let those who hate me without cause awink maliciously. [aOr wink the eye]

²⁰For they do not speak peace,

But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

²¹They opened their mouth wide against me;

They said, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

22 You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent;

O Lord, do not be far from me.

²³Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right

And to my cause, my God and my Lord.

²⁴Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,

And do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!”

Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

²⁶Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;

Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;

And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified,

Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

²⁸And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness

And Your praise all day long.

Psalm 36 [Books]

Wickedness of Men and Lovingkindness of God.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.

1 Transgression speaks to the ungodly within ahis heart;

There is no fear of God before his eyes. [aAnother reading is my heart]

²For ait flatters him in his own eyes

Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it. [aOr he flatters himself]

³The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;

He has ceased to abe wise and to do good. [aOr understand to do good]

⁴He plans wickedness upon his bed;

He sets himself on a path that is not good;

He does not despise evil.

5 Your lovingkindness, O LORD, aextends to the heavens,

Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. [aLit is in]

⁶Your righteousness is like the amountains of God;

Your judgments are like a great deep.

O LORD, You preserve man and beast. [aOr mighty mountains]

⁷How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!

And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

⁸They drink their fill of the aabundance of Your house;

And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. [aLit fatness]

⁹For with You is the fountain of life;

In Your light we see light.

10 O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,

And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

¹¹Let not the foot of pride come upon me,

And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

¹²There the doers of iniquity have fallen;

They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

Psalm 37 [Books]

Security of Those Who Trust in the LORD, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

1 Do not fret because of evildoers,

Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

²For they will wither quickly like the grass

And fade like the green herb.

³Trust in the LORD and do good;

Dwell in the land and acultivate faithfulness. [aOr feed securely or feed on His faithfulness]

⁴Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

⁶He will bring forth your righteousness as the light

And your judgment as the noonday.

7 aRest in the LORD and wait bpatiently for Him;

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. [aOr Be still bOr longingly]

⁸Cease from anger and forsake wrath;

Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

⁹For evildoers will be cut off,

But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

¹⁰Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;

And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

¹¹But the humble will inherit the land

And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous

And gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³The Lord laughs at him,

For He sees his day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow

To cast down the afflicted and the needy,

To slay those who are upright in conduct.

¹⁵Their sword will enter their own heart,

And their bows will be broken.

16 Better is the little of the righteous

Than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked will be broken,

But the LORD sustains the righteous.

¹⁸The LORD knows the days of the ablameless,

And their inheritance will be forever. [aLit complete; or perfect]

¹⁹They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,

And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

²⁰But the wicked will perish;

And the enemies of the LORD will be like the aglory of the pastures,

They vanish—like smoke they vanish away. [aI.e. flowers]

²¹The wicked borrows and does not pay back,

But the righteous is gracious and gives.

²²For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,

But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,

And He delights in his way.

²⁴When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,

Because the LORD is the One awho holds his hand. [aOr who sustains him with His hand]

²⁵I have been young and now I am old,

Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

Or his adescendants begging bread. [aLit seed]

²⁶All day long he is gracious and lends,

And his adescendants are a blessing. [aLit seed]

27 Depart from evil and do good,

aSo you will abide forever. [aOr And dwell forever]

²⁸For the LORD loves ajustice

And does not forsake His godly ones;

They are preserved forever,

But the bdescendants of the wicked will be cut off. [aLit judgment bLit seed]

²⁹The righteous will inherit the land

And dwell in it forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

And his tongue speaks justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart;

His steps do not slip.

³²The wicked spies upon the righteous

And seeks to kill him.

³³The LORD will not leave him in his hand

Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

³⁴Wait for the LORD and keep His way,

And He will exalt you to inherit the land;

When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked, violent man

Spreading himself like a luxuriant atree in its native soil. [aLit native; Heb obscure]

³⁶Then ahe passed away, and lo, he was no more;

I sought for him, but he could not be found. [aAncient versions read I passed by]

³⁷Mark the ablameless man, and behold the upright;

For the man of peace will have a bposterity. [aLit complete; or perfect bLit an end]

³⁸But transgressors will be altogether destroyed;

The aposterity of the wicked will be cut off. [aLit end]

³⁹But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their strength in time of trouble.

⁴⁰The LORD helps them and delivers them;

He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

Because they take refuge in Him.

Psalm 38 [Books]

Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.

A Psalm of David, for a memorial.

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in Your wrath,

And chasten me not in Your burning anger.

²For Your arrows have sunk deep into me,

And Your hand has pressed down on me.

³There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation;

There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

⁴For my iniquities are gone over my head;

As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.

⁵My awounds grow foul and fester

Because of my folly. [aOr stripes]

⁶I am bent over and greatly bowed down;

I go mourning all day long.

⁷For my loins are filled with burning,

And there is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸I am benumbed and abadly crushed;

I bgroan because of the cagitation of my heart. [aOr greatly bLit roar cLit growling]

9 Lord, all my desire is abefore You;

And my sighing is not hidden from You. [aOr known to You]

¹⁰My heart throbs, my strength fails me;

And the light of my eyes, even athat bhas gone from me. [aLit they have bLit is not with me]

¹¹My aloved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;

And my kinsmen stand afar off. [aOr lovers]

¹²Those who seek my life lay snares for me;

And those who seek to injure me have athreatened destruction,

And they devise treachery all day long. [aLit spoken]

13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;

And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth.

¹⁴Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,

And in whose mouth are no arguments.

¹⁵For I ahope in You, O LORD;

You will answer, O Lord my God. [aOr wait for]

¹⁶For I said, “May they not rejoice over me,

Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me.”

¹⁷For I am ready to fall,

And my asorrow is continually before me. [aLit pain]

¹⁸For I aconfess my iniquity;

I am full of anxiety because of my sin. [aOr declare]

¹⁹But my enemies are vigorous and astrong,

And many are those who hate me wrongfully. [aOr numerous]

²⁰And those who repay evil for good,

They oppose me, because I follow what is good.

²¹Do not forsake me, O LORD;

O my God, do not be far from me!

²²Make haste to help me,

O Lord, my salvation!

Psalm 39 [Books]

The Vanity of Life.

For the choir director, for aJeduthun. A Psalm of David.

[a1 Chr 16:41]

1 I said, “I will guard my ways

That I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle

While the wicked are in my presence.”

²I was mute aand silent,

I brefrained even from good,

And my csorrow grew worse. [aLit with silence bLit kept silence cLit pain]

³My heart was hot within me,

While I was musing the fire burned;

Then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴“LORD, make me to know my end

And what is the extent of my days;

Let me know how transient I am.

⁵“Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,

And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;

Surely every man aat his best is ba mere breath. cSelah. [aLit standing firm bOr altogether vanity cSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁶“Surely every man walks about as aa phantom;

Surely they make an uproar for nothing;

He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. [aLit an image]

7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in You.

⁸“Deliver me from all my transgressions;

Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

⁹“I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,

Because it is You who have done it.

¹⁰“Remove Your plague from me;

Because of the opposition of Your hand I am aperishing. [aOr wasting away]

¹¹“With reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;

You consume as a moth what is precious to him;

Surely every man is a mere breath. Selah.

12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry;

Do not be silent at my tears;

For I am a stranger with You,

A sojourner like all my fathers.

¹³“Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may asmile again

Before I depart and am no more.” [aOr become cheerful]

Psalm 40 [Books]

God Sustains His Servant.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 I waited apatiently for the LORD;

And He inclined to me and heard my cry. [aOr intently]

²He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the amiry clay,

And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. [aLit mud of the mire]

³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear

And will trust in the LORD.

4 How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,

And has not aturned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. [aLit regard]

⁵Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,

And Your thoughts toward us;

There is none to compare with You.

If I would declare and speak of them,

They would be too numerous to count.

6 aSacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;

My ears You have bopened;

Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. [aI.e. Blood sacrifice bLit dug; or possibly pierced]

⁷Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is awritten of me. [aOr prescribed for]

⁸I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;

Behold, I will not restrain my lips,

O LORD, You know.

¹⁰I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

11 You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;

aYour lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. [aOr May...preserve]

¹²For evils beyond number have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;

They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,

And my heart has afailed me. [aLit forsaken]

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;

Make haste, O LORD, to help me.

¹⁴Let those be ashamed and humiliated together

Who seek my alife to destroy it;

Let those be turned back and dishonored

Who delight bin my hurt. [aOr soul bOr to injure me]

¹⁵Let those be aappalled because of their shame

Who say to me, “Aha, aha!” [aOr desolated]

¹⁶Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

Let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“The LORD be magnified!”

¹⁷Since I am afflicted and needy,

aLet the Lord be mindful of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God. [aOr The Lord is mindful]

Psalm 41 [Books]

The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 How blessed is he who considers the ahelpless;

The LORD will deliver him in a day of btrouble. [aOr poor bOr evil]

²The LORD will protect him and keep him alive,

And he shall abe called blessed upon the earth;

And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. [aOr be blessed]

³The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed;

In his illness, You arestore him to health. [aLit turn all his bed]

4 As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;

Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

⁵My enemies speak evil against me,

“When will he die, and his name perish?”

⁶And awhen he comes to see me, he speaks bfalsehood;

His heart gathers wickedness to itself;

When he goes outside, he tells it. [aOr if he bOr emptiness]

⁷All who hate me whisper together against me;

Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

⁸“A wicked thing is poured out aupon him,

That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.” [aOr within]

⁹Even my close friend in whom I trusted,

Who ate my bread,

Has lifted up his heel against me.

10 But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up,

That I may repay them.

¹¹By this I know that You are pleased with me,

Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

¹²As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,

And You set me in Your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

From everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

Book 2

Psalm 42 [Books]

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

For the choir director. A aMaskil of the sons of Korah.

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 As the deer apants for the water brooks,

So my soul apants for You, O God. [aLit longs for]

²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;

When shall I come and aappear before God? [aSome mss read see the face of God]

³My tears have been my food day and night,

While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

⁴These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.

For I used to go along with the throng and alead them in procession to the house of God,

With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. [aOr move slowly with them]

5 Why are you ain despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

bHope in God, for I shall cagain praise dHim

For the ehelp of His presence. [aOr sunk down bOr Wait for cOr still dSome ancient versions read Him, the help of my countenance and my God eOr saving acts of]

⁶O my God, my soul is ain despair within me;

Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan

And the bpeaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. [aOr sunk down bLit Hermons]

⁷Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;

All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

⁸The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;

And His song will be with me in the night,

A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning abecause of the oppression of the enemy?” [aOr while the enemy oppresses]

¹⁰As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,

While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

¹¹Why are you ain despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

bHope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,

The chelp of my countenance and my God. [aOr sunk down bOr Wait for cOr saving acts of]

Psalm 43 [Books]

Prayer for Deliverance.

1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation;

aO deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! [aOr May You]

²For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me?

Why do I go mourning abecause of the oppression of the enemy? [aOr while the enemy oppresses]

3 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me;

Let them bring me to Your holy hill

And to Your dwelling places.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God amy exceeding joy;

And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. [aLit the gladness of my joy]

5 Why are you ain despair, O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?

bHope in God, for I shall cagain praise Him,

The dhelp of my countenance and my God. [aOr sunk down bOr Wait for cOr still dOr saving acts of]

Psalm 44 [Books]

Former Deliverances and Present Troubles.

For the choir director. A aMaskil of the sons of Korah.

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 O God, we have heard with our ears,

Our fathers have told us

The work that You did in their days,

In the days of old.

²You with Your own hand drove out the nations;

Then You planted them;

You afflicted the peoples,

Then You spread them abroad.

³For by their own sword they did not possess the land,

And their own arm did not save them,

But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,

For You favored them.

4 You are my King, O God;

Command avictories for Jacob. [aLit salvation]

⁵Through You we will push back our adversaries;

Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.

⁶For I will not trust in my bow,

Nor will my sword save me.

⁷But You have saved us from our adversaries,

And You have put to shame those who hate us.

⁸In God we have boasted all day long,

And we will give thanks to Your name forever. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

9 Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor,

And do not go out with our armies.

¹⁰You cause us to turn back from the adversary;

And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.

¹¹You give us as sheep ato be eaten

And have scattered us among the nations. [aLit for food]

¹²You sell Your people acheaply,

And have not bprofited by their sale. [aLit for no wealth bOr set a high price on them]

¹³You make us a reproach to our neighbors,

A scoffing and a derision to those around us.

¹⁴You make us a byword among the nations,

A alaughingstock among the peoples. [aLit shaking of the head]

¹⁵All day long my dishonor is before me

And amy humiliation has overwhelmed me, [aLit the shame of my face has covered me]

¹⁶Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,

Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You,

And we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant.

¹⁸Our heart has not turned back,

And our steps have not deviated from Your way,

¹⁹Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals

And covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God

Or extended our ahands to a strange god, [aLit palms]

²¹Would not God find this out?

For He knows the secrets of the heart.

²²But for Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

²³Arouse Yourself, why do You sleep, O Lord?

Awake, do not reject us forever.

²⁴Why do You hide Your face

And forget our affliction and our oppression?

²⁵For our soul has sunk down into the dust;

Our body cleaves to the earth.

²⁶Rise up, be our help,

And redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness.

Psalm 45 [Books]

A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage.

For the choir director; according to the aShoshannim. A bMaskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.

[aOr possibly Lilies bPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 My heart aoverflows with a good theme;

I baddress my cverses to the dKing;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. [aLit is astir bLit am saying cLit works dProbably refers to Solomon as a type of Christ]

²You are fairer than the sons of men;

Grace is poured aupon Your lips;

Therefore God has blessed You forever. [aOr through]

3 Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O aMighty One,

In Your splendor and Your majesty! [aOr warrior]

⁴And in Your majesty ride on victoriously,

For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;

Let Your right hand teach You aawesome things. [aOr fearful]

⁵Your arrows are sharp;

The peoples fall under You;

Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;

A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

⁷You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You

With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

⁸All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;

Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad.

⁹Kings’ daughters are among Your noble ladies;

At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

10 Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear:

Forget your people and your father’s house;

¹¹Then the King will desire your beauty.

Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.

¹²The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;

The rich among the people will seek your favor.

13 The King’s daughter is all glorious within;

Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

¹⁴She will be led to the King in embroidered work;

The virgins, her companions who follow her,

Will be brought to You.

¹⁵They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing;

They will enter into the King’s palace.

16 In place of your fathers will be your sons;

You shall make them princes in all the earth.

¹⁷I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations;

Therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.

Psalm 46 [Books]

God the Refuge of His People.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, aset to Alamoth. A Song.

[aPossibly for soprano voices]

1 God is our refuge and strength,

aA very present help in btrouble. [aOr Abundantly available for help bOr tight places]

²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change

And though the mountains slip into the heart of the asea; [aLit seas]

³Though its waters roar and foam,

Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

The holy dwelling places of the Most High.

⁵God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;

God will help her awhen morning dawns. [aLit at the turning of the morning]

⁶The anations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;

He braised His voice, the earth melted. [aOr Gentiles bLit gave forth]

⁷The LORD of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,

aWho has wrought desolations in the earth. [aOr Which He has wrought as desolations]

⁹He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;

He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;

He burns the chariots with fire.

¹⁰“aCease striving and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the bnations, I will be exalted in the earth.” [aOr Let go, relax bOr Gentiles]

¹¹The LORD of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

Psalm 47 [Books]

God the King of the Earth.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 O clap your hands, all peoples;

Shout to God with the voice of ajoy. [aOr a ringing cry]

²For the LORD Most High is to be feared,

A great King over all the earth.

³He subdues peoples under us

And nations under our feet.

⁴He chooses our inheritance for us,

The glory of Jacob whom He loves. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

5 God has ascended awith a shout,

The LORD, awith the sound of a trumpet. [aOr amid]

⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises;

Sing praises to our King, sing praises.

⁷For God is the King of all the earth;

Sing praises with a askillful psalm. [aHeb Maskil]

⁸God reigns over the nations,

God asits on His holy throne. [aOr has taken His seat]

⁹The aprinces of the people have assembled themselves as the people of the God of Abraham,

For the shields of the earth belong to God;

He bis highly exalted. [aOr nobles bLit has greatly exalted Himself]

Psalm 48 [Books]

The Beauty and Glory of Zion.

A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,

In the city of our God, His holy mountain.

²Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,

Is Mount Zion in the far north,

The city of the great King.

³God, in her palaces,

Has made Himself known as a stronghold.

4 For, lo, the kings assembled themselves,

They passed by together.

⁵They saw it, then they were amazed;

They were terrified, they afled in alarm. [aLit were hurried away]

⁶aPanic seized them there,

Anguish, as of a woman in childbirth. [aLit Trembling]

⁷With the east wind

You break the ships of Tarshish.

⁸As we have heard, so have we seen

In the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God;

God will establish her forever. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

9 We have thought on Your lovingkindness, O God,

In the midst of Your temple.

¹⁰As is Your name, O 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 judgments.

¹²Walk about Zion and go around her;

Count her towers;

¹³Consider her ramparts;

Go through her palaces,

That you may tell it to the next generation.

¹⁴For asuch is God,

Our God forever and ever;

He will guide us buntil death. [aLit this bLit upon; some mss and the Gr read forever]

Psalm 49 [Books]

The Folly of Trusting in Riches.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all peoples;

Give ear, all 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 understanding.

⁴I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will aexpress my riddle on the harp. [aLit open up]

5 Why should I fear in days of adversity,

When the iniquity of my afoes surrounds me, [aLit supplanters]

⁶Even those who trust in their wealth

And boast in the abundance of their riches?

⁷No man can by any means redeem his brother

Or give to God a ransom for him—

⁸For the redemption of ahis soul is costly,

And he should cease trying forever— [aLit their]

⁹That he should live on eternally,

That he should not aundergo decay. [aOr see corruption or the pit]

10 For he sees that even wise men die;

The stupid and the senseless alike perish

And leave their wealth to others.

¹¹Their ainner thought is that their houses are forever

And their dwelling places to all generations;

They have called their lands after their own names. [aSome versions read graves are their houses]

¹²But man in his apomp will not endure;

He is like the bbeasts that cperish. [aLit honor bOr animals cLit are destroyed]

13 This is the way of those who are foolish,

And of those after them who approve their words. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

¹⁴As sheep they are appointed for aSheol;

Death shall be their shepherd;

And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,

And their form shall be for aSheol to consume

bSo that they have no habitation. [aI.e. the nether world bLit Away from his habitation]

¹⁵But God will redeem my soul from the apower of bSheol,

For He will receive me. Selah. [aLit hand bI.e. the nether world]

16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,

When the aglory of his house is increased; [aOr wealth]

¹⁷For when he dies he will carry nothing away;

His aglory will not descend after him. [aOr wealth]

¹⁸Though while he lives he congratulates ahimself—

And though men praise you when you do well for yourself— [aLit his soul]

¹⁹aHe shall go to the generation of his fathers;

They will never see the light. [aLit You; or It]

²⁰Man in his apomp, yet without understanding,

Is like the bbeasts that cperish. [aLit honor bOr animals cLit are destroyed]

Psalm 50 [Books]

God the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.

A Psalm of aAsaph.

[a1 Chr 15:17; 2 Chr 29:30]

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken,

And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God has shone forth.

³May our God come and not keep silence;

Fire devours before Him,

And it is very tempestuous around Him.

⁴He summons the heavens above,

And the earth, to judge His people:

⁵“Gather My godly ones to Me,

Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

⁶And the heavens declare His righteousness,

For God Himself is judge. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak;

O Israel, I will testify aagainst you;

I am God, your God. [aOr to]

⁸“I do not reprove you for your sacrifices,

And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.

⁹“I shall take no young bull out of your house

Nor male goats out of your folds.

¹⁰“For every beast of the forest is Mine,

The cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹“I know every bird of the mountains,

And everything that moves in the field is aMine. [aOr in My mind; lit with Me]

¹²“If I were hungry I would not tell you,

For the world is Mine, and aall it contains. [aLit its fullness]

¹³“Shall I eat the flesh of abulls

Or drink the blood of male goats? [aLit strong ones]

¹⁴“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving

And pay your vows to the Most High;

¹⁵Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

16 But to the wicked God says,

“What right have you to tell of My statutes

And to take My covenant in your mouth?

¹⁷“For you hate discipline,

And you cast My words behind you.

¹⁸“When you see a thief, you aare pleased with him,

And byou associate with adulterers. [aSome ancient versions read run together bLit your part is with]

¹⁹“You alet your mouth loose in evil

And your tongue frames deceit. [aLit send]

²⁰“You sit and speak against your brother;

You slander your own mother’s son.

²¹“These things you have done and I kept silence;

You thought that I was just like you;

I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,

Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.

²³“He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;

And to him who aorders his way aright

I shall show the salvation of God.” [aLit sets]

Psalm 51 [Books]

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when aNathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

[a2 Sam 12:1]

1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

³For aI know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me. [aOr I myself know]

⁴Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You aare justified bwhen You speak

And cblameless when You judge. [aOr may be in the right bMany mss read in Your words cLit pure]

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

⁶Behold, You desire truth in the ainnermost being,

And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. [aOr inward parts]

⁷aPurify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

bWash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. [aOr May You purify...that I may be clean bOr May You wash]

⁸aMake me to hear joy and gladness,

Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. [aOr May You make]

⁹Hide Your face from my sins

And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create ain me a clean heart, O God,

And renew ba steadfast spirit within me. [aLit for bOr an upright]

¹¹Do not cast 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 I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners will abe converted to You. [aOr turn back]

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;

Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

¹⁵O Lord, aopen my lips,

That my mouth may declare Your praise. [aOr may You open]

¹⁶For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

You are not pleased with burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

18 By Your favor do good to Zion;

aBuild the walls of Jerusalem. [aOr May You build]

¹⁹Then You will delight in arighteous sacrifices,

In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then byoung bulls will be offered on Your altar. [aOr sacrifices of righteousness bLit they will offer young bulls]

Psalm 52 [Books]

Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

For the choir director. A aMaskil of David, bwhen Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm b1 Sam 22:9]

1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?

The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.

²Your tongue devises destruction,

Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.

³You love evil more than good,

Falsehood more than speaking what is right. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁴You love all words that devour,

O deceitful tongue.

5 aBut God will break you down forever;

He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent,

And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah. [aOr Also]

⁶The righteous will see and fear,

And will laugh at him, saying,

⁷“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,

But trusted in the abundance of his riches

And was strong in ahis evil desire.” [aOr his destruction]

8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;

I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

⁹I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,

And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

Psalm 53 [Books]

Folly and Wickedness of Men.

For the choir director; according to aMahalath. A bMaskil of David.

[aI.e. sickness, a sad tone bPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,”

They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;

There is no one who does good.

²God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men

To see if there is anyone who aunderstands,

Who seeks after God. [aOr acts wisely]

³Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;

There is no one who does good, not even one.

4 Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge,

Who eat up My people as though they ate bread

And have not called upon God?

⁵There they were in great afear where no afear had been;

For God scattered the bones of bhim who encamped against you;

You put them to shame, because God had rejected them. [aOr dread bOr possibly those]

⁶Oh, that the salvation of Israel awould come out of Zion!

When God brestores His captive people,

cLet Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. [aLit would be bOr restores the fortunes of His people cOr Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad]

Psalm 54 [Books]

Prayer for Defense against Enemies.

For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A aMaskil of David, bwhen the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself among us?”

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm b1 Sam 23:19; 26:1]

1 Save me, O God, by Your name,

And avindicate me by Your power. [aLit judge]

²Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of my mouth.

³For strangers have risen against me

And violent men have sought my alife;

They have not set God before them. bSelah. [aOr soul bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

4 Behold, God is my helper;

The Lord is athe sustainer of my soul. [aLit as those who sustain]

⁵aHe will recompense the evil to bmy foes;

cDestroy them in Your dfaithfulness. [aLit The evil will return bOr those who lie in wait for me cOr Put to silence dOr truth]

6 aWillingly I will sacrifice to You;

I will give thanks to Your name, O LORD, for it is good. [aOr With a freewill offering]

⁷For aHe has delivered me from all btrouble,

And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies. [aOr it; i.e. His name bOr distress]

Psalm 55 [Books]

Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous.

For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A aMaskil of David.

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God;

And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

²Give heed to me and answer me;

I am restless in my complaint and aam surely distracted, [aOr I must moan]

³Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the pressure of the wicked;

For they bring down atrouble upon me

And in anger they bear a grudge against me. [aOr wickedness]

4 My heart is in anguish within me,

And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

⁵Fear and trembling come upon me,

And ahorror has overwhelmed me. [aLit shuddering]

⁶I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and abe at rest. [aLit settle down]

⁷“Behold, I would wander far away,

I would lodge in the wilderness. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁸“I would hasten to my place of refuge

From the stormy wind and tempest.”

9 aConfuse, O Lord, divide their tongues,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city. [aLit Swallow up]

¹⁰Day and night they go around her upon her walls,

And iniquity and mischief are in her midst.

¹¹Destruction is in her midst;

Oppression and deceit do not depart from her astreets. [aOr plaza]

12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me,

Then I could bear it;

Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me,

Then I could hide myself from him.

¹³But it is you, a man amy equal,

My companion and my bfamiliar friend; [aLit according to my valuation bOr acquaintance]

¹⁴We who had sweet afellowship together

Walked in the house of God in the throng. [aLit counsel; or intimacy]

¹⁵Let adeath come deceitfully upon them;

Let them go down alive to bSheol,

For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst. [aAnother reading is desolations be upon them bI.e. the nether world]

16 As for me, I shall call upon God,

And the LORD will save me.

¹⁷Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur,

And He will hear my voice.

¹⁸He will redeem my soul in peace afrom the battle which is against me,

For they are many who strive with me. [aOr so that none may approach me]

¹⁹God will hear and aanswer them—

Even the one who bsits enthroned from of old— Selah.

With whom there cis no change,

And who do not fear God. [aOr afflict bOr abides from cLit are no changes]

²⁰He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him;

He has aviolated his covenant. [aLit profaned]

²¹His aspeech was smoother than butter,

But his heart was war;

His words were softer than oil,

Yet they were drawn swords. [aLit mouth]

22 Cast ayour burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to bbe shaken. [aOr what He has given you bOr totter]

²³But You, O God, will bring them down to the apit of destruction;

Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days.

But I will trust in You. [aOr lowest pit]

Psalm 56 [Books]

Supplication for Deliverance and Grateful Trust in God.

For the choir director; according to aJonath elem rehokim. A bMikhtam of David, cwhen the Philistines seized him in Gath.

[aOr The silent dove of those who are far off, or, The dove of the distant terebinths bPossibly Epigrammatic Poem, or Atonement Psalm c1 Sam 21:10, 11]

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man has atrampled upon me;

bFighting all day long he oppresses me. [aOr snapped at bOr A fighting man]

²My foes have atrampled upon me all day long,

For bthey are many who fight proudly against me. [aOr snapped at bOr many are fighting]

³aWhen I am afraid,

bI will put my trust in You. [aLit In the day bOr I am one who puts]

⁴In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid.

What can mere aman do to me? [aLit flesh]

⁵All day long they adistort my words;

All their bthoughts are against me for evil. [aOr trouble my affairs bOr purposes]

⁶They aattack, they lurk,

They watch my bsteps,

As they have waited to take my clife. [aOr stir up strife bLit heels cLit soul]

⁷Because of wickedness, acast them forth,

In anger put down the peoples, O God! [aOr will they have escape?]

8 You have taken account of my wanderings;

Put my tears in Your bottle.

Are they not in Your book?

⁹Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call;

This I know, athat God is for me. [aOr because]

¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,

In the LORD, whose word I praise,

¹¹In God I have put my atrust, I shall not be afraid.

What can man do to me? [aOr trust without fear]

¹²Your vows are binding upon me, O God;

I will render thank offerings to You.

¹³For You have delivered my soul from death,

aIndeed my feet from stumbling,

So that I may walk before God

In the light of the bliving. [aOr have You not delivered bOr life]

Psalm 57 [Books]

Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.

For the choir director; set to aAl-tashheth. A bMikhtam of David, cwhen he fled from Saul in the cave.

[aLit Do Not Destroy bPossibly, Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm c1 Sam 22:1; 24:3]

1 Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,

For my soul takes refuge in You;

And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge

Until destruction passes by.

²I will cry to God Most High,

To God who accomplishes all things for me.

³He will send from heaven and save me;

He reproaches him who atramples upon me. bSelah.

God will send forth His lovingkindness and His ctruth. [aOr snaps at bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude cOr faithfulness]

4 My soul is among lions;

I must lie among those who breathe forth fire,

Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows

And their tongue a sharp sword.

⁵Be exalted above the heavens, O God;

Let Your glory be above all the earth.

⁶They have aprepared a net for my steps;

My soul is bowed down;

They dug a pit before me;

They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah. [aOr spread]

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!

⁸Awake, my glory!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

⁹I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to You among the anations. [aLit peoples]

¹⁰For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens

And Your atruth to the clouds. [aOr faithfulness]

¹¹Be exalted above the heavens, O God;

Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 58 [Books]

Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.

For the choir director; set to aAl-tashheth. A bMikhtam of David.

[aLit Do Not Destroy bPossibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm]

1 Do you indeed aspeak righteousness, O bgods?

Do you judge cuprightly, O sons of men? [aAnother reading is speak righteousness in silence bOr mighty ones or judges cOr uprightly the sons of men]

²No, in heart you work unrighteousness;

On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.

³The wicked are estranged from the womb;

These who speak lies go astray from abirth. [aLit the womb]

⁴They have venom like the venom of a serpent;

Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,

⁵So that it does not hear the voice of acharmers,

Or a skillful caster of spells. [aOr whisperers]

6 O God, shatter their teeth in their mouth;

Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD.

⁷Let them flow away like water that runs off;

When he aaims his arrows, let them be as bheadless shafts. [aLit bends bLit though they were cut off]

⁸Let them be as a snail which amelts away as it goes along,

Like the miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun. [aI.e. secretes slime]

⁹Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns

He will sweep them away with a whirlwind, the agreen and the burning alike. [aLit living]

10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;

He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

¹¹And men will say, “Surely there is a areward for the righteous;

Surely there is a God who judges bon earth!” [aLit fruit bOr in]

Psalm 59 [Books]

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.

For the choir director; set to aAl-tashheth. A bMikhtam of David, cwhen Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.

[aLit Do Not Destroy bPossibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm c1 Sam 19:11]

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

aSet me securely on high away from those who rise up against me. [aOr May You put me in an inaccessibly high place]

²Deliver me from those who do iniquity

And save me from men of bloodshed.

³For behold, they have aset an ambush for my blife;

cFierce men dlaunch an attack against me,

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD, [aOr lain in wait bLit soul cOr Strong dOr stir up strife]

⁴aFor no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.

Arouse Yourself to bhelp me, and see! [aLit Without guilt bLit meet]

⁵You, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to apunish all the nations;

Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. bSelah. [aLit visit bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁶They return at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

⁷Behold, they belch forth with their mouth;

Swords are in their lips,

For, they say, “Who hears?”

⁸But You, O LORD, laugh at them;

You scoff at all the nations.

9 Because of ahis strength I will watch for You,

For God is my stronghold. [aMany mss and some ancient versions read My strength]

¹⁰aMy God in His lovingkindness will meet me;

God will let me look triumphantly upon bmy foes. [aMany mss and some ancient versions read The God of my lovingkindness bLit those who lie in wait for me]

¹¹Do not slay them, or my people will forget;

aScatter them by Your power, and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield. [aOr Make them wander]

¹²aOn account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,

Let them even be caught in their pride,

And on account of curses and blies which they utter. [aOr The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips, bLit lying]

¹³aDestroy them in wrath, adestroy them that they may be no more;

That men may know that God brules in Jacob

To the ends of the earth. Selah. [aLit Bring to an end bOr is Ruler]

¹⁴They return at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

¹⁵They wander about afor food

And bgrowl if they are not satisfied. [aOr to devour bAnother reading is tarry all night]

16 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;

Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For You have been my stronghold

And a refuge in the day of my distress.

¹⁷O my strength, I will sing praises to You;

For God is my stronghold, the aGod who shows me lovingkindness. [aLit God of my lovingkindness]

Psalm 60 [Books]

Lament over Defeat in Battle, and Prayer for Help.

For the choir director; according to aShushan Eduth. A bMikhtam of David, to teach; cwhen he struggled with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and Joab returned, and smote twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

[aLit The lily of testimony bPossibly, Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm c2 Sam 8:3, 13; 1 Chr 18:3, 12]

1 O God, You have rejected us. You have abroken us;

You have been angry; O, restore us. [aOr broken out upon us]

²You have made the aland quake, You have split it open;

Heal its breaches, for it totters. [aOr earth]

³You have amade Your people experience hardship;

You have given us bwine to drink that makes us stagger. [aLit caused Your people to see bLit wine of staggering]

⁴You have given a banner to those who fear You,

That it may be displayed because of the truth. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁵That Your beloved may be delivered,

Save with Your right hand, and answer aus! [aSome authorities read me]

6 God has spoken in His aholiness:

“I will exult, I will portion out Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth. [aOr sanctuary]

⁷“Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;

Ephraim also is the ahelmet of My head;

Judah is My bscepter. [aLit protection bOr lawgiver]

⁸“Moab is My washbowl;

Over Edom I shall throw My shoe;

Shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me!”

9 Who will bring me into the besieged city?

Who awill lead me to Edom? [aOr has led]

¹⁰Have not You Yourself, O God, rejected us?

And will You not go forth with our armies, O God?

¹¹O give us help against the adversary,

For deliverance aby man is in vain. [aLit of]

¹²aThrough God we shall do valiantly,

And it is He who will tread down our adversaries. [aOr In or With]

Psalm 61 [Books]

Confidence in God’s Protection.

For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my cry, O God;

Give heed to my prayer.

²From the end of the earth 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 tower of strength aagainst the enemy. [aLit from]

⁴Let me adwell in Your tent forever;

Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. bSelah. [aOr sojourn bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

5 For You have heard my vows, O God;

You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.

⁶You will aprolong the king’s blife;

His years will be as many generations. [aLit add days to bLit days]

⁷He will aabide before God forever;

Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him. [aOr sit enthroned]

⁸So I will sing praise to Your name forever,

That I may pay my vows day by day.

Psalm 62 [Books]

God Alone a Refuge from Treachery and Oppression.

For the choir director; aaccording to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

[aCf 1 Chr 16:41; 25:1; Ps 39 and 77 titles]

1 My soul waits in silence for God only;

From Him is my salvation.

²He only is my rock and my salvation,

My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will you assail a man,

That you may murder him, all of you,

Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

⁴They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position;

They delight in falsehood;

They bless with atheir mouth,

But inwardly they curse. bSelah. [aLit his bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

5 My soul, wait in silence for God only,

For my hope is from Him.

⁶He only is my rock and my salvation,

My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

⁷On God my salvation and my glory rest;

The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

⁸Trust in Him at all times, O people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah.

9 Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie;

In the balances they go up;

They are together lighter than breath.

¹⁰Do not trust in oppression

And do not avainly hope in robbery;

If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. [aLit become vain in robbery]

11 aOnce God has spoken;

bTwice I have heard this:

That power belongs to God; [aOr One thing bOr These two things I have heard]

¹²And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord,

For You recompense a man according to his work.

Psalm 63 [Books]

The Thirsting Soul Satisfied in God.

A Psalm of David, awhen he was in the wilderness of Judah.

[a1 Sam 22:5; 23:14]

1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You aearnestly;

My soul thirsts for You, my flesh byearns for You,

In a dry and weary land where there is no water. [aLit early bLit faints]

²Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

³Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips will praise You.

⁴So I will bless You as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

⁵My soul is satisfied as with amarrow and fatness,

And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. [aLit fat]

6 When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches,

⁷For You have been my help,

And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

⁸My soul clings ato You;

Your right hand upholds me. [aLit after]

9 But those who seek my alife to destroy it,

Will go into the bdepths of the earth. [aLit soul bLit lowest places]

¹⁰aThey will be bdelivered over to the power of the sword;

They will be a cprey for foxes. [aLit They will pour him out bLit poured out by cLit portion]

¹¹But the king will rejoice in God;

Everyone who swears by Him will glory,

For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

Psalm 64 [Books]

Prayer for Deliverance from Secret Enemies.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my acomplaint;

Preserve my life from dread of the enemy. [aOr concern]

²Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers,

From the tumult of those who do iniquity,

³Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword.

They aimed bitter speech as their arrow,

⁴To shoot afrom concealment at the blameless;

Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. [aLit in]

⁵They ahold fast to themselves an evil purpose;

They btalk of laying snares secretly;

They say, “Who can see them?” [aLit make firm bLit tell of]

⁶They adevise injustices, saying,

“We are bready with a well-conceived plot”;

For the cinward thought and the heart of a man are ddeep. [aOr search out bLit complete cOr inward part dOr unsearchable]

7 But God awill shoot at them with an arrow;

Suddenly bthey will be wounded. [aOr shot bOr they were wounded; lit their wounds occurred]

⁸So athey bwill make him stumble;

Their own tongue is against them;

All who see them will shake the head. [aOr they make their tongue a stumbling for themselves bOr made]

⁹Then all men awill fear,

And they bwill declare the work of God,

And cwill consider dwhat He has done. [aOr feared bOr declared cOr considered dLit His work]

¹⁰The righteous man will be glad in the LORD and will take refuge in Him;

And all the upright in heart will glory.

Psalm 65 [Books]

God’s Abundant Favor to Earth and Man.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 There will be silence abefore You, and praise in Zion, O God,

And to You the vow will be performed. [aLit to]

²O You who hear prayer,

To You all amen come. [aLit flesh]

³aIniquities prevail against me;

As for our transgressions, You bforgive them. [aLit Words of iniquities bLit cover over, atone for]

⁴How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You

To dwell in Your courts.

We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,

Your holy temple.

5 By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation,

You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest asea; [aOr seas]

⁶Who establishes the mountains by His strength,

Being girded with might;

⁷Who stills the roaring of the seas,

The roaring of their waves,

And the tumult of the peoples.

⁸They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;

You make the adawn and the sunset shout for joy. [aLit the outgoings of the morning and evening]

9 You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;

You greatly enrich it;

The astream of God is full of water;

You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare bthe earth. [aOr channel bLit it]

¹⁰You water its furrows abundantly,

You asettle its ridges,

You soften it with showers,

You bless its growth. [aOr smooth]

¹¹You have crowned the year awith Your bbounty,

And Your cpaths drip with fatness. [aLit of bOr goodness cI.e. wagon tracks]

¹²The pastures of the wilderness drip,

And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.

¹³The meadows are clothed with flocks

And the valleys are covered with grain;

They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Psalm 66 [Books]

Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

For the choir director. A Song. A Psalm.

1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

²Sing the glory of His name;

Make His praise glorious.

³Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!

Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will agive feigned obedience to You. [aLit deceive]

⁴“All the earth will worship You,

And will sing praises to You;

They will sing praises to Your name.” aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

5 Come and see the works of God,

Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.

⁶He turned the sea into dry land;

They passed through the river on foot;

There let us rejoice in Him!

⁷He rules by His might forever;

His eyes keep watch on the nations;

Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

8 Bless our God, O peoples,

And asound His praise abroad, [aLit cause to hear the sound of His praise]

⁹Who akeeps us in life

And does not allow our feet to bslip. [aLit puts our soul in life bOr dodder, stumble]

¹⁰For You have tried us, O God;

You have refined us as silver is refined.

¹¹You brought us into the net;

You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.

¹²You made men ride over our heads;

We went through fire and through water,

Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.

¹³I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;

I shall pay You my vows,

¹⁴Which my lips uttered

And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.

¹⁵I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,

With the smoke of rams;

I shall make an offering of abulls with male goats. Selah. [aOr cattle]

16 Come and hear, all who afear God,

And I will tell of what He has done for my soul. [aOr revere]

¹⁷I cried to Him with my mouth,

And aHe was extolled with my tongue. [aOr praise was under my tongue]

¹⁸If I aregard wickedness in my heart,

The Lord bwill not chear; [aOr had regarded bOr would cOr have heard]

¹⁹But certainly God has heard;

He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

²⁰Blessed be God,

Who has not turned away my prayer

Nor His lovingkindness from me.

Psalm 67 [Books]

The Nations Exhorted to Praise God.

For the choir director; with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

1 God be gracious to us and bless us,

And cause His face to shine aupon us— bSelah. [aLit with bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

²That Your way may be known on the earth,

Your salvation among all nations.

³Let the peoples praise You, O God;

Let all the peoples praise You.

⁴Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;

For You will judge the peoples with uprightness

And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.

⁵Let the peoples praise You, O God;

Let all the peoples praise You.

⁶The earth has yielded its produce;

God, our God, blesses us.

⁷God blesses us,

aThat all the ends of the earth may fear Him. [aOr And let all...earth fear Him]

Psalm 68 [Books]

The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 aLet God arise, blet His enemies be scattered,

And clet those who hate Him flee before Him. [aOr God shall bOr His enemies shall cOr those who hate Him shall]

²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

As wax melts before the fire,

So let the wicked perish before God.

³But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God;

Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

⁴Sing to God, sing praises to His name;

aLift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,

Whose name is bthe LORD, and exult before Him. [aOr Cast up a highway bHeb YAH]

5 A father of the fatherless and a judge afor the widows,

Is God in His holy habitation. [aLit of]

⁶God amakes a home for the lonely;

He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,

Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. [aLit makes the solitary to dwell in a house]

7 O God, when You went forth before Your people,

When You marched through the wilderness, aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁸The earth quaked;

The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;

aSinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. [aLit This is Sinai which]

⁹You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God;

You confirmed Your inheritance when it was aparched. [aLit weary]

¹⁰Your creatures settled in it;

You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.

11 The Lord gives the acommand;

The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: [aLit word]

¹²“Kings of armies flee, they flee,

And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!”

¹³aWhen you lie down among the bsheepfolds,

You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,

And its pinions with glistening gold. [aLit If bOr cooking stones or saddle bags]

¹⁴When the Almighty scattered the kings athere,

It was snowing in Zalmon. [aLit in it]

15 A amountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;

A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan. [aOr mighty mountain is]

¹⁶Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,

At the mountain which God has desired for His abode?

Surely the LORD will dwell there forever.

¹⁷The chariots of God are amyriads, thousands upon thousands;

bThe Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness. [aLit twice ten thousand bAnother reading is The Lord came from Sinai into the sanctuary]

¹⁸You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives;

You have received gifts among men,

Even among the rebellious also, that athe LORD God may dwell there. [aHeb YAH]

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,

The God who is our salvation. Selah.

²⁰God is to us a God of deliverances;

And to aGOD the Lord belong escapes bfrom death. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bI.e. in view of; lit for]

²¹Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies,

The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds.

²²The Lord asaid, “I will bring them back from Bashan.

I will bring them back from the depths of the sea; [aOr says]

²³That ayour foot may shatter them in blood,

The tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.” [aSome versions render, you may bathe your foot in blood]

24 They have seen Your aprocession, O God,

The aprocession of my God, my King, binto the sanctuary. [aLit goings bLit in the sanctuary; or in holiness]

²⁵The singers went on, the musicians after them,

aIn the midst of the maidens beating tambourines. [aOr The maidens in the midst]

²⁶Bless God in the congregations,

Even the LORD, you who are of the fountain of Israel.

²⁷There is Benjamin, the ayoungest, bruling them,

The princes of Judah in their throng,

The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. [aOr smallest bOr their ruler]

28 aYour God has commanded your strength;

Show Yourself strong, O God, who have acted bon our behalf. [aSome mss read Command, God bLit for us]

²⁹aBecause of Your temple at Jerusalem

Kings will bring gifts to You. [aOr From Your temple]

³⁰Rebuke the beasts ain the reeds,

The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,

Trampling under foot the pieces of silver;

He has scattered the peoples who delight in war. [aLit of]

³¹Envoys will come out of Egypt;

aEthiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. [aLit Cush]

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,

Sing praises to the Lord, Selah.

³³To Him who rides upon the ahighest heavens, which are from ancient times;

Behold, He bspeaks forth with His voice, a mighty voice. [aLit heaven of heavens of old bLit gives forth]

³⁴Ascribe strength to God;

His majesty is over Israel

And His strength is in the askies. [aLit clouds]

³⁵aO God, You are awesome from Your bsanctuary.

The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people.

Blessed be God! [aOr Awesome is God from your sanctuary bLit holy places]

Psalm 69 [Books]

A Cry of Distress and Imprecation on Adversaries.

For the choir director; according to aShoshannim. A Psalm of David.

[aOr possibly Lilies]

1 Save me, O God,

For the waters have athreatened my life. [aLit come to the soul]

²I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold;

I have come into deep waters, and a aflood overflows me. [aLit flowing stream]

³I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;

My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

⁴Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;

Those who would adestroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies;

What I did not steal, I then have to restore. [aOr silence]

5 O God, it is You who knows my folly,

And my wrongs are not hidden from You.

⁶May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord aGOD of hosts;

May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel, [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

⁷Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;

Dishonor has covered my face.

⁸I have become estranged afrom my brothers

And an alien to my mother’s sons. [aLit to]

⁹For zeal for Your house has consumed me,

And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

¹⁰When I wept in my soul with fasting,

It became my reproach.

¹¹When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.

¹²Those who sit in the gate talk about me,

And I am the asong of the drunkards. [aLit songs]

13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at an acceptable time;

O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness,

Answer me with aYour saving truth. [aOr the faithfulness of Your salvation]

¹⁴Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink;

May I be delivered from amy foes and from the bdeep waters. [aLit those who hate me bLit deep places of water]

¹⁵May the aflood of water not overflow me

Nor the deep swallow me up,

Nor the pit shut its mouth on me. [aLit stream]

16 Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;

According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,

¹⁷And do not hide Your face from Your servant,

For I am in distress; answer me quickly.

¹⁸Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it;

Ransom me because of my enemies!

¹⁹You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor;

All my adversaries are abefore You. [aOr known to You]

20 Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick.

And I looked for sympathy, but there was none,

And for comforters, but I found none.

²¹They also gave me agall bfor my food

And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. [aOr poison bOr in]

22 May their table before them become a snare;

And awhen they are in peace, may it become a trap. [aLit for those who are secure]

²³May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see,

And make their loins shake continually.

²⁴Pour out Your indignation on them,

And may Your burning anger overtake them.

²⁵May their acamp be desolate;

May none dwell in their tents. [aLit encampment]

²⁶For they have persecuted him whom You Yourself have smitten,

And they tell of the pain of those whom You have awounded. [aLit pierced]

²⁷Add iniquity to their iniquity,

And may they not come into Your righteousness.

²⁸May they be blotted out of the book of life

And may they not be arecorded with the righteous. [aLit written]

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;

aMay Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high. [aOr Your salvation, O God, will set...]

³⁰I will praise the name of God with song

And magnify Him with thanksgiving.

³¹And it will please the LORD better than an ox

Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.

³²The humble ahave seen it and are glad;

You who seek God, let your heart brevive. [aSome mss and ancient versions read will see bOr live]

³³For the LORD hears the needy

And does not despise His who are prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,

The seas and everything that moves in them.

³⁵For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah,

That they may dwell there and possess it.

³⁶The adescendants of His servants will inherit it,

And those who love His name will dwell in it. [aLit seed]

Psalm 70 [Books]

Prayer for Help against Persecutors.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David; for a memorial.

1 O God, hasten to deliver me;

O LORD, hasten to my help!

²Let those be ashamed and humiliated

Who seek my alife;

Let those be turned back and dishonored

Who delight bin my hurt. [aOr soul bOr to injure me]

³Let those be aturned back because of their shame

Who say, “Aha, aha!” [aSome mss read appalled]

4 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

And let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“Let God be magnified.”

⁵But I am afflicted and needy;

Hasten to me, O God!

You are my help and my deliverer;

O LORD, do not delay.

Psalm 71 [Books]

Prayer of an Old Man for Deliverance.

1 In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;

Let me never be ashamed.

²In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

Incline Your ear to me and save me.

³Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come;

You have given commandment to save me,

For You are my arock and my fortress. [aOr crag]

⁴Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,

Out of the agrasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man, [aLit palm]

⁵For You are my hope;

O Lord aGOD, You are my confidence from my youth. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

⁶aBy You I have been sustained from my birth;

You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;

My praise is continually bof You. [aLit Upon You I have been supported bLit in]

7 I have become a marvel to many,

For You are my strong refuge.

⁸My mouth is filled with Your praise

And with Your glory all day long.

⁹Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

¹⁰For my enemies have spoken aagainst me;

And those who watch for my blife have consulted together, [aLit with reference to bLit soul]

¹¹Saying, “God has forsaken him;

Pursue and seize him, for there is no one to deliver.”

12 O God, do not be far from me;

O my God, hasten to my help!

¹³Let those who are adversaries of my soul be ashamed and consumed;

Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, who seek ato injure me. [aLit my injury]

¹⁴But as for me, I will hope continually,

And will apraise You yet more and more. [aLit add upon all Your praise]

¹⁵My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

And of Your salvation all day long;

For I do not know the asum of them. [aLit numbers]

¹⁶I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord aGOD;

I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

17 O God, You have taught me from my youth,

And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.

¹⁸And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your astrength to this generation,

Your power to all who are to come. [aLit arm]

¹⁹aFor Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the bheavens,

You who have done great things;

O God, who is like You? [aOr And bLit height]

²⁰You who have shown ame many troubles and distresses

Will revive ame again,

And will bring ame up again from the depths of the earth. [aAnother reading is us]

²¹May You increase my greatness

And turn to comfort me.

22 I will also praise You with aa harp,

Even Your btruth, O my God;

To You I will sing praises with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel. [aLit an instrument of a harp bOr faithfulness]

²³My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;

And my soul, which You have redeemed.

²⁴My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;

For they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek amy hurt. [aOr to injure me]

Psalm 72 [Books]

The Reign of the Righteous King.

A Psalm of Solomon.

1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,

And Your righteousness to the king’s son.

²aMay bhe judge Your people with righteousness

And cYour afflicted with justice. [aOr He will judge bMany of the pronouns in this Psalm may be rendered He since the typical reference is to the Messiah cOr Your humble]

³aLet the mountains bring bpeace to the people,

And the hills, in righteousness. [aOr The mountains will bring bOr prosperity]

⁴aMay he vindicate the bafflicted of the people,

Save the children of the needy

And crush the oppressor. [aOr He will vindicate bOr humble]

5 aLet them fear You while the sun endures,

And bas long as the moon, throughout all generations. [aOr They will fear bLit before the moon]

⁶aMay he come down like rain upon the mown grass,

Like showers that water the earth. [aOr He will come down]

⁷In his days amay the righteous flourish,

And abundance of peace till the moon is no more. [aOr the righteous will flourish]

8 May he also rule from sea to sea

And from the River to the ends of the earth.

⁹aLet the nomads of the desert bow before him,

And his enemies lick the dust. [aOr The nomads...will bow]

¹⁰aLet the kings of Tarshish and of the bislands bring presents;

The kings of Sheba and Seba offer cgifts. [aOr The kings...will bring bOr coastlands cOr tribute]

¹¹aAnd let all kings bow down before him,

All nations serve him. [aOr All kings will bow down]

12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help,

The aafflicted also, and him who has no helper. [aOr humble]

¹³He will have compassion on the poor and needy,

And the alives of the needy he will save. [aLit souls]

¹⁴He will arescue their blife from oppression and violence,

And their blood will be precious in his sight; [aLit redeem bLit soul]

¹⁵So may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him;

And let athem pray for him continually;

Let athem bless him all day long. [aLit him]

16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains;

Its fruit will wave like the cedars of Lebanon;

And may those from the city flourish like vegetation of the earth.

¹⁷May his name endure forever;

May his name aincrease bas long as the sun shines;

And let men bless themselves by him;

Let all nations call him blessed. [aOr sprout forth bLit before the sun]

18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,

Who alone works wonders.

¹⁹And blessed be His glorious name forever;

And may the whole earth be filled with His glory.

Amen, and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Book 3

Psalm 73 [Books]

The End of the Wicked Contrasted with That of the Righteous.

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 Surely God is good to Israel,

To those who are pure in heart!

²But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,

My steps ahad almost slipped. [aLit were caused to slip]

³For I was envious of the aarrogant

As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. [aOr boasters]

⁴For there are no pains in their death,

And their abody is fat. [aOr belly]

⁵They are not ain trouble as other bmen,

Nor are they plagued clike mankind. [aLit in the trouble of men bOr mortals cLit with]

⁶Therefore pride is their necklace;

The garment of violence covers them.

⁷Their eye abulges from fatness;

The imaginations of their heart brun riot. [aLit goes forth bLit overflow]

⁸They mock and awickedly speak of oppression;

They speak from on high. [aOr they speak in wickedness; From on high they speak of oppression]

⁹They have set their mouth aagainst the heavens,

And their tongue bparades through the earth. [aOr in bLit walks]

10 Therefore ahis people return to this place,

And waters of abundance are bdrunk by them. [aOr His bLit drained out]

¹¹They say, “How does God know?

And is there knowledge awith the Most High?” [aLit in]

¹²Behold, these are the wicked;

And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.

¹³Surely in vain I have akept my heart pure

And washed my hands in innocence; [aOr cleansed my heart]

¹⁴For I have been stricken all day long

And achastened every morning. [aLit my chastening]

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

¹⁶When I pondered to understand this,

It was atroublesome in my sight [aLit labor, trouble]

¹⁷Until I came into the asanctuary of God;

Then I perceived their end. [aLit sanctuaries]

¹⁸Surely You set them in slippery places;

You cast them down to adestruction. [aLit ruins]

¹⁹How they are adestroyed in a moment!

They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! [aLit become a desolation]

²⁰Like a dream when one awakes,

O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their aform. [aOr image]

21 When my heart was embittered

And I was pierced awithin, [aLit in my kidneys]

²²Then I was senseless and ignorant;

I was like aa beast bbefore You. [aOr an animal bLit with You]

²³Nevertheless I am continually with You;

You have taken hold of my right hand.

²⁴With Your counsel You will guide me,

And afterward receive me ato glory. [aOr with honor]

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?

And abesides You, I desire nothing on earth. [aOr with]

²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail,

But God is the astrength of my heart and my portion forever. [aLit rock]

²⁷For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;

You have adestroyed all those who bare unfaithful to You. [aOr silenced bLit go to a whoring from]

²⁸But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord aGOD my refuge,

That I may tell of all Your works. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

Psalm 74 [Books]

An Appeal against the Devastation of the Land by the Enemy.

A aMaskil of Asaph.

[aPossibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 O God, why have You rejected us forever?

Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your apasture? [aOr pasturing]

²Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,

Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance;

And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.

³aTurn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins;

The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary. [aLit Lift up]

⁴Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;

They have set up their own astandards for signs. [aLit signs]

⁵It seems as if one had lifted up

His aaxe in a bforest of trees. [aLit axes bLit thicket]

⁶And now aall its carved work

They smash with hatchet and bhammers. [aLit altogether bOr axes]

⁷They have aburned Your sanctuary bto the ground;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name. [aLit set on fire bOr To the ground they...]

⁸They said in their heart, “Let us acompletely bsubdue them.”

They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land. [aLit altogether bOr oppress]

⁹We do not see our signs;

There is no longer any prophet,

Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

¹⁰How long, O God, will the adversary revile,

And the enemy spurn Your name forever?

¹¹Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?

From within Your bosom, destroy them!

12 Yet God is my king from of old,

Who works deeds of deliverance in the midst of the earth.

¹³aYou divided the sea by Your strength;

aYou broke the heads of the sea monsters bin the waters. [aOr You Yourself bLit on]

¹⁴aYou crushed the heads of bLeviathan;

aYou gave him as food for the ccreatures of the wilderness. [aOr You Yourself bOr sea monster cLit people]

¹⁵aYou broke open springs and torrents;

aYou dried up ever-flowing streams. [aOr You Yourself]

¹⁶Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;

aYou have prepared the blight and the sun. [aOr You Yourself bOr luminary]

¹⁷aYou have established all the boundaries of the earth;

aYou have bmade summer and winter. [aOr You Yourself bOr formed]

18 Remember this, aO LORD, that the enemy has reviled,

And a foolish people has spurned Your name. [aOr that the enemy has reviled the LORD]

¹⁹Do not deliver the soul of Your turtledove to the wild beast;

Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.

²⁰Consider the covenant;

For the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.

²¹Let not the oppressed return dishonored;

Let the afflicted and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, and plead Your own cause;

Remember ahow the foolish man reproaches You all day long. [aLit Your reproach from the foolish man]

²³Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries,

The uproar of those who rise against You which ascends continually.

Psalm 75 [Books]

God Abases the Proud, but Exalts the Righteous.

For the choir director; set to aAl-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song.

[aLit Do Not Destroy]

1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks,

For Your name is near;

Men declare Your wondrous works.

²“When I select an appointed time,

It is I who judge with equity.

³“The earth and all who dwell in it amelt;

It is I who have firmly set its pillars. bSelah. [aOr totter bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁴“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’

And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn;

⁵Do not lift up your horn on high,

Do not speak with insolent apride.’ ” [aLit neck]

6 For not from the east, nor from the west,

Nor from the adesert comes exaltation; [aOr mountainous desert]

⁷But God is the Judge;

He puts down one and exalts another.

⁸For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, and the wine foams;

It is awell mixed, and He pours out of this;

Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs. [aLit full of mixture]

9 But as for me, I will declare it forever;

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰And all the horns of the wicked aHe will cut off,

But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. [aHeb I]

Psalm 76 [Books]

The Victorious Power of the God of Jacob.

For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song.

1 God is known in Judah;

His name is great in Israel.

²His atabernacle is in Salem;

His dwelling place also is in Zion. [aLit shelter]

³There He broke the aflaming arrows,

The shield and the sword and the bweapons of war. cSelah. [aLit fiery shafts of the bow bLit battle cSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

4 You are resplendent,

aMore majestic than the mountains of prey. [aOr Majestic from the mountains]

⁵The stouthearted were plundered,

aThey sank into sleep;

And none of the bwarriors could use his hands. [aLit They slumbered their sleep bLit men of might have found their hands]

⁶At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,

Both arider and horse were cast into a dead sleep. [aLit chariot]

⁷You, even You, are to be feared;

And who may stand in Your presence when once aYou are angry? [aLit Your anger is]

8 You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;

The earth feared and was still

⁹When God arose to judgment,

To save all the humble of the earth. Selah.

¹⁰For the awrath of man shall praise You;

With a remnant of wrath You will gird Yourself. [aLit wraths]

11 Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them;

Let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared.

¹²He will cut off the spirit of princes;

He is afeared by the kings of the earth. [aLit awesome to]

Psalm 77 [Books]

Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.

For the choir director; aaccording to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

[a1 Chr 16:41]

1 My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud;

My voice rises to God, and He will hear me.

²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;

In the night my hand was stretched out awithout weariness;

My soul refused to be comforted. [aLit and did not grow numb]

³When I remember God, then I am disturbed;

When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁴You have held my eyelids open;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

⁵I have considered the days of old,

The years of long ago.

⁶I will remember my song in the night;

I will meditate with my heart,

And my spirit aponders: [aLit searched]

7 Will the Lord reject forever?

And will He never be favorable again?

⁸Has His lovingkindness ceased forever?

Has His apromise come to an end bforever? [aLit word bLit from generation to generation]

⁹Has God forgotten to be gracious,

Or has He in anger awithdrawn His compassion? Selah. [aLit shut up]

¹⁰Then I said, “It is my agrief,

That the right hand of the Most High has changed.” [aOr infirmity, the years of the right hand of the Most High]

11 I shall remember the deeds of athe LORD;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. [aHeb YAH]

¹²I will meditate on all Your work

And muse on Your deeds.

¹³Your way, O God, is holy;

What god is great like our God?

¹⁴You are the God who works wonders;

You have made known Your strength among the peoples.

¹⁵You have by Your apower redeemed Your people,

The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. [aLit arm]

16 The waters saw You, O God;

The waters saw You, they were in anguish;

The deeps also trembled.

¹⁷The clouds poured out water;

The skies gave forth a sound;

Your arrows aflashed here and there. [aLit went]

¹⁸The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;

The lightnings lit up the world;

The earth trembled and shook.

¹⁹Your way was in the sea

And Your paths in the mighty waters,

And Your footprints may not be known.

²⁰You led Your people like a flock

By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 78 [Books]

God’s Guidance of His People in Spite of Their Unfaithfulness.

A aMaskil of Asaph.

[aPossibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm]

1 Listen, O my people, to my ainstruction;

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. [aOr law, teaching]

²I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings of old,

³Which we have heard and known,

And our fathers have told us.

⁴We will not conceal them from their children,

But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,

And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.

5 For He established a testimony in Jacob

And appointed a law in Israel,

Which He commanded our fathers

That they should ateach them to their children, [aLit make them known]

⁶That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,

That they may arise and tell them to their children,

⁷That they should put their confidence in God

And not forget the works of God,

But keep His commandments,

⁸And not be like their fathers,

A stubborn and rebellious generation,

A generation that did not aprepare its heart

And whose spirit was not faithful to God. [aOr put right]

9 The sons of Ephraim awere archers equipped with bows,

Yet they turned back in the day of battle. [aOr being]

¹⁰They did not keep the covenant of God

And refused to walk in His law;

¹¹They forgot His deeds

And His amiracles that He had shown them. [aOr wonderful works]

¹²He wrought wonders before their fathers

In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

¹³He divided the sea and caused them to pass through,

And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

¹⁴Then He led them with the cloud by day

And all the night with a light of fire.

¹⁵He split the rocks in the wilderness

And gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.

¹⁶He brought forth streams also from the rock

And caused waters to run down like rivers.

17 Yet they still continued to sin against Him,

To rebel against the Most High in the desert.

¹⁸And in their heart they put God to the test

By asking food according to their desire.

¹⁹Then they spoke against God;

They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

²⁰“Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out,

And streams were overflowing;

Can He give bread also?

Will He provide ameat for His people?” [aLit flesh]

21 Therefore the LORD heard and awas full of wrath;

And a fire was kindled against Jacob

And anger also mounted against Israel, [aOr became infuriated]

²²Because they did not believe in God

And did not trust in His salvation.

²³Yet He commanded the clouds above

And opened the doors of heaven;

²⁴He rained down manna upon them to eat

And gave them afood from heaven. [aLit grain]

²⁵Man did eat the bread of aangels;

He sent them bfood cin abundance. [aLit mighty ones bOr provision cLit to satiation]

²⁶He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens

And by His apower He directed the south wind. [aOr strength]

²⁷When He rained ameat upon them like the dust,

Even winged fowl like the sand of the seas, [aLit flesh]

²⁸Then He let them fall in the midst of atheir camp,

Round about their dwellings. [aLit His]

²⁹So they ate and were well filled,

And their desire He gave to them.

³⁰aBefore they had satisfied their desire,

While their food was in their mouths, [aLit They were not estranged from]

³¹The anger of God rose against them

And killed asome of their stoutest ones,

And bsubdued the choice men of Israel. [aLit among their fat ones bLit caused to bow down]

³²In spite of all this they still sinned

And did not believe in His wonderful works.

³³So He brought their days to an end in afutility

And their years in sudden terror. [aLit vanity, a mere breath]

34 When He killed them, then they sought Him,

And returned and searched diligently for God;

³⁵And they remembered that God was their rock,

And the Most High God their Redeemer.

³⁶But they deceived Him with their mouth

And lied to Him with their tongue.

³⁷For their heart was not steadfast toward Him,

Nor were they faithful in His covenant.

³⁸But He, being compassionate, aforgave their iniquity and did not destroy them;

And often He brestrained His anger

And did not arouse all His wrath. [aLit covered over, atoned for bLit turned away]

³⁹Thus He remembered that they were but flesh,

A awind that passes and does not return. [aOr breath]

40 How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness

And grieved Him in the desert!

⁴¹Again and again they atempted God,

And pained the Holy One of Israel. [aOr put God to the test]

⁴²They did not remember His apower,

The day when He redeemed them from the adversary, [aLit hand]

⁴³When He performed His signs in Egypt

And His marvels in the field of Zoan,

⁴⁴And turned their rivers to blood,

And their streams, they could not drink.

⁴⁵He sent among them swarms of flies which devoured them,

And frogs which destroyed them.

⁴⁶He gave also their crops to the grasshopper

And the product of their labor to the locust.

⁴⁷He adestroyed their vines with hailstones

And their sycamore trees with frost. [aLit was killing]

⁴⁸He gave over their cattle also to the hailstones

And their herds to bolts of lightning.

⁴⁹He sent upon them His burning anger,

Fury and indignation and trouble,

aA band of destroying angels. [aLit A deputation of angels of evil]

⁵⁰He leveled a path for His anger;

He did not spare their soul from death,

But gave over their life to the plague,

⁵¹And smote all the firstborn in Egypt,

The first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.

⁵²But He led forth His own people like sheep

And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;

⁵³He led them safely, so that they did not fear;

But the sea engulfed their enemies.

54 So He brought them to His holy aland,

To this bhill country which His right hand had gained. [aLit border, territory bOr mountain]

⁵⁵He also drove out the nations before them

And apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement,

And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.

⁵⁶Yet they atempted and rebelled against the Most High God

And did not keep His testimonies, [aOr put to the test]

⁵⁷But turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers;

They turned aside like a treacherous bow.

⁵⁸For they provoked Him with their high places

And aroused His jealousy with their graven images.

⁵⁹When God heard, He awas filled with wrath

And greatly abhorred Israel; [aOr became infuriated]

⁶⁰So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh,

The tent awhich He had pitched among men, [aSome ancient versions read where He dwelt]

⁶¹And gave up His strength to captivity

And His glory into the hand of the adversary.

⁶²He also delivered His people to the sword,

And awas filled with wrath at His inheritance. [aOr became infuriated]

⁶³Fire devoured aHis young men,

And aHis virgins had no wedding songs. [aOr their]

⁶⁴aHis priests fell by the sword,

And aHis widows could not weep. [aOr their]

65 Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep,

Like a warrior aovercome by wine. [aOr sobered up from]

⁶⁶He adrove His adversaries backward;

He put on them an everlasting reproach. [aLit smote]

⁶⁷He also rejected the tent of Joseph,

And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

⁶⁸But chose the tribe of Judah,

Mount Zion which He loved.

⁶⁹And He built His sanctuary like the heights,

Like the earth which He has founded forever.

⁷⁰He also chose David His servant

And took him from the sheepfolds;

⁷¹From athe care of the bewes with suckling lambs He brought him

To shepherd Jacob His people,

And Israel His inheritance. [aLit following bLit ewes which gave suck, He...]

⁷²So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,

And guided them with his skillful hands.

Psalm 79 [Books]

A Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Prayer for Help.

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, the nations have ainvaded Your inheritance;

They have defiled Your holy temple;

They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. [aLit come into]

²They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens,

The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.

³They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem;

And there was no one to bury them.

⁴We have become a reproach to our neighbors,

A scoffing and derision to those around us.

⁵How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever?

Will Your jealousy burn like fire?

⁶Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You,

And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name.

⁷For they have devoured Jacob

And laid waste his ahabitation. [aLit pasture]

8 Do not remember athe iniquities of our forefathers against us;

Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,

For we are brought very low. [aOr our former iniquities]

⁹Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;

And deliver us and aforgive our sins for Your name’s sake. [aLit cover over, atone for]

¹⁰Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

Let there be known among the nations in our sight,

Vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed.

¹¹Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;

According to the greatness of Your apower preserve bthose who are doomed to die. [aLit arm bLit the children of death]

¹²And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom

aThe reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. [aLit Their]

¹³So we Your people and the sheep of Your apasture

Will give thanks to You forever;

To all generations we will tell of Your praise. [aOr pasturing]

Psalm 80 [Books]

God Implored to Rescue His People from Their Calamities.

For the choir director; set to aEl Shoshannim; bEduth. A Psalm of Asaph.

[aPossibly, to the Lilies bLit A testimony]

1 Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,

You who lead Joseph like a flock;

You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!

²Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power

And come to save us!

³O God, restore us

And cause Your face to shine upon us, aand we will be saved. [aOr that we may]

4 O LORD God of hosts,

How long will You abe angry with the prayer of Your people? [aLit smoke against]

⁵You have fed them with the bread of tears,

And You have made them to drink tears in alarge measure. [aLit a third part of a]

⁶You make us aan object of contention to our neighbors,

And our enemies laugh among themselves. [aLit a strife to]

⁷O God of hosts, restore us

And cause Your face to shine upon us, aand we will be saved. [aOr that we may]

8 You removed a vine from Egypt;

You drove out the anations and planted it. [aOr Gentiles]

⁹You cleared the ground before it,

And it took deep root and filled the land.

¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shadow,

And athe cedars of God with its boughs. [aOr its boughs are like the cedars of God]

¹¹It was sending out its branches to the sea

And its shoots to the River.

¹²Why have You broken down its ahedges,

So that all who pass that way pick its fruit? [aOr walls, fences]

¹³A boar from the forest eats it away

And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.

14 O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You;

Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,

¹⁵Even the ashoot which Your right hand has planted,

And on the bson whom You have cstrengthened for Yourself. [aOr root bOr figuratively: branch cOr secured]

¹⁶It is burned with fire, it is cut down;

They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.

¹⁷Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,

Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.

¹⁸Then we shall not turn back from You;

Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.

¹⁹O LORD God of hosts, restore us;

Cause Your face to shine upon us, aand we will be saved. [aOr that we may]

Psalm 81 [Books]

God’s Goodness and Israel’s Waywardness.

For the choir director; aon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.

[aOr according to]

1 Sing for joy to God our strength;

Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

²Raise a song, strike the timbrel,

The sweet sounding lyre with the harp.

³Blow the trumpet at the new moon,

At the full moon, on our feast day.

⁴For it is a statute for Israel,

An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

⁵He established it for a testimony in Joseph

When he awent throughout the land of Egypt.

I heard a language that I did not know: [aLit went out over]

6 “I arelieved his shoulder of the burden,

His hands were freed from the bbasket. [aLit removed his shoulder from bOr brick load]

⁷“You called in trouble and I rescued you;

I answered you in the hiding place of thunder;

I proved you at the waters of Meribah. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁸“Hear, O My people, and I will aadmonish you;

O Israel, if you would listen to Me! [aOr bear witness against]

⁹“Let there be no strange god among you;

Nor shall you worship any foreign god.

¹⁰“I, the LORD, am your God,

Who brought you up from the land of Egypt;

Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

11 “But My people did not listen to My voice,

And Israel did not aobey Me. [aLit yield to]

¹²“So I gave athem over to the stubbornness of their heart,

To walk in their own devices. [aLit him]

¹³“Oh that My people would listen to Me,

That Israel would walk in My ways!

¹⁴“I would quickly subdue their enemies

And turn My hand against their adversaries.

¹⁵“Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him,

And their time of punishment would be forever.

¹⁶“aBut I would feed you with the bfinest of the wheat,

And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” [aLit He would feed him bLit fat]

Psalm 82 [Books]

Unjust Judgments Rebuked.

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 God takes His stand in aHis own congregation;

He judges in the midst of the brulers. [aLit the congregation of God bLit gods]

²How long will you judge unjustly

And show partiality to the wicked? aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

³Vindicate the weak and fatherless;

Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.

⁴Rescue the weak and needy;

Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.

5 They do not know nor do they understand;

They walk about in darkness;

All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

⁶aI said, “You are gods,

And all of you are sons of the Most High. [aLit I, on my part]

⁷“Nevertheless you will die like men

And fall like any one of the princes.”

⁸Arise, O God, judge the earth!

For it is You who possesses all the nations.

Psalm 83 [Books]

God Implored to Confound His Enemies.

A Song, a Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, do not remain quiet;

Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.

²For behold, Your enemies make an uproar,

And those who hate You have aexalted themselves. [aLit lifted up the head]

³They make shrewd plans against Your people,

And aconspire together against Your btreasured ones. [aOr consult bOr hidden ones]

⁴They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out aas a nation,

That the name of Israel be remembered no more.” [aLit from]

⁵For they have aconspired together with one mind;

Against You they make a covenant: [aOr consulted]

⁶The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites;

⁷Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

⁸Assyria also has joined with them;

They have become aa help to the children of Lot. bSelah. [aLit an arm bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

9 Deal with them as with Midian,

As with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon,

¹⁰Who were destroyed at En-dor,

Who became as dung for the ground.

¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb

And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

¹²Who said, “Let us possess for ourselves

The pastures of God.”

13 O my God, make them like the awhirling dust,

Like chaff before the wind. [aOr tumbleweed]

¹⁴Like fire that burns the forest

And like a flame that sets the mountains on fire,

¹⁵So pursue them with Your tempest

And terrify them with Your storm.

¹⁶Fill their faces with dishonor,

That they may seek Your name, O LORD.

¹⁷Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever,

And let them be humiliated and perish,

¹⁸That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD,

Are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalm 84 [Books]

Longing for the Temple Worship.

For the choir director; aon the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

[aOr according to]

1 How lovely are Your dwelling places,

O LORD of hosts!

²My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD;

My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

³The bird also has found a house,

And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,

Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,

My King and my God.

⁴How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!

They are ever praising You. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

In awhose heart are the highways to Zion! [aLit their]

⁶Passing through the valley of aBaca they make it a bspring;

The early rain also covers it with blessings. [aProbably, Weeping; or Balsam trees bOr place of springs]

⁷They go from strength to strength,

aEvery one of them appears before God in Zion. [aSome ancient versions read The God of gods will be seen in Zion]

8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.

⁹Behold our shield, O God,

And look upon the face of Your anointed.

¹⁰For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.

I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

¹¹For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD gives grace and glory;

No good thing does He withhold afrom those who walk buprightly. [aLit with regard to bLit with integrity]

¹²O LORD of hosts,

How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Psalm 85 [Books]

Prayer for God’s Mercy upon the Nation.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;

You arestored the captivity of Jacob. [aOr restore the fortunes]

²You forgave the iniquity of Your people;

You covered all their sin. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

³You withdrew all Your fury;

You turned away from Your burning anger.

4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,

And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.

⁵Will You be angry with us forever?

Will You prolong Your anger to aall generations? [aLit generation and generation]

⁶Will You not Yourself arevive us again,

That Your people may rejoice in You? [aOr bring to life]

⁷Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,

And grant us Your salvation.

8 aI will hear what God the LORD will say;

For He will speak peace to His people, bto His godly ones;

But let them not turn back to cfolly. [aOr Let me hear bLit even to cOr stupidity]

⁹Surely His salvation is near to those who afear Him,

That glory may dwell in our land. [aOr reverence]

¹⁰Lovingkindness and atruth have met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. [aOr faithfulness]

¹¹aTruth springs from the earth,

And righteousness looks down from heaven. [aOr Faithfulness]

¹²Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,

And our land will yield its produce.

¹³Righteousness will go before Him

And will make His footsteps into a way.

Psalm 86 [Books]

A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.

A Prayer of David.

1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me;

For I am afflicted and needy.

²Preserve my asoul, for I am a godly man;

O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You. [aOr life]

³Be gracious to me, O Lord,

For to You I cry all day long.

⁴Make glad the soul of Your servant,

For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

⁵For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.

⁶Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

And give heed to the voice of my supplications!

⁷In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,

For You will answer me.

⁸There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,

Nor are there any works like Yours.

⁹All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,

And they shall glorify Your name.

¹⁰For You are great and do awondrous deeds;

You alone are God. [aOr miracles]

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;

I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name.

¹²I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,

And will glorify Your name forever.

¹³For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,

And You have delivered my soul from the adepths of bSheol. [aLit lowest Sheol bI.e. the nether world]

14 O God, arrogant men have risen up against me,

And aa band of violent men have sought my blife,

And they have not set You before them. [aOr an assembly bLit soul]

¹⁵But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and atruth. [aOr faithfulness]

¹⁶Turn to me, and be gracious to me;

Oh grant Your strength to Your servant,

And save the son of Your handmaid.

¹⁷Show me a sign for good,

That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,

Because You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 87 [Books]

The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion.

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.

²The LORD loves the gates of Zion

More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.

³Glorious things are spoken of you,

O city of God. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁴“I shall mention aRahab and Babylon bamong those who know Me;

Behold, Philistia and Tyre with cEthiopia:

‘This one was born there.’ ” [aI.e. Egypt bOr as cLit Cush]

⁵But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”;

And the Most High Himself will establish her.

⁶The LORD will count when He registers the peoples,

“This one was born there.” Selah.

⁷Then those who sing as well as those who aplay the flutes shall say,

“All my springs of joy are in you.” [aOr dance]

Psalm 88 [Books]

A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A aMaskil of Heman bthe Ezrahite.

[aPossibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm b1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title]

1 O LORD, the God of my salvation,

I have cried out by day and in the night before You.

²Let my prayer come before You;

Incline Your ear to my cry!

³For my soul has ahad enough troubles,

And my life has drawn near to bSheol. [aOr been satisfied with bI.e. the nether world]

⁴I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit;

I have become like a man without strength,

⁵aForsaken among the dead,

Like the slain who lie in the grave,

Whom You remember no more,

And they are cut off from Your hand. [aLit A freed one among the dead]

⁶You have put me in the lowest pit,

In dark places, in the depths.

⁷Your wrath has rested upon me,

And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

⁸You have removed my acquaintances far from me;

You have made me an aobject of loathing to them;

I am shut up and cannot go out. [aLit abomination to them]

⁹My eye has wasted away because of affliction;

I have called upon You every day, O LORD;

I have spread out my ahands to You. [aLit palms]

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?

Will the adeparted spirits rise and praise You? Selah. [aOr ghosts, shades]

¹¹Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,

Your faithfulness in aAbaddon? [aI.e. place of destruction]

¹²Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?

And Your arighteousness in the land of forgetfulness? [aI.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises]

13 But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help,

And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

¹⁴O LORD, why do You reject my soul?

Why do You hide Your face from me?

¹⁵I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on;

I suffer Your terrors; I am aovercome. [aOr embarrassed]

¹⁶Your burning anger has passed over me;

Your terrors have adestroyed me. [aOr silenced]

¹⁷They have surrounded me like water all day long;

They have encompassed me altogether.

¹⁸You have removed lover and friend far from me;

My acquaintances are in darkness.

Psalm 89 [Books]

The LORD’S Covenant with David, and Israel’s Afflictions.

A aMaskil of bEthan cthe Ezrahite.

[aPossibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm b1 Kin 4:31 cPs 88: title]

1 I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever;

To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.

²For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever;

In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”

³“I have made a covenant with My chosen;

I have sworn to David My servant,

⁴I will establish your seed forever

And build up your throne to all generations.” aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

5 The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;

Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

⁶For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD?

Who among the asons of the mighty is like the LORD, [aOr sons of gods]

⁷A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,

And awesome above all those who are around Him?

⁸O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty aLORD?

Your faithfulness also surrounds You. [aHeb YAH]

⁹You rule the swelling of the sea;

When its waves rise, You still them.

¹⁰You Yourself crushed aRahab like one who is slain;

You scattered Your enemies with bYour mighty arm. [aI.e. Egypt bLit the arm of Your might]

11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;

The world and aall it contains, You have founded them. [aLit its fullness]

¹²The north and the south, You have created them;

Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.

¹³You have aa strong arm;

Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted. [aLit an arm with strength]

¹⁴Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;

Lovingkindness and atruth go before You. [aOr faithfulness]

¹⁵How blessed are the people who know the ajoyful sound!

O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance. [aOr blast of the trumpet, shout of joy]

¹⁶In Your name they rejoice all the day,

And by Your righteousness they are exalted.

¹⁷For You are the glory of their strength,

And by Your favor aour horn is exalted. [aAnother reading is You exalt our horn]

¹⁸For our shield belongs to the LORD,

aAnd our king to the Holy One of Israel. [aOr Even to the Holy One of Israel our King]

19 aOnce You spoke in vision to Your godly bones,

And said, “I have cgiven help to one who is mighty;

I have exalted one chosen from the people. [aOr At that time bSome mss read one cLit placed help upon]

²⁰“I have found David My servant;

With My holy oil I have anointed him,

²¹With whom My hand will be established;

My arm also will strengthen him.

²²“The enemy will not adeceive him,

Nor the bson of wickedness afflict him. [aOr exact usury from him bOr wicked man]

²³“But I shall crush his adversaries before him,

And strike those who hate him.

²⁴“My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him,

And in My name his horn will be exalted.

²⁵“I shall also set his hand on the sea

And his right hand on the rivers.

²⁶“He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,

My God, and the rock of my salvation.’

²⁷“I also shall make him My firstborn,

The highest of the kings of the earth.

²⁸“My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,

And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.

²⁹“So I will establish his adescendants forever

And his throne as the days of heaven. [aLit seed]

30 “If his sons forsake My law

And do not walk in My judgments,

³¹If they aviolate My statutes

And do not keep My commandments, [aLit profane]

³²Then I will punish their transgression with the rod

And their iniquity with stripes.

³³“But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him,

Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.

³⁴“My covenant I will not aviolate,

Nor will I alter bthe utterance of My lips. [aLit profane bLit that which goes forth]

³⁵“aOnce I have sworn by My holiness;

I will not lie to David. [aOr One thing]

³⁶“His adescendants shall endure forever

And his throne as the sun before Me. [aLit seed]

³⁷“It shall be established forever like the moon,

And the witness in the sky is faithful.” aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

38 But You have cast off and rejected,

You have been full of wrath aagainst Your anointed. [aLit with]

³⁹You have spurned the covenant of Your servant;

You have profaned his crown ain the dust. [aLit to the ground]

⁴⁰You have broken down all his walls;

You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

⁴¹All who pass along the way plunder him;

He has become a reproach to his neighbors.

⁴²You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;

You have made all his enemies rejoice.

⁴³You also turn back the edge of his sword

And have not made him stand in battle.

⁴⁴You have made his asplendor to cease

And cast his throne to the ground. [aLit clearness, luster]

⁴⁵You have shortened the days of his youth;

You have covered him with shame. Selah.

46 How long, O LORD?

Will You hide Yourself forever?

Will Your wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁷Remember awhat my span of life is;

For what vanity bYou have created all the sons of men! [aLit of what duration I am bOr have You...men?]

⁴⁸What man can live and not see death?

Can he deliver his soul from the apower of bSheol? Selah. [aLit hand bI.e. the nether world]

49 Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,

Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?

⁵⁰Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants;

aHow I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples, [aLit My bearing in my bosom]

⁵¹With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD,

With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.

52 Blessed be the LORD forever!

Amen and Amen.

Book 4

Psalm 90 [Books]

God’s Eternity and Man’s Transitoriness.

A Prayer of aMoses, the man of God.

[aDeut 33:1]

1 Lord, You have been our adwelling place in all generations. [aOr hiding place; some ancient mss read place of refuge]

²Before the mountains were born

aOr You gave birth to the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. [aOr And]

3 You turn man back into dust

And say, “Return, O children of men.”

⁴For a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it passes by,

aOr as a watch in the night. [aOr And]

⁵You have aswept them away like a flood, they bfall asleep;

In the morning they are like grass which csprouts anew. [aOr flooded bLit become asleep cOr passes away]

⁶In the morning it flourishes and asprouts anew;

Toward evening it fades and withers away. [aOr passes away]

7 For we have been consumed by Your anger

And by Your wrath we have been adismayed. [aOr terrified]

⁸You have placed our iniquities before You,

Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.

⁹For all our days have declined in Your fury;

We have finished our years like a asigh. [aOr whisper]

¹⁰As for the days of our alife, bthey contain seventy years,

Or if due to strength, eighty years,

Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;

For soon it is gone and we fly away. [aLit years bLit in them are]

¹¹Who aunderstands the power of Your anger

And Your fury, according to the fear bthat is due You? [aOr knows bLit of You]

¹²So teach us to number our days,

That we may apresent to You a heart of wisdom. [aOr gain, bring in]

13 Do return, O LORD; how long will it be?

And abe sorry for Your servants. [aOr repent in regard to]

¹⁴O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,

That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

¹⁵Make us glad aaccording to the days You have afflicted us,

And the years we have seen bevil. [aOr as many days as bOr trouble]

¹⁶Let Your work appear to Your servants

And Your majesty ato their children. [aOr upon]

¹⁷Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;

And aconfirm for us the work of our hands;

Yes, aconfirm the work of our hands. [aOr give permanence to]

Psalm 91 [Books]

Security of the One Who Trusts in the LORD.

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

²I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,

My God, in whom I trust!”

³For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper

And from the deadly pestilence.

⁴He will cover you with His pinions,

And under His wings you may seek refuge;

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night,

Or of the arrow that flies by day;

⁶Of the pestilence that astalks in darkness,

Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. [aOr walks]

⁷A thousand may fall at your side

And ten thousand at your right hand,

But it shall not approach you.

⁸You will only look on with your eyes

And see the recompense of the wicked.

⁹aFor you have made the LORD, my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place. [aOr For You O LORD are my Refuge; You have made the Most High your dwelling place]

¹⁰No evil will befall you,

Nor will any plague come near your atent. [aOr dwelling]

11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

¹²They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

¹³You will tread upon the lion and cobra,

The young lion and the aserpent you will trample down. [aOr dragon]

14 “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

¹⁵“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in atrouble;

I will rescue him and honor him. [aOr distress]

¹⁶“With aa long life I will satisfy him

And blet him see My salvation.” [aLit length of days bOr cause him to feast his eyes on]

Psalm 92 [Books]

Praise for the LORD’S Goodness.

A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.

1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD

And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

²To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning

And Your faithfulness aby night, [aLit nights]

³aWith the ten-stringed lute and awith the harp,

aWith resounding music bupon the lyre. [aLit Upon bLit by means of]

⁴For You, O LORD, have made me glad by awhat You have done,

I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. [aLit Your working]

5 How great are Your works, O LORD!

Your athoughts are very deep. [aOr purposes]

⁶A senseless man has no knowledge,

Nor does a stupid man understand this:

⁷That when the wicked sprouted up like grass

And all who did iniquity flourished,

It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.

⁸But You, O LORD, are on high forever.

⁹For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD,

For, behold, Your enemies will perish;

All who do iniquity will be scattered.

10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;

I have abeen anointed with fresh oil. [aOr become moist]

¹¹And my eye has looked exultantly upon amy foes,

My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me. [aOr those who lie in wait for me]

¹²The righteous man will aflourish like the palm tree,

He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. [aLit sprout]

¹³Planted in the house of the LORD,

They will flourish in the courts of our God.

¹⁴They will still ayield fruit in old age;

They shall be bfull of sap and very green, [aOr thrive in bLit fat and]

¹⁵To adeclare that the LORD is upright;

He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. [aOr show forth]

Psalm 93 [Books]

The Majesty of the LORD.

1 The LORD areigns, He is clothed with majesty;

The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. [aOr has assumed kingship]

²Your throne is established from of old;

You are from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,

The floods have lifted up their voice,

The floods lift up their pounding waves.

⁴More than the sounds of many waters,

Than the mighty breakers of the sea,

The LORD on high is mighty.

⁵Your testimonies are fully confirmed;

Holiness befits Your house,

O LORD, aforevermore. [aLit for length of days]

Psalm 94 [Books]

The LORD Implored to Avenge His People.

1 O LORD, God of avengeance,

God of avengeance, bshine forth! [aOr avenging acts bOr has shone forth]

²Rise up, O Judge of the earth,

Render recompense to the proud.

³How long shall the wicked, O LORD,

How long shall the wicked exult?

⁴They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;

All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.

⁵They crush Your people, O LORD,

And afflict Your heritage.

⁶They slay the widow and the astranger

And murder the orphans. [aOr sojourner]

⁷They have said, “aThe LORD does not see,

Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.” [aHeb YAH]

8 Pay heed, you senseless among the people;

And when will you understand, stupid ones?

⁹He who planted the ear, adoes He not hear?

He who formed the eye, adoes He not see? [aOr can]

¹⁰He who achastens the nations, will He not rebuke,

Even He who teaches man knowledge? [aOr instructs]

¹¹The LORD knows the thoughts of man,

aThat they are a mere breath. [aOr For]

12 Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O aLORD,

And whom You teach out of Your law; [aHeb YAH]

¹³That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,

Until a pit is dug for the wicked.

¹⁴For the LORD will not abandon His people,

Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

¹⁵For ajudgment bwill again be righteous,

And all the upright in heart cwill follow it. [aI.e. administration of justice bLit will return to righteousness cLit will be after it]

¹⁶Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?

17 If the LORD had not been my help,

My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

¹⁸If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up.

¹⁹When my anxious thoughts amultiply within me,

Your consolations delight my soul. [aOr are many]

²⁰Can a athrone of destruction be allied with You,

One which devises bmischief by decree? [aOr tribunal bOr trouble, misfortune]

²¹They band themselves together against the alife of the righteous

And condemn bthe innocent to death. [aOr soul bLit innocent blood]

²²But the LORD has been my stronghold,

And my God the rock of my refuge.

²³He has brought back their wickedness upon them

And will adestroy them in their evil;

The LORD our God will adestroy them. [aOr silence]

Psalm 95 [Books]

Praise to the LORD, and Warning against Unbelief.

1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD,

Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

²Let us come before His presence with athanksgiving,

Let us shout joyfully to Him with bpsalms. [aOr a song of thanksgiving bOr songs (with instrumental accompaniment)]

³For the LORD is a great God

And a great King above all gods,

⁴In whose hand are the depths of the earth,

The peaks of the mountains are His also.

⁵aThe sea is His, for it was He who made it,

And His hands formed the dry land. [aLit Who has the sea]

6 Come, let us worship and bow down,

Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

⁷For He is our God,

And we are the people of His apasture and the sheep of His hand.

Today, bif you would hear His voice, [aLit pasturing bOr O that you would obey]

⁸Do not harden your hearts, as at aMeribah,

As in the day of bMassah in the wilderness, [aOr place of strife bOr temptation]

⁹“When your fathers tested Me,

They tried Me, though they had seen My work.

¹⁰“For forty years I loathed that generation,

And said they are a people who err in their heart,

And they do not know My ways.

¹¹“Therefore I swore in My anger,

Truly they shall not enter into My rest.”

Psalm 96 [Books]

A Call to Worship the LORD the Righteous Judge.

1 Sing to the LORD a new song;

Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

²Sing to the LORD, bless His name;

Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

³Tell of His glory among the nations,

His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

⁴For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised;

He is to be feared above all gods.

⁵For all the gods of the peoples are aidols,

But the LORD made the heavens. [aOr non-existent things]

⁶Splendor and majesty are before Him,

Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7 aAscribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

aAscribe to the LORD glory and strength. [aLit Give]

⁸aAscribe to the LORD the glory of His name;

Bring an boffering and come into His courts. [aLit Give bOr meal offering]

⁹Worship the LORD in aholy attire;

Tremble before Him, all the earth. [aOr the splendor of holiness]

¹⁰Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;

He will judge the peoples with aequity.” [aOr uprightness]

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

Let the sea aroar, and ball it contains; [aOr thunder bLit its fullness]

¹²Let the field exult, and all that is in it.

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy

¹³Before the LORD, for He is coming,

For He is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

And the peoples in His faithfulness.

Psalm 97 [Books]

The LORD’S Power and Dominion.

1 The LORD areigns, let the earth rejoice;

Let the many bislands be glad. [aOr has assumed Kingship bOr coastlands]

²Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

³Fire goes before Him

And burns up His adversaries round about.

⁴His lightnings lit up the world;

The earth saw and trembled.

⁵The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD,

At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

⁶The heavens declare His righteousness,

And all the peoples have seen His glory.

7 Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,

Who boast themselves of idols;

aWorship Him, all you bgods. [aOr All the gods have worshiped Him bOr supernatural powers]

⁸Zion aheard this and was glad,

And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced

Because of Your judgments, O LORD. [aOr possibly hears and is glad]

⁹For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all agods. [aOr supernatural powers]

10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD,

Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;

He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

¹¹Light is sown like seed for the righteous

And gladness for the upright in heart.

¹²Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones,

And give thanks ato His holy name. [aLit for the memory of His holiness]

Psalm 98 [Books]

A Call to Praise the LORD for His Righteousness.

A Psalm.

1 O sing to the LORD a new song,

For He has done wonderful things,

His right hand and His holy arm have agained the victory for Him. [aOr accomplished salvation]

²The LORD has made known His salvation;

He has revealed His arighteousness in the sight of the nations. [aI.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises]

³He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;

Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.

⁵Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,

With the lyre and the asound of melody. [aOr voice of song (accompanied by music)]

⁶With trumpets and the sound of the horn

Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.

7 Let the sea roar and aall it contains,

The world and those who dwell in it. [aLit its fullness]

⁸Let the rivers clap their hands,

Let the mountains sing together for joy

⁹Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth;

He will judge the world with righteousness

And the peoples with aequity. [aOr uprightness]

Psalm 99 [Books]

Praise to the LORD for His Fidelity to Israel.

1 The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble;

He ais enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake! [aLit sits]

²The LORD ais great in Zion,

And He is exalted above all the peoples. [aOr in Zion is great]

³Let them praise Your great and awesome name;

Holy is aHe. [aOr it]

⁴The astrength of the King loves bjustice;

You have established cequity;

You have executed bjustice and righteousness in Jacob. [aOr You have established in equity the strength of the King who loves justice bOr judgment cOr uprightness]

⁵aExalt the LORD our God

And worship at His footstool;

Holy is He. [aThe verb is plural]

6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests,

And Samuel was among those who called on His name;

They called upon the LORD and He answered them.

⁷He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;

They kept His testimonies

And the statute that He gave them.

⁸O LORD our God, You answered them;

You were a forgiving God to them,

And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.

⁹Exalt the LORD our God

And worship at His holy hill,

For holy is the LORD our God.

Psalm 100 [Books]

All Men Exhorted to Praise God.

A Psalm for aThanksgiving.

[aOr thank offering]

1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

²Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful singing.

³Know that the LORD aHimself is God;

It is He who has made us, and bnot we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [aOr He bSome mss read His we are]

4 Enter His gates with athanksgiving

And His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name. [aOr a thank offering]

⁵For the LORD is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 101 [Books]

The Psalmist’s Profession of Uprightness.

A Psalm of David.

1 I will sing of lovingkindness and ajustice,

To You, O LORD, I will sing praises. [aOr judgment]

²I will agive heed to the bblameless way.

When will You come to me?

I will walk within my house in the cintegrity of my heart. [aOr behave prudently in bOr way of integrity cOr blamelessness]

³I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;

I hate the awork of those who fall away;

It shall not fasten its grip on me. [aOr practice of apostasy]

⁴A perverse heart shall depart from me;

I will know no evil.

⁵Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will adestroy;

No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. [aOr silence]

6 My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;

He who walks in a ablameless way is the one who will minister to me. [aOr way of integrity]

⁷He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;

He who speaks falsehood shall not amaintain his position before me. [aLit be established before my eyes]

⁸Every morning I will adestroy all the wicked of the land,

So as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity. [aOr silence]

Psalm 102 [Books]

Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.

A Prayer of the Afflicted when he is faint and apours out his complaint before the LORD.

[aPs 142:2]

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD!

And let my cry for help come to You.

²Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress;

Incline Your ear to me;

In the day when I call answer me quickly.

³For my days have been aconsumed in smoke,

And my bones have been scorched like a hearth. [aOr finished]

⁴My heart has been smitten like agrass and has withered away,

Indeed, I forget to eat my bread. [aLit herbage]

⁵Because of the aloudness of my groaning

My bones bcling to my flesh. [aLit voice bLit have cleaved]

⁶I aresemble a pelican of the wilderness;

I have become like an owl of the waste places. [aLit have become similar to]

⁷I lie awake,

I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

8 My enemies have reproached me all day long;

Those who aderide me bhave used my name as a curse. [aOr made a fool of bLit have sworn by me]

⁹For I have eaten ashes like bread

And mingled my drink with weeping

¹⁰Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,

For You have lifted me up and cast me away.

¹¹My days are like a alengthened shadow,

And bI wither away like cgrass. [aLit stretched out bOr as for me, I cLit herbage]

12 But You, O LORD, aabide forever,

And Your bname to all generations. [aOr sit enthroned bLit memorial]

¹³You will arise and have compassion on Zion;

For it is time to be gracious to her,

For the appointed time has come.

¹⁴Surely Your servants afind pleasure in her stones

And feel pity for her dust. [aOr have found]

¹⁵aSo the bnations will fear the name of the LORD

And all the kings of the earth Your glory. [aOr And bOr Gentiles, heathen]

¹⁶For the LORD has built up Zion;

He has appeared in His glory.

¹⁷He has regarded the prayer of the adestitute

And has not despised their prayer. [aOr naked]

18 aThis will be written for the generation to come,

bThat a people yet to be created cmay praise dthe LORD. [aOr Let this be written bOr And cOr will dHeb YAH]

¹⁹For He looked down from His holy height;

From heaven the LORD gazed aupon the earth, [aLit toward]

²⁰To hear the groaning of the prisoner,

To set free athose who were doomed to death, [aLit the sons of death]

²¹That men may tell of the name of the LORD in Zion

And His praise in Jerusalem,

²²When the peoples are gathered together,

And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23 He has weakened my strength in the way;

He has shortened my days.

²⁴I say, “O my God, do not take me away in the amidst of my days,

Your years are throughout all generations. [aLit half]

²⁵“Of old You founded the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

²⁶“aEven they will perish, but You endure;

And all of them will wear out like a garment;

Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. [aLit They themselves]

²⁷“But You are athe same,

And Your years will not come to an end. [aLit He]

²⁸“The children of Your servants will continue,

And their adescendants will be established before You.” [aLit seed]

Psalm 103 [Books]

Praise for the LORD’S Mercies.

A Psalm of David.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

²Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

³Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

⁴Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

⁵Who satisfies your ayears with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. [aOr desire]

6 The LORD performs arighteous deeds

And judgments for all who are oppressed. [aOr deeds of vindication]

⁷He made known His ways to Moses,

His acts to the sons of Israel.

⁸The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

⁹He will not always strive with us,

Nor will He keep His anger forever.

¹⁰He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who afear Him. [aOr revere]

¹²As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

¹³Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the LORD has compassion on those who afear Him. [aOr revere]

¹⁴For He Himself knows aour frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust. [aI.e. what we are made of]

15 As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

¹⁶When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,

And its place acknowledges it no longer.

¹⁷But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who afear Him,

And His brighteousness to children’s children, [aOr revere bI.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises]

¹⁸To those who keep His covenant

And remember His precepts to do them.

19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,

And His asovereignty rules over ball. [aOr kingdom bI.e. the universe]

²⁰Bless the LORD, you His angels,

Mighty in strength, who perform His word,

Obeying the voice of His word!

²¹Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,

You who serve Him, doing His will.

²²Bless the LORD, all you works of His,

In all places of His dominion;

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Psalm 104 [Books]

The LORD’S Care over All His Works.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, You are very great;

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

²Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,

Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.

³aHe lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;

aHe makes the clouds His chariot;

aHe walks upon the wings of the wind; [aLit The one who]

⁴aHe makes bthe winds His messengers,

cFlaming fire His ministers. [aLit Who bOr His angels, spirits cOr His ministers flames of fire]

5 He established the earth upon its foundations,

So that it will not atotter forever and ever. [aOr move out of place]

⁶You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

The waters were standing above the mountains.

⁷At Your rebuke they fled,

At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.

⁸The mountains rose; the valleys sank down

To the place which You established for them.

⁹You set a boundary that they may not pass over,

So that they will not return to cover the earth.

10 aHe sends forth springs in the valleys;

They flow between the mountains; [aLit The one who sends]

¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field;

The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

¹²aBeside them the birds of the heavens dwell;

They blift up their voices among the branches. [aOr Over, Above bLit give forth]

¹³aHe waters the mountains from His upper chambers;

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. [aLit Who]

14 aHe causes the grass to grow for the bcattle,

And vegetation for the clabor of man,

So that dhe may bring forth efood from the earth, [aLit Who bOr beasts cOr cultivation by or service of dOr He eLit bread]

¹⁵And wine which makes man’s heart glad,

So that he may make his face glisten with oil,

And afood which sustains man’s heart. [aLit bread]

¹⁶The trees of the LORD adrink their fill,

The cedars of Lebanon which He planted, [aLit are satisfied]

¹⁷Where the birds build their nests,

And the stork, whose home is the afir trees. [aOr cypress]

18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;

The cliffs are a refuge for the ashephanim. [aSmall, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB rock badgers]

¹⁹He made the moon for the seasons;

The sun knows the place of its setting.

²⁰You appoint darkness and it becomes night,

In which all the beasts of the forest aprowl about. [aLit creep]

²¹The young lions roar after their prey

aAnd seek their food from God. [aLit And to seek]

²²When the sun rises they withdraw

And lie down in their dens.

²³Man goes forth to his work

And to his labor until evening.

24 O LORD, how many are Your works!

aIn wisdom You have made them all;

The earth is full of Your bpossessions. [aOr With bOr creatures]

²⁵aThere is the sea, great and bbroad,

In which are swarms without number,

Animals both small and great. [aOr This bOr broad of dimensions (lit hands)]

²⁶There the ships move along,

And aLeviathan, which You have formed to sport in it. [aOr a sea monster]

27 They all wait for You

To give them their food in adue season. [aLit its appointed time]

²⁸You give to them, they gather it up;

You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

²⁹You hide Your face, they are dismayed;

You take away their aspirit, they expire

And return to their dust. [aOr breath]

³⁰You send forth Your aSpirit, they are created;

And You renew the face of the ground. [aOr breath]

31 Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;

Let the LORD be glad in His works;

³²aHe looks at the earth, and it trembles;

He touches the mountains, and they smoke. [aLit The one who]

³³aI will sing to the LORD bas long as I live;

aI will sing praise to my God cwhile I have my being. [aOr Let me sing bLit in my lifetime cLit while I still am]

³⁴Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;

As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

³⁵Let sinners be consumed from the earth

And let the wicked be no more.

Bless the LORD, O my soul.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 105 [Books]

The LORD’S Wonderful Works in Behalf of Israel.

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples.

²Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;

aSpeak of all His bwonders. [aOr Meditate on bI.e. wonderful acts]

³aGlory in His holy name;

Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. [aOr Boast]

⁴Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face continually.

⁵Remember His awonders which He has done,

His marvels and the judgments buttered by His mouth, [aI.e. wonderful acts bLit of His mouth]

⁶O seed of Abraham, His servant,

O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!

⁷He is the LORD our God;

His judgments are in all the earth.

8 He has remembered His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,

⁹The covenant which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac.

¹⁰Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

¹¹Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan

As the aportion of your inheritance,” [aLit measuring line]

¹²When they were only a few men in number,

Very few, and strangers in it.

¹³And they wandered about from nation to nation,

From one kingdom to another people.

¹⁴He permitted no man to oppress them,

And He reproved kings for their sakes:

¹⁵“Do not touch My anointed ones,

And do My prophets no harm.”

16 And He called for a famine upon the land;

He broke the whole staff of bread.

¹⁷He sent a man before them,

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

¹⁸They afflicted his feet with fetters,

aHe himself was laid in irons; [aLit His soul came into]

¹⁹Until the time that his word came to pass,

The word of the LORD atested him. [aOr refined]

²⁰The king sent and released him,

The ruler of peoples, and set him free.

²¹He made him lord of his house

And ruler over all his possessions,

²²To aimprison his princes bat will,

That he might teach his elders wisdom. [aLit bind bLit at his]

²³Israel also came into Egypt;

Thus Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

²⁴And He caused His people to be very fruitful,

And made them stronger than their adversaries.

25 He turned their heart to hate His people,

To deal craftily with His servants.

²⁶He sent Moses His servant,

And Aaron, whom He had chosen.

²⁷They aperformed His wondrous acts among them,

And miracles in the land of Ham. [aLit set the words of His signs]

²⁸He sent darkness and made it dark;

And they did not rebel against His words.

²⁹He turned their waters into blood

And caused their fish to die.

³⁰Their land swarmed with frogs

Even in the chambers of their kings.

³¹He spoke, and there came a swarm of flies

And gnats in all their territory.

³²He agave them hail for rain,

And flaming fire in their land. [aOr made their rain hail]

³³He struck down their vines also and their fig trees,

And shattered the trees of their territory.

³⁴He spoke, and locusts came,

And young locusts, even without number,

³⁵And ate up all vegetation in their land,

And ate up the fruit of their ground.

³⁶He also struck down all the firstborn in their land,

The first fruits of all their vigor.

37 Then He brought them out with silver and gold,

And among His tribes there was not one who stumbled.

³⁸Egypt was glad when they departed,

For the dread of them had fallen upon them.

³⁹He spread a cloud for a acovering,

And fire to illumine by night. [aOr curtain]

⁴⁰aThey asked, and He brought quail,

And satisfied them with the bbread of heaven. [aOr One bOr food]

⁴¹He opened the arock and water flowed out;

bIt ran in the dry places like a river. [aOr boulder bLit They went]

⁴²For He remembered His holy word

With Abraham His servant;

⁴³And He brought forth His people with joy,

His chosen ones with a joyful shout.

⁴⁴He gave them also the lands of the anations,

That they might take possession of the fruit of the peoples’ labor, [aOr Gentiles]

⁴⁵So that they might keep His statutes

And observe His laws,

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 106 [Books]

Israel’s Rebelliousness and the LORD’S Deliverances.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting. [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

²Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD,

Or can show forth all His praise?

³How blessed are those who keep ajustice,

bWho practice righteousness at all times! [aOr judgment bMany Heb mss read The one who performs]

4 Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor atoward Your people;

Visit me with Your salvation, [aLit of]

⁵That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones,

That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,

That I may glory with Your ainheritance. [aI.e. people]

6 We have sinned alike our fathers,

We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly. [aLit with]

⁷Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your awonders;

They did not remember bYour abundant kindnesses,

But rebelled by the sea, at the cRed Sea. [aI.e. wonderful acts bLit the multitude of Your lovingkindnesses cLit Sea of Reeds]

⁸Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name,

That He might make His power known.

⁹Thus He rebuked the aRed Sea and it dried up,

And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness. [aLit Sea of Reeds]

¹⁰So He saved them from the ahand of the one who hated them,

And redeemed them from the ahand of the enemy. [aOr power]

¹¹The waters covered their adversaries;

Not one of them was left.

¹²Then they believed His words;

They sang His praise.

13 They quickly forgot His works;

They did not wait for His counsel,

¹⁴But craved intensely in the wilderness,

And atempted God in the desert. [aOr put God to the test]

¹⁵So He gave them their request,

But sent a awasting disease among them. [aOr leanness into their soul]

16 When they became envious of Moses in the camp,

And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,

¹⁷The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,

And engulfed the acompany of Abiram. [aOr assembly, band]

¹⁸And a fire blazed up in their acompany;

The flame consumed the wicked. [aOr assembly, band]

19 They made a calf in Horeb

And worshiped a molten image.

²⁰Thus they exchanged their glory

For the image of an ox that eats grass.

²¹They forgot God their Savior,

Who had done great things in Egypt,

²²aWonders in the land of Ham

And awesome things by the bRed Sea. [aI.e. Wonderful acts bLit Sea of Reeds]

²³Therefore He said that He would destroy them,

Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,

To turn away His wrath from destroying them.

²⁴Then they despised the pleasant land;

They did not believe in His word,

²⁵But grumbled in their tents;

They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.

²⁶Therefore He aswore to them

That He would cast them down in the wilderness, [aLit lifted up His hand]

²⁷And that He would cast their seed among the nations

And scatter them in the lands.

28 They joined themselves also to aBaal-peor,

And ate sacrifices offered to the dead. [aOr Baal of Peor]

²⁹Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,

And the plague broke out among them.

³⁰Then Phinehas stood up and interposed,

And so the plague was stayed.

³¹And it was reckoned to him for righteousness,

To all generations forever.

32 They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of aMeribah,

So that it went hard with Moses on their account; [aLit strife]

³³Because they were rebellious against aHis Spirit,

He spoke rashly with his lips. [aOr his spirit]

34 They did not destroy the peoples,

As the LORD commanded them,

³⁵But they mingled with the nations

And learned their apractices, [aLit works]

³⁶And served their idols,

Which became a snare to them.

³⁷They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,

³⁸And shed innocent blood,

The blood of their sons and their daughters,

Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;

And the land was polluted with the blood.

³⁹Thus they became unclean in their apractices,

And played the harlot in their deeds. [aLit works]

40 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people

And He abhorred His ainheritance. [aI.e. people]

⁴¹Then He gave them into the hand of the anations,

And those who hated them ruled over them. [aOr Gentiles]

⁴²Their enemies also oppressed them,

And they were subdued under their apower. [aLit hand]

⁴³Many times He would deliver them;

They, however, were rebellious in their counsel,

And so sank down in their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless He looked upon their distress

When He heard their cry;

⁴⁵And He remembered His covenant for their sake,

And arelented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness. [aLit was sorry]

⁴⁶He also made them objects of compassion

In the presence of all their captors.

47 Save us, O LORD our God,

And gather us from among the nations,

To give thanks to Your holy name

And aglory in Your praise. [aLit boast]

⁴⁸Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

From everlasting even to everlasting.

And let all the people say, “Amen.”

aPraise bthe LORD!

Book 5

[aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 107 [Books]

The LORD Delivers Men from Manifold Troubles.

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

²Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary

³And gathered from the lands,

From the east and from the west,

From the north and from the asouth. [aLit sea]

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a adesert region;

They did not find a way to ban inhabited city. [aLit waste bOr a habitable city; lit a city of habitation]

⁵They were hungry aand thirsty;

Their soul fainted within them. [aLit also]

⁶Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;

He delivered them out of their distresses.

⁷He led them also by a astraight way,

To go to ban inhabited city. [aOr level bOr a habitable city; lit a city of habitation]

⁸Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His awonders to the sons of men! [aI.e. wonderful acts]

⁹For He has satisfied the athirsty soul,

And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. [aOr parched]

10 There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death,

Prisoners in amisery and bchains, [aLit affliction bLit irons]

¹¹Because they had rebelled against the words of God

And spurned the counsel of the Most High.

¹²Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;

They stumbled and there was none to help.

¹³Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;

He saved them out of their distresses.

¹⁴He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death

And broke their bands apart.

¹⁵Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His awonders to the sons of men! [aI.e. wonderful acts]

¹⁶For He has shattered gates of bronze

And cut bars of iron asunder.

17 Fools, because of atheir rebellious way,

And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. [aLit the way of their transgression]

¹⁸Their soul abhorred all kinds of food,

And they drew near to the gates of death.

¹⁹Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;

He saved them out of their distresses.

²⁰He sent His word and healed them,

And delivered them from their adestructions. [aOr pits]

²¹Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His awonders to the sons of men! [aI.e. wonderful acts]

²²Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

And tell of His works with joyful singing.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business on great waters;

²⁴They have seen the works of the LORD,

And His awonders in the deep. [aI.e. wonderful acts]

²⁵For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,

Which lifted up the waves aof the sea. [aLit of it]

²⁶They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;

Their soul melted away in their misery.

²⁷They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,

And awere at their wits’ end. [aLit all their wisdom was swallowed up]

²⁸Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

And He brought them out of their distresses.

²⁹He caused the storm to be still,

So that the waves aof the sea were hushed. [aLit of it]

³⁰Then they were glad because they were quiet,

So He guided them to their desired haven.

³¹Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His awonders to the sons of men! [aI.e. wonderful acts]

³²Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people,

And praise Him at the seat of the elders.

33 He achanges rivers into a bwilderness

And springs of water into a thirsty ground; [aOr turns bOr desert]

³⁴A fruitful land into a salt waste,

Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

³⁵He achanges a bwilderness into a pool of water

And a dry land into springs of water; [aOr turns bOr desert]

³⁶And there He makes the hungry to dwell,

So that they may establish aan inhabited city, [aOr a habitable city; lit a city of habitation]

³⁷And sow fields and plant vineyards,

And agather a fruitful harvest. [aLit acquire fruits of yield]

³⁸Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly,

And He does not let their cattle decrease.

39 When they are diminished and bowed down

Through oppression, misery and sorrow,

⁴⁰He pours contempt upon aprinces

And makes them wander in a pathless waste. [aOr nobles]

⁴¹But He sets the needy asecurely on high away from affliction,

And makes his families like a flock. [aLit in an inaccessibly high place]

⁴²The upright see it and are glad;

But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth.

⁴³Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,

And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD.

Psalm 108 [Books]

God Praised and Supplicated to Give Victory.

A Song, a Psalm of David.

1 My heart is steadfast, O God;

I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my asoul. [aLit glory]

²Awake, harp and lyre;

I will awaken the dawn!

³I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

⁴For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens,

And Your truth reaches to the skies.

⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

And Your glory above all the earth.

⁶That Your beloved may be delivered,

Save with Your right hand, and answer me!

7 God has spoken in His aholiness:

“I will exult, I will portion out Shechem

And measure out the valley of Succoth. [aOr sanctuary]

⁸“Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine;

Ephraim also is the ahelmet of My head;

Judah is My bscepter. [aLit protection bOr lawgiver]

⁹“Moab is My washbowl;

Over Edom I shall throw My shoe;

Over Philistia I will shout aloud.”

10 Who will bring me into the besieged city?

Who awill lead me to Edom? [aOr has led]

¹¹Have not You Yourself, O God, rejected us?

And will You not go forth with our armies, O God?

¹²Oh give us help against the adversary,

For deliverance aby man is in vain. [aLit of]

¹³aThrough God we will do valiantly,

And it is He who shall tread down our adversaries. [aOr In or With]

Psalm 109 [Books]

Vengeance Invoked upon Adversaries.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 O God of my praise,

Do not be silent!

²For they have opened the awicked and deceitful mouth against me;

They have spoken bagainst me with a lying tongue. [aLit wicked mouth and the deceitful bLit with]

³They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,

And fought against me without cause.

⁴In return for my love they act as my accusers;

But I am in prayer.

⁵Thus they have arepaid me evil for good

And hatred for my love. [aLit laid upon me]

6 Appoint a wicked man over him,

And let an aaccuser stand at his right hand. [aOr adversary, Satan]

⁷When he is judged, let him come forth guilty,

And let his prayer become sin.

⁸Let his days be few;

Let another take his office.

⁹Let his children be fatherless

And his wife a widow.

¹⁰Let his children wander about and beg;

And let them seek sustenance afar from their ruined homes. [aOr out of their desolate places]

¹¹Let the creditor aseize all that he has,

And let strangers plunder the product of his labor. [aLit ensnare, strike at]

¹²Let there be none to aextend lovingkindness to him,

Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. [aLit continue]

¹³Let his posterity be acut off;

In a following generation let their name be blotted out. [aLit for cutting off]

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered abefore the LORD,

And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. [aLit to]

¹⁵Let them be before the LORD continually,

That He may cut off their memory from the earth;

¹⁶Because he did not remember to show lovingkindness,

But persecuted the afflicted and needy man,

And the despondent in heart, to put them to death.

¹⁷He also loved cursing, so it came to him;

And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.

¹⁸But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,

And it entered into ahis body like water

And like oil into his bones. [aLit his inward parts]

¹⁹Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself,

And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.

²⁰aLet this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,

And of those who speak evil against my soul. [aLit This is]

21 But You, O aGOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake;

Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me; [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

²²For I am afflicted and needy,

And amy heart is wounded within me. [aLit one has pierced my heart within me]

²³I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens;

I am shaken off like the locust.

²⁴My knees aare weak from fasting,

And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness. [aOr totter]

²⁵I also have become a reproach to them;

When they see me, they wag their head.

26 Help me, O LORD my God;

Save me according to Your lovingkindness.

²⁷aAnd let them know that this is Your hand;

You, LORD, have done it. [aOr That they may know]

²⁸Let them curse, but You bless;

When they arise, they shall be ashamed,

But Your servant shall be glad.

²⁹aLet my accusers be clothed with dishonor,

And blet them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. [aOr My accusers will be bOr they will cover]

30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD;

And in the midst of many I will praise Him.

³¹For He stands at the right hand of the needy,

To save him from those who judge his soul.

Psalm 110 [Books]

The LORD Gives Dominion to the King.

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD says to my Lord:

“Sit at My right hand

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

²The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,

“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”

³Your people awill volunteer freely in the day of Your bpower;

In choly array, from the womb of the dawn,

dYour youth are to You as the dew. [aLit will be freewill offerings bOr army cOr the splendor of holiness dOr The dew of Your youth is Yours]

4 The LORD has sworn and will not achange His mind,

“You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek.” [aLit be sorry]

⁵The Lord is at Your right hand;

He awill shatter kings in the day of His wrath. [aOr has shattered]

⁶He will judge among the nations,

He awill fill them with corpses,

He bwill shatter the cchief men over a broad country. [aOr has filled bOr has shattered cLit head over]

⁷He will drink from the brook by the wayside;

Therefore He will lift up His head.

Psalm 111 [Books]

The LORD Praised for His Goodness.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart,

In the company of the upright and in the assembly. [aOr Hallelujah! I will bHeb YAH]

²Great are the works of the LORD;

They are astudied by all who delight in them. [aLit sought out]

³aSplendid and majestic is His work,

And His righteousness endures forever. [aLit Splendor and majesty]

⁴He has made His awonders bto be remembered;

The LORD is gracious and compassionate. [aI.e. wonderful acts bLit a memorial]

⁵He has given afood to those who bfear Him;

He will remember His covenant forever. [aLit prey bOr revere]

⁶He has made known to His people the power of His works,

In giving them the heritage of the nations.

7 The works of His hands are atruth and justice;

All His precepts are bsure. [aOr faithfulness bOr trustworthy]

⁸They are upheld forever and ever;

They are performed in atruth and uprightness. [aOr faithfulness]

⁹He has sent redemption to His people;

He has aordained His covenant forever;

Holy and bawesome is His name. [aLit commanded bI.e. inspiring reverence]

¹⁰The afear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

A good understanding have all those who bdo His commandments;

His praise endures forever. [aOr reverence for bLit do them]

Psalm 112 [Books]

Prosperity of the One Who Fears the LORD.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

How blessed is the man who cfears the LORD,

Who greatly delights in His commandments. [aOr Hallelujah! Blessed bHeb YAH cOr reveres]

²His adescendants will be mighty bon earth;

The generation of the upright will be blessed. [aLit seed bOr in the land]

³Wealth and riches are in his house,

And his righteousness endures forever.

⁴Light arises in the darkness for the upright;

He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.

⁵It is well with the man who is gracious and lends;

He will amaintain his cause in judgment. [aOr conduct his affairs with justice]

⁶For he will never be shaken;

The righteous will be aremembered forever. [aLit for an eternal remembrance]

7 He will not fear evil tidings;

His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

⁸His heart is upheld, he will not fear,

Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.

⁹aHe has given freely to the poor,

His righteousness endures forever;

His horn will be exalted in honor. [aLit He has scattered, he has given to...]

10 The wicked will see it and be avexed,

He will gnash his teeth and melt away;

The desire of the wicked will perish. [aOr angry]

Psalm 113 [Books]

The LORD Exalts the Humble.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD,

Praise the name of the LORD. [aOr Hallelujah! Praise bHeb YAH]

²Blessed be the name of the LORD

From this time forth and forever.

³From the rising of the sun to its setting

The name of the LORD is to be praised.

⁴The LORD is high above all nations;

His glory is above the heavens.

5 Who is like the LORD our God,

Who is enthroned on high,

⁶Who ahumbles Himself to behold

The things that are in heaven and in the earth? [aOr looks far below in the heavens and on the earth?]

⁷He raises the poor from the dust

And lifts the needy from the ash heap,

⁸To make them sit with aprinces,

With the aprinces of His people. [aOr nobles]

⁹He makes the barren woman abide in the house

As a joyful mother of children.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 114 [Books]

God’s Deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

1 When Israel went forth from Egypt,

The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

²Judah became His sanctuary,

Israel, His dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;

The Jordan turned back.

⁴The mountains skipped like rams,

The hills, like lambs.

⁵What ails you, O sea, that you flee?

O Jordan, that you turn back?

⁶O mountains, that you skip like rams?

O hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord,

Before the God of Jacob,

⁸Who turned the rock into a pool of water,

The flint into a fountain of water.

Psalm 115 [Books]

Heathen Idols Contrasted with the LORD.

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us,

But to Your name give glory

Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your atruth. [aOr faithfulness]

²Why should the nations say,

“Where, now, is their God?”

³But our God is in the heavens;

He does whatever He pleases.

⁴Their idols are silver and gold,

The work of man’s hands.

⁵They have mouths, but they cannot speak;

They have eyes, but they cannot see;

⁶They have ears, but they cannot hear;

They have noses, but they cannot smell;

⁷aThey have hands, but they cannot feel;

bThey have feet, but they cannot walk;

They cannot make a sound with their throat. [aLit Their hands bLit Their feet]

⁸Those who make them awill become like them,

Everyone who trusts in them. [aOr are like them]

9 O Israel, trust in the LORD;

He is their help and their shield.

¹⁰O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD;

He is their help and their shield.

¹¹You who afear the LORD, trust in the LORD;

He is their help and their shield. [aOr revere]

¹²The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us;

He will bless the house of Israel;

He will bless the house of Aaron.

¹³He will bless those who afear the LORD,

The small together with the great. [aOr revere]

¹⁴May the LORD give you increase,

You and your children.

¹⁵May you be blessed of the LORD,

Maker of heaven and earth.

16 The heavens are the heavens of the LORD,

But the earth He has given to the sons of men.

¹⁷The dead do not praise athe LORD,

Nor do any who go down into silence; [aHeb YAH]

¹⁸But as for us, we will bless athe LORD

From this time forth and forever.

bPraise athe LORD! [aHeb YAH bOr Hallelujah!]

Psalm 116 [Books]

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

1 I love the LORD, because He hears

My voice and my supplications.

²Because He has inclined His ear to me,

Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

³The cords of death encompassed me

And the aterrors of bSheol ccame upon me;

I found distress and sorrow. [aLit straits bI.e. the nether world cLit found me]

⁴Then I called upon the name of the LORD:

“O LORD, I beseech You, asave my life!” [aOr deliver my soul]

5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;

Yes, our God is compassionate.

⁶The LORD preserves the simple;

I was brought low, and He saved me.

⁷Return to your rest, O my soul,

For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

⁸For You have rescued my soul from death,

My eyes from tears,

My feet from stumbling.

⁹I shall walk before the LORD

In the aland of the living. [aLit lands]

¹⁰I believed when I said,

“I am greatly afflicted.”

¹¹I said in my alarm,

“All men are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the LORD

For all His benefits atoward me? [aLit upon]

¹³I shall lift up the cup of salvation

And call upon the name of the LORD.

¹⁴I shall pay my vows to the LORD,

Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.

¹⁵Precious in the sight of the LORD

Is the death of His godly ones.

¹⁶O LORD, asurely I am Your servant,

I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,

You have loosed my bonds. [aOr because]

¹⁷To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

And call upon the name of the LORD.

¹⁸I shall pay my vows to the LORD,

Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,

¹⁹In the courts of the LORD’S house,

In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 117 [Books]

A Psalm of Praise.

1 Praise the LORD, all nations;

Laud Him, all peoples!

²For His lovingkindness ais great toward us,

And the btruth of the LORD is everlasting.

cPraise dthe LORD! [aLit prevails over us bOr faithfulness cOr Hallelujah! dHeb YAH]

Psalm 118 [Books]

Thanksgiving for the LORD’S Saving Goodness.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

²Oh let Israel say,

“His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

³Oh let the house of Aaron say,

“His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

⁴Oh let those who afear the LORD say,

“His lovingkindness is everlasting.” [aOr revere]

5 From my distress I called upon athe LORD;

aThe LORD answered me and set me in a large place. [aHeb YAH]

⁶The LORD is for me; I will not fear;

What can man do to me?

⁷The LORD is for me among those who help me;

Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.

⁸It is better to take refuge in the LORD

Than to trust in man.

⁹It is better to take refuge in the LORD

Than to trust in princes.

10 All nations surrounded me;

In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off.

¹¹They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;

In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off.

¹²They surrounded me like bees;

They were extinguished as a fire of thorns;

In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off.

¹³You pushed me violently so that I awas falling,

But the LORD helped me. [aOr fell]

¹⁴aThe LORD is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation. [aHeb YAH]

15 The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous;

The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.

¹⁶The right hand of the LORD is exalted;

The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.

¹⁷I will not die, but live,

And tell of the works of athe LORD. [aHeb YAH]

¹⁸aThe LORD has disciplined me severely,

But He has not given me over to death. [aHeb YAH]

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness;

I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to athe LORD. [aHeb YAH]

²⁰This is the gate of the LORD;

The righteous will enter through it.

²¹I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me,

And You have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.

²³This is athe LORD’S doing;

It is marvelous in our eyes. [aLit from the LORD]

²⁴This is the day which the LORD has made;

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵O LORD, do save, we beseech You;

O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity!

²⁶Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD;

We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.

²⁷The LORD is God, and He has given us light;

Bind the festival sacrifice with cords ato the horns of the altar. [aLit unto]

²⁸You are my God, and I give thanks to You;

You are my God, I extol You.

²⁹Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 119 [Books]

Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.

Aleph.

1 How blessed are those whose way is ablameless,

Who walk in the law of the LORD. [aLit complete; or having integrity]

²How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,

Who seek Him with all their heart.

³They also do no unrighteousness;

They walk in His ways.

⁴You have aordained Your precepts,

bThat we should keep them diligently. [aLit commanded bLit To keep]

⁵Oh that my ways may be established

To keep Your statutes!

⁶Then I shall not be ashamed

When I look aupon all Your commandments. [aLit to]

⁷I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,

When I learn Your righteous judgments.

⁸I shall keep Your statutes;

Do not forsake me utterly!

Beth.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your word.

¹⁰With all my heart I have sought You;

Do not let me wander from Your commandments.

¹¹Your word I have treasured in my heart,

That I may not sin against You.

¹²Blessed are You, O LORD;

Teach me Your statutes.

¹³With my lips I have told of

All the ordinances of Your mouth.

¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,

aAs much as in all riches. [aLit As over all]

¹⁵I will meditate on Your precepts

And aregard Your ways. [aOr look upon]

¹⁶I shall adelight in Your statutes;

I shall not forget Your word.

Gimel.

[aLit delight myself]

17 Deal bountifully with Your servant,

That I may live and keep Your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes, that I may behold

Wonderful things from Your law.

¹⁹I am a stranger in the earth;

Do not hide Your commandments from me.

²⁰My soul is crushed awith longing

After Your ordinances at all times. [aLit for]

²¹You rebuke the arrogant, athe cursed,

Who wander from Your commandments. [aOr Cursed are those who wander...]

²²Take away reproach and contempt from me,

For I observe Your testimonies.

²³Even though princes sit and talk against me,

Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

²⁴Your testimonies also are my delight;

They are amy counselors.

Daleth.

[aLit the men of my counsel]

25 My soul cleaves to the dust;

Revive me according to Your word.

²⁶I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;

Teach me Your statutes.

²⁷Make me understand the way of Your precepts,

So I will meditate on Your wonders.

²⁸My soul aweeps because of grief;

Strengthen me according to Your word. [aLit drops]

²⁹Remove the false way from me,

And graciously grant me Your law.

³⁰I have chosen the faithful way;

I have aplaced Your ordinances before me. [aOr accounted Your ordinances worthy]

³¹I cling to Your testimonies;

O LORD, do not put me to shame!

³²I shall run the way of Your commandments,

For You will enlarge my heart.

He.

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall observe it to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law

And keep it with all my heart.

³⁵Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,

For I delight in it.

³⁶Incline my heart to Your testimonies

And not to dishonest gain.

³⁷Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,

And revive me in Your ways.

³⁸Establish Your aword to Your servant,

bAs that which produces reverence for You. [aOr promise bLit Which is for the fear of You]

³⁹Turn away my reproach which I dread,

For Your ordinances are good.

⁴⁰Behold, I long for Your precepts;

Revive me through Your righteousness.

Vav.

41 May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD,

Your salvation according to Your aword; [aOr promise]

⁴²So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me,

For I trust in Your word.

⁴³And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,

For I await for Your ordinances. [aOr hope in]

⁴⁴So I will keep Your law continually,

Forever and ever.

⁴⁵And I will walk aat liberty,

For I seek Your precepts. [aLit in a wide place]

⁴⁶I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings

And shall not be ashamed.

⁴⁷I shall adelight in Your commandments,

Which I love. [aLit delight myself]

⁴⁸And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments,

Which I love;

And I will meditate on Your statutes.

Zayin.

49 Remember the word to Your servant,

aIn which You have made me hope. [aLit On]

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction,

That Your word has arevived me. [aOr preserved me alive]

⁵¹The arrogant utterly deride me,

Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.

⁵²I have remembered Your ordinances from aof old, O LORD,

And comfort myself. [aOr everlasting]

⁵³Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked,

Who forsake Your law.

⁵⁴Your statutes are my songs

In the house of my pilgrimage.

⁵⁵O LORD, I remember Your name in the night,

And keep Your law.

⁵⁶This has become mine,

aThat I observe Your precepts.

Heth.

[aOr Because]

57 The LORD is my portion;

I have apromised to keep Your words. [aLit said that I would keep]

⁵⁸I sought Your favor with all my heart;

Be gracious to me according to Your aword. [aOr promise]

⁵⁹I considered my ways

And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

⁶⁰I hastened and did not delay

To keep Your commandments.

⁶¹The cords of the wicked have encircled me,

But I have not forgotten Your law.

⁶²At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You

Because of Your righteous ordinances.

⁶³I am a companion of all those who afear You,

And of those who keep Your precepts. [aOr revere]

⁶⁴The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD;

Teach me Your statutes.

Teth.

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,

O LORD, according to Your word.

⁶⁶Teach me good adiscernment and knowledge,

For I believe in Your commandments. [aOr judgment]

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted I went astray,

But now I keep Your word.

⁶⁸You are good and do good;

Teach me Your statutes.

⁶⁹The arrogant ahave forged a lie against me;

With all my heart I will observe Your precepts. [aLit besmear me with lies]

⁷⁰Their heart is acovered with fat,

But I delight in Your law. [aLit gross like fat]

⁷¹It is good for me that I was afflicted,

That I may learn Your statutes.

⁷²The law of Your mouth is better to me

Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Yodh.

73 Your hands made me and afashioned me;

Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. [aLit established]

⁷⁴May those who afear You see me and be glad,

Because I bwait for Your word. [aOr revere bOr hope in]

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous,

And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

⁷⁶O may Your lovingkindness acomfort me,

According to Your bword to Your servant. [aLit be for my comfort bOr promise]

⁷⁷May Your compassion come to me that I may live,

For Your law is my delight.

⁷⁸May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;

But I shall meditate on Your precepts.

⁷⁹May those who afear You turn to me,

Even those who know Your testimonies. [aOr revere]

⁸⁰May my heart be ablameless in Your statutes,

So that I will not be ashamed.

Kaph.

[aLit complete; or having integrity]

81 My soul languishes for Your salvation;

I await for Your word. [aOr hope in]

⁸²My eyes fail with longing for Your aword,

bWhile I say, “When will You comfort me?” [aOr promise bLit Saying]

⁸³Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,

I do not forget Your statutes.

⁸⁴How many are the days of Your servant?

When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pits for me,

Men who are not ain accord with Your law. [aLit according to Your law]

⁸⁶All Your commandments are faithful;

They have persecuted me with a lie; help me!

⁸⁷They almost destroyed me aon earth,

But as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts. [aLit in the earth]

⁸⁸Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,

So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

Lamedh.

89 Forever, O LORD,

Your word ais settled in heaven. [aLit stands firm]

⁹⁰Your faithfulness continues athroughout all generations;

You established the earth, and it stands. [aLit to]

⁹¹They stand this day according to Your ordinances,

For all things are Your servants.

⁹²If Your law had not been my delight,

Then I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³I will never forget Your precepts,

For by them You have arevived me. [aOr kept me alive]

⁹⁴I am Yours, save me;

For I have sought Your precepts.

⁹⁵The wicked wait for me to destroy me;

I shall diligently consider Your testimonies.

⁹⁶I have seen aa limit to all perfection;

Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Mem.

[aLit an end of]

97 O how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

⁹⁸Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

For they are ever amine. [aOr with me]

⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers,

For Your testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰I understand more than the aged,

Because I have observed Your precepts.

¹⁰¹I have restrained my feet from every evil way,

That I may keep Your word.

¹⁰²I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,

For You Yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³How sweet are Your awords to my btaste!

Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! [aOr promises bLit palate]

¹⁰⁴From Your precepts I get understanding;

Therefore I hate every false way.

Nun.

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

¹⁰⁶I have sworn and I will confirm it,

That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.

¹⁰⁷I am exceedingly afflicted;

aRevive me, O LORD, according to Your word. [aOr Keep me alive]

¹⁰⁸O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,

And teach me Your ordinances.

¹⁰⁹My alife is continually bin my hand,

Yet I do not forget Your law. [aLit soul bI.e. in danger]

¹¹⁰The wicked have laid a snare for me,

Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts.

¹¹¹I have inherited Your testimonies forever,

For they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes

Forever, even to the end.

Samekh.

113 I hate those who are double-minded,

But I love Your law.

¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield;

I await for Your word. [aOr hope in]

¹¹⁵Depart from me, evildoers,

That I may observe the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶Sustain me according to Your aword, that I may live;

And do not let me be bashamed of my hope. [aOr promise bLit put to shame because of]

¹¹⁷Uphold me that I may be safe,

That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.

¹¹⁸You have arejected all those who wander from Your statutes,

For their deceitfulness is buseless. [aLit made light of bLit falsehood]

¹¹⁹You have aremoved all the wicked of the earth like dross;

Therefore I love Your testimonies. [aLit caused to cease]

¹²⁰My flesh atrembles for fear of You,

And I am afraid of Your judgments.

Ayin.

[aLit bristles up from]

121 I have done justice and righteousness;

Do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Be surety for Your servant for good;

Do not let the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³My eyes fail with longing for Your salvation

And for Your righteous aword. [aOr promise]

¹²⁴Deal with Your servant according to Your lovingkindness

And teach me Your statutes.

¹²⁵I am Your servant; give me understanding,

That I may know Your testimonies.

¹²⁶It is time for the LORD to act,

For they have broken Your law.

¹²⁷Therefore I love Your commandments

Above gold, yes, above fine gold.

¹²⁸Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything,

I hate every false way.

Pe.

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;

Therefore my soul observes them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple.

¹³¹I opened my mouth wide and panted,

For I longed for Your commandments.

¹³²Turn to me and be gracious to me,

After Your manner awith those who love Your name. [aLit to]

¹³³Establish my footsteps in Your aword,

And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me. [aOr promise]

¹³⁴Redeem me from the oppression of man,

That I may keep Your precepts.

¹³⁵Make Your face shine upon Your servant,

And teach me Your statutes.

¹³⁶My eyes ashed streams of water,

Because they do not keep Your law.

Tsadhe.

[aLit run down]

137 Righteous are You, O LORD,

And upright are Your judgments.

¹³⁸You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness

And exceeding faithfulness.

¹³⁹My zeal has aconsumed me,

Because my adversaries have forgotten Your words. [aLit put an end to]

¹⁴⁰Your aword is very bpure,

Therefore Your servant loves it. [aOr promise bLit refined]

¹⁴¹I am small and despised,

Yet I do not forget Your precepts.

¹⁴²Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,

And Your law is truth.

¹⁴³Trouble and anguish have acome upon me,

Yet Your commandments are my delight. [aLit found me]

¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever;

Give me understanding that I may live.

Qoph.

145 I cried with all my heart; answer me, O LORD!

I will observe Your statutes.

¹⁴⁶I cried to You; save me

And I shall keep Your testimonies.

¹⁴⁷I arise before dawn and cry for help;

I bwait for Your words. [aLit anticipate the dawn bOr hope in]

¹⁴⁸My eyes anticipate the night watches,

That I may meditate on Your aword. [aOr promise]

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;

Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances.

¹⁵⁰Those who follow after wickedness draw near;

They are far from Your law.

¹⁵¹You are near, O LORD,

And all Your commandments are truth.

¹⁵²Of old I have known from Your testimonies

That You have founded them forever.

Resh.

153 Look upon my affliction and rescue me,

For I do not forget Your law.

¹⁵⁴Plead my cause and redeem me;

Revive me according to Your aword. [aOr promise]

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked,

For they do not seek Your statutes.

¹⁵⁶aGreat are Your mercies, O LORD;

Revive me according to Your ordinances. [aOr Many]

¹⁵⁷Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,

Yet I do not turn aside from Your testimonies.

¹⁵⁸I behold the treacherous and loathe them,

Because they do not keep Your aword. [aOr promise]

¹⁵⁹Consider how I love Your precepts;

Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.

¹⁶⁰The sum of Your word is truth,

And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

Shin.

161 Princes persecute me without cause,

But my heart stands in awe of Your words.

¹⁶²I rejoice at Your aword,

As one who finds great spoil. [aOr promise]

¹⁶³I hate and despise falsehood,

But I love Your law.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise You,

Because of Your righteous ordinances.

¹⁶⁵Those who love Your law have great peace,

And anothing causes them to stumble. [aLit they have no stumbling block]

¹⁶⁶I hope for Your salvation, O LORD,

And do Your commandments.

¹⁶⁷My soul keeps Your testimonies,

And I love them exceedingly.

¹⁶⁸I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,

For all my ways are before You.

Tav.

169 Let my cry acome before You, O LORD;

Give me understanding according to Your word. [aLit come near before]

¹⁷⁰Let my supplication come before You;

Deliver me according to Your aword. [aOr promise]

¹⁷¹Let my lips utter praise,

For You teach me Your statutes.

¹⁷²Let my tongue sing of Your aword,

For all Your commandments are righteousness. [aOr promise]

¹⁷³Let Your hand be aready to help me,

For I have chosen Your precepts. [aLit to help me]

¹⁷⁴I long for Your salvation, O LORD,

And Your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵Let my soul live that it may praise You,

And let Your ordinances help me.

¹⁷⁶I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,

For I do not forget Your commandments.

Psalm 120 [Books]

Prayer for Deliverance from the Treacherous.

A Song of aAscents.

[aEx 34:24; 1 Kin 12:27]

1 In my trouble I cried to the LORD,

And He answered me.

²Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips,

From a deceitful tongue.

³What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you,

You deceitful tongue?

⁴Sharp arrows of the warrior,

With the burning coals of the broom tree.

5 Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech,

For I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

⁶Too long has my soul had its dwelling

With those who hate peace.

⁷I am for peace, but when I speak,

They are for war.

Psalm 121 [Books]

The LORD the Keeper of Israel.

A Song of Ascents.

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

From where shall my help come?

²My help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.

³He will not allow your foot to slip;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴Behold, He who keeps Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper;

The LORD is your shade on your right hand.

⁶The sun will not smite you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

⁷The LORD will aprotect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul. [aOr keep]

⁸The LORD will aguard your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and forever. [aOr keep]

Psalm 122 [Books]

Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

1 I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

²Our feet are standing

Within your gates, O Jerusalem,

³Jerusalem, that is built

As a city that is compact together;

⁴To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of athe LORD—

bAn ordinance for Israel—

To give thanks to the name of the LORD. [aHeb YAH bOr A testimony]

⁵For there thrones were set for judgment,

The thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

⁷“May peace be within your walls,

And prosperity within your palaces.”

⁸For the sake of my brothers and my friends,

I will now say, “May peace be within you.”

⁹For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,

I will seek your good.

Psalm 123 [Books]

Prayer for the LORD’S Help.

A Song of Ascents.

1 To You I lift up my eyes,

O You who are enthroned in the heavens!

²Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the LORD our God,

Until He is gracious to us.

3 Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us,

For we are greatly filled with contempt.

⁴Our soul is greatly filled

With the scoffing of those who are at ease,

And with the contempt of the proud.

Psalm 124 [Books]

Praise for Rescue from Enemies.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

1 “Had it not been the LORD who was on our side,”

Let Israel now say,

²“Had it not been the LORD who was on our side

When men rose up against us,

³Then they would have swallowed us alive,

When their anger was kindled against us;

⁴Then the waters would have engulfed us,

The stream would have aswept over our soul; [aOr passed over]

⁵Then the raging waters would have aswept over our soul.” [aOr passed over]

6 Blessed be the LORD,

Who has not given us ato be torn by their teeth. [aLit as a prey to]

⁷Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper;

The snare is broken and we have escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 125 [Books]

The LORD Surrounds His People.

A Song of Ascents.

1 Those who trust in the LORD

Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.

²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

So the LORD surrounds His people

From this time forth and forever.

³For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the aland of the righteous,

So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong. [aLit lot]

4 Do good, O LORD, 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,

The LORD will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.

Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 126 [Books]

Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.

A Song of Ascents.

1 When the LORD brought back athe captive ones of Zion,

We were like those who dream. [aOr those who returned to]

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter

And our tongue with joyful shouting;

Then they said among the nations,

“The LORD has done great things for them.”

³The LORD has done great things for us;

We are glad.

4 Restore our captivity, O LORD,

As the astreams in the bSouth. [aLit stream-beds bHeb Negev]

⁵Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.

⁶He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,

Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 127 [Books]

Prosperity Comes from the LORD.

A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the LORD guards the city,

The watchman keeps awake in vain.

²It is vain for you to rise up early,

To aretire late,

To eat the bread of bpainful labors;

For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. [aLit delay sitting bLit toils]

3 Behold, children are a agift of the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward. [aOr heritage]

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.

⁵How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;

They will not be ashamed

When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128 [Books]

Blessedness of the Fear of the LORD.

A Song of Ascents.

1 How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,

Who walks in His ways.

²When you shall eat of the afruit of your hands,

You will be happy and it will be well with you. [aLit labor]

³Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

aWithin your house,

Your children like olive plants

Around your table. [aLit In the innermost parts of]

⁴Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed

Who fears the LORD.

5 The LORD bless you from Zion,

And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

⁶Indeed, may you see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 129 [Books]

Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion’s Enemies.

A Song of Ascents.

1 “aMany times they have bpersecuted me from my youth up,”

Let Israel now say, [aLit Much bLit showed hostility toward]

²“aMany times they have bpersecuted me from my youth up;

Yet they have not prevailed against me. [aLit Much bLit showed hostility toward]

³“The plowers plowed upon my back;

They lengthened their furrows.”

⁴The LORD is righteous;

He has cut in two the cords of the wicked.

5 May all who hate Zion

Be put to shame and turned backward;

⁶Let them be like grass upon the housetops,

Which withers before it agrows up; [aLit draws out]

⁷With which the reaper does not fill his ahand,

Or the binder of sheaves his bosom; [aLit palm]

⁸Nor do those who pass by say,

“The blessing of the LORD be upon you;

We bless you in the name of the LORD.”

Psalm 130 [Books]

Hope in the LORD’S Forgiving Love.

A Song of Ascents.

1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD.

²Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive

To the voice of my supplications.

³If You, aLORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand? [aHeb YAH]

⁴But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait,

And ain His word do I hope. [aLit for]

⁶My soul waits for the Lord

More than the watchmen for the morning;

Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

⁷O Israel, hope in the LORD;

For with the LORD there is lovingkindness,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

⁸And He will redeem Israel

From all his iniquities.

Psalm 131 [Books]

Childlike Trust in the LORD.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

1 O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes ahaughty;

Nor do I binvolve myself in great matters,

Or in things too cdifficult for me. [aOr lofty bLit go after, walk cOr marvelous]

²Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;

Like a weaned child rests aagainst his mother,

My soul is like a weaned child awithin me. [aOr upon]

³O Israel, hope in the LORD

From this time forth and forever.

Psalm 132 [Books]

Prayer for the LORD’S Blessing upon the Sanctuary.

A Song of Ascents.

1 Remember, O LORD, on David’s behalf,

All his affliction;

²How he swore to the LORD

And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

³“Surely I will not aenter my house,

Nor blie on my bed; [aLit come into the tabernacle of bLit go up into the couch of]

⁴I will not give sleep to my eyes

Or slumber to my eyelids,

⁵Until I find a place for the LORD,

aA dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” [aLit Dwelling places]

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah,

We found it in the field of aJaar. [aOr the wood]

⁷Let us go into His adwelling place;

Let us worship at His footstool. [aLit dwelling places]

⁸Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place,

You and the ark of Your strength.

⁹Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,

And let Your godly ones sing for joy.

10 For the sake of David Your servant,

Do not turn away the face of Your anointed.

¹¹The LORD has sworn to David

A truth from which He will not turn back:

“Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.

¹²“If your sons will keep My covenant

And My testimony which I will teach them,

Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever.”

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion;

He has desired it for His habitation.

¹⁴“This is My resting place forever;

Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

¹⁵“I will abundantly bless her provision;

I will satisfy her needy with bread.

¹⁶“Her priests also I will clothe with salvation,

And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.

¹⁷“There I will cause the horn of David to spring forth;

I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed.

¹⁸“His enemies I will clothe with shame,

But upon himself his crown shall shine.”

Psalm 133 [Books]

The Excellency of Brotherly Unity.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brothers to dwell together in unity!

²It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Coming down upon the beard,

Even Aaron’s beard,

Coming down upon the edge of his robes.

³It is like the dew of Hermon

Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.

Psalm 134 [Books]

Greetings of Night Watchers.

A Song of Ascents.

1 Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD,

Who aserve by night in the house of the LORD! [aLit stand]

²Lift up your hands to the sanctuary

And bless the LORD.

³May the LORD bless you from Zion,

He who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 135 [Books]

Praise the LORD’S Wonderful Works. Vanity of Idols.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Praise the name of the LORD;

Praise Him, O servants of the LORD, [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

²You who stand in the house of the LORD,

In the courts of the house of our God!

³aPraise bthe LORD, for the LORD is good;

Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely. [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

⁴For athe LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,

Israel for His bown possession. [aHeb YAH bOr special treasure]

5 For I know that the LORD is great

And that our Lord is above all gods.

⁶Whatever the LORD pleases, He does,

In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.

⁷aHe causes the bvapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;

Who makes lightnings for the rain,

Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries. [aLit The one who bI.e. clouds]

8 aHe smote the firstborn of Egypt,

bBoth of man and beast. [aLit The one who bLit From man to beast]

⁹aHe sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,

Upon Pharaoh and all his servants. [aLit The one who]

¹⁰aHe smote many nations

And slew mighty kings, [aLit The one who]

¹¹Sihon, king of the Amorites,

And Og, king of Bashan,

And all the kingdoms of Canaan;

¹²And He gave their land as a heritage,

A heritage to Israel His people.

¹³Your name, O LORD, is everlasting,

Your aremembrance, O LORD, bthroughout all generations. [aOr memorial bLit to]

¹⁴For the LORD will judge His people

And will have compassion on His servants.

¹⁵The idols of the nations are but silver and gold,

The work of man’s hands.

¹⁶They have mouths, but they do not speak;

They have eyes, but they do not see;

¹⁷They have ears, but they do not hear,

Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.

¹⁸Those who make them will be like them,

Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD;

O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;

²⁰O house of Levi, bless the LORD;

You who arevere the LORD, bless the LORD. [aLit fear]

²¹Blessed be the LORD from Zion,

Who dwells in Jerusalem.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 136 [Books]

Thanks for the LORD’S Goodness to Israel.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

²Give thanks to the God of gods,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

³Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

⁴To Him who alone does great awonders,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting; [aI.e. wonderful acts]

⁵To Him who made the heavens awith skill,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting; [aLit with understanding]

⁶To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

⁷To Him who made the great lights,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

⁸The sun to rule aby day,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting, [aOr over the]

⁹The moon and stars to rule aby night,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting. [aOr over the]

10 To Him who smote athe Egyptians in their firstborn,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting, [aLit Egypt]

¹¹And brought Israel out from their midst,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

¹²With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

¹³To Him who divided the aRed Sea basunder,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting, [aLit Sea of Reeds bLit in parts]

¹⁴And made Israel pass through the midst of it,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

¹⁵But He aoverthrew Pharaoh and his army in the bRed Sea,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting. [aLit shook off bLit Sea of Reeds]

¹⁶To Him who led His people through the wilderness,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

¹⁷To Him who smote great kings,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

¹⁸And slew amighty kings,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting: [aLit majestic]

¹⁹Sihon, king of the Amorites,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

²⁰And Og, king of Bashan,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

²¹And gave their land as a heritage,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

²²Even a heritage to Israel His servant,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

23 Who remembered us in our low estate,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

²⁴And has rescued us from our adversaries,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

²⁵Who gives food to all flesh,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

²⁶Give thanks to the God of heaven,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 137 [Books]

An Experience of the Captivity.

1 By the rivers of Babylon,

There we sat down and wept,

When we remembered Zion.

²Upon the awillows in the midst of it

We hung our bharps. [aOr poplars bLit lyres]

³For there our captors ademanded of us bsongs,

And our tormentors mirth, saying,

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” [aLit asked bLit words of song]

4 How can we sing the LORD’S song

In a foreign land?

⁵If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

May my right hand aforget her skill. [aI.e. become lame]

⁶May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

If I do not remember you,

If I do not aexalt Jerusalem

Above my chief joy. [aLit cause to ascend]

7 Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom

The day of Jerusalem,

Who said, “Raze it, raze it

To its very foundation.”

⁸O daughter of Babylon, you adevastated one,

How blessed will be the one who repays you

With bthe recompense with which you have repaid us. [aOr devastator bLit your recompense]

⁹How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones

Against the rock.

Psalm 138 [Books]

Thanksgiving for the LORD’S Favor.

A Psalm of David.

1 I will give You thanks with all my heart;

I will sing praises to You before the gods.

²I will bow down toward Your holy temple

And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your atruth;

For You have magnified Your bword caccording to all Your name. [aOr faithfulness bOr promise cOr together with]

³On the day I called, You answered me;

You made me bold with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O LORD,

When they have heard the words of Your mouth.

⁵And they will sing of the ways of the LORD,

For great is the glory of the LORD.

⁶For though the LORD is exalted,

Yet He regards the lowly,

But the haughty He knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will arevive me;

You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me. [aOr keep me alive]

⁸The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;

Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 139 [Books]

God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

²You know awhen I sit down and bwhen I rise up;

You understand my thought from afar. [aLit my sitting bLit my rising]

³You ascrutinize my bpath and my lying down,

And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. [aLit winnow bOr journeying]

⁴aEven before there is a word on my tongue,

Behold, O LORD, You know it all. [aLit For there is not]

⁵You have enclosed me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

⁸If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in aSheol, behold, You are there. [aI.e. the nether world]

⁹If I take the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

¹⁰Even there Your hand will lead me,

And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will aoverwhelm me,

And the light around me will be night,” [aLit bruise; some commentators read cover]

¹²Even the darkness is not dark ato You,

And the night is as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are alike to You. [aLit from]

13 For You formed my ainward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb. [aLit kidneys]

¹⁴I will give thanks to You, for aI am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well. [aSome ancient versions read You are fearfully wonderful]

¹⁵My aframe was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; [aLit bones were]

¹⁶Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God;

Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.

²⁰For they speak aagainst You wickedly,

And Your enemies btake Your name in vain. [aOr of bSome mss read lift themselves up against You]

²¹Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

²²I hate them with the utmost hatred;

They have become my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

²⁴And see if there be any ahurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way. [aLit way of pain]

Psalm 140 [Books]

Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men;

Preserve me from violent men

²Who devise evil things in their hearts;

They continually stir up wars.

³They sharpen their tongues as a serpent;

Poison of a viper is under their lips. aSelah. [aSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;

Preserve me from violent men

Who have apurposed to btrip up my feet. [aOr devised bLit push violently]

⁵The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords;

They have spread a net by the awayside;

They have set snares for me. Selah. [aLit track]

6 I said to the LORD, “You are my God;

Give ear, O LORD, to the voice of my supplications.

⁷“O aGOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have covered my head in the day of bbattle. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit weapons]

⁸“Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;

Do not promote his evil device, that they not be exalted. Selah.

9 “As for the head of those who surround me,

May the mischief of their lips cover them.

¹⁰“May burning coals fall upon them;

May they be cast into the fire,

Into adeep pits from which they cannot rise. [aLit watery]

¹¹“May a aslanderer not be established in the earth;

May evil hunt the violent man bspeedily.” [aLit man of tongue bLit thrust upon thrust]

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted

And justice for the poor.

¹³Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name;

The upright will dwell in Your presence.

Psalm 141 [Books]

An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.

A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, I call upon You; hasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to You!

²May my prayer be acounted as incense before You;

The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. [aLit fixed]

³Set a guard, O LORD, aover my mouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips. [aLit to]

⁴Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

To practice deeds aof wickedness

With men who do iniquity;

And do not let me eat of their delicacies. [aLit in]

5 Let the righteous smite me ain kindness and reprove me;

It is oil upon the head;

Do not let my head refuse it,

bFor still my prayer is cagainst their wicked deeds. [aOr lovingly bLit And my prayer cOr in spite of their calamities]

⁶Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock,

And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.

⁷As when one plows and breaks open the earth,

Our bones have been scattered at the mouth of aSheol. [aI.e. the nether world]

8 For my eyes are toward You, O aGOD, the Lord;

In You I take refuge; do not bleave me defenseless. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit pour out my soul]

⁹Keep me from the ajaws of the trap which they have set for me,

And from the snares of those who do iniquity. [aLit hands of the trap]

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

While I pass by asafely. [aLit altogether]

Psalm 142 [Books]

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

aMaskil of David, when he was bin the cave. A Prayer.

[aPossibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm b1 Sam 22:1; 24:3]

1 I cry aloud with my voice to the LORD;

I make supplication with my voice to the LORD.

²I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare my trouble before Him.

³When my spirit awas overwhelmed within me,

You knew my path.

In the way where I walk

They have hidden a trap for me. [aLit fainted]

⁴Look to the right and see;

For there is no one who regards me;

aThere is no escape for me;

No one cares for my soul. [aLit Escape has perished from me]

5 I cried out to You, O LORD;

I said, “You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.

⁶“Give heed to my cry,

For I am brought very low;

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are too strong for me.

⁷“Bring my soul out of prison,

So that I may give thanks to Your name;

The righteous will surround me,

For You will deal bountifully with me.”

Psalm 143 [Books]

Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance.

A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD,

Give ear to my supplications!

Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness!

²And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,

For in Your sight no man living is righteous.

³For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.

⁴Therefore my spirit ais overwhelmed within me;

My heart is bappalled within me. [aLit faints bOr desolate]

5 I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all Your doings;

I muse on the work of Your hands.

⁶I stretch out my hands to You;

My soul longs for You, as a aparched land. bSelah. [aLit weary bSelah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude]

7 Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails;

Do not hide Your face from me,

Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.

⁸Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;

For I trust in You;

Teach me the way in which I should walk;

For to You I lift up my soul.

⁹Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;

aI take refuge in You. [aLit To You have I hidden]

10 Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level aground. [aLit land]

¹¹For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me.

In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

¹²And in Your lovingkindness, acut off my enemies

And destroy all those who afflict my soul,

For I am Your servant. [aOr silence]

Psalm 144 [Books]

Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity.

A Psalm of David.

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock,

Who trains my hands for war,

And my fingers for battle;

²My lovingkindness and my fortress,

My stronghold and my deliverer,

My shield and He in whom I take refuge,

Who subdues amy people under me. [aAnother reading is peoples]

³O LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?

Or the son of man, that You think of him?

⁴Man is like a mere breath;

His days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;

Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.

⁶Flash forth lightning and scatter them;

Send out Your arrows and confuse them.

⁷Stretch forth Your hand from on high;

Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,

Out of the hand of aliens

⁸Whose mouths speak deceit,

And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9 I will sing a new song to You, O God;

Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,

¹⁰Who gives salvation to kings,

Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.

¹¹Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,

Whose mouth speaks deceit

And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,

And our daughters as corner pillars afashioned as for a palace; [aLit cut after the pattern of]

¹³Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,

And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our afields; [aLit outside]

¹⁴Let our cattle abear

Without bmishap and without closs,

Let there be no outcry in our streets! [aLit be laden bLit bursting forth cLit going out]

¹⁵How blessed are the people who are so situated;

How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!

Psalm 145 [Books]

The LORD Extolled for His Goodness.

A Psalm of Praise, of David.

1 I will extol You, my God, O King,

And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

³Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised,

And His greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation shall praise Your works to another,

And shall declare Your mighty acts.

⁵On the glorious asplendor of Your majesty

And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. [aOr majesty of Your splendor]

⁶Men shall speak of the apower of Your awesome acts,

And I will tell of Your greatness. [aOr strength]

⁷They shall aeagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness

And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. [aOr bubble over with]

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful;

Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.

⁹The LORD is good to all,

And His mercies are over all His works.

¹⁰All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD,

And Your godly ones shall bless You.

¹¹They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom

And talk of Your power;

¹²To make known to the sons of men aYour mighty acts

And the glory of the majesty of aYour kingdom. [aLit His]

¹³Your kingdom is aan everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. [aLit a kingdom of all ages]

14 The LORD sustains all who fall

And raises up all who are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all alook to You,

And You give them their food in due time. [aLit wait; or hope for]

¹⁶You open Your hand

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways

And kind in all His deeds.

¹⁸The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

¹⁹He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He will also hear their cry and will save them.

²⁰The LORD keeps all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,

And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

Psalm 146 [Books]

The LORD an Abundant Helper.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Praise the LORD, O my soul! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

²I will praise the LORD while I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

³Do not trust in princes,

In amortal man, in whom there is no salvation. [aLit a son of a man]

⁴His spirit departs, he returns to athe earth;

In that very day his thoughts perish. [aLit his earth]

⁵How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

Whose hope is in the LORD his God,

⁶Who made heaven and earth,

The sea and all that is in them;

Who keeps afaith forever; [aOr truth]

⁷Who executes justice for the oppressed;

Who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free.

8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;

The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;

The LORD loves the righteous;

⁹The LORD aprotects the bstrangers;

He csupports the fatherless and the widow,

But He dthwarts the way of the wicked. [aOr keeps bOr sojourners cOr relieves dLit makes crooked]

¹⁰The LORD will reign forever,

Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 147 [Books]

Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

For cit is pleasant and praise is becoming. [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH cOr He is gracious]

²The LORD builds up Jerusalem;

He gathers the outcasts of Israel.

³He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their awounds. [aLit sorrows]

⁴He counts the number of the stars;

He agives names to all of them. [aOr calls them all by their names]

⁵Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;

His understanding is ainfinite. [aLit innumerable]

⁶The LORD asupports the afflicted;

He brings down the wicked to the ground. [aOr relieves]

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;

Sing praises to our God on the lyre,

⁸Who covers the heavens with clouds,

Who provides rain for the earth,

Who makes grass to agrow on the mountains. [aLit spring forth]

⁹He gives to the beast its food,

And to the young ravens which cry.

¹⁰He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹The LORD favors those who fear Him,

Those who wait for His lovingkindness.

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

¹³For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;

He has blessed your sons within you.

¹⁴He makes apeace in your borders;

He satisfies you with the bfinest of the wheat. [aLit your borders peace bLit fat]

¹⁵He sends forth His command to the earth;

His word runs very swiftly.

¹⁶He gives snow like wool;

He scatters the frost like ashes.

¹⁷He casts forth His ice as fragments;

Who can stand before His cold?

¹⁸He sends forth His word and melts them;

He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.

¹⁹He declares His words to Jacob,

His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.

²⁰He has not dealt thus with any nation;

And as for His ordinances, they have not known them.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 148 [Books]

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the LORD.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Praise the LORD from the heavens;

Praise Him in the heights! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

²Praise Him, all His angels;

Praise Him, all His hosts!

³Praise Him, sun and moon;

Praise Him, all stars of light!

⁴Praise Him, ahighest heavens,

And the waters that are above the heavens! [aLit heavens of heavens]

⁵Let them praise the name of the LORD,

For He commanded and they were created.

⁶He has also established them forever and ever;

He has made a decree which will not pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth,

Sea monsters and all deeps;

⁸Fire and hail, snow and clouds;

Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;

⁹Mountains and all hills;

Fruit trees and all cedars;

¹⁰Beasts and all cattle;

Creeping things and winged fowl;

¹¹Kings of the earth and all peoples;

Princes and all judges of the earth;

¹²Both young men and virgins;

Old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,

For His name alone is exalted;

His glory is above earth and heaven.

¹⁴And He has lifted up a horn for His people,

Praise for all His godly ones;

Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 149 [Books]

Israel Invoked to Praise the LORD.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Sing to the LORD a new song,

And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

²Let Israel be glad in his Maker;

Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.

³Let them praise His name with dancing;

Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.

⁴For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;

He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

5 Let the godly ones exult in glory;

Let them sing for joy on their beds.

⁶Let the high praises of God be in their amouth,

And a two-edged sword in their hand, [aLit throat]

⁷To execute vengeance on the nations

And punishment on the peoples,

⁸To bind their kings with chains

And their nobles with fetters of iron,

⁹To execute on them the judgment written;

This is an honor for all His godly ones.

aPraise bthe LORD! [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH]

Psalm 150 [Books]

A Psalm of Praise.

1 aPraise bthe LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty cexpanse. [aOr Hallelujah! bHeb YAH cOr firmament]

²Praise Him for His mighty deeds;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound;

Praise Him with harp and lyre.

⁴Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.

⁵Praise Him with loud cymbals;

Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

⁶Let everything that has breath praise athe LORD.

bPraise athe LORD! [aHeb YAH bOr Hallelujah!]

PROVERBS 1 [Books]

The Usefulness of Proverbs

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

²To know wisdom and instruction,

To discern the sayings of understanding,

³To receive instruction in wise behavior,

Righteousness, justice and equity;

⁴To give prudence to the anaive,

To the youth knowledge and discretion, [aLit simple ones]

⁵A wise man will hear and increase in learning,

And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

⁶To understand a proverb and a figure,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The Enticement of Sinners

8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction

And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;

⁹Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head

And aornaments about your neck. [aLit necklaces]

¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

¹¹If they say, “Come with us,

Let us lie in wait for blood,

Let us ambush the innocent without cause;

¹²Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;

¹³We will find all kinds of precious wealth,

We will fill our houses with spoil;

¹⁴Throw in your lot awith us,

We shall all have one purse,” [aLit in the midst of us]

¹⁵My son, do not walk in the way with them.

Keep your feet from their path,

¹⁶For their feet run to evil

And they hasten to shed blood.

¹⁷Indeed, it is auseless to spread the baited net

In the sight of any bbird; [aLit in vain bLit possessor of wing]

¹⁸But they lie in wait for their own blood;

They ambush their own lives.

¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence;

It takes away the life of its possessors.

Wisdom Warns

20 Wisdom shouts in the street,

She alifts her voice in the square; [aLit gives]

²¹At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;

At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:

²²“How long, O anaive ones, will you love bbeing simple-minded?

And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing

And fools hate knowledge? [aLit simple ones bOr naivete]

²³“Turn to my reproof,

Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

²⁴“Because I called and you refused,

I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

²⁵And you neglected all my counsel

And did not want my reproof;

²⁶I will also laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your dread comes,

²⁷When your dread comes like a storm

And your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

²⁸“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,

²⁹Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD.

³⁰“They would not accept my counsel,

They spurned all my reproof.

³¹“So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way

And be satiated with their own devices.

³²“For the waywardness of the anaive will kill them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them. [aLit simple ones]

³³“But he who listens to me shall alive securely

And will be at ease from the dread of evil.” [aLit dwell]

PROVERBS 2 [Books]

The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security

1 My son, if you will receive my words

And treasure my commandments within you,

²Make your ear attentive to wisdom,

Incline your heart to understanding;

³For if you cry for discernment,

aLift your voice for understanding; [aLit Give]

⁴If you seek her as silver

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

⁵Then you will discern the fear of the LORD

And discover the knowledge of God.

⁶For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

⁷He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

⁸Guarding the paths of justice,

And He preserves the way of His godly ones.

⁹Then you will discern righteousness and justice

And equity and every good course.

¹⁰For wisdom will enter your heart

And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

¹¹Discretion will guard you,

Understanding will watch over you,

¹²To deliver you from the way of evil,

From the man who speaks perverse things;

¹³From those who leave the paths of uprightness

To walk in the ways of darkness;

¹⁴Who delight in doing evil

And rejoice in the perversity of evil;

¹⁵Whose paths are crooked,

And who are devious in their ways;

¹⁶To deliver you from the strange woman,

From the aadulteress who flatters with her words; [aLit strange woman]

¹⁷That leaves the companion of her youth

And forgets the covenant of her God;

¹⁸For her house asinks down to death

And her tracks lead to the bdead; [aLit bows down bLit departed spirits]

¹⁹None who go to her return again,

Nor do they reach the paths of life.

²⁰So you will walk in the way of good men

And keep to the paths of the righteous.

²¹For the upright will alive in the land

And the blameless will remain in it; [aOr dwell]

²²But the wicked will be cut off from the land

And the treacherous will be uprooted from it.

PROVERBS 3 [Books]

The Rewards of Wisdom

1 My son, do not forget my ateaching,

But let your heart keep my commandments; [aOr law]

²For length of days and years of life

And peace they will add to you.

³Do not let kindness and truth leave you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴So you will find favor and good arepute

In the sight of God and man. [aLit understanding]

⁵Trust in the LORD 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 the LORD and turn away from evil.

⁸It will be healing to your abody

And refreshment to your bones. [aLit navel]

⁹Honor the LORD from your wealth

And from the first of all your produce;

¹⁰So your barns will be filled with plenty

And your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹My son, do not reject the adiscipline of the LORD

Or loathe His reproof, [aOr instruction]

¹²For whom the LORD loves He reproves,

Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom

And the man who gains understanding.

¹⁴For her profit is better than the profit of silver

And her gain better than fine gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than ajewels;

And nothing you desire compares with her. [aLit corals]

¹⁶aLong life is in her right hand;

In her left hand are riches and honor. [aLit Length of days]

¹⁷Her ways are pleasant ways

And all her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who hold her fast.

¹⁹The LORD by wisdom founded the earth,

By understanding He established the heavens.

²⁰By His knowledge the deeps were broken up

And the skies drip with dew.

²¹My son, let them not avanish from your sight;

Keep sound wisdom and discretion, [aLit depart]

²²So they will be life to your soul

And adornment to your neck.

²³Then you will walk in your way securely

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 fear

Nor of the aonslaught of the wicked when it comes; [aLit storm]

²⁶For the LORD will be ayour confidence

And will keep your foot from being caught. [aOr at your side]

27 Do not withhold good from athose to whom it is due,

When it is in your power to do it. [aLit its owners]

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,

And tomorrow I will give it,”

When you have it with you.

²⁹Do not devise harm against your neighbor,

While he lives securely beside you.

³⁰Do not contend with a man without cause,

If he has done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy a man of violence

And do not choose any of his ways.

³²For the devious are an abomination to the LORD;

But aHe is intimate with the upright. [aLit His private counsel is]

³³The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,

But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

³⁴Though He scoffs at the scoffers,

Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

³⁵The wise will inherit honor,

But fools adisplay dishonor. [aLit raise high]

PROVERBS 4 [Books]

A Father’s Instruction

1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,

And give attention that you may again understanding, [aLit know]

²For I give you asound teaching;

Do not abandon my binstruction. [aLit good bOr law]

³When I was a son to my father,

Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,

⁴Then he taught me and said to me,

“Let your heart hold fast my words;

Keep my commandments and live;

⁵Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!

Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;

Love her, and she will watch over you.

⁷“The abeginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;

And with all your acquiring, get understanding. [aOr the primary thing is wisdom]

⁸“Prize her, and she will exalt you;

She will honor you if you embrace her.

⁹“She will place on your head a garland of grace;

She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings

And the years of your life will be many.

¹¹I have directed you in the way of wisdom;

I have led you in upright paths.

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;

And if you run, you will not stumble.

¹³Take hold of instruction; do not let go.

Guard her, for she is your life.

¹⁴Do not enter the path of the wicked

And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

¹⁵Avoid it, do not pass by it;

Turn away from it and pass on.

¹⁶For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;

And athey are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. [aLit their sleep is robbed]

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness

And drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like darkness;

They do not know over what they astumble. [aOr may stumble]

20 My son, give attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings.

²¹Do not let them depart from your sight;

Keep them in the midst of your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them

And health to all atheir body. [aLit his]

²³Watch over your heart with all diligence,

For from it flow the springs of life.

²⁴Put away from you a deceitful mouth

And put devious aspeech far from you. [aOr lips]

²⁵Let your eyes look directly ahead

And let your agaze be fixed straight in front of you. [aOr eyelids]

²⁶Watch the path of your feet

And all your ways will be established.

²⁷Do not turn to the right nor to the left;

Turn your foot from evil.

PROVERBS 5 [Books]

Pitfalls of Immorality

1 My son, give attention to my wisdom,

Incline your ear to my understanding;

²That you may observe discretion

And your lips may reserve knowledge.

³For the lips of an aadulteress drip honey

And smoother than oil is her bspeech; [aLit strange woman bLit palate]

⁴But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

⁵Her feet go down to death,

Her steps take hold of Sheol.

⁶aShe does not ponder the path of life;

Her ways are unstable, she does not know it. [aLit That she not watch]

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me

And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

⁸Keep your way far from her

And do not go near the door of her house,

⁹Or you will give your vigor to others

And your years to the cruel one;

¹⁰And strangers will be filled with your strength

And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;

¹¹And you groan at your afinal end,

When your flesh and your body are consumed; [aOr latter]

¹²And you say, “How I have hated instruction!

And my heart spurned reproof!

¹³“I have not listened to the voice of my teachers,

Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!

¹⁴“I was almost in utter ruin

In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

15 Drink water from your own cistern

And afresh water from your own well. [aLit flowing]

¹⁶Should your springs be dispersed abroad,

Streams of water in the streets?

¹⁷Let them be yours alone

And not for strangers with you.

¹⁸Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

¹⁹As a loving hind and a graceful doe,

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

Be aexhilarated always with her love. [aLit intoxicated]

²⁰For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an aadulteress

And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? [aLit strange woman]

²¹For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD,

And He watches all his paths.

²²His own iniquities will capture the wicked,

And he will be held with the cords of his sin.

²³He will die for lack of instruction,

And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.

PROVERBS 6 [Books]

Parental Counsel

1 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor,

Have agiven a pledge for a stranger, [aLit clapped your palms]

²If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,

Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

³Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;

Since you have come into the ahand of your neighbor,

Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor. [aLit palm]

⁴Give no sleep to your eyes,

Nor slumber to your eyelids;

⁵Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand

And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard,

Observe her ways and be wise,

⁷Which, having no chief,

Officer or ruler,

⁸Prepares her food in the summer

And gathers her provision in the harvest.

⁹How long will you lie down, O sluggard?

When will you arise from your sleep?

¹⁰“A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to arest”— [aLit lie down]

¹¹Your poverty will come in like a avagabond

And your need like ban armed man. [aLit one who walks bLit a man with a shield]

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,

Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,

¹³Who winks with his eyes, who asignals with his feet,

Who bpoints with his fingers; [aLit scrapes bLit instructs with]

¹⁴Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil,

Who aspreads strife. [aLit sends out]

¹⁵Therefore his calamity will come suddenly;

Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.

16 There are six things which the LORD hates,

Yes, seven which are an abomination ato Him: [aLit of His soul]

¹⁷Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

And hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that run rapidly to evil,

¹⁹A false witness who utters lies,

And one who aspreads strife among brothers. [aLit sends out]

20 My son, observe the commandment of your father

And do not forsake the ateaching of your mother; [aOr law]

²¹Bind them continually on your heart;

Tie them around your neck.

²²When you walk about, athey will guide you;

When you sleep, athey will watch over you;

And when you awake, athey will talk to you. [aLit she]

²³For the commandment is a lamp and the ateaching is light;

And reproofs for discipline are the way of life [aOr law]

²⁴To keep you from the evil woman,

From the smooth tongue of the aadulteress. [aLit foreign woman]

²⁵Do not desire her beauty in your heart,

Nor let her capture you with her eyelids.

²⁶For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread,

And aan adulteress hunts for the precious life. [aLit a man’s wife]

²⁷Can a man atake fire in his bosom

And his clothes not be burned? [aLit snatch up]

²⁸Or can a man walk on hot coals

And his feet not be scorched?

²⁹So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;

Whoever touches her will not ago unpunished. [aLit be innocent]

³⁰aMen do not despise a thief if he steals

To satisfy bhimself when he is hungry; [aLit They do not; or Do not men...? bLit his soul]

³¹But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold;

He must give all the asubstance of his house. [aOr wealth]

³²The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking asense;

He who would destroy bhimself does it. [aLit heart bLit his soul]

³³Wounds and disgrace he will find,

And his reproach will not be blotted out.

³⁴For jealousy aenrages a man,

And he will not spare in the day of vengeance. [aLit is the rage of]

³⁵He will not aaccept any ransom,

Nor will he be bsatisfied though you give many cgifts. [aLit lift up the face of any bLit willing cOr bribes]

PROVERBS 7 [Books]

The Wiles of the Harlot

1 My son, keep my words

And treasure my commandments within you.

²Keep my commandments and live,

And my ateaching as the bapple of your eye. [aOr law bLit pupil]

³Bind them on your fingers;

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

And call understanding your intimate friend;

⁵That they may keep you from an aadulteress,

From the foreigner who bflatters with her words. [aLit strange woman bLit is smooth]

6 For at the window of my house

I looked out through my lattice,

⁷And I saw among the anaive,

And discerned among the byouths

A young man lacking csense, [aLit simple ones bLit sons cLit heart]

⁸Passing through the street near her corner;

And he atakes the way to her house, [aLit steps]

⁹In the twilight, in the aevening,

In the bmiddle of the night and in the darkness. [aLit evening of the day bLit pupil (of the eye)]

¹⁰And behold, a woman comes to meet him,

Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.

¹¹She is boisterous and rebellious,

Her feet do not remain at home;

¹²She is now in the streets, now in the squares,

And lurks by every corner.

¹³So she seizes him and kisses him

aAnd with a brazen face she says to him: [aLit She makes bold her face and says]

¹⁴“aI was due to offer peace offerings;

Today I have paid my vows. [aLit Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me]

¹⁵“Therefore I have come out to meet you,

To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.

¹⁶“I have spread my couch with coverings,

With colored linens of Egypt.

¹⁷“I have sprinkled my bed

With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

¹⁸“Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;

Let us delight ourselves with caresses.

¹⁹“For amy husband is not at home,

He has gone on a long journey; [aLit the man]

²⁰He has taken a bag of money awith him,

At the full moon he will come home.” [aLit in his hand]

²¹With her many persuasions she entices him;

With her aflattering lips she seduces him. [aLit smooth]

²²Suddenly he follows her

As an ox goes to the slaughter,

Or as aone in fetters to the discipline of a fool, [aOr as a stag goes into a trap; so some ancient versions]

²³Until an arrow pierces through his liver;

As a bird hastens to the snare,

So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

And pay attention to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,

Do not stray into her paths.

²⁶For many are the avictims she has cast down,

And numerous are all her slain. [aLit mortally wounded]

²⁷Her house is the way to Sheol,

Descending to the chambers of death.

PROVERBS 8 [Books]

The Commendation of Wisdom

1 Does not wisdom call,

And understanding alift up her voice? [aLit give]

²On top of the heights beside the way,

Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

³Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,

At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

⁴“To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

⁵“O anaive ones, understand prudence;

And, O fools, understand bwisdom. [aLit simple bLit heart]

⁶“Listen, for I will speak noble things;

And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

⁷“For my mouth will utter truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸“All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness;

There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

⁹“They are all straightforward to him who understands,

And right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰“Take my instruction and not silver,

And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

¹¹“For wisdom is better than ajewels;

And all desirable things cannot compare with her. [aLit corals]

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,

And I find knowledge and discretion.

¹³“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;

Pride and arrogance and the evil way

And the perverted mouth, I hate.

¹⁴“Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;

I am understanding, power is mine.

¹⁵“By me kings reign,

And rulers decree justice.

¹⁶“By me princes rule, and nobles,

All who judge rightly.

¹⁷“I love those who love me;

And those who diligently seek me will find me.

¹⁸“Riches and honor are with me,

Enduring wealth and righteousness.

¹⁹“My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold,

And my yield better than choicest silver.

²⁰“I walk in the way of righteousness,

In the midst of the paths of justice,

²¹To endow those who love me with wealth,

That I may fill their treasuries.

22 “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,

Before His works aof old. [aLit from then]

²³“From everlasting I was aestablished,

From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. [aOr consecrated]

²⁴“When there were no depths I was abrought forth,

When there were no springs abounding with water. [aOr born]

²⁵“Before the mountains were settled,

Before the hills I was abrought forth; [aOr born]

²⁶While He had not yet made the earth and the afields,

Nor the first dust of the world. [aLit outside places]

²⁷“When He established the heavens, I was there,

When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸When He made firm the skies above,

When the springs of the deep became afixed, [aLit strong]

²⁹When He set for the sea its boundary

So that the water would not transgress His acommand,

When He marked out the foundations of the earth; [aLit mouth]

³⁰Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;

And I was daily His delight,

aRejoicing always before Him, [aOr Playing]

³¹aRejoicing in the world, His earth,

And having my delight in the sons of men. [aOr Playing]

32 “Now therefore, O sons, listen to me,

For blessed are they who keep my ways.

³³“Heed instruction and be wise,

And do not neglect it.

³⁴“Blessed is the man who listens to me,

Watching daily at my gates,

Waiting at my doorposts.

³⁵“For he who finds me finds life

And obtains favor from the LORD.

³⁶“But he who asins against me injures himself;

All those who hate me love death.” [aOr misses me]

PROVERBS 9 [Books]

Wisdom’s Invitation

1 Wisdom has built her house,

She has hewn out her seven pillars;

²She has aprepared her food, she has mixed her wine;

She has also set her table; [aLit slaughtered her slaughter]

³She has sent out her maidens, she calls

From the tops of the heights of the city:

⁴“Whoever is anaive, let him turn in here!”

To him who lacks bunderstanding she says, [aLit simple bLit heart]

⁵“Come, eat of my food

And drink of the wine I have mixed.

⁶“aForsake your folly and live,

And proceed in the way of understanding.” [aOr Forsake the simple ones]

7 He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,

And he who reproves a wicked man gets ainsults for himself. [aLit a blemish]

⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,

Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,

Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For by 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 scoff, you alone will bear it.

13 The awoman of folly is boisterous,

She is bnaive and knows nothing. [aOr foolish woman bLit simple]

¹⁴She sits at the doorway of her house,

On a seat by the high places of the city,

¹⁵Calling to those who pass by,

Who are making their paths straight:

¹⁶“Whoever is anaive, let him turn in here,”

And to him who lacks bunderstanding she says, [aLit simple bLit heart]

¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet;

And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸But he does not know that the adead are there,

That her guests are in the depths of Sheol. [aLit departed spirits]

PROVERBS 10 [Books]

Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

²aIll-gotten gains do not profit,

But righteousness delivers from death. [aLit Treasures of wickedness]

³The LORD will not allow the arighteous to hunger,

But He will breject the craving of the wicked. [aLit soul of the righteous bLit thrust away]

⁴Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

⁵He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,

But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

⁷The memory of the righteous is blessed,

But the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸The wise of heart will receive commands,

But aa babbling fool will be bruined. [aLit the foolish of lips bLit thrust down]

⁹He who walks in integrity walks securely,

But he who perverts his ways will be found out.

¹⁰He who winks the eye causes trouble,

And aa babbling fool will be bruined. [aLit the foolish of lips bLit thrust down]

¹¹The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

¹²Hatred stirs up strife,

But love covers all transgressions.

¹³On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,

But a rod is for the back of him who lacks aunderstanding. [aLit heart]

¹⁴Wise men store up knowledge,

But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

¹⁵The rich man’s wealth is his afortress,

The ruin of the poor is their poverty. [aLit strong city]

¹⁶The awages of the righteous is life,

The income of the wicked, punishment. [aOr work]

¹⁷He is on the path of life who heeds instruction,

But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

¹⁸He who conceals hatred has lying lips,

And he who spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,

But he who restrains his lips is wise.

²⁰The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver,

The heart of the wicked is worth little.

²¹The lips of the righteous feed many,

But fools die for lack of aunderstanding. [aLit heart]

²²It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich,

And He adds no sorrow to it.

²³Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,

And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.

²⁴What the wicked fears will come upon him,

But the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,

But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

So is the lazy one to those who send him.

²⁷The fear of the LORD prolongs alife,

But the years of the wicked will be shortened. [aLit days]

²⁸The hope of the righteous is gladness,

But the expectation of the wicked perishes.

²⁹The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright,

But ruin to the workers of iniquity.

³⁰The righteous will never be shaken,

But the wicked will not dwell in the land.

³¹The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,

But the perverted tongue will be cut out.

³²The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable,

But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.

PROVERBS 11 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,

But a just weight is His delight.

²When pride comes, then comes dishonor,

But with the humble is wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright will guide them,

But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

But righteousness delivers from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,

But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,

But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.

⁷When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,

And the hope of strong men perishes.

⁸The righteous is delivered from trouble,

But the wicked atakes his place. [aLit enters]

⁹With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,

But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.

¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

¹²He who despises his neighbor lacks asense,

But a man of understanding keeps silent. [aLit heart]

¹³He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,

But he who is atrustworthy conceals a matter. [aLit faithful of spirit]

¹⁴Where there is no guidance the people fall,

But in abundance of counselors there is avictory. [aLit deliverance]

¹⁵He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it,

But he who hates abeing a guarantor is secure. [aLit those who strike hands]

¹⁶A gracious woman attains honor,

And ruthless men attain riches.

¹⁷The merciful man does ahimself good,

But the cruel man bdoes himself harm. [aLit good to his own soul bLit troubles his flesh]

¹⁸The wicked earns deceptive wages,

But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

¹⁹He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life,

And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.

²⁰The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,

But the blameless in their awalk are His delight. [aLit way]

²¹aAssuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,

But the bdescendants of the righteous will be delivered. [aLit Hand to hand bLit seed]

²²As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout

So is a beautiful woman who lacks adiscretion. [aLit taste]

²³The desire of the righteous is only good,

But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

²⁴There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,

And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.

²⁵The agenerous man will be bprosperous,

And he who waters will himself be watered. [aLit soul of blessing bLit made fat]

²⁶He who withholds grain, the people will curse him,

But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

²⁷He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

²⁸He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

²⁹He who troubles his own house will inherit wind,

And the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

And he who is wise awins souls. [aLit takes]

³¹If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth,

How much more the wicked and the sinner!

PROVERBS 12 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 Whoever loves adiscipline loves knowledge,

But he who hates reproof is stupid. [aOr instruction]

²A good man will obtain favor from the LORD,

But He will condemn a man awho devises evil. [aLit of evil devices]

³A man will not be established by wickedness,

But the root of the righteous will not be moved.

⁴An aexcellent wife is the crown of her husband,

But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones. [aOr virtuous]

⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just,

But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

⁶The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,

But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

⁷The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

But the house of the righteous will stand.

⁸A man will be praised according to his insight,

But one of perverse amind will be despised. [aLit heart]

⁹Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant

Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.

¹⁰A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,

But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

¹¹He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,

But he who pursues worthless things lacks asense. [aLit heart]

¹²The wicked man desires the abooty of evil men,

But the root of the righteous yields fruit. [aLit net]

¹³aAn evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,

But the righteous will escape from trouble. [aLit In the transgression of the lips is an evil snare]

¹⁴A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his awords,

And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. [aLit mouth]

¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

¹⁶A fool’s anger is known at once,

But a prudent man conceals dishonor.

¹⁷He who aspeaks truth tells what is right,

But a false witness, deceit. [aLit breathes]

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,

But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹Truthful lips will be established forever,

But a lying tongue is only for a moment.

²⁰Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

But counselors of peace have joy.

²¹No harm befalls the righteous,

But the wicked are filled with trouble.

²²Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,

But those who deal faithfully are His delight.

²³A prudent man conceals knowledge,

But the heart of fools proclaims folly.

²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule,

But the aslack hand will be put to forced labor. [aLit slackness]

²⁵Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

But a good word makes it glad.

²⁶The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷A alazy man does not broast his prey,

But the precious possession of a man is diligence. [aLit slackness bOr catch]

²⁸In the way of righteousness is life,

And in its pathway there is no death.

PROVERBS 13 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,

But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

²From the fruit of a man’s mouth he aenjoys good,

But the bdesire of the treacherous is violence. [aLit eats bLit soul]

³The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;

The one who opens wide his lips acomes to ruin. [aLit ruin is his]

⁴The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is made fat.

⁵A righteous man hates falsehood,

But a wicked man aacts disgustingly and shamefully. [aLit causes a bad odor and causes shame]

⁶Righteousness guards the aone whose way is blameless,

But wickedness subverts the bsinner. [aLit blamelessness of way bLit sin]

⁷There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing;

Another apretends to be poor, but has great wealth. [aLit impoverishes himself]

⁸The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,

But the poor hears no rebuke.

⁹The light of the righteous arejoices,

But the lamp of the wicked goes out. [aI.e. shines brightly]

¹⁰Through insolence acomes nothing but strife,

But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. [aLit gives]

¹¹Wealth obtained by afraud dwindles,

But the one who gathers bby labor increases it. [aLit vanity bOr gradually; lit on the hand]

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

But desire afulfilled is a tree of life. [aLit coming]

¹³The one who despises the word will be ain debt to it,

But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded. [aLit pledged to it]

¹⁴The ateaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

To turn aside from the snares of death. [aOr law]

¹⁵Good understanding produces favor,

But the way of the treacherous is hard.

¹⁶Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

But a fool adisplays folly. [aLit spreads out]

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into adversity,

But a faithful envoy brings healing.

¹⁸Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects adiscipline,

But he who regards reproof will be honored. [aOr instruction]

¹⁹Desire realized is sweet to the soul,

But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.

²⁰He who walks with wise men will be wise,

But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

²¹Adversity pursues sinners,

But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.

²²A good man leaves an inheritance to his achildren’s children,

And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. [aLit sons’ sons]

²³Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,

But ait is swept away by injustice. [aLit there is what is swept]

²⁴He who withholds his arod hates his son,

But he who loves him bdisciplines him diligently. [aI.e. correction or discipline bLit seeks him diligently with discipline]

²⁵The righteous ahas enough to satisfy his appetite,

But the stomach of the wicked is in need. [aLit eats to the satisfaction of his soul]

PROVERBS 14 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 The wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

²He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD,

But he who is devious in his ways despises Him.

³In the mouth of the foolish is a rod afor his back,

But the lips of the wise will protect them. [aLit of pride]

⁴Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,

But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

⁵A trustworthy witness will not lie,

But a false witness autters lies. [aLit breathes out]

⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,

But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.

⁷Leave the presence of a fool,

Or you will not adiscern bwords of knowledge. [aLit know bLit lips]

⁸The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,

But the foolishness of fools is deceit.

⁹Fools mock at asin,

But among the upright there is bgood will. [aLit guilt bOr the favor of God]

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness,

And a stranger does not share its joy.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

But the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way which seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.

¹³Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,

And the end of joy may be grief.

¹⁴The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways,

But a good man will be satisfied awith his. [aLit from himself]

¹⁵The anaive believes everything,

But the sensible man considers his steps. [aLit simple]

¹⁶A wise man ais cautious and turns away from evil,

But a fool is arrogant and careless. [aLit fears]

¹⁷A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,

And a man of evil devices is hated.

¹⁸The anaive inherit foolishness,

But the sensible are crowned with knowledge. [aLit simple]

¹⁹The evil will bow down before the good,

And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰The poor is hated even by his neighbor,

But those who love the rich are many.

²¹He who despises his neighbor sins,

But happy is he who is gracious to the apoor. [aOr afflicted]

²²Will they not go astray who devise evil?

But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.

²³In all labor there is profit,

But amere talk leads only to poverty. [aLit word of lips]

²⁴The crown of the wise is their riches,

But the folly of fools is foolishness.

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,

But he who autters lies is btreacherous. [aLit breathes out bLit treachery]

²⁶In the afear of the LORD there is strong confidence,

And bhis children will have refuge. [aOr reverence bOr His]

²⁷The afear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

That one may avoid the snares of death. [aOr reverence]

²⁸In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,

But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin.

²⁹He who is slow to anger has great understanding,

But he who is aquick-tempered exalts folly. [aLit short of spirit]

³⁰A tranquil heart is life to the body,

But passion is rottenness to the bones.

³¹He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker,

But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

³²The wicked is thrust down by his awrongdoing,

But the righteous has a refuge when he dies. [aOr calamity]

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,

But in the ahearts of fools it is made known. [aLit inward part]

³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation,

But sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely,

But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

PROVERBS 15 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,

But a aharsh word stirs up anger. [aLit painful]

²The tongue of the wise makes knowledge aacceptable,

But the mouth of fools spouts folly. [aLit good]

³The eyes of the LORD are in every place,

Watching the evil and the good.

⁴A asoothing tongue is a tree of life,

But perversion in it bcrushes the spirit. [aLit healing bLit is the crushing of the spirit]

⁵A fool arejects his father’s discipline,

But he who regards reproof is sensible. [aOr despises]

⁶Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,

But trouble is in the income of the wicked.

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

But the hearts of fools are not so.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

But He loves one who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;

He who hates reproof will die.

¹¹aSheol and bAbaddon lie open before the LORD,

How much more the hearts of cmen! [aI.e. the nether world bI.e. place of destruction cLit sons of Adam]

¹²A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,

He will not go to the wise.

¹³A joyful heart makes a acheerful face,

But bwhen the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. [aLit good bLit in sadness of heart]

¹⁴The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,

But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are bad,

But a acheerful heart has a continual feast. [aLit good]

¹⁶Better is a little with the afear of the LORD

Than great treasure and turmoil with it. [aOr reverence]

¹⁷Better is a adish of bvegetables where love is

Than a fattened ox served with hatred. [aOr portion bOr herbs]

¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

¹⁹The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,

But the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is joy to him who lacks asense,

But a man of understanding walks straight. [aLit heart]

²²Without consultation, plans are frustrated,

But with many counselors they asucceed. [aOr are established]

²³A man has joy in an aapt answer,

And how delightful is a timely word! [aLit answer of his mouth]

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the wise

That he may keep away from aSheol below. [aI.e. the nether world]

²⁵The LORD will tear down the house of the proud,

But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

²⁶Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,

But pleasant words are pure.

²⁷He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,

But he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked,

But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰aBright eyes gladden the heart;

Good news puts fat on the bones. [aLit The light of the eyes gladdens]

³¹He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof

Will dwell among the wise.

³²He who neglects discipline despises himself,

But he who listens to reproof acquires aunderstanding. [aLit heart]

³³The afear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,

And before honor comes humility. [aOr reverence]

PROVERBS 16 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 The plans of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

²All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,

But the LORD weighs the amotives. [aLit spirits]

³aCommit your works to the LORD

And your plans will be established. [aLit Roll]

⁴The LORD has made everything for aits own purpose,

Even the wicked for the day of evil. [aOr His]

⁵Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;

Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

⁶By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,

And by the afear of the LORD one keeps away from evil. [aOr reverence]

⁷When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness

Than great income with injustice.

⁹The mind of man plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps.

¹⁰A divine decision is in the lips of the king;

His mouth should not aerr in judgment. [aLit be unfaithful]

¹¹A just balance and scales belong to the LORD;

All the aweights of the bag are His bconcern. [aLit stones bLit work]

¹²It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,

For a throne is established on righteousness.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of kings,

And he who speaks right is loved.

¹⁴The fury of a king is like messengers of death,

But a wise man will appease it.

¹⁵In the light of a king’s face is life,

And his favor is like a cloud with the aspring rain. [aLit latter]

¹⁶How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!

And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

¹⁷The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;

He who watches his way preserves his alife. [aLit soul]

¹⁸Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

¹⁹It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰He who gives attention to the word will find good,

And blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

²¹The wise in heart will be called understanding,

And sweetness of aspeech increases bpersuasiveness. [aLit lips bOr learning]

²²Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,

But the discipline of fools is folly.

²³The heart of the wise instructs his mouth

And adds apersuasiveness to his lips. [aOr learning]

²⁴Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

²⁵There is a way which seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.

²⁶A worker’s appetite works for him,

For his ahunger urges him on. [aLit mouth]

²⁷A worthless man digs up evil,

While ahis words are like scorching fire. [aLit on his lips]

²⁸A perverse man spreads strife,

And a slanderer separates intimate friends.

²⁹A man of violence entices his neighbor

And leads him in a way that is not good.

³⁰He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;

He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

³¹A gray head is a crown of glory;

It is found in the way of righteousness.

³²He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

³³The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every decision is from the LORD.

PROVERBS 17 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it

Than a house full of afeasting with strife. [aLit sacrifices of strife]

²A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,

And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

³The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But the LORD tests hearts.

⁴An evildoer listens to wicked lips;

A aliar pays attention to a destructive tongue. [aLit falsehood]

⁵He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;

He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

⁶Grandchildren are the crown of old men,

And the glory of sons is their fathers.

⁷aExcellent speech is not fitting for a fool,

Much less are lying lips to a prince. [aLit A lip of abundance]

⁸A bribe is a acharm in the sight of its owner;

Wherever he turns, he prospers. [aLit stone of favor]

⁹He who conceals a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

¹⁰A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding

Than a hundred blows into a fool.

¹¹A rebellious man seeks only evil,

So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹²Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,

Rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³He who returns evil for good,

Evil will not depart from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of strife is like letting out water,

So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

¹⁵He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,

Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

¹⁶Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,

When ahe has no sense? [aLit there is no heart]

¹⁷A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸A man lacking in asense bpledges

And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. [aLit heart bLit shakes hands]

¹⁹He who loves transgression loves strife;

He who raises his door seeks destruction.

²⁰He who has a crooked amind finds no good,

And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. [aLit heart]

²¹He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow,

And the father of a fool has no joy.

²²A joyful heart ais good medicine,

But a broken spirit dries up the bones. [aLit causes good healing]

²³A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom

To pervert the ways of justice.

²⁴Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,

But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son is a grief to his father

And bitterness to her who bore him.

²⁶It is also not good to fine the righteous,

Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

²⁷He who restrains his words ahas knowledge,

And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. [aLit knows]

²⁸Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

PROVERBS 18 [Books]

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,

He aquarrels against all sound wisdom. [aLit breaks out]

²A fool does not delight in understanding,

But only in revealing his own amind. [aLit heart]

³When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,

And with dishonor comes scorn.

⁴The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

aThe fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. [aOr A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom]

⁵To show partiality to the wicked is not good,

Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.

⁶A fool’s lips abring strife,

And his mouth calls for blows. [aLit come with]

⁷A fool’s mouth is his ruin,

And his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,

And they go down into the ainnermost parts of the body. [aLit chambers of the belly]

⁹He also who is slack in his work

Is brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

The righteous runs into it and is asafe. [aLit set on high]

¹¹A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,

But humility goes before honor.

¹³He who gives an answer before he hears,

It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,

But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

¹⁵The amind of the prudent acquires knowledge,

And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. [aLit heart]

¹⁶A man’s gift makes room for him

And brings him before great men.

¹⁷The first ato plead his case seems right,

Until banother comes and examines him. [aLit in his plea bLit his neighbor]

¹⁸The cast lot puts an end to strife

And adecides between the mighty ones. [aLit makes a division]

¹⁹A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,

And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

²⁰With the afruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;

He will be satisfied with the product of his lips. [aI.e. speech]

²¹Death and life are in the apower of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit. [aLit hand]

²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing

And obtains favor from the LORD.

²³The poor man utters supplications,

But the rich man answers roughly.

²⁴A man of too many friends comes to aruin,

But there is a bfriend who sticks closer than a brother. [aLit be broken in pieces bOr lover]

PROVERBS 19 [Books]

On Life and Conduct

1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity

Than he who is perverse in aspeech and is a fool. [aLit his lips]

²Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,

And he who hurries ahis footsteps berrs. [aLit with his feet bLit sins]

³The foolishness of man ruins his way,

And his heart rages against the LORD.

⁴Wealth adds many friends,

But a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who atells lies will not escape. [aLit breathes]

⁶Many will seek the favor of a agenerous man,

And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts. [aOr noble]

⁷All the brothers of a poor man hate him;

How much more do his friends abandon him!

He pursues them with words, but they are agone. [aLit not]

⁸He who gets awisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding will find good. [aLit heart]

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who atells lies will perish. [aLit breathes]

¹⁰Luxury is not fitting for a fool;

Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,

And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

¹²The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,

But his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish son is destruction to his father,

And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

¹⁴House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,

But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

¹⁵Laziness casts into a deep sleep,

And an idle aman will suffer hunger. [aLit soul]

¹⁶He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But he who ais careless of bconduct will die. [aLit despises bLit ways]

¹⁷One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD,

And He will repay him for his agood deed. [aOr benefits]

¹⁸Discipline your son while there is hope,

And do not desire ahis death. [aLit causing him to die]

¹⁹A man of great anger will bear the penalty,

For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

²⁰Listen to counsel and accept discipline,

That you may be wise athe rest of your days. [aLit in your latter end]

²¹Many plans are in a man’s heart,

But the counsel of the LORD will stand.

²²What is desirable in a man is his akindness,

And it is better to be a poor man than a liar. [aOr loyalty]

²³The afear of the LORD leads to life,

So that one may sleep satisfied, buntouched by evil. [aOr reverence bLit not visited]

²⁴The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,

But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

²⁵Strike a scoffer and the anaive may become shrewd,

But reprove one who has understanding and he will bgain knowledge. [aLit simple bLit discern]

²⁶He who assaults his father and drives his mother away

Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

²⁷Cease listening, my son, to discipline,

And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,

And the mouth of the wicked aspreads iniquity. [aOr swallows]

²⁹aJudgments are prepared for scoffers,

And blows for the back of fools. [aGr Rods]

PROVERBS 20 [Books]

On Life and Conduct

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,

And whoever ais intoxicated by it is not wise. [aLit errs]

²The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;

He who provokes him to anger aforfeits his own life. [aLit sins against]

³aKeeping away from strife is an honor for a man,

But any fool will bquarrel. [aLit Ceasing bLit burst out]

⁴The sluggard does not plow after the autumn,

So he abegs during the harvest and has nothing. [aLit asks]

⁵A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,

But a man of understanding draws it out.

⁶Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,

But who can find a trustworthy man?

⁷A righteous man who walks in his integrity—

How blessed are his sons after him.

⁸A king who sits on the throne of justice

aDisperses all evil with his eyes. [aOr Sifts]

⁹Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,

I am pure from my sin”?

¹⁰aDiffering weights and differing measures,

Both of them are abominable to the LORD. [aLit A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah]

¹¹It is by his deeds that a lad adistinguishes himself

If his conduct is pure and right. [aOr makes himself known]

¹²The hearing ear and the seeing eye,

The LORD has made both of them.

¹³Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;

Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with afood. [aLit bread]

¹⁴“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,

But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵There is gold, and an abundance of ajewels;

But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing. [aOr corals]

¹⁶Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;

And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.

¹⁷Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,

But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

¹⁸Prepare plans by consultation,

And make war by wise guidance.

¹⁹He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,

Therefore do not associate with aa gossip. [aLit one who opens his lips]

²⁰He who curses his father or his mother,

His lamp will go out in atime of darkness. [aLit pupil (of eye)]

²¹An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning

Will not be blessed in the end.

²²Do not say, “I will repay evil”;

Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.

²³aDiffering weights are an abomination to the LORD,

And a bfalse scale is not good. [aLit A stone and a stone bLit balance of deceit]

²⁴Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD,

How then can man understand his way?

²⁵It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”

And after the vows to make inquiry.

²⁶A wise king winnows the wicked,

And adrives the threshing wheel over them. [aLit turns]

²⁷The aspirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,

Searching all the binnermost parts of his being. [aLit breath bLit chambers of the body]

²⁸aLoyalty and truth preserve the king,

And he upholds his throne by arighteousness. [aLit Covenant loyalty]

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength,

And the ahonor of old men is their gray hair. [aOr splendor]

³⁰Stripes that wound scour away evil,

And strokes reach the ainnermost parts. [aLit chambers of the body]

PROVERBS 21 [Books]

On Life and Conduct

1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

²Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the hearts.

³To do righteousness and justice

Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,

But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

⁶The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue

Is a fleeting vapor, the apursuit of death. [aLit seekers]

⁷The violence of the wicked will drag them away,

Because they refuse to act with justice.

⁸The way of a guilty man is crooked,

But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

⁹It is better to live in a corner of a roof

Than ain a house shared with a contentious woman. [aLit with a woman of contentions and a house of association]

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desires evil;

His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹When the scoffer is punished, the anaive becomes wise;

But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. [aLit simple]

¹²The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,

Turning the wicked to ruin.

¹³He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor

Will also cry himself and not be answered.

¹⁴A gift in secret subdues anger,

And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

¹⁵The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,

But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶A man who wanders from the way of understanding

Will rest in the assembly of the adead. [aLit departed spirits]

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

¹⁹It is better to live in a desert land

Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

²⁰There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,

But a foolish man swallows it up.

²¹He who pursues righteousness and loyalty

Finds life, righteousness and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty

And brings down the astronghold in which they trust. [aLit strength of trust]

²³He who guards his mouth and his tongue,

Guards his soul from troubles.

²⁴“Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,

Who acts with insolent pride.

²⁵The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,

For his hands refuse to work;

²⁶All day long he ais craving,

While the righteous gives and does not hold back. [aLit desires desire]

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,

How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

²⁸A false witness will perish,

But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

²⁹A wicked man adisplays a bold face,

But as for the upright, he makes his way sure. [aLit makes firm with his face]

³⁰There is no wisdom and no understanding

And no counsel against the LORD.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle,

But victory belongs to the LORD.

PROVERBS 22 [Books]

On Life and Conduct

1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,

Favor is better than silver and gold.

²The rich and the poor ahave a common bond,

The LORD is the maker of them all. [aLit meet together]

³The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,

But the anaive go on, and are punished for it. [aLit simple]

⁴The reward of humility and the afear of the LORD

Are riches, honor and life. [aOr reverence]

⁵Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;

He who guards himself will be far from them.

⁶Train up a child ain the way he should go,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it. [aLit according to his way]

⁷The rich rules over the poor,

And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.

⁸He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,

And the rod of his fury will perish.

⁹He who ais generous will be blessed,

For he gives some of his food to the poor. [aLit has a good eye]

¹⁰Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,

Even strife and dishonor will cease.

¹¹He who loves purity of heart

And awhose speech is gracious, the king is his friend. [aLit has grace on his lips]

¹²The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,

But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

¹³The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;

I will be killed in the streets!”

¹⁴The mouth of aan adulteress is a deep pit;

He who is cursed of the LORD will fall binto it. [aLit strange woman bLit there]

¹⁵Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;

The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

¹⁶He who oppresses the poor to make amore for himself

Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. [aLit much]

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,

And apply your mind to my knowledge;

¹⁸For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,

aThat they may be ready on your lips. [aLit They together]

¹⁹So that your trust may be in the LORD,

I have ataught you today, even you. [aLit made you know]

²⁰Have I not written to you aexcellent things

Of counsels and knowledge, [aOr previous]

²¹To make you know the acertainty of the words of truth

That you may bcorrectly answer him who sent you? [aLit truth bLit return to words of truth]

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,

Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

²³For the LORD will plead their case

And atake the life of those who rob them. [aLit rob the soul]

24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;

Or go with a hot-tempered man,

²⁵Or you will learn his ways

And afind a snare for yourself. [aLit take]

26 Do not be among those who give apledges,

Among those who become guarantors for debts. [aLit strike hands]

²⁷If you have nothing with which to pay,

Why should he take your bed from under you?

28 Do not move the ancient boundary

Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?

He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before obscure men.

PROVERBS 23 [Books]

On Life and Conduct

1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,

Consider carefully awhat is before you, [aOr who]

²And put a knife to your throat

If you are a man of great appetite.

³Do not desire his delicacies,

For it is deceptive food.

4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,

Cease from your aconsideration of it. [aOr understanding]

⁵aWhen you set your eyes on it, it is gone.

For wealth certainly makes itself wings

Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. [aLit Will your eyes fly upon it and it is not?]

6 Do not eat the bread of aa selfish man,

Or desire his delicacies; [aLit an evil eye]

⁷For as he athinks within himself, so he is.

He says to you, “Eat and drink!”

But his heart is not with you. [aLit reckons in his soul]

⁸You will vomit up athe morsel you have eaten,

And waste your bcompliments. [aLit your bLit pleasant words]

9 Do not speak in the ahearing of a fool,

For he will despise the wisdom of your words. [aLit ears]

10 Do not move the ancient boundary

Or go into the fields of the fatherless,

¹¹For their Redeemer is strong;

He will plead their case against you.

¹²Apply your heart to discipline

And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 Do not hold back discipline from the child,

Although you astrike him with the rod, he will not die. [aLit smite]

¹⁴You shall astrike him with the rod

And rescue his soul from Sheol. [aLit smite]

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

My own heart also will be glad;

¹⁶And my ainmost being will rejoice

When your lips speak what is right. [aLit kidneys]

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But live in the afear of the LORD balways. [aOr reverence bLit all the day]

¹⁸Surely there is a afuture,

And your hope will not be cut off. [aLit latter end]

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise,

And direct your heart in the way.

²⁰Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,

Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

²¹For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,

And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

22 Listen to your father who begot you,

And do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy truth, and do not sell it,

Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,

And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad,

And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26 Give me your heart, my son,

And let your eyes adelight in my ways. [aAnother reading is observe]

²⁷For a harlot is a deep pit

And an aadulterous woman is a narrow well. [aLit strange]

²⁸Surely she lurks as a robber,

And increases the afaithless among men. [aLit treacherous]

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has contentions? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

³⁰Those who linger long over wine,

Those who go to ataste mixed wine. [aOr search out]

³¹Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it asparkles in the cup,

When it goes down smoothly; [aLit gives its eye]

³²At the last it bites like a serpent

And stings like a viper.

³³Your eyes will see strange things

And your amind will utter perverse things. [aLit heart]

³⁴And you will be like one who lies down in the amiddle of the sea,

Or like one who lies down on the top of a bmast. [aLit heart bOr lookout]

³⁵“They struck me, but I did not become aill;

They beat me, but I did not know it.

When shall I awake?

I will seek banother drink.” [aI.e. from the effect of wounds bLit it yet again]

PROVERBS 24 [Books]

Precepts and Warnings

1 Do not be envious of evil men,

Nor desire to be with them;

²For their aminds devise violence,

And their lips talk of trouble. [aLit hearts]

3 By wisdom a house is built,

And by understanding it is established;

⁴And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is astrong,

And a man of knowledge bincreases power. [aLit in strength bLit strengthens power]

⁶For by wise guidance you will awage war,

And in abundance of counselors there is victory. [aLit make battle for yourself]

7 Wisdom is too exalted for a fool,

He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8 One who plans to do evil,

Men will call a aschemer. [aOr deviser of evil]

⁹The devising of folly is sin,

And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you are slack in the day of distress,

Your strength is limited.

11 Deliver those who are being taken away to death,

And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

¹²If you say, “See, we did not know this,”

Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?

And does He not know it who keeps your soul?

And will He not arender to man according to his work? [aLit bring back]

13 My son, eat honey, for it is good,

Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

¹⁴Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;

If you find it, then there will be a afuture,

And your hope will not be cut off. [aLit latter end]

15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;

Do not destroy his resting place;

¹⁶For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,

But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

¹⁸Or the LORD will see it and abe displeased,

And turn His anger away from him. [aLit it is evil in His eyes]

19 Do not fret because of evildoers

Or be envious of the wicked;

²⁰For there will be no afuture for the evil man;

The lamp of the wicked will be put out. [aLit latter end]

21 My son, afear the LORD and the king;

Do not associate with those who are given to change, [aOr reverence]

²²For their calamity will rise suddenly,

And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?

23 These also are sayings of the wise.

To ashow partiality in judgment is not good. [aLit regard the face]

²⁴He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”

Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;

²⁵But to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight,

And a good blessing will come upon them.

²⁶He kisses the lips

Who gives aa right answer. [aOr an honest]

27 Prepare your work outside

And make it ready for yourself in the field;

Afterwards, then, build your house.

28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,

And do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me;

I will arender to the man according to his work.” [aLit bring back]

30 I passed by the field of the sluggard

And by the vineyard of the man lacking asense, [aLit heart]

³¹And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles;

Its surface was covered with anettles,

And its stone wall was broken down. [aI.e. a kind of weed]

³²When I saw, I areflected upon it;

I looked, and received instruction. [aLit set my heart]

³³“A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to rest,”

³⁴Then your poverty will come as aa robber

And your want like ban armed man. [aOr a vagabond; lit one who walks bLit a man with a shield]

PROVERBS 25 [Books]

Similitudes, Instructions

1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,

But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,

So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver,

And there comes out a vessel for the smith;

⁵Take away the wicked before the king,

And his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,

And do not stand in the place of great men;

⁷For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”

Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,

Whom your eyes have seen.

8 Do not go out hastily to aargue your case;

bOtherwise, what will you do in cthe end,

When your neighbor humiliates you? [aLit contend bLit Lest cLit its]

⁹aArgue your case with your neighbor,

And do not reveal the secret of another, [aLit Contend]

¹⁰Or he who hears it will reproach you,

And the evil report about you will not apass away. [aLit return]

11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver

Is a word spoken in aright circumstances. [aLit its]

¹²Like aan earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold

Is a wise reprover to a listening ear. [aOr a nose ring]

¹³Like the cold of snow in the atime of harvest

Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,

For he refreshes the soul of his masters. [aLit day]

¹⁴Like clouds and wind without rain

Is a man who boasts aof his gifts falsely. [aLit in a gift of falsehood]

¹⁵By aforbearance a ruler may be persuaded,

And a soft tongue breaks the bone. [aLit length of anger]

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat only awhat you need,

That you not have it in excess and vomit it. [aLit your sufficiency]

¹⁷Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,

Or he will become aweary of you and hate you. [aLit surfeited with]

¹⁸Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow

Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

¹⁹Like a bad tooth and aan unsteady foot

Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble. [aLit a slipping foot]

²⁰Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on asoda,

Is he who sings songs to ba troubled heart. [aI.e. natron bLit an evil]

²¹If ayour enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; [aLit one who hates you]

²²For you will aheap burning coals on his head,

And the LORD will reward you. [aLit snatch up]

²³The north wind brings forth rain,

And a abackbiting tongue, an angry countenance. [aLit tongue of secrecy]

²⁴It is better to live in a corner of the roof

Than ain a house shared with a contentious woman. [aLit with a woman of contentions and a house of association]

²⁵Like cold water to a weary soul,

So is good news from a distant land.

²⁶Like a trampled spring and a apolluted well

Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. [aLit ruined]

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey,

Nor is it glory to search out aone’s own glory. [aLit their]

²⁸Like a city that is broken into and without walls

Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

PROVERBS 26 [Books]

Similitudes, Instructions

1 Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,

So honor is not fitting for a fool.

²Like a sparrow in its aflitting, like a swallow in its flying,

So a curse without cause does not balight. [aLit wandering bLit come]

³A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the back of fools.

⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

Or you will also be like him.

⁵Answer a fool as his folly deserves,

That he not be wise in his own eyes.

⁶He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence

Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.

⁷Like the legs which aare useless to the lame,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. [aLit hang down from]

⁸Like aone who binds a stone in a sling,

So is he who gives honor to a fool. [aLit the binding of]

⁹Like a thorn which afalls into the hand of a drunkard,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. [aLit goes up]

¹⁰aLike an archer who wounds everyone,

So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by. [aOr A master workman produces all things, But he who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by]

¹¹Like a dog that returns to its vomit

Is a fool who repeats ahis folly. [aLit with his]

¹²Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!

A lion is ain the open square!” [aLit within]

¹⁴As the door turns on its hinges,

So does the sluggard on his bed.

¹⁵The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.

¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

Than seven men who can agive a discreet answer. [aLit return discreetly]

¹⁷Like one who takes a dog by the ears

Is he who passes by and ameddles with strife not belonging to him. [aLit infuriates himself]

¹⁸Like a madman who throws

Firebrands, arrows and death,

¹⁹So is the man who deceives his neighbor,

And says, “Was I not joking?”

²⁰For lack of wood the fire goes out,

And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.

²¹Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

²²The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,

And they go down into the ainnermost parts of the body. [aLit chambers of the belly]

²³Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross

Are burning lips and a wicked heart.

²⁴He who hates disguises it with his lips,

But he lays up deceit in his aheart. [aLit inward part]

²⁵When ahe speaks graciously, do not believe him,

For there are seven abominations in his heart. [aLit his voice is gracious]

²⁶Though his hatred covers itself with guile,

His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

²⁷He who digs a pit will fall into it,

And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

²⁸A lying tongue hates athose it crushes,

And a flattering mouth works ruin. [aLit its crushed ones]

PROVERBS 27 [Books]

Warnings and Instructions

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

²Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;

A stranger, and not your own lips.

³A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,

But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

⁴Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,

But who can stand before jealousy?

⁵Better is open rebuke

Than love that is concealed.

⁶Faithful are the wounds of a friend,

But adeceitful are the kisses of an enemy. [aOr excessive]

⁷A sated aman bloathes honey,

But to a famished aman any bitter thing is sweet. [aLit soul bLit tramples on]

⁸Like a bird that wanders from her nest,

So is a man who wanders from his ahome. [aLit place]

⁹Oil and perfume make the heart glad,

So a aman’s counsel is sweet to his friend. [aLit soul’s]

¹⁰Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,

And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;

Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

¹¹Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,

That I may reply to him who reproaches me.

¹²A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,

The anaive proceed and pay the penalty. [aLit simple]

¹³Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;

And for an aadulterous woman hold him in pledge. [aLit strange]

¹⁴He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,

It will be reckoned a curse to him.

¹⁵A constant dripping on a day of steady rain

And a contentious woman are alike;

¹⁶He who would arestrain her arestrains the wind,

And bgrasps oil with his right hand. [aLit hide(s) bLit encounters]

¹⁷Iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens another.

¹⁸He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit,

And he who cares for his master will be honored.

¹⁹As in water face reflects face,

So the heart of man reflects man.

²⁰aSheol and bAbaddon are never satisfied,

Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied. [aI.e. The nether world bI.e. the place of destruction]

²¹The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,

And each is tested by the praise accorded him.

²²Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,

Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 Know well the acondition of your flocks,

And pay attention to your herds; [aLit face]

²⁴For riches are not forever,

Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

²⁵When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

²⁶The lambs will be for your clothing,

And the goats will bring the price of a field,

²⁷And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,

For the food of your household,

And sustenance for your maidens.

PROVERBS 28 [Books]

Warnings and Instructions

1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,

But the righteous are abold as a lion. [aLit confident]

²By the transgression of a land many are its princes,

But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.

³A poor man who oppresses the lowly

Is like a driving rain awhich leaves no food. [aLit and there is no bread]

⁴Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,

But those who keep the law strive with them.

⁵Evil men do not understand justice,

But those who seek the LORD understand all things.

⁶Better is the poor who walks in his integrity

Than he who is acrooked though he be rich. [aLit perverse of two ways]

⁷He who keeps the law is a discerning son,

But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

⁸He who increases his wealth by interest and usury

Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

⁹He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,

Even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰He who leads the upright astray in an evil way

Will himself fall into his own pit,

But the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own eyes,

But the poor who has understanding asees through him. [aLit examines him]

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

But when the wicked rise, men ahide themselves. [aLit will be searched for]

¹³He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

¹⁴How blessed is the man who fears always,

But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

¹⁵Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear

Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,

But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

¹⁷A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood

Will abe a fugitive until death; let no one support him. [aLit flee to the pit]

¹⁸He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,

But he who is acrooked will fall all at once. [aLit perverse of two ways]

¹⁹He who tills his land will have plenty of food,

But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.

²⁰A faithful man will abound with blessings,

But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To ashow partiality is not good,

Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. [aLit regard the face]

²²A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth

And does not know that want will come upon him.

²³He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor

Than he who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴He who robs his father or his mother

And says, “It is not a transgression,”

Is the companion of a man who destroys.

²⁵An aarrogant man stirs up strife,

But he who trusts in the LORD will bprosper. [aLit broad soul bLit be made fat]

²⁶He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,

But he who walks wisely will be delivered.

²⁷He who gives to the poor will never want,

But he who ashuts his eyes will have many curses. [aLit hides]

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;

But when they perish, the righteous increase.

PROVERBS 29 [Books]

Warnings and Instructions

1 A man who hardens his neck after much reproof

Will suddenly be broken abeyond remedy. [aLit and there is no remedy]

²When the righteous aincrease, the people rejoice,

But when a wicked man rules, people groan. [aOr become great]

³A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad,

But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth.

⁴The king gives stability to the land by justice,

But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

⁵A man who flatters his neighbor

Is spreading a net for his steps.

⁶By transgression an evil man is ensnared,

But the righteous sings and rejoices.

⁷The righteous ais concerned for the rights of the poor,

The wicked does not understand such bconcern. [aLit knows the cause bLit knowledge]

⁸Scorners set a city aflame,

But wise men turn away anger.

⁹When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man,

aThe foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest. [aLit He]

¹⁰Men of bloodshed hate the blameless,

But the upright aare concerned for his life. [aLit seek his soul]

¹¹A fool aalways loses his temper,

But a wise man holds it back. [aLit sends forth all his spirit]

¹²If a ruler pays attention to falsehood,

All his ministers become wicked.

¹³The poor man and the oppressor ahave this in common:

The LORD gives light to the eyes of both. [aLit meet together]

¹⁴If a king judges the poor with truth,

His throne will be established forever.

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom,

But a child awho gets his own way brings shame to his mother. [aLit left to himself]

¹⁶When the wicked aincrease, transgression increases;

But the righteous will see their fall. [aOr become great]

¹⁷Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;

He will also adelight your soul. [aLit give delight to]

¹⁸Where there is no avision, the people are unrestrained,

But happy is he who keeps the law. [aOr revelation]

¹⁹A slave will not be instructed by words alone;

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.

²¹He who pampers his slave from childhood

Will in the end find him to be a son.

²²An angry man stirs up strife,

And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.

²³A man’s pride will bring him low,

But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

²⁴He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;

He hears the oath but tells nothing.

²⁵The fear of man abrings a snare,

But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. [aLit gives]

²⁶Many seek the ruler’s afavor,

But justice for man comes from the LORD. [aLit face]

²⁷An unjust man is abominable to the righteous,

And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.

PROVERBS 30 [Books]

The Words of Agur

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the aoracle. [1 aOr burden]

The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

²Surely I am more stupid than any man,

And I do not have the understanding of a man.

³Neither have I learned wisdom,

Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴Who has ascended into heaven and descended?

Who has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has wrapped the waters in aHis garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is His name or His son’s name?

Surely you know! [aLit the]

5 Every 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 reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

7 Two things I asked of You,

Do not refuse me before I die:

⁸Keep deception and alies far from me,

Give me neither poverty nor riches;

Feed me with the food that is my portion, [aLit words of falsehood]

⁹That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?”

Or that I not be in want and steal,

And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,

Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a akind of man who curses his father

And does not bless his mother. [aOr generation]

¹²There is a akind who is pure in his own eyes,

Yet is not washed from his filthiness. [aOr generation]

¹³There is a akind—oh how lofty are his eyes!

And his eyelids are raised in arrogance. [aOr generation]

¹⁴There is a akind of man whose teeth are like swords

And his jaw teeth like knives,

To devour the afflicted from the earth

And the needy from among men. [aOr generation]

15 The leech has two daughters,

“Give,” “Give.”

There are three things that will not be satisfied,

Four that will not say, “Enough”:

¹⁶aSheol, and the barren womb,

Earth that is never satisfied with water,

And fire that never says, “Enough.” [aI.e. The nether world]

¹⁷The eye that mocks a father

And ascorns a mother,

The ravens of the valley will pick it out,

And the young eagles will eat it. [aLit despises to obey]

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,

Four which I do not understand:

¹⁹The way of an eagle in the sky,

The way of a serpent on a rock,

The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,

And the way of a man with a maid.

²⁰This is the way of an adulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, “I have done no wrong.”

21 Under three things the earth quakes,

And under four, it cannot bear up:

²²Under a slave when he becomes king,

And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

²³Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,

And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

24 Four things are small on the earth,

But they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵The ants are not a strong people,

But they prepare their food in the summer;

²⁶The ashephanim are not mighty people,

Yet they make their houses in the rocks; [aSmall, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB badgers]

²⁷The locusts have no king,

Yet all of them go out in ranks;

²⁸The lizard you may grasp with the hands,

Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march,

Even four which are stately when they walk:

³⁰The lion which is mighty among beasts

And does not aretreat before any, [aLit turn back]

³¹The astrutting rooster, the male goat also,

And a king when his army is with him. [aLit girt in the loins]

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself

Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

³³For the achurning of milk produces butter,

And pressing the nose brings forth blood;

So the achurning of anger produces strife. [aLit pressing]

PROVERBS 31 [Books]

The Words of Lemuel

1 The words of King Lemuel, the aoracle which his mother taught him: [1 aOr burden]

2 What, O my son?

And what, O son of my womb?

And what, O son of my vows?

³Do not give your strength to women,

Or your ways to that which destroys kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

It is not for kings to drink wine,

Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

⁵For they will drink and forget what is decreed,

And pervert the arights of all the bafflicted. [aLit judgment bLit sons of affliction]

⁶Give strong drink to him who is perishing,

And wine to him awhose life is bitter. [aLit bitter of soul]

⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty

And remember his trouble no more.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute,

For the arights of all the bunfortunate. [aLit judgment bLit sons of passing away]

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously,

And adefend the rights of the afflicted and needy. [aLit judge the afflicted]

Description of a Worthy Woman

10 An excellent wife, who can find?

For her worth is far above jewels.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,

And he will have no lack of gain.

¹²She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

¹³She looks for wool and flax

And works with her ahands bin delight. [aLit palms bOr willingly]

¹⁴She is like merchant ships;

She brings her food from afar.

¹⁵She rises also while it is still night

And gives food to her household

And aportions to her maidens. [aOr prescribed tasks]

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

From aher earnings she plants a vineyard. [aLit the fruit of her palms]

¹⁷She girds aherself with strength

And makes her arms strong. [aLit her loins]

¹⁸She senses that her gain is good;

Her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,

And her ahands grasp the spindle. [aLit palms]

²⁰She aextends her hand to the poor,

And she stretches out her hands to the needy. [aLit spreads out her palm]

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household,

For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She makes coverings for herself;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sits among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,

And asupplies belts to the btradesmen. [aLit gives bLit Canaanite]

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing,

And she smiles at the afuture. [aLit latter days]

²⁶She opens her mouth in wisdom,

And the ateaching of kindness is on her tongue. [aOr law]

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;

Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

²⁹“Many daughters have done nobly,

But you excel them all.”

³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

But a woman who afears the LORD, she shall be praised. [aOr reverences]

³¹Give her the aproduct of her hands,

And let her works praise her in the gates. [aLit fruit]

ECCLESIASTES 1 [Books]

The Futility of All Endeavor

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

²“aVanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,

“aVanity of vanities! All is bvanity.” [aOr Futility of futilities bOr futile]

3 What advantage does man have in all his work

Which he does under the sun?

⁴A generation goes and a generation comes,

But the earth aremains forever. [aLit stands]

⁵Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;

And ahastening to its place it rises there again. [aLit panting]

⁶aBlowing toward the south,

Then turning toward the north,

The wind continues bswirling along;

And on its circular courses the wind returns. [aLit Going bLit turning]

⁷All the rivers aflow into the sea,

Yet the sea is not full.

To the place where the rivers aflow,

There they aflow again. [aLit go]

⁸All things are wearisome;

Man is not able to tell it.

The eye is not satisfied with seeing,

Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

⁹That which has been is that which will be,

And that which has been done is that which will be done.

So there is nothing new under the sun.

¹⁰Is there anything of which one might say,

“See this, it is new”?

Already it has existed for ages

Which were before us.

¹¹There is no remembrance of aearlier things;

And also of the blater things which will occur,

There will be for them no remembrance

Among those who will come blater still. [aLit first or former bLit latter or after]

The Futility of Wisdom

12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³And I set my amind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is ba grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. ¹⁴I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is cvanity and striving after wind. ¹⁵What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. [13 aLit heart bLit an evil 14 cOr futility]

16 I asaid to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my bmind has observed ca wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷And I set my bmind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. ¹⁸Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. [16 aLit spoke with my heart, saying bLit heart cLit an abundance]

ECCLESIASTES 2 [Books]

The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

1 I said ato myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So benjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. ²I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” ³I explored with my cmind how to stimulate my body with wine while my cmind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men dto do under heaven the few eyears of their lives. ⁴I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; ⁵I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; ⁶I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. ⁷I bought male and female slaves and I had fhomeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. ⁸Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines. [1 aLit in my heart bLit consider with goodness 3 cLit heart dLit which they do eLit days 7 fLit sons of the house]

9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. ¹⁰All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. ¹¹Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had aexerted, and behold all was bvanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. [11 aLit labored to do bOr futility, and so throughout the ch]

Wisdom Excels Folly

12 So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done? ¹³And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. ¹⁴The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. ¹⁵Then I said ato myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So bI said to myself, “This too is vanity.” ¹⁶For there is no clasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! ¹⁷So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was dgrievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. [15 aLit in my heart bLit I spoke in my heart 16 cLit forever 17 dLit evil]

The Futility of Labor

18 Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. ¹⁹And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have acontrol over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. ²⁰Therefore I bcompletely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. ²¹When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his clegacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. ²²For what does a man get in all his labor and in dhis striving with which he labors under the sun? ²³Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his emind does not rest. This too is vanity. [19 aLit dominion 20 bLit turned aside my heart to despair 21 cLit share 22 dLit the striving of his heart 23 eLit heart]

24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and atell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. ²⁵For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without bHim? ²⁶For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind. [24 aLit cause his soul to see good in his labor 25 bSo Gr; Heb me]

ECCLESIASTES 3 [Books]

A Time for Everything

1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every aevent under heaven— [1 aLit delight]

²A time to give birth and a time to die;

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

³A time to kill and a time to heal;

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

⁴A time to weep and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

⁵A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

⁶A time to search and a time to give up as lost;

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

⁷A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;

A time to be silent and a time to speak.

⁸A time to love and a time to hate;

A time for war and a time for peace.

9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? ¹⁰I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

¹¹He has made everything aappropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, byet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. [11 aLit beautiful bOr without which man]

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; ¹³moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. ¹⁴I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should afear Him. ¹⁵That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by. [14 aOr be in awe before Him]

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. ¹⁷I said ato myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every bmatter and for every deed is there. ¹⁸I said ato myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” ¹⁹For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts cis the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is dvanity. ²⁰All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. ²¹Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? ²²I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? [17 aLit in my heart bOr delight 19 cLit and they have one fate dOr futility]

ECCLESIASTES 4 [Books]

The Evils of Oppression

1 Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. ²So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. ³But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is avanity and striving after wind. ⁵The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. ⁶One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. [4 aOr futility, and so throughout the ch]

7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. ⁸There was a certain man without a adependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task. [8 aLit second]

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. ¹⁰For if aeither of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not banother to lift him up. ¹¹Furthermore, if two lie down together they ckeep warm, but how can one be warm alone? ¹²And if done can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. [10 aLit they fall bLit a second 11 cLit have warmth 12 dLit he]

13 A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive ainstruction. ¹⁴For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who breplaces him. ¹⁶There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. [13 aOr warning 15 bLit stands in his stead]

ECCLESIASTES 5 [Books]

Your Attitude Toward God

1 aGuard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. ²bDo not be hasty cin word or dimpulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. ³For the dream comes through much eeffort and the voice of a fool through many words. [1 aCh 4:17 in Heb 2 bCh 5:1 in Heb cLit with your mouth dLit hurry your heart 3 eLit task]

4 When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! ⁵It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶Do not let your aspeech cause byou to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷For in many dreams and in many words there is cemptiness. Rather, dfear God. [6 aLit mouth bLit your body 7 cLit vanity dOr revere]

8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the asight; for one bofficial watches over another bofficial, and there are higher cofficials over them. ⁹After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. [8 aLit delight bLit high one cLit ones]

The Folly of Riches

10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is avanity. ¹¹When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to blook on? ¹²The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the cfull stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. [10 aOr futility 11 bLit see with their eyes 12 cLit satiety]

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being ahoarded by their owner to his hurt. ¹⁴When those riches were lost through ba bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing cto support him. ¹⁵As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. ¹⁶This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man dis born, thus will he edie. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? ¹⁷Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. [13 aLit guarded 14 bLit an evil task cLit in his hand 16 dLit comes eLit go]

18 Here is what I have seen to be good and afitting: to eat, to drink and benjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few cyears of his life which God has given him; for this is his dreward. ¹⁹Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his dreward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. ²⁰For he will not often econsider the cyears of his life, because God keeps fhim occupied with the gladness of his heart. [18 aLit beautiful bLit see good cOr days dOr share 20 eLit remember fSo with Gr]

ECCLESIASTES 6 [Books]

The Futility of Life

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent aamong men— ²a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner benjoys them. This is cvanity and a severe affliction. ³If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many dthey be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he, ⁴for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. ⁵It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; eit is better off than he. ⁶Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not fenjoy good things—do not all go to one place?” [1 aLit upon 2 bLit eats from them cOr futility 3 dLit the days of his years 5 eLit more rest has this one than that 6 fLit see]

7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the aappetite is not bsatisfied. ⁸For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? ⁹What the eyes see is better than what the soul cdesires. This too is futility and a striving after wind. [7 aLit soul bLit filled 9 cLit goes after]

10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. ¹¹For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? ¹²For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few ayears of his futile life? He will bspend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun? [12 aLit days bLit do]

ECCLESIASTES 7 [Books]

Wisdom and Folly Contrasted

1 A good name is better than a good ointment,

And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.

²It is better to go to a house of mourning

Than to go to a house of feasting,

Because athat is the end of every man,

And the living btakes it to cheart. [aI.e. death bLit gives cLit his heart]

³Sorrow is better than laughter,

For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.

⁴The amind of the wise is in the house of mourning,

While the amind of fools is in the house of pleasure. [aLit heart]

⁵It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man

Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

⁶For as the acrackling of thorn bushes under a pot,

So is the laughter of the fool;

And this too is futility. [aLit voice]

⁷For oppression makes a wise man mad,

And a bribe acorrupts the heart. [aLit destroys]

⁸The end of a matter is better than its beginning;

Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

⁹Do not be aeager in your heart to be angry,

For anger resides in the bosom of fools. [aLit hasty in your spirit]

¹⁰Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?”

For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

¹¹Wisdom along with an inheritance is good

And an advantage to those who see the sun.

¹²For wisdom is aprotection just as money is aprotection,

But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. [aLit in a shadow]

¹³Consider the work of God,

For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

¹⁴In the day of prosperity be happy,

But in the day of adversity consider—

God has made the one as well as the other

So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

15 I have seen everything during my alifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness. ¹⁶Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? ¹⁷Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? ¹⁸It is good that you grasp one thing and also not blet go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with cboth of them. [15 aLit days 18 bLit rest your hand cLit all]

19 Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. ²⁰Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. ²¹Also, do not atake seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you. ²²For byou also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others. [21 aLit give your heart to 22 bLit your heart knows also]

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. ²⁴What has been is remote and exceedingly amysterious. Who can discover it? ²⁵I bdirected my cmind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. ²⁶And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her. [24 aLit deep 25 bLit turned about cLit heart]

27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, ²⁸which aI am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. ²⁹Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.” [28 aLit my soul still seeks]

ECCLESIASTES 8 [Books]

Obey Rulers

1 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines ahim and causes his stern face to bbeam. [1 aLit his face bOr change]

2 I say, “Keep the acommand of the king because of the oath bbefore God. ³Do not be in a hurry cto leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” ⁴Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?” [2 aLit mouth bLit of 3 cLit to go out from his presence]

5 He who keeps a royal command experiences no atrouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. ⁶For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. ⁷If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? ⁸No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver bthose who practice it. ⁹All this I have seen and applied my cmind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt. [5 aLit evil thing 8 bLit its possessors 9 cLit heart]

10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility. ¹¹Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. ¹²Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear aHim openly. ¹³But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. [12 aLit before Him]

14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it ahappens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it ahappens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. ¹⁵So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his btoils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. [14 aLit strikes 15 bLit labor]

16 When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should anever sleep day or night), ¹⁷and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover. [16 aLit see no sleep in his eyes]

ECCLESIASTES 9 [Books]

Men Are in the Hand of God

1 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain ait that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything bawaits him. [1 aLit all this bLit is before them]

2 It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who ais afraid to swear. ³This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. ⁴For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. ⁶Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun. [2 aLit fears an oath]

7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. ⁸Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. ⁹Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your afleeting life which He has given to you under the sunb; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. [9 aLit life of vanity bHeb adds all the days of your vanity]

Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. ¹²Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and ait impressed me. ¹⁴There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. ¹⁵But there was found in it a poor wise man and he bdelivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. ¹⁷The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. ¹⁸Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. [13 aLit great it was to me 15 bOr might have delivered]

ECCLESIASTES 10 [Books]

A Little Foolishness

1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. ²A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left. ³Even when the fool walks along the road, his asense is lacking and he bdemonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. ⁴If the ruler’s ctemper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. [3 aLit heart bLit says 4 cLit spirit]

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler— ⁶folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. ⁷I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. ⁹He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. ¹⁰If the aaxe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must bexert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. ¹¹If the serpent bites cbefore being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. ¹²Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; ¹³the beginning of dhis talking is folly and the end of eit is wicked madness. ¹⁴Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? ¹⁵The toil of fa fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. ¹⁶Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes gfeast in the morning. ¹⁷Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness. ¹⁸Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. ¹⁹Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money his the answer to everything. ²⁰Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known. [10 aLit iron bLit strengthen 11 cLit without enchantment 13 dLit the words of his mouth eLit his mouth 15 fLit fools 16 gLit eat 19 hLit answers all]

ECCLESIASTES 11 [Books]

Cast Your Bread on the Waters

1 Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it aafter many days. ²Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. ³If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it blies. ⁴He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. ⁵Just as you do not know cthe path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the dpregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. [1 aLit in, within 3 bLit is 5 cOr with many mss how the spirit enters the bones in the womb dLit full]

6 Sow your seed in the morning and do not abe idle in the evening, for you do not know whether bmorning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. [6 aLit let down your hand bLit this or that]

7 The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. ⁸Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.

9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the aimpulses of your heart and the bdesires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. ¹⁰So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away cpain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting. [9 aLit ways bLit sights 10 cLit evil]

ECCLESIASTES 12 [Books]

Remember God in Your Youth

1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; ²before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; ³in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through awindows grow dim; ⁴and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will bsing softly. ⁵Furthermore, cmen are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. ⁶Remember Him before the silver cord is dbroken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; ⁷then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the espirit will return to God who gave it. ⁸“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!” [3 aOr holes 4 bLit be brought low 5 cLit they 6 dSo with Gr; Heb removed 7 eOr breath]

Purpose of the Preacher

9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. ¹⁰The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.

11 The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like awell-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. ¹²But beyond this, my son, be warned: the bwriting of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. [11 aLit planted 12 bLit making]

13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. ¹⁴For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

SONG OF SOLOMON 1 [Books]

The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters

1 The aSong of Songs, which is Solomon’s. [1 aOr Best of the Songs]

2 “aMay he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For your love is better than wine. [aBRIDE]

³“Your oils have a pleasing fragrance,

Your name is like apurified oil;

Therefore the bmaidens love you. [aLit oil which is emptied (from one vessel to another) bOr virgins]

⁴“Draw me after you and let us run together!

The king has brought me into his chambers.”

“aWe will rejoice in you and be glad;

We will bextol your love more than wine.

Rightly do they love you.” [4 aCHORUS bLit mention with praise]

5 “aI am black but lovely,

O daughters of Jerusalem,

Like the tents of Kedar,

Like the curtains of Solomon. [aBRIDE]

⁶“Do not stare at me because I am aswarthy,

For the sun has burned me.

My mother’s sons were angry with me;

They made me caretaker of the vineyards,

But I have not taken care of my own vineyard. [aOr black]

⁷“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,

Where do you pasture your flock,

Where do you make it lie down at noon?

For why should I be like one who aveils herself

Beside the flocks of your companions?” [aSome versions read wanders]

Solomon, the Lover, Speaks

8 “aIf you yourself do not know,

Most beautiful among women,

Go forth on the trail of the flock

And pasture your young goats

By the tents of the shepherds. [aBRIDEGROOM]

9 “aTo me, my darling, you are like

My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh. [aLit I have compared you to]

¹⁰“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,

Your neck with strings of beads.”

11 “aWe will make for you ornaments of gold

With beads of silver.” [aCHORUS]

12 “aWhile the king was at his btable,

My cperfume gave forth its fragrance. [aBRIDE bOr couch cLit nard]

¹³“My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh

Which lies all night between my breasts.

¹⁴“My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms

In the vineyards of Engedi.”

15 “abHow beautiful you are, my darling,

bHow beautiful you are!

Your eyes are like doves.” [aBRIDEGROOM bLit Behold]

16 “abHow handsome you are, my beloved,

And so pleasant!

Indeed, our couch is luxuriant! [aBRIDE bLit Behold]

¹⁷“The beams of our houses are cedars,

Our rafters, acypresses. [aOr junipers]

SONG OF SOLOMON 2 [Books]

The Bride’s Admiration

1 “aI am the brose of Sharon,

The lily of the valleys.” [aBRIDE bLit crocus]

2 “aLike a lily among the thorns,

So is my darling among the bmaidens.” [aBRIDEGROOM bLit daughters]

3 “aLike an bapple tree among the trees of the forest,

So is my beloved among the cyoung men.

In his shade I took great delight and sat down,

And his fruit was sweet to my dtaste. [aBRIDE bOr apricot cLit sons dLit palate]

⁴“He has brought me to his abanquet hall,

And his banner over me is love. [aLit house of wine]

⁵“Sustain me with raisin cakes,

Refresh me with aapples,

Because I am lovesick. [aOr apricots]

⁶“Let his left hand be under my head

And his right hand embrace me.”

7 “aI adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,

That you do not arouse or awaken my love

Until bshe pleases.” [aBRIDEGROOM bOr it]

8 “aListen! My beloved!

Behold, he is coming,

Climbing on the mountains,

Leaping on the hills! [aBRIDE]

⁹“My beloved is like a gazelle or a young astag.

Behold, he is standing behind our wall,

He is looking through the windows,

He is peering through the lattice. [aLit of the stags]

10 “My beloved responded and said to me,

‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along.

¹¹‘For behold, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone.

¹²‘The flowers have already appeared in the land;

The time has arrived for apruning the vines,

And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land. [aOr singing]

¹³‘The fig tree has ripened its figs,

And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.

Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along!’ ”

14 “aO my dove, in the clefts of the brock,

In the secret place of the steep cpathway,

Let me see your dform,

Let me hear your voice;

For your voice is sweet,

And your dform is lovely.” [aBRIDEGROOM bOr crag cOr cliff dLit appearance]

15 “aCatch the foxes for us,

The blittle foxes that are ruining the vineyards,

While our vineyards are in blossom.” [aCHORUS bOr young]

16 “aMy beloved is mine, and I am his;

He pastures his flock among the lilies. [aBRIDE]

¹⁷“Until athe cool of the day when the shadows flee away,

Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle

Or a young stag on the mountains of bBether.” [aLit the day blows bOr cleavage or a kind of spice]

SONG OF SOLOMON 3 [Books]

The Bride’s Troubled Dream

1 “aOn my bed night after night I sought him

Whom my soul loves;

I sought him but did not find him. [aBRIDE]

²‘aI must arise now and ago about the city;

In the streets and in the squares

bI must seek him whom my soul loves.’

I sought him but did not find him. [aOr Let me arise bOr Let me seek]

³“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,

And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

⁴“Scarcely had I aleft them

When I found him whom my soul loves;

I held on to him and would not let him go

Until I had brought him to my mother’s house,

And into the room of her who conceived me.” [aLit passed]

5 “aI adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,

That you will not arouse or awaken my love

Until bshe pleases.” [aBRIDEGROOM bOr it]

Solomon’s Wedding Day

6 “abWhat is this coming up from the wilderness

Like columns of smoke,

Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,

With all scented powders of the merchant? [aCHORUS bLit Who]

⁷“Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon;

Sixty mighty men around it,

Of the mighty men of Israel.

⁸“All of them are wielders of the sword,

Expert in war;

Each man has his sword at his side,

Guarding against the aterrors of the night. [aLit terror in the nights]

⁹“King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair

From the timber of Lebanon.

¹⁰“He made its posts of silver,

Its aback of gold

And its seat of purple fabric,

With its interior lovingly fitted out

By the daughters of Jerusalem. [aOr support]

¹¹“Go forth, O daughters of Zion,

And gaze on King Solomon with the acrown

With which his mother has crowned him

On the day of his wedding,

And on the day of his gladness of heart.” [aOr wreath]

SONG OF SOLOMON 4 [Books]

Solomon’s Love Expressed

1 “abHow beautiful you are, my darling,

bHow beautiful you are!

Your eyes are like doves behind your veil;

Your hair is like a flock of goats

That have descended from Mount Gilead. [aBRIDEGROOM bLit Behold]

²“Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes

Which have come up from their washing,

All of which bear twins,

And not one among them has alost her young. [aOr miscarried]

³“Your lips are like a scarlet thread,

And your mouth is lovely.

Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate

Behind your veil.

⁴“Your neck is like the tower of David,

Built awith rows of stones

On which are hung a thousand shields,

All the round shields of the mighty men. [aOr for an arsenal]

⁵“Your two breasts are like two fawns,

Twins of a gazelle

Which feed among the lilies.

⁶“Until athe cool of the day

When the shadows flee away,

I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh

And to the hill of frankincense. [aLit the day blows]

7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling,

And there is no blemish in you.

⁸“Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,

May you come with me from Lebanon.

aJourney down from the summit of Amana,

From the summit of Senir and Hermon,

From the dens of lions,

From the mountains of leopards. [aOr Look]

⁹“You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride;

You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,

With a single strand of your necklace.

¹⁰“How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!

How much better is your love than wine,

And the fragrance of your oils

Than all kinds of aspices! [aOr balsam odors]

¹¹“Your lips, my bride, drip honey;

Honey and milk are under your tongue,

And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

¹²“A garden locked is my sister, my bride,

A arock garden locked, a spring sealed up. [aLit stone heap]

¹³“Your shoots are an aorchard of pomegranates

With choice fruits, henna with nard plants, [aOr park or paradise]

¹⁴Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,

With all the trees of frankincense,

Myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest aspices. [aOr balsam odors]

¹⁵“You are a garden spring,

A well of afresh water,

And streams flowing from Lebanon.” [aLit living]

16 “aAwake, O north wind,

And come, wind of the south;

Make my garden breathe out fragrance,

Let its bspices cbe wafted abroad.

May my beloved come into his garden

And eat its choice fruits!” [aBRIDE bOr balsam odors cLit flow forth]

SONG OF SOLOMON 5 [Books]

The Torment of Separation

1 “aI have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;

I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam.

I have eaten my honeycomb band my honey;

I have drunk my wine band my milk.

Eat, friends;

Drink and cimbibe deeply, O lovers.” [aBRIDEGROOM bLit with cOr become drunk]

2 “aI was asleep but my heart was awake.

A voice! My beloved was knocking:

‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,

My dove, my perfect one!

For my head is bdrenched with dew,

My locks with the cdamp of the night.’ [aBRIDE bLit filled cLit drops]

³“I have taken off my dress,

How can I put it on again?

I have washed my feet,

How can I dirty them again?

⁴“My beloved extended his hand through the opening,

And my afeelings were aroused for him. [aLit bowels]

⁵“I arose to open to my beloved;

And my hands dripped with myrrh,

And my fingers with aliquid myrrh,

On the handles of the bolt. [aLit passing]

⁶“I opened to my beloved,

But my beloved had turned away and had gone!

My aheart went out to him as he spoke.

I searched for him but I did not find him;

I called him but he did not answer me. [aLit soul]

⁷“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,

They struck me and wounded me;

The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.

⁸“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

If you find my beloved,

As to what you will tell him:

For I am lovesick.”

9 “abWhat kind of beloved is your beloved,

O most beautiful among women?

bWhat kind of beloved is your beloved,

That thus you adjure us?” [aCHORUS bOr What is your beloved more than another beloved]

Admiration by the Bride

10 “aMy beloved is dazzling and ruddy,

bOutstanding among ten thousand. [aBRIDE bLit Lifted up banner]

¹¹“His head is like gold, pure gold;

His locks are like clusters of dates

And black as a raven.

¹²“His eyes are like doves

Beside streams of water,

Bathed in milk,

And areposed in their setting. [aLit sitting upon]

¹³“His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,

Banks of sweet-scented herbs;

His lips are lilies

Dripping with liquid myrrh.

¹⁴“His hands are rods of gold

Set with beryl;

His abdomen is carved ivory

Inlaid with asapphires. [aLit lapis lazuli]

¹⁵“His legs are pillars of alabaster

Set on pedestals of pure gold;

His appearance is like Lebanon

Choice as the cedars.

¹⁶“His amouth is full of sweetness.

And he is wholly desirable.

This is my beloved and this is my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem.” [aLit palate]

SONG OF SOLOMON 6 [Books]

Mutual Delight in Each Other

1 “aWhere has your beloved gone,

O most beautiful among women?

Where has your beloved turned,

That we may seek him with you?” [aCHORUS]

2 “aMy beloved has gone down to his garden,

To the beds of balsam,

To pasture his flock in the gardens

And gather lilies. [aBRIDE]

³“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,

He who pastures his flock among the lilies.”

4 “aYou are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,

As lovely as Jerusalem,

As awesome as ban army with banners. [aBRIDEGROOM bLit bannered ones]

⁵“Turn your eyes away from me,

For they have confused me;

Your hair is like a flock of goats

That have descended from Gilead.

⁶“Your teeth are like a flock of ewes

Which have come up from their washing,

All of which bear twins,

And not one among them has alost her young. [aOr miscarried]

⁷“Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate

Behind your veil.

⁸“There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,

And amaidens without number; [aOr virgins]

⁹But my dove, my perfect one, is aunique:

She is her mother’s aonly daughter;

She is the pure child of the one who bore her.

The bmaidens saw her and called her blessed,

The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying, [aLit one bLit daughters]

10 ‘Who is this that agrows like the dawn,

As beautiful as the full moon,

As pure as the sun,

As awesome as ban army with banners?’ [aLit looks down bLit bannered ones]

¹¹“I went down to the orchard of nut trees

To see the blossoms of the valley,

To see whether the vine had budded

Or the pomegranates had bloomed.

¹²“Before I was aware, my soul set me

Over the chariots of amy noble people.” [aAnother reading is Ammi-nadib]

13 “abCome back, come back, O Shulammite;

Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you!”

[aCHORUS bCh 7:1 in Heb]

“aWhy should you gaze at the Shulammite,

As at the dance of bthe two companies? [aBRIDEGROOM bOr Mahanaim]

SONG OF SOLOMON 7 [Books]

Admiration by the Bridegroom

1 “aHow beautiful are your bfeet in sandals,

O cprince’s daughter!

The curves of your hips are like djewels,

The work of the hands of an artist. [aCh 7:2 in Heb bLit footsteps cOr nobleman’s dOr ornaments]

²“Your navel is like a round goblet

Which never lacks mixed wine;

Your belly is like a heap of wheat

Fenced about with lilies.

³“Your two breasts are like two fawns,

Twins of a gazelle.

⁴“Your neck is like a tower of ivory,

Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon

By the gate of Bath-rabbim;

Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,

Which faces toward Damascus.

⁵“Your head acrowns you like Carmel,

And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads;

The king is captivated by your tresses. [aLit is upon]

⁶“How beautiful and how delightful you are,

aMy love, with all your charms! [aOr With love among your delights]

⁷“aYour stature is like a palm tree,

And your breasts are like its clusters. [aLit This stature of yours]

⁸“I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,

I will take hold of its fruit stalks.’

Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,

And the fragrance of your abreath like bapples, [aLit nose bOr apricots]

⁹And your amouth like the best wine!”

[aLit palate]

“aIt goes down smoothly for my beloved,

Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep. [aBRIDE]

The Union of Love

10 “I am my beloved’s,

And his desire is for me.

¹¹“Come, my beloved, let us go out into the acountry,

Let us spend the night in the villages. [aLit field]

¹²“Let us rise early and go to the vineyards;

Let us see whether the vine has budded

And its blossoms have opened,

And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.

There I will give you my love.

¹³“The mandrakes have given forth fragrance;

And over our doors are all choice fruits,

Both new and old,

Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

SONG OF SOLOMON 8 [Books]

The Lovers Speak

1 “Oh that you were like a brother to me

Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.

If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;

No one would despise me, either.

²“I would lead you and bring you

Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;

I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.

³“Let his left hand be under my head

And his right hand embrace me.”

4 “aI want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,

bDo not arouse or awaken my love

Until cshe pleases.” [aBRIDEGROOM bOr Why should you arouse cOr it]

5 “aWho is this coming up from the wilderness

Leaning on her beloved?”

[aCHORUS]

“aBeneath the bapple tree I awakened you;

There your mother was in labor with you,

There she was in labor and gave you birth. [aBRIDE bOr apricot]

⁶“Put me like a aseal over your heart,

Like a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death,

bJealousy is as severe as Sheol;

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

cThe very flame of the LORD. [aOr signet bOr Its ardor is as inflexible cAnother reading is A vehement flame]

⁷“Many waters cannot quench love,

Nor will rivers overflow it;

If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,

It would be utterly despised.”

8 “aWe have a little sister,

And she has no breasts;

What shall we do for our sister

On the day when she is spoken for? [aCHORUS]

⁹“If she is a wall,

We will build on her a battlement of silver;

But if she is a door,

We will barricade her with planks of cedar.”

10 “aI was a wall, and my breasts were like towers;

Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace. [aBRIDE]

¹¹“Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;

He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers.

Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

¹²“My very own vineyard is aat my disposal;

The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,

And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.” [aLit before me]

13 “aO you who sit in the gardens,

My companions are listening for your voice—

Let me hear it!” [aBRIDEGROOM]

14 “abHurry, my beloved,

And be like a gazelle or a young cstag

On the mountains of spices.” [aBRIDE bLit Flee cLit of the stags]

ISAIAH 1 [Books]

Rebellion of God’s People

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the areigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. [1 aLit days]

²Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;

For the LORD speaks,

“Sons I have reared and brought up,

But they have revolted against Me.

³“An ox knows its owner,

And a donkey its master’s manger,

But Israel does not know,

My people do not understand.”

4 Alas, sinful nation,

People weighed down with iniquity,

aOffspring of evildoers,

Sons who act corruptly!

They have abandoned the LORD,

They have despised the Holy One of Israel,

They have turned away bfrom Him. [aLit Seed bLit backward]

5 Where will you be stricken again,

As you continue in your rebellion?

The whole head is sick

And the whole heart is faint.

⁶From the sole of the foot even to the head

There is nothing sound in it,

Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,

Not pressed out or bandaged,

Nor softened with oil.

7 Your land is desolate,

Your cities are burned with fire,

Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence;

It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,

Like a watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

⁹Unless the LORD of hosts

Had left us a few survivors,

We would be like Sodom,

We would be like Gomorrah.

God Has Had Enough

10 Hear the word of the LORD,

You rulers of Sodom;

Give ear to the instruction of our God,

You people of Gomorrah.

¹¹“What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?”

Says the LORD.

“I ahave had enough of burnt offerings of rams

And the fat of fed cattle;

And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. [aOr am sated with]

¹²“When you come to appear before Me,

Who requires aof you this trampling of My courts? [aLit of your hand]

¹³“Bring your worthless offerings no longer,

Incense is an abomination to Me.

New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies—

I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

¹⁴“I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,

They have become a burden to Me;

I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵“So when you spread out your hands in prayer,

I will hide My eyes from you;

Yes, even though you multiply prayers,

I will not listen.

Your hands are acovered with blood. [aLit full of]

16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;

Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.

Cease to do evil,

¹⁷Learn to do good;

Seek justice,

Reprove the ruthless,

aDefend the orphan,

Plead for the widow. [aOr Vindicate the fatherless]

“Let Us Reason”

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the LORD,

“Though your sins are as scarlet,

They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They will be like wool.

¹⁹“If you consent and obey,

You will eat the best of the land;

²⁰“But if you refuse and rebel,

You will be devoured by the sword.”

Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Zion Corrupted, to Be Redeemed

21 How the faithful city has become a harlot,

She who was full of justice!

Righteousness once lodged in her,

But now murderers.

²²Your silver has become dross,

Your drink diluted with water.

²³Your rulers are rebels

And companions of thieves;

Everyone loves a bribe

And chases after rewards.

They do not adefend the borphan,

Nor does the widow’s plea come before them. [aOr vindicate bOr fatherless]

24 Therefore the Lord aGOD of hosts,

The Mighty One of Israel, declares,

“Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries

And avenge Myself on My foes. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

²⁵“I will also turn My hand against you,

And will smelt away your dross as with lye

And will remove all your alloy.

²⁶“Then I 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 city.”

27 Zion will be redeemed with justice

And her arepentant ones with righteousness. [aOr returnees]

²⁸But atransgressors and sinners will be crushed together,

And those who forsake the LORD will come to an end. [aLit crushing of transgressors and sinners shall be together]

²⁹Surely ayou will be ashamed of the boaks which you have desired,

And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen. [aSo with some mss; M.T. they bOr terebinths]

³⁰For you will be like an aoak whose leaf fades away

Or as a garden that has no water. [aOr terebinth]

³¹The strong man will become tinder,

His work also a spark.

Thus they shall both burn together

And there will be none to quench them.

ISAIAH 2 [Books]

God’s Universal Reign

1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Now it will come about that

In the last days

The mountain of the house of the LORD

Will be established aas the chief of the mountains,

And will be raised above the hills;

And all the nations will stream to it. [aLit on]

³And many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

To the house of the God of Jacob;

That He may teach us aconcerning His ways

And that we may walk in His paths.”

For the blaw will go forth from Zion

And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. [aOr some of bOr instruction]

⁴And He will judge between the nations,

And will arender decisions for many peoples;

And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not lift up sword against nation,

And never again will they learn war. [aOr reprove many]

5 Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

⁶For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob,

Because they are filled with influences from the east,

And they are soothsayers like the Philistines,

And they strike bargains with the children of foreigners.

⁷Their land has also been filled with silver and gold

And there is no end to their treasures;

Their land has also been filled with horses

And there is no end to their chariots.

⁸Their land has also been filled with idols;

They worship the work of their hands,

That which their fingers have made.

⁹So the common man has been humbled

And the man of importance has been abased,

But do not forgive them.

¹⁰Enter the rock and hide in the dust

From the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty.

¹¹The aproud look of man will be abased

And the loftiness of man will be humbled,

And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. [aLit eyes of the loftiness of men]

A Day of Reckoning Coming

12 For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning

Against everyone who is proud and lofty

And against everyone who is lifted up,

That he may be abased.

¹³And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up,

Against all the oaks of Bashan,

¹⁴Against all the lofty mountains,

Against all the hills that are lifted up,

¹⁵Against every high tower,

Against every fortified wall,

¹⁶Against all the ships of Tarshish

And against all the beautiful craft.

¹⁷The pride of man will be humbled

And the loftiness of men will be abased;

And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

¹⁸But the idols will completely vanish.

¹⁹Men will go into caves of the rocks

And into holes of the aground

Before the terror of the LORD

And the splendor of His majesty,

When He arises to make the earth tremble. [aLit dust]

²⁰In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats

Their idols of silver and their idols of gold,

Which they made for themselves to worship,

²¹In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs

Before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty,

When He arises to make the earth tremble.

²²aStop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils;

For bwhy should he be esteemed? [aLit Cease from man bLit in what]

ISAIAH 3 [Books]

God Will Remove the Leaders

1 For behold, the Lord aGOD of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah

Both bsupply and support, the whole bsupply of bread

And the whole bsupply of water; [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit staff]

²The mighty man and the warrior,

The judge and the prophet,

The diviner and the elder,

³The captain of fifty and the honorable man,

The counselor and the expert artisan,

And the skillful enchanter.

⁴And I will make mere lads their princes,

And acapricious children will rule over them, [aLit arbitrary power will rule]

⁵And the people will be oppressed,

Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor;

The youth will storm against the elder

And the inferior against the honorable.

⁶When a man lays hold of his brother in his father’s house, saying,

“You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler,

And these ruins will be under your acharge,” [aLit hand]

⁷He will aprotest on that day, saying,

“I will not be your bhealer,

For in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;

You should not appoint me ruler of the people.” [aLit lift up his voice bLit binder of wounds]

⁸For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen,

Because their aspeech and their actions are against the LORD,

To rebel against bHis glorious presence. [aLit tongue bLit the eyes of His glory]

⁹aThe expression of their faces bears witness against them,

And they display their sin like Sodom;

They do not even conceal it.

Woe to bthem!

For they have brought evil on themselves. [aOr Their partiality bears bLit their soul]

¹⁰Say to the righteous that it will go well with them,

For they will eat the fruit of their actions.

¹¹Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him,

For awhat he deserves will be done to him. [aLit the dealing of his hands]

¹²O My people! Their oppressors aare children,

And women rule over them.

O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray

And confuse the direction of your paths. [aOr deal severely]

God Will Judge

13 The LORD arises to contend,

And stands to judge the people.

¹⁴The LORD enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people,

“It is you who have devoured the vineyard;

The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

¹⁵“What do you mean by crushing My people

And grinding the face of the poor?”

Declares the Lord aGOD of hosts. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

Judah’s Women Denounced

16 Moreover, the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud

And walk with aheads held high and seductive eyes,

And go along with mincing steps

And tinkle the bangles on their feet, [aLit outstretched necks]

¹⁷Therefore the Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs,

And the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”

¹⁸In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, ¹⁹dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, ²⁰headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, ²¹afinger rings, nose rings, ²²festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, money purses, ²³hand mirrors, undergarments, turbans and veils. [21 aOr signet rings]

²⁴Now it will come about that instead of asweet perfume there will be putrefaction;

Instead of a belt, a rope;

Instead of well-set hair, a plucked-out scalp;

Instead of fine clothes, a donning of sackcloth;

And branding instead of beauty. [aOr balsam oil]

²⁵Your men will fall by the sword

And your amighty ones in battle. [aLit strength]

²⁶And her agates will lament and mourn,

And deserted she will sit on the ground. [aLit entrances]

ISAIAH 4 [Books]

A Remnant Prepared

1 For seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!”

2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. ³It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. ⁴When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and apurged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, ⁵then the LORD will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. ⁶There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and bprotection from the storm and the rain. [4 aLit rinsed away 6 bLit a hiding place]

ISAIAH 5 [Books]

Parable of the Vineyard

1 Let me sing now for my well-beloved

A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.

My well-beloved had a vineyard on aa fertile hill. [aLit a horn, the son of fatness]

²He dug it all around, removed its stones,

And planted it with athe choicest vine.

And He built a tower in the middle of it

And also hewed out a bwine vat in it;

Then He expected it to produce good grapes,

But it produced only cworthless ones. [aLit a bright red grape bOr wine press cOr wild grapes]

3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

Judge between Me and My vineyard.

⁴“What more was there to do for My vineyard athat I have not done in it?

Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce bworthless ones? [aLit and I have not done bOr wild grapes]

⁵“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:

I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed;

I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.

⁶“I will lay it waste;

It will not be pruned or hoed,

But briars and thorns will come up.

I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel

And the men of Judah His delightful plant.

Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;

For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

Woes for the Wicked

8 Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field,

Until there is no more room,

So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land!

⁹In my ears the LORD of hosts has sworn, “Surely, many houses shall become desolate,

Even great and fine ones, without occupants.

¹⁰“For ten acres of vineyard will yield only one abath of wine,

And a homer of seed will yield but an bephah of grain.” [aI.e. Approx 10 12 gal. bI.e. Approx one bu]

¹¹Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink,

Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!

¹²Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine;

But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD,

Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

13 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;

And atheir honorable men are famished,

And their multitude is parched with thirst. [aLit their glory are men of famine]

¹⁴Therefore Sheol has enlarged its athroat and opened its mouth without measure;

And bJerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it. [aOr appetite bLit her]

¹⁵So the common man will be humbled and the man of importance abased,

The eyes of the proud also will be abased.

¹⁶But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment,

And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.

¹⁷Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture,

And strangers will eat in the waste places of the awealthy. [aLit the fat]

18 Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of afalsehood,

And sin as if with cart ropes; [aOr worthlessness]

¹⁹Who say, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it;

And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near

And come to pass, that we may know it!”

²⁰Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who asubstitute darkness for light and light for darkness;

Who asubstitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! [aLit set]

²¹Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

And clever in their own sight!

²²Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine

And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

²³Who justify the wicked for a bribe,

And take away the arights of the ones who are in the right! [aLit righteousness]

24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble

And dry grass collapses into the flame,

So their root will become like rot and their blossom ablow away as dust;

For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts

And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. [aLit ascend]

²⁵On this account the anger of the LORD has burned against His people,

And He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down.

And the mountains quaked, and their corpses alay like refuse in the middle of the streets.

For all this His anger bis not spent,

But His hand is still stretched out. [aLit were bLit has not turned away]

26 He will also lift up a standard to the adistant nation,

And will whistle for it from the ends of the earth;

And behold, it will come with speed swiftly. [aLit nations; probably Assyria]

²⁷No one in it is weary or stumbles,

None slumbers or sleeps;

Nor is the belt at its waist undone,

Nor its sandal strap broken.

²⁸aIts arrows are sharp and all its bows are bent;

The hoofs of its horses bseem like flint and its chariot wheels like a whirlwind. [aLit Which, its arrows bLit are regarded as]

²⁹Its roaring is like a lioness, and it roars like young lions;

It growls as it seizes the prey

And carries it off with no one to deliver it.

³⁰And it will growl over it in that day like the roaring of the sea.

If one looks to the land, behold, there is darkness and distress;

Even the light is darkened by its clouds.

ISAIAH 6 [Books]

Isaiah’s Vision

1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. ²Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,

The awhole earth is full of His glory.”

⁴And the bfoundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the ctemple was filling with smoke. ⁵Then I said,

“Woe is me, for I am ruined!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” [3 aLit fullness of the whole earth is His glory 4 bLit door sockets cLit house]

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. ⁷He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is aforgiven.” [7 aLit atoned for]

Isaiah’s Commission

⁸Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ⁹He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;

Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

¹⁰“Render the hearts of this people ainsensitive,

Their ears bdull,

And their eyes cdim,

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

Understand with their hearts,

And return and be healed.”

¹¹Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,

“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,

Houses are without people

And the land is utterly desolate, [aLit fat bLit heavy cLit besmeared]

¹²“The LORD has removed men far away,

And the aforsaken places are many in the midst of the land. [aOr forsakenness will be great]

¹³“Yet there will be a tenth portion in it,

And it will again be subject to burning,

Like a terebinth or an oak

Whose stump remains when it is felled.

The holy seed is its stump.”

ISAIAH 7 [Books]

War against Jerusalem

1 Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not aconquer it. ²When it was reported to the house of David, saying, “The Arameans bhave camped in Ephraim,” his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake cwith the wind. [1 aLit fight against 2 bLit has settled down on cLit from before]

3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son aShear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the bfuller’s field, ⁴and say to him, ‘Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. ⁵Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, ⁶“Let us go up against Judah and cterrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in dits walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” ⁷thus says the Lord eGOD: “It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. ⁸For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people), ⁹and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not flast.” ’ ” [3 aI.e. a remnant shall return bI.e. laundryman’s 6 cLit cause it a sickening dread dLit it 7 eHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 9 fOr be established]

The Child Immanuel

10 Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹“Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; amake it deep as Sheol or high as bheaven.” ¹²But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” ¹³Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a cvirgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name dImmanuel. ¹⁵He will eat curds and honey eat the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. ¹⁶For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken. [11 aSo with the versions; M.T. make the request deep or high bLit heights 14 cOr maiden dI.e. God is with us 15 eLit with respect to his knowing]

Trials to Come for Judah

¹⁷The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah, the king of Assyria.”

18 In that day the LORD will whistle for the fly that is in the aremotest part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. ¹⁹They will all come and settle on the steep bravines, on the ledges of the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes and on all the cwatering places. [18 aOr mouth of the rivers; i.e. the Nile Delta 19 bOr wadis cOr pastures]

20 In that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the aEuphrates (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard. [20 aLit River]

21 Now in that day a man may keep alive a heifer and a pair of sheep; ²²and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone that is left within the land will eat curds and honey.

23 And it will come about in that day, that every place where there used to be a thousand vines, valued at a thousand shekels of silver, will become briars and thorns. ²⁴People will come there with bows and arrows because all the land will be briars and thorns. ²⁵As for all the hills which used to be cultivated with the hoe, you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns; but they will become a place for apasturing oxen and for sheep to trample. [25 aLit sending]

ISAIAH 8 [Books]

Damascus and Samaria Fall

1 Then the LORD said to me, “Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it ain ordinary letters: bSwift is the booty, speedy is the prey. ²And cI will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.” ³So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Name him dMaher-shalal-hash-baz; ⁴for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.” [1 aLit with the stylus of man bHeb Maher-shalal-hash-baz 2 cAnother reading is take for me 3 dI.e. swift is the booty, speedy is the prey]

5 Again the LORD spoke to me further, saying,

⁶“Inasmuch as these people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah

And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah;

⁷“Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the aEuphrates,

Even the king of Assyria and all his glory;

And it will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks. [aLit River]

⁸“Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through,

It will reach even to the neck;

And the spread of its wings will afill the breadth of byour land, O Immanuel. [aLit be the fullness of bOr Your]

A Believing Remnant

9 “Be broken, O peoples, and be ashattered;

And give ear, all remote places of the earth.

Gird yourselves, yet be ashattered;

Gird yourselves, yet be ashattered. [aOr dismayed]

¹⁰“Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;

State a aproposal, but it will not stand,

For bGod is with us.” [aLit word bHeb Immanu-el]

11 For thus the LORD spoke to me awith mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, [11 aLit with strength of the hand]

¹²“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’

In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,

And you are not to fear awhat they fear or be in dread of it. [aLit their fear]

¹³“It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your dread.

¹⁴“Then He shall become a sanctuary;

But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,

And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

¹⁵“Many will stumble over them,

Then they will fall and be broken;

They will even be snared and caught.”

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the alaw among my disciples. ¹⁷And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. ¹⁸Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. [16 aOr teaching]

19 When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰To the alaw and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. ²¹They will pass through bthe land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse ctheir king and their God as they face upward. ²²Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness. [20 aOr teaching 21 bLit it cOr by their king]

ISAIAH 9 [Books]

Birth and Reign of the Prince of Peace

1 aBut there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the bGentiles. [1 aCh 8:23 in Heb bOr nations]

²aThe people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them. [aCh 9:1 in Heb]

³You shall multiply the nation,

You shall aincrease btheir gladness;

They will be glad in Your presence

As with the gladness cof harvest,

As dmen rejoice when they divide the spoil. [aAnother reading is not increase bLit the cLit in dLit they]

⁴For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,

The rod of their oppressor, as aat the battle of Midian. [aLit in the day of Midian]

⁵For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,

And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

⁶For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will arest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. [aLit be]

⁷There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

God’s Anger with Israel’s Arrogance

8 The Lord sends a amessage against Jacob,

And it falls on Israel. [aLit word]

⁹And all the people know it,

That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,

Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:

¹⁰“The bricks have fallen down,

But we will rebuild with smooth stones;

The sycamores have been cut down,

But we will replace them with cedars.”

¹¹Therefore the LORD raises against them adversaries from Rezin

And spurs their enemies on,

¹²The Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west;

And they devour Israel with agaping jaws.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out. [aLit the whole mouth]

13 Yet the people do not turn back to Him who struck them,

Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.

¹⁴So the LORD cuts off head and tail from Israel,

Both palm branch and bulrush in a single day.

¹⁵The head is the elder and honorable man,

And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.

¹⁶For those who guide this people are leading them astray;

And those who are guided by them are abrought to confusion. [aOr swallowed up]

¹⁷Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men,

Nor does He have pity on their aorphans or their widows;

For every one of them is godless and an evildoer,

And every mouth is speaking foolishness.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out. [aOr fatherless]

18 For wickedness burns like a fire;

It consumes briars and thorns;

It even sets the thickets of the forest aflame

And they roll upward in a column of smoke.

¹⁹By the fury of the LORD of hosts the land is burned up,

And the people are like fuel for the fire;

No man spares his brother.

²⁰aThey slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry,

And bthey eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied;

Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm. [aLit he slices bLit he eats]

²¹Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,

And together they are against Judah.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.

ISAIAH 10 [Books]

Assyria Is God’s Instrument

1 Woe to those who enact evil statutes

And to those who constantly record aunjust decisions, [aLit mischief or misfortune]

²So as to adeprive the needy of justice

And rob the poor of My people of their rights,

So that widows may be their spoil

And that they may plunder the borphans. [aLit turn aside from bOr fatherless]

³Now what will you do in the day of punishment,

And in the devastation which will come from afar?

To whom will you flee for help?

And where will you leave your awealth? [aLit glory]

⁴Nothing remains but to crouch aamong the captives

Or fall aamong the slain.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out. [aLit under]

5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger

And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,

⁶I send it against a godless nation

And commission it against the people of My fury

To capture booty and to seize plunder,

And to atrample them down like mud in the streets. [aLit make them a trampled place]

⁷Yet it does not so intend,

Nor does ait plan so in its heart,

But rather it is bits purpose to destroy

And to cut off cmany nations. [aLit its heart so plan bLit in its heart cLit not a few]

⁸For it says, “Are not my princes aall kings? [aLit altogether]

⁹“Is not Calno like Carchemish,

Or Hamath like Arpad,

Or Samaria like Damascus?

¹⁰“As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,

Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

¹¹Shall I not ado to Jerusalem and her images

Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols?” [aLit do thus]

12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will apunish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of bhis haughtiness.” ¹³For he has said,

“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,

For I have understanding;

And I removed the boundaries of the peoples

And plundered their treasures,

And like a mighty man I brought down ctheir inhabitants, [12 aLit visit bLit haughtiness of his eyes 13 cOr those who sit on thrones]

¹⁴And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest,

And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;

And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.”

15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?

Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?

That would be like a aclub wielding those who lift it,

Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood. [aLit staff]

¹⁶Therefore the Lord, the aGOD of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors;

And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

¹⁷And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame,

And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.

¹⁸And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body,

And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.

¹⁹And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number

That a child could write them down.

A Remnant Will Return

20 Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.

²¹A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

²²For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea,

Only a remnant within them will return;

A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

²³For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord aGOD of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

24 Therefore thus says the Lord aGOD of hosts, “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian bwho strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. ²⁵For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction.” ²⁶The LORD of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt. ²⁷So it will be in that day, that chis burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness. [24 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit he 27 cI.e. the Assyrian]

28 He has come against Aiath,

He has passed through Migron;

At Michmash he deposited his baggage.

²⁹They have gone through the pass, saying,

“Geba will be our lodging place.”

Ramah is terrified, and Gibeah of Saul has fled away.

³⁰Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of Gallim!

Pay attention, Laishah and awretched Anathoth! [aAn ancient version reads Answer her, O Anathoth]

³¹Madmenah has fled.

The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge.

³²Yet today he will halt at Nob;

He shakes his fist at the mountain of the adaughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. [aAnother reading is house of]

33 Behold, the Lord, the aGOD of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash;

Those also who are tall in stature will be cut down

And those who are lofty will be abased. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

³⁴He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe,

And Lebanon will fall aby the Mighty One. [aOr as a mighty one]

ISAIAH 11 [Books]

Righteous Reign of the Branch

1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,

And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

²The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and strength,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

³And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,

And He will not judge by what His eyes see,

Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

⁴But with righteousness He will judge the poor,

And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;

And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

⁵Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,

And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,

And the calf and the young lion aand the fatling together;

And a little boy will lead them. [aSome versions read will feed together]

⁷Also the cow and the bear will graze,

Their young will lie down together,

And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

⁸The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,

And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

⁹They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD

As the waters cover the sea.

10 Then in that day

The nations will resort to the root of Jesse,

Who will stand as a asignal for the peoples;

And His resting place will be bglorious. [aOr standard bLit glory]

The Restored Remnant

11 Then it will happen on that day that the Lord

Will again recover the second time with His hand

The remnant of His people, who will remain,

From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath,

And from the aislands of the sea. [aOr coastlands]

¹²And He will lift up a standard for the nations

And assemble the banished ones of Israel,

And will gather the dispersed of Judah

From the four corners of the earth.

¹³Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart,

And those who harass Judah will be cut off;

Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,

And Judah will not harass Ephraim.

¹⁴They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west;

Together they will plunder the sons of the east;

aThey will possess Edom and Moab,

And the sons of Ammon will be bsubject to them. [aLit Edom and Moab will be the outstretching of their hand bLit their obedience]

¹⁵And the LORD will autterly destroy

The tongue of the bSea of Egypt;

And He will wave His hand over the cRiver

With His scorching wind;

And He will strike it into seven streams

And make men walk over ddry-shod. [aAnother reading is dry up the tongue bPerhaps the Red Sea cI.e. Euphrates dLit in sandals]

¹⁶And there will be a highway from Assyria

For the remnant of His people who will be left,

Just as there was for Israel

In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

ISAIAH 12 [Books]

Thanksgiving Expressed

1 Then you will say on that day,

“I will give thanks to You, O LORD;

For although You were angry with me,

Your anger is turned away,

And You comfort me.

²“Behold, God is my salvation,

I will trust and not be afraid;

For the LORD GOD is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation.”

³Therefore you will joyously draw water

From the springs of salvation.

⁴And in that day you will say,

“Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name.

Make known His deeds among the peoples;

aMake them remember that His name is exalted.” [aOr Proclaim to them that]

⁵Praise the LORD in song, for He has done aexcellent things;

Let this be known throughout the earth. [aOr gloriously]

⁶Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

ISAIAH 13 [Books]

Prophecies about Babylon

1 The aoracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. [1 aOr burden of]

²Lift up a standard on the abare hill,

Raise your voice to them,

Wave the hand that they may enter the doors of the nobles. [aOr wind-swept mountain]

³I have commanded My consecrated ones,

I have even called My mighty warriors,

My proudly exulting ones,

To execute My anger.

⁴A sound of tumult on the mountains,

Like that of many people!

A sound of the uproar of kingdoms,

Of nations gathered together!

The LORD of hosts is mustering the army for battle.

⁵They are coming from a far country,

From the afarthest horizons,

The LORD and His instruments of indignation,

To destroy the whole land. [aLit end of heaven]

Judgment on the Day of the LORD

⁶Wail, for the day of the LORD is near!

It will come as destruction from athe Almighty. [aHeb Shaddai]

⁷Therefore all hands will fall limp,

And every man’s heart will melt.

⁸They will be terrified,

Pains and anguish will take hold of them;

They will writhe like a woman in labor,

They will look at one another in astonishment,

Their faces aflame.

⁹Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,

Cruel, with fury and burning anger,

To make the land a desolation;

And He will exterminate its sinners from it.

¹⁰For the stars of heaven and their constellations

Will not flash forth their light;

The sun will be dark when it rises

And the moon will not shed its light.

¹¹Thus I will punish the world for its evil

And the wicked for their iniquity;

I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud

And abase the haughtiness of the aruthless. [aOr tyrants, despots]

¹²I will make mortal man ascarcer than pure gold

And mankind than the gold of Ophir. [aLit more precious]

¹³Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

And the earth will be shaken from its place

At the fury of the LORD of hosts

In the day of His burning anger.

¹⁴And it will be that like a hunted gazelle,

Or like sheep with none to gather them,

They will each turn to his own people,

And each one flee to his own land.

¹⁵Anyone who is found will be thrust through,

And anyone who is captured will fall by the sword.

¹⁶Their little ones also will be dashed to pieces

Before their eyes;

Their houses will be plundered

And their wives ravished.

Babylon Will Fall to the Medes

17 Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them,

Who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold.

¹⁸And their bows will amow down the young men,

They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,

Nor will their eye pity bchildren. [aLit dash in pieces bLit sons]

¹⁹And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,

Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

²⁰It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation;

Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there,

Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there.

²¹But desert creatures will lie down there,

And their houses will be full of aowls;

Ostriches also will live there, and bshaggy goats will frolic there. [aOr howling creatures bOr goat demons]

²²aHyenas will howl in their fortified towers

And jackals in their luxurious palaces.

Her fateful time also bwill soon come

And her days will not be prolonged. [aOr howling creatures bLit is near to come]

ISAIAH 14 [Books]

Israel’s Taunt

1 When the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. ²The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them as an inheritance in the land of the LORD as male servants and female servants; and athey will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors. [2 aLit the captors will become their captives]

3 And it will be in the day when the LORD gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved, ⁴that you will take up this ataunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

“How the oppressor has ceased,

And how bfury has ceased! [4 aOr proverb bAmended from the meaningless medhebah to marhebah]

⁵“The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked,

The scepter of rulers

⁶Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,

Which asubdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution. [aOr ruled]

⁷“The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;

They break forth into shouts of joy.

⁸“Even the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

‘Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’

⁹“Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come;

It arouses for you the aspirits of the dead, all the bleaders of the earth;

It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones. [aOr shades (Heb Repha’im) bLit male goats]

¹⁰“They will all respond and say to you,

‘Even you have been made weak as we,

You have become like us.

¹¹‘Your pomp and the music of your harps

Have been brought down to Sheol;

Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you

And worms are your covering.’

¹²“How you have fallen from heaven,

O astar of the morning, son of the dawn!

You have been cut down to the earth,

You who have weakened the nations! [aHeb Helel; i.e. shining one]

¹³“But you said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God,

And I will sit on the mount of assembly

In the recesses of the north.

¹⁴‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

¹⁵“Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,

To the recesses of the pit.

¹⁶“Those who see you will gaze at you,

They will aponder over you, saying,

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

Who shook kingdoms, [aLit show themselves attentive to]

¹⁷Who made the world like a wilderness

And overthrew its cities,

Who did not aallow his prisoners to go home?’ [aLit open]

¹⁸“All the kings of the nations lie in glory,

Each in his own atomb. [aLit house]

¹⁹“But you have been cast out of your tomb

Like aa rejected branch,

bClothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword,

Who go down to the stones of the pit

Like a trampled corpse. [aLit an abhorred branch bOr As the clothing of those who are slain]

²⁰“You will not be united with them in burial,

Because you have ruined your country,

You have slain your people.

May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever.

²¹“Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter

Because of the iniquity of their fathers.

They must not arise and take possession of the earth

And fill the face of the world with cities.”

²²“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and survivors, offspring and posterity,” declares the LORD. ²³“I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

Judgment on Assyria

²⁴The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand, ²⁵to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them and his burden removed from their shoulder. ²⁶This is the plan adevised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. ²⁷For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” [26 aLit planned]

28 In the year that King Ahaz died this aoracle came: [28 aOr burden]

Judgment on Philistia

²⁹“Do not rejoice, O Philistia, all of you,

Because the rod that struck you is broken;

For from the serpent’s root a viper will come out,

And its fruit will be a flying serpent.

³⁰“aThose who are most helpless will eat,

And the needy will lie down in security;

I will bdestroy your root with famine,

And it will kill off your survivors. [aLit The firstborn of the helpless bLit put to death]

³¹“Wail, O gate; cry, O city;

aMelt away, O Philistia, all of you;

For smoke comes from the north,

And there is no straggler in his ranks. [aOr Become demoralized]

³²“How then will one answer the messengers of the nation?

That the LORD has founded Zion,

And the afflicted of His people will seek refuge in it.”

ISAIAH 15 [Books]

Judgment on Moab

1 The aoracle concerning Moab.

Surely in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined;

Surely in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined. [1 aOr burden of]

²They have gone up to the atemple and to Dibon, even to the high places to weep.

Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba;

Everyone’s head is bald and every beard is cut off. [aLit house]

³In their streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth;

On their housetops and in their squares

Everyone is wailing, adissolved in tears. [aLit going down in weeping]

⁴Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out,

Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz;

Therefore the aarmed men of Moab cry aloud;

His soul trembles within him. [aAnother reading is the loins of]

⁵My heart cries out for Moab;

His fugitives are as far as Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah,

For they go up the ascent of Luhith weeping;

Surely on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress over their ruin.

⁶For the waters of Nimrim are adesolate.

Surely the grass is withered, the tender grass bdied out,

There is no green thing. [aLit desolations bLit come to an end]

⁷Therefore the abundance which they have acquired and stored up

They carry off over the brook of aArabim. [aOr the poplars]

⁸For the cry of distress has gone around the territory of Moab,

Its wail goes as far as Eglaim and its wailing even to Beer-elim.

⁹For the waters of Dimon are full of ablood;

Surely I will bring added woes upon Dimon,

A lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon the remnant of the land. [aHeb dam (a wordplay)]

ISAIAH 16 [Books]

Prophecy of Moab’s Devastation

1 Send the tribute lamb to the ruler of the land,

From aSela by way of the wilderness to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. [aI.e. Petra in Edom]

²Then, like afleeing birds or scattered bnestlings,

The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the Arnon. [aOr fluttering bLit nest]

³“aGive us advice, make a decision;

bCast your shadow like night cat high noon;

Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive. [aLit Bring bLit Set cLit in the midst of the noon]

⁴“Let the aoutcasts of Moab stay with you;

Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer.”

For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased,

Oppressors have completely disappeared from the land. [aSo the versions; M.T. My outcasts, as for Moab]

⁵A throne will even be established in lovingkindness,

And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David;

Moreover, he will seek justice

And be prompt in righteousness.

6 We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride;

Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury;

His idle boasts are afalse. [aLit not so]

⁷Therefore Moab will wail; everyone of Moab will wail.

You will moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth

As those who are utterly stricken.

⁸For the fields of Heshbon have awithered, the vines of Sibmah as well;

The lords of the nations have trampled down its choice clusters

Which reached as far as Jazer and wandered to the deserts;

Its tendrils spread themselves out and passed over the sea. [aOr languished]

⁹Therefore I will weep bitterly for Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah;

I will drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh;

For the shouting over your summer fruits and your harvest has fallen away.

¹⁰Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful field;

In the vineyards also there will be no cries of joy or jubilant shouting,

No treader treads out wine in the presses,

For I have made the shouting to cease.

¹¹Therefore my aheart intones like a harp for Moab

And my binward feelings for Kir-hareseth. [aLit entrails murmur bLit inward part]

¹²So it will come about when Moab presents himself,

When he wearies himself upon his high place

And comes to his sanctuary to pray,

That he will not prevail.

13 This is the word which the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab. ¹⁴But now the LORD speaks, saying, “Within three years, as aa hired man would count them, the glory of Moab will be degraded along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and bimpotent.” [14 aLit the years of a hireling bLit not mighty]

ISAIAH 17 [Books]

Prophecy about Damascus

1 The aoracle concerning Damascus.

“Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city

And will become a fallen ruin. [1 aOr burden of]

²“The cities aof Aroer are forsaken;

They will be for flocks bto lie down in,

And there will be no one to frighten them. [aGr reads forever and ever bLit and they will lie down]

³“The afortified city will disappear from Ephraim,

And bsovereignty from Damascus

And the remnant of Aram;

They will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,”

Declares the LORD of hosts. [aOr fortification bOr royal power, kingdom]

4 Now in that day the glory of Jacob will afade,

And the fatness of his flesh will become lean. [aLit become thin]

⁵It will be even like the areaper gathering the standing grain,

As his arm harvests the ears,

Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain

In the valley of Rephaim. [aLit gathering of the harvest, the standing grain]

⁶Yet gleanings will be left in it like the ashaking of an olive tree,

Two or three olives on the topmost bough,

Four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree,

Declares the LORD, the God of Israel. [aLit striking]

⁷In that day man will have regard for his Maker

And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

⁸He will not have regard for the altars, the work of his hands,

Nor will he look to that which his fingers have made,

Even the aAsherim and bincense stands. [aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity bOr sun pillars]

⁹In that day atheir strong cities will be like bforsaken places in the forest,

Or like cbranches which they abandoned before the sons of Israel;

And dthe land will be a desolation. [aI.e. man’s bGr reads the deserted places of the Amorites and the Hivites which they abandoned cOr the treetop dLit it]

¹⁰For you have forgotten the God of your salvation

And have not remembered the rock of your refuge.

Therefore you plant delightful plants

And set them with vine slips of a strange god.

¹¹In the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in,

And in the morning you bring your seed to blossom;

But the harvest will be a heap

In a day of sickliness and incurable pain.

12 Alas, the uproar of many peoples

Who roar like the roaring of the seas,

And the rumbling of nations

Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

¹³The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters,

But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away,

And be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind,

Or like whirling dust before a gale.

¹⁴At evening time, behold, there is terror!

Before morning they are no more.

aSuch will be the portion of those who plunder us

And the lot of those who pillage us. [aLit This]

ISAIAH 18 [Books]

Message to Ethiopia

1 Alas, oh land of whirring wings

Which lies beyond the rivers of aCush, [aOr Ethiopia]

²Which sends envoys by the sea,

Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters.

Go, swift messengers, to a nation atall and smooth,

To a people feared bfar and wide,

A powerful and oppressive nation

Whose land the rivers divide. [aLit drawn out bLit from it and beyond]

³All you inhabitants of the world and dwellers on earth,

As soon as a standard is raised on the mountains, you will see it,

And as soon as the trumpet is blown, you will hear it.

⁴For thus the LORD has told me,

“I will look afrom My dwelling place quietly

Like dazzling heat in the bsunshine,

Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” [aLit in bLit light]

⁵For before the harvest, as soon as the bud ablossoms

And the flower becomes a ripening grape,

Then He will cut off the sprigs with pruning knives

And remove and cut away the spreading branches. [aLit is finished]

⁶They will be left together for mountain birds of prey,

And for the beasts of the earth;

And the birds of prey will spend the summer feeding on them,

And all the beasts of the earth will spend harvest time on them.

⁷At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the LORD of hosts

aFrom a people btall and smooth,

Even from a people feared cfar and wide,

A powerful and oppressive nation,

Whose land the rivers divide—

To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, even Mount Zion. [aSo with some ancient versions and DSS; M.T. implies Consisting of a people bLit drawn out cLit from it and beyond]

ISAIAH 19 [Books]

Message to Egypt

1 The aoracle concerning Egypt.

Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt;

The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence,

And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them. [1 aOr burden of]

²“So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians;

And they will each fight against his brother and each against his neighbor,

City against city and kingdom against kingdom.

³“Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them;

And I will confound their strategy,

So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead

And to amediums and spiritists. [aOr ghosts and spirits]

⁴“Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master,

And a amighty king will rule over them,” declares the Lord bGOD of hosts. [aOr fierce bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

5 The waters from the sea will dry up,

And the river will be parched and dry.

⁶The acanals will emit a stench,

The bstreams of Egypt will thin out and dry up;

The reeds and rushes will rot away. [aLit rivers bOr Nile branches; i.e. the delta]

⁷The bulrushes by the Nile, by the aedge of the Nile

And all the sown fields by the Nile

Will become dry, be driven away, and be no more. [aOr mouth]

⁸And the fishermen will lament,

And all those who cast a aline into the Nile will mourn,

And those who spread nets on the waters will bpine away. [aLit hook bOr languish]

⁹Moreover, the manufacturers of linen made from combed flax

And the weavers of white cloth will be autterly dejected. [aLit ashamed]

¹⁰And athe pillars of Egypt will be crushed;

All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul. [aLit her pillars or, her weavers]

11 The princes of aZoan are mere fools;

The advice of Pharaoh’s wisest advisers has become bstupid.

How can you men say to Pharaoh,

“I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”? [aOr Tanis bOr brutish]

¹²Well then, where are your wise men?

Please let them tell you,

And let them aunderstand what the LORD of hosts

Has purposed against Egypt. [aOr know]

¹³The princes of aZoan have acted foolishly,

The princes of Memphis are deluded;

Those who are the cornerstone of her tribes

Have bled Egypt astray. [aOr Tanis bOr have caused Egypt to stagger]

¹⁴The LORD has mixed within her a spirit of distortion;

They have led Egypt astray in all athat it does,

As a drunken man bstaggers in his vomit. [aLit its work bOr goes astray]

¹⁵There will be no work for Egypt

Which its head or tail, its palm branch or bulrush, may do.

16 In that day the Egyptians will become like women, and they will tremble and be in dread because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He is going to wave over them. ¹⁷The land of Judah will become a aterror to Egypt; everyone bto whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it, because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts which He is purposing against them. [17 aOr cause of shame bLit who mentions it will be in dread to it]

18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of aDestruction. [18 aSome ancient mss and versions read the Sun]

19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD near its border. ²⁰It will become a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a aChampion, and He will deliver them. ²¹Thus the LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. ²²The LORD will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the LORD, and He will respond to them and will heal them. [20 aLit Mighty One]

23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24 In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, ²⁵whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

ISAIAH 20 [Books]

Prophecy about Egypt and Ethiopia

1 In the year that the acommander came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and he fought against Ashdod and captured it, ²at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet.” And he did so, going naked and barefoot. ³And the LORD said, “Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a bsign and token against Egypt and cCush, ⁴so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the dshame of Egypt. ⁵Then they will be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their boast. ⁶So the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, such is our hope, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and we, how shall we escape?’ ” [1 aHeb Tartan 3 bOr wonder cOr Ethiopia, so in vv 4, 5 4 dLit nakedness]

ISAIAH 21 [Books]

God Commands That Babylon Be Taken

1 The aoracle concerning the bwilderness of the sea.

As windstorms in the cNegev sweep on,

It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land. [1 aOr burden of bOr sandy wastes, sea country cI.e. South country]

²A harsh vision has been shown to me;

The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.

Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media;

I have made an end of all athe groaning she has caused. [aLit her groaning]

³For this reason my loins are full of anguish;

Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor.

I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.

⁴My amind reels, bhorror overwhelms me;

The twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. [aLit heart has wandered bLit shuddering]

⁵They set the table, they aspread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;

“Rise up, captains, oil the shields,”

⁶For thus the Lord says to me,

“Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees. [aOr spread out the rugs or possibly they arranged the seating]

⁷“When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,

A train of donkeys, a train of camels,

Let him pay close attention, very close attention.”

⁸Then athe lookout called,

“O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower,

And I am stationed every night at my guard post. [aSo DSS; M.T. he called like a lion]

⁹“Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.”

And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon;

And all the images of her gods aare shattered on the ground.” [aLit he has shattered to the earth]

¹⁰O my threshed people, and my aafflicted of the threshing floor!

What I have heard from the LORD of hosts,

The God of Israel, I make known to you. [aLit son]

Oracles about Edom and Arabia

11 The aoracle concerning bEdom.

One keeps calling to me from Seir,

“Watchman, chow far gone is the night?

Watchman, chow far gone is the night?” [11 aOr burden bSo the Gr; Heb Dumah, silence cLit what is the time of the night?]

¹²The watchman says,

“Morning comes but also night.

If you would inquire, inquire;

Come back again.”

13 The aoracle about Arabia.

In the thickets of Arabia you bmust spend the night,

O caravans of Dedanites. [13 aOr burden bOr will spend]

¹⁴Bring water afor the thirsty,

O inhabitants of the land of Tema,

Meet the fugitive with bread. [aLit to meet]

¹⁵For they have fled from the swords,

From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow

And from the press of battle.

16 For thus the Lord said to me, “In a year, as aa hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate; ¹⁷and the remainder of the number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken.” [16 aLit the years of a hireling]

ISAIAH 22 [Books]

The Valley of Vision

1 The aoracle concerning the valley of vision.

What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops? [1 aOr burden of]

²You who were full of noise,

You boisterous town, you exultant city;

Your slain were not slain with the sword,

Nor adid they die in battle. [aLit dead in battle]

³All your rulers have fled together,

And have been captured awithout the bow;

All of you who were found were taken captive together,

bThough they had fled far away. [aLit from a bow bSo with ancient versions; Heb They fled far away]

⁴Therefore I say, “Turn your eyes away from me,

Let me weep bitterly,

Do not atry to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.” [aLit insist]

⁵For the Lord aGOD of hosts has a day of panic, subjugation and confusion

In the valley of vision,

A breaking down of walls

And a crying bto the mountain. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bOr against]

⁶Elam took up the quiver

With the chariots, ainfantry and horsemen;

And Kir uncovered the shield. [aLit man]

⁷Then your choicest valleys were full of chariots,

And the horsemen took up fixed positions at the gate.

⁸And He removed the adefense of Judah.

In that day you bdepended on the weapons of the house of the forest, [aLit screen, covering bOr looked to, considered]

⁹And you saw that the breaches

In the wall of the city of David were many;

And you collected the waters of the lower pool.

¹⁰Then you counted the houses of Jerusalem

And tore down houses to fortify the wall.

¹¹And you made a reservoir between the two walls

For the waters of the old pool.

But you did not adepend on Him who made it,

Nor did you btake into consideration Him who planned it long ago. [aOr look to, consider bLit see...Him]

12 Therefore in that day the Lord aGOD of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing,

To shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

¹³Instead, there is gaiety and gladness,

Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep,

Eating of meat and drinking of wine:

“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”

¹⁴But the LORD of hosts revealed Himself ato me,

“Surely this iniquity shall not be bforgiven you

Until you die,” says the Lord cGOD of hosts. [aLit in my ears bLit atoned for cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

15 Thus says the Lord aGOD of hosts,

“Come, go to this steward,

To Shebna, who is in charge of the royal household, [15 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

¹⁶‘What right do you have here,

And whom do you have here,

That you have hewn a tomb for yourself here,

You who hew a tomb on the height,

You who carve a resting place for ayourself in the rock? [aLit himself]

¹⁷‘Behold, the LORD is about to hurl you headlong, O man.

And He is about to grasp you firmly

¹⁸And roll you tightly like a ball,

To be cast into a vast country;

There you will die

And there your splendid chariots will be,

You shame of your master’s house.’

¹⁹“I will depose you from your office,

And aI will pull you down from your station. [aSo with many ancient versions; Heb He]

²⁰“Then it will come about in that day,

That I will summon My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,

²¹And I will clothe him with your tunic

And tie your sash securely about him.

I will entrust him with your aauthority,

And he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. [aLit rule]

²²“Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder,

When he opens no one will shut,

When he shuts no one will open.

²³“I will drive him like a peg in a firm place,

And he will become a throne of glory to his father’s house.

²⁴So they will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, offspring and aissue, all the least of vessels, from bowls to all the jars. ²⁵In that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “the peg driven in a firm place will give way; it will even break off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken.” [24 aOr perhaps, leaf]

ISAIAH 23 [Books]

The Fall of Tyre

1 The aoracle concerning Tyre.

Wail, O ships of Tarshish,

For Tyre is destroyed, without house or bharbor;

It is reported to them from the land of cCyprus. [1 aOr burden of bLit entering cHeb Kittim]

²Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastland,

You merchants of Sidon;

aYour messengers crossed the sea [aSo DSS; M.T. Who passed over the sea, they replenished you]

³And were on many waters.

The grain of the aNile, the harvest of the River was her revenue;

And she was the market of nations. [aHeb Shihor]

⁴Be ashamed, O Sidon;

For the sea speaks, the stronghold of the sea, saying,

“I have neither travailed nor given birth,

I have neither brought up young men nor reared virgins.”

⁵When the report reaches Egypt,

They will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.

⁶Pass over to Tarshish;

Wail, O inhabitants of the coastland.

⁷Is this your jubilant city,

Whose origin is from antiquity,

Whose feet used to carry her to acolonize distant places? [aLit sojourn afar off]

8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns,

Whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

⁹The LORD of hosts has planned it, to defile the pride of all beauty,

To despise all the honored of the earth.

¹⁰aOverflow your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish,

There is no more brestraint. [aLit Pass over bPerhaps girdle or shipyard]

¹¹He has stretched His hand out over the sea,

He has made the kingdoms tremble;

The LORD has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.

12 He has said, “You shall exult no more, O crushed virgin daughter of Sidon.

Arise, pass over to aCyprus; even there you will find no rest.” [aHeb Kittim]

13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people which was not; Assyria appointed it for desert creatures—they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

¹⁴Wail, O ships of Tarshish,

For your stronghold is destroyed.

¹⁵Now in that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

¹⁶Take your harp, walk about the city,

O forgotten harlot;

Pluck the strings skillfully, sing many songs,

That you may be remembered.

¹⁷It will come about at the end of seventy years that the LORD will visit Tyre. Then she will go back to her harlot’s wages and will play the harlot with all the kingdoms aon the face of the earth. ¹⁸Her gain and her harlot’s wages will be set apart to the LORD; it will not be stored up or hoarded, but her gain will become sufficient food and choice attire for those who dwell in the presence of the LORD. [17 aLit of the earth on the face of the land]

ISAIAH 24 [Books]

Judgment on the Earth

1 Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants. ²And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor. ³The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the LORD has spoken this word. ⁴The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. ⁵The earth is also polluted aby its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. ⁶Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. [5 aLit under]

7 The new wine mourns,

The vine decays,

All the merry-hearted sigh.

⁸The gaiety of tambourines ceases,

The noise of revelers stops,

The gaiety of the harp ceases.

⁹They do not drink wine with song;

Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

¹⁰The city of chaos is broken down;

Every house is shut up so that none may enter.

¹¹There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine;

All joy aturns to gloom.

The gaiety of the earth is banished. [aLit is darkened]

¹²Desolation is left in the city

And the gate is battered to ruins.

¹³For thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples,

As the ashaking of an olive tree,

As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over. [aLit striking]

¹⁴They raise their voices, they shout for joy;

They cry out from the awest concerning the majesty of the LORD. [aLit sea]

¹⁵Therefore glorify the LORD in the aeast,

The name of the LORD, the God of Israel,

In the bcoastlands of the sea. [aLit region of light bOr islands]

¹⁶From the ends of the earth we hear songs, “Glory to the Righteous One,”

But I say, “aWoe to me! aWoe to me! Alas for me!

The treacherous deal treacherously,

And the treacherous deal very treacherously.” [aLit Wasting to me!]

¹⁷Terror and pit and snare

aConfront you, O inhabitant of the earth. [aLit Are upon you]

¹⁸Then it will be that he who flees the areport of disaster will fall into the pit,

And he who bclimbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare;

For the windows cabove are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake. [aLit sound of terror bLit goes up from the midst of cLit from the height; i.e. heaven]

¹⁹The earth is broken asunder,

The earth is split through,

The earth is shaken violently.

²⁰The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard

And it totters like a ashack,

For its transgression is heavy upon it,

And it will fall, never to rise again. [aOr hut]

²¹So it will happen in that day,

That the LORD will punish the host of aheaven on high,

And the kings of the earth on earth. [aLit the height in the height]

²²They will be gathered together

Like prisoners in the adungeon,

And will be confined in prison;

And after many days they will be punished. [aLit pit]

²³Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed,

For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,

And His glory will be before His elders.

ISAIAH 25 [Books]

Song of Praise for God’s Favor

1 O LORD, You are my God;

I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name;

For You have worked wonders,

Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.

²For You have made a city into a heap,

A fortified city into a ruin;

A palace of strangers is a city no more,

It will never be rebuilt.

³Therefore a strong people will glorify You;

Cities of ruthless nations will revere You.

⁴For You have been a defense for the helpless,

A defense for the needy in his distress,

A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat;

For the breath of the ruthless

Is like a rain storm against a wall.

⁵Like heat in drought, You subdue the uproar of aliens;

Like heat by the shadow of a cloud, the song of the ruthless is asilenced. [aLit humbled]

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a alavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;

A banquet of baged wine, cchoice pieces with marrow,

And drefined, aged wine. [aLit feast of fat things; i.e. abundance bLit wine on the lees cLit fat pieces dLit wine refined on the lees]

⁷And on this mountain He will swallow up the acovering which is over all peoples,

Even the veil which is bstretched over all nations. [aLit face of the covering bLit woven]

⁸He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord aGOD will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the LORD has spoken. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

⁹And it will be said in that day,

“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

¹⁰For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain,

And Moab will be trodden down in his place

As straw is trodden down in the water of a manure pile.

¹¹And he will spread out his hands in the middle of it

As a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim,

But the Lord will lay low his pride together with the trickery of his hands.

¹²The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down,

Lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust.

ISAIAH 26 [Books]

Song of Trust in God’s Protection

1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;

He sets up walls and ramparts for asecurity. [1 aOr salvation]

²“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter,

The one that aremains faithful. [aLit keeps faithfulness]

³“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in You.

⁴“Trust in the LORD forever,

For in aGOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock. [aHeb YAH, usually rendered LORD]

⁵“For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city;

He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust.

⁶“The foot will trample it,

The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.”

7 The way of the righteous is smooth;

O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.

⁸Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD,

We have waited for You eagerly;

Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.

⁹At night amy soul longs for You,

Indeed, bmy spirit within me seeks You diligently;

For when the earth cexperiences Your judgments

The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. [aLit with my soul I long bLit with my spirit...I seek cLit has]

¹⁰Though the wicked is shown favor,

He does not learn righteousness;

He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness,

And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD.

11 O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it.

aThey see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame;

Indeed, bfire will devour Your enemies. [aOr Let them see...and be bOr let the fire for Your adversaries devour them]

¹²LORD, You will establish peace for us,

Since You have also performed for us all our works.

¹³O LORD our God, other masters besides You have ruled us;

But through You alone we aconfess Your name. [aOr cause to be remembered]

¹⁴The dead will not live, the adeparted spirits will not rise;

Therefore You have punished and destroyed them,

And You have wiped out all remembrance of them. [aOr shades]

¹⁵You have increased the nation, O LORD,

You have increased the nation, You are glorified;

You have extended all the borders of the land.

¹⁶O LORD, they sought You in distress;

They acould only whisper a prayer,

Your chastening was upon them. [aLit sound forth a whisper]

¹⁷As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth,

She writhes and cries out in her labor pains,

Thus were we before You, O LORD.

¹⁸We were pregnant, we writhed in labor,

We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind.

We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth,

Nor were inhabitants of the world aborn. [aLit fallen]

¹⁹Your dead will live;

aTheir corpses will rise.

You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy,

For your dew is as the dew of the bdawn,

And the earth will cgive birth to the ddeparted spirits. [aSo with some ancient versions; Heb My bLit lights cLit cause to fall dOr shades]

20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms

And close your doors behind you;

Hide for a little awhile

Until indignation bruns its course. [aLit moment bLit passes over]

²¹For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place

To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;

And the earth will reveal her bloodshed

And will no longer cover her slain.

ISAIAH 27 [Books]

The Deliverance of Israel

1 In that day the LORD will punish aLeviathan the fleeing serpent,

With His fierce and great and mighty sword,

Even aLeviathan the twisted serpent;

And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea. [aOr sea monster]

2 In that day,

“A avineyard of wine, sing of it! [aSome mss read a vineyard of delight]

³“I, the LORD, am its keeper;

I water it every moment.

So that no one will adamage it,

I guard it night and day. [aLit punish]

⁴“I have no wrath.

Should asomeone give Me briars and thorns in battle,

Then I would step on them, I would burn them bcompletely. [aLit who bLit altogether]

⁵“Or let him arely on My protection,

Let him make peace with Me,

Let him make peace with Me.” [aLit take hold of]

⁶aIn the days to come Jacob will take root,

Israel will blossom and sprout,

And they will fill the bwhole world with fruit. [aLit Those coming bLit face of]

7 Like the striking of Him who has struck them, has He struck them?

Or like the slaughter of His slain, ahave they been slain? [aLit he was slain]

⁸You contended with them aby banishing them, by driving them away.

With His fierce wind He has expelled them on the day of the east wind. [aSome ancient versions read by exact measure]

⁹Therefore through this Jacob’s iniquity will be forgiven;

And this will be athe full price of the bpardoning of his sin:

When he makes all the altar stones like pulverized chalk stones;

When cAsherim and incense altars will not stand. [aLit all the fruit bLit removing cI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity]

¹⁰For the fortified city is isolated,

A ahomestead forlorn and forsaken like the desert;

There the calf will graze,

And there it will lie down and bfeed on its branches. [aLit pasture bLit consume]

¹¹When its limbs are dry, they are broken off;

Women come and make a fire with them,

For they are not a people of discernment,

Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them.

And their Creator will not be gracious to them.

12 In that day the LORD will start His threshing from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt, and you will be gathered up one by one, O sons of Israel. ¹³It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

ISAIAH 28 [Books]

Ephraim’s Captivity Predicted

1 Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,

And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

Which is at the head of the afertile valley

Of those who are bovercome with wine! [aLit valley of fatness bLit smitten]

²Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty agent;

As a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction,

Like a storm of mighty overflowing waters,

He has cast it down to the earth with His hand.

³The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden under foot.

⁴And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

Which is at the head of the afertile valley,

Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer,

Which bone sees,

And cas soon as it is in his dhand,

He swallows it. [aLit valley of fatness bLit the one seeing sees cLit while it is yet dLit palm]

⁵In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown

And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people;

⁶A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment,

A strength to those who repel the aonslaught at the gate. [aLit battle]

⁷And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink:

The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,

They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink;

They reel while ahaving visions,

They totter when rendering judgment. [aLit seeing]

⁸For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.

9 “To whom would He teach knowledge,

And to whom would He interpret the message?

Those just weaned from milk?

Those just taken from the breast?

¹⁰“For He says,

‘aOrder on order, order on order,

Line on line, line on line,

A little here, a little there.’ ” [aHeb Sav lasav, sav lasav, Kav lakav, kav lakav, Ze’ er sham, ze’ er sham These Hebrew monosyllables, imitating the babbling of a child, mock the prophet’s preaching]

¹¹Indeed, He will speak to this people

Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue,

¹²He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,”

And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen.

¹³So the word of the LORD to them will be,

“aOrder on order, order on order,

Line on line, line on line,

A little here, a little there,”

That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive. [aV 10, note 1 The LORD responds to their scoffing by imitating their mockery, to represent the unintelligible language of a conqueror]

Judah Is Warned

¹⁴Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers,

Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,

¹⁵Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,

And with aSheol we have made a bpact.

The overwhelming cscourge will not reach us when it passes by,

For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.”

¹⁶Therefore thus says the Lord dGOD,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,

A costly cornerstone for the foundation, efirmly placed.

He who believes in it will not be fdisturbed. [aI.e. the nether world bSo some ancient versions; Heb seer cOr flood dHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD eLit well-laid fLit in a hurry]

¹⁷“I will make justice the measuring line

And righteousness the level;

Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies

And the waters will overflow the secret place.

¹⁸“Your covenant with death will be acanceled,

And your pact with Sheol will not stand;

When the overwhelming scourge passes through,

Then you become its trampling place. [aLit covered over]

¹⁹“As often as it passes through, it will aseize you;

For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night,

And it will be bsheer terror to understand cwhat it means.” [aLit take bLit only cLit the report, or, the message]

²⁰The bed is too short on which to stretch out,

And the blanket is too asmall to wrap oneself in. [aLit narrow]

²¹For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim,

He will be stirred up as in the valley of Gibeon,

To do His task, His aunusual task,

And to work His work, His bextraordinary work. [aLit task is strange bLit work is alien]

²²And now do not carry on as scoffers,

Or your fetters will be made stronger;

For I have heard from the Lord aGOD of hosts

Of decisive destruction on all the earth. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

23 Give ear and hear my voice,

Listen and hear my words.

²⁴Does the afarmer plow bcontinually to plant seed?

Does he continually cturn and harrow the ground? [aLit plowman bLit all day cLit open]

²⁵Does he not level its surface

And sow dill and scatter cummin

And aplant wheat in rows,

Barley in its place and rye within its barea? [aLit put bLit region]

²⁶For his God instructs and teaches him properly.

²⁷For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,

Nor is the cartwheel adriven over cummin;

But dill is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a club. [aLit rolled]

²⁸Grain for bread is crushed,

Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever.

Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually adamage it,

He does not thresh it longer. [aLit discomfit]

²⁹This also comes from the LORD of hosts,

Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great.

ISAIAH 29 [Books]

Jerusalem Is Warned

1 Woe, O aAriel, aAriel the city where David once camped!

Add year to year, bobserve your feasts on schedule. [aI.e. Lion of God, or Jerusalem bLit let your feasts run their round]

²I will bring distress to Ariel,

And she will be a city of lamenting and mourning;

And she will be like an Ariel to me.

³I will camp against you aencircling you,

And I will set siegeworks against you,

And I will raise up battle towers against you. [aLit like a circle]

⁴Then you will be brought low;

From the earth you will speak,

And from the dust where you are prostrate

Your words will come.

Your voice will also be like that of a aspirit from the ground,

And your speech will whisper from the dust. [aOr ghost]

5 But the multitude of your aenemies will become like fine dust,

And the multitude of the ruthless ones like the chaff which bblows away;

And it will happen instantly, suddenly. [aLit strangers bLit passes away]

⁶From the LORD of hosts you will be punished with thunder and earthquake and loud noise,

With whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire.

⁷And the multitude of all the nations who wage war against aAriel,

Even all who wage war against her and her stronghold, and who distress her,

Will be like a dream, a vision of the night. [aV 1, note 1]

⁸It will be as when a hungry man dreams—

And behold, he is eating;

But when he awakens, his ahunger is not satisfied,

Or as when a thirsty man dreams—

And behold, he is drinking,

But when he awakens, behold, he is faint

And his athirst is not quenched.

Thus the multitude of all the nations will be

Who wage war against Mount Zion. [aLit soul]

9 Be delayed and wait,

Blind yourselves and be blind;

They become drunk, but not with wine,

They stagger, but not with strong drink.

¹⁰For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep,

He has shut your eyes, the prophets;

And He has covered your heads, the seers.

¹¹The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed abook, which when they give it to the one who bis literate, saying, “Please read this,” he will say, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” ¹²Then the abook will be given to the one who cis illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I dcannot read.” [11 aOr scroll bLit knows books 12 cLit does not know books dLit do not know books]

13 Then the Lord said,

“Because this people draw near with their awords

And honor Me with their blip service,

But they remove their hearts far from Me,

And their creverence for Me dconsists of etradition learned by rote, [13 aLit mouth bLit lips cLit fear of Me dLit is eLit commandment of rulers]

¹⁴Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous;

And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,

And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”

15 Woe to those who deeply hide their aplans from the LORD,

And whose deeds are done in a dark place,

And they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?” [aLit counsel]

¹⁶You turn things around!

Shall the potter be considered aas equal with the clay,

That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”;

Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? [aLit like]

Blessing after Discipline

17 Is it not yet just a little while

aBefore Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field,

And the fertile field will be considered as a forest? [aLit And]

¹⁸On that day the deaf will hear words of a book,

And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

¹⁹The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the LORD,

And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

²⁰For the ruthless will come to an end and the scorner will be finished,

Indeed all who aare intent on doing evil will be cut off; [aLit watch evil]

²¹Who acause a person to be indicted by a word,

And ensnare him who adjudicates at the gate,

And bdefraud the one in the right with cmeaningless arguments. [aLit bring a person under condemnation bLit turn aside cLit confusion]

22 Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now turn pale;

²³But when ahe sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst,

They will sanctify My name;

Indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob

And will stand in awe of the God of Israel. [aOr his children see]

²⁴“Those who err in amind will know bthe truth,

And those who ccriticize will daccept instruction. [aLit spirit bLit understanding cLit murmur dLit learn]

ISAIAH 30 [Books]

Judah Warned against Egyptian Alliance

1 “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD,

“Who execute a plan, but not Mine,

And amake an alliance, but not of My Spirit,

In order to add sin to sin; [aLit pour out a drink offering]

²Who proceed down to Egypt

Without consulting aMe,

To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh

And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! [aLit My mouth]

³“Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be your shame

And the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.

⁴“For their princes are at Zoan

And their ambassadors arrive at Hanes.

⁵“Everyone will be ashamed because of a people who cannot profit them,

Who are not for help or profit, but for shame and also for reproach.”

6 The aoracle concerning the beasts of the Negev.

Through a land of distress and anguish,

From bwhere come lioness and lion, viper and flying serpent,

They carry their riches on the cbacks of young donkeys

And their treasures on camels’ humps,

To a people who cannot profit them; [6 aOr burden of bLit them cLit shoulders]

⁷Even Egypt, whose help is vain and empty.

Therefore, I have called aher

“bRahab who has been exterminated.” [aLit this one bM.T. reads They are Rahab (or arrogance), to remain]

⁸Now go, write it on a tablet before them

And inscribe it on a scroll,

That it may aserve in the time to come

bAs a witness forever. [aLit be bSo the versions; Heb Forever and ever]

⁹For this is a rebellious people, false sons,

Sons who arefuse to listen

To the binstruction of the LORD; [aLit are not willing bOr law]

¹⁰Who say to the seers, “You must not see visions”;

And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right,

Speak to us apleasant words,

Prophesy illusions. [aLit smooth things]

¹¹“Get out of the way, turn aside from the path,

aLet us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

¹²Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel,

“Since you have rejected this word

And have put your trust in oppression and guile, and have relied on them, [aLit Cause to cease from our presence the]

¹³Therefore this iniquity will be to you

Like a breach about to fall,

A bulge in a high wall,

Whose collapse comes suddenly in an instant,

¹⁴Whose collapse is like the smashing of a potter’s jar,

aSo ruthlessly shattered

That a sherd will not be found among its pieces

To btake fire from a hearth

Or to scoop water from a cistern.”

¹⁵For thus the Lord cGOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said,

“In drepentance and rest you will be saved,

In quietness and trust is your strength.”

But you were not willing, [aLit Crushed, it will not be spared bLit snatch up cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD dLit returning]

¹⁶And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses,”

Therefore you shall flee!

“And we will ride on swift horses,”

Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.

¹⁷One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;

You will flee at the threat of five,

Until you are left as a aflag on a mountain top

And as a signal on a hill. [aLit pole]

God Is Gracious and Just

18 Therefore the LORD alongs to be gracious to you,

And therefore He bwaits on high to have compassion on you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

How blessed are all those who clong for Him. [aLit waits bLit is on high cLit wait]

19 aO people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. ²⁰Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. ²¹Your ears will hear a word behind you, “bThis is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. ²²And you will defile your graven images overlaid with silver, and your molten images plated with gold. You will scatter them as an impure thing, and say to cthem, “Be gone!” [19 aM.T. reads A people will inhabit Zion, Jerusalem 21 bLit saying, “This 22 cLit it “Go out”]

23 Then He will give you rain for athe seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be brich and cplenteous; on that day your livestock will graze in a roomy pasture. ²⁴Also the oxen and the donkeys which work the ground will eat salted fodder, which dhas been winnowed with shovel and fork. ²⁵On every lofty mountain and on every high hill there will be estreams running with water on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. ²⁶The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise fHe has inflicted. [23 aLit your bLit fatness cLit fat 24 dLit one winnows 25 eLit canals, streams of water 26 fLit of His blow]

27 Behold, the name of the LORD comes from a aremote place;

Burning is His anger and bdense is His csmoke;

His lips are filled with indignation

And His tongue is like a consuming fire; [aLit distance bLit heaviness cLit uplifting]

²⁸His breath is like an overflowing torrent,

Which reaches to the neck,

To shake the nations back and forth in a asieve,

And to put in the jaws of the peoples the bridle which bleads to ruin. [aLit sifting of the worthless bLit misleads]

²⁹You will have asongs as in the night when you keep the festival,

And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute,

To go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. [aLit the song]

³⁰And the LORD will cause aHis voice of authority to be heard,

And the bdescending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger,

And in the flame of a consuming fire

In cloudburst, downpour and hailstones. [aLit the majesty of His voice bLit descent]

³¹For at the voice of the LORD Assyria will be terrified,

When He strikes with the rod.

³²And every ablow of the brod of punishment,

Which the LORD will lay on him,

Will be with the music of tambourines and lyres;

And in battles, brandishing weapons, He will fight them. [aLit passing bLit staff of foundation]

³³For aTopheth has long been ready,

Indeed, it has been prepared for the king.

He has made it deep and large,

bA pyre of fire with plenty of wood;

The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire. [aI.e. the place of human sacrifice to Molech bLit Its pile]

ISAIAH 31 [Books]

Help Not in Egypt but in God

1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help

And rely on horses,

And trust in chariots because they are many

And in horsemen because they are very strong,

But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

²Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster

And does not retract His words,

But will arise against the house of evildoers

And against the help of the workers of iniquity.

³Now the Egyptians are men and not God,

And their horses are flesh and not spirit;

So the LORD will stretch out His hand,

And he who helps will stumble

And he who is helped will fall,

And all of them will come to an end together.

4 For thus says the LORD to me,

“As the lion or the young lion growls over his prey,

Against which a band of shepherds is called out,

And he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise,

So will the LORD of hosts come down to wage war on Mount Zion and on its hill.”

⁵Like aflying birds so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem.

He will protect and deliver it;

He will pass over and rescue it. [aOr hovering]

6 Return to Him from whom ayou have deeply defected, O sons of Israel. ⁷For in that day every man will cast away his silver idols and his gold idols, which your sinful hands have made for you as a sin. [6 aLit they]

⁸And the Assyrian will fall by a sword not of man,

And a sword not of man will devour him.

So he will anot escape the sword,

And his young men will become forced laborers. [aLit flee]

⁹“His rock will pass away because of panic,

And his princes will be terrified at the standard,”

Declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

ISAIAH 32 [Books]

The Glorious Future

1 Behold, a king will reign righteously

And princes will rule justly.

²Each will be like a refuge from the wind

And a shelter from the storm,

Like astreams of water in a dry country,

Like the shade of a bhuge rock in ca parched land. [aLit canals bLit heavy cLit an exhausted]

³Then the eyes of those who see will not be ablinded,

And the ears of those who hear will listen. [aOr turned away]

⁴The amind of the hasty will discern the btruth,

And the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly. [aLit heart bLit knowledge]

⁵No longer will the fool be called noble,

Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

⁶For a fool speaks nonsense,

And his heart ainclines toward wickedness:

To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the LORD,

To bkeep the hungry person unsatisfied

And cto withhold drink from the thirsty. [aOr does bLit make empty the hungry soul cLit he causes to lack]

⁷As for a rogue, his weapons are evil;

He devises wicked schemes

To destroy the afflicted with aslander,

Even though the needy one speaks bwhat is right. [aLit words of falsehood bLit justly]

⁸But the noble man devises noble plans;

And by noble plans he stands.

9 Rise up, you women who are at ease,

And hear my voice;

Give ear to my word,

You complacent daughters.

¹⁰Within a year and a few days

You will be troubled, O complacent daughters;

For the vintage is ended,

And the fruit gathering will not come.

¹¹Tremble, you women who are at ease;

Be troubled, you complacent daughters;

Strip, undress and put sackcloth on your waist,

¹²Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,

¹³For the land of my people in which thorns and briars shall come up;

Yea, for all the joyful houses and for the jubilant city.

¹⁴Because the palace has been abandoned, the apopulated city forsaken.

bHill and watch-tower have become caves forever,

A delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks; [aLit multitude of the bOr Ophel]

¹⁵Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,

And the wilderness becomes a fertile field,

And the fertile field is considered as a forest.

¹⁶Then justice will dwell in the wilderness

And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.

¹⁷And the work of righteousness will be peace,

And the service of righteousness, quietness and aconfidence forever. [aOr security]

¹⁸Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation,

And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places;

¹⁹And it will hail when the forest comes down,

And the city will be utterly laid low.

²⁰How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,

Who alet out freely the ox and the donkey. [aLit send out the foot of the ox]

ISAIAH 33 [Books]

The Judgment of God

1 Woe to you, O destroyer,

While you were not destroyed;

And he who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him.

As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed;

As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you.

²O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for You.

Be atheir bstrength every morning,

Our salvation also in the time of distress. [aSome versions read our bLit arm]

³At the sound of the tumult peoples flee;

At the lifting up of Yourself nations disperse.

⁴Your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;

As locusts rushing about men rush about on it.

⁵The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;

He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

⁶And He will be the astability of your times,

A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;

The fear of the LORD is his treasure. [aOr faithfulness]

⁷Behold, their brave men cry in athe streets,

The bambassadors of peace weep bitterly. [aLit the outside bLit messengers]

⁸The highways are desolate, athe traveler has ceased,

He has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities,

He has no regard for man. [aLit he who passes along the way]

⁹The land mourns and pines away,

Lebanon is shamed and withers;

Sharon is like a desert plain,

And Bashan and Carmel alose their foliage. [aLit shake off]

¹⁰“Now I will arise,” says the LORD,

“Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.

¹¹“You have conceived achaff, you will give birth to stubble;

bMy breath will consume you like a fire. [aLit dry grass bSo one ancient version; M.T. reads Your breath will]

¹²“The peoples will be burned to lime,

Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.

13 “You who are far away, hear what I have done;

And you who are near, aacknowledge My might.” [aLit know]

¹⁴Sinners in Zion are terrified;

Trembling has seized the godless.

“Who among us can live with the consuming fire?

Who among us can live with acontinual burning?” [aLit everlasting]

¹⁵He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity,

He who rejects aunjust gain

And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;

He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed

And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; [aLit gain of extortioners]

¹⁶He will dwell on the heights,

His refuge will be the aimpregnable rock;

His bread will be given him,

His water will be sure. [aLit stronghold of rock]

17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;

They will behold a far-distant land.

¹⁸Your heart will meditate on terror:

“Where is he who counts?

Where is he who weighs?

Where is he who counts the towers?”

¹⁹You will no longer see a fierce people,

A people of aunintelligible speech bwhich no one comprehends,

Of a stammering tongue cwhich no one understands. [aLit deepness of lip bLit from hearing cLit there is no understanding]

²⁰Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;

Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed habitation,

A tent which will not be folded;

Its stakes will never be pulled up,

Nor any of its cords be torn apart.

²¹But there the majestic One, the LORD, will be for us

A place of rivers and wide canals

On which no boat with oars will go,

And on which no mighty ship will pass—

²²For the LORD is our judge,

The LORD is our lawgiver,

The LORD is our king;

He will save us—

²³Your tackle hangs slack;

It cannot hold the base of its mast firmly,

Nor spread out the sail.

Then the prey of an abundant spoil will be divided;

The lame will take the plunder.

²⁴And no resident will say, “I am sick”;

The people who dwell athere will be forgiven their iniquity. [aLit in it]

ISAIAH 34 [Books]

God’s Wrath against Nations

1 Draw near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples!

Let the earth and aall it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it. [aLit its fullness]

²For the LORD’S indignation is against all the nations,

And His wrath against all their armies;

He has autterly destroyed them,

He has given them over to slaughter. [aLit put under the ban]

³So their slain will be thrown out,

And their corpses awill give off their stench,

And the mountains will bbe drenched with their blood. [aLit their stench will go up bLit dissolve]

⁴And all the host of heaven will awear away,

And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;

All their hosts will also wither away

As a leaf withers from the vine,

Or as one withers from the fig tree. [aLit rot]

⁵For My sword is satiated in heaven,

Behold it shall descend for judgment upon Edom

And upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction.

⁶The sword of the LORD is filled with blood,

It is asated with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats,

With the fat of the kidneys of rams.

For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah

And a great slaughter in the land of Edom. [aLit made fat]

⁷Wild oxen will also afall with them

And young bulls with strong ones;

Thus their land will be soaked with blood,

And their dust bbecome greasy with fat. [aLit go down bLit made fat]

⁸For the LORD has a day of vengeance,

A year of recompense for the acause of Zion. [aOr controversy]

⁹aIts streams will be turned into pitch,

And its loose earth into brimstone,

And its land will become burning pitch. [aI.e. Edom’s]

¹⁰It will not be quenched night or day;

Its smoke will go up forever.

From generation to generation it will be desolate;

None will pass through it forever and ever.

¹¹But apelican and hedgehog will possess it,

And bowl and raven will dwell in it;

And He will stretch over it the line of cdesolation

And the dplumb line of emptiness. [aOr owl or jackdaw bOr great horned owl cOr formlessness dLit stones of void]

¹²Its nobles—there is no one there

Whom they may proclaim king—

And all its princes will be nothing.

¹³Thorns will come up in its fortified towers,

Nettles and thistles in its fortified cities;

It will also be a haunt of jackals

And an abode of ostriches.

¹⁴The desert creatures will meet with the awolves,

The bhairy goat also will cry to its kind;

Yes, the cnight monster will settle there

And will find herself a resting place. [aOr howling creatures bOr demon cHeb Lilith]

¹⁵The tree snake will make its nest and lay eggs there,

And it will hatch and gather them under its aprotection.

Yes, the bhawks will be gathered there,

Every one with its kind. [aLit shade bOr kites]

16 Seek from the book of the LORD, and read:

Not one of these will be missing;

None will lack its mate.

For aHis mouth has commanded,

And His Spirit has gathered them. [16 aSo DSS; M.T. My]

¹⁷He has cast the lot for them,

And His hand has divided it to them by line.

They shall possess it forever;

From generation to generation they will dwell in it.

ISAIAH 35 [Books]

Zion’s Happy Future

1 The wilderness and the desert will be glad,

And the aArabah will rejoice and blossom;

Like the crocus [aOr desert]

²It will blossom profusely

And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

The majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They will see the glory of the LORD,

The majesty of our God.

³Encourage the aexhausted, and strengthen the bfeeble. [aLit slack hands bLit tottering knees]

⁴Say to those with anxious heart,

“Take courage, fear not.

Behold, your God will come with vengeance;

The recompense of God will come,

But He will save you.”

⁵Then the eyes of the blind will be opened

And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

⁶Then the lame will leap like a deer,

And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.

For waters will break forth in the wilderness

And streams in the aArabah. [aOr desert]

⁷The ascorched land will become a pool

And the thirsty ground springs of water;

In the haunt of jackals, its resting place,

Grass becomes reeds and rushes. [aOr mirage]

⁸A highway will be there, a roadway,

And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.

The unclean will not travel on it,

But it will be for him who walks that way,

And fools will not wander on it.

⁹No lion will be there,

Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;

aThese will not be found there.

But the redeemed will walk there, [aLit It]

¹⁰And the ransomed of the LORD will return

And come with joyful shouting to Zion,

With everlasting joy upon their heads.

They will afind gladness and joy,

And sorrow and sighing will flee away. [aLit overtake]

ISAIAH 36 [Books]

Sennacherib Invades Judah

1 Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. ²And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a large army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway of the afuller’s field. ³Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to him. [2 aI.e. launderer’s]

4 Then Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What is this confidence that you ahave? ⁵I say, ‘Your counsel and strength for the war are only bempty words.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me? ⁶Behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his chand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. ⁷But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’? ⁸Now therefore, dcome make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. ⁹How then can you erepulse one fofficial of the least of my master’s servants and grely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ¹⁰Have I now come up hwithout the LORD’S approval against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’ ” ’ ” [4 aLit trust 5 bLit words of lips 6 cLit palm 8 dLit please exchange pledges 9 eLit turn away the face of fOr governor gLit rely on for yourself 10 hLit without the LORD]

11 Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we aunderstand it; and do not speak with us in bJudean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” ¹²But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?” [11 aLit hear bI.e. Hebrew]

13 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. ¹⁴Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; ¹⁵nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us, this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ¹⁶Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘aMake your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, ¹⁷until 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. ¹⁸Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ¹⁹Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And when have they delivered Samaria from my hand? ²⁰Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the LORD would deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’ ” [16 aLit Make with me a blessing]

21 But they were silent and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.” ²²Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

ISAIAH 37 [Books]

Hezekiah Seeks Isaiah’s Help

1 And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the LORD. ²Then he sent Eliakim who was over the household with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. ³They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, rebuke and rejection; for children have come to birth, and there is no strength to adeliver. ⁴Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ” [3 aLit give birth]

5 So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. ⁶Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. ⁷Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.” ’ ”

8 Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that athe king had left Lachish. ⁹When he heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of bCush, “He has come out to fight against you,” and when he heard it he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, ¹⁰“Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of cJudah, ‘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.” ¹¹Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be dspared? ¹²Did the gods of ethose nations which my fathers have destroyed deliver them, even Gozan and Haran and Rezeph and the sons of Eden who were in Telassar? ¹³Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’ ” [8 aLit he 9 bOr Ethiopia 10 cLit Judah, saying 11 dLit delivered 12 eLit the]

Hezekiah’s Prayer in the Temple

14 Then Hezekiah took the aletter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the LORD and bspread it out before the LORD. ¹⁵Hezekiah prayed to the LORD saying, ¹⁶“O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁷Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God. ¹⁸Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have devastated all the countries and their lands, ¹⁹and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. ²⁰Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, LORD, care God.” [14 aLit letters bLit Hezekiah spread 20 cSo DSS and 2 Kin 19:19; M.T. omits God]

God Answers through Isaiah

21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, ²²this is the word that the LORD has spoken against him:

“She has despised you and mocked you,

The virgin daughter of Zion;

She has shaken her head behind you,

The daughter of Jerusalem!

²³“Whom have you reproached and blasphemed?

And against whom have you raised your voice

And ahaughtily lifted up your eyes?

Against the Holy One of Israel! [aLit on high]

²⁴“Through your servants you have reproached the Lord,

And you have said, ‘With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains,

To the remotest parts of Lebanon;

And I cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses.

And I will go to its ahighest peak, its thickest forest. [aLit farthest height]

²⁵‘I dug wells and drank waters,

And with the sole of my feet I dried up

All the rivers of aEgypt.’ [aOr the besieged place]

²⁶“Have you not heard?

Long ago I did it,

From ancient times I planned it.

Now I have brought it to pass,

That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.

²⁷“Therefore their inhabitants were short of strength,

They were dismayed and put to shame;

They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb,

As grass on the housetops ais scorched before it is grown up. [aSo DSS and 2 Kin 19:26; M.T. as a plowed field]

²⁸“But I know your sitting down

And your going out and your coming in

And your raging against Me.

²⁹“Because of your raging against Me

And because your aarrogance has come up to My ears,

Therefore I will put My hook in your nose

And My bridle in your lips,

And I will turn you back by the way which you came. [aLit complacency]

30 “Then this shall be the sign for you: ayou will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ³¹The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. ³²For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant and out of Mount Zion bsurvivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” ’ [30 aLit eating 32 bLit those who escape]

33 “Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, ‘He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield, or throw up a siege ramp against it. ³⁴By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he will not come to this city,’ declares the LORD. ³⁵‘For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

Assyrians Destroyed

36 Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when amen arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were bdead. ³⁷So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and creturned home and lived at Nineveh. ³⁸It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place. [36 aLit they bLit dead bodies 37 cLit went and returned]

ISAIAH 38 [Books]

Hezekiah Healed

1 In those days Hezekiah became amortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ” ²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ³and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bbitterly. [1 aLit sick to the point of death 3 bLit great weeping]

4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, ⁵“Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your alife. ⁶I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.” ’ [5 aLit days]

7 “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He has spoken: ⁸Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down.

9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and arecovery: [9 aLit he lived after his illness]

¹⁰I said, “In the middle of my alife

I am to enter the gates of Sheol;

I am to be deprived of the rest of my years.” [aLit days]

¹¹I said, “I will not see the LORD,

The LORD in the land of the living;

I will look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world.

¹²“Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;

As a weaver I rolled up my life.

He cuts me off from the loom;

From day until night You make an end of me.

¹³“I composed my soul until morning.

Like a lion—so He breaks all my bones,

From day until night You make an end of me.

¹⁴“Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter;

I moan like a dove;

My eyes look wistfully to the heights;

O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.

15 “What shall I say?

aFor He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it;

I will wander about all my years because of the bitterness of my soul. [aTargum and DSS read And what shall I say for He]

¹⁶“O Lord, by these things men live,

And in all these is the life of my spirit;

aO restore me to health and let me live! [aLit You will]

¹⁷“Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness;

It is You who has akept my soul from the pit of bnothingness,

For You have cast all my sins behind Your back. [aSo some versions; Heb loved bOr destruction]

¹⁸“For Sheol cannot thank You,

Death cannot praise You;

Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

¹⁹“It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today;

A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.

²⁰“The LORD will surely save me;

So we will play my songs on stringed instruments

All the days of our life at the house of the LORD.”

21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” ²²Then Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?”

ISAIAH 39 [Books]

Hezekiah Shows His Treasures

1 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. ²Hezekiah awas pleased, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and his whole armory and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. ³Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” ⁴He said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah banswered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.” [2 aLit rejoiced over them 4 bLit said]

5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of hosts, ⁶‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the LORD. ⁷‘And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ” ⁸Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” For he athought, “For there will be peace and truth in my days.” [8 aLit said]

ISAIAH 40 [Books]

The Greatness of God

1 “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.

²“Speak akindly to Jerusalem;

And call out to her, that her bwarfare has ended,

That her ciniquity has been removed,

That she has received of the LORD’S hand

Double for all her sins.” [aLit to the heart of bOr hard service cOr penalty of iniquity accepted as paid off]

3 A voice ais calling,

“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. [aOr of one calling out]

⁴“Let every valley be lifted up,

And every mountain and hill be made low;

And let the rough ground become a plain,

And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

⁵aThen the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

And all flesh will see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” [aOr In order that the]

⁶A voice says, “Call out.”

Then ahe answered, “What shall I call out?”

All flesh is grass, and all its bloveliness is like the flower of the field. [aAnother reading is I said bOr constancy]

⁷The grass withers, the flower fades,

aWhen the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass. [aOr Because]

⁸The grass withers, the flower fades,

But the word of our God stands forever.

9 Get yourself up on a high mountain,

O Zion, bearer of good news,

Lift up your voice mightily,

O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;

Lift it up, do not fear.

Say to the cities of Judah,

“Here is your God!”

¹⁰Behold, the Lord aGOD will come with might,

With His arm ruling for Him.

Behold, His reward is with Him

And His recompense before Him. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

¹¹Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,

In His arm He will gather the lambs

And carry them in His bosom;

He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

12 Who has measured the awaters in the hollow of His hand,

And marked off the heavens by the bspan,

And ccalculated the dust of the earth by the measure,

And weighed the mountains in a balance

And the hills in a pair of scales? [aDSS reads waters of the sea bOr half cubit; i.e. 9 in. cLit contained or comprehended]

¹³Who has adirected the Spirit of the LORD,

Or as His counselor has informed Him? [aOr measured, marked off]

¹⁴With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding?

And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge

And informed Him of the way of understanding?

¹⁵Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,

And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;

Behold, He lifts up the aislands like fine dust. [aOr coastlands]

¹⁶Even Lebanon is not enough to burn,

Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

¹⁷All the nations are as nothing before Him,

They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and ameaningless. [aOr void]

18 To whom then will you liken God?

Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

¹⁹As for the aidol, a craftsman casts it,

A goldsmith plates it with gold,

And a silversmith fashions chains of silver. [aOr graven image]

²⁰He who is too impoverished for such an offering

Selects a tree that does not rot;

He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman

To aprepare ban idol that will not totter. [aOr set up bOr a graven image]

21 Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

²²It is He who asits above the bcircle of the earth,

And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,

Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain

And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. [aOr is enthroned bOr vault]

²³He it is who reduces rulers to nothing,

Who makes the judges of the earth ameaningless. [aOr void]

²⁴aScarcely have they been planted,

aScarcely have they been sown,

aScarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,

But He merely blows on them, and they wither,

And the storm carries them away like stubble. [aOr Not even]

²⁵“To whom then will you liken Me

That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

²⁶Lift up your eyes on high

And see who has created these stars,

The One who leads forth their host by number,

He calls them all by name;

Because of the greatness of His might and the astrength of His power,

Not one of them is missing. [aSo DSS and ancient versions; M.T. strong]

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the LORD,

And the justice due me aescapes the notice of my God”? [aLit passes by my God]

²⁸Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth

Does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable.

²⁹He gives strength to the weary,

And to him who lacks might He increases power.

³⁰Though youths grow weary and tired,

And vigorous young men stumble badly,

³¹Yet those who await for the LORD

Will gain new strength;

They will bmount up with cwings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will walk and not become weary. [aOr hope in bOr sprout wings cOr pinions]

ISAIAH 41 [Books]

Israel Encouraged

1 “Coastlands, listen to Me in silence,

And let the peoples gain new strength;

Let them come forward, then let them speak;

Let us come together for judgment.

²“Who has aroused one from the east

Whom He calls in righteousness to His afeet?

He delivers up nations before him

And subdues kings.

He makes them like dust with his sword,

As the wind-driven chaff with his bow. [aLit foot]

³“He pursues them, passing on in safety,

By a way he had not been atraversing with his feet. [aLit going]

⁴“Who has performed and accomplished it,

Calling forth the generations from the beginning?

‘I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.’ ”

5 The coastlands have seen and are afraid;

The ends of the earth tremble;

They have drawn near and have come.

⁶Each one helps his neighbor

And says to his brother, “Be strong!”

⁷So the craftsman encourages the smelter,

And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil,

Saying of the soldering, “It is good”;

And he fastens it with nails,

So that it will not totter.

⁸“But you, Israel, My servant,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

Descendant of Abraham My friend,

⁹You whom I have ataken from the ends of the earth,

And called from its remotest parts

And said to you, ‘You are My servant,

I have chosen you and not rejected you. [aOr taken hold of]

¹⁰‘Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

¹¹“Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;

Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.

¹²“You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,

Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.

¹³“For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’

¹⁴“Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;

I will help you,” declares the LORD, “aand your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. [aOr even your Redeemer, the Holy One]

¹⁵“Behold, I have made you a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges;

You will thresh the mountains and pulverize them,

And will make the hills like chaff.

¹⁶“You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away,

And the storm will scatter them;

But you will rejoice in the LORD,

You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17 “The aafflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none,

And their tongue is parched with thirst;

I, the LORD, will answer them Myself,

As the God of Israel I will not forsake them. [aOr poor]

¹⁸“I will open rivers on the bare heights

And springs in the midst of the valleys;

I will make the wilderness a pool of water

And the dry land fountains of water.

¹⁹“I will put the cedar in the wilderness,

The acacia and the myrtle and the aolive tree;

I will place the juniper in the desert

Together with the box tree and the cypress, [aOr oleaster]

²⁰That they may see and recognize,

And consider and gain insight as well,

That the hand of the LORD has done this,

And the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21 “aPresent your case,” the LORD says.

“Bring forward your strong arguments,”

The King of Jacob says. [aLit Bring near]

²²Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place;

As for the former events, declare what they were,

That we may consider them and know their outcome.

Or announce to us what is coming;

²³Declare the things that are going to come afterward,

That we may know that you are gods;

Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.

²⁴Behold, you are of ano account,

And your work amounts to nothing;

He who chooses you is an abomination. [aLit nothing]

25 “I have aroused one from the north, and he has come;

From the rising of the sun he will call on My name;

And he will come upon rulers as upon mortar,

Even as the potter treads clay.”

²⁶Who has declared this from the beginning, that we might know?

Or from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”?

Surely there was no one who declared,

Surely there was no one who proclaimed,

Surely there was no one who heard your words.

²⁷“Formerly I said to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are.’

And to Jerusalem, ‘I will give a messenger of good news.’

²⁸“But when I look, there is no one,

And there is no counselor aamong them

Who, if I ask, can give an answer. [aLit out of those]

²⁹“Behold, all of them are afalse;

Their works are worthless,

Their molten images are wind and emptiness. [aAnother reading is nothing]

ISAIAH 42 [Books]

God’s Promise concerning His Servant

1 “Behold, My Servant, whom I auphold;

My chosen one in whom My soul delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the bnations. [aOr hold fast bOr Gentiles]

²“He will not cry out or raise His voice,

Nor make His voice heard in the street.

³“A bruised reed He will not break

And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;

He will faithfully bring forth justice.

⁴“He will not be disheartened or crushed

Until He has established justice in the earth;

And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His alaw.” [aOr instruction]

5 Thus says God the LORD,

Who created the heavens and stretched them out,

Who spread out the earth and its aoffspring,

Who gives breath to the people on it

And spirit to those who walk in it, [5 aOr vegetation]

⁶“I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness,

I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,

And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people,

As a light to the nations,

⁷To open blind eyes,

To bring out prisoners from the dungeon

And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

⁸“I am the LORD, that is My name;

I will not give My glory to another,

Nor My praise to agraven images. [aOr idols]

⁹“Behold, the former things have come to pass,

Now I declare new things;

Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

10 Sing to the LORD a new song,

Sing His praise from the end of the earth!

You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it.

You islands, and those who dwell on them.

¹¹Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices,

The settlements where Kedar inhabits.

Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud,

Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.

¹²Let them give glory to the LORD

And declare His praise in the coastlands.

¹³The LORD will go forth like a warrior,

He will arouse His zeal like a man of war.

He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry.

He will prevail against His enemies.

The Blindness of the People

14 “I have kept silent for a long time,

I have kept still and restrained Myself.

Now like a woman in labor I will groan,

I will both gasp and pant.

¹⁵“I will lay waste the mountains and hills

And wither all their vegetation;

I will make the rivers into coastlands

And dry up the ponds.

¹⁶“I will lead the blind by a way they do not know,

In paths they do not know I will guide them.

I will make darkness into light before them

And rugged places into plains.

These are the things I will do,

And I will not leave them undone.”

¹⁷They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame,

Who trust in aidols,

Who say to molten images,

“You are our gods.” [aOr graven images]

18 Hear, you deaf!

And look, you blind, that you may see.

¹⁹Who is blind but My servant,

Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send?

Who is so blind as he that is aat peace with Me,

Or so blind as the servant of the LORD? [aOr the devoted one]

²⁰You have seen many things, but you do not observe them;

Your ears are open, but none hears.

²¹The LORD was pleased for His righteousness’ sake

To make the law great and glorious.

²²But this is a people plundered and despoiled;

All of them are trapped in acaves,

Or are hidden away in prisons;

They have become a prey with none to deliver them,

And a spoil, with none to say, “Give them back!” [aOr holes]

23 Who among you will give ear to this?

Who will give heed and listen hereafter?

²⁴Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers?

Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned,

And in whose ways they were not willing to walk,

And whose law they did not obey?

²⁵So He poured out on him the heat of His anger

And the fierceness of battle;

And it set him aflame all around,

Yet he did not recognize it;

And it burned him, but he apaid no attention. [aLit did not lay it to heart]

ISAIAH 43 [Books]

Israel Redeemed

1 But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel,

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

²“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

³“For I am the LORD your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I have given Egypt as your ransom,

aCush and Seba in your place. [aOr Ethiopia]

⁴“Since you are precious in My sight,

Since you are honored and I love you,

I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.

⁵“Do not fear, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

And gather you from the west.

⁶“I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’

And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring My sons from afar

And My daughters from the ends of the earth,

⁷Everyone who is called by My name,

And whom I have created for My glory,

Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

Israel Is God’s Witness

8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,

And the deaf, even though they have ears.

⁹All the nations have gathered together

So that the peoples may be assembled.

Who among them can declare this

And proclaim to us the former things?

Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,

Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”

¹⁰“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And My servant whom I have chosen,

So that you may know and believe Me

And understand that I am He.

Before Me there was no God formed,

And there will be none after Me.

¹¹“I, even I, am the LORD,

And there is no savior besides Me.

¹²“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,

And there was no strange god among you;

So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And I am God.

¹³“Even afrom eternity I am He,

And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;

I act and who can reverse it?” [aSo with Gr; Heb from the day]

Babylon to Be Destroyed

14 Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

“For your sake I have sent to Babylon,

And will bring them all down as fugitives,

aEven the Chaldeans, into the ships bin which they rejoice. [14 aAnother reading is As for the Chaldeans, their rejoicing is turned into lamentations bLit of their rejoicing]

¹⁵“I am the LORD, your Holy One,

The Creator of Israel, your King.”

¹⁶Thus says the LORD,

Who makes a way through the sea

And a path through the mighty waters,

¹⁷Who brings forth the chariot and the horse,

The army and the mighty man

(They will lie down together and not rise again;

They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick):

¹⁸“Do not call to mind the former things,

Or ponder things of the past.

¹⁹“Behold, I will do something new,

Now it will spring forth;

Will you not be aware of it?

I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert.

²⁰“The beasts of the field will glorify Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My chosen people.

²¹“The people whom I formed for Myself

Will declare My praise.

The Shortcomings of Israel

22 “Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob;

But you have become weary of Me, O Israel.

²³“You have not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings,

Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.

I have not burdened you with aofferings,

Nor wearied you with incense. [aOr a meal offering]

²⁴“You have bought Me not asweet cane with money,

Nor have you bfilled Me with the fat of your sacrifices;

Rather you have burdened Me with your sins,

You have wearied Me with your iniquities. [aOr calamus bOr saturated]

25 “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,

And I will not remember your sins.

²⁶“aPut Me in remembrance, let us argue our case together;

State your cause, that you may be proved right. [aOr Report to Me]

²⁷“Your first aforefather sinned,

And your bspokesmen have ctransgressed against Me. [aLit father bOr interpreters cOr rebelled]

²⁸“So I will apollute the bprinces of the sanctuary,

And I will consign Jacob to the ban and Israel to revilement. [aOr pierce through bOr holy princes]

ISAIAH 44 [Books]

The Blessings of Israel

1 “But now listen, O Jacob, My servant,

And Israel, whom I have chosen:

²Thus says the LORD who made you

And formed you from the womb, who will help you,

‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;

And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

³‘For I will pour out water on athe thirsty land

And streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring

And My blessing on your descendants; [aOr him who is thirsty]

⁴And they will spring up aamong the grass

Like poplars by streams of water.’ [aAnother reading is like grass among the waters]

⁵“This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’S’;

And that one awill call on the name of Jacob;

And another will write bon his hand, ‘Belonging to the LORD,’

And will name Israel’s name with honor. [aAnother reading is will be called by the name of Jacob bOr with]

6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

‘I am the first and I am the last,

And there is no God besides Me.

⁷‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it;

Yes, let him recount it to Me in order,

aFrom the time that I established the ancient bnation.

And let them declare to them the things that are coming

And the events that are going to take place. [aLit From My establishing of bOr people]

⁸‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid;

Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?

And you are My witnesses.

Is there any God besides Me,

Or is there any other Rock?

I know of none.’ ”

The Folly of Idolatry

9 Those who fashion aa graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame. ¹⁰Who has fashioned a god or cast ban idol to no profit? ¹¹Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them together be put to shame. [9 aOr an idol 10 bOr a graven image]

12 The man shapes iron into a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, afashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and bhis strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary. ¹³Another shapes wood, he extends a measuring line; he outlines it with red chalk. He works it with planes and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of man, so that it may sit in a house. ¹⁴Surely he cuts cedars for himself, and takes a ccypress or an oak and draises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. ¹⁵Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and falls down before it. ¹⁶Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” ¹⁷But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god.” [12 aLit and fashions bLit there is no strength 14 cOr holm-oak dLit makes strong]

18 They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. ¹⁹No one arecalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then bI make the rest of it into an abomination, cI fall down before a block of wood!” ²⁰He dfeeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver ehimself, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” [19 aLit returns to his heart bOr shall I make? cOr shall I fall...? 20 dOr is a companion of ashes eLit his soul]

God Forgives and Redeems

21 “Remember these things, O Jacob,

And Israel, for you are My servant;

I have formed you, you are My servant,

O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.

²²“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud

And your sins like a aheavy mist.

Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” [aOr cloud]

²³Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it!

Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;

Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains,

O forest, and every tree in it;

For the LORD has redeemed Jacob

And in Israel He shows forth His glory.

24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb,

“I, the LORD, am the maker of all things,

Stretching out the heavens by Myself

And spreading out the earth aall alone, [24 aOr who was with Me?]

²⁵Causing the aomens of boasters to fail,

bMaking fools out of diviners,

Causing wise men to draw back

And cturning their knowledge into foolishness, [aLit signs bLit He makes cLit He turns]

²⁶Confirming the word of His servant

And aperforming the purpose of His messengers.

It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’

And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built.’

And I will raise up her ruins again. [aLit He performs]

²⁷“It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’

And I will make your rivers dry.

²⁸“It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!

And he will perform all My desire.’

And ahe declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’

And of the temple, ‘bYour foundation will be laid.’ ” [aLit to say bLit You will be founded]

ISAIAH 45 [Books]

God Uses Cyrus

1 Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed,

Whom I have taken by the right hand,

To subdue nations before him

And ato loose the loins of kings;

To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: [aLit I will loose]

²“I will go before you and make the arough places smooth;

I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. [aAnother reading is mountains]

³“I will give you the atreasures of darkness

And hidden wealth of secret places,

So that you may know that it is I,

The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. [aOr hoarded treasures]

⁴“For the sake of Jacob My servant,

And Israel My chosen one,

I have also called you by your name;

I have given you a title of honor

Though you have not known Me.

⁵“I am the LORD, and there is no other;

Besides Me there is no God.

I will agird you, though you have not known Me; [aOr arm]

⁶That amen may know from the rising to the setting of the sun

That there is no one besides Me.

I am the LORD, and there is no other, [aLit they]

⁷The One forming light and creating darkness,

Causing awell-being and creating calamity;

I am the LORD who does all these. [aOr peace]

God’s Supreme Power

8 “Drip down, O heavens, from above,

And let the clouds pour down righteousness;

Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit,

And righteousness spring up with it.

I, the LORD, have created it.

9 “Woe to the one who quarrels with his aMaker—

An earthenware vessel bamong the vessels of earth!

Will the clay say to the apotter, ‘What are you doing?’

Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’? [aLit Fashioner bLit with]

¹⁰“Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’

Or to a woman, ‘To what are you agiving birth?’ ” [aLit in labor pains with]

11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his aMaker:

“bAsk Me about the things to come cconcerning My sons,

And you shall commit to Me the work of My hands. [11 aLit Fashioner bOr Will you ask cOr upon]

¹²“It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it.

I stretched out the heavens with My hands

And I aordained all their host. [aOr commanded]

¹³“I have aroused him in righteousness

And I will make all his ways smooth;

He will build My city and will let My exiles go free,

Without any payment or reward,” says the LORD of hosts.

14 Thus says the LORD,

“The aproducts of Egypt and the merchandise of bCush

And the Sabeans, men of stature,

Will come over to you and will be yours;

They will walk behind you, they will come over in chains

And will bow down to you;

They will make supplication to you:

‘cSurely, God is dwith you, and there is none else,

No other God.’ ” [14 aLit labor bOr Ethiopia cOr God is with you alone dOr in]

¹⁵Truly, You are a God who hides Himself,

O God of Israel, Savior!

¹⁶They will be put to shame and even humiliated, all of them;

The manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.

¹⁷Israel has been saved by the LORD

With an everlasting salvation;

You will not be put to shame or humiliated

To all eternity.

18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it aa waste place, but formed it to be inhabited),

“I am the LORD, and there is none else. [18 aOr in vain]

¹⁹“I have not spoken in secret,

In asome dark land;

I did not say to the boffspring of Jacob,

‘Seek Me in ca waste place’;

I, the LORD, speak righteousness,

Declaring things that are upright. [aLit a place of a land of darkness bLit seed cOr vain]

20 “Gather yourselves and come;

Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations;

They have no knowledge,

Who carry about atheir wooden idol

And pray to a god who cannot save. [aLit the wood of their graven image]

²¹“Declare and set forth your case;

Indeed, let them consult together.

Who has announced this from of old?

Who has long since declared it?

Is it not I, the LORD?

And there is no other God besides Me,

A righteous God and a Savior;

There is none except Me.

²²“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;

For I am God, and there is no other.

²³“I have sworn by Myself,

The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness

And will not turn back,

That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.

²⁴“They will say of Me, ‘Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.’

Men will come to Him,

And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.

²⁵“In the LORD all the offspring of Israel

Will be justified and will glory.”

ISAIAH 46 [Books]

Babylon’s Idols and the True God

1 Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;

Their images are consigned to the beasts and the cattle.

The things athat you carry are burdensome,

A load for the weary beast. [aLit carried by you]

²They stooped over, they have bowed down together;

They could not rescue the burden,

But ahave themselves gone into captivity. [aOr their soul has]

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

You who have been borne by Me from abirth

And have been carried from the womb; [aLit the belly]

⁴Even to your old age I awill be the same,

And even to your bgraying years I will bear you!

I have cdone it, and I will carry you;

And I will bear you and I will deliver you. [aLit I am He bLit gray hairs cOr made you]

5 “To whom would you liken Me

And make Me equal and compare Me,

That we would be alike?

⁶“Those who lavish gold from the purse

And weigh silver on the scale

Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;

They bow down, indeed they worship it.

⁷“They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it;

They set it in its place and it stands there.

It does not move from its place.

Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer;

It cannot deliver him from his distress.

8 “Remember this, and be aassured;

Recall it to bmind, you transgressors. [aLit firm bLit heart]

⁹“Remember the former things long past,

For I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is no one like Me,

¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things which have not been done,

Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,

And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

¹¹Calling a bird of prey from the east,

The man of aMy purpose from a far country.

Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.

I have planned it, surely I will do it. [aLit His]

12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded,

Who are far from righteousness.

¹³“I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;

And My salvation will not delay.

And I will grant salvation in Zion,

And My glory for Israel.

ISAIAH 47 [Books]

Lament for Babylon

1 “Come down and sit in the dust,

O virgin daughter of Babylon;

Sit on the ground without a throne,

O daughter of the Chaldeans!

For you shall no longer be called tender and delicate.

²“Take the millstones and grind meal.

Remove your veil, strip off the skirt,

Uncover the leg, cross the rivers.

³“Your nakedness will be uncovered,

Your shame also will be exposed;

I will take vengeance and will not aspare a man.” [aLit meet]

⁴Our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name,

The Holy One of Israel.

⁵“Sit silently, and go into darkness,

O daughter of the Chaldeans,

For you will no longer be called

The queen of kingdoms.

⁶“I was angry with My people,

I profaned My heritage

And gave them into your hand.

You did not show mercy to them,

On the aged you made your yoke very heavy.

⁷“Yet you said, ‘I will be a queen forever.’

These things you did not consider

Nor remember the outcome of athem. [aLit it]

8 “Now, then, hear this, you sensual one,

Who dwells securely,

Who says in ayour heart,

‘I am, and there is no one besides me.

I will not sit as a widow,

Nor know loss of children.’ [aLit her]

⁹“But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day:

Loss of children and widowhood.

They will come on you in full measure

In spite of your many sorceries,

In spite of the great power of your spells.

¹⁰“You felt secure in your wickedness and said,

‘No one sees me,’

Your wisdom and your knowledge, athey have deluded you;

For you have said in your heart,

‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ [aLit it has]

¹¹“But evil will come on you

Which you will not know how to charm away;

And disaster will fall on you

For which you cannot atone;

And destruction about which you do not know

Will come on you suddenly.

12 “Stand fast now in your spells

And in your many sorceries

With which you have labored from your youth;

Perhaps you will be able to profit,

Perhaps you may cause trembling.

¹³“You are wearied with your many counsels;

Let now the astrologers,

Those who prophesy by the stars,

Those who predict by the new moons,

Stand up and save you from what will come upon you.

¹⁴“Behold, they have become like stubble,

Fire burns them;

They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame;

There will be no coal to warm by

Nor a fire to sit before!

¹⁵“So have those become to you with whom you have labored,

Who have trafficked with you from your youth;

Each has wandered in his own away;

There is none to save you. [aLit side, region]

ISAIAH 48 [Books]

Israel’s Obstinacy

1 “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel

And who came forth from the aloins of Judah,

Who swear by the name of the LORD

And invoke the God of Israel,

But not in truth nor in righteousness. [aLit waters]

²“For they call themselves after the holy city

And lean on the God of Israel;

The LORD of hosts is His name.

³“I declared the former things long ago

And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them.

Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

⁴“Because I know that you are aobstinate,

And your neck is an iron sinew

And your forehead bronze, [aOr harsh]

⁵Therefore I declared them to you long ago,

Before athey took place I proclaimed them to you,

So that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them,

And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’ [aLit it]

⁶“You have heard; look at all this.

And you, will you not declare it?

I proclaim to you new things from this time,

Even hidden things which you have not known.

⁷“They are created now and not long ago;

And before today you have not heard them,

So that you will not say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’

⁸“You have not heard, you have not known.

Even from long ago your ear has not been open,

Because I knew that you would deal very treacherously;

And you have been called a arebel from bbirth. [aOr transgressor bLit the belly]

⁹“For the sake of My name I delay My wrath,

And for My praise I restrain it for you,

In order not to cut you off.

¹⁰“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;

I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

¹¹“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act;

For how can My name be profaned?

And My glory I will not give to another.

Deliverance Promised

12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel awhom I called;

I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. [aLit My called one]

¹³“Surely My hand founded the earth,

And My right hand spread out the heavens;

When I call to them, they stand together.

¹⁴“Assemble, all of you, and listen!

Who among them has declared these things?

The LORD loves him; he will carry out His good pleasure on Babylon,

And His arm will be against the Chaldeans.

¹⁵“I, even I, have spoken; indeed I have called him,

I have brought him, and He will make his ways successful.

¹⁶“Come near to Me, listen to this:

From the first I have not spoken in secret,

From the time it took place, I was there.

And now the Lord aGOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.” [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

17 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit,

Who leads you in the way you should go.

¹⁸“If only you had paid attention to My commandments!

Then your awell-being would have been like a river,

And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. [aOr peace]

¹⁹“Your adescendants would have been like the sand,

And byour offspring like its grains;

Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.” [aLit seed bLit the offspring of your inward parts]

20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans!

Declare with the sound of joyful shouting, proclaim this,

Send it out to the end of the earth;

Say, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob.”

²¹They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts.

He made the water flow out of the rock for them;

He split the rock and the water gushed forth.

²²“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD.

ISAIAH 49 [Books]

Salvation Reaches to the End of the Earth

1 Listen to Me, O islands,

And pay attention, you peoples from afar.

The LORD called Me from the womb;

From the abody of My mother He named Me. [aLit inward parts]

²He has made My mouth like a sharp sword,

In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me;

And He has also made Me a aselect arrow,

He has hidden Me in His quiver. [aOr sharpened]

³He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel,

In Whom I will ashow My glory.” [aOr glorify Myself]

⁴But I said, “I have toiled in vain,

I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity;

Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD,

And My reward with My God.”

5 And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,

To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him

(For I am honored in the sight of the LORD,

And My God is My strength),

⁶He says, “It is too asmall a thing that You should be My Servant

To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;

I will also make You a light bof the nations

So that My salvation may creach to the end of the earth.” [aLit light bOr to cLit be]

⁷Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One,

To the despised One,

To the One abhorred by the nation,

To the Servant of rulers,

“Kings will see and arise,

Princes will also bow down,

Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.”

8 Thus says the LORD,

“In a favorable time I have answered You,

And in a day of salvation I have helped You;

And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people,

To arestore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; [aLit establish]

⁹Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,’

To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

Along the roads they will feed,

And their pasture will be on all bare heights.

¹⁰“They will not hunger or thirst,

Nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down;

For He who has compassion on them will lead them

And will guide them to springs of water.

¹¹“I will make all My mountains a road,

And My highways will be raised up.

¹²“Behold, these will come from afar;

And lo, these will come from the north and from the west,

And these from the land of Sinim.”

¹³Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!

Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!

For the LORD has comforted His people

And will have compassion on His afflicted.

Promise to Zion

14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,

And the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵“Can a woman forget her nursing child

And have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

¹⁶“Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

Your walls are continually before Me.

¹⁷“Your abuilders hurry;

Your destroyers and devastators

Will depart from you. [aSo ancient versions and DSS; M.T. reads sons]

¹⁸“Lift up your eyes and look around;

All of them gather together, they come to you.

As I live,” declares the LORD,

“You will surely put on all of them as ajewels and bind them on as a bride. [aLit an ornament]

¹⁹“For your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land—

Surely now you will be too cramped for the inhabitants,

And those who swallowed you will be far away.

²⁰“The children of awhom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,

‘The place is too cramped for me;

Make room for me that I may live here.’ [aLit your bereavement]

²¹“Then you will say in your heart,

‘Who has begotten these for me,

Since I have been bereaved of my children

And am barren, an exile and a wanderer?

And who has reared these?

Behold, I was left alone;

aFrom where did these come?’ ” [aLit These, where are they?]

22 Thus says the Lord aGOD,

“Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations

And set up My standard to the peoples;

And they will bring your sons in their bosom,

And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. [22 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

²³“Kings will be your guardians,

And their princesses your nurses.

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 the LORD;

Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame.

24 “Can the prey be taken from the mighty man,

Or the captives of aa tyrant be rescued?”

²⁵Surely, thus says the LORD,

“Even the captives of the mighty man will be taken away,

And the prey of the tyrant will be rescued;

For I will contend with the one who contends with you,

And I will save your sons. [aSo ancient versions and DSS; M.T. reads the righteous, cf v 25]

²⁶“I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh,

And they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine;

And all flesh will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior

And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

ISAIAH 50 [Books]

God Helps His Servant

1 Thus says the LORD,

“Where is the certificate of divorce

By which I have sent your mother away?

Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you?

Behold, you were sold for your iniquities,

And for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

²“Why was there no man when I came?

When I called, why was there none to answer?

Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom?

Or have I no power to deliver?

Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke,

I make the rivers a wilderness;

Their fish stink for lack of water

And die of thirst.

³“I clothe the heavens with blackness

And make sackcloth their covering.”

4 The Lord aGOD has given Me the tongue of disciples,

That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

⁵The Lord GOD has opened My ear;

And I was not disobedient

Nor did I turn back.

⁶I gave My back to those who strike Me,

And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;

I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.

⁷For the Lord GOD helps Me,

Therefore, I am not disgraced;

Therefore, I have set My face like flint,

And I know that I will not be ashamed.

⁸He who vindicates Me is near;

Who will contend with Me?

Let us stand up to each other;

Who has a case against Me?

Let him draw near to Me.

⁹Behold, the Lord GOD helps Me;

Who is he who condemns Me?

Behold, they will all wear out like a garment;

The moth will eat them.

¹⁰Who is among you that fears the LORD,

That obeys the voice of His servant,

That walks in darkness and has no light?

Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

¹¹Behold, all you who kindle a fire,

Who aencircle yourselves with firebrands,

Walk in the light of your fire

And among the brands you have set ablaze.

This you will have from My hand:

You will lie down in torment. [aLit gird]

ISAIAH 51 [Books]

Israel Exhorted

1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,

Who seek the LORD:

Look to the rock from which you were hewn

And to the aquarry from which you were dug. [aLit excavation of a pit]

²“Look to Abraham your father

And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain;

When he was but one I called him,

Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”

³Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion;

He will comfort all her waste places.

And her wilderness He will make like Eden,

And her desert like the garden of the LORD;

Joy and gladness will be found in her,

Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.

4 “Pay attention to Me, O My people,

And give ear to Me, O My anation;

For a law will go forth from Me,

And I will bset My justice for a light of the peoples. [aOr people bLit cause to rest]

⁵“My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth,

And My arms will judge the peoples;

The coastlands will wait for Me,

And for My arm they will wait expectantly.

⁶“Lift up your eyes to the sky,

Then look to the earth beneath;

For the sky will vanish like smoke,

And the earth will wear out like a garment

And its inhabitants will die ain like manner;

But My salvation will be forever,

And My righteousness will not bwane. [aOr like gnats bLit be broken]

⁷“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,

A people in whose heart is My law;

Do not fear the reproach of man,

Nor be dismayed at their revilings.

⁸“For the moth will eat them like a garment,

And the grub will eat them like wool.

But My righteousness will be forever,

And My salvation to all generations.”

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD;

Awake as in the days of old, the generations of long ago.

Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces,

Who pierced the dragon?

¹⁰Was it not You who dried up the sea,

The waters of the great deep;

Who made the depths of the sea a pathway

For the redeemed to cross over?

¹¹So the ransomed of the LORD will return

And come with joyful shouting to Zion,

And everlasting joy will be on their heads.

They will obtain gladness and joy,

And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you.

Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies

And of the son of man who is made like grass,

¹³That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker,

Who stretched out the heavens

And laid the foundations of the earth,

That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor,

As he makes ready to destroy?

But where is the fury of the oppressor?

¹⁴The aexile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking. ¹⁵For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD of hosts is His name). ¹⁶I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to bestablish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’ ” [14 aLit one in chains 16 bLit plant]

17 Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem,

You who have drunk from the LORD’S hand the cup of His anger;

The achalice of reeling you have bdrained to the dregs. [aLit bowl of the cup of reeling bLit drunk]

¹⁸There is none to guide her among all the sons she has borne,

Nor is there one to take her by the hand among all the sons she has reared.

¹⁹These two things have befallen you;

Who will mourn for you?

The devastation and destruction, famine and sword;

How shall I comfort you?

²⁰Your sons have fainted,

They lie helpless at the head of every street,

Like an antelope in a net,

Full of the wrath of the LORD,

The rebuke of your God.

21 Therefore, please hear this, you afflicted,

Who are drunk, but not with wine:

²²Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God

Who contends for His people,

“Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling,

The achalice of My anger;

You will never drink it again. [aLit bowl of the cup of]

²³“I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,

Who have said to ayou, ‘Lie down that we may walk over you.’

You have even made your back like the ground

And like the street for those who walk over it.” [aLit your soul]

ISAIAH 52 [Books]

Cheer for Prostrate Zion

1 Awake, awake,

Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion;

Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments,

O Jerusalem, the holy city;

For the uncircumcised and the unclean

Will no longer come into you.

²Shake yourself from the dust, rise up,

O captive Jerusalem;

Loose yourself from the chains around your neck,

O captive daughter of Zion.

3 For thus says the LORD, “You were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed without money.” ⁴For thus says the Lord aGOD, “My people went down at the first into Egypt to reside there; then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. ⁵Now therefore, what do I have here,” declares the LORD, “seeing that My people have been taken away without cause?” Again the LORD declares, “Those who rule over them howl, and My name is continually blasphemed all day long. ⁶Therefore My people shall know My name; therefore in that day I am the one who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’ ” [4 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

7 How lovely on the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who announces apeace

And brings good news of bhappiness,

Who announces salvation,

And says to Zion, “Your God creigns!” [aOr well-being bLit good cOr is King]

⁸Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices,

They shout joyfully together;

For they will see awith their own eyes

When the LORD restores Zion. [aLit eye to eye]

⁹Break forth, shout joyfully together,

You waste places of Jerusalem;

For the LORD has comforted His people,

He has redeemed Jerusalem.

¹⁰The LORD has bared His holy arm

In the sight of all the nations,

aThat all the ends of the earth may see

The salvation of our God. [aLit And...earth will see]

11 Depart, depart, go out from there,

Touch nothing unclean;

Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves,

You who carry the vessels of the LORD.

¹²But you will not go out in haste,

Nor will you go aas fugitives;

For the LORD will go before you,

And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. [aLit in flight]

The Exalted Servant

13 Behold, My servant will prosper,

He will be high and lifted up and agreatly exalted. [aOr very high]

¹⁴Just as many were astonished at you, My people,

So His appearance was marred more than any man

And His form more than the sons of men.

¹⁵Thus He will sprinkle many nations,

Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him;

For what had not been told them they will see,

And what they had not heard they will understand.

ISAIAH 53 [Books]

The Suffering Servant

1 Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

²For He grew up before Him like a tender ashoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should bbe attracted to Him. [aLit suckling bLit desire]

³He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of asorrows and acquainted with bgrief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. [aOr pains bOr sickness]

4 Surely our agriefs He Himself bore,

And our bsorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

cSmitten of God, and afflicted. [aOr sickness bOr pains cOr Struck down by]

⁵But He was apierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our bwell-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed. [aOr wounded bOr peace]

⁶All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all

To afall on Him. [aLit encounter Him]

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

⁸By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered

That He was cut off out of the land of the aliving

For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? [aOr life]

⁹His grave was assigned with wicked men,

Yet He was with a rich man in His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the LORD was pleased

To crush Him, aputting Him to grief;

If bHe would render Himself as a guilt offering,

He will see His coffspring,

He will prolong His days,

And the dgood pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. [aLit He made Him sick bLit His soul cLit seed dOr will of]

¹¹As a result of the aanguish of His soul,

He will see bit and be satisfied;

By His knowledge the Righteous One,

My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities. [aOr toilsome labor bAnother reading is light]

¹²Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,

And He will divide the booty with the strong;

Because He poured out aHimself to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for the transgressors. [aLit His soul]

ISAIAH 54 [Books]

The Fertility of Zion

1 “Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;

Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;

For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous

Than the sons of the married woman,” says the LORD.

²“Enlarge the place of your tent;

aStretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not;

Lengthen your cords

And strengthen your pegs. [aLit Let them stretch out]

³“For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left.

And your adescendants will possess nations

And will resettle the desolate cities. [aLit seed]

4 “Fear not, for you will not be put to shame;

And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;

But you will forget the shame of your youth,

And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

⁵“For your husband is your Maker,

Whose name is the LORD of hosts;

And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,

Who is called the God of all the earth.

⁶“For the LORD has called you,

Like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,

Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”

Says your God.

⁷“aFor a brief moment I forsook you,

But with great compassion I will gather you. [aLit In]

⁸“In an aoutburst of anger

I hid My face from you for a moment,

But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,”

Says the LORD your Redeemer. [aLit overflowing]

9 “For athis is like the days of Noah to Me,

When I swore that the waters of Noah

Would not bflood the earth again;

So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you

Nor will I rebuke you. [aSome mss read the waters of Noah this is to Me bLit cross over]

¹⁰“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,

And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”

Says the LORD who has compassion on you.

11 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,

Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,

And your foundations I will lay in asapphires. [aOr lapis lazuli]

¹²“Moreover, I will make your battlements of arubies,

And your gates of bcrystal,

And your entire cwall of precious stones. [aI.e. bright red bOr carbuncles cLit border, boundary]

¹³“All your sons will be ataught of the LORD;

And the well-being of your sons will be great. [aOr disciples]

¹⁴“In righteousness you will be established;

You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;

And from terror, for it will not come near you.

¹⁵“If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.

Whoever assails you will fall because of you.

¹⁶“Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals

And brings out a weapon for its work;

And I have created the destroyer to ruin.

¹⁷“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;

And every tongue that aaccuses you in judgment you will condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. [aLit rises against]

ISAIAH 55 [Books]

The Free Offer of Mercy

1 “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;

And you who have no amoney come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without cost. [aLit silver]

²“Why do you aspend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And delight yourself in abundance. [aLit weigh out silver]

³“Incline your ear and come to Me.

Listen, that ayou may live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

According to the faithful mercies bshown to David. [aLit your soul bLit of David]

⁴“Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples,

A leader and commander for the peoples.

⁵“Behold, you will call a nation you do not know,

And a nation which knows you not will run to you,

Because of the LORD your God, even the Holy One of Israel;

For He has glorified you.”

6 Seek the LORD while He may be found;

Call upon Him while He is near.

⁷Let the wicked forsake his way

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

And let him return to the LORD,

And He will have compassion on him,

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

⁸“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

⁹“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

¹¹So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

¹²“For you will go out with joy

And be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

¹³“Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,

And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,

And ait will be a bmemorial to the LORD,

For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.” [aI.e. the transformation of the desert bLit name]

ISAIAH 56 [Books]

Rewards for Obedience to God

1 Thus says the LORD,

“Preserve justice and do righteousness,

For My salvation is about to come

And My righteousness to be revealed.

²“How blessed is the man who does this,

And the son of man who takes hold of it;

Who keeps from profaning the sabbath,

And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

³Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,

“The LORD will surely separate me from His people.”

Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

⁴For thus says the LORD,

“To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths,

And choose what pleases Me,

And hold fast My covenant,

⁵To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,

And a name better than that of sons and daughters;

I will give athem an everlasting name which will not be cut off. [aSo DSS; M.T. reads him]

6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,

To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD,

To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath

And holds fast My covenant;

⁷Even those I will bring to My holy mountain

And make them joyful in My house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;

For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

⁸The Lord aGOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,

“Yet others I will gather to bthem, to those already gathered.” [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit him]

9 All you beasts of the field,

All you beasts in the forest,

Come to eat.

¹⁰His watchmen are blind,

All of them know nothing.

All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,

aDreamers lying down, who love to slumber; [aSo DSS; M.T. Ravers]

¹¹And the dogs are agreedy, they bare not satisfied.

And they are shepherds who have no understanding;

They have all turned to their own way,

Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. [aLit strong of soulappetite bLit do not know satisfaction]

¹²“Come,” they say, “let aus get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink;

And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.” [aSo DSS and many versions; M.T. me]

ISAIAH 57 [Books]

Evil Leaders Rebuked

1 The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart;

And devout men are taken away, while no one understands.

For the righteous man is taken away from evil,

²He enters into peace;

They rest in their abeds,

Each one who walked in his upright way. [aI.e. graves]

³“But come here, you sons of a sorceress,

Offspring of an adulterer and aa prostitute. [aSo ancient versions; Heb she prostitutes herself]

⁴“Against whom do you jest?

Against whom do you open wide your mouth

And stick out your tongue?

Are you not children of rebellion,

Offspring of deceit,

⁵Who inflame yourselves among the aoaks,

Under every luxuriant tree,

Who slaughter the children in the bravines,

Under the clefts of the crags? [aOr terebinths bOr wadis]

⁶“Among the asmooth stones of the bravine

Is your portion, cthey are your lot;

Even to them you have poured out a drink offering,

You have made a grain offering.

Shall I drelent concerning these things? [aI.e. symbols of fertility gods bOr wadi cLit they, they dOr repent]

⁷“Upon a high and lofty mountain

You have made your bed.

You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

⁸“Behind the door and the doorpost

You have set up your sign;

Indeed, far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself,

And have gone up and made your bed wide.

And you have made an agreement for yourself with them,

You have loved their abed,

You have looked on their bmanhood. [aOr lying down bLit hand]

⁹“You have journeyed to the king with oil

And increased your perfumes;

You have sent your envoys a great distance

And made them go down to aSheol. [aI.e. the nether world]

¹⁰“You were tired out by the length of your road,

Yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’

You found arenewed strength,

Therefore you did not bfaint. [aLit the life of your hand bOr become sick]

11 “Of whom were you worried and fearful

When you lied, and did not remember Me

aNor give Me a thought?

Was I not silent even for a long time

So you do not fear Me? [aLit You did not set it upon your heart]

¹²“I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,

But they will not profit you.

¹³“When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you.

But the wind will carry all of them up,

And a breath will take them away.

But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land

And will possess My holy mountain.”

14 And it will be said,

“Build up, build up, prepare the way,

Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”

¹⁵For thus says the high and exalted One

Who alives forever, whose name is Holy,

“I dwell on a high and holy place,

And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the lowly

And to revive the heart of the contrite. [aOr dwells in eternity]

¹⁶“For I will not contend forever,

Nor will I always be angry;

For the spirit would grow faint before Me,

And the breath of those whom I have made.

¹⁷“Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;

I hid My face and was angry,

And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.

¹⁸“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,

¹⁹Creating the apraise of the lips.

Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,”

Says the LORD, “and I will heal him.” [aLit fruit of the lips]

²⁰But the wicked are like the tossing sea,

For it cannot be quiet,

And its waters toss up refuse and mud.

²¹“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

ISAIAH 58 [Books]

Observances of Fasts

1 “Cry loudly, do not hold back;

Raise your voice like a trumpet,

And declare to My people their transgression

And to the house of Jacob their sins.

²“Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways,

As a nation that has done righteousness

And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God.

They ask Me for just decisions,

They delight in the nearness of God.

³‘Why have we fasted and You do not see?

Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not anotice?’

Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire,

And drive hard all your workers. [aLit know]

⁴“Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist.

You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.

⁵“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself?

Is it for bowing aone’s head like a reed

And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?

Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? [aLit his]

⁶“Is this not the fast which I choose,

To loosen the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the bands of the yoke,

And to let the oppressed go free

And break every yoke?

⁷“Is it not to divide your bread awith the hungry

And bring the homeless poor into the house;

When you see the naked, to cover him;

And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? [aLit for]

⁸“Then your light will break out like the dawn,

And your recovery will speedily spring forth;

And your righteousness will go before you;

The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

⁹“Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;

You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you remove the yoke from your midst,

The apointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, [aLit sending out]

¹⁰And if you agive yourself to the hungry

And satisfy the bdesire of the afflicted,

Then your light will rise in darkness

And your gloom will become like midday. [aLit furnish bOr soul]

¹¹“And the LORD will continually guide you,

And satisfy your adesire in scorched places,

And give strength to your bones;

And you will be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water whose waters do not bfail. [aOr soul bOr deceive]

¹²“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;

You will raise up the age-old foundations;

And you will be called the repairer of the breach,

The restorer of the astreets in which to dwell. [aLit paths]

Keeping the Sabbath

13 “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot

From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,

And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable,

And honor it, desisting from your own ways,

From seeking your own pleasure

And speaking your own word,

¹⁴Then you will take delight in the LORD,

And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;

And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

ISAIAH 59 [Books]

Separation from God

1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short

That it cannot save;

Nor is His ear so dull

That it cannot hear.

²But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,

And your sins have hidden His aface from you so that He does not hear. [aSo versions; M.T. faces]

³For your hands are defiled with blood

And your fingers with iniquity;

Your lips have spoken falsehood,

Your tongue mutters wickedness.

⁴No one sues righteously and no one pleads ahonestly.

They trust in confusion and speak lies;

They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity. [aLit in truth]

⁵They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;

He who eats of their eggs dies,

And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.

⁶Their webs will not become clothing,

Nor will they cover themselves with their works;

Their works are works of iniquity,

And an act of violence is in their ahands. [aLit palms]

⁷Their feet run to evil,

And they hasten to shed innocent blood;

Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,

Devastation and destruction are in their highways.

⁸They do not know the way of peace,

And there is no justice in their tracks;

They have made their paths crooked,

Whoever treads on athem does not know peace. [aLit it]

A Confession of Wickedness

9 Therefore justice is far from us,

And righteousness does not overtake us;

We hope for light, but behold, darkness,

For brightness, but we walk in gloom.

¹⁰We grope along the wall like blind men,

We grope like those who have no eyes;

We stumble at midday as in the twilight,

Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men.

¹¹All of us growl like bears,

And moan sadly like doves;

We hope for justice, but there is none,

For salvation, but it is far from us.

¹²For our transgressions are multiplied before You,

And our sins atestify against us;

For our transgressions are with us,

And bwe know our iniquities: [aLit answer bLit our iniquities we know them]

¹³Transgressing and denying the LORD,

And turning away from our God,

Speaking oppression and revolt,

Conceiving in and uttering from the heart lying words.

¹⁴Justice is turned back,

And righteousness stands far away;

For truth has stumbled in the street,

And uprightness cannot enter.

¹⁵Yes, truth is lacking;

And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.

Now the LORD saw,

And it was adispleasing in His sight that there was no justice. [aOr evil]

¹⁶And He saw that there was no man,

And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;

Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,

And His righteousness upheld Him.

¹⁷He put on righteousness like a breastplate,

And a helmet of salvation on His head;

And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing

And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.

¹⁸According to their adeeds, bso He will repay,

Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;

To the coastlands He will cmake recompense. [aLit recompense bLit accordingly cLit repay]

¹⁹So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west

And His glory from the rising of the sun,

For He will come like a arushing stream

Which the wind of the LORD drives. [aLit narrow]

²⁰“A Redeemer will come to Zion,

And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD.

21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your aoffspring, nor from the mouth of your aoffspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.” [21 aLit seed]

ISAIAH 60 [Books]

A Glorified Zion

1 “Arise, shine; for your light has come,

And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

²“For behold, darkness will cover the earth

And deep darkness the peoples;

But the LORD will rise upon you

And His glory will appear upon you.

³“Nations will come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes round about and see;

They all gather together, they come to you.

Your sons will come from afar,

And your daughters will be acarried in the arms. [aLit nursed upon the side]

⁵“Then you will see and be radiant,

And your heart will athrill and rejoice;

Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you,

The wealth of the nations will come to you. [aLit tremble and be enlarged]

⁶“A multitude of camels will cover you,

The young camels of Midian and Ephah;

All those from Sheba will come;

They will bring gold and frankincense,

And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.

⁷“All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you,

The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you;

They will go up with acceptance on My altar,

And I shall aglorify My bglorious house. [aOr beautify bOr beautiful]

⁸“Who are these who fly like a cloud

And like the doves to their alattices? [aOr dovecotes, windows]

⁹“Surely the coastlands will wait for Me;

And the ships of Tarshish will come first,

To bring your sons from afar,

Their silver and their gold with them,

For the name of the LORD your God,

And for the Holy One of Israel because He has aglorified you. [aLit beautified]

10 “Foreigners will build up your walls,

And their kings will minister to you;

For in My wrath I struck you,

And in My favor I have had compassion on you.

¹¹“Your gates will be open continually;

They will not be closed day or night,

So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,

With their kings led in procession.

¹²“For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish,

And the nations will be utterly ruined.

¹³“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,

The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,

To beautify the place of My sanctuary;

And I shall make the place of My feet glorious.

¹⁴“The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,

And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;

And they will call you the city of the LORD,

The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated

With no one passing through,

I will make you an everlasting pride,

A joy from generation to generation.

¹⁶“You will also suck the milk of nations

And suck the breast of kings;

Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior

And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

¹⁷“Instead of bronze I will bring gold,

And instead of iron I will bring silver,

And instead of wood, bronze,

And instead of stones, iron.

And I will make peace your administrators

And righteousness your overseers.

¹⁸“Violence will not be heard again in your land,

Nor devastation or destruction within your borders;

But you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.

¹⁹“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,

Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;

But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,

And your God for your aglory. [aOr beauty]

²⁰“Your sun will no longer set,

Nor will your moon wane;

For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,

And the days of your mourning will be over.

²¹“Then all your people will be righteous;

They will possess the land forever,

The branch of aMy planting,

The work of My hands,

That I may be glorified. [aLit His]

²²“The smallest one will become a aclan,

And the least one a mighty nation.

I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.” [aOr thousand]

ISAIAH 61 [Books]

Exaltation of the Afflicted

1 The Spirit of the Lord aGOD is upon me,

Because the LORD has anointed me

To bring good news to the bafflicted;

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to captives

And cfreedom to prisoners; [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bOr humble cLit opening to those who are bound]

²To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

³To grant those who mourn in Zion,

Giving them a garland instead of ashes,

The oil of gladness instead of mourning,

The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.

So they will be called aoaks of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. [aOr terebinths]

4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,

They will raise up the former devastations;

And they will repair the ruined cities,

The desolations of many generations.

⁵Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,

And aforeigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. [aLit sons of the foreigner]

⁶But you will be called the priests of the LORD;

You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.

You will eat the wealth of nations,

And in their ariches you will boast. [aOr glory]

⁷Instead of your shame you will have a double portion,

And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.

Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,

Everlasting joy will be theirs.

⁸For I, the LORD, love justice,

I hate robbery ain the burnt offering;

And I will faithfully give them their recompense

And make an everlasting covenant with them. [aOr with iniquity]

⁹Then their offspring will be known among the nations,

And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.

All who see them will recognize them

Because they are the offspring whom the LORD has blessed.

10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,

My soul will exult in my God;

For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,

He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,

So the Lord aGOD will cause righteousness and praise

To spring up before all the nations. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

ISAIAH 62 [Books]

Zion’s Glory and New Name

1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,

And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,

Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,

And her salvation like a torch that is burning.

²The nations will see your righteousness,

And all kings your glory;

And you will be called by a new name

Which the mouth of the LORD will designate.

³You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,

And a royal adiadem in the hand of your God. [aLit turban]

⁴It will no longer be said to you, “aForsaken,”

Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “bDesolate”;

But you will be called, “cMy delight is in her,”

And your land, “dMarried”;

For the LORD delights in you,

And to Him your land will be married. [aI.e. Azubah bI.e. Shemamah cI.e. Hephzibah dI.e. Beulah]

⁵For as a young man marries a virgin,

So your sons will marry you;

And as the abridegroom rejoices over the bride,

So your God will rejoice over you. [aLit exultation of the bridegroom]

6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;

All day and all night they will never keep silent.

You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;

⁷And give Him no rest until He establishes

And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

⁸The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm,

“I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies;

Nor will aforeigners drink your new wine for which you have labored.” [aLit sons of foreigners]

⁹But those who garner it will eat it and praise the LORD;

And those who gather it will drink it in the courts of My sanctuary.

10 Go through, go through the gates,

Clear the way afor the people;

Build up, build up the highway,

Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples. [aLit of]

¹¹Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth,

Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes;

Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”

¹²And they will call them, “The holy people,

The redeemed of the LORD”;

And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”

ISAIAH 63 [Books]

God’s Vengeance on the Nations

1 Who is this who comes from Edom,

With garments of aglowing colors from Bozrah,

This One who is majestic in His apparel,

bMarching in the greatness of His strength?

“It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” [aOr crimson bLit Inclining]

²Why is Your apparel red,

And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?

³“I have trodden the wine trough alone,

And from the peoples there was no man with Me.

I also trod them in My anger

And trampled them in My wrath;

And their alifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,

And I bstained all My raiment. [aLit juice bLit defiled]

⁴“For the day of vengeance was in My heart,

And My year of redemption has come.

⁵“I looked, and there was no one to help,

And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;

So My own arm brought salvation to Me,

And My wrath upheld Me.

⁶“I trod down the peoples in My anger

And made them drunk in My wrath,

And I apoured out their lifeblood on the earth.” [aLit brought down their juice to the earth]

God’s Ancient Mercies Recalled

7 I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD,

According to all that the LORD has granted us,

And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,

Which He has granted them according to His compassion

And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.

⁸For He said, “Surely, they are My people,

Sons who will not deal falsely.”

So He became their Savior.

⁹In all their affliction aHe was afflicted,

And the angel of His presence saved them;

In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,

And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. [aAnother reading is He was not an adversary]

¹⁰But they rebelled

And grieved His Holy Spirit;

Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy,

He fought against them.

¹¹Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses.

Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the ashepherds of His flock?

Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of bthem, [aSome mss read shepherd bLit him]

¹²Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses,

Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,

¹³Who led them through the depths?

Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble;

¹⁴As the cattle which go down into the valley,

The Spirit of the LORD gave athem rest.

So You led Your people,

To make for Yourself a glorious name. [aLit him]

“You Are Our Father”

15 Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation;

Where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds?

The stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me.

¹⁶For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us

And Israel does not recognize us.

You, O LORD, are our Father,

Our Redeemer from of old is Your name.

¹⁷Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways

And harden our heart from fearing You?

Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.

¹⁸Your holy people possessed Your sanctuary for a little while,

Our adversaries have trodden it down.

¹⁹We have become like those over whom You have never ruled,

Like those who were not called by Your name.

ISAIAH 64 [Books]

Prayer for Mercy and Help

1 aOh, that You would rend the heavens and come down,

That the mountains might quake at Your presence— [aCh 63:19b in Heb]

²aAs fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—

To make Your name known to Your adversaries,

That the nations may tremble at Your presence! [aCh 64:1 in Heb]

³When You did awesome things which we did not expect,

You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.

⁴For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,

Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,

Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.

⁵You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,

Who remembers You in Your ways.

Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,

We continued in them a long time;

And shall we be saved?

⁶For all of us have become like one who is unclean,

And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

And all of us wither like a leaf,

And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

⁷There is no one who calls on Your name,

Who arouses himself to take hold of You;

For You have hidden Your face from us

And have adelivered us into the power of our iniquities. [aReading with the DSS and versions; M.T. melted]

8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father,

We are the clay, and You our potter;

And all of us are the work of Your hand.

⁹Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD,

Nor remember iniquity forever;

Behold, look now, all of us are Your people.

¹⁰Your holy cities have become a wilderness,

Zion has become a wilderness,

Jerusalem a desolation.

¹¹Our holy and beautiful house,

Where our fathers praised You,

Has been burned by fire;

And all our precious things have become a ruin.

¹²Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O LORD?

Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

ISAIAH 65 [Books]

A Rebellious People

1 “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me;

I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.

I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’

To a nation which did not call on My name.

²“I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,

Who walk in the way which is not good, afollowing their own thoughts, [aLit after]

³A people who continually provoke Me to My face,

Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks;

⁴Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places;

Who eat swine’s flesh,

And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.

⁵“Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me,

For I am holier than you!’

These are smoke in My anostrils,

A fire that burns all the day. [aLit nose]

⁶“Behold, it is written before Me,

I will not keep silent, but I will repay;

I will even repay into their bosom,

⁷Both atheir own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says the LORD.

“Because they have burned incense on the mountains

And scorned Me on the hills,

Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.” [aLit your]

8 Thus says the LORD,

“As the new wine is found in the cluster,

And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is abenefit in it,’

So I will act on behalf of My servants

In order not to destroy ball of them. [8 aLit blessing bLit the whole]

⁹“I will bring forth offspring from Jacob,

And an heir of My mountains from Judah;

Even My chosen ones shall inherit it,

And My servants will dwell there.

¹⁰“Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks,

And the valley of Achor a resting place for herds,

For My people who seek Me.

¹¹“But you who forsake the LORD,

Who forget My holy mountain,

Who set a table for aFortune,

And who fill cups with mixed wine for bDestiny, [aHeb Gad bHeb Meni]

¹²I will destine you for the sword,

And all of you will bow down to the slaughter.

Because I called, but you did not answer;

I spoke, but you did not hear.

And you did evil in My sight

And chose that in which I did not delight.”

13 Therefore, thus says the Lord aGOD,

“Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry.

Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty.

Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. [13 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

¹⁴“Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart,

But you will cry out with a aheavy heart,

And you will wail with a broken spirit. [aLit pain of]

¹⁵“You will leave your name for a curse to My chosen ones,

And the Lord aGOD will slay you.

But bMy servants will be called by another name. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bSo with Gr; Heb He will call His servants]

¹⁶“Because he who ais blessed in the earth

Will abe blessed by the God of truth;

And he who swears in the earth

Will swear by the God of truth;

Because the former troubles are forgotten,

And because they are hidden from My sight! [aOr bless(es) himself]

New Heavens and a New Earth

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;

And the former things will not be remembered or come to amind. [aLit heart]

¹⁸“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;

For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing

And her people for gladness.

¹⁹“I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;

And there will no longer be heard in her

The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

²⁰“No longer will there be ain it an infant who lives but a few days,

Or an old man who does not blive out his days;

For the youth will die at the age of one hundred

And the cone who does not reach the age of one hundred

Will be thought accursed. [aLit from there bLit fill out cLit one who misses the mark]

²¹“They will build houses and inhabit them;

They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

²²“They will not build and another inhabit,

They will not plant and another eat;

For as the alifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,

And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands. [aLit days]

²³“They will not labor in vain,

Or bear children for calamity;

For they are the aoffspring of those blessed by the LORD,

And their descendants with them.

²⁴It will also come to pass that before 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; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. [23 aLit seed]

ISAIAH 66 [Books]

Heaven Is God’s Throne

1 Thus says the LORD,

“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.

Where then is a house you could build for Me?

And where is a place that aI may rest? [1 aLit is My resting place?]

²“For My hand made all these things,

Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD.

“But to this one I will look,

To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

Hypocrisy Rebuked

3 “But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man;

He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck;

He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood;

He who aburns incense is like the one who blesses an idol.

As they have chosen their own ways,

And their soul delights in their abominations, [aLit offers a memorial of incense]

⁴So I will choose their apunishments

And will bring on them what they dread.

Because I called, but no one answered;

I spoke, but they did not listen.

And they did evil in My sight

And chose that in which I did not delight.” [aLit ill treatments]

⁵Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word:

“Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name’s sake,

Have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy.’

But they will be put to shame.

⁶“A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple,

The voice of the LORD who is rendering recompense to His enemies.

7 “Before she travailed, she brought forth;

Before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy.

⁸“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?

Can a land be aborn in one day?

Can a nation be brought forth all at once?

As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. [aLit travailed with]

⁹“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD.

“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

Joy in Jerusalem’s Future

¹⁰“Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;

Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

¹¹That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,

That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

¹²For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river,

And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;

And you will abe nursed, you will be carried on the bhip and fondled on the knees. [aLit nurse bLit side]

¹³“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you;

And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

¹⁴Then you will see this, and your heart will be glad,

And your bones will flourish like the new grass;

And the hand of the LORD will be made known to His servants,

But He will be indignant toward His enemies.

¹⁵For behold, the LORD will come in fire

And His chariots like the whirlwind,

To render His anger with fury,

And His rebuke with flames of fire.

¹⁶For the LORD will execute judgment by fire

And by His sword on all flesh,

And those slain by the LORD will be many.

¹⁷“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens,

aFollowing one in the center,

Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,

Will come to an end altogether,” declares the LORD. [aLit After]

18 “For I aknow their works and their thoughts; bthe time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. ¹⁹I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: Tarshish, cPut, Lud, dMeshech, Tubal and eJavan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. ²⁰Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. ²¹I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says the LORD. [18 aSo with Gr; Heb omits know bLit it is coming 19 cSo with Gr; Heb Pul dSo with Gr; Heb those who draw the bow eI.e. Greece]

²²“For just as the new heavens and the new earth

Which I make will endure before Me,” declares the LORD,

“So your offspring and your name will endure.

²³“And it shall be from new moon to new moon

And from sabbath to sabbath,

All amankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the LORD. [aLit flesh]

²⁴“Then they will go forth and look

On the corpses of the men

Who have atransgressed against Me.

For their worm will not die

And their fire will not be quenched;

And they will be an abhorrence to all bmankind.” [aOr rebelled bLit flesh]

JEREMIAH 1 [Books]

Jeremiah’s Call and Commission

1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, ²to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. ³It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,

⁵“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

And before you were born I consecrated you;

I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

⁶Then I said, “Alas, Lord aGOD!

Behold, I do not know how to speak,

Because I am a youth.” [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

⁷But the LORD said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’

Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,

And all that I command you, you shall speak.

⁸“Do not be afraid of them,

For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.

⁹Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me,

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

¹⁰“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,

To pluck up and to break down,

To destroy and to overthrow,

To build and to plant.”

The Almond Rod and Boiling Pot

11 The word of the LORD came to me saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a rod of an aalmond tree.” ¹²Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am bwatching over My word to perform it.” [11 aHeb shaqed 12 bHeb shoqed]

13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” ¹⁴Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north the evil awill break forth on all the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁵For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD; “and they will come and they will set each one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls round about and against all the cities of Judah. ¹⁶I will bpronounce My judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have coffered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. ¹⁷Now, gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them. ¹⁸Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests and to the people of the land. ¹⁹They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. [14 aLit will be opened 16 bLit speak cOr burned incense]

JEREMIAH 2 [Books]

Judah’s Apostasy

1 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD,

“I remember concerning you the adevotion of your youth,

The love of your betrothals,

Your following after Me in the wilderness,

Through a land not sown. [2 aOr lovingkindness]

³“Israel was holy to the LORD,

The first of His harvest.

All who ate of it became guilty;

Evil came upon them,” declares the LORD.’ ”

4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. ⁵Thus says the LORD,

“What injustice did your fathers find in Me,

That they went far from Me

And walked after emptiness and became empty?

⁶“They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD

Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt,

Who led us through the wilderness,

Through a land of deserts and of pits,

Through a land of drought and of adeep darkness,

Through a land that no one crossed

And where no man dwelt?’ [aOr the shadow of death]

⁷“I brought you into the fruitful land

To eat its fruit and its good things.

But you came and defiled My land,

And My inheritance you made an abomination.

⁸“The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’

And those who handle the law did not know Me;

The arulers also transgressed against Me,

And the prophets prophesied by Baal

And walked after things that did not profit. [aLit shepherds]

9 “Therefore I will yet contend with you,” declares the LORD,

“And with your sons’ sons I will contend.

¹⁰“For cross to the coastlands of aKittim and see,

And send to Kedar and observe closely

And see if there has been such a thing as this! [aI.e. Cyprus and other islands]

¹¹“Has a nation changed gods

When they were not gods?

But My people have changed their glory

For that which does not profit.

¹²“Be appalled, O heavens, at this,

And shudder, be very desolate,” declares the LORD.

¹³“For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me,

The fountain of living waters,

To hew for themselves cisterns,

Broken cisterns

That can hold no water.

14 “Is Israel a slave? Or is he a homeborn servant?

Why has he become a prey?

¹⁵“The young lions have roared at him,

They have aroared loudly.

And they have made his land a waste;

His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant. [aLit given their voice]

¹⁶“Also the amen of Memphis and Tahpanhes

Have bshaved the crown of your head. [aOr sons bLit grazed]

¹⁷“Have you not done this to yourself

By your forsaking the LORD your God

When He led you in the way?

¹⁸“But now what are you doing on the road to Egypt,

To drink the waters of the aNile?

Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria,

To drink the waters of the bEuphrates? [aHeb Shihor bLit River]

¹⁹“Your own wickedness will correct you,

And your apostasies will reprove you;

Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter

For you to forsake the LORD your God,

And the dread of Me is not in you,” declares the Lord aGOD of hosts. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

20 “For long ago aI broke your yoke

And tore off your bonds;

But you said, ‘I will not serve!’

For on every high hill

And under every green tree

You have lain down as a harlot. [aOr you]

²¹“Yet I planted you a choice vine,

A completely faithful seed.

How then have you turned yourself before Me

Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

²²“Although you wash yourself with lye

And ause much soap,

The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares the Lord bGOD. [aLit cause to be great to you bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

²³“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled,

I have not gone after the Baals’?

Look at your way in the valley!

Know what you have done!

You are a swift young camel entangling her ways,

²⁴A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,

That sniffs the wind in her passion.

In the time of her aheat who can turn her away?

All who seek her will not become weary;

In her month they will find her. [aLit occasion]

²⁵“Keep your feet from being unshod

And your throat from thirst;

But you said, ‘It is ahopeless!

No! For I have loved strangers,

And after them I will walk.’ [aOr desperate]

26 “As the thief is shamed when he is discovered,

So the house of Israel is shamed;

They, their kings, their princes

And their priests and their prophets,

²⁷Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’

And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’

For they have turned their back to Me,

And not their face;

But in the time of their atrouble they will say,

‘Arise and save us.’ [aOr evil]

²⁸“But where are your gods

Which you made for yourself?

Let them arise, if they can save you

In the time of your atrouble;

For according to the number of your cities

Are your gods, O Judah. [aOr evil]

29 “Why do you contend with Me?

You have all transgressed against Me,” declares the LORD.

³⁰“In vain I have struck your sons;

They accepted no chastening.

Your sword has devoured your prophets

Like a destroying lion.

³¹“O generation, heed the word of the LORD.

Have I been a wilderness to Israel,

Or a land of thick darkness?

Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam;

We will no longer come to You’?

³²“Can a virgin forget her ornaments,

Or a bride her attire?

Yet My people have forgotten Me

Days without number.

³³“How well you prepare your way

To seek love!

Therefore even athe wicked women

You have taught your ways. [aOr in wickedness]

³⁴“Also on your skirts is found

The lifeblood of the innocent poor;

You did not find them breaking in.

But in spite of all these things,

³⁵Yet you said, ‘I am innocent;

Surely His anger is turned away from me.’

Behold, I will enter into judgment with you

Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

³⁶“Why do you go around so much

Changing your way?

Also, you will be put to shame by Egypt

As you were put to shame by Assyria.

³⁷“From this place also you will go out

With your hands on your head;

For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust,

And you will not prosper with them.”

JEREMIAH 3 [Books]

The Polluted Land

1 God asays, “If a husband divorces his wife

And she goes from him

And belongs to another man,

Will he still return to her?

Will not that land be completely bpolluted?

But you are a harlot with many clovers;

Yet you turn to Me,” declares the LORD. [aLit saying bOr alienated cLit companions]

²“Lift up your eyes to the bare heights and see;

Where have you not been violated?

By the roads you have sat for them

Like an Arab in the desert,

And you have polluted a land

With your harlotry and with your wickedness.

³“Therefore the showers have been withheld,

And there has been no spring rain.

Yet you had a harlot’s forehead;

You refused to be ashamed.

⁴“Have you not just now called to Me,

‘My Father, You are the afriend of my youth? [aLit leader]

⁵‘Will He be angry forever?

Will He abe indignant to the end?’

Behold, you have spoken

And have done evil things,

And you have bhad your way.” [aLit keep it bLit been able]

Faithless Israel

6 Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. ⁷I athought, ‘After she has done all these things she will return to Me’; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. ⁸And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. ⁹Because of the lightness of her harlotry, she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. ¹⁰Yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in deception,” declares the LORD. [7 aLit said]

God Invites Repentance

11 And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has proved herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. ¹²Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say,

‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD;

‘I will not alook upon you in anger.

For I am gracious,’ declares the LORD;

‘I will not be angry forever. [12 aLit cause My countenance to fall]

¹³‘Only aacknowledge your iniquity,

That you have transgressed against the LORD your God

And have scattered your bfavors to the strangers under every green tree,

And you have not obeyed My voice,’ declares the LORD. [aLit know bLit ways]

¹⁴‘Return, O faithless sons,’ declares the LORD;

‘For I am a master to you,

And I will take you one from a city and two from a family,

And I will bring you to Zion.’

15 “Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding. ¹⁶It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land,” declares the LORD, “they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again. ¹⁷At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of the LORD,’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart. ¹⁸In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.

19 “Then I said,

‘How I would set you among aMy sons

And give you a pleasant land,

The most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’

And I said, ‘You shall call Me, My Father,

And not turn away from following Me.’ [19 aLit the]

²⁰“Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her alover,

So you have dealt treacherously with Me,

O house of Israel,” declares the LORD. [aOr companion]

21 A voice is heard on the bare heights,

The weeping and the supplications of the sons of Israel;

Because they have perverted their way,

They have forgotten the LORD their God.

²²“Return, O faithless sons,

I will heal your faithlessness.”

“Behold, we come to You;

For You are the LORD our God.

²³“Surely, the hills are a deception,

A tumult on the mountains.

Surely in the LORD our God

Is the salvation of Israel.

24 “But the shameful thing has consumed the labor of our fathers since our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. ²⁵Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”

JEREMIAH 4 [Books]

Judah Threatened with Invasion

1 “If you will return, O Israel,” declares the LORD,

“Then you should return to Me.

And if you will put away your detested things from My presence,

And will not waver,

²And you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’

In truth, in justice and in righteousness;

Then the nations will bless themselves in Him,

And in Him they will glory.”

3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem,

“aBreak up your fallow ground,

And do not sow among thorns. [3 aLit Plow for yourselves plowed ground]

⁴“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD

And remove the foreskins of your heart,

Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,

Or else My wrath will go forth like fire

And burn with none to quench it,

Because of the evil of your deeds.”

5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,

“Blow the trumpet in the land;

Cry aloud and say,

‘Assemble yourselves, and let us go

Into the fortified cities.’

⁶“Lift up a standard toward Zion!

Seek refuge, do not stand still,

For I am bringing evil from the north,

And great destruction.

⁷“A lion has gone up from his thicket,

And a destroyer of nations has set out;

He has gone out from his place

To make your land a waste.

Your cities will be ruins

Without inhabitant.

⁸“For this, put on sackcloth,

Lament and wail;

For the fierce anger of the LORD

Has not turned back from us.”

⁹“It shall come about in that day,” declares the LORD, “that the heart of the king and the heart of the princes will fail; and the priests will be appalled and the prophets will be astounded.”

10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord aGOD! Surely You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace’; whereas a sword touches the bthroat.” [10 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bOr life]

11 In that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A scorching wind from the bare heights in the wilderness in the direction of the daughter of My people—not to winnow and not to cleanse, ¹²a wind too strong for athis—will come bat My command; now I will also pronounce judgments against them. [12 aLit these bLit for Me]

¹³“Behold, he goes up like clouds,

And his chariots like the whirlwind;

His horses are swifter than eagles.

Woe to us, for we are ruined!”

14 Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem,

That you may be saved.

How long will your wicked thoughts

Lodge within you?

¹⁵For a voice declares from Dan,

And proclaims wickedness from Mount Ephraim.

¹⁶“Report it to the nations, now!

Proclaim over Jerusalem,

‘Besiegers come from a far country,

And lift their voices against the cities of Judah.

¹⁷‘Like watchmen of a field they are against her round about,

Because she has rebelled against Me,’ declares the LORD.

¹⁸“Your ways and your deeds

Have abrought these things to you.

This is your evil. How bitter!

How it has touched your heart!” [aLit done]

Lament over Judah’s Devastation

19 My asoul, my asoul! I am in anguish! bOh, my heart!

My heart is pounding in me;

I cannot be silent,

Because cyou have heard, O my soul,

The sound of the trumpet,

The alarm of war. [aLit inward parts bLit The walls of my heart cOr I, my soul, heard]

²⁰Disaster on disaster is proclaimed,

For the whole land is devastated;

Suddenly my tents are devastated,

My curtains in an instant.

²¹How long must I see the standard

And hear the sound of the trumpet?

²²“For My people are foolish,

They know Me not;

They are stupid children

And have no understanding.

They are shrewd to do evil,

But to do good they do not know.”

23 I looked on the earth, and behold, it was a formless and void;

And to the heavens, and they had no light. [aOr a waste and emptiness]

²⁴I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,

And all the hills amoved to and fro. [aLit moved lightly]

²⁵I looked, and behold, there was no man,

And all the birds of the heavens had fled.

²⁶I looked, and behold, athe fruitful land was a wilderness,

And all its cities were pulled down

Before the LORD, before His fierce anger. [aOr Carmel]

27 For thus says the LORD,

“The whole land shall be a desolation,

Yet I will not execute a complete destruction.

²⁸“For this the earth shall mourn

And the heavens above be dark,

Because I have spoken, I have purposed,

And I will not achange My mind, nor will I turn from it.” [aLit be sorry]

²⁹At the sound of the horseman and bowman every city flees;

They go into the thickets and climb among the rocks;

Every city is forsaken,

And no man dwells in them.

³⁰And you, O desolate one, what will you do?

Although you dress in scarlet,

Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold,

Although you enlarge your eyes with paint,

In vain you make yourself beautiful.

Your alovers despise you;

They seek your life. [aLit paramours]

³¹For I heard a acry as of a woman in labor,

The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,

The acry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,

Stretching out her bhands, saying,

“Ah, woe is me, for cI faint before murderers.” [aLit sound bLit palms cLit my soul faints]

JEREMIAH 5 [Books]

Jerusalem’s Godlessness

1 “Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

And look now and take note.

And seek in her open squares,

If you can find a man,

If there is one who does justice, who seeks atruth,

Then I will pardon her. [aLit faithfulness]

²“And although they say, ‘As the LORD lives,’

Surely they swear falsely.”

³O LORD, do not Your eyes look for atruth?

You have smitten them,

But they did not bweaken;

You have consumed them,

But they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

They have refused to repent. [aLit faithfulness bOr become sick]

4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,

They are foolish;

For they do not know the way of the LORD

Or the ordinance of their God.

⁵“I will go to the great

And will speak to them,

For they know the way of the LORD

And the ordinance of their God.”

But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke

And burst the bonds.

⁶Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them,

A wolf of the deserts will destroy them,

A leopard is watching their cities.

Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,

Because their transgressions are many,

Their apostasies are numerous.

7 “Why should I pardon you?

Your sons have forsaken Me

And sworn by those who are not gods.

When I had fed them to the full,

They committed adultery

And trooped to the harlot’s house.

⁸“They were well-fed lusty horses,

Each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife.

⁹“Shall I not punish athese people,” declares the LORD,

“And on a nation such as this

Shall I not avenge Myself? [aOr for these things]

10 “Go up through her vine rows and destroy,

But do not execute a complete destruction;

Strip away her branches,

For they are not the LORD’S.

¹¹“For the house of Israel and the house of Judah

Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the LORD.

¹²They have lied about the LORD

And said, “aNot He;

Misfortune will not come on us,

And we will not see sword or famine. [aLit He is not]

¹³“The prophets are as wind,

And the word is not in them.

Thus it will be done to them!”

Judgment Proclaimed

14 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts,

“Because you have spoken this word,

Behold, I am making My words in your mouth fire

And this people wood, and it will consume them.

¹⁵“Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.

“It is an enduring nation,

It is an ancient nation,

A nation whose language you do not know,

Nor can you understand what they say.

¹⁶“Their quiver is like an open grave,

All of them are mighty men.

¹⁷“They will devour your harvest and your food;

They will devour your sons and your daughters;

They will devour your flocks and your herds;

They will devour your vines and your fig trees;

They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust.

18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make you a complete destruction. ¹⁹It shall come about when athey say, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’ [19 aOr you]

20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob

And proclaim it in Judah, saying,

²¹‘Now hear this, O foolish and asenseless people,

Who have eyes but do not see;

Who have ears but do not hear. [aLit without heart]

²²‘Do you not fear Me?’ declares the LORD.

‘Do you not tremble in My presence?

For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,

An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it.

Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail;

Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it.

²³‘But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;

They have turned aside and departed.

²⁴‘They do not say in their heart,

“Let us now fear the LORD our God,

Who gives rain in its season,

Both the autumn rain and the spring rain,

Who keeps for us

The appointed weeks of the harvest.”

²⁵‘Your iniquities have turned these away,

And your sins have withheld good from you.

²⁶‘For wicked men are found among My people,

They watch like fowlers alying in wait;

They set a trap,

They catch men. [aPerhaps, crouching down]

²⁷‘Like a cage full of birds,

So their houses are full of deceit;

Therefore they have become great and rich.

²⁸‘They are fat, they are sleek,

They also aexcel in deeds of wickedness;

They do not plead the cause,

The cause of the borphan, that they may prosper;

And they do not cdefend the rights of the poor. [aLit pass over, or, overlook deeds bOr fatherless cLit judge]

²⁹‘Shall I not punish athese people?’ declares the LORD,

‘On a nation such as this

Shall I not avenge Myself?’ [aOr for these things]

30 “An appalling and horrible thing

Has happened in the land:

³¹The prophets prophesy falsely,

And the priests rule aon their own authority;

And My people love it so!

But what will you do at the end of it? [aLit over their own hands]

JEREMIAH 6 [Books]

Destruction of Jerusalem Impending

1 “Flee for safety, O sons of Benjamin,

From the midst of Jerusalem!

Now blow a trumpet in Tekoa

And raise a signal over aBeth-haccerem;

For evil looks down from the north,

And a great destruction. [aI.e. house of the vineyard]

²“The comely and dainty one, the daughter of Zion, I will cut off.

³“Shepherds and their flocks will come to her,

They will pitch their tents aaround her,

They will pasture each in his bplace. [aLit against her round about bLit hand]

⁴“aPrepare war against her;

Arise, and let us battack at noon.

Woe to us, for the day declines,

For the shadows of the evening lengthen! [aLit Sanctify bLit go up]

⁵“Arise, and let us aattack by night

And destroy her bpalaces!”

⁶For thus says the LORD of hosts,

“Cut down her trees

And cast up a siege against Jerusalem.

This is the city to be punished,

In whose midst there is only oppression. [aLit go up bOr fortified towers]

⁷“As a well akeeps its waters fresh,

So she akeeps fresh her wickedness.

Violence and destruction are heard in her;

Sickness and wounds are ever before Me. [aLit keeps cold]

⁸“Be warned, O Jerusalem,

Or aI shall be alienated from you,

And make you a desolation,

A land not inhabited.” [aLit my soul]

9 Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“They will thoroughly glean as the vine the remnant of Israel;

Pass your hand again like a grape gatherer

Over the branches.”

¹⁰To whom shall I speak and give warning

That they may hear?

Behold, their ears are aclosed

And they cannot listen.

Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them;

They have no delight in it. [aLit uncircumcised]

¹¹But I am full of the wrath of the LORD;

I am weary with holding it in.

“Pour it out on the children in the street

And on the agathering of young men together;

For both husband and wife shall be taken,

The aged band the very old. [aLit council bLit with fullness of days]

¹²“Their houses shall be turned over to others,

Their fields and their wives together;

For I will stretch out My hand

Against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD.

¹³“For from the least of them even to the greatest of them,

Everyone is greedy for gain,

And from the prophet even to the priest

Everyone adeals falsely. [aOr makes lies]

¹⁴“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,

Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’

But there is no peace.

¹⁵“Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done?

They were not even ashamed at all;

They did not even know how to blush.

Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;

At the time that I punish them,

They shall be cast down,” says the LORD.

16 Thus says the LORD,

“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,

Where the good way is, and walk in it;

And you will find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

¹⁷“And I set watchmen over you, saying,

‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’

But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

¹⁸“Therefore hear, O nations,

And know, O congregation, what is among them.

¹⁹“Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,

The fruit of their aplans,

Because they have not listened to My words,

And as for My law, they have rejected it also. [aOr devices]

²⁰“For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba

And the asweet cane from a distant land?

Your burnt offerings are not acceptable

And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.”

²¹Therefore, thus says the LORD,

“Behold, I am blaying stumbling blocks before this people.

And they will stumble against them,

Fathers and sons together;

Neighbor and cfriend will perish.” [aLit good bLit giving cLit his friend]

The Enemy from the North

22 Thus says the LORD,

“Behold, a people is coming from the north land,

And a great nation will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.

²³“They seize bow and spear;

They are cruel and have no mercy;

Their voice roars like the sea,

And they ride on horses,

Arrayed as a man for the battle

Against you, O daughter of Zion!”

²⁴We have heard the report of it;

Our hands are limp.

Anguish has seized us,

Pain as of a woman in childbirth.

²⁵Do not go out into the field

And do not walk on the road,

For the enemy has a sword,

Terror is on every side.

²⁶O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth

And roll in ashes;

aMourn as for an only son,

A lamentation most bitter.

For suddenly the destroyer

Will come upon us. [aLit Make for yourself mourning]

27 “I have made you an assayer and a tester among My people,

That you may know and assay their way.”

²⁸All of them are stubbornly rebellious,

Going about as a talebearer.

They are bronze and iron;

They, all of them, are corrupt.

²⁹The bellows blow fiercely,

The lead is consumed by the fire;

In vain the refining goes on,

But the wicked are not aseparated. [aOr drawn off]

³⁰They call them rejected silver,

Because the LORD has rejected them.

JEREMIAH 7 [Books]

Message at the Temple Gate

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ²“Stand in the gate of the LORD’S house and proclaim there this word and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the LORD!’ ” ³Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. ⁴Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘aThis is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ ⁵For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, ⁶if you do not oppress the alien, the borphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, ⁷then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. [4 aLit They are 6 bOr fatherless]

8 “Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. ⁹Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and aoffer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, ¹⁰then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—that you may do all these abominations? ¹¹Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the LORD. [9 aOr burn incense]

12 “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. ¹³And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer, ¹⁴therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. ¹⁵I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, all the aoffspring of Ephraim. [15 aLit seed]

16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. ¹⁷Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁸The achildren gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me. ¹⁹Do they spite Me?” declares the LORD. “Is it not themselves they spite, to btheir own shame?” ²⁰Therefore thus says the Lord cGOD, “Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.” [18 aLit sons 19 bLit their faces’ 20 cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

21 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. ²²For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. ²³But this is awhat I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’ ²⁴Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and bwent backward and not forward. ²⁵Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets, daily rising early and sending them. ²⁶Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers. [23 aLit the word which 24 bLit they were]

27 “You shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you. ²⁸You shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God or accept correction; atruth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. [28 aLit faithfulness]

²⁹‘Cut off ayour hair and cast it away,

And take up a lamentation on the bare heights;

For the LORD has rejected and forsaken

The generation of His wrath.’

³⁰For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,” declares the LORD, “they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. ³¹They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My bmind. [29 aLit your crown 31 bLit heart]

32 “Therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth abecause there is no other place. ³³The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. ³⁴Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a ruin. [32 aOr until there is no place left]

JEREMIAH 8 [Books]

The Sin and Treachery of Judah

1 “At that time,” declares the LORD, “they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves. ²They will spread them out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served, and which they have gone after and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or buried; they will be as dung on the face of the ground. ³And death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them,” declares the LORD of hosts. ⁴“You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD,

“Do men fall and not get up again?

Does one turn away and not arepent? [4 aLit turn back]

⁵“Why then has this people, Jerusalem,

Turned away in continual apostasy?

They hold fast to deceit,

They refuse to return.

⁶“I have listened and heard,

They have spoken what is not right;

No man repented of his wickedness,

Saying, ‘What have I done?’

Everyone turned to his course,

Like a horse charging into the battle.

⁷“Even the stork in the sky

Knows her seasons;

And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush

Observe the time of their amigration;

But My people do not know

The ordinance of the LORD. [aLit coming]

8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise,

And the law of the LORD is with us’?

But behold, the lying pen of the scribes

Has made it into a lie.

⁹“The wise men are put to shame,

They are dismayed and caught;

Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD,

And what kind of wisdom do they have?

¹⁰“Therefore I will give their wives to others,

Their fields to anew owners;

Because from the least even to the greatest

Everyone is greedy for gain;

From the prophet even to the priest

Everyone practices deceit. [aLit possessing ones]

¹¹“They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially,

Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’

But there is no peace.

¹²“Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done?

They certainly were not ashamed,

And they did not know how to blush;

Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;

At the time of their punishment they shall be brought down,”

Says the LORD.

13 “I will surely snatch them away,” declares the LORD;

“There will be no grapes on the vine

And no figs on the fig tree,

And the leaf will wither;

And what I have given them will pass away.” ’ ”

¹⁴Why are we sitting still?

Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities

And let us perish there,

Because the LORD our God has doomed us

And given us poisoned water to drink,

For we have sinned against the LORD.

¹⁵We waited for peace, but no good came;

For a time of healing, but behold, terror!

¹⁶From Dan is heard the snorting of his horses;

At the sound of the neighing of his stallions

The whole land quakes;

For they come and devour the land and its fullness,

The city and its inhabitants.

¹⁷“For behold, I am sending serpents against you,

Adders, for which there is no charm,

And they will bite you,” declares the LORD.

18 aMy sorrow is beyond healing,

My heart is faint within me! [aSo Gr and versions]

¹⁹Behold, listen! The cry of the daughter of my people from a distant land:

“Is the LORD not in Zion? Is her King not within her?”

“Why have they provoked Me with their graven images, with foreign aidols?” [aLit vanities]

²⁰“Harvest is past, summer is ended,

And we are not saved.”

²¹For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken;

I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me.

²²Is there no balm in Gilead?

Is there no physician there?

Why then has not the ahealth of the daughter of my people bbeen restored? [aOr healing bLit gone up]

JEREMIAH 9 [Books]

A Lament over Zion

1 aOh that my head were waters

And my eyes a fountain of tears,

That I might weep day and night

For the slain of the daughter of my people! [aCh 8:23 in Heb]

²aOh that I had in the desert

A wayfarers’ lodging place;

That I might leave my people

And go from them!

For all of them are adulterers,

An assembly of treacherous men. [aCh 9:1 in Heb]

³“They bend their tongue like their bow;

Lies and not truth prevail in the land;

For they proceed from evil to evil,

And they do not know Me,” declares the LORD.

⁴“Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor,

And do not trust any brother;

Because every brother deals acraftily,

And every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. [aI.e. like Jacob (a play on words)]

⁵“Everyone deceives his neighbor

And does not speak the truth,

They have taught their tongue to speak lies;

They weary themselves committing iniquity.

⁶“Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit;

Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the LORD.

7 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts,

“Behold, I will refine them and assay them;

For what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?

⁸“Their tongue is a deadly arrow;

It speaks deceit;

With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor,

But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.

⁹“Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the LORD.

“On a nation such as this

Shall I not avenge Myself?

10 “For the mountains I will take up a weeping and wailing,

And for the pastures of the wilderness a dirge,

Because they are laid waste so that no one passes through,

And the lowing of the cattle is not heard;

Both the birds of the sky and the beasts have fled; they are gone.

¹¹“I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,

A haunt of jackals;

And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

12 Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a desert, so that no one passes through? ¹³The LORD said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice nor walked according to it, ¹⁴but have walked after the stubbornness of their heart and after the Baals, as their fathers taught them,” ¹⁵therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink. ¹⁶I will scatter them among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them until I have annihilated them.”

17 Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“Consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come;

And send for the awailing women, that they may come! [17 aLit skilled]

¹⁸“Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us,

That our eyes may shed tears

And our eyelids flow with water.

¹⁹“For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion,

‘How are we ruined!

We are put to great shame,

For we have left the land,

Because they have cast down our dwellings.’ ”

²⁰Now hear the word of the LORD, O you women,

And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;

Teach your daughters wailing,

And everyone her neighbor a dirge.

²¹For death has come up through our windows;

It has entered our palaces

To cut off the children from the streets,

The young men from the town squares.

²²Speak, “Thus says the LORD,

‘The corpses of men will fall like dung on the open field,

And like the sheaf after the reaper,

But no one will gather them.’ ”

23 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; ²⁴but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

25 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised— ²⁶Egypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.”

JEREMIAH 10 [Books]

A Satire on Idolatry

1 Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. ²Thus says the LORD,

“Do not learn the way of the nations,

And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens

Although the nations are terrified by them;

³For the customs of the peoples are adelusion;

Because it is wood cut from the forest,

The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. [aLit vanity]

⁴“They decorate it with silver and with gold;

They fasten it with nails and with hammers

So that it will not totter.

⁵“Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,

And they cannot speak;

They must be carried,

Because they cannot walk!

Do not fear them,

For they can do no harm,

Nor can they do any good.”

6 There is none like You, O LORD;

You are great, and great is Your name in might.

⁷Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?

Indeed it is Your due!

For among all the wise men of the nations

And in all their kingdoms,

There is none like You.

⁸But they are altogether stupid and foolish

In their discipline of adelusion—btheir idol is wood! [aLit vanities, or idols bLit it is]

⁹Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,

And gold from Uphaz,

The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith;

Violet and purple are their clothing;

They are all the work of skilled men.

¹⁰But the LORD is the true God;

He is the living God and the everlasting King.

At His wrath the earth quakes,

And the nations cannot endure His indignation.

11 aThus you shall say to them, “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the bheavens.” [11 aThis verse is in Aram bOr these heavens]

12 It is He who made the earth by His power,

Who established the world by His wisdom;

And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.

¹³When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;

He makes lightning for the rain,

And brings out the wind from His storehouses.

¹⁴Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge;

Every goldsmith is put to shame by his aidols;

For his molten images are deceitful,

And there is no breath in them. [aOr graven image]

¹⁵They are worthless, a work of mockery;

In the time of their punishment they will perish.

¹⁶The portion of Jacob is not like these;

For the aMaker of all is He,

And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;

The LORD of hosts is His name. [aLit Fashioner]

17 Pick up your bundle from the ground,

You who dwell under siege!

¹⁸For thus says the LORD,

“Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land

At this time,

And will cause them distress,

That they may abe found.” [aLit find]

19 Woe is me, because of my ainjury!

My wound is incurable.

But I said, “Truly this is a sickness,

And I must bear it.” [aLit breaking]

²⁰My tent is destroyed,

And all my ropes are broken;

My sons have gone from me and are no more.

There is no one to stretch out my tent again

Or to set up my curtains.

²¹For the shepherds have become stupid

And have not sought the LORD;

Therefore they have not prospered,

And all their flock is scattered.

²²The sound of a report! Behold, it comes—

A great commotion out of the land of the north—

To make the cities of Judah

A desolation, a haunt of jackals.

23 I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself,

Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

²⁴Correct me, O LORD, but with justice;

Not with Your anger, or You will abring me to nothing. [aLit diminish me]

²⁵Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You

And on the families that do not call Your name;

For they have devoured Jacob;

They have devoured him and consumed him

And have laid waste his ahabitation. [aOr pasture]

JEREMIAH 11 [Books]

The Broken Covenant

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ²“Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; ³and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant ⁴which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and ado according to all which I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God,’ ⁵in order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.” ’ ” Then I said, “Amen, O LORD.” [4 aLit do them]

6 And the LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them. ⁷For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, awarning persistently, saying, “Listen to My voice.” ⁸Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’ ” [7 aLit rising early and warning]

9 Then the LORD said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁰They have turned back to the iniquities of their aancestors who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” ¹¹Therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold I am bringing disaster on them which they will not be able to escape; though they will cry to Me, yet I will not listen to them. ¹²Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their disaster. ¹³For your gods are bas many as your cities, O Judah; and bas many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. [10 aLit former fathers 13 bLit the number of]

14 “Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster.

¹⁵“What right has My beloved in My house

When she has done many vile deeds?

Can the sacrificial flesh take away from you your disaster,

aSo that you can rejoice?” [aLit Then]

¹⁶The LORD called your name,

“A green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form”;

With the noise of a great tumult

He has kindled fire on it,

And its branches are worthless.

¹⁷The LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have adone to provoke Me by boffering up sacrifices to Baal. [aOr done for themselves bOr burning incense]

Plots against Jeremiah

18 Moreover, the LORD made it known to me and I knew it;

Then You showed me their deeds.

¹⁹But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;

And I did not know that they had devised plots against me, saying,

“Let us destroy the tree with its afruit,

And let us cut him off from the land of the living,

That his name be remembered no more.” [aLit bread]

²⁰But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously,

Who tries the afeelings and the heart,

Let me see Your vengeance on them,

For to You have I bcommitted my cause. [aLit kidneys bLit revealed]

21 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, so that you will not die at our hand”; ²²therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, I am about to punish them! The young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters will die by famine; ²³and a remnant will not be left to them, for I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth—the year of their punishment.”

JEREMIAH 12 [Books]

Jeremiah’s Prayer

1 Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You;

Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You:

Why has the way of the wicked prospered?

Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?

²You have planted them, they have also taken root;

They grow, they have even produced fruit.

You are near ato their lips

But far from their bmind. [aLit in their mouth bLit kidneys]

³But You know me, O LORD;

You see me;

And You examine my heart’s attitude toward You.

Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter

And aset them apart for a day of carnage! [aLit sanctify them]

⁴How long is the land to mourn

And the vegetation of the countryside to wither?

For the wickedness of those who dwell in it,

Animals and birds have been snatched away,

Because men have said, “He will not see our latter ending.”

5 “If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out,

Then how can you compete with horses?

If you fall down in a land of peace,

How will you do in the athicket of the Jordan? [aLit pride]

⁶“For even your brothers and the household of your father,

Even they have dealt treacherously with you,

Even they have cried aloud after you.

Do not believe them, although they may say nice things to you.”

God’s Answer

7 “I have forsaken My house,

I have abandoned My inheritance;

I have given the beloved of My soul

Into the hand of her enemies.

⁸“My inheritance has become to Me

Like a lion in the forest;

She has aroared against Me;

Therefore I have come to hate her. [aLit raised her voice]

⁹“Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?

Are the birds of prey against her on every side?

Go, gather all the beasts of the field,

Bring them to devour!

¹⁰“Many shepherds have ruined My vineyard,

They have trampled down My field;

They have made My pleasant field

A desolate wilderness.

¹¹“aIt has been made a desolation,

Desolate, it mourns bbefore Me;

The whole land has been made desolate,

Because no man lays it to heart. [aLit One has made it bOr upon]

¹²“On all the abare heights in the wilderness

Destroyers have come,

For a sword of the LORD is devouring

From one end of the land even to the bother;

There is no peace for canyone. [aOr caravan trails bLit other end of the land cLit all flesh]

¹³“They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns,

They have strained themselves ato no profit.

But be ashamed of your bharvest

Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.” [aLit they do not profit bLit products]

14 Thus says the LORD concerning all My wicked neighbors who strike at the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel, “Behold I am about to uproot them from their land and will uproot the house of Judah from among them. ¹⁵And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them; and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. ¹⁶Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people. ¹⁷But if they will not listen, then I will uproot that nation, uproot and destroy it,” declares the LORD.

JEREMIAH 13 [Books]

The Ruined Waistband

1 Thus the LORD said to me, “Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.” ²So I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the LORD and put it around my waist. ³Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, ⁴“Take the waistband that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to athe Euphrates and hide it there in a crevice of the rock.” ⁵So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD had commanded me. ⁶After many days the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates and take from there the waistband which I commanded you to hide there.” ⁷Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, the waistband was ruined, it was totally worthless. [4 aOr Parah, cf Josh 18:23; so through v 7]

8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁹“Thus says the LORD, ‘Just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. ¹⁰This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband which is totally worthless. ¹¹For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for arenown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’ [11 aLit a name]

Captivity Threatened

12 “Therefore you are to speak this word to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Every jug is to be filled with wine.” ’ And when they say to you, ‘Do we not very well know that every jug is to be filled with wine?’ ¹³then say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land—the kings that sit for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! ¹⁴I will dash them against each other, both the fathers and the sons together,” declares the LORD. “I will not show pity nor be sorry nor have compassion so as not to destroy them.” ’ ”

15 Listen and give heed, do not be haughty,

For the LORD has spoken.

¹⁶Give glory to the LORD your God,

Before He brings darkness

And before your feet stumble

On the dusky mountains,

And while you are hoping for light

He makes it into deep darkness,

And turns it into gloom.

¹⁷But if you will not listen to it,

My soul will sob in secret for such pride;

And my eyes will bitterly weep

And flow down with tears,

Because the flock of the LORD has been taken captive.

¹⁸Say to the king and the queen mother,

“Take a lowly seat,

For your beautiful crown

Has come down from your head.”

¹⁹The cities of the Negev have been locked up,

And there is no one to open them;

All Judah has been carried into exile,

Wholly carried into exile.

20 “Lift up your eyes and see

Those coming from the north.

Where is the flock that was given you,

Your beautiful sheep?

²¹“What will you say when He appoints over you—

And you yourself had taught them—

Former acompanions to be head over you?

Will not pangs take hold of you

Like a woman in childbirth? [aOr chieftains]

²²“If you say in your heart,

‘Why have these things happened to me?’

Because of the magnitude of your iniquity

Your skirts have been removed

And your heels have abeen exposed. [aOr suffered violence]

²³“Can the Ethiopian change his skin

Or the leopard his spots?

Then you also can do good

Who are accustomed to doing evil.

²⁴“Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw

To the desert wind.

²⁵“This is your lot, the portion measured to you

From Me,” declares the LORD,

“Because you have forgotten Me

And trusted in falsehood.

²⁶“So I Myself have also stripped your skirts off over your face,

That your shame may be seen.

²⁷“As for your adulteries and your lustful neighings,

The lewdness of your prostitution

On the hills in the field,

I have seen your abominations.

Woe to you, O Jerusalem!

How long will you remain unclean?”

JEREMIAH 14 [Books]

Drought and a Prayer for Mercy

1 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah in regard to the drought:

²“Judah mourns

And her gates languish;

They sit on the ground in mourning,

And the cry of Jerusalem has ascended.

³“Their nobles have sent their aservants for water;

They have come to the cisterns and found no water.

They have returned with their vessels empty;

They have been put to shame and humiliated,

And they cover their heads. [aLit little ones]

⁴“Because the ground is acracked,

For there has been no rain on the land;

The farmers have been put to shame,

They have covered their heads. [aLit shattered]

⁵“For even the doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her young,

Because there is no grass.

⁶“The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights;

They pant for air like jackals,

Their eyes fail

For there is no vegetation.

⁷“Although our iniquities testify against us,

O LORD, act for Your name’s sake!

Truly our apostasies have been many,

We have sinned against You.

⁸“O Hope of Israel,

Its Savior in time of distress,

Why are You like a stranger in the land

Or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night?

⁹“Why are You like a man dismayed,

Like a mighty man who cannot save?

Yet You are in our midst, O LORD,

And we are called by Your name;

Do not forsake us!”

10 Thus says the LORD to this people, “Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account.” ¹¹So the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. ¹²When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence.”

False Prophets

13 But, “Ah, Lord aGOD!” I said, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you blasting peace in this place.’ ” ¹⁴Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own cminds. ¹⁵Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them—yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’—by sword and famine those prophets shall dmeet their end! ¹⁶The people also to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—for I will pour out their own wickedness on them. [13 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit peace of truth 14 cLit hearts 15 dLit be finished]

¹⁷“You will say this word to them,

‘Let my eyes flow down with tears night and day,

And let them not cease;

For the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow,

With a sorely infected wound.

¹⁸‘If I go out to the country,

Behold, those aslain with the sword!

Or if I enter the city,

Behold, diseases of famine!

For both prophet and priest

Have bgone roving about in the land that they do not know.’ ” [aLit pierced bOr gone around trading]

19 Have You completely rejected Judah?

Or have aYou loathed Zion?

Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing?

We waited for peace, but nothing good came;

And for a time of healing, but behold, terror! [aLit Your soul]

²⁰We know our wickedness, O LORD,

The iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against You.

²¹Do not despise us, for Your own name’s sake;

Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory;

Remember and do not annul Your covenant with us.

²²Are there any among the aidols of the nations who give rain?

Or can the heavens grant showers?

Is it not You, O LORD our God?

Therefore we bhope in You,

For You are the one who has done all these things. [aLit vanities bOr wait for]

JEREMIAH 15 [Books]

Judgment Must Come

1 Then the LORD said to me, “Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My aheart would not be bwith this people; send them away from My presence and let them go! ²And it shall be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you are to tell them, ‘Thus says the LORD:

“Those destined for death, to death;

And those destined for the sword, to the sword;

And those destined for famine, to famine;

And those destined for captivity, to captivity.” ’

³I will appoint over them four kinds of doom,” declares the LORD: “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. ⁴I will make them an object of horror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem. [1 aLit soul bLit toward]

5 “Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem,

Or who will mourn for you,

Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

⁶“You who have forsaken Me,” declares the LORD,

“You keep going backward.

So I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;

I am tired of relenting!

⁷“I will winnow them with a winnowing fork

At the gates of the land;

I will bereave them of children, I will destroy My people;

They did not arepent of their ways. [aLit turn back from]

⁸“Their widows will be more numerous before Me

Than the sand of the seas;

I will bring against them, against the mother of a young man,

A destroyer at noonday;

I will suddenly bring down on her

Anguish and dismay.

⁹“She who bore seven sons pines away;

aHer breathing is labored.

Her sun has set while it was yet day;

She has been shamed and humiliated.

So I will give over their survivors to the sword

Before their enemies,” declares the LORD. [aOr She has breathed out her soul]

10 Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me

As a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land!

I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me,

Yet everyone curses me.

¹¹The LORD said, “Surely I will set you free for purposes of good;

Surely I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you

In a time of disaster and a time of distress.

12 “Can anyone smash iron,

Iron from the north, or bronze?

¹³“Your wealth and your treasures

I will give for booty without cost,

Even for all your sins

And within all your borders.

¹⁴“Then I will cause your enemies to bring ait

Into a land you do not know;

For a fire has been kindled in My anger,

It will burn upon you.” [aI.e. your possessions]

Jeremiah’s Prayer and God’s Answer

15 You who know, O LORD,

Remember me, take notice of me,

And take vengeance for me on my persecutors.

Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away;

Know that for Your sake I endure reproach.

¹⁶Your words were found and I ate them,

And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

For I have been called by Your name,

O LORD God of hosts.

¹⁷I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers,

Nor did I exult.

Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone,

For You filled me with indignation.

¹⁸Why has my pain been perpetual

And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?

Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream

With water that is unreliable?

19 Therefore, thus says the LORD,

“If you return, then I will restore you—

Before Me you will stand;

And if you extract the precious from the worthless,

You will become aMy spokesman.

They for their part may turn to you,

But as for you, you must not turn to them. [aLit as My mouth]

²⁰“Then I will make you to this people

A fortified wall of bronze;

And though they fight against you,

They will not prevail over you;

For I am with you to save you

And deliver you,” declares the LORD.

²¹“So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,

And I will redeem you from the agrasp of the violent.” [aLit palm]

JEREMIAH 16 [Books]

Distresses Foretold

1 The word of the LORD also came to me saying, ²“You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place.” ³For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who beget them in this land: ⁴“They will die of deadly diseases, they will not be lamented or buried; they will be as dung on the surface of the ground and come to an end by sword and famine, and their carcasses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth.”

5 For thus says the LORD, “Do not enter a house of amourning, or go to lament or to console them; for I have withdrawn My peace from this people,” declares the LORD, “My lovingkindness and compassion. ⁶Both great men and small will die in this land; they will not be buried, they will not be lamented, nor will anyone gash himself or shave his head for them. ⁷Men will not break bread in mourning for them, to comfort anyone for the dead, nor give them a cup of consolation to drink for anyone’s father or mother. ⁸Moreover you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.” ⁹For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I am going to beliminate from this place, before your eyes and in your time, the voice of rejoicing and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride. [5 aOr banqueting 9 bLit cause to cease]

10 “Now when you tell this people all these words, they will say to you, ‘For what reason has the LORD declared all this great calamity against us? And what is our iniquity, or what is our sin which we have committed against the LORD our God?’ ¹¹Then you are to say to them, ‘It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘and have followed other gods and served them and bowed down to them; but Me they have forsaken and have not kept My law. ¹²You too have done evil, even more than your forefathers; for behold, you are each one walking according to the stubbornness of his own evil heart, without listening to Me. ¹³So I will hurl you out of this land into the land which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers; and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I will grant you no favor.’

God Will Restore Them

14 “Therefore behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ ¹⁵but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers.

16 “Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,” declares the LORD, “and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks. ¹⁷For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. ¹⁸I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations.”

19 O LORD, my strength and my stronghold,

And my refuge in the day of distress,

To You the nations will come

From the ends of the earth and say,

“Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood,

Futility and athings of no profit.” [aLit there is nothing profitable in them]

²⁰Can man make gods for himself?

Yet they are not gods!

21 “Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—

This time I will make them know

My apower and My might;

And they shall know that My name is the LORD.” [aLit hand]

JEREMIAH 17 [Books]

The Deceitful Heart

1 The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus;

With a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart

And on the horns of atheir altars, [aSo ancient versions; M.T. your]

²As they remember their children,

So they remember their altars and their aAsherim

By green trees on the high hills. [aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity]

³O mountain of Mine in the countryside,

I will give over your wealth and all your treasures for booty,

Your high places for sin throughout your borders.

⁴And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance

That I gave you;

And I will make you serve your enemies

In the land which you do not know;

For you have kindled a fire in My anger

Which will burn forever.

5 Thus says the LORD,

“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind

And makes flesh his astrength,

And whose heart turns away from the LORD. [aLit arm]

⁶“For he will be like a bush in the desert

And will not see when prosperity comes,

But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,

A land of salt awithout inhabitant. [aLit and is not inhabited]

⁷“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD

And whose trust is the LORD.

⁸“For he will be like a tree planted by the water,

That extends its roots by a stream

And will not fear when the heat comes;

But its leaves will be green,

And it will not be anxious in a year of drought

Nor cease to yield fruit.

9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else

And is desperately sick;

Who can understand it?

¹⁰“I, the LORD, search the heart,

I test the amind,

Even to give to each man according to his ways,

According to the bresults of his deeds. [aLit kidneys bLit fruit]

¹¹“As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,

So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly;

In the midst of his days it will forsake him,

And in athe end he will be a fool.” [aLit his]

12 A glorious throne on high from the beginning

Is the place of our sanctuary.

¹³O LORD, the hope of Israel,

All who forsake You will be put to shame.

Those who turn aaway on earth will be written down,

Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the LORD. [aLit away from Me]

¹⁴Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed;

Save me and I will be saved,

For You are my praise.

¹⁵Look, they keep saying to me,

“Where is the word of the LORD?

Let it come now!”

¹⁶But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You,

Nor have I longed for the woeful day;

You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips

Was in Your presence.

¹⁷Do not be a terror to me;

You are my refuge in the day of disaster.

¹⁸Let those who persecute me be put to shame, but as for me, let me not be put to shame;

Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed.

Bring on them a day of disaster,

And crush them with twofold destruction!

The Sabbath Must Be Kept

19 Thus the LORD said to me, “Go and stand in the apublic gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as in all the gates of Jerusalem; ²⁰and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates: ²¹Thus says the LORD, “Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. ²²You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your bforefathers. ²³Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction. [19 aLit gate of the sons of the people 22 bLit fathers]

24 “But it will come about, if you listen attentively to Me,” declares the LORD, “to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, ²⁵then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. ²⁶They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the LORD. ²⁷But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched.” ’ ”

JEREMIAH 18 [Books]

The Potter and the Clay

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, ²“Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.” ³Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the awheel. ⁴But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. [3 aLit pair of stone discs]

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ⁶“Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. ⁷At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; ⁸if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will arelent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. ⁹Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; ¹⁰if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will bthink better of the good with which I had promised to cbless it. ¹¹So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh turn back, each of you from his evil way, and dreform your ways and your deeds.” ’ ¹²But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’ [8 aLit repent of 10 bLit repent cLit do it good 11 dLit make good]

13 “Therefore thus says the LORD,

‘Ask now among the nations,

Who ever heard the like of athis?

The virgin of Israel

Has done a most appalling thing. [aLit these]

¹⁴‘Does the snow of Lebanon forsake the rock of the open country?

Or is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever snatched away?

¹⁵‘For My people have forgotten Me,

They burn incense ato worthless gods

And they bhave stumbled cfrom their ways,

cFrom the ancient paths,

To walk in bypaths,

Not on a highway, [aLit to worthlessness bSo ancient versions; Heb caused them to cOr in]

¹⁶To make their land a desolation,

An object of perpetual hissing;

Everyone who passes by it will be astonished

And shake his head.

¹⁷‘Like an east wind I will scatter them

Before the enemy;

I will ashow them My back and not My face

In the day of their calamity.’ ” [aSo ancient versions; M.T. reads look them in the back and not in the face]

18 Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words.”

19 Do give heed to me, O LORD,

And listen to awhat my opponents are saying! [aLit the voice of my opponents]

²⁰Should good be repaid with evil?

For they have dug a pit for ame.

Remember how I stood before You

To speak good on their behalf,

So as to turn away Your wrath from them. [aLit my soul]

²¹Therefore, give their children over to famine

And deliver them up to the apower of the sword;

And let their wives become childless and widowed.

Let their men also be smitten to death,

Their young men struck down by the sword in battle. [aLit hands of]

²²May an outcry be heard from their houses,

When You suddenly bring raiders upon them;

For they have dug a pit to capture me

And hidden snares for my feet.

²³Yet You, O LORD, know

All their adeadly designs against me;

Do not bforgive their iniquity

Or blot out their sin from Your sight.

But may they be coverthrown before You;

Deal with them in the time of Your anger! [aLit unto death bLit cover over, atone for cLit ones made to stumble]

JEREMIAH 19 [Books]

The Broken Jar

1 Thus says the LORD, “Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jar, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the asenior priests. ²Then go out to the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is by the entrance of the potsherd gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you, ³and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold I am about to bring a calamity upon this place, at which the ears of everyone that hears of it will tingle. ⁴Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned bsacrifices in it to other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent ⁵and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter My cmind; ⁶therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-hinnom, but rather the valley of Slaughter. ⁷I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life; and I will give over their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. ⁸I will also make this city a desolation and an object of hissing; everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its ddisasters. ⁹I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them.” ’ [1 aOr elders of 4 bOr incense 5 cLit heart 8 dLit blows]

10 “Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you ¹¹and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury in Topheth abecause there is no other place for burial. ¹²This is how I will treat this place and its inhabitants,” declares the LORD, “so as to make this city like Topheth. ¹³The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned bsacrifices to all the heavenly host and poured out drink offerings to other gods.” ’ ” [11 aOr until there is no place left to bury 13 bOr incense]

14 Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD’S house and said to all the people: ¹⁵“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it, because they have stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words.’ ”

JEREMIAH 20 [Books]

Pashhur Persecutes Jeremiah

1 When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, ²Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of the LORD. ³On the next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “Pashhur is not the name the LORD has called you, but rather aMagor-missabib. ⁴For thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I am going to make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies. So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword. ⁵I will also give over all the wealth of this city, all its produce and all its costly things; even all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give over to the hand of their enemies, and they will plunder them, take them away and bring them to Babylon. ⁶And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and you will enter Babylon, and there you will die and there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have falsely prophesied.’ ” [3 aI.e. terror on every side]

Jeremiah’s Complaint

7 O LORD, You have deceived me and I was deceived;

You have overcome me and prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all day long;

Everyone mocks me.

⁸For each time I speak, I cry aloud;

I proclaim violence and destruction,

Because for me the word of the LORD has aresulted

In reproach and derision all day long. [aLit become]

⁹But if I say, “I will not remember Him

Or speak anymore in His name,”

Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire

Shut up in my bones;

And I am weary of holding it in,

And I cannot endure it.

¹⁰For I have heard the whispering of many,

“Terror on every side!

Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!”

aAll my trusted friends,

Watching for my fall, say:

“Perhaps he will be bdeceived, so that we may prevail against him

And take our revenge on him.” [aLit Every man of my peace bOr persuaded]

¹¹But the LORD is with me like a dread champion;

Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.

They will be utterly ashamed, because they have afailed,

With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. [aLit not succeeded; or not acted wisely]

¹²Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous,

Who see the amind and the heart;

Let me see Your vengeance on them;

For to You I have set forth my cause. [aLit kidneys]

¹³Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD!

For He has delivered the soul of the needy one

From the hand of evildoers.

14 Cursed be the day when I was born;

Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me!

¹⁵Cursed be the man who brought the news

To my father, saying,

“A ababy boy has been born to you!”

And made him very happy. [aLit male child]

¹⁶But let that man be like the cities

Which the LORD overthrew without arelenting,

And let him hear an outcry in the morning

And a bshout of alarm at noon; [aLit being sorry bOr trumpet blast]

¹⁷Because he did not kill me abefore birth,

So that my mother would have been my grave,

And her womb ever pregnant. [aLit from the womb]

¹⁸Why did I ever come forth from the womb

To look on trouble and sorrow,

So that my days have been spent in shame?

JEREMIAH 21 [Books]

Jeremiah’s Message for Zedekiah

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying, ²“Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is warring against us; perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all His awonderful acts, so that the enemy will withdraw from us.” [2 aOr miracles]

3 Then Jeremiah said to them, “You shall say to Zedekiah as follows: ⁴‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to turn back the weapons of war which are in your hands, with which you are warring against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall; and I will gather them into the center of this city. ⁵I Myself will war against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, even in anger and wrath and great indignation. ⁶I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great pestilence. ⁷Then afterwards,” declares the LORD, “I will give over Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, even those who survive in this city from the pestilence, the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their foes and into the hand of those who seek their lives; and he will strike them down with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them nor have pity nor compassion.” ’

8 “You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. ⁹He who dwells in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty. ¹⁰For I have set My face against this city for aharm and not for good,” declares the LORD. “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire.” ’ [10 aLit evil]

11 “Then say to the household of the king of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, ¹²O house of David, thus says the LORD:

“Administer justice aevery morning;

And deliver the person who has been robbed from the bpower of his oppressor,

That My wrath may not go forth like fire

And burn with none to extinguish it,

Because of the evil of their deeds. [12 aOr in the bLit hand]

13 “Behold, I am against you, O valley dweller,

O arocky plain,” declares the LORD,

“You men who say, ‘Who will come down against us?

Or who will enter into our habitations?’ [aLit rock of the level place]

¹⁴“But I will punish you according to the aresults of your deeds,” declares the LORD,

“And I will kindle a fire in its forest

That it may devour all its environs.” ’ ” [aLit fruit]

JEREMIAH 22 [Books]

Warning of Jerusalem’s Fall

1 Thus says the LORD, “Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and there speak this word ²and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on David’s throne, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates. ³Thus says the LORD, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place. ⁴For if you men will indeed perform this thing, then kings will enter the gates of this house, sitting ain David’s place on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people. ⁵But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that this house will become a desolation.” ’ ” ⁶For thus says the LORD concerning the house of the king of Judah:

“You are like Gilead to Me,

Like the summit of Lebanon;

Yet most assuredly I will make you like a wilderness,

Like cities which are not inhabited. [4 aLit for David]

⁷“For I will set apart destroyers against you,

Each with his weapons;

And they will cut down your choicest cedars

And throw them on the fire.

8 “Many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?’ ⁹Then they will aanswer, ‘Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.’ ” [9 aLit say]

10 Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him,

But weep continually for the one who goes away;

For he will never return

Or see his native land.

11 For thus says the LORD in regard to aShallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in the place of Josiah his father, who went forth from this place, “He will never return there; ¹²but in the place where they led him captive, there he will die and not see this land again. [11 aI.e. Jehoahaz]

Messages about the Kings

13 “Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness

And his aupper rooms without justice,

Who uses his neighbor’s services without pay

And does not give him his wages, [aOr roof chambers]

¹⁴Who says, ‘I will build myself a roomy house

With spacious aupper rooms,

And cut out its windows,

bPaneling it with cedar and painting it cbright red.’ [aOr roof chambers bOr Paneled cOr vermilion]

¹⁵“Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar?

Did not your father eat and drink

And do justice and righteousness?

Then it was well with him.

¹⁶“He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy;

Then it was well.

Is not that what it means to know Me?”

Declares the LORD.

¹⁷“But your eyes and your heart

Are intent only upon your own dishonest gain,

And on shedding innocent blood

And on practicing oppression and extortion.”

18 Therefore thus says the LORD in regard to Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah,

“They will not lament for him:

‘Alas, my brother!’ or, ‘Alas, sister!’

They will not lament for him:

‘Alas for the master!’ or, ‘Alas for his splendor!’

¹⁹“He will be buried with a donkey’s burial,

Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

²⁰“Go up to Lebanon and cry out,

And lift up your voice in Bashan;

Cry out also from Abarim,

For all your lovers have been crushed.

²¹“I spoke to you in your prosperity;

But you said, ‘I will not listen!’

This has been your practice from your youth,

That you have not obeyed My voice.

²²“The wind will sweep away all your shepherds,

And your lovers will go into captivity;

Then you will surely be ashamed and humiliated

Because of all your wickedness.

²³“You who dwell in Lebanon,

Nested in the cedars,

How you will groan when pangs come upon you,

Pain like a woman in childbirth!

24 “As I live,” declares the LORD, “even though aConiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull ayou boff; ²⁵and I will give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life, yes, into the hand of those whom you dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans. ²⁶I will hurl you and your mother who bore you into another country where you were not born, and there you will die. ²⁷But as for the land to which they desire to return, they will not return to it. [24 aI.e. Jehoiachin bLit off from there]

²⁸“Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered jar?

Or is he an undesirable vessel?

Why have he and his descendants been hurled out

And cast into a land that they had not known?

²⁹“O land, land, land,

Hear the word of the LORD!

³⁰“Thus says the LORD,

‘Write this man down childless,

A man who will not prosper in his days;

For no man of his descendants will prosper

Sitting on the throne of David

Or ruling again in Judah.’ ”

JEREMIAH 23 [Books]

The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch

1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. ²Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are atending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” declares the LORD. ³“Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. ⁴I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will btend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD. [2 aLit shepherding 4 bOr shepherd]

5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,

“When I will raise up for David a righteous aBranch;

And He will reign as king and bact wisely

And do justice and righteousness in the land. [aLit Sprout bOr succeed]

⁶“In His days Judah will be saved,

And Israel will dwell securely;

And this is His name by which He will be called,

‘The LORD our righteousness.’

7 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ ⁸but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil.”

False Prophets Denounced

9 As for the prophets:

My heart is broken within me,

All my bones tremble;

I have become like a drunken man,

Even like a man overcome with wine,

Because of the LORD

And because of His holy words.

¹⁰For the land is full of adulterers;

For the land mourns because of the curse.

The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.

Their course also is evil

And their might is not right.

¹¹“For both prophet and priest are polluted;

Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.

¹²“Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them,

They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it;

For I will bring calamity upon them,

The year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.

13 “Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing:

They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

¹⁴“Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing:

The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood;

And they strengthen the hands of evildoers,

So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.

All of them have become to Me like Sodom,

And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

¹⁵“Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets,

‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood

And make them drink poisonous water,

For from the prophets of Jerusalem

Pollution has gone forth into all the land.’ ”

16 Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.

They are leading you into futility;

They speak a vision of their own aimagination,

Not from the mouth of the LORD. [aLit heart]

¹⁷“They keep saying to those who despise Me,

‘The LORD has said, “You will have peace” ’;

And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart,

They say, ‘Calamity will not come upon you.’

¹⁸“But who has stood in the council of the LORD,

That he should see and hear His word?

Who has given heed to aHis word and listened? [aAnother reading is My]

¹⁹“Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in wrath,

Even a whirling tempest;

It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.

²⁰“The anger of the LORD will not turn back

Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;

In the last days you will clearly understand it.

²¹“I did not send these prophets,

But they ran.

I did not speak to them,

But they prophesied.

²²“But if they had stood in My council,

Then they would have announced My words to My people,

And would have turned them back from their evil way

And from the evil of their deeds.

23 “Am I a God who is near,” declares the LORD,

“And not a God far off?

²⁴“Can a man hide himself in hiding places

So I do not see him?” declares the LORD.

“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ ²⁶How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, ²⁷who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? ²⁸The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD. ²⁹“Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? ³⁰Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who steal My words from each other. ³¹Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ ³²Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.

33 “Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you saying, ‘What is the aoracle of the LORD?’ then you shall say to them, ‘What aoracle?’ The LORD declares, ‘I will abandon you.’ ³⁴Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say, ‘The oracle of the LORD,’ I will bring punishment upon that man and his household. ³⁵Thus will each of you say to his neighbor and to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ³⁶For you will no longer remember the oracle of the LORD, because every man’s own word will become the oracle, and you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God. ³⁷Thus you will say to that prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ³⁸For if you say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ surely thus says the LORD, ‘Because you said this word, “The oracle of the LORD!” I have also sent to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ ” ’ ³⁹Therefore behold, I will surely forget you and cast you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers. ⁴⁰I will put an everlasting reproach on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten.” [33 aOr burden, and so throughout the ch]

JEREMIAH 24 [Books]

Baskets of Figs and the Returnees

1 After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the officials of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me: behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of the LORD! ²One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten due to rottenness. ³Then the LORD said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness.”

4 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁵“Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans. ⁶For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. ⁷I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

8 ‘But like the bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness—indeed, thus says the LORD—so I will aabandon Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land and the ones who dwell in the land of Egypt. ⁹I will make them a terror and an evil for all the kingdoms of the earth, as a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all places where I will scatter them. ¹⁰I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence upon them until they are destroyed from the land which I gave to them and their forefathers.’ ” [8 aLit give up]

JEREMIAH 25 [Books]

Prophecy of the Captivity

1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), ²which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ³“From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, athese twenty-three years the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you bagain and again, but you have not listened. ⁴And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets cagain and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, ⁵saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the LORD has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; ⁶and do not go after other gods to dserve them and to eworship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.’ ⁷Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares the LORD, “in order that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm. [3 aLit this bLit rising early and speaking 4 cLit rising early and sending 6 dOr worship eOr bow down to]

8 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, ⁹behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will autterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. ¹⁰Moreover, I will btake from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. ¹¹This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. [9 aOr put them under the ban 10 bLit cause to perish]

Babylon Will Be Judged

12 ‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the LORD, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. ¹³I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. ¹⁴(aFor many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.)’ ” [14 aOr For they have served many nations and great kings]

15 For thus the LORD, the God of Israel, says to me, “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. ¹⁶They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.”

17 Then I took the cup from the LORD’S hand and made all the nations to whom the LORD sent me drink it: ¹⁸Jerusalem and the cities of Judah and its kings and its princes, to make them a ruin, a horror, a hissing and a curse, as it is this day; ¹⁹Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes and all his people; ²⁰and all the aforeign people, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (even Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and the remnant of Ashdod); ²¹Edom, Moab and the sons of Ammon; ²²and all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon and the kings of the coastlands which are beyond the sea; ²³and Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who cut the corners of their hair; ²⁴and all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the aforeign people who dwell in the desert; ²⁵and all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam and all the kings of Media; ²⁶and all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground, and the king of bSheshach shall drink after them. [20 aOr mixed multitude 26 bCryptic name for Babylon]

27 “You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among you.” ’ ²⁸And it will be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you will say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “You shall surely drink! ²⁹For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” declares the LORD of hosts.’

30 “Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them,

‘The LORD will roar from on high

And utter His voice from His holy habitation;

He will roar mightily against His afold.

He will shout like those who tread the grapes,

Against all the inhabitants of the earth. [30 aOr pasture]

³¹‘A clamor has come to the end of the earth,

Because the LORD has a controversy with the nations.

He is entering into judgment with all flesh;

As for the wicked, He has given them to the sword,’ declares the LORD.”

32 Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“Behold, evil is going forth

From nation to nation,

And a great storm is being stirred up

From the remotest parts of the earth.

33 “Those slain by the LORD on that day will be from one end of the earth to the aother. They will not be lamented, gathered or buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground. [33 aLit other end of the earth]

³⁴“Wail, you shepherds, and cry;

And wallow in ashes, you masters of the flock;

For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions ahave come,

And you will fall like a choice vessel. [aLit are full]

³⁵“Flight will perish from the shepherds,

And escape from the masters of the flock.

³⁶“Hear the sound of the cry of the shepherds,

And the wailing of the masters of the flock!

For the LORD is destroying their pasture,

³⁷“And the peaceful afolds are made silent

Because of the fierce anger of the LORD. [aOr pastures]

³⁸“He has left His hiding place like the lion;

For their land has become a horror

Because of the fierceness of the aoppressing sword

And because of His fierce anger.” [aOr oppressor]

JEREMIAH 26 [Books]

Cities of Judah Warned

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD, ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the LORD’S house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word! ³Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’ ⁴And you will say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, ⁵to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you aagain and again, but you have not listened; ⁶then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.” ’ ” [5 aLit rising early and sending]

A Plot to Murder Jeremiah

7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. ⁸When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You must die! ⁹Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the LORD and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD’S house. ¹¹Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. ¹³Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will achange His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. ¹⁴But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. ¹⁵Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.” [13 aLit be sorry for]

Jeremiah Is Spared

16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “No death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.” ¹⁷Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, ¹⁸“aMicah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus the LORD of hosts has said,

“Zion will be plowed as a field,

And Jerusalem will become ruins,

And the mountain of the house as the bhigh places of a forest.” ’

¹⁹Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and the LORD cchanged His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.” [18 aLit Micaiah the Morasthite bOr a wooded height 19 cLit was sorry for]

20 Indeed, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land words similar to all those of Jeremiah. ²¹When King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and all the officials heard his words, then the king sought to put him to death; but Uriah heard it, and he was afraid and fled and went to Egypt. ²²Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him went into Egypt. ²³And they brought Uriah from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who slew him with a sword and cast his dead body into the aburial place of the bcommon people. [23 aLit graves bLit sons of the people]

24 But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.

JEREMIAH 27 [Books]

The Nations to Submit to Nebuchadnezzar

1 In the beginning of the reign of aZedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying— ²thus says the LORD to me—“Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck, ³and send bword to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon cby the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴Command them to go to their masters, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters, ⁵“I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is dpleasing in My sight. ⁶Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him. ⁷All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will emake him their servant. [1 aMany mss read Jehoiakim 3 bLit them cLit by the hand of 5 dOr upright 7 eOr enslave him]

8 “It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed ait by his hand. ⁹But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your bdreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish. ¹¹But the nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let remain on its land,” declares the LORD, “and they will till it and dwell in it.” ’ ” [8 aLit them 9 bLit dreams]

12 I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! ¹³Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the LORD has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you; ¹⁵for I have not sent them,” declares the LORD, “but they prophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”

16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’S house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon’; for they are prophesying a lie to you. ¹⁷Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city become a ruin? ¹⁸But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now entreat the LORD of hosts that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. ¹⁹For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, ²⁰which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. ²¹Yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, ²²‘They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day I visit them,’ declares the LORD. ‘Then I will bring them aback and restore them to this place.’ ” [22 aLit up]

JEREMIAH 28 [Books]

Hananiah’s False Prophecy

1 Now in the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³Within two years I am going to bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴I am also going to bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”

5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD, ⁶and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD aconfirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD’S house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place. ⁷Yet hear now this word which I am about to speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people! ⁸The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times prophesied against many lands and against great kingdoms, of war and of calamity and of pestilence. ⁹The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent.” [6 aOr fulfill]

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. ¹¹Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Even so will I break within two full years the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’ ” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

12 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, ¹³“Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made instead of them yokes of iron.” ¹⁴For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will serve him. And I have also given him the beasts of the field.” ’ ” ¹⁵Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. ¹⁶Therefore thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I am about to aremove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to die, because you have bcounseled rebellion against the LORD.’ ” [16 aLit send you away bLit spoken]

17 So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year in the seventh month.

JEREMIAH 29 [Books]

Message to the Exiles

1 Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²(This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) ³The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, ⁴“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ⁵‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their aproduce. ⁶Take wives and bbecome the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. ⁷Seek the cwelfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its cwelfare you will have cwelfare.’ ⁸For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to dthe dreams which ethey dream. ⁹For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD. [5 aLit fruit 6 bLit beget 7 cOr peace 8 dLit your eLit you]

10 “For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans that I ahave for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ¹²Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your bfortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’ [11 aLit am planning 14 bOr captivity]

15 “Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’— ¹⁶for thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile— ¹⁷thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, ¹⁹because they have not listened to My words,’ declares the LORD, ‘which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the LORD. ²⁰You, therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, ‘Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes. ²²Because of them a curse will be aused by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, ²³because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness,” declares the LORD.’ ” [22 aLit taken]

24 To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, ²⁵“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶“The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the aoverseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar, ²⁷now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you? ²⁸For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘The exile will be long; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their bproduce.’ ” ’ ” [26 aLit overseers 28 bLit fruit]

29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter ato Jeremiah the prophet. ³⁰Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, ³¹“Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie,” ³²therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his bdescendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people,” declares the LORD, “because he has cpreached rebellion against the LORD.” ’ ” [29 aLit in the ears of 32 bLit seed cLit spoken]

JEREMIAH 30 [Books]

Deliverance from Captivity Promised

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book. ³For behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will restore the afortunes of My people Israel and Judah.’ The LORD says, ‘I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it.’ ” [3 aOr captivity]

4 Now these are the words which the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah:

5 “For thus says the LORD,

‘aI have heard a sound of terror,

Of dread, and there is no peace. [5 aLit We]

⁶‘Ask now, and see

If a male can give birth.

Why do I see every man

With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth?

And why have all faces turned pale?

⁷‘Alas! for that day is great,

There is none like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s distress,

But he will be saved from it.

8 ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off atheir neck and will tear off atheir bonds; and strangers will no longer make bthem their slaves. ⁹But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. [8 aSo Gr; Heb your bLit him their slave]

¹⁰‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ declares the LORD,

‘And do not be dismayed, O Israel;

For behold, I will save you from afar

And your aoffspring from the land of their captivity.

And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,

And no one will make him afraid. [aLit seed]

¹¹‘For I am with you,’ declares the LORD, ‘to save you;

For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you,

Only I will not destroy you completely.

But I will chasten you justly

And will by no means leave you unpunished.’

12 “For thus says the LORD,

‘Your wound is incurable

And your injury is serious.

¹³‘There is no one to plead your cause;

No healing for your sore,

No recovery for you.

¹⁴‘All your lovers have forgotten you,

They do not seek you;

For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy,

With the punishment of a cruel one,

Because your iniquity is great

And your sins are numerous.

¹⁵‘Why do you cry out over your injury?

Your pain is incurable.

Because your iniquity is great

And your sins are numerous,

I have done these things to you.

¹⁶‘Therefore all who devour you will be devoured;

And all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity;

And those who plunder you will be for plunder,

And all who prey upon you I will give for prey.

¹⁷‘For I will arestore you to bhealth

And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the LORD,

‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying:

“It is Zion; no one ccares for her.” ’ [aLit cause to go up bOr healing cLit is seeking]

Restoration of Jacob

18 “Thus says the LORD,

‘Behold, I will restore the afortunes of the tents of Jacob

And have compassion on his dwelling places;

And the city will be rebuilt on its ruin,

And the palace will stand on its rightful place. [aOr captivity]

¹⁹‘From them will proceed thanksgiving

And the voice of those who acelebrate;

And I will multiply them and they will not be diminished;

I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant. [aOr dance]

²⁰‘aTheir children also will be as formerly,

And btheir congregation shall be established before Me;

And I will punish all btheir oppressors. [aLit His bLit his]

²¹‘aTheir leader shall be one of them,

And atheir ruler shall come forth from atheir midst;

And I will bring him near and he shall approach Me;

For bwho would dare to risk his life to approach Me?’ declares the LORD. [aLit his bLit who is he that gives his heart in pledge]

²²‘You shall be My people,

And I will be your God.’ ”

23 Behold, the tempest of the LORD!

Wrath has gone forth,

A asweeping tempest;

It will burst on the head of the wicked. [aOr raging]

²⁴The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back

Until He has performed and until He has accomplished

The intent of His heart;

In the latter days you will understand this.

JEREMIAH 31 [Books]

Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy

1 “At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”

2 Thus says the LORD,

“The people who survived the sword

Found grace in the wilderness—

Israel, when it went to find its rest.”

³The LORD appeared to ahim from afar, saying,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. [aLit me]

⁴“Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,

O virgin of Israel!

Again you will atake up your tambourines,

And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers. [aOr be adorned with]

⁵“Again you will plant vineyards

On the ahills of Samaria;

The planters will plant

And will benjoy them. [aOr mountains bLit defile]

⁶“For there will be a day when watchmen

On the hills of Ephraim call out,

‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,

To the LORD our God.’ ”

7 For thus says the LORD,

“Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,

And shout among the achief of the nations;

Proclaim, give praise and say,

‘O LORD, save Your people,

The remnant of Israel.’ [aLit head]

⁸“Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,

And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth,

Among them the blind and the lame,

The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together;

A great acompany, they will return here. [aOr assembly]

⁹“With weeping they will come,

And by supplication I will lead them;

I will make them walk by streams of waters,

On a straight path in which they will not stumble;

For I am a father to Israel,

And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,

And declare in the coastlands afar off,

And say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him

And keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”

¹¹For the LORD has ransomed Jacob

And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.

¹²“They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion,

And they will be radiant over the abounty of the LORD—

Over the grain and the new wine and the oil,

And over the young of the flock and the herd;

And their life will be like a watered garden,

And they will never languish again. [aLit goodness]

¹³“Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,

And the young men and the old, together,

For I will turn their mourning into joy

And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.

¹⁴“I will afill the soul of the priests with babundance,

And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the LORD. [aLit saturate bLit fatness]

15 Thus says the LORD,

“A voice is heard in Ramah,

Lamentation and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

She refuses to be comforted for her children,

Because they are no more.”

¹⁶Thus says the LORD,

“Restrain your voice from weeping

And your eyes from tears;

For your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD,

“And they will return from the land of the enemy.

¹⁷“There is hope for your future,” declares the LORD,

“And your children will return to their own territory.

¹⁸“I have surely heard Ephraim grieving,

‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised,

Like an untrained calf;

Bring me back that I may be restored,

For You are the LORD my God.

¹⁹‘For after I turned back, I repented;

And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh;

I was ashamed and also humiliated

Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’

²⁰“Is Ephraim My dear son?

Is he a delightful child?

Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,

I certainly still remember him;

Therefore My aheart yearns for him;

I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the LORD. [aLit inward parts]

21 “Set up for yourself roadmarks,

Place for yourself guideposts;

Direct your amind to the highway,

The way by which you went.

Return, O virgin of Israel,

Return to these your cities. [aLit heart]

²²“How long will you go here and there,

O faithless daughter?

For the LORD has created a new thing in the earth—

A woman will encompass a man.”

23 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I restore their afortunes,

‘The LORD bless you, O abode of righteousness,

O holy hill!’

²⁴Judah and all its cities will dwell together in it, the farmer and they who go about with flocks. ²⁵For I satisfy the weary ones and brefresh everyone who languishes.” ²⁶At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me. [23 aOr captivity 25 bLit fill]

A New Covenant

27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast. ²⁸As I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.

²⁹“In those days they will not say again,

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

And the children’s teeth are aset on edge.’

³⁰But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be aset on edge. [aOr dull]

31 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, ³²not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. ³³“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ³⁴They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

35 Thus says the LORD,

Who gives the sun for light by day

And the afixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;

The LORD of hosts is His name: [aLit statutes]

³⁶“If athis fixed order departs

From before Me,” declares the LORD,

“Then the offspring of Israel also will cease

From being a nation before Me bforever.”

³⁷Thus says the LORD,

“If the heavens above can be measured

And the foundations of the earth searched out below,

Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel

For all that they have done,” declares the LORD. [aLit these statutes bLit all the days]

38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the city will be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. ³⁹The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. ⁴⁰And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the LORD; it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”

JEREMIAH 32 [Books]

Jeremiah Imprisoned

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. ²Now at that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the house of the king of Judah, ³because Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take it; ⁴and Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with him aface to face and see him eye to eye; ⁵and he will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him,” declares the LORD. “If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed” ’?” [4 aLit mouth to mouth]

6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁷‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, “Buy for yourself my field which is at Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.” ’ ⁸Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of the LORD and said to me, ‘Buy my field, please, that is at Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for you have the right of possession and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

9 “I bought the field which was at Anathoth from Hanamel my uncle’s son, and I weighed out the silver for him, seventeen shekels of silver. ¹⁰I asigned and sealed the deed, and called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. ¹¹Then I took the deeds of purchase, both the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions and the open copy; ¹²and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’s son and in the sight of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. ¹³And I commanded Baruch in their presence, saying, ¹⁴‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Take these deeds, this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, that they may blast a long time.” ¹⁵For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.” ’ [10 aOr wrote...on the document 14 bLit stand many days]

Jeremiah Prays and God Explains

16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the LORD, saying, ¹⁷‘Ah Lord aGOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, ¹⁸who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; ¹⁹great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; ²⁰who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day. ²¹You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror; ²²and gave them this land, which You swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. ²³They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law; they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have made all this calamity come upon them. ²⁴Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it. ²⁵You have said to me, O Lord aGOD, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ” [17 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

26 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, ²⁷“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” ²⁸Therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it. ²⁹The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger. ³⁰Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the LORD. ³¹“Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from before My face, ³²because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ³³They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, ateaching again and again, they would not listen band receive instruction. ³⁴But they put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. ³⁵They built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it centered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. [33 aLit rising up early and teaching bLit to 35 cLit come up into My heart]

36 “Now therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’ ³⁷Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. ³⁸They shall be My people, and I will be their God; ³⁹and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. ⁴⁰I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. ⁴¹I will rejoice over them to do them good and will afaithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. ⁴²For thus says the LORD, ‘Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them. ⁴³Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” ⁴⁴Men will buy fields for money, bsign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the cNegev; for I will restore their dfortunes,’ declares the LORD.” [41 aOr truly 44 bOr write...on the document cI.e. South country dOr captivity]

JEREMIAH 33 [Books]

Restoration Promised

1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still aconfined in the court of the guard, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD who made bthe earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name, ³‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ ⁴For thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword, ⁵‘While they are coming to fight with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have slain in My anger and in My wrath, and I have hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness: ⁶Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth. ⁷I will restore the cfortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will rebuild them as they were at first. ⁸I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me. ⁹dIt will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’ [1 aLit shut up 2 bLit it 7 cOr captivity 9 dI.e. This city]

10 “Thus says the LORD, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a waste, without man and without beast,” that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, ¹¹the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,

“Give thanks to the LORD of hosts,

For the LORD is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;

and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the afortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the LORD. [11 aOr captivity]

12 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘There will again be in this place which is waste, without man or beast, and in all its cities, a ahabitation of shepherds who rest their flocks. ¹³In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the Negev, in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who numbers them,’ says the LORD. [12 aOr pasture]

The Davidic Kingdom

14 ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. ¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the LORD is our righteousness.’ ¹⁷For thus says the LORD, ‘aDavid shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; ¹⁸band the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to prepare sacrifices ccontinually.’ ” [17 aLit There shall not be cut off for David 18 bLit there shall not be cut off for the Levitical priests cLit all the days]

19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, ²⁰“Thus says the LORD, ‘If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, ²¹then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers. ²²As the host of heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the adescendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ” [22 aLit seed]

23 And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, ²⁴“Have you not observed what this people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the LORD chose, He has rejected them’? Thus they despise My people, no longer are they as a nation ain their sight. ²⁵Thus says the LORD, ‘If My covenant for day and night stand not, and the bfixed patterns of heaven and earth I have not established, ²⁶then I would reject the cdescendants of Jacob and David My servant, dnot taking from his cdescendants rulers over the cdescendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will restore their efortunes and will have mercy on them.’ ” [24 aLit to their faces 25 bLit statutes 26 cLit seed dLit from taking eOr captivity]

JEREMIAH 34 [Books]

A Prophecy against Zedekiah

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, with all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him: “Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire. ³You will not escape from his hand, for you will surely be captured and delivered into his hand; and you will see the king of Babylon eye to eye, and he will speak with you aface to face, and you will go to Babylon.’ ” ’ ⁴Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the LORD concerning you, ‘You will not die by the sword. ⁵You will die in peace; and as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will burn spices for you; and they will lament for you, “Alas, lord!” ’ For I have spoken the word,” declares the LORD. [3 aLit mouth to mouth]

6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem ⁷when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah, that is, Lachish and Azekah, for they alone remained as fortified cities among the cities of Judah.

8 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim arelease to them: ⁹that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage. ¹⁰And all the officials and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, so that no one should keep them any longer in bondage; they obeyed, and set them free. ¹¹But afterward they turned around and took back the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection for male servants and for female servants. [8 aOr liberty]

12 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ¹³“Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘I made a covenant with your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, saying, ¹⁴“At the end of seven years each of you shall set free his Hebrew brother who ahas been sold to you and has served you six years, you shall send him out free from you; but your forefathers did not obey Me or incline their ear to Me. ¹⁵Although recently you had turned and done what is right in My sight, each man proclaiming brelease to his neighbor, and you had made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. ¹⁶Yet you turned and profaned My name, and each man ctook back his male servant and each man his female servant whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your male servants and female servants.” ’ [14 aOr has sold himself 15 bOr liberty 16 cLit caused them to return]

17 “Therefore thus says the LORD, ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming arelease each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor. Behold, I am proclaiming a arelease to you,’ declares the LORD, ‘to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine; and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. ¹⁸I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not fulfilled the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts— ¹⁹the officials of Judah and the officials of Jerusalem, the court officers and the priests and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— ²⁰I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. And their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. ²¹Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has gone away from you. ²²Behold, I am going to command,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’ ” [17 aOr liberty]

JEREMIAH 35 [Books]

The Rechabites’ Obedience

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, ²“Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” ³Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, ⁴and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. ⁵Then I set before the amen of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!” ⁶But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. ⁷You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ ⁸We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, ⁹nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. ¹⁰We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. ¹¹But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.” [5 aLit sons]

Judah Rebuked

12 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, ¹³“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the LORD. ¹⁴“The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you aagain and again; yet you have not listened to Me. ¹⁵Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them aagain and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. ¹⁶Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’ ” ’ ¹⁷Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’ ” [14 aLit rising early and speaking]

18 Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; ¹⁹therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me aalways.” ’ ” [19 aLit all the days]

JEREMIAH 36 [Books]

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ²“Take a ascroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. ³Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.” [2 aLit scroll of a book]

4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a ascroll bat the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD which He had spoken to him. ⁵Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am crestricted; I cannot go into the house of the LORD. ⁶So you go and read from the scroll which you have written dat my dictation the words of the LORD eto the people in the LORD’S house on a fast day. And also you shall read them eto all the people of Judah who come from their cities. ⁷Perhaps their supplication will fcome before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.” ⁸Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’S house. [4 aLit scroll of a book bLit from the mouth of 5 cLit shut up 6 dLit from my mouth eLit in the ears of, and so throughout this context 7 fLit fall]

9 Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD. ¹⁰Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD’S house, to all the people.

11 Now when Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the LORD from the book, ¹²he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. ¹³Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people. ¹⁴Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them. ¹⁵They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them. ¹⁶When they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely report all these words to the king.” ¹⁷And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it aat his dictation?” ¹⁸Then Baruch said to them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” ¹⁹Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.” [17 aLit from his mouth, and so throughout this context]

The Scroll Is Burned

20 So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king. ²¹Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king. ²²Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. ²³When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. ²⁴Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments. ²⁵Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. ²⁶And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.

The Scroll Is Replaced

27 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, ²⁸“Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. ²⁹And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it athat the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?’ ” ³⁰Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. ³¹I will also punish him and his bdescendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.” ’ ” [29 aLit saying 31 bLit seed]

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many asimilar words were added to them. [32 aLit like those]

JEREMIAH 37 [Books]

Jeremiah Warns against Trust in Pharaoh

1 Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. ²But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

3 Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to the LORD our God on our behalf.” ⁴Now Jeremiah was still coming in and going out among the people, for they had not yet put him in the prison. ⁵Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s army had set out from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted the siege from Jerusalem.

6 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ⁷“Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt. ⁸The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire.” ’ ⁹Thus says the LORD, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go. ¹⁰For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’ ”

Jeremiah Imprisoned

11 Now it happened when the army of the Chaldeans had lifted the siege from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army, ¹²that Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin in order to take apossession of some property there among the people. ¹³While he was at the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah was there; and he arrested Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are bgoing over to the Chaldeans!” ¹⁴But Jeremiah said, “A lie! I am not bgoing over to the Chaldeans”; yet he would not listen to him. So Irijah arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. ¹⁵Then the officials were angry at Jeremiah and beat him, and they put him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which they had made into the prison. ¹⁶For Jeremiah had come into the cdungeon, that is, the vaulted cell; and Jeremiah stayed there many days. [12 aOr part in a dividing 13 bLit falling 16 cLit house of the cistern-pit]

17 Now King Zedekiah sent and took him out; and in his palace the king secretly asked him and said, “Is there a word from the LORD?” And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon!” ¹⁸Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison? ¹⁹Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’? ²⁰But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my petition acome before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there.” ²¹Then King Zedekiah gave commandment, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guardhouse and gave him a loaf of bread daily from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guardhouse. [20 aLit fall]

JEREMIAH 38 [Books]

Jeremiah Thrown into the Cistern

1 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD, ‘He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.’ ³Thus says the LORD, ‘This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.’ ” ⁴Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is adiscouraging the men of war who are left in this city and ball the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.” ⁵So King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your chands; for the king can do nothing against you.” ⁶Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah the king’s son, which was in the court of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud. ⁷But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, da eunuch, while he was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin; ⁸and Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and spoke to the king, saying, ⁹“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he ewill die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” ¹⁰Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take thirty men from here funder your authority and bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he dies.” ¹¹So Ebed-melech took the men under his cauthority and went into the king’s palace to a place beneath the storeroom and took from there worn-out clothes and worn-out rags and let them down by ropes into the cistern to Jeremiah. ¹²Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these worn-out clothes and rags under your armpits under the ropes”; and Jeremiah did so. ¹³So they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern, and Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse. [4 aLit weakening the hands of bLit the hands of all 5 cLit hand 7 dOr an official 9 eM.T. reads has died 10 fLit in your hand]

14 Then King Zedekiah sent and ahad Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance that is in the house of the LORD; and the king said to Jeremiah, “I am going to ask you something; do not hide anything from me.” ¹⁵Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not certainly put me to death? Besides, if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” ¹⁶But King Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah in secret saying, “As the LORD lives, who made this blife for us, surely I will not put you to death nor will I give you over to the hand of these men who are seeking your blife.” [14 aLit took Jeremiah the prophet to him 16 bLit soul]

Interview with Zedekiah

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then ayou will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will bsurvive. ¹⁸But if you will not go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and you yourself will not escape from their hand.’ ” ¹⁹Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have cgone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse me.” ²⁰But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you over. Please dobey the LORD in what I am saying to you, that it may go well with you and ayou may live. ²¹But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which the LORD has shown me: ²²‘Then behold, all of the women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the eofficers of the king of Babylon; and those women will say,

“fYour close friends

Have misled and overpowered you;

While your feet were sunk in the mire,

They turned back.”

²³They will also bring out all your wives and your sons to the Chaldeans, and you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned with fire.’ ” [17 aLit your soul bLit live 19 cLit fallen 20 dLit listen to the voice of 22 eOr princes fLit The men of your peace]

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know about these words and you will not die. ²⁵But if the officials hear that I have talked with you and come to you and say to you, ‘Tell us now what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hide it from us and we will not put you to death,’ ²⁶then you are to say to them, ‘I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.’ ” ²⁷Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him. So he reported to them in accordance with all these words which the king had commanded; and they ceased speaking with him, since the aconversation had not been overheard. ²⁸So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse until the day that Jerusalem was captured. [27 aLit word]

JEREMIAH 39 [Books]

Jerusalem Captured

1 aNow when Jerusalem was captured bin the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; ²in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was breached. ³Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the cRab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the dRab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the eArabah. ⁵But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. ⁶Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slew all the nobles of Judah. ⁷He then blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon. ⁸The Chaldeans also burned with fire the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem. ⁹As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the fdeserters who had gone over to him and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard carried them into exile in Babylon. ¹⁰But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields gat that time. [1 aCh 38:28-b in Heb bCh 39:1 in Heb 3 cI.e. chief official dI.e. title of a high official 4 eI.e. Jordan valley 9 fLit fallers who had fallen 10 gLit on that day]

Jeremiah Spared

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, ¹²“Take him and alook after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.” ¹³So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the bRab-saris, and Nergal-sar-ezer the cRab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; ¹⁴they even sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse and entrusted him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people. [12 aLit set your eyes on 13 bI.e. chief official cI.e. title of a high official]

15 Now the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying, ¹⁶“Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for disaster and not for aprosperity; and they will take place before you on that day. ¹⁷But I will deliver you on that day,” declares the LORD, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread. ¹⁸For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me,” declares the LORD.’ ” [16 aLit good]

JEREMIAH 40 [Books]

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. ²Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God promised this calamity against this place; ³and the LORD has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against the LORD and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you. ⁴But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If ayou would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will blook after you; but if cyou would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, dnever mind. Look, the whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.” ⁵As eJeremiah was still not going back, fhe said, “Go on back then to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a ration and a gift and let him go. ⁶Then Jeremiah went to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land. [4 aLit it is good in your eyes bLit set my eyes on cLit it is evil in your eyes dLit refrain! 5 eLit he fI.e. Nebuzaradan]

7 Now all the acommanders of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women and bchildren, those of the poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon. ⁸So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, both they and their men. ⁹Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you. ¹⁰Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, gather in wine and summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.” ¹¹Likewise, also all the Jews who were in Moab and among the sons of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. ¹²Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance. [7 aOr princes bLit infants]

13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. ¹⁵Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?” ¹⁶But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”

JEREMIAH 41 [Books]

Gedaliah Is Murdered

1 In the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal afamily and one of the chief officers of the king, along with ten men, came to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. While they were eating bread together there in Mizpah, ²Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and put to death the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. ³Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war. [1 aLit seed]

4 Now it happened on the anext day after the killing of Gedaliah, when no one knew about it, ⁵that eighty men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria with their beards shaved off and their clothes torn and btheir bodies gashed, having grain offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of the LORD. ⁶Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went; and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam!” ⁷Yet it turned out that as soon as they came inside the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men that were with him slaughtered them and cast them into the cistern. ⁸But ten men who were found among them said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death; for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he refrained and did not put them to death along with their companions. [4 aOr second 5 bLit having cut themselves]

9 Now as for the cistern where Ishmael had cast all the corpses of the men whom he had struck down abecause of Gedaliah, it was the one that King Asa had made on account of Baasha, king of Israel; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain. ¹⁰Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had put under the charge of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; thus Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and proceeded to cross over to the sons of Ammon. [9 aOr by the side of]

Johanan Rescues the People

11 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done. ¹²So they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and they found him by the great apool that is in Gibeon. ¹³Now as soon as all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and the commanders of the forces that were with him, they were glad. ¹⁴So all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. ¹⁵But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon. ¹⁶Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him took from Mizpah all the remnant of the people whom he had brecovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, that is, the men who were csoldiers, the women, the dchildren, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon. ¹⁷And they went and stayed in eGeruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt ¹⁸because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, since Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. [12 aLit waters 16 bLit brought back cLit men of war dLit infants 17 eOr the lodging place of Chimham]

JEREMIAH 42 [Books]

Warning against Going to Egypt

1 Then all the acommanders of the forces, Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people both small and great approached ²and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our petition bcome before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, ³that the LORD your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do.” ⁴Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole cmessage which the LORD will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you.” ⁵Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole cmessage with which the LORD your God will send you to us. ⁶Whether it is dpleasant or eunpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God.” [1 aOr princes 2 bLit fall 4 cLit word 6 dLit good eLit evil]

7 Now at the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. ⁸Then he called for Johanan the son of Kareah and all the acommanders of the forces that were with him, and for all the people both small and great, ⁹and said to them, “Thus says the LORD the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him: ¹⁰‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I bwill relent concerning the calamity that I have inflicted on you. ¹¹Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are now fearing; do not be afraid of him,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand. ¹²I will also show you compassion, so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own soil. ¹³But if you are going to say, “We will not stay in this land,” so as not to listen to the voice of the LORD your God, ¹⁴saying, “No, but we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the sound of a trumpet or hunger for bread, and we will stay there”; ¹⁵then cin that case listen to the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “If you really set your dmind to enter Egypt and go in to reside there, ¹⁶then the sword, which you are afraid of, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, about which you are anxious, will follow closely after you there in Egypt, and you will die there. ¹⁷So all the men who set their dmind to go to Egypt to reside there will die by the sword, by famine and by pestilence; and they will have no survivors or refugees from the calamity that I am going to bring on them.” ’ ” [8 aOr princes 10 bOr shall have changed my mind about 15 cLit now therefore dLit face]

18 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “As My anger and wrath have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so My wrath will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And you will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach; and you will see this place no more.” ¹⁹The LORD has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not go into Egypt!” You should clearly understand that today I have testified against you. ²⁰For you have only adeceived yourselves; for it is you who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” ²¹So I have told you today, but you have not bobeyed the LORD your God, even in whatever He has sent me to tell you. ²²Therefore you should now clearly understand that you will die by the sword, by famine and by pestilence, in the place where you wish to go to reside. [20 aOr acted errantly in your souls 21 bLit listened to the voice of]

JEREMIAH 43 [Books]

In Egypt Jeremiah Warns of Judgment

1 But as soon as Jeremiah, whom the LORD their God had sent, had finished telling all the people all the words of the LORD their God—that is, all these words— ²Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You are not to enter Egypt to reside there’; ³but Baruch the son of Neriah is inciting you against us to give us over into the hand of the Chaldeans, so they will put us to death or exile us to Babylon.” ⁴So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the acommanders of the forces, and all the people, did not obey the voice of the LORD to stay in the land of Judah. ⁵But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the acommanders of the forces took the entire remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations to which they had been driven away, in order to reside in the land of Judah— ⁶the men, the women, the bchildren, the king’s daughters and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam cand grandson of Shaphan, together with Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah— ⁷and they entered the land of Egypt (for they did not obey the voice of the LORD) and went in as far as Tahpanhes. [4 aOr princes 6 bLit infants cLit the son]

8 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, ⁹“Take some large stones in your ahands and hide them in the mortar in the bbrick terrace which is at the entrance of Pharaoh’s cpalace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of dsome of the Jews; ¹⁰and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am going to send and get Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and I am going to set his throne right over these stones that I have hidden; and he will spread his canopy over them. ¹¹He will also come and strike the land of Egypt; those who are meant for death will be given over to death, and those for captivity to captivity, and those for the sword to the sword. ¹²And eI shall set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn them and take them captive. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself with his garment, and he will depart from there safely. ¹³He will also shatter the fobelisks of gHeliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire.” ’ ” [9 aLit hand bOr brickwork cLit house dLit men 12 eSome ancient versions read He will set 13 fOr stone pillars gHeb Beth-shemesh; i.e. the house of the sun-god]

JEREMIAH 44 [Books]

Conquest of Egypt Predicted

1 The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Jews living in the land of Egypt, those who were living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the land of Pathros, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are in ruins and no one lives in them, ³because of their wickedness which they committed so as to provoke Me to anger by continuing to burn asacrifices and to serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. ⁴Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets, bagain and again, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate.” ⁵But they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their wickedness, so as not to burn asacrifices to other gods. ⁶Therefore My wrath and My anger were poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become a ruin and a desolation as it is this day. ⁷Now then thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, “Why are you doing great harm to yourselves, so as to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, ⁸provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, burning asacrifices to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to reside, so that you might be cut off and become a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? ⁹Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰But they have not become ccontrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor walked in My law or My statutes, which I have set before you and before your fathers.” ’ [3 aOr incense 4 bLit rising early and sending 10 cLit crushed]

11 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to set My face against you for awoe, even to cut off all Judah. ¹²And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have set their bmind on entering the land of Egypt to reside there, and they will all cmeet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach. ¹³And I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine and with pestilence. ¹⁴So there will be no refugees or survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to reside there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are dlonging to return and live; for none will return except a few refugees.’ ” [11 aLit evil 12 bLit face cLit be finished 14 dLit lifting up their soul]

15 Then all the men who were aware that their wives were burning asacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, bincluding all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, ¹⁶“As for the cmessage that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you! ¹⁷But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, dby burning asacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of efood and were well off and saw no fmisfortune. ¹⁸But since we stopped burning asacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have gmet our end by the sword and by famine.” ¹⁹“And,” said the women, “when we were burning asacrifices to the queen of heaven and hwere pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes iin her image and poured out drink offerings to her?” [15 aOr incense bLit and 16 cLit word 17 dOr so as to burn eLit bread fLit evil 18 gLit been finished 19 hLit to pour iLit to make an image of her]

Calamity for the Jews

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women—even to all the people who were giving him such an answer—saying, ²¹“As for the asmoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them and did not all this come into His bmind? ²²So the LORD was no longer able to endure it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. ²³Because you have burned asacrifices and have sinned against the LORD and not obeyed the voice of the LORD or walked in His law, His statutes or His testimonies, therefore this calamity has befallen you, as it has this day.” [21 aOr incense bLit heart]

24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt, ²⁵thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn asacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” bGo ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ ²⁶cNevertheless hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, ‘Behold, I have sworn by My great name,’ says the LORD, ‘never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As the Lord dGOD lives.” ²⁷Behold, I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will emeet their end by the sword and by famine until they fare completely gone. ²⁸Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah gfew in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs. ²⁹This will be the sign to you,’ declares the LORD, ‘that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for harm.’ ³⁰Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I am going to give over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.’ ” [25 aOr incense bLit Surely cause to stand 26 cLit Therefore dHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 27 eLit be finished fLit come to an end 28 gLit men of number]

JEREMIAH 45 [Books]

Message to Baruch

1 This is the message which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written down these words in a book aat Jeremiah’s dictation, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying: ²“Thus says the LORD the God of Israel to you, O Baruch: ³‘You said, “Ah, woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning and have found no rest.” ’ ⁴Thus you are to say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land.” ⁵But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the LORD, ‘but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.’ ” [1 aLit from the mouth of Jeremiah]

JEREMIAH 46 [Books]

Defeat of Pharaoh Foretold

1 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

2 To Egypt, concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

³“Line up the shield and abuckler,

And draw near for the battle! [aI.e. small shield]

⁴“Harness the horses,

And amount the steeds,

And take your stand with helmets on!

Polish the spears,

Put on the scale-armor! [aOr go up, you horsemen]

⁵“Why have I seen it?

They are terrified,

They are drawing back,

And their mighty men are defeated

And have taken refuge in flight,

Without facing back;

aTerror is on every side!”

Declares the LORD. [aHeb Magor-missabib; i.e. Terror is on every side]

⁶Let not the swift man flee,

Nor the mighty man escape;

In the north beside the river Euphrates

They have stumbled and fallen.

⁷Who is this that rises like the Nile,

Like the rivers whose waters surge about?

⁸Egypt rises like the Nile,

Even like the rivers whose waters surge about;

And He has said, “I will rise and cover that land;

I will surely destroy the city and its inhabitants.”

⁹Go up, you horses, and adrive madly, you chariots,

That the mighty men may bmarch forward:

Ethiopia and cPut, that handle the shield,

And the dLydians, that handle and bend the bow. [aLit act like madmen bLit go forth cI.e. Libya (or Somaliland) dHeb Ludim]

¹⁰For that day belongs to the Lord aGOD of hosts,

A day of vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes;

And the sword will devour and be satiated

And bdrink its fill of their blood;

For there will be a slaughter for the Lord aGOD of hosts,

In the land of the north by the river Euphrates. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit be saturated with]

¹¹Go up to Gilead and obtain balm,

O virgin daughter of Egypt!

In vain have you multiplied aremedies;

There is no healing for you. [aLit healings]

¹²The nations have heard of your shame,

And the earth is full of your cry of distress;

For one warrior has stumbled over aanother,

And both of them have fallen down together. [aLit warrior]

13 This is the amessage which the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt: [13 aLit word]

¹⁴“Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol,

Proclaim also in Memphis and Tahpanhes;

Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,

For the sword has devoured those around you.’

¹⁵“Why have your mighty ones become prostrate?

They do not stand because the LORD has thrust them down.

¹⁶“They have repeatedly stumbled;

Indeed, they have fallen one against another.

Then they said, ‘Get up! And let us go back

To our own people and our native land

Away from the asword of the oppressor.’ [aLit oppressing sword]

¹⁷“aThey cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a big noise;

He has let the appointed time pass by!’ [aSome ancient versions read Call the name of Pharaoh a big noise]

¹⁸“As I live,” declares the King

Whose name is the LORD of hosts,

“Surely one shall come who looms up like Tabor among the mountains,

Or like Carmel by the sea.

¹⁹“Make your baggage ready for exile,

O daughter dwelling in Egypt,

For Memphis will become a desolation;

It will even be burned down and abereft of inhabitants. [aLit without]

²⁰“Egypt is a pretty heifer,

But a ahorsefly is coming from the north—it is coming! [aOr possibly mosquito]

²¹“Also her mercenaries in her midst

Are like afattened calves,

For even they too have turned back and have fled away together;

They did not stand their ground.

For the day of their calamity has come upon them,

The time of their punishment. [aLit of the stall]

²²“Its sound moves along like a serpent;

For they move on alike an army

And come to her as woodcutters with axes. [aOr in force]

²³“They have cut down her forest,” declares the LORD;

“Surely it will no more be found,

Even though athey are now more numerous than locusts

And are without number. [aI.e. trees of the forest, the Egyptians]

²⁴“The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame,

Given over to the apower of the people of the north.” [aLit hand]

25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I am going to punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him. ²⁶I shall give them over to the apower of those who are seeking their lives, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his bofficers. Afterwards, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old,” declares the LORD. [26 aLit hand bLit servants]

27 “But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear,

Nor be dismayed, O Israel!

For, see, I am going to save you from afar,

And your descendants from the land of their captivity;

And Jacob will return and be undisturbed

And secure, with no one making him tremble.

²⁸“O Jacob My servant, do not fear,” declares the LORD,

“For I am with you.

For I will make a full end of all the nations

Where I have driven you,

Yet I will not make a full end of you;

But I will correct you properly

And by no means leave you unpunished.”

JEREMIAH 47 [Books]

Prophecy against Philistia

1 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh aconquered Gaza. ²Thus says the LORD:

“Behold, waters are going to rise from the north

And become an overflowing torrent,

And overflow the land and all its fullness,

The city and those who live in it;

And the men will cry out,

And every inhabitant of the land will wail. [1 aLit smote]

³“Because of the noise of the agalloping hoofs of his bstallions,

The tumult of his chariots, and the rumbling of his wheels,

The fathers have not turned back for their children,

Because of the limpness of their hands, [aLit stamping of the bLit mighty ones]

⁴On account of the day that is coming

To destroy all the Philistines,

To cut off from Tyre and Sidon

Every ally that is left;

For the LORD is going to destroy the Philistines,

The remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.

⁵“Baldness has come upon Gaza;

Ashkelon has been ruined.

O remnant of their valley,

How long will you gash yourself?

⁶“Ah, sword of the LORD,

How long will you not be quiet?

Withdraw into your sheath;

Be at rest and stay still.

⁷“How can ait be quiet,

When the LORD has given it an order?

Against Ashkelon and against the seacoast—

There He has assigned it.” [aLit you]

JEREMIAH 48 [Books]

Prophecy against Moab

1 Concerning Moab. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,

“Woe to Nebo, for it has been destroyed;

Kiriathaim has been put to shame, it has been captured;

The lofty stronghold has been put to shame and ashattered. [1 aOr dismayed]

²“There is praise for Moab no longer;

In Heshbon they have devised calamity against her:

‘Come and let us cut her off from being a nation!’

You too, aMadmen, will be silenced;

The sword will follow after you. [aI.e. a city of Moab]

³“The sound of an outcry from Horonaim,

‘Devastation and great destruction!’

⁴“Moab is broken,

Her little ones have sounded out a cry of distress.

⁵“For by the ascent of Luhith

They will ascend with continual weeping;

For at the descent of Horonaim

They have heard the aanguished cry of destruction. [aLit distresses of outcry]

⁶“Flee, save your lives,

That you may be like a juniper in the wilderness.

⁷“For because of your trust in your own achievements and treasures,

Even you yourself will be captured;

And Chemosh will go off into exile

Together with his priests and his princes.

⁸“A destroyer will come to every city,

So that no city will escape;

The valley also will be ruined

And the plateau will be destroyed,

As the LORD has said.

⁹“Give awings to Moab,

For she will bflee away;

And her cities will become a desolation,

Without inhabitants in them. [aOr salt bOr fall in ruins]

¹⁰“Cursed be the one who does the LORD’S work negligently,

And cursed be the one who restrains his sword from blood.

11 “Moab has been at ease since his youth;

He has also been undisturbed, like wine on aits dregs,

And he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,

Nor has he gone into exile.

Therefore bhe retains his flavor,

And his aroma has not changed.

¹²Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will empty his vessels and shatter chis jars. ¹³And Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence. [11 aLit his bLit his flavor has stayed in him 12 cLit their]

¹⁴“How can you say, ‘We are mighty warriors,

And men valiant for battle’?

¹⁵“Moab has been destroyed and amen have gone up to bhis cities;

His choicest cyoung men have also gone down to the slaughter,”

Declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. [aLit one has bLit her cI.e. warriors]

¹⁶“The disaster of Moab will soon come,

And his calamity has swiftly hastened.

¹⁷“Mourn for him, all you who live around him,

Even all of you who know his name;

Say, ‘How has the mighty ascepter been broken,

A staff of splendor!’ [aOr rod]

¹⁸“Come down from your glory

And sit aon the parched ground,

O daughter dwelling in Dibon,

For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you,

He has ruined your strongholds. [aLit in thirst]

¹⁹“Stand by the road and keep watch,

O inhabitant of Aroer;

Ask him who flees and her who escapes

And say, ‘What has happened?’

²⁰“Moab has been put to shame, for it has been ashattered.

Wail and cry out;

Declare by the Arnon

That Moab has been destroyed. [aOr dismayed]

21 “Judgment has also come upon the plain, upon Holon, Jahzah and against Mephaath, ²²against Dibon, Nebo and Beth-diblathaim, ²³against Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul and Beth-meon, ²⁴against Kerioth, Bozrah and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. ²⁵The horn of Moab has been cut off and his arm broken,” declares the LORD. ²⁶“Make him drunk, for he has abecome arrogant toward the LORD; so Moab will bwallow in his vomit, and he also will become a laughingstock. ²⁷Now was not Israel a laughingstock to you? Or was he ccaught among thieves? For each time you speak about him you shake your head in scorn. [26 aOr magnified himself against bOr splash into 27 cOr found]

²⁸“Leave the cities and dwell among the crags,

O inhabitants of Moab,

And be like a dove that nests

Beyond the mouth of the chasm.

²⁹“We have heard of the pride of Moab—he is very proud—

Of his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance and ahis self-exaltation. [aLit elevation of his heart]

³⁰“I know his fury,” declares the LORD,

“But it is futile;

His idle boasts have accomplished nothing.

³¹“Therefore I will wail for Moab,

Even for all Moab will I cry out;

aI will moan for the men of Kir-heres. [aAnother reading is He]

³²“More than the weeping for Jazer

I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah!

Your tendrils stretched across the sea,

They reached to the sea of Jazer;

Upon your summer fruits and your grape harvest

The destroyer has fallen.

³³“So gladness and joy are taken away

From the fruitful field, even from the land of Moab.

And I have made the wine to cease from the wine presses;

No one will tread them with shouting,

The shouting will not be shouts of joy.

³⁴From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz they have araised their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim and to Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim will become desolate. ³⁵I will make an end of Moab,” declares the LORD, “the one who offers sacrifice on the high place and the one who bburns incense to his gods. [34 aLit given forth 35 bOr offers up in smoke]

36 “Therefore My heart awails for Moab like flutes; My heart also awails like flutes for the men of Kir-heres. Therefore they have lost the abundance it produced. ³⁷For every head is bald and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins. ³⁸On all the housetops of Moab and in its streets bthere is lamentation everywhere; for I have broken Moab like an undesirable vessel,” declares the LORD. ³⁹“How cshattered it is! How they have wailed! How Moab has turned his back—he is ashamed! So Moab will become a laughingstock and an object of terror to all around him.” [36 aLit sounds 38 bLit all of it is lamentation 39 cOr dismayed]

40 For thus says the LORD:

“Behold, one will fly swiftly like an eagle

And spread out his wings against Moab.

⁴¹“Kerioth has been captured

And the strongholds have been seized,

So the hearts of the mighty men of Moab in that day

Will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

⁴²“Moab will be destroyed from being a people

Because he has abecome arrogant toward the LORD. [aOr magnified himself against]

⁴³“Terror, pit and snare are coming upon you,

O inhabitant of Moab,” declares the LORD.

⁴⁴“The one who flees from the terror

Will fall into the pit,

And the one who climbs up out of the pit

Will be caught in the snare;

For I shall bring upon her, even upon Moab,

The year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.

45 “In the shadow of Heshbon

The fugitives stand without strength;

For a fire has gone forth from Heshbon

And a flame from the midst of Sihon,

And it has devoured the forehead of Moab

And the scalps of the ariotous revelers. [aLit sons of tumult]

⁴⁶“Woe to you, Moab!

The people of Chemosh have perished;

For your sons have been taken away captive

And your daughters into captivity.

⁴⁷“Yet I will restore the afortunes of Moab

In the blatter days,” declares the LORD. [aOr captivity bLit end of the days]

Thus far the judgment on Moab.

JEREMIAH 49 [Books]

Prophecy against Ammon

1 Concerning the sons of Ammon. Thus says the LORD:

“Does Israel have no sons?

Or has he no heirs?

Why then has aMalcam taken possession of Gad

And his people settled in its cities? [1 aIn 1 Kin 11:5, 33 and Zeph 1:5, Milcom]

²“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,

“That I will cause a atrumpet blast of war to be heard

Against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon;

And it will become a desolate heap,

And her towns will be set on fire.

Then Israel will take possession of his possessors,”

Says the LORD. [aOr shout of]

³“Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed!

Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah,

Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament,

And rush back and forth inside the walls;

For aMalcam will go into exile

Together with his priests and his princes. [aCf v 1]

⁴“How boastful you are about the valleys!

Your valley is flowing away,

O backsliding daughter

Who trusts in her treasures, saying,

‘Who will come against me?’

⁵“Behold, I am going to bring terror upon you,”

Declares the Lord aGOD of hosts,

“From all directions around you;

And each of you will be driven out bheadlong,

With no one to gather the fugitives together. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit before him]

⁶“But afterward I will restore

The afortunes of the sons of Ammon,”

Declares the LORD. [aOr captivity]

Prophecy against Edom

7 Concerning Edom.

Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman?

Has good counsel been lost to the prudent?

Has their wisdom decayed?

⁸“Flee away, turn back, dwell in the depths,

O inhabitants of Dedan,

For I awill bring the disaster of Esau upon him

At the time I bpunish him. [aOr brought bOr punished]

⁹“If grape gatherers came to you,

Would they not leave gleanings?

If thieves came by night,

They would destroy only auntil they had enough. [aLit their sufficiency]

¹⁰“But I have stripped Esau bare,

I have uncovered his hiding places

So that he will not be able to conceal himself;

His aoffspring has been destroyed along with his brelatives

And his neighbors, and he is no more. [aLit seed bLit brothers]

¹¹“Leave your aorphans behind, I will keep them alive;

And let your widows trust in Me.” [aOr fatherless]

12 For thus says the LORD, “Behold, those awho were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, and are you the one who will be completely acquitted? You will not be acquitted, but you will certainly drink it. ¹³For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.” [12 aLit whose judgment was not to]

14 I have heard a message from the LORD,

And an envoy is sent among the nations, saying,

“Gather yourselves together and come against her,

And rise up for battle!”

¹⁵“For behold, I have made you small among the nations,

Despised among men.

¹⁶“As for the terror of you,

The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,

O you who live in the clefts of athe rock,

Who occupy the height of the hill.

Though you make your nest as high as an eagle’s,

I will bring you down from there,” declares the LORD. [aOr Sela]

17 “Edom will become an object of horror; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss at all its wounds. ¹⁸Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors,” says the LORD, “no one will live there, nor will a son of man reside in it. ¹⁹Behold, one will come up like a lion from the athickets of the Jordan against ba perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make him run away from it, and whoever is chosen I shall appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?” [19 aLit pride bOr an enduring habitation]

20 Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their apasture desolate because of them. ²¹The earth has quaked at the noise of their downfall. There is an outcry! The noise of it has been heard at the bRed Sea. ²²Behold, cHe will mount up and swoop like an eagle and spread out His wings dagainst Bozrah; and the hearts of the mighty men of Edom in that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor. [20 aOr habitation 21 bLit Sea of Reeds 22 cOr one dOr over]

Prophecy against Damascus

23 Concerning Damascus.

“Hamath and Arpad are put to shame,

For they have heard bad news;

They are disheartened.

There is anxiety by the sea,

It cannot be calmed.

²⁴“Damascus has become helpless;

She has turned away to flee,

And panic has gripped her;

Distress and pangs have taken hold of her

Like a woman in childbirth.

²⁵“How athe city of praise has not been deserted,

The town of My joy! [aOr deserted is the city of praise]

²⁶“Therefore, her young men will fall in her streets,

And all the men of war will be asilenced in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts. [aOr destroyed]

²⁷“I will set fire to the wall of Damascus,

And it will devour the afortified towers of Ben-hadad.” [aOr palaces]

Prophecy against Kedar and Hazor

28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the LORD,

“Arise, go up to Kedar

And devastate the amen of the east. [28 aLit sons]

²⁹“They will take away their tents and their flocks;

They will carry off for themselves

Their tent curtains, all their goods and their camels,

And they will call out to one another, ‘Terror on every side!’

³⁰“Run away, flee! Dwell in the depths,

O inhabitants of Hazor,” declares the LORD;

“For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you

And devised a scheme against you.

³¹“Arise, go up against a nation which is at ease,

Which lives securely,” declares the LORD.

“It has no gates or bars;

They dwell alone.

³²“Their camels will become plunder,

And their many cattle for booty,

And I will scatter to all the winds those who cut the corners of their hair;

And I will bring their disaster from every side,” declares the LORD.

³³“Hazor will become a haunt of jackals,

A desolation forever;

No one will live there,

Nor will a son of man reside in it.”

Prophecy against Elam

34 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying:

35 “Thus says the LORD of hosts,

‘Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam,

The afinest of their might. [aLit first]

³⁶‘I will bring upon Elam the four winds

From the four ends of heaven,

And will scatter them to all these winds;

And there will be no nation

To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.

³⁷‘So I will ashatter Elam before their enemies

And before those who seek their lives;

And I will bring calamity upon them,

Even My fierce anger,’ declares the LORD,

‘And I will send out the sword after them

Until I have consumed them. [aOr dismay]

³⁸‘Then I will set My throne in Elam

And destroy aout of it king and princes,’

Declares the LORD. [aOr from there]

³⁹‘But it will come about in the last days

That I will restore the afortunes of Elam,’ ”

Declares the LORD. [aOr captivity]

JEREMIAH 50 [Books]

Prophecy against Babylon

1 The word which the LORD spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:

²“Declare and proclaim among the nations.

Proclaim it and lift up a standard.

Do not conceal it but say,

‘Babylon has been captured,

Bel has been put to shame, aMarduk has been bshattered;

Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’

³For a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away! [aHeb Merodach bOr dismayed]

4 “In those days and at that time,” declares the LORD, “the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the LORD their God they will seek. ⁵They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces ain its direction; bthey cwill come that they may join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. [5 aLit hither bM.T. reads come ye! cOr will have come]

6 “My people have become lost sheep;

Their shepherds have led them astray.

They have made them turn aside on the mountains;

They have gone along from mountain to hill

And have forgotten their resting place.

⁷“All who came upon them have devoured them;

And their adversaries have said, ‘We are not guilty,

Inasmuch as they have sinned against the LORD who is the habitation of righteousness,

Even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’

8 “Wander away from the midst of Babylon

And ago forth from the land of the Chaldeans;

Be also like male goats bat the head of the flock. [aAnother reading is let them go forth bOr in front of]

⁹“For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon

A horde of great nations from the land of the north,

And they will draw up their battle lines against her;

From there she will be taken captive.

Their arrows will be like aan expert warrior

Who does not return empty-handed. [aSo some mss and versions; M.T. reads a warrior who makes childless]

¹⁰“aChaldea will become plunder;

All who plunder her will have enough,” declares the LORD. [aOr the Chaldeans]

11 “Because you are glad, because you are jubilant,

O you who pillage My heritage,

Because you skip about alike a threshing heifer

And neigh like bstallions, [aAnother reading is in the grass bLit mighty ones]

¹²Your mother awill be greatly ashamed,

She who gave you birth awill be humiliated.

Behold, she will be the least of the nations,

A wilderness, a parched land and a desert. [aOr has become]

¹³“Because of the indignation of the LORD she will not be inhabited,

But she will be completely desolate;

Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified

And will hiss because of all her wounds.

¹⁴“Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side,

All you who abend the bow;

Shoot at her, do not be sparing with your arrows,

For she has sinned against the LORD. [aLit tread (in order to string)]

¹⁵“Raise your battle cry against her on every side!

She has given aherself up, her pillars have fallen,

Her walls have been torn down.

For this is the vengeance of the LORD:

Take vengeance on her;

As she has done to others, so do to her. [aLit her hand]

¹⁶“Cut off the sower from Babylon

And the one who wields the sickle at the time of harvest;

From before athe sword of the oppressor

They will each turn back to his own people

And they will each flee to his own land. [aOr the oppressing sword]

17 “Israel is a scattered aflock, the lions have driven them away. The first one who devoured him was the king of Assyria, and this last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. ¹⁸Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria. ¹⁹And I will bring Israel back to his pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his bdesire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead. ²⁰In those days and at that time,’ declares the LORD, ‘search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.’ [17 aLit sheep 19 bLit soul]

21 “Against the land of aMerathaim, go up against it,

And against the inhabitants of bPekod.

Slay and cutterly destroy them,” declares the LORD,

“And do according to all that I have commanded you. [aOr Double Rebellion bOr Punishment cLit put under the ban]

²²“The noise of battle is in the land,

And great destruction.

²³“How the hammer of the whole earth

Has been cut off and broken!

How Babylon has become

An object of horror among the nations!

²⁴“I set a snare for you and you were also caught, O Babylon,

While you yourself were not aware;

You have been found and also seized

Because you have engaged in conflict with the LORD.”

²⁵The LORD has opened His armory

And has brought forth the weapons of His indignation,

For it is a work of the Lord aGOD of hosts

In the land of the Chaldeans. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

²⁶Come to her from the afarthest border;

Open up her barns,

Pile her up like heaps

And butterly destroy her,

Let nothing be left to her. [aLit end bLit put under the ban]

²⁷Put all her young bulls to the sword;

Let them go down to the slaughter!

Woe be upon them, for their day has come,

The time of their punishment.

28 There is a sound of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon,

To declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God,

Vengeance for His temple.

29 “Summon amany against Babylon,

All those who bbend the bow:

Encamp against her on every side,

Let there be no escapec.

Repay her according to her work;

According to all that she has done, so do to her;

For she has become arrogant against the LORD,

Against the Holy One of Israel. [aAnother reading is archers bLit tread (in order to string) cSome mss add to her]

³⁰“Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,

And all her men of war will be asilenced in that day,” declares the LORD. [aOr made lifeless or destroyed]

³¹“Behold, I am against you, O aarrogant one,”

Declares the Lord bGOD of hosts,

“For your day has come,

The time cwhen I will punish you. [aLit arrogance bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD cAnother reading is of your punishment]

³²“The aarrogant one will stumble and fall

With no one to raise him up;

And I will set fire to his cities

And it will devour all his environs.” [aLit arrogance]

33 Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“The sons of Israel are oppressed,

And the sons of Judah as well;

And all who took them captive have held them fast,

They have refused to let them go.

³⁴“Their Redeemer is strong, the LORD of hosts is His name;

He will vigorously plead their case

So that He may bring rest to athe earth,

But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon. [aOr their land]

³⁵“A sword against the Chaldeans,” declares the LORD,

“And against the inhabitants of Babylon

And against her officials and her wise men!

³⁶“A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become fools!

A sword against her mighty men, and they will be ashattered! [aOr dismayed]

³⁷“A sword against atheir horses and against atheir chariots

And against all the bforeigners who are in the midst of her,

And they will become women!

A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered! [aLit his bLit mixed multitude]

³⁸“A adrought on her waters, and they will be dried up!

For it is a land of idols,

And they are mad over fearsome idols. [aAnother reading is sword]

39 “Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals;

The ostriches also will live in it,

And it will never again be inhabited

Or dwelt in from generation to generation.

⁴⁰“As when God overthrew Sodom

And Gomorrah with its neighbors,” declares the LORD,

“No man will live there,

Nor will any son of man reside in it.

41 “Behold, a people is coming from the north,

And a great nation and many kings

Will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.

⁴²“They seize their bow and javelin;

They are cruel and have no mercy.

Their voice roars like the sea;

And they ride on horses,

Marshalled like a man for the battle

Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

⁴³“The king of Babylon has heard the report about them,

And his hands hang limp;

Distress has gripped him,

Agony like a woman in childbirth.

44 “Behold, one will come up like a lion from the athicket of the Jordan to ba perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make them run away from it, and whoever is chosen I will appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand before Me?” ⁴⁵Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has planned against Babylon, and His purposes which He has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their cpasture desolate because of them. ⁴⁶At the dshout, “Babylon has been seized!” the earth is shaken, and an outcry is heard among the nations. [44 aLit pride bOr an enduring habitation 45 cOr habitation 46 dLit voice]

JEREMIAH 51 [Books]

Babylon Judged for Sins against Israel

1 Thus says the LORD:

“Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon

And against the inhabitants of aLeb-kamai

bThe spirit of a destroyer. [1 aCryptic name for Chaldea; or the heart of those who rise up against Me bOr a destroying wind]

²“I will dispatch aforeigners to Babylon that they may winnow her

And may devastate her land;

For on every side they will be opposed to her

In the day of her calamity. [aSome versions read winnowers]

³“aLet not bhim who cbends his bow cbend it,

aNor let him rise up in his scale-armor;

So do not spare her young men;

Devote all her army to destruction. [aM.T. reads Against him who bI.e. the Chaldean defender cLit tread(s) (in order to string)]

⁴“They will fall down aslain in the land of the Chaldeans,

And pierced through in their streets.” [aOr wounded]

5 For neither Israel nor Judah has been aforsaken

By his God, the LORD of hosts,

Although their land is full of guilt

bBefore the Holy One of Israel. [aLit widowed bLit From]

⁶Flee from the midst of Babylon,

And each of you save his life!

Do not be adestroyed in her bpunishment,

For this is the LORD’S time of vengeance;

He is going to render recompense to her. [aOr silenced or made lifeless bOr penalty for iniquity]

⁷Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the LORD,

Intoxicating all the earth.

The nations have drunk of her wine;

Therefore the nations are going mad.

⁸Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;

Wail over her!

Bring abalm for her pain;

Perhaps she may be healed. [aOr balsam resin]

⁹We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed;

Forsake her and let us each go to his own country,

For her judgment has reached to heaven

And atowers up to the very skies. [aLit is lifted]

¹⁰The LORD has brought aabout our vindication;

Come and let us recount in Zion

The work of the LORD our God! [aLit forth]

11 Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers!

The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes,

Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it;

For it is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for His temple.

¹²Lift up a asignal against the walls of Babylon;

Post a strong guard,

Station bsentries,

Place men in ambush!

For the LORD has both purposed and performed

What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon. [aOr standard bOr watchmen]

¹³O you who dwell by many waters,

Abundant in treasures,

Your end has come,

The ameasure of your bend. [aLit cubit bLit being cut off]

¹⁴The LORD of hosts has sworn by Himself:

“Surely I will fill you with a apopulation like locusts,

And they will cry out with bshouts of victory over you.” [aOr mankind bI.e. like the song of grape treaders]

15 It is He who made the earth by His power,

Who established the world by His wisdom,

And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.

¹⁶When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;

He makes lightning for the rain

And brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

¹⁷All mankind is stupid, devoid of knowledge;

Every goldsmith is put to shame by his aidols,

For his molten images are deceitful,

And there is no breath in them. [aOr graven images]

¹⁸They are worthless, a work of mockery;

In the time of their punishment they will perish.

¹⁹The portion of Jacob is not like these;

For the aMaker of all is He,

And of the btribe of His inheritance;

The LORD of hosts is His name. [aLit Fashioner bOr Scepter; cf Num 24:17]

²⁰He says, “You are My awar-club, My weapon of war;

And with you I shatter nations,

And with you I destroy kingdoms. [aLit shatterer]

²¹“With you I shatter the horse and his rider,

And with you I shatter the chariot and its rider,

²²And with you I shatter man and woman,

And with you I shatter old man and youth,

And with you I shatter young man and virgin,

²³And with you I shatter the shepherd and his flock,

And with you I shatter the farmer and his team,

And with you I shatter governors and prefects.

24 “But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares the LORD.

²⁵“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain,

Who destroys the whole earth,” declares the LORD,

“And I will stretch out My hand against you,

And roll you down from the crags,

And I will make you a burnt out mountain.

²⁶“They will not take from you even a stone for a corner

Nor a stone for foundations,

But you will be desolate forever,” declares the LORD.

27 Lift up a asignal in the land,

Blow a trumpet among the nations!

Consecrate the nations against her,

Summon against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz;

Appoint a marshal against her,

Bring up the horses like bristly locusts. [aOr standard]

²⁸Consecrate the nations against her,

The kings of the Medes,

aTheir governors and all atheir bprefects,

And every land of ctheir dominion. [aLit Her bI.e. lieutenant governors cLit his]

²⁹So the land quakes and writhes,

For the purposes of the LORD against Babylon stand,

To make the land of Babylon

aA desolation without inhabitants. [aOr An object of horror]

³⁰The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting,

They stay in the strongholds;

Their strength is aexhausted,

They are becoming like women;

Their dwelling places are set on fire,

The bars of her gates are broken. [aLit dried up]

³¹One acourier runs to meet aanother,

And one bmessenger to meet banother,

To tell the king of Babylon

That his city has been captured from end to end; [aLit runner bLit announcer]

³²The fords also have been seized,

And they have burned the marshes with fire,

And the men of war are terrified.

33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:

“The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor

At the time ait is stamped firm;

Yet in a little while the time of harvest will come for her.” [33 aLit of treading it]

34 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me,

He has set me down like an empty vessel;

He has swallowed me like a monster,

He has filled his stomach with my delicacies;

He has washed me away.

³⁵“May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,”

The ainhabitant of Zion will say;

And, “May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,”

Jerusalem will say.

³⁶Therefore thus says the LORD,

“Behold, I am going to plead your case

And exact full vengeance for you;

And I will dry up her bsea

And make her fountain dry. [aLit inhabitress bOr broad river]

³⁷“Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals,

An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

³⁸“They will roar together like young lions,

They will growl like lions’ cubs.

³⁹“When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet

And make them drunk, that they may become jubilant

And may sleep a perpetual sleep

And not wake up,” declares the LORD.

⁴⁰“I will bring them down like alambs to the slaughter,

Like rams together with male goats. [aOr young rams]

41 “How aSheshak has been captured,

And the praise of the whole earth been seized!

How Babylon has become an object of horror among the nations! [aCryptic name for Babylon]

⁴²“The asea has come up over Babylon;

She has been engulfed with its tumultuous waves. [aOr broad river]

⁴³“Her cities have become an object of horror,

A parched land and a desert,

A land in which no man lives

And through which no son of man passes.

⁴⁴“I will punish Bel in Babylon,

And I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth;

And the nations will no longer stream to him.

Even the wall of Babylon has fallen down!

45 “Come forth from her midst, My people,

And each of you save yourselves

From the fierce anger of the LORD.

⁴⁶“Now so that your heart does not grow faint,

And you are not afraid at the report that will be heard in the land—

For the report will come aone year,

And after that banother report in banother year,

And violence will be in the land

With ruler against ruler— [aLit in the bLit the]

⁴⁷Therefore behold, days are coming

When I will punish the idols of Babylon;

And her whole land will be put to shame

And all her slain will fall in her midst.

⁴⁸“Then heaven and earth and all that is in them

Will shout for joy over Babylon,

For the destroyers will come to her from the north,”

Declares the LORD.

49 Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel,

As also for Babylon the slain of all the earth have fallen.

⁵⁰You who have escaped the sword,

Depart! Do not stay!

Remember the LORD from afar,

And let Jerusalem acome to your mind. [aLit come upon your heart]

⁵¹We are ashamed because we have heard reproach;

Disgrace has covered our faces,

For aliens have entered

The holy places of the LORD’S house.

52 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,

“When I will punish her idols,

And the mortally wounded will groan throughout her land.

⁵³“Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens,

And though she should fortify aher lofty stronghold,

From Me destroyers will come to her,” declares the LORD. [aLit the height of her strength]

54 The sound of an outcry from Babylon,

And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!

⁵⁵For the LORD is going to destroy Babylon,

And He will make her loud anoise vanish from her.

And their waves will roar like many waters;

The tumult of their voices bsounds forth. [aOr voice bLit is given]

⁵⁶For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon,

And her mighty men will be captured,

Their bows are shattered;

For the LORD is a God of recompense,

He will fully repay.

⁵⁷“I will make her princes and her wise men drunk,

Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men,

That they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,”

Declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

⁵⁸Thus says the LORD of hosts,

“The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed

And her high gates will be set on fire;

So the peoples will toil for nothing,

And the nations become exhausted only for fire.”

59 The amessage which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. (Now Seraiah was quartermaster.) ⁶⁰So Jeremiah wrote in a single bscroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon. ⁶¹Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words aloud, ⁶²and say, ‘You, O LORD, have cpromised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, dwhether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’ ⁶³And as soon as you finish reading this bscroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, ⁶⁴and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.’ ” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. [59 aLit word 60 bOr book 62 cLit spoken dLit from man even to beast]

JEREMIAH 52 [Books]

The Fall of Jerusalem

1 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was aHamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ²He did evil in the sight of the LORD like all that Jehoiakim had done. ³For through the anger of the LORD this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. ⁴Now it came about in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around bit. ⁵So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. ⁶On 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 men of war fled and went forth from the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls which was by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were call around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah. ⁸But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the dplains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. ⁹Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he epassed sentence on him. ¹⁰The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all the fprinces of Judah in Riblah. ¹¹Then he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his death. [1 aAnother reading is Hamital 4 bLit against it 7 cLit against the city on every side 8 dLit Arabah 9 eLit spoke judgments with 10 fOr commanders]

12 Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, awho was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ¹³He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire. ¹⁴So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. ¹⁵Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who were left in the city, the bdeserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the artisans. ¹⁶But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and cplowmen. [12 aLit stood before the king 15 bLit fallers who had fallen 16 cOr unpaid laborers]

17 Now the bronze pillars which belonged to the house of the LORD and the stands and the bronze sea, which were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried all their bronze to Babylon. ¹⁸They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the apans and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. ¹⁹The captain of the guard also took away the bowls, the firepans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the apans and the drink offering bowls, what was fine gold and what was fine silver. ²⁰The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under bthe sea, and the stands, which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD—the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. ²¹As for the pillars, the height of each pillar was eighteen ccubits, and dit was twelve cubits in circumference and four fingers in thickness, and hollow. ²²Now a capital of bronze was on it; and the height of each capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these, including pomegranates. ²³There were ninety-six eexposed pomegranates; all the pomegranates numbered a hundred on the network all around. [18 aOr spoons for incense 20 bSo Gr and Syriac; Heb omits the sea 21 cI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. dLit a line of 12 cubits would encircle it 23 eLit windward]

24 Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three aofficers of the temple. ²⁵He also took from the city one official who was overseer of the men of war, and seven bof the king’s advisers who were found in the city, and the scribe of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city. ²⁶Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²⁷Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its land. [24 aLit keepers of the door 25 bLit men of those seeing the king’s face]

28 These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away into exile: in the aseventh year 3,023 Jews; ²⁹in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar 832 persons from Jerusalem; ³⁰in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile 745 Jewish people; there were 4,600 persons in all. [28 aOr possibly seventeenth]

31 Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth of the month, that aEvil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, bshowed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. ³²Then he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon. ³³So cJehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and dhad his meals in ethe king’s presence regularly all the days of his life. ³⁴For his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king of Babylon, a daily portion all the days of his life until the day of his death. [31 aOr Awil-Marduk (“Man of Marduk”) bLit lifted up the head of 33 cLit he dLit ate eLit his presence]

LAMENTATIONS 1 [Books]

The Sorrows of Zion

1 How lonely sits the city

That was full of people!

She has become like a widow

Who was once great among the nations!

She who was a princess among the aprovinces

Has become a forced laborer! [aOr districts]

²She weeps bitterly in the night

And her tears are on her cheeks;

She has none to comfort her

Among all her lovers.

All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;

They have become her enemies.

³Judah has gone into exile aunder affliction

And aunder bharsh servitude;

She dwells among the nations,

But she has found no rest;

All her pursuers have overtaken her

In the midst of cdistress. [aOr by reason of bLit great cOr narrow places]

⁴The roads aof Zion are in mourning

Because no one comes to the appointed feasts.

All her gates are desolate;

Her priests are groaning,

Her virgins are afflicted,

And she herself bis bitter. [aOr to bOr suffers bitterly]

⁵Her adversaries have become aher masters,

Her enemies bprosper;

For the LORD has caused her grief

Because of the multitude of her transgressions;

Her little ones have gone away

As captives before the adversary. [aLit head bOr are at ease]

⁶All her majesty

Has departed from the daughter of Zion;

Her princes have become like deer

That have found no pasture;

And they have afled without strength

Before the pursuer. [aLit gone]

⁷In the days of her affliction and homelessness

Jerusalem remembers all her precious things

That were from the days of old,

When her people fell into the hand of the adversary

And no one helped her.

The adversaries saw her,

They mocked at her aruin. [aLit cessation]

⁸Jerusalem sinned greatly,

Therefore she has become an unclean thing.

All who honored her despise her

Because they have seen her nakedness;

Even she herself groans and turns away.

⁹Her uncleanness was in her skirts;

She adid not consider her future.

Therefore she has bfallen astonishingly;

She has no comforter.

“See, O LORD, my affliction,

For the enemy has magnified himself!” [aLit did not remember her latter end bLit come down]

¹⁰The adversary has stretched out his hand

Over all her precious things,

For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary,

The ones whom You commanded

That they should not enter into Your congregation.

¹¹All her people groan seeking bread;

They have given their precious things for food

To restore their alives themselves.

“See, O LORD, and look,

For I am despised.” [aLit soul]

¹²“Is it nothing to all you who pass this way?

Look and see if there is any apain like my apain

Which was severely dealt out to me,

Which the LORD inflicted on the day of His fierce anger. [aOr sorrow]

¹³“From on high He sent fire into my bones,

And it aprevailed over them.

He has spread a net for my feet;

He has turned me back;

He has made me desolate,

bFaint all day long. [aOr descended, overthrew bOr Sick]

¹⁴“The yoke of my transgressions is bound;

By His hand they are knit together.

They have come upon my neck;

He has made my strength afail.

The Lord has given me into the hands

Of those against whom I am not able to stand. [aLit stumble]

¹⁵“The Lord has rejected all my strong men

In my midst;

He has called an appointed atime against me

To crush my young men;

The Lord has trodden as in a wine press

The virgin daughter of Judah. [aOr feast]

¹⁶“For these things I weep;

aMy eyes run down with water;

Because far from me is a comforter,

One who restores my soul.

My children are desolate

Because the enemy has prevailed.” [aLit My eye, my eye]

¹⁷Zion stretches out her hands;

There is no one to comfort her;

The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob

That the ones round about him should be his adversaries;

Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.

¹⁸“The LORD is righteous;

For I have rebelled against His acommand;

Hear now, all peoples,

And behold my bpain;

My virgins and my young men

Have gone into captivity. [aLit mouth bOr sorrow]

¹⁹“I called to my lovers, but they deceived me;

My priests and my elders perished in the city

While they sought food to restore atheir strength themselves. [aLit their soul]

²⁰“See, O LORD, for I am in distress;

My aspirit is greatly troubled;

My heart is overturned within me,

For I have been very rebellious.

In the street the sword bslays;

In the house it is like death. [aLit inward parts are in ferment bLit bereaves]

²¹“They have heard that I groan;

There is no one to comfort me;

All my enemies have heard of my acalamity;

They are glad that You have done it.

Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed,

That they may become like me. [aLit evil]

²²“Let all their wickedness come before You;

And deal with them as You have dealt with me

For all my transgressions;

For my groans are many and my heart is faint.”

LAMENTATIONS 2 [Books]

God’s Anger over Israel

1 How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion

With a cloud in His anger!

He has cast from heaven to earth

The glory of Israel,

And has not remembered His footstool

In the day of His anger.

²The Lord has swallowed up; He has not spared

All the habitations of Jacob.

In His wrath He has thrown down

The strongholds of the daughter of Judah;

He has brought them down to the ground;

He has profaned the kingdom and its princes.

³In fierce anger He has cut off

aAll the strength of Israel;

He has drawn back His right hand

From before the enemy.

And He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire

Consuming round about. [aLit Every horn]

⁴He has bent His bow like an enemy;

He has set His right hand like an adversary

And slain all that were pleasant to the eye;

In the tent of the daughter of Zion

He has poured out His wrath like fire.

⁵The Lord has become like an enemy.

He has swallowed up Israel;

He has swallowed up all its palaces,

He has destroyed its strongholds

And multiplied in the daughter of Judah

Mourning and moaning.

⁶And He has violently treated His atabernacle like a garden booth;

He has destroyed His appointed bmeeting place.

The LORD has caused to be forgotten

The appointed feast and sabbath in Zion,

And He has despised king and priest

In the indignation of His anger. [aLit booth bOr feast]

⁷The Lord has rejected His altar,

He has abandoned His sanctuary;

He has delivered into the hand of the enemy

The walls of her palaces.

They have made a noise in the house of the LORD

As in the day of an appointed feast.

⁸The LORD adetermined to destroy

The wall of the daughter of Zion.

He has stretched out a line,

He has not restrained His hand from bdestroying,

And He has caused rampart and wall to lament;

They have languished together. [aLit thought bLit swallowing up]

⁹Her gates have sunk into the ground,

He has destroyed and broken her bars.

Her king and her princes are among the nations;

The law is no more.

Also, her prophets find

No vision from the LORD.

¹⁰The elders of the daughter of Zion

Sit on the ground, they are silent.

They have thrown dust on their heads;

They have girded themselves with sackcloth.

The virgins of Jerusalem

Have bowed their heads to the ground.

¹¹My eyes fail because of tears,

My aspirit is greatly troubled;

My bheart is poured out on the earth

Because of the cdestruction of the daughter of my people,

When little ones and infants faint

In the streets of the city. [aLit inward parts are in ferment bLit liver cLit breaking]

¹²They say to their mothers,

“Where is grain and wine?”

As they faint like a wounded man

In the streets of the city,

As their life is poured out

On their mothers’ bosom.

¹³How shall I admonish you?

To what shall I compare you,

O daughter of Jerusalem?

To what shall I liken you as I comfort you,

O virgin daughter of Zion?

For your aruin is as vast as the sea;

Who can heal you? [aLit breaking]

¹⁴Your prophets have seen for you

False and foolish visions;

And they have not exposed your iniquity

So as to restore you from captivity,

But they have seen for you false and misleading aoracles. [aLit burdens]

¹⁵All who pass along the way

Clap their hands in derision at you;

They hiss and shake their heads

At the daughter of Jerusalem,

“Is this the city of which they said,

‘The perfection of beauty,

A joy to all the earth’?”

¹⁶All your enemies

Have opened their mouths wide against you;

They hiss and gnash their teeth.

They say, “We have swallowed her up!

Surely this is the day for which we waited;

We have reached it, we have seen it.”

¹⁷The LORD has done what He purposed;

He has accomplished His word

Which He commanded from days of old.

He has thrown down without sparing,

And He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you;

He has exalted the amight of your adversaries. [aLit horn]

¹⁸Their heart cried out to the Lord,

“O wall of the daughter of Zion,

Let your tears run down like a river day and night;

Give yourself no relief,

Let ayour eyes have no rest. [aLit the daughter of your eye]

¹⁹“Arise, cry aloud in the night

At the beginning of the night watches;

Pour out your heart like water

Before the presence of the Lord;

Lift up your hands to Him

For the life of your little ones

Who are faint because of hunger

At the head of every street.”

²⁰See, O LORD, and look!

With whom have You dealt thus?

Should women eat their aoffspring,

The little ones who were bborn healthy?

Should priest and prophet be slain

In the sanctuary of the Lord? [aLit fruit bOr tenderly cared for]

²¹On the ground in the streets

Lie young and old;

My virgins and my young men

Have fallen by the sword.

You have slain them in the day of Your anger,

You have slaughtered, not sparing.

²²You called as in the day of an appointed feast

My terrors on every side;

And there was no one who escaped or survived

In the day of the LORD’S anger.

Those whom I abore and reared,

My enemy annihilated them. [aLit bore healthy or, tenderly cared for]

LAMENTATIONS 3 [Books]

Jeremiah Shares Israel’s Affliction

1 I am the man who has seen affliction

Because of the rod of His wrath.

²He has driven me and made me walk

In darkness and not in light.

³Surely against me He has turned His hand

Repeatedly all the day.

⁴He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away,

He has broken my bones.

⁵He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship.

⁶In dark places He has made me dwell,

Like those who have long been dead.

⁷He has walled me in so that I cannot go out;

He has made my achain heavy. [aLit bronze piece]

⁸Even when I cry out and call for help,

He shuts out my prayer.

⁹He has blocked my ways with hewn stone;

He has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰He is to me like a bear lying in wait,

Like a lion in secret places.

¹¹He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces;

He has made me desolate.

¹²He bent His bow

And set me as a target for the arrow.

¹³He made the aarrows of His quiver

To enter into my binward parts. [aLit sons bLit kidneys]

¹⁴I have become a laughingstock to all my people,

Their mocking song all the day.

¹⁵He has filled me with bitterness,

He has made me drunk with wormwood.

¹⁶He has broken my teeth with gravel;

He has made me cower in the dust.

¹⁷My soul has been rejected from peace;

I have forgotten ahappiness. [aLit good]

¹⁸So I say, “My strength has perished,

And so has my hope from the LORD.”

Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy

19 Remember my affliction and my awandering, the wormwood and bitterness. [aOr bitterness]

²⁰Surely my soul remembers

And is bowed down within me.

²¹This I recall to my mind,

Therefore I have hope.

²²The LORD’S lovingkindnesses aindeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail. [aOr that we are not consumed]

²³They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

²⁴“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I have hope in Him.”

²⁵The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the aperson who seeks Him. [aLit soul]

²⁶It is good that he waits silently

For the salvation of the LORD.

²⁷It is good for a man that he should bear

The yoke in his youth.

²⁸Let him sit alone and be silent

Since He has laid it on him.

²⁹Let him aput his mouth in the dust,

Perhaps there is hope. [aLit give]

³⁰Let him give his cheek to athe smiter,

Let him be filled with reproach. [aLit his]

³¹For the Lord will not reject forever,

³²For if He causes grief,

Then He will have compassion

According to His abundant lovingkindness.

³³For He does not afflict awillingly

Or grieve the sons of men. [aLit from His heart]

³⁴To crush under His feet

All the prisoners of the aland, [aOr earth]

³⁵To adeprive a man of justice

In the presence of the Most High, [aOr turn aside a man’s case]

³⁶To adefraud a man in his lawsuit—

Of these things the Lord does not bapprove. [aLit make crooked bLit see]

³⁷Who is athere who speaks and it comes to pass,

Unless the Lord has commanded it? [aLit this]

³⁸Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

That aboth good and ill go forth? [aLit the evil things and the good]

39 Why should any living amortal, or any man,

Offer complaint bin view of his sins? [aOr human being bOr on the basis of]

⁴⁰Let us examine and probe our ways,

And let us return to the LORD.

⁴¹We lift up our heart aand hands

Toward God in heaven; [aLit toward our]

⁴²We have transgressed and rebelled,

You have not pardoned.

⁴³You have covered Yourself with anger

And pursued us;

You have slain and have not spared.

⁴⁴You have covered Yourself with a cloud

So that no prayer can pass through.

⁴⁵You have made us mere offscouring and refuse

In the midst of the peoples.

⁴⁶All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

⁴⁷Panic and pitfall have befallen us,

Devastation and destruction;

⁴⁸My aeyes run down with streams of water

Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. [aLit eye brings]

⁴⁹My eyes pour down unceasingly,

Without stopping,

⁵⁰Until the LORD looks down

And sees from heaven.

⁵¹My eyes bring pain to my soul

Because of all the daughters of my city.

⁵²My enemies without cause

Hunted me down like a bird;

⁵³They have silenced ame in the pit

And have bplaced a stone on me. [aLit my life bOr cast stones]

⁵⁴Waters flowed over my head;

I said, “I am cut off!”

⁵⁵I called on Your name, O LORD,

Out of the lowest pit.

⁵⁶You have heard my voice,

“Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief,

From my cry for help.”

⁵⁷You drew near when I called on You;

You said, “Do not fear!”

⁵⁸O Lord, You have pleaded my soul’s cause;

You have redeemed my life.

⁵⁹O LORD, You have seen my oppression;

Judge my case.

⁶⁰You have seen all their vengeance,

All their schemes against me.

⁶¹You have heard their reproach, O LORD,

All their schemes against me.

⁶²The lips of my assailants and their whispering

Are against me all day long.

⁶³Look on their sitting and their rising;

I am their mocking song.

⁶⁴You will recompense them, O LORD,

According to the work of their hands.

⁶⁵You will give them ahardness of heart,

Your curse will be on them. [aOr insolence]

⁶⁶You will pursue them in anger and destroy them

From under the heavens of the LORD!

LAMENTATIONS 4 [Books]

Distress of the Siege Described

1 How dark the gold has become,

How the pure gold has changed!

The sacred stones are poured out

At the acorner of every street. [aLit head]

²The precious sons of Zion,

Weighed against fine gold,

How they are regarded as earthen jars,

The work of a potter’s hands!

³Even jackals offer the breast,

They nurse their young;

But the daughter of my people has become cruel

Like ostriches in the wilderness.

⁴The tongue of the infant cleaves

To the roof of its mouth because of thirst;

The little ones ask for bread,

But no one breaks it for them.

⁵Those who ate delicacies

Are desolate in the streets;

Those areared in purple

Embrace ash pits. [aLit established in crimson]

⁶For the ainiquity of the daughter of my people

Is greater than the bsin of Sodom,

Which was overthrown as in a moment,

And no hands were cturned toward her. [aOr punishment for iniquity bOr punishment for sin cOr wrung over her]

⁷Her aconsecrated ones were purer than snow,

They were whiter than milk;

They were more ruddy in bbody than corals,

Their polishing was like clapis lazuli. [aOr Nazirites bLit bones cHeb sappir]

⁸Their appearance is blacker than soot,

They are not recognized in the streets;

Their skin is shriveled on their bones,

It is withered, it has become like wood.

⁹Better are those aslain with the sword

Than those aslain with hunger;

For they bpine away, being stricken

For lack of the fruits of cthe field. [aLit pierced bLit flow away cLit my fields]

¹⁰The hands of compassionate women

Boiled their own children;

They became food for them

Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

¹¹The LORD has accomplished His wrath,

He has poured out His fierce anger;

And He has kindled a fire in Zion

Which has consumed its foundations.

¹²The kings of the earth did not believe,

Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world,

That the adversary and the enemy

Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³Because of the sins of her prophets

And the iniquities of her priests,

Who have shed in her midst

The blood of the righteous;

¹⁴They wandered, blind, in the streets;

They were defiled with blood

So that no one could touch their garments.

¹⁵“Depart! Unclean!” athey cried of themselves.

“Depart, depart, do not touch!”

So they fled and wandered;

Men among the nations said,

“They shall not continue to dwell with us.” [aOr they (men) cried to them]

¹⁶The presence of the LORD has scattered them,

He will not continue to regard them;

They did not ahonor the priests,

They did not favor the elders. [aLit lift up the faces of]

¹⁷Yet our eyes failed,

Looking for ahelp was useless;

In our watching we have watched

For a nation that could not save. [aLit our help]

¹⁸They hunted our steps

So that we could not walk in our streets;

Our end drew near,

Our days were afinished

For our end had come. [aLit full]

¹⁹Our pursuers were swifter

Than the eagles of the sky;

They chased us on the mountains,

They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.

²⁰The breath of our nostrils, the LORD’S anointed,

Was captured in their pits,

Of whom we had said, “Under his shadow

We shall live among the nations.”

²¹Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,

Who dwells in the land of Uz;

But the cup will come around to you as well,

You will become drunk and make yourself naked.

²²The punishment of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion;

He will exile you no longer.

But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom;

He will expose your sins!

LAMENTATIONS 5 [Books]

A Prayer for Mercy

1 Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us;

Look, and see our reproach!

²Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,

Our houses to aliens.

³We have become orphans without a father,

Our mothers are like widows.

⁴aWe have to pay for our drinking water,

Our wood comes to us at a price. [aLit We drink our water for silver]

⁵aOur pursuers are at our necks;

We are worn out, there is no rest for us. [aLit We have been pursued upon]

⁶We have asubmitted to Egypt and Assyria bto get enough bread. [aLit given the hand to bLit to be satisfied with]

⁷Our fathers sinned, and are no more;

It is we who have borne their iniquities.

⁸Slaves rule over us;

There is no one to deliver us from their hand.

⁹We get our bread aat the risk of our lives

bBecause of the sword in the wilderness. [aLit with our soul bOr In the face of]

¹⁰Our skin has become as hot as an oven,

Because of athe burning heat of famine. [aOr the ravages of hunger]

¹¹They ravished the women in Zion,

The virgins in the cities of Judah.

¹²Princes were hung by their hands;

aElders were not respected. [aLit The faces of elders]

¹³Young men aworked at the grinding mill,

And youths stumbled under loads of wood. [aLit carry]

¹⁴Elders aare gone from the gate,

Young men from their music. [aLit have ceased]

¹⁵The joy of our hearts has ceased;

Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

¹⁶The crown has fallen from our head;

Woe to us, for we have sinned!

¹⁷Because of this our heart is faint,

Because of these things our eyes are dim;

¹⁸Because of Mount Zion which lies desolate,

Foxes prowl in it.

19 You, O LORD, arule forever;

Your throne is from generation to generation. [aLit sit]

²⁰Why do You forget us forever?

Why do You forsake us aso long? [aLit to length of days]

²¹Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored;

Renew our days as of old,

²²Unless You have utterly rejected us

And are exceedingly angry with us.

EZEKIEL 1 [Books]

The Vision of Four Figures

1 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw avisions of God. ²(On the fifth of the month bin the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, ³the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.) [1 aSome ancient mss and versions read a vision 2 bLit it was]

4 As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. ⁵Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. ⁶Each of them had four faces and four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight and atheir feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. ⁸Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, ⁹their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward. ¹⁰As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man; ball four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and ball four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies. ¹²And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went. ¹³cIn the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, dlike torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was eflashing from the fire. ¹⁴And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning. [7 aLit the soles of their feet 10 bLit the four of them 13 cSo with some ancient versions; Heb as the likeness of the living beings dLit like the appearance of eLit coming out]

15 Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, afor each of the four of them. ¹⁶The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like bsparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if cone wheel were within another. ¹⁷Whenever they dmoved, they dmoved in any of their four edirections without turning as they dmoved. ¹⁸As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about. ¹⁹Whenever the living beings dmoved, the wheels dmoved with them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. ²⁰Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that directionf. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living gbeings was in the wheels. ²¹Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living hbeings was in the wheels. [15 aLit for his four faces 16 bLit the look of beryl cLit the wheel in the midst of the wheel 17 dLit went eLit sides 20 fM.T. adds the spirit to go gM.T. reads being 21 hM.T. reads being]

Vision of Divine Glory

22 Now over the heads of the living abeings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of bcrystal, spread out over their heads. ²³Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. ²⁴I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of cthe Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. ²⁵And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. [22 aSo some ancient mss and versions; M.T. reads being bOr ice 24 cHeb Shaddai]

26 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like alapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. ²⁷Then I bnoticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like cglowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. ²⁸As the appearance of the rainbow din the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. [26 aHeb eben-sappir 27 bLit saw cOr electrum 28 dLit which occurs in]

EZEKIEL 2 [Books]

The Prophet’s Call

1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!” ²As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. ³Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. ⁴I am sending you to them who are astubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD.’ ⁵As for them, whether they listen or cnot—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. ⁶And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. ⁷But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or cnot, for they are rebellious. [4 aLit the sons, stiff-faced and hard-hearted bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 5 cLit forbear]

8 “Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” ⁹Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a ascroll was in it. ¹⁰When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe. [9 aLit scroll of a book]

EZEKIEL 3 [Books]

Ezekiel’s Commission

1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” ²So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. ³He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your abody with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. [3 aLit inward parts]

4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, ago to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. ⁵For you are not being sent to a people of bunintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, ⁶nor to many peoples of bunintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. cBut I have sent you to them dwho should listen to you; ⁷yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is estubborn and obstinate. ⁸Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. ⁹Like femery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” ¹⁰Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen gclosely. ¹¹hGo to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or inot, ‘Thus says the Lord jGOD.’ ” [4 aLit go, come 5 bLit deepness of lip and heaviness of tongue 6 cOr If I had sent you to them, they would listen to you dLit they 7 eLit of a hard forehead and a stiff heart 9 fLit corundum 10 gLit with your ears 11 hLit Go, come iLit forbear jHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me, “Blessed be the glory of the LORD ain His place.” ¹³And I heard the sound of the wings of the living beings touching one another and the sound of the wheels beside them, even a great rumbling sound. ¹⁴So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of the LORD was strong on me. ¹⁵Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them. [12 aOr from]

16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ¹⁷“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. ¹⁸When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. ²⁰Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. ²¹However, if you have warned athe righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.” [21 aLit him, the righteous]

22 The hand of the LORD was on me there, and He said to me, “Get up, go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.” ²³So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. ²⁴The Spirit then entered me and made me stand on my feet, and He spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself up in your house. ²⁵As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them. ²⁶Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to athe roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who rebukes them, for they are a rebellious house. ²⁷But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house. [26 aLit your palate 27 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

EZEKIEL 4 [Books]

Siege of Jerusalem Predicted

1 “Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. ²Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, araise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. ³Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel. [2 aLit cast]

4 “As for you, lie down on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; you shall bear their iniquity for the number of days that you lie on it. ⁵For I have assigned you a number of days corresponding to the years of their iniquity, three hundred and ninety days; thus you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. ⁶When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year. ⁷Then you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared and prophesy against it. ⁸Now behold, I will put ropes on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.

Defiled Bread

9 “But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days. ¹⁰Your food which you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; you shall eat it from time to time. ¹¹The water you drink shall be the sixth part of a hin by measure; you shall drink it from time to time. ¹²You shall eat it as a barley cake, having baked it in their sight over human dung.” ¹³Then the LORD said, “Thus will the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I will banish them.” ¹⁴But I said, “Ah, Lord aGOD! Behold, I have never been defiled; for from my youth until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has any unclean meat ever entered my mouth.” ¹⁵Then He said to me, “See, I will give you cow’s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread.” ¹⁶Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in horror, ¹⁷because bread and water will be scarce; and they will be appalled with one another and waste away in their iniquity. [14 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

EZEKIEL 5 [Books]

Jerusalem’s Desolation Foretold

1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword; take and ause it as a barber’s razor on your head and beard. Then take scales for weighing and divide bthe hair. ²One third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take one third and strike it with the sword all around cthe city, and one third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them. ³Take also a few in number from dthem and bind them in the edges of your robes. ⁴Take again some of them and throw them into the fire and burn them in the fire; from it a fire will espread to all the house of Israel. [1 aLit make it pass over your head bLit them 2 cLit it 3 dLit there 4 eLit go out]

5 “Thus says the Lord aGOD, ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands around her. ⁶But she has rebelled against My ordinances more wickedly than the nations and against My statutes more than the lands which surround her; for they have rejected My ordinances and have not walked bin My statutes.’ ⁷Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you and have not walked in My statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the nations which surround you,’ ⁸therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations. ⁹And because of all your abominations, I will do among you what I have not done, and the like of which I will never do again. ¹⁰Therefore, fathers will eat their sons among you, and sons will eat their fathers; for I will execute judgments on you and scatter all your remnant to every wind. ¹¹So as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations, therefore I will also withdraw, and My eye will have no pity and I will not spare. ¹²One third of you will die by plague or be consumed by famine among you, one third will fall by the sword around you, and one third I will scatter to every wind, and I will unsheathe a sword behind them. [5 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 6 bLit in them, My statutes]

13 ‘Thus My anger will be spent and I will asatisfy My wrath on them, and I will be bappeased; then they will know that I, the LORD, have spoken in My zeal when I have spent My wrath upon them. ¹⁴Moreover, I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations which surround you, in the sight of all who pass by. ¹⁵So cit will be a reproach, a reviling, a warning and an object of horror to the nations who surround you when I execute judgments against you in anger, wrath and raging rebukes. I, the LORD, have spoken. ¹⁶When I send against them the ddeadly arrows of famine which ewere for the destruction of those whom I will send to destroy you, then I will also intensify the famine upon you and break the staff of bread. ¹⁷Moreover, I will send on you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you of children; plague and bloodshed also will pass through you, and I will bring the sword on you. I, the LORD, have spoken.’ ” [13 aLit cause to rest bLit comforted 15 cAncient versions read you 16 dLit evil eOr are for destruction, which I will send]

EZEKIEL 6 [Books]

Idolatrous Worship Denounced

1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them ³and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord aGOD! Thus says the Lord aGOD to the mountains, the hills, the ravines and the valleys: “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places. ⁴So your altars will become desolate and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. ⁵I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars. ⁶In all your dwellings, cities will become waste and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and bdesolate, your idols may be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be blotted out. ⁷The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD. [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 6 bSo some ancient versions; Heb bear their guilt]

8 “However, I will leave a remnant, for you will have those who escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the countries. ⁹Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have abeen hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. ¹⁰Then they will know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain bthat I would inflict this disaster on them.” ’ [9 aLit been broken, or, broken for Myself their 10 bLit to do this evil to]

11 “Thus says the Lord aGOD, ‘Clap your hand, stamp your foot and say, “Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by sword, famine and plague! ¹²He who is far off will die by the plague, and he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus will I spend My wrath on them. ¹³Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree and under every leafy oak—the places where they offered soothing aroma to all their idols. ¹⁴So throughout all their habitations I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah; thus they will know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” [11 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

EZEKIEL 7 [Books]

Punishment for Wickedness Foretold

1 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“And you, son of man, thus says the Lord aGOD to the land of Israel, ‘An end! The end is coming on the four corners of the land. ³Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you. ⁴For My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your abominations will be among you; then you will know that I am the LORD!’ [2 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

5 “Thus says the Lord aGOD, ‘A disaster, unique disaster, behold it is coming! ⁶An end is coming; the end has come! It has awakened against you; behold, it has come! ⁷Your doom has come to you, O inhabitant of the land. The time has come, the day is near—tumult rather than joyful shouting on the mountains. ⁸Now I will shortly pour out My wrath on you and spend My anger against you; judge you according to your ways and bring on you all your abominations. ⁹My eye will show no pity nor will I spare. I will brepay you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst; then you will know that I, the LORD, do the smiting. [5 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 9 bLit give]

10 ‘Behold, the day! Behold, it is coming! Your doom has gone forth; the rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed. ¹¹Violence ahas grown into a rod of wickedness. None of them shall remain, none of their people, none of their wealth, nor anything eminent among them. ¹²The time has come, the day has arrived. Let not the buyer rejoice nor the seller mourn; for wrath is against all their multitude. ¹³Indeed, the seller will not bregain cwhat he sold as long as dthey both live; for the vision regarding all their multitude will not ebe averted, nor will any of them maintain his life by his iniquity. [11 aLit has risen 13 bLit return to cLit thing sold, i.e. his inherited land dLit their life among the living ones eLit return]

14 ‘They have blown the trumpet and made everything ready, but no one is going to the battle, for My wrath is against all atheir multitude. ¹⁵The sword is outside and the plague and the famine are within. He who is in the field will die by the sword; famine and the plague will also consume those in the city. ¹⁶Even when their survivors escape, they will be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them bmourning, each over his own iniquity. ¹⁷All hands will hang limp and all knees will cbecome like water. ¹⁸They will gird themselves with sackcloth and shuddering will overwhelm them; and shame will be on all faces and baldness on all their heads. ¹⁹They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their dappetite nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling. [14 aLit her 16 bLit moaning 17 cLit run with water 19 dLit soul]

The Temple Profaned

²⁰They transformed the beauty of His ornaments into pride, and they made the images of their abominations and their detestable things with it; therefore I will make it an abhorrent thing to them. ²¹I will give it into the hands of the foreigners as plunder and to the wicked of the earth as spoil, and they will profane it. ²²I will also turn My face from them, and they will profane My secret place; then robbers will enter and profane it.

23 ‘Make the chain, for the land is full of abloody crimes and the city is full of violence. ²⁴Therefore, I will bring the worst of the nations, and they will possess their houses. I will also make the pride of the strong ones cease, and their holy places will be profaned. ²⁵When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. ²⁶Disaster will come upon disaster and rumor will be added to rumor; then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but the law will be lost from the priest and counsel from the elders. ²⁷The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with horror, and the hands of the people of the land will btremble. According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the LORD.’ ” [23 aLit judgment of blood 27 bLit be terrified]

EZEKIEL 8 [Books]

Vision of Abominations in Jerusalem

1 It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord aGOD fell on me there. ²Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of ba man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of cglowing metal. ³He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the dnorth gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. ⁴And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain. [1 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD 2 bLit fire cOr electrum 3 dLit facing north]

5 Then He said to me, “Son of man, raise your eyes now toward the north.” So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this idol of jealousy at the entrance. ⁶And He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations.”

7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. ⁸He said to me, “Son of man, now dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. ⁹And He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.” ¹⁰So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. ¹¹Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand and the fragrance of the cloud of incense rising. ¹²Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’ ” ¹³And He said to me, “Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing.”

14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. ¹⁵He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these.”

16 Then He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were aprostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. ¹⁷He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose. ¹⁸Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them.” [16 aI.e. worshiping]

EZEKIEL 9 [Books]

The Vision of Slaughter

1 Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice saying, “Draw near, aO executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” ²Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a bwriting case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. [1 aLit you who punish 2 bOr scribal inkhorn]

3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the atemple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case. ⁴The LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” ⁵But to the others He said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. ⁶bUtterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the celders who were before the atemple. ⁷And He said to them, “Defile the atemple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city. ⁸As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I fell on my face and cried out dsaying, “Alas, Lord eGOD! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel fby pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?” [3 aLit house 6 bLit To destruction cOr old men 8 dLit and said eHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD fLit by Your pouring]

9 Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!’ ¹⁰But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”

11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the awriting case breported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.” [11 aOr inkhorn bLit brought back word]

EZEKIEL 10 [Books]

Vision of God’s Glory Departing from the Temple

1 Then I looked, and behold, in the aexpanse that was over the heads of the cherubim something like a sapphire stone, in appearance resembling a throne, appeared above them. ²And He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Enter between the whirling wheels under the bcherubim and fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And he entered in my sight. [1 aOr firmament 2 bSo with Gr; Heb cherub]

3 Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the atemple when the man entered, and the cloud filled the inner court. ⁴Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. ⁵Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of bGod Almighty when He speaks. [3 aLit house, and so throughout the ch 5 bHeb El Shaddai]

6 It came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he entered and stood beside a wheel. ⁷Then the cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some and put it into the hands of the one clothed in linen, who took it and went out. ⁸The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings.

9 Then I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a aTarshish stone. ¹⁰As for their appearance, all four of them had the same likeness, as if one wheel were within another wheel. ¹¹When they moved, they went in any of their four bdirections without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which cthey faced, without turning as they went. ¹²Their whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the wheels were full of eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them. ¹³The wheels were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels. ¹⁴And each one had four faces. 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. [9 aPerhaps, beryl 11 bLit sides cLit the head turned]

15 Then the cherubim rose up. They are the living beings that I saw by the river Chebar. ¹⁶Now when the cherubim moved, the wheels would go beside them; also when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels would not turn from beside them. ¹⁷When athe cherubim stood still, athe wheels would stand still; and when they rose up, athe wheels would rise with them, for the spirit of the living beings was in them. [17 aLit they]

18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. ¹⁹When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel ahovered over them. [19 aLit over them from above]

20 These are the living beings that I saw beneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim. ²¹Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands. ²²As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead.

EZEKIEL 11 [Books]

Evil Rulers to Be Judged

1 Moreover, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the LORD’S house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. ²He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give evil advice in this city, ³who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. aThis city is the pot and we are the flesh.’ ⁴Therefore, prophesy against them, son of man, prophesy!” [3 aOr This is]

5 Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “So you think, house of Israel, for I know ayour thoughts. ⁶You have multiplied your slain in this city, filling its streets with bthem.” ⁷Therefore, thus says the Lord cGOD, “Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of dthe city are the flesh and this city is the pot; but eI will bring you out of it. ⁸You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you,” the Lord GOD declares. ⁹“And I will bring you out of the midst of dthe city and deliver you into the hands of strangers and execute judgments against you. ¹⁰You will fall by the sword. I will judge you to the border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the LORD. ¹¹This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be flesh in the midst of it, but I will judge you to the border of Israel. ¹²Thus you will know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.” ’ ” [5 aLit what comes up in your spirit 6 bLit the slain 7 cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch dLit it eSo with Gr; Heb he will bring you out]

13 Now it came about as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”

Promise of Restoration

14 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ¹⁵“Son of man, your brothers, your arelatives, byour fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from the LORD; this land has been given us as a possession.’ ¹⁶Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.” ’ ¹⁷Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ’ ¹⁸When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. ¹⁹And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within cthem. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, ²⁰that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. ²¹dBut as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord GOD. [15 aLit brothers bSo with Gr and some ancient versions; Heb the men of your redemption 19 cSo with Gr and many mss; Heb you 21 dLit And to the heart of their detestable things and their abomination their heart goes]

22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel ahovered over them. ²³The glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city. ²⁴And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles bin Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen cleft me. ²⁵Then I told the exiles all the things that the LORD had shown me. [22 aLit over them from above 24 bI.e. Babylonia cLit went up from]

EZEKIEL 12 [Books]

Ezekiel Prepares for Exile

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. ³Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; even go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will aunderstand though they are a rebellious house. ⁴Bring your baggage out by day in their sight, as baggage for exile. Then you will go out at evening in their sight, as those going into exile. ⁵Dig a hole through the wall in their sight and bgo out through it. ⁶Load the baggage on your shoulder in their sight and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.” [3 aOr see that they are 5 bLit bring it out]

7 I did so, as I had been commanded. By day I brought out my baggage like the baggage of an exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands; I went out in the dark and carried the baggage on my shoulder in their sight.

8 In the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁹“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ ¹⁰Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD, “This bburden concerns the prince in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are cin it.” ’ ¹¹Say, ‘I am da sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity.’ ¹²The prince who is among them will load his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and go out. eThey will dig a hole through the wall to bring it out. He will cover his face so that he can not see the land with his eyes. ¹³I will also spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, though he will die there. ¹⁴I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them. ¹⁵So they will know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries. ¹⁶But I will fspare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and gmay know that I am the LORD.” [10 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bOr oracle cLit in their midst 11 dLit your sign 12 eI.e. the king’s attendants 16 fLit leave over gOr they will know]

17 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹⁸“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. ¹⁹Then say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because atheir land will be bstripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it. ²⁰The inhabited cities will be laid waste and the land will be a desolation. So you will know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” [19 aLit her bLit desolate]

21 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²²“Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’? ²³Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make this proverb cease so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But tell them, “The days draw near as well as the afulfillment of every vision. ²⁴For there will no longer be any bfalse vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. ²⁵For I the LORD will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,” declares the Lord GOD.’ ” [23 aLit word 24 bLit vain]

26 Furthermore, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²⁷“Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many ayears from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ ²⁸Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed,” ’ ” declares the Lord GOD. [27 aLit days]

EZEKIEL 13 [Books]

False Prophets Condemned

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own ainspiration, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD! ³Thus says the Lord bGOD, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing. ⁴O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins. ⁵You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD. ⁶They see cfalsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. ⁷Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘The LORD declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?” ’ ” [2 aLit heart 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 6 cLit vanity]

8 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Because you have spoken afalsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord GOD. ⁹“So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will bhave no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, cthat you may know that I am the Lord GOD. ¹⁰It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; ¹¹so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out. ¹²Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’ ” ¹³Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and hailstones to consume it in wrath. ¹⁴So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation is laid bare; and when it falls, you will be consumed in its midst. And you will know that I am the LORD. ¹⁵Thus I will spend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall dis gone and its plasterers are gone, ¹⁶along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ declares the Lord GOD. [8 aLit vanity 9 bLit not be in cOr and you will know 15 dLit is not...are not]

17 “Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their own ainspiration. Prophesy against them ¹⁸and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe to the women who sew magic bands on ball wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down clives! Will you hunt down the clives of My people, but preserve the clives of others for yourselves? ¹⁹For handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death csome who should not die and to keep cothers alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.” ’ ” [17 aLit heart 18 bLit all joints of the hand; M.T. reads of my hands cOr souls]

20 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt alives there as bbirds and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let athem go, even those alives whom you hunt as bbirds. ²¹I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands to be hunted; and you will know that I am the LORD. ²²Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have cencouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life, ²³therefore, you women will no longer see dfalse visions or practice divination, and I will deliver My people out of your hand. Thus you will know that I am the LORD.” [20 aLit souls bOr flying ones 22 cLit strengthen the hands of 23 dLit vanity]

EZEKIEL 14 [Books]

Idolatrous Elders Condemned

1 Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. ²And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ³“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? ⁴Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in bthe matter in view of the multitude of his idols, ⁵in order to lay hold of cthe hearts of the house of Israel who are destranged from Me through all their idols.” ’ [4 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bLit it 5 cLit their dOr all estranged from Me through their idols]

6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. ⁷For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, I the LORD will be brought to answer him in My own person. ⁸I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and aa proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am the LORD. [8 aLit proverbs]

9 “But if the prophet is aprevailed upon to speak a word, it is I, the LORD, who have aprevailed upon that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. ¹⁰They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be, ¹¹in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Thus they will be My people, and I shall be their God,” ’ declares the Lord GOD.” [9 aOr enticed]

The City Will Not Be Spared

12 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹³“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, adestroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, ¹⁴even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁵“If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they bdepopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, ¹⁶though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. ¹⁷Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’ ¹⁸even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. ¹⁹Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, ²⁰even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.” [13 aLit break the staff 15 bLit bereave of children]

21 For thus says the Lord GOD, “How much more when I send My four asevere judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts and plague to cut off man and beast from it! ²²Yet, behold, bsurvivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you and you will see their conduct and actions; then you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. ²³Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did cto it,” declares the Lord GOD. [21 aLit evil 22 bLit escaped ones 23 cOr in]

EZEKIEL 15 [Books]

Jerusalem like a Useless Vine

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest? ³Can wood be taken from it to make aanything, or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel? ⁴bIf it has been put into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then useful for aanything? ⁵Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into aanything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into aanything! ⁶Therefore, thus says the Lord cGOD, ‘As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; ⁷and I set My face against them. Though they have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. ⁸Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’ ” declares the Lord GOD. [3 aLit a work 4 bOr Behold 6 cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

EZEKIEL 16 [Books]

God’s Grace to Unfaithful Jerusalem

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations ³and say, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD to Jerusalem, “Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. ⁴As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. ⁵No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the bopen field, cfor you were abhorred on the day you were born. [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 5 bLit surface cLit in the loathing of your soul]

6 “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ ⁷I made you anumerous like plants of the field. Then you grew up, became tall and reached the age for fine ornaments; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Yet you were naked and bare. [7 aLit a myriad]

8 “Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, ayou were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord GOD. ⁹“Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. ¹⁰I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. ¹¹I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. ¹²I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. ¹³Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. ¹⁴Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,” declares the Lord GOD. [8 aLit your time was]

15 “But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by awho might be willing. ¹⁶You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors and played the harlot on them, bwhich should never come about nor happen. ¹⁷You also took your beautiful cjewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them. ¹⁸Then you took your embroidered cloth and covered them, and offered My oil and My incense before them. ¹⁹Also My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil and honey with which I fed you, dyou would offer before them for a soothing aroma; so it happened,” declares the Lord GOD. ²⁰“Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to eidols to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter? ²¹You slaughtered My children and offered them up to eidols by causing them to pass through the fire. ²²Besides all your abominations and harlotries you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare and squirming in your blood. [15 aLit to whom it might be 16 bLit things which had not happened nor will it be 17 cLit articles of beauty 19 dLit and you...offer it 20 eLit them]

23 “Then it came about after all your wickedness (‘Woe, woe to you!’ declares the Lord GOD), ²⁴that you built yourself a shrine and made yourself a high place in every square. ²⁵You built yourself a high place at the top of every street and made your beauty abominable, and you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry. ²⁶You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your alustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to make Me angry. ²⁷Behold now, I have stretched out My hand against you and diminished your rations. And I delivered you up to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd conduct. ²⁸Moreover, you played the harlot with the Assyrians because you were not satisfied; you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied. ²⁹You also multiplied your harlotry with the land of merchants, Chaldea, yet even with this you were not satisfied.” ’ ” [26 aLit great of flesh]

30 “How languishing is your heart,” declares the Lord GOD, “while you do all these things, the actions of a abold-faced harlot. ³¹When you built your shrine at the beginning of every street and made your high place in every square, in disdaining money, you were not like a harlot. ³²You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband! ³³bMen give gifts to all harlots, but you give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from every direction for your harlotries. ³⁴Thus you are different from those women in your harlotries, in that no one plays the harlot cas you do, because you give money and no money is given you; thus you are different.” [30 aLit domineering 33 bLit They 34 cLit after you]

35 Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD. ³⁶Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to aidols, ³⁷therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, even all those whom you loved and all those whom you hated. So I will gather them against you from every direction and expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness. ³⁸Thus I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. ³⁹I will also give you into bthe hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your cjewels, and will leave you naked and bare. ⁴⁰They will dincite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. ⁴¹They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then I will stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay eyour lovers. ⁴²So I will calm My fury against you and My jealousy will depart from you, and I will be pacified and angry no more. ⁴³Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but fhave enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head,” declares the Lord GOD, “so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations. [36 aLit them 39 bLit their hands, and they cLit articles of beauty 40 dLit bring up an assembly 41 eLit a harlot’s hire 43 fSo with ancient versions; Heb are angry against]

44 “Behold, everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you, saying, ‘aLike mother, alike daughter.’ ⁴⁵You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. ⁴⁶Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives bnorth of you with her cdaughters; and your younger sister, who lives dsouth of you, is Sodom with her cdaughters. ⁴⁷Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they. ⁴⁸As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. ⁴⁹Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not ehelp the poor and needy. ⁵⁰Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them fwhen I saw it. ⁵¹Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins, for you have multiplied your abominations more than they. Thus you have made your sisters appear righteous by all your abominations which you have committed. ⁵²Also bear your disgrace in that you have gmade judgment favorable for your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. Yes, be also ashamed and bear your disgrace, in that you made your sisters appear righteous. [44 aLit Her 46 bLit on your left cI.e. environs; so through v 55 dLit from your right 49 eLit grasp the hand of 50 fMany ancient mss and versions read as you have seen 52 gLit mediated for]

53 “Nevertheless, I will restore their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and aalong with them byour own captivity, ⁵⁴in order that you may bear your humiliation and feel ashamed for all that you have done when you become a consolation to them. ⁵⁵Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, cwill return to their former state, and you with your daughters will also return to your former state. ⁵⁶As the name of your sister Sodom was not heard from your lips in your day of pride, ⁵⁷before your wickedness was uncovered, dso now you have become the reproach of the daughters of eEdom and of all who are around her, of the daughters of the Philistines—those surrounding you who despise you. ⁵⁸You have borne the penalty of your lewdness and abominations,” the LORD declares. ⁵⁹For thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also do with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath by breaking the covenant. [53 aLit in their midst bLit the captivity of your captivity 55 cHeb includes will return...state after Sodom also 57 dLit as at the time of eSo with many mss and one version; M.T. Aram]

The Covenant Remembered

60 “Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. ⁶¹Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. ⁶²Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, ⁶³so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord GOD declares.

EZEKIEL 17 [Books]

Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

1 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, propound a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel, ³asaying, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD, “A great eagle with great wings, long pinions and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar. ⁴He plucked off the topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a city of traders. ⁵He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in cfertile soil. He dplaced it beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow. ⁶Then it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine with its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and yielded shoots and sent out branches. [3 aLit and you shall say bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 5 cLit a field of seed dLit took]

7 “But there was aanother great eagle with great wings and much plumage; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him from the beds where it was planted, that he might water it. ⁸It was planted in good bsoil beside abundant waters, that it might yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.” ’ ⁹Say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers—so that all its sprouting leaves wither? And neither by great cstrength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again. ¹⁰Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it—wither on the beds where it grew?” ’ ” [7 aSo with several ancient versions; M.T. one 8 bLit field 9 cLit arm]

Zedekiah’s Rebellion

11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ¹²“Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Say, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon. ¹³He took one of the royal afamily and made a covenant with him, bputting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, ¹⁴that the kingdom might be cin subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue. ¹⁵But he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many dtroops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape? ¹⁶As I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘Surely in the ecountry of the king who fput him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, gin Babylon he shall die. ¹⁷Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not hhelp him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives. ¹⁸Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he ipledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’ ” ¹⁹Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “As I live, surely My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will jinflict on his head. ²⁰I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. Then I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there regarding the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me. ²¹All the kchoice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.” [13 aLit seed bLit and caused him to enter into an oath 14 cLit low 15 dLit people 16 eLit place fLit made him king gLit with him in Babylon 17 hLit act with 18 iLit gave his hand 19 jLit give it 21 kSo many ancient mss and versions; M.T. fugitives]

22 Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I will pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every akind will bnest under it; they will bnest in the shade of its branches. ²⁴All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it.” [23 aLit wing bLit dwell]

EZEKIEL 18 [Books]

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,

‘The fathers eat the sour grapes,

But the children’s teeth aare set on edge’?

³As I live,” declares the Lord bGOD, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. ⁴Behold, all csouls are Mine; the dsoul of the father as well as the dsoul of the son is Mine. The esoul who sins will die. [2 aLit become dull 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 4 cOr lives dOr life eOr person]

5 “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, ⁶and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period— ⁷if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, ⁸if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, ⁹if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully—he is righteous and will surely live,” declares the Lord GOD.

10 “Then he may ahave a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother ¹¹(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor’s wife, ¹²oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination, ¹³he lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be bon his own head. [10 aLit beget 13 bLit on him]

14 “Now behold, he ahas a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise. ¹⁵He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife, ¹⁶or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, ¹⁷he keeps his hand from bthe poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live. ¹⁸As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity. [14 aLit begets 17 bSo M.T.; Gr reads iniquity as in v 8]

19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. ²⁰The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

21 “But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ²²All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. ²³Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “arather than that he should turn from his ways and live? [23 aLit is it not]

24 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. ²⁵Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? ²⁶When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. ²⁷Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. ²⁸Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ²⁹But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord GOD. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. ³¹Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? ³²For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”

EZEKIEL 19 [Books]

Lament for the Princes of Israel

1 “As for you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel ²and say,

‘aWhat was your mother?

A lioness among lions!

She lay down among young lions,

She reared her cubs. [2 aOr Why did your mother, a lioness, lie down among lions; among young lions rear her cubs?]

³‘When she brought up one of her cubs,

He became a lion,

And he learned to tear his prey;

He devoured men.

⁴‘Then nations heard about him;

He was captured in their pit,

And they brought him with hooks

To the land of Egypt.

⁵‘When she saw, as she waited,

That her hope was lost,

She took aanother of her cubs

And made him a young lion. [aLit one]

⁶‘And he walked about among the lions;

He became a young lion,

He learned to tear his prey;

He devoured men.

⁷‘He adestroyed their bfortified towers

And laid waste their cities;

And the land and its fullness were appalled

Because of the sound of his roaring. [aSo Targum; M.T. knew bOr widows]

⁸‘Then nations set against him

On every side from their provinces,

And they spread their net over him;

He was captured in their pit.

⁹‘They put him in a cage with hooks

And brought him to the king of Babylon;

They brought him in hunting nets

So that his voice would be heard no more

On the mountains of Israel.

¹⁰‘Your mother was like a vine in your avineyard,

Planted by the waters;

It was fruitful and full of branches

Because of abundant waters. [aSo with some ancient mss; M.T. blood]

¹¹‘And it had astrong branches fit for scepters of rulers,

And its height was raised above the clouds

So that it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches. [aLit rods of strength]

¹²‘But it was plucked up in fury;

It was cast down to the ground;

And the east wind dried up its fruit.

Its astrong branch bwas torn off

So that cit withered;

The fire consumed it. [aLit rods of her strength bSo Gr; M.T. they were cSo Gr; M.T. they]

¹³‘And now it is planted in the wilderness,

In a dry and thirsty land.

¹⁴‘And fire has gone out from its branch;

It has consumed its shoots and fruit,

So that there is not in it a astrong branch,

A scepter to rule.’ ”

This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation. [aLit rod of strength]

EZEKIEL 20 [Books]

God’s Dealings with Israel Rehearsed

1 Now in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, acertain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. ²And the word of the LORD came to me saying, ³“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD, “Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’ ⁴Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Make them know the abominations of their fathers; ⁵and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “On the day when I chose Israel and cswore to the ddescendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I cswore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God, ⁶on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had eselected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. ⁷I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’ ⁸But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; fthey did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. [1 aLit men 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 5 cLit lifted up My hand, and so throughout the ch dLit seed 6 eLit spied out 8 fLit each one]

Then I aresolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. ⁹But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. ¹¹I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man bobserves them, he will live. ¹²Also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. ¹³But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, by which, if a man bobserves them, he will live; and My sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I aresolved to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them. ¹⁴But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, before whose sight I had brought them out. ¹⁵Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands, ¹⁶because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their idols. ¹⁷Yet My eye spared them rather than destroying them, and I did not cause their annihilation in the wilderness. [aLit said 11 bLit does]

18 “I said to their achildren in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols. ¹⁹I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and bobserve them. ²⁰Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’ ²¹But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I cresolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. ²²But I withdrew My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands, ²⁴because they had not observed My ordinances, but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were don the idols of their fathers. ²⁵I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live; ²⁶and I pronounced them unclean because of their gifts, in that they caused all etheir firstborn to pass through the fire so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know that I am the LORD.” ’ [18 aLit sons 19 bLit do 21 cLit said 24 dLit after 26 eLit that which opens the womb]

27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me by acting treacherously against Me. ²⁸When I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There also they made their soothing aroma and there they poured out their drink offerings. ²⁹Then I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called aBamah to this day.” ’ ³⁰Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Will you defile yourselves bafter the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? ³¹cWhen you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you. ³²What comes dinto your mind will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.’ [29 aOr High Place 30 bLit in the way of 31 cLit In your lifting up 32 dLit upon your spirit]

God Will Restore Israel to Her Land

33 “As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. ³⁴I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; ³⁵and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. ³⁶As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares the Lord GOD. ³⁷“I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; ³⁸and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the aland of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the LORD. [38 aLit ground or soil]

39 “As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord GOD, “Go, serve everyone his idols; abut later you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols. ⁴⁰For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” declares the Lord GOD, “there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land; there I will accept them and there I will bseek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holy things. ⁴¹cAs a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered; and I will prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations. ⁴²And you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers. ⁴³There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own dsight for all the evil things that you have done. ⁴⁴Then you will know that I am the LORD when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord GOD.’ ” [39 aOr and afterwards, if you will not listen to Me, but 40 bOr require 41 cLit With 43 dLit faces]

45 aNow the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁴⁶“Son of man, set your face toward bTeman, and speak out against the south and prophesy against the forest cland of the Negev, ⁴⁷and say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will consume every dgreen tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched and ethe whole surface from south to north will be burned by it. ⁴⁸All flesh will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” ’ ” ⁴⁹Then I said, “Ah Lord GOD! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not just speaking parables?’ ” [45 aCh 21:1 in Heb 46 bOr the South cLit of the field 47 dLit moist eOr all the faces]

EZEKIEL 21 [Books]

Parable of the Sword of the LORD

1 aAnd the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and bspeak against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel; ³and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. ⁴Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. ⁵Thus all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again.” ’ ⁶As for you, son of man, groan with breaking cheart and bitter grief, groan in their sight. ⁷And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will dfaint and all knees will bbe weak as water. Behold, it comes and it will happen,’ declares the Lord eGOD.” [1 aCh 21:6 in Heb 2 bLit flow 6 cLit loins 7 dLit be dim eHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

8 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁹“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the LORD.’ Say,

‘A sword, a sword sharpened

And also polished!

¹⁰‘Sharpened to make a slaughter,

Polished ato flash like lightning!’

Or shall we rejoice, the brod of My son despising every tree? ¹¹It is given to be polished, that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. ¹²Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people, therefore strike your thigh. ¹³For there is a testing; and what if even the brod which despises will be no more?” declares the Lord GOD. [10 aLit lightning to be to her bOr scepter]

14 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them, ¹⁵that their hearts may melt, and many fall at all their gates. I have given the glittering sword. Ah! It is made for striking like lightning, it is wrapped up in readiness for slaughter. ¹⁶aShow yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your bedge is appointed. ¹⁷I will also clap My hands together, and I will cappease My wrath; I, the LORD, have spoken.” [16 aOr Unite yourself bLit face 17 cLit cause to rest]

The Instrument of God’s Judgment

18 The word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹⁹“As for you, son of man, amake two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And bmake a signpost; cmake it at the head of the way to the city. ²⁰You shall dmark a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into fortified Jerusalem. ²¹For the king of Babylon stands at the eparting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the fhousehold idols, he looks at the liver. ²²Into his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to set battering rams, to open the mouth gfor slaughter, to lift up the voice with a battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall. ²³And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; they have sworn solemn oaths. But he brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be seized. [19 aOr set for yourself bLit cut out a hand cLit cut it 20 dLit set 21 eLit mother fHeb teraphim 22 gLit in]

24 “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you will be seized with the hand. ²⁵And you, O slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the apunishment of the end,’ ²⁶thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown; this will bno longer be the same. Exalt that which is low and abase that which is high. ²⁷A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I will make it. This also will be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.’ [25 aOr iniquity 26 bLit not this]

28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the sons of Ammon and concerning their reproach,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, polished for the slaughter, to cause it ato consume, that it may be like lightning— ²⁹while they see for you false visions, while they divine lies for you—to place you on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, in the time of the bpunishment of the end. ³⁰Return it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. ³¹I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will give you into the hand of brutal men, cskilled in destruction. ³²You will be dfuel for the fire; your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.’ ” [28 aLit to finish 29 bOr iniquity 31 cOr artisans of 32 dLit food]

EZEKIEL 22 [Books]

The Sins of Israel

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²“And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then cause her to know all her abominations. ³You shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD, “A city shedding blood in her midst, so that her time will come, and that makes idols, contrary to her interest, for defilement! ⁴You have become guilty by bthe blood which you have shed, and defiled by your idols which you have made. Thus you have brought your cday near and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mocking to all the lands. ⁵Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you of ill repute, full of turmoil. [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 4 bLit your cLit days]

6 “Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his apower, have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood. ⁷They have treated father and mother lightly within you. The alien they have oppressed in your midst; the fatherless and the widow they have wronged in you. ⁸You have despised My holy things and profaned My sabbaths. ⁹Slanderous men have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood, and in you they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In your midst they have committed acts of lewdness. ¹⁰In you bthey have uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; in you they have humbled her who was unclean in her menstrual impurity. ¹¹One has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. And another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter. ¹²In you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord GOD. [6 aLit arm 10 bLit he has]

13 “Behold, then, I smite My hand at your dishonest gain which you have acquired and at athe bloodshed which is among you. ¹⁴Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong in the days that I will deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken and will act. ¹⁵I will scatter you among the nations and I will disperse you through the lands, and I will consume your uncleanness from you. ¹⁶You will profane yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” [13 aLit your]

17 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ¹⁸“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are the dross of silver. ¹⁹Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because all of you have become dross, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. ²⁰As they gather silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into the furnace to blow fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger and in My wrath and I will lay you there and melt you. ²¹I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted in the midst of it. ²²As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out My wrath on you.’ ”

23 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²⁴“Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ ²⁵There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. ²⁶Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. ²⁷Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. ²⁸Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken. ²⁹The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice. ³⁰I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found ano one. ³¹Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads,” declares the Lord GOD. [30 aLit not]

EZEKIEL 23 [Books]

Oholah and Oholibah’s Sin and Its Consequences

1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, ²“Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother; ³and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled. ⁴Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

5 “Oholah played the harlot awhile she was Mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the Assyrians, her neighbors, ⁶who were clothed in purple, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. ⁷She bestowed her harlotries on them, all of whom were the choicest bmen of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she defiled herself. ⁸She did not forsake her harlotries from the time in Egypt; for in her youth cmen had lain with her, and they handled her virgin bosom and poured out their dlust on her. ⁹Therefore, I gave her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the bAssyrians, after whom she lusted. ¹⁰They uncovered her nakedness; they took her sons and her daughters, but they slew her with the sword. Thus she became a ebyword among women, and they executed judgments on her. [5 aLit under Me 7 bLit sons of Asshur 8 cLit they dLit harlotry 10 eLit name]

11 “Now her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt in her lust than she, and her harlotries were more than the harlotries of her sister. ¹²She lusted after the aAssyrians, governors and officials, the ones near, magnificently dressed, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. ¹³I saw that she had defiled herself; they both took bthe same way. ¹⁴So she increased her harlotries. And she saw men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, ¹⁵girded with belts on their loins, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like officers, clike the dBabylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. ¹⁶eWhen she saw them she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. ¹⁷The dBabylonians came to her to the bed of love and defiled her with their harlotry. And when she had been defiled by them, fshe became disgusted with them. ¹⁸She uncovered her harlotries and uncovered her nakedness; then gI became disgusted with her, as hI had become disgusted with her sister. ¹⁹Yet she multiplied her harlotries, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the harlot in the land of Egypt. ²⁰She lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys and whose issue is like the issue of horses. ²¹Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when ithe Egyptians handled your bosom because of the breasts of your youth. [12 aLit sons of Asshur 13 bLit one 15 cLit the likeness of dLit sons of Babel 16 eLit At the sight of her eyes 17 fLit her soul 18 gLit My soul hLit My soul 21 iSo two mss; M.T. from Egypt]

22 “Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord aGOD, ‘Behold I will arouse your lovers against you, from whom byou were alienated, and I will bring them against you from every side: ²³the cBabylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the dAssyrians with them; desirable young men, governors and officials all of them, officers and emen of renown, all of them riding on horses. ²⁴They will come against you with weapons, chariots and fwagons, and with a company of peoples. They will set themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their customs. ²⁵I will set My jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in wrath. They will remove your nose and your ears; and your gsurvivors will fall by the sword. They will take your sons and your daughters; and your hsurvivors will be consumed by the fire. ²⁶They will also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels. ²⁷Thus I will make your lewdness and your harlotry brought from the land of Egypt to cease from you, so that you will not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.’ ²⁸For thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I will give you into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom byou were alienated. ²⁹They will deal with you in hatred, take all your property, and leave you naked and bare. And the nakedness of your harlotries will be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotries. ³⁰These things will be done to you because you have played the harlot with the nations, because you have defiled yourself with their idols. ³¹You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will give her cup into your hand.’ ³²Thus says the Lord GOD,

‘You will drink your sister’s cup,

Which is deep and wide.

iYou will be laughed at and held in derision;

It contains much. [22 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bLit your soul was alienated 23 cLit sons of Babylon dLit sons of Assyria eLit the called ones 24 fLit wheels 25 gLit remainder hLit remainder 32 iOr It will be for jesting and deriding because of its great size]

³³‘You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,

The cup of horror and desolation,

The cup of your sister Samaria.

³⁴‘You will drink it and drain it.

Then you will gnaw its fragments

And tear your breasts;

for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord GOD. ³⁵Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, bear now the punishment of your lewdness and your harlotries.’ ”

36 Moreover, the LORD said to me, “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. ³⁷For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. Thus they have committed adultery with their idols and even caused their sons, whom they bore to Me, to pass through the fire to athem as food. ³⁸Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My sabbaths. ³⁹For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary on the same day to profane it; and lo, thus they did within My house. [37 aI.e. idols]

40 “Furthermore, athey have even sent for men who come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and lo, they came—for whom you bathed, painted your eyes and decorated yourselves with ornaments; ⁴¹and you sat on a splendid couch with a table arranged before it on which you had set My incense and My oil. ⁴²The sound of a bcarefree multitude was with her; and drunkards were brought from the wilderness with men of the ccommon sort. And they put bracelets on dthe hands of the women and beautiful crowns on their heads. [40 aOr you (women) 42 bLit at ease cLit multitude of mankind dLit their hands]

43 “Then I said concerning her who was worn out by adulteries, ‘aWill they now commit adultery with her when she is thus?’ ⁴⁴bBut they went in to her as they would go in to a harlot. Thus they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women. ⁴⁵But they, righteous men, will judge them with the judgment of adulteresses and with the judgment of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands. [43 aOr Now they will commit adultery with her, and she with them 44 bOr And]

46 “For thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Bring up a company against them and give them over to terror and plunder. ⁴⁷The company will stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords; they will slay their sons and their daughters and burn their houses with fire. ⁴⁸Thus I will make lewdness cease from the land, that all women may be admonished and not commit alewdness as you have done. ⁴⁹Your lewdness bwill be requited upon you, and you will bear the penalty of worshiping your idols; thus you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’ ” [48 aLit according to your lewdness 49 bLit they will give]

EZEKIEL 24 [Books]

Parable of the Boiling Pot

1 And the word of the LORD came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying, ²“Son of man, write the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon ahas laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. ³Speak a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD,

“Put on the pot, put it on and also pour water in it; [2 aLit leaned on 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

⁴aPut in it the pieces,

Every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder;

Fill it with choice bones. [aLit Gather her pieces]

⁵“Take the choicest of the flock,

And also pile awood under bthe pot.

Make it boil vigorously.

Also seethe its bones in it.” [aLit bones bLit it]

6 ‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,

“Woe to the bloody city,

To the pot in which there is rust

And whose rust has not gone out of it!

Take out of it piece after piece,

aWithout making a choice. [6 aLit No lot has fallen on it]

⁷“For her blood is in her midst;

She placed it on the bare rock;

She did not pour it on the ground

To cover it with dust.

⁸“That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,

I have put her blood on the bare rock,

That it may not be covered.”

⁹‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,

“Woe to the bloody city!

I also will make the pile great.

¹⁰“Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,

aBoil the flesh well

And mix in the spices,

And let the bones be burned. [aLit Complete]

¹¹“Then set it empty on its coals

So that it may be hot

And its bronze may aglow

And its filthiness may be melted in it,

Its rust consumed. [aLit become hot]

¹²“She has wearied Me with toil,

Yet her great rust has not gone from her;

Let her rust be in the fire!

¹³“In your filthiness is lewdness.

Because I would have cleansed you,

Yet you are not clean,

You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again

Until I have aspent My wrath on you.

¹⁴I, the LORD, have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not pity and I will not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds bI will judge you,” declares the Lord GOD.’ ” [aLit caused to rest bSo with several ancient mss and versions; M.T. they]

Death of Ezekiel’s Wife Is a Sign

15 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹⁶“Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. ¹⁷Groan silently; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and do not eat the bread of men.” ¹⁸So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. ¹⁹The people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?” ²⁰Then I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me saying, ²¹‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes and the delight of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. ²²You will do as I have done; you will not cover your mustache and you will not eat the bread of men. ²³Your turbans will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet. You will not mourn and you will not weep, but you will rot away in your iniquities and you will groan ato one another. ²⁴Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done you will do; when it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’ ” [23 aLit a man to his brother]

25 ‘As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their apride, the desire of their eyes and btheir heart’s delight, their sons and their daughters, ²⁶that on that day he who escapes will come to you with information for your ears? ²⁷On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.’ ” [25 aOr beauty bLit the lifting up of their soul]

EZEKIEL 25 [Books]

Judgment on Gentile Nations—Ammon

1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face toward the sons of Ammon and prophesy against them, ³and say to the sons of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord aGOD! Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, ⁴therefore, behold, I am going to give you to the sons of the east for a possession, and they will set their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. ⁵I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and the sons of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Thus you will know that I am the LORD.” ⁶For thus says the Lord GOD, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against the land of Israel, ⁷therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you and I will give you for spoil to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Thus you will know that I am the LORD.” [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

Moab

8 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’ ⁹therefore, behold, I am going to adeprive the flank of Moab of its cities, of its cities which are on its bfrontiers, the glory of the land, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon and Kiriathaim, ¹⁰and I will give it for a possession along with the sons of Ammon to the sons of the east, so that the sons of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. ¹¹Thus I will execute judgments on Moab, and they will know that I am the LORD.” [9 aLit open bLit end]

Edom

12 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred grievous guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,” ¹³therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off man and beast from it. And I will lay it waste; from Teman even to Dedan they will fall by the sword. ¹⁴I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath; thus they will know My vengeance,” declares the Lord GOD.

Philistia

15 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because the Philistines have acted in revenge and have taken vengeance with scorn of soul to destroy with everlasting enmity,” ¹⁶therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, even cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. ¹⁷I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes; and they will know that I am the LORD when I lay My vengeance on them.” ’ ”

EZEKIEL 26 [Books]

Judgment on Tyre

1 Now in the eleventh year, on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, because Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has aopened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,’ ³therefore thus says the Lord bGOD, ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. ⁴They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; and I will scrape her debris from her and make her a bare rock. ⁵She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘and she will become spoil for the nations. ⁶Also her daughters who are con the mainland will be slain by the sword, and they will know that I am the LORD.’ ” [2 aLit turned 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 6 cLit in the field]

7 For thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry and aa great army. ⁸He will slay your daughters bon the mainland with the sword; and he will make siege walls against you, cast up a ramp against you and raise up a large shield against you. ⁹The blow of his battering rams he will direct against your walls, and with his caxes he will break down your towers. ¹⁰Because of the multitude of his horses, the dust raised by them will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of cavalry and dwagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city that is breached. ¹¹With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will slay your people with the sword; and your strong pillars will come down to the ground. ¹²Also they will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise, break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses, and ethrow your stones and your timbers and your debris into the water. ¹³So I will fsilence the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps will be heard no more. ¹⁴I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place for the spreading of nets. You will be built no more, for I the LORD have spoken,” declares the Lord GOD. [7 aLit an assembly, even many people 8 bLit in the field 9 cLit swords 10 dLit wheels 12 eLit put 13 fLit cause to cease]

15 Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre, “Shall not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall when the wounded groan, when the slaughter occurs in your midst? ¹⁶Then all the princes of the sea will go down from their thrones, remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with atrembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment and be appalled at you. ¹⁷They will take up a lamentation over you and say to you,

‘How you have perished, O inhabited one,

From the seas, O renowned city,

Which was mighty on the sea,

She and her inhabitants,

Who bimposed cher terror

On all her inhabitants! [16 aLit tremblings 17 bLit put cLit their]

¹⁸‘Now the coastlands will tremble

On the day of your fall;

Yes, the coastlands which are by the sea

Will be terrified at your passing.’ ”

19 For thus says the Lord GOD, “When I make you a desolate city, like the cities which are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you and the great waters cover you, ²⁰then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lower parts of the earth, like the ancient waste places, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not abe inhabited; but I will set glory in the land of the living. ²¹I will bbring terrors on you and you will be no more; though you will be sought, you will never be found again,” declares the Lord GOD. [20 aOr return 21 bLit give you terrors]

EZEKIEL 27 [Books]

Lament over Tyre

1 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“And you, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre; ³and say to Tyre, who dwells at the aentrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD,

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ [3 aLit entrances bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

⁴“Your borders are in the heart of the seas;

Your builders have perfected your beauty.

⁵“They have amade all your planks of fir trees from Senir;

They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. [aLit built]

⁶“Of oaks from Bashan they have made your oars;

With ivory they have ainlaid your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of Cyprus. [aLit made]

⁷“Your sail was of fine embroidered linen from Egypt

So that it became your adistinguishing mark;

Your bawning was cblue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah. [aOr standard bLit covering cOr violet]

⁸“The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers;

Your wise men, O Tyre, were aaboard; they were your pilots. [aLit in you]

⁹“The elders of Gebal and her wise men were with you repairing your seams;

All the ships of the sea and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.

10 “Persia and Lud and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung shield and helmet in you; they set forth your splendor. ¹¹The sons of Arvad and your army were on your walls, all around, and the aGammadim were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty. [11 aOr valorous ones]

12 “Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin and lead they paid for your wares. ¹³Javan, Tubal and Meshech, they were your traders; with the lives of men and vessels of bronze they paid for your merchandise. ¹⁴Those from Beth-togarmah gave horses and war horses and mules for your wares. ¹⁵The sons of Dedan were your traders. Many coastlands were ayour market; ivory tusks and ebony they brought as your payment. ¹⁶Aram was your customer because of the abundance of your bgoods; they paid for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral and rubies. ¹⁷Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith, ccakes, honey, oil and balm they paid for your merchandise. ¹⁸Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your bgoods, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, because of the wine of Helbon and white wool. ¹⁹Vedan and Javan paid for your wares dfrom Uzal; wrought iron, cassia and esweet cane were among your merchandise. ²⁰Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. ²¹Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were fyour customers for lambs, rams and goats; for these they were your customers. ²²The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you; they paid for your wares with the best of all kinds of spices, and with all kinds of precious stones and gold. ²³Haran, Canneh, Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad traded with you. ²⁴They traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of gblue and embroidered work, and in carpets of many colors and tightly wound cords, which were among your merchandise. ²⁵The ships of Tarshish were hthe carriers for your merchandise.

And you were filled and were very iglorious

In the heart of the seas. [15 aLit the market of your hand 16 bLit works 17 cHeb pannag 19 dOr with yarn eOr calamus 21 fLit customers of your hand 24 gOr violet 25 hLit your travelers iLit honored]

26 “Your rowers have brought you

Into great waters;

The east wind has broken you

In the heart of the seas.

²⁷“Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,

Your sailors and your pilots,

Your repairers of seams, your dealers in merchandise

And all your men of war who are in you,

With all your company that is in your midst,

Will fall into the heart of the seas

On the day of your overthrow.

²⁸“At the sound of the cry of your pilots

The pasture lands will shake.

²⁹“All who handle the oar,

The sailors and all the pilots of the sea

Will come down from their ships;

They will stand on the land,

³⁰And they will make their voice heard over you

And will cry bitterly.

They will cast dust on their heads,

They will wallow in ashes.

³¹“Also they will make themselves bald for you

And gird themselves with sackcloth;

And they will weep for you in bitterness of soul

With bitter mourning.

³²“Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you

And lament over you:

‘Who is like Tyre,

Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea?

³³‘When your wares went out from the seas,

You satisfied many peoples;

With the abundance of your wealth and your merchandise

You enriched the kings of earth.

³⁴‘aNow that you are broken by the seas

In the depths of the waters,

Your merchandise and all your company

Have fallen in the midst of you. [aLit The time]

³⁵‘All the inhabitants of the coastlands

Are appalled at you,

And their kings are horribly afraid;

They are troubled in countenance.

³⁶‘The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;

You have become aterrified

And you will cease to be forever.’ ” ’ ” [aLit terrors]

EZEKIEL 28 [Books]

Tyre’s King Overthrown

1 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, ²“Son of man, say to the aleader of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD,

“Because your heart is lifted up

And you have said, ‘I am a god,

I sit in the seat of cgods

In the heart of the seas’;

Yet you are a man and not God,

Although you make your heart like the heart of God— [2 aOr ruler, prince bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch cOr God]

³Behold, you are wiser than Daniel;

There is no secret that is a match for you.

⁴“By your wisdom and understanding

You have acquired riches for yourself

And have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.

⁵“By your great wisdom, by your trade

You have increased your riches

And your heart is lifted up because of your riches—

⁶Therefore thus says the Lord GOD,

‘Because you have made your heart

Like the heart of God,

⁷Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you,

The most ruthless of the nations.

And they will draw their swords

Against the beauty of your wisdom

And defile your splendor.

⁸‘They will bring you down to the pit,

And you will die the death of those who are slain

In the heart of the seas.

⁹‘Will you still say, “I am a god,”

In the presence of your slayer,

Though you are a man and not God,

In the hands of those who wound you?

¹⁰‘You will die the death of the uncircumcised

By the hand of strangers,

For I have spoken!’ declares the Lord GOD!” ’ ”

11 Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹²“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,

“You ahad the seal of perfection,

Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. [12 aLit were the one sealing a pattern]

¹³“You were in Eden, the garden of God;

Every precious stone was your covering:

The ruby, the topaz and the diamond;

The beryl, the onyx and the jasper;

The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald;

And the gold, the workmanship of your asettings and bsockets,

Was in you.

On the day that you were created

They were prepared. [aOr tambourines bOr flutes]

¹⁴“You were the anointed cherub who acovers,

And I placed you there.

You were on the holy mountain of God;

You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. [aOr guards]

¹⁵“You were blameless in your ways

From the day you were created

Until unrighteousness was found in you.

¹⁶“By the abundance of your trade

aYou were internally filled with violence,

And you sinned;

Therefore I have cast you as profane

From the mountain of God.

And I have destroyed you, O bcovering cherub,

From the midst of the stones of fire. [aLit They filled your midst bOr guardian]

¹⁷“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;

You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.

I cast you to the ground;

I put you before kings,

That they may see you.

¹⁸“By the multitude of your iniquities,

In the unrighteousness of your trade

You profaned your sanctuaries.

Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you;

It has consumed you,

And I have turned you to ashes on the earth

In the eyes of all who see you.

¹⁹“All who know you among the peoples

Are appalled at you;

You have become aterrified

And you will cease to be forever.” ’ ” [aLit terrors]

Judgment of Sidon

20 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²¹“Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, prophesy against her ²²and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,

“Behold, I am against you, O Sidon,

And I will abe glorified in your midst.

Then they will know that I am the LORD when I execute judgments in her,

And I will manifest My holiness in her. [22 aOr glorify Myself]

²³“For I will send pestilence to her

And blood to her streets,

And the wounded will afall in her midst

By the sword upon her on every side;

Then they will know that I am the LORD.

²⁴And there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any round about them who scorned them; then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.” [aOr be judged]

Israel Regathered

25 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their aland which I gave to My servant Jacob. ²⁶They will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards and live securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.” ’ ” [25 aLit ground]

EZEKIEL 29 [Books]

Judgment of Egypt

1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. ³Speak and say, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD,

“Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,

The great bmonster that lies in the midst of his crivers,

That has said, ‘My Nile is mine, and I myself have made it.’ [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bLit tannim cOr Nile]

⁴“I will put hooks in your jaws

And make the fish of your arivers cling to your scales.

And I will bring you up out of the midst of your arivers,

And all the fish of your arivers will cling to your scales. [aOr Nile]

⁵“I will abandon you to the wilderness, you and all the fish of your arivers;

You will fall on the bopen field; you will not be brought together or cgathered.

I have given you for food to the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the sky. [aOr Nile bLit faces of the field cOr with several mss and Targum, buried]

⁶“Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the LORD,

Because they have been only a staff made of reed to the house of Israel.

⁷“When they took hold of you with the hand,

You broke and tore all their ahands;

And when they leaned on you,

You broke and made all their loins bquake.” [aSo with some ancient versions; M.T. shoulders bLit stand]

8 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will bring upon you a sword and I will cut off from you man and beast. ⁹The land of Egypt will become a desolation and waste. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Because ayou said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I have made it,’ ¹⁰therefore, behold, I am against you and against your brivers, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene and even to the border of cEthiopia. ¹¹A man’s foot will not pass through it, and the foot of a beast will not pass through it, and it will not be inhabited for forty years. ¹²So I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of desolated lands. And her cities, in the midst of cities that are laid waste, will be desolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands.” [9 aLit he 10 bOr Nile cLit Cush]

13 ‘For thus says the Lord GOD, “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples aamong whom they were scattered. ¹⁴I will turn the fortunes of Egypt and make them return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they will be a lowly kingdom. ¹⁵It will be the lowest of the kingdoms, and it will never again lift itself up above the nations. And I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. ¹⁶And it will never again be the confidence of the house of Israel, bbringing to mind the iniquity of their having turned cto Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.” ’ ” [13 aLit where 16 bLit causing to remember cLit after them]

17 Now in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹⁸“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor ahard against Tyre; every head was made bald and every shoulder was rubbed bare. But he and his army had no wages from Tyre for the labor that he had bperformed against it.” ¹⁹Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And he will carry off her cwealth and capture her spoil and seize her plunder; and it will be wages for his army. ²⁰I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor which he bperformed, because they acted for Me,” declares the Lord GOD. [18 aLit a great labor bLit labored 19 cOr multitude]

21 “On that day I will make a horn sprout for the house of Israel, and I will aopen your mouth in their midst. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” [21 aLit give you an opening of the mouth]

EZEKIEL 30 [Books]

Lament over Egypt

1 The word of the LORD came again to me saying, ²“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD,

“Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’ [2 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

³“For the day is near,

Even the day of the LORD is near;

It will be a day of clouds,

A time of doom for the nations.

⁴“A sword will come upon Egypt,

And anguish will be in aEthiopia;

When the slain fall in Egypt,

They take away her bwealth,

And her foundations are torn down.

⁵aEthiopia, Put, Lud, all cArabia, dLibya and the epeople of the land fthat is in league will fall with them by the sword.” [aLit Cush bOr multitude cOr the mixed people dOr Cub eLit sons fLit of the covenant]

6 ‘Thus says the LORD,

“Indeed, those who support Egypt will fall

And the pride of her power will come down;

From Migdol to Syene

They will fall within her by the sword,”

Declares the Lord GOD.

⁷“They will be desolate

In the midst of the desolated lands;

And her cities will be

In the midst of the devastated cities.

⁸“And they will know that I am the LORD,

When I set a fire in Egypt

And all her helpers are broken.

⁹On that day messengers will go forth from Me in ships to frighten secure aEthiopia; and anguish will be on them as on the day of Egypt; for behold, it comes!” [aLit Cush]

10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,

“I will also make the ahordes of Egypt cease

By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. [10 aOr people; lit crowd, and so throughout the ch]

¹¹“He and his people with him,

The most ruthless of the nations,

Will be brought in to destroy the land;

And they will draw their swords against Egypt

And fill the land with the slain.

¹²“Moreover, I will make the Nile canals dry

And sell the land into the hands of evil men.

And I will make the land desolate

And aall that is in it,

By the hand of strangers; I the LORD have spoken.” [aLit her fullness]

13 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,

“I will also destroy the idols

And make the aimages cease from bMemphis.

And there will no longer be a prince in the land of Egypt;

And I will put fear in the land of Egypt. [13 aOr futile ones bOr Noph]

¹⁴“I will make Pathros desolate,

Set a fire in Zoan

And execute judgments on aThebes. [aOr No]

¹⁵“I will pour out My wrath on aSin,

The stronghold of Egypt;

I will also cut off the hordes of bThebes. [aOr Pelusium bOr No]

¹⁶“I will set a fire in Egypt;

aSin will writhe in anguish,

bThebes will be breached

And cMemphis will have ddistresses daily. [aOr Pelusium bOr No cOr Noph dOr adversaries]

¹⁷“The young men of aOn and of Pi-beseth

Will fall by the sword,

And bthe women will go into captivity. [aOr Aven bLit they]

¹⁸“In Tehaphnehes the day will abe dark

When I break there the yoke bars of Egypt.

Then the pride of her power will cease in her;

A cloud will cover her,

And her daughters will go into captivity. [aSo with many mss and ancient versions; M.T. restrain]

¹⁹“Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt,

And they will know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”

Victory for Babylon

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²¹“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, behold, it has not been bound up afor healing bor wrapped with a bandage, that it may be strong to hold the sword. ²²Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong and the broken; and I will make the sword fall from his hand. ²³I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands. ²⁴For I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; and I will break the arms of Pharaoh, so that he will groan before him with the groanings of a wounded man. ²⁵Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. ²⁶When I scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands, then they will know that I am the LORD.’ ” [21 aLit to give healing bLit to put a bandage, to wrap it]

EZEKIEL 31 [Books]

Pharaoh Warned of Assyria’s Fate

1 In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes,

‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

³‘Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon

With beautiful branches and forest shade,

And avery high,

And its top was among the bclouds. [aLit high of stature bSo Gr; M.T. thick boughs]

⁴‘The waters made it grow, the adeep made it high.

With its rivers it continually bextended all around its planting place,

And sent out its channels to all the trees of the field. [aI.e. subterranean waters bLit was going]

⁵‘Therefore its height was loftier than all the trees of the field

And its boughs became many and its branches long

Because of many waters aas it spread them out. [aLit in its sending forth]

⁶‘All the birds of the heavens nested in its boughs,

And under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth,

And all great nations lived under its shade.

⁷‘So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches;

For its aroots extended to many waters. [aLit root was]

⁸‘The cedars in God’s garden acould not match it;

The bcypresses acould not compare with its boughs,

And the plane trees ccould not match its branches.

No tree in God’s garden acould compare with it in its beauty. [aLit did bOr Phoenician junipers cLit were not like]

⁹‘I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches,

And all the trees of Eden, which were in the garden of God, were jealous of it.

10 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord aGOD, “Because bit is high in stature and has set its top among the cclouds, and its heart is haughty in its loftiness, ¹¹therefore I will give it into the hand of a ddespot of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. According to its wickedness I have driven it away. ¹²Alien tyrants of the nations have cut it down and left it; on the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land. And all the peoples of the earth have gone down from its shade and left it. ¹³On its ruin all the birds of the heavens will dwell, and all the beasts of the field will be on its fallen branches ¹⁴so that all the trees by the waters may not be exalted in their stature, nor set their top among the cclouds, nor their ewell-watered mighty ones stand erect in their height. For they have all been given over to death, to the earth beneath, among the sons of men, with those who go down to the pit.” [10 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bLit you are cOr thick boughs 11 dOr mighty one 14 eLit drinkers of water]

15 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “On the day when it went down to Sheol I caused lamentations; I closed the adeep over it and held back its rivers. And its many waters were stopped up, and I made Lebanon bmourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted away on account of it. ¹⁶I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall when I made it go down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit; and all the cwell-watered trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, were comforted in the earth beneath. ¹⁷They also went down with it to Sheol to those who were slain by the sword; and those who were its dstrength lived under its shade among the nations. [15 aI.e. subterranean waters bLit be darkened 16 cLit drinkers of water 17 dLit arm]

18 “To which among the trees of Eden are you thus aequal in glory and greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath; you will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who were slain by the sword. So is Pharaoh and all his hordes!” ’ declares the Lord GOD.” [18 aLit like]

EZEKIEL 32 [Books]

Lament over Pharaoh and Egypt

1 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him,

‘You acompared yourself to a young lion of the nations,

Yet you are like the monster in the seas;

And you burst forth in your rivers

And muddied the waters with your feet

And bfouled their rivers.’ ” [2 aOr were like bLit fouled by stamping]

3 Thus says the Lord aGOD,

“Now I will spread My net over you

With a company of many peoples,

And they shall lift you up in My net. [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

⁴“I will leave you on the land;

I will cast you on the aopen field.

And I will cause all the birds of the heavens to dwell on you,

And I will satisfy the beasts of the whole earth bwith you. [aLit surface of the field bLit from]

⁵“I will lay your flesh on the mountains

And fill the valleys with your refuse.

⁶“I will also make the land drink the discharge of your blood

As far as the mountains,

And the ravines will be full of you.

⁷“And when I extinguish you,

I will cover the heavens and darken their stars;

I will cover the sun with a cloud

And the moon will not give its light.

⁸“All the shining lights in the heavens

I will darken over you

And will set darkness on your land,”

Declares the Lord GOD.

⁹“I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring your destruction among the nations, into lands which you have not known. ¹⁰I will make many peoples appalled at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and they will tremble every moment, every man for his own life, on the day of your fall.”

11 For thus says the Lord GOD, “The sword of the king of Babylon will come upon you. ¹²By the swords of the mighty ones I will cause your hordes to fall; all of them are tyrants of the nations,

And they will devastate the pride of Egypt,

And all its hordes will be destroyed.

¹³“I will also destroy all its cattle from beside many waters;

And the foot of man will not muddy them anymore

And the hoofs of beasts will not muddy them.

¹⁴“Then I will make their waters settle

And will cause their rivers to run like oil,”

Declares the Lord GOD.

¹⁵“When I make the land of Egypt a desolation,

And the land is destitute of that which filled it,

When I smite all those who live in it,

Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

¹⁶This is a lamentation and they shall achant it. The daughters of the nations shall achant it. Over Egypt and over all her hordes they shall achant it,” declares the Lord GOD. [aOr lament]

17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹⁸“Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and bring it down, her and the daughters of the powerful nations, to the nether world, with those who go down to the pit;

¹⁹‘Whom do you surpass in beauty?

Go down and make your bed with the uncircumcised.’

²⁰They shall fall in the midst of those who are slain by the sword. aShe is given over to the sword; they have drawn her and all her hordes away. ²¹The strong among the mighty ones shall speak of him and his helpers from the midst of Sheol, ‘They have gone down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’ [20 aOr The sword is given]

22 “Assyria is there and all her company; aher graves are round about bher. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword, ²³whose graves are set in the remotest parts of the pit and her company is round about her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword, who cspread terror in the land of the living. [22 aLit his bLit him 23 cLit gave, and so throughout the ch]

24 “Elam is there and all her hordes around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, who instilled their terror in the land of the living and bore their disgrace with those who went down to the pit. ²⁵They have made a bed for her among the slain with all her hordes. Her graves are around it, they are all uncircumcised, slain by the sword (although their terror was ainstilled in the land of the living), and they bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit; bthey were put in the midst of the slain. [25 aLit given bSo with ancient versions; M.T. reads he was]

26 “Meshech, Tubal and all their hordes are there; their graves asurround them. All of them were slain by the sword uncircumcised, though they instilled their terror in the land of the living. ²⁷Nor do they lie beside the fallen bheroes of the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war and whose swords were laid under their heads; but the punishment for their iniquity rested on their bones, though the terror of these bheroes was once in the land of the living. ²⁸But in the midst of the uncircumcised you will be broken and lie with those slain by the sword. [26 aLit are around him 27 bOr mighty ones]

29 “There also is Edom, its kings and all its aprinces, who bfor all their might are laid with those slain by the sword; they will lie with the uncircumcised and with those who go down to the pit. [29 aOr leaders bOr in]

30 “There also are the achiefs of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who in spite of the terror resulting from their might, in shame went down with the slain. So they lay down uncircumcised with those slain by the sword and bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit. [30 aOr princes]

31 “These Pharaoh will see, and he will be comforted for all his hordes slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his army,” declares the Lord GOD. ³²“Though I instilled a terror of him in the land of the living, yet he will be made to lie down among the uncircumcised along with those slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his hordes,” declares the Lord GOD.

EZEKIEL 33 [Books]

The Watchman’s Duty

1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, ³and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, ⁴then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. ⁵He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life. ⁶But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away ain his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’ [6 aOr for, and so throughout the ch]

7 “Now as for you, son of man, I have aappointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a bmessage from My mouth and give them warning from Me. ⁸When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. ⁹But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life. [7 aOr given bLit word]

10 “Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus you have spoken, saying, “Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we asurvive?” ’ ¹¹Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord bGOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’ ¹²And you, son of man, say to cyour fellow citizens, ‘The righteousness of a righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he will not stumble because of it in the day when he turns from his wickedness; whereas a righteous man will not be able to live dby his righteousness on the day when he commits sin.’ ¹³When I say to the righteous he will surely live, and he so trusts in his righteousness that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but in that same iniquity of his which he has committed he will die. ¹⁴But when I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and practices justice and righteousness, ¹⁵if a wicked man restores a pledge, pays back what he has taken by robbery, walks by the statutes ewhich ensure life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ¹⁶None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he shall surely live. [10 aLit live 11 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 12 cLit the sons of your people dLit by it 15 eLit of life]

17 “Yet ayour fellow citizens say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their own way that is not right. ¹⁸When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, then he shall die in bit. ¹⁹But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness, he will live by them. ²⁰Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.” [17 aLit the sons of your people 18 bLit them]

Word of Jerusalem’s Capture

21 Now in the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the arefugees from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “The city has been btaken.” ²²Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me in the evening, before the crefugees came. And He opened my mouth dat the time they came to me in the morning; so my mouth was opened and I was no longer espeechless. [21 aOr refugee bLit smitten 22 cLit refugee dLit until he came eOr mute]

23 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²⁴“Son of man, they who live in these waste places in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to us who are many the land has been given as a possession.’ ²⁵Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You eat meat with the blood in it, lift up your eyes to your idols as you shed blood. Should you then possess the land? ²⁶You arely on your sword, you commit abominations and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then possess the land?” ’ ²⁷Thus you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “As I live, surely those who are in the waste places will fall by the sword, and whoever is in the bopen field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves will die of pestilence. ²⁸I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and the pride of her power will cease; and the mountains of Israel will be desolate so that no one will pass through. ²⁹Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed.” ’ [26 aLit stand 27 bLit surface of the field]

30 “But as for you, son of man, ayour fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, ‘Come now and hear what the bmessage is which comes forth from the LORD.’ ³¹They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. ³²Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. ³³So when it comes to pass—cas surely it will—then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.” [30 aLit the sons of your people bLit word 33 cLit behold, it is coming]

EZEKIEL 34 [Books]

Prophecy against the Shepherds of Israel

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to athose shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been cfeeding themselves! Should not the shepherds cfeed the flock? ³You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without dfeeding the flock. ⁴Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the ediseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. ⁵They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. ⁶My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.” ’ ” [2 aLit them, the shepherds bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch cLit pasturing, pasture 3 dLit pasturing 4 eLit sick]

7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ⁸“As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; ⁹therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ¹⁰‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My asheep bfrom them and make them cease from feeding asheep. So the shepherds will not cfeed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.” ’ ” [10 aOr (a) flock bLit from their hand cLit pasture, and so throughout the ch]

The Restoration of Israel

11 For thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. ¹²As a shepherd acares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered bsheep, so I will acare for My bsheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. ¹³I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. ¹⁴I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in crich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵I will feed My flock and I will dlead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁶“I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment. [12 aOr seek(s) out bOr flock 14 cLit fat 15 dLit cause them to lie down]

17 “As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I will judge between one asheep and another, between the rams and the male goats. ¹⁸Is it too slight a thing for you that you should feed in the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures? Or that you should drink of the clear waters, that you must bfoul the rest with your feet? ¹⁹As for My flock, they must eat what you tread down with your feet and drink what you bfoul with your feet!’ ” [17 aOr lamb 18 bLit foul by trampling]

20 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them, “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. ²¹Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the aweak with your horns until you have scattered them babroad, ²²therefore, I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. [21 aOr sick bLit to the outside]

23 “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. ²⁴And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD have spoken.

25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. ²⁶I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing. ²⁷Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. ²⁸They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. ²⁹I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be avictims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore. ³⁰Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” declares the Lord GOD. ³¹“As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God,” declares the Lord GOD. [29 aLit those gathered]

EZEKIEL 35 [Books]

Prophecy against Mount Seir

1 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it ³and say to it, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD,

“Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir,

And I will stretch out My hand against you

And make you a desolation and a waste. [3 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

⁴“I will lay waste your cities

And you will become a desolation.

Then you will know that I am the LORD.

⁵Because you have had everlasting enmity and have adelivered the sons of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of the bpunishment of the end, ⁶therefore as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will cgive you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you; since you have not hated bloodshed, therefore bloodshed will pursue you. ⁷I will make Mount Seir a waste and a desolation and I will cut off from it the one who passes through and returns. ⁸I will fill its mountains with its slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those slain by the sword will dfall. ⁹I will make you an everlasting desolation and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD. [5 aLit poured bOr iniquity 6 cLit prepare you for 8 dLit fall in them]

10 “Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and we will possess athem,’ although the LORD was there, ¹¹therefore as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will deal with you according to your anger and according to your envy which you showed because of your hatred against them; so I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. ¹²Then you will know bthat I, the LORD, have heard all your revilings which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel saying, ‘They are laid desolate; they are given to us for food.’ ¹³And you have cspoken arrogantly against Me and have multiplied your words against Me; I have heard it.” ¹⁴Thus says the Lord GOD, “As all the earth rejoices, I will make you a desolation. ¹⁵As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be a desolation, O Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” ’ [10 aLit it 12 bOr that I am the LORD: I have heard 13 cLit made great with your mouth]

EZEKIEL 36 [Books]

The Mountains of Israel to Be Blessed

1 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. ²Thus says the Lord aGOD, “Because the enemy has spoken against you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The everlasting bheights have become our possession,’ ³therefore prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “cFor good reason they have made you desolate and crushed you from every side, that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have been taken up in the dtalk and the whispering of the people.” ’ ” ⁴Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD. Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the forsaken cities which have become a prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round about, ⁵therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who eappropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with scorn of soul, to drive it out for a prey.” ⁶Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have endured the insults of the nations.’ ⁷Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘I have fsworn that surely the nations which are around you will themselves endure their insults. ⁸But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. ⁹For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown. ¹⁰I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be rebuilt. ¹¹I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly and will gtreat you better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the LORD. ¹²Yes, I will cause men—My people Israel—to walk on you and possess you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children.’ [2 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bHeb Bamoth 3 cLit Because; or By the cause dLit lip of the tongue 5 eLit gave 7 fLit lifted up My hand 11 gLit cause good]

13 “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because they say to you, “You are a devourer of men and have bereaved your anation of children,” ¹⁴therefore you will no longer devour men and no longer bereave your nation of children,’ declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁵“I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to stumble any longer,” declares the Lord GOD.’ ” [13 aOr nations, and so throughout the ch]

16 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ¹⁷“Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. ¹⁸Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. ¹⁹Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. ²⁰When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD; yet they have come out of His land.’ ²¹But I had aconcern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. [21 aLit compassion]

Israel to Be Renewed for His Name’s Sake

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. ²³I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. ²⁴For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. ²⁵Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. ²⁶Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. ²⁸You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. ²⁹Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not abring a famine on you. ³⁰I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. ³¹Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. ³²I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!” [29 aLit put]

33 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt. ³⁴The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. ³⁵They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ ³⁶Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it.”

37 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “This also I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock. ³⁸Like the flock afor sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” [38 aLit of holy things]

EZEKIEL 37 [Books]

Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out aby the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. ²He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. ³He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord bGOD, You know.” ⁴Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ ⁵Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause cbreath to enter you that you may come to life. ⁶I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” [1 aOr in 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 5 cOr spirit, and so throughout the ch]

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a anoise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. ⁹Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.” ’ ” ¹⁰So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. [7 aLit voice; or thunder]

The Vision Explained

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are acompletely cut off.’ ¹²Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. ¹⁴I will put My bSpirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’ ” [11 aLit cut off to ourselves 14 bOr breath]

Reunion of Judah and Israel

15 The word of the LORD came again to me saying, ¹⁶“And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’ ¹⁷Then join them for yourself one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. ¹⁸When the sons of your people speak to you saying, ‘Will you not declare to us what you mean by these?’ ¹⁹say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” ’ ²⁰The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. ²¹Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; ²²and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. ²³They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their adwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God. [23 aAnother reading is backslidings]

The Davidic Kingdom

24 “My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. ²⁵They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. ²⁶I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will aplace them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. ²⁷My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. ²⁸And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.” ’ ” [26 aLit give]

EZEKIEL 38 [Books]

Prophecy about Gog and Future Invasion of Israel

1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the aprince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him ³and say, ‘Thus says the Lord bGOD, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, aprince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. ⁴I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them csplendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; ⁵Persia, dEthiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; ⁶Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you. [2 aOr chief prince of Meshech 3 bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 4 cOr clothed in full armor 5 dLit Cush]

7 “Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. ⁸After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many anations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but bits people were brought out from the anations, and they are living securely, all of them. ⁹You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.” [8 aLit peoples bLit it was]

10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It will come about on that day, that athoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan, ¹¹and you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of bunwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates, ¹²to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the ccenter of the world.’ ¹³Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its dvillages will say to you, ‘Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?’ ” ’ [10 aLit words 11 bOr open country 12 cLit navel 13 dOr young lions]

14 “Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? ¹⁵You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; ¹⁶and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.”

17 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them? ¹⁸It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” declares the Lord GOD, “that My fury will mount up in My anger. ¹⁹In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great aearthquake in the land of Israel. ²⁰The fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence; the mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will bcollapse and every wall will fall to the ground. ²¹I will call for a sword against chim on all My mountains,” declares the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. ²²With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, da torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone. ²³I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD.” ’ [19 aOr shaking 20 bLit fall 21 cI.e. Gog 22 dLit an overflowing]

EZEKIEL 39 [Books]

Prophecy against Gog—Invaders Destroyed

1 “And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, bprince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal; ²and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel. ³I will strike your bow from your left hand and dash down your arrows from your right hand. ⁴You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every ckind of predatory bird and beast of the field. ⁵You will fall on the dopen field; for it is I who have spoken,” declares the Lord GOD. ⁶“And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the LORD. [1 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bOr chief prince of Meshech 4 cLit wing 5 dLit face of the]

7 “My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. ⁸Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,” declares the Lord GOD. “That is the day of which I have spoken.

9 “Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them. ¹⁰They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them,” declares the Lord GOD.

11 “On that day I will give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off those who would pass by. So they will bury Gog there with all his ahorde, and they will call it the valley of bHamon-gog. ¹²For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. ¹³Even all the people of the land will bury them; and it will be cto their renown on the day that I glorify Myself,” declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁴“They will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. ¹⁵As those who pass through the land pass through and anyone sees a man’s bone, then he will dset up a marker by it until the buriers have buried it in the valley of bHamon-gog. ¹⁶And even the name of the city will be Hamonah. So they will cleanse the land.” ’ [11 aLit crowd bOr the multitude of Gog 13 cOr a memorial for them 15 dLit build]

17 “As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Speak to every akind of bird and to every beast of the field, “Assemble and come, gather from every side to My sacrifice which I am going to sacrifice for you, as a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood. ¹⁸You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, as though they were rams, lambs, goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. ¹⁹So you will eat fat until you are glutted, and drink blood until you are drunk, from My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. ²⁰You will be glutted at My table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all the men of war,” declares the Lord GOD. [17 aLit wing]

21 “And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them. ²²And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward. ²³The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword. ²⁴According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them.” ’ ”

Israel Restored

25 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Now I will arestore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name. ²⁶They will bforget their disgrace and all their treachery which they cperpetrated against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid. ²⁷When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified dthrough them in the sight of the many nations. ²⁸Then they will know that I am the LORD their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer. ²⁹I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord GOD. [25 aOr return the captivity 26 bAnother reading is bear cLit did treacherously 27 dLit in]

EZEKIEL 40 [Books]

Vision of the Man with a Measuring Rod

1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was ataken, on that same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there. ²In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city. ³So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring brod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. ⁴The man said to me, “Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see.” [1 aLit struck 3 bLit reed, and so throughout the ch]

Measurements Relating to the Temple

5 And behold, there was a wall on the outside of the atemple all around, and in the man’s hand was a measuring rod of six cubits, each of which was a cubit and a bhandbreadth. So he measured the thickness of the cwall, one rod; and the height, one rod. ⁶Then he went to the gate which faced east, went up its steps and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod din width; and the other threshold was one rod din width. ⁷The guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide; and there were five cubits between the guardrooms. And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate efacing inward was one rod. ⁸Then he measured the porch of the gate efacing inward, one rod. ⁹He measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its side pillars, two cubits. And the porch of the gate was efaced inward. ¹⁰The guardrooms of the gate toward the east numbered three on each side; the three of them had the same measurement. The side pillars also had the same measurement on each side. ¹¹And he measured the width of the fgateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. ¹²There was a gbarrier wall one cubit wide in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side. ¹³He measured the gate from the roof of the one guardroom to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits from one door to the door opposite. ¹⁴He made the side pillars sixty cubits high; the gate extended round about to the side pillar of the courtyard. ¹⁵From the front of the entrance gate to the front of the inner porch of the gate was fifty cubits. ¹⁶There were hshuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were palm tree ornaments. [5 aLit house bI.e. 20.4 in. or longer cLit building 6 dOr in depth 7 eLit from the house 11 fLit entrance of the gate 12 gLit border 16 hOr beveled inwards]

17 Then he brought me into the outer court, and behold, there were chambers and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers afaced the pavement. ¹⁸The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the bside of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. ¹⁹Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, a hundred cubits on the east and on the north. [17 aLit to 18 bLit shoulder]

20 As for the gate of the outer court which faced the north, he measured its length and its width. ²¹aIt had three guardrooms on each side; and its side pillars and its porches bhad the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. ²²Its windows and its porches and its palm tree ornaments had the same measurements as the gate which faced toward the east; and cit was reached by seven steps, and its dporch was in front of them. ²³The inner court had a gate opposite the gate on the north as well as the gate on the east; and he measured a hundred cubits from gate to gate. [21 aLit Its guardrooms were three bLit were 22 cLit they were going up into it dOr porches]

24 Then he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate toward the south; and he measured its side pillars and its porches according to athose same measurements. ²⁵bThe gate and its porches had windows all around like cthose other windows; the length was fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. ²⁶There were seven steps going up to it, and its porches were in front of them; and it had palm tree ornaments on its side pillars, one on each side. ²⁷The inner court had a gate toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits. [24 aLit these measurements, and so throughout the ch 25 bLit It cLit these windows]

28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to those same measurements. ²⁹Its guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches were according to those same measurements. And athe gate and its porches had windows all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. ³⁰There were porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. ³¹Its porches were toward the outer court; and palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps. [29 aLit it]

32 He brought me into the inner court toward the east. And he measured the gate according to those same measurements. ³³Its guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches were according to those same measurements. And athe gate and its porches had windows all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. ³⁴Its porches were toward the outer court; and palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars, on each side, and its stairway had eight steps. [33 aLit it]

35 Then he brought me to the north gate; and he measured it according to those same measurements, ³⁶with its guardrooms, its side pillars and its porches. And athe gate had windows all around; the length was fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. ³⁷Its side pillars were toward the outer court; and palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars on each side, and its stairway had eight steps. [36 aLit it]

38 A chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars at the gates; there they rinse the burnt offering. ³⁹In the porch of the gate were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering. ⁴⁰On the outer aside, bas one went up to the cgateway toward the north, were two tables; and on the other aside of the porch of the gate were two tables. ⁴¹Four tables were on each side dnext to the gate; or, eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices. ⁴²For the burnt offering there were four tables of hewn stone, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and one cubit high, on which they lay the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice. ⁴³The double ehooks, one handbreadth in length, were installed fin the house all around; and on the tables was the flesh of the offering. [40 aLit shoulder bLit to the one going up cLit entrance of the gate 41 dLit by the shoulder of 43 eOr ledges fOr inside]

44 From the outside to the inner gate were achambers for the singers in the inner court, one of which was at the bside of the north gate, with cits front toward the south, and one at the bside of the dsouth gate facing toward the north. ⁴⁵He said to me, “This is the chamber which faces toward the south, intended for the priests who keep charge of the etemple; ⁴⁶but the chamber which faces toward the north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who from the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to Him.” ⁴⁷He measured the court, a perfect square, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide; and the altar was in front of the ftemple. [44 aGr reads in two chambers bLit shoulder cLit their dSo Gr; Heb reads east 45 eOr house 47 fLit house]

48 Then he brought me to the porch of the atemple and measured each side pillar of the porch, five cubits on each side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on each side. ⁴⁹The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits; and at the stairway by which it was ascended were columns belonging to the side pillars, one on each side. [48 aLit house]

EZEKIEL 41 [Books]

The Inner Temple

1 Then he brought me to the anave and measured the side pillars; six cubits wide on each side was the width of the bside pillar. ²The width of the entrance was ten cubits and the csides of the entrance were five cubits on each side. And he measured dthe length of the nave, forty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits. ³Then he went einside and measured each side pillar of the doorway, two cubits, and the doorway, six cubits high; and the width of the doorway, seven cubits. ⁴He measured its length, twenty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits, before the nave; and he said to me, “This is the most holy place.” [1 aI.e. the main inner hall bLit tent 2 cLit shoulders dLit its length, 3 eI.e. of the inner sanctuary]

5 Then he measured the wall of the atemple, six cubits; and the width of the side chambers, four cubits, all around about the house on every side. ⁶The side chambers were in three stories, bone above another, and cthirty in each story; and dthe side chambers extended to the wall which stood on etheir inward side all around, that they might be fastened, and not be fastened into the wall of the temple itself. ⁷The side chambers surrounding the temple were wider at each successive story. Because the structure surrounding the temple went upward by stages on all sides of the temple, therefore the width of the temple increased as it went higher; and thus one went up from the lowest story to the highest by way of the fsecond story. ⁸I saw also that the house had a raised gplatform all around; the foundations of the side chambers were a full rod of six hlong cubits in height. ⁹The ithickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits. But the free space between the side chambers belonging to the temple ¹⁰and the outer chambers was twenty cubits in width all around the temple on every side. ¹¹The jdoorways of the kside chambers toward the free space consisted of one doorway toward the north and another doorway toward the south; and the width of the free space was five cubits all around. [5 aLit house, and so throughout the ch 6 bLit chamber upon chamber cLit thirty times dLit they were coming eLit the inside of the side chambers 7 fLit middle 8 gLit height hOr to the joint 9 iLit width 11 jLit doorway kLit side chamber]

12 The building that was in front of the separate area at the side toward the west was seventy cubits wide; and the wall of the building was five cubits athick all around, and its length was ninety cubits. [12 aLit wide]

13 Then he measured the temple, a hundred cubits long; the separate area with the building and its walls were also a hundred cubits long. ¹⁴Also the width of the front of the temple and that of the separate aareas along the east side totaled a hundred cubits. [14 aLit area]

15 He measured the length of the building aalong the front of the separate area behind it, with a bgallery on each side, a hundred cubits; he also measured the inner nave and the porches of the court. ¹⁶The thresholds, the clatticed windows and the dgalleries round about their three stories, opposite the threshold, were paneled with wood all around, and from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), ¹⁷over the entrance, and to the inner house, and on the outside, and on all the wall all around inside and outside, by measurement. ¹⁸It was ecarved with cherubim and palm trees; and a palm tree was between cherub and cherub, and every cherub had two faces, ¹⁹a man’s face toward the palm tree on one side and a young lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side; they were ecarved on all the house all around. ²⁰From the ground to above the entrance cherubim and palm trees were ecarved, as well as on the wall of the nave. [15 aLit to bOr passageway 16 cOr framed dOr passageways 18 eLit made]

21 The doorposts of the nave were square; as for the front of the sanctuary, the appearance of one doorpost was like that of the other. ²²The altar was of wood, three cubits high and its length two cubits; its corners, its abase and its bsides were of wood. And he said to me, “This is the table that is before the LORD.” ²³The nave and the sanctuary each had a double door. ²⁴Each of the doors had two leaves, two cswinging leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other. ²⁵Also there were dcarved on them, on the doors of the nave, cherubim and palm trees like those dcarved on the walls; and there was a ethreshold of wood on the front of the porch outside. ²⁶There were flatticed windows and palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the porch; thus were the side chambers of the house and the gthresholds. [22 aLit length bLit walls 24 cOr turning 25 dLit made eOr canopy of wood over 26 fOr framed gOr canopies]

EZEKIEL 42 [Books]

Chambers of the Temple

1 Then he brought me out into the outer court, the way toward the north; and he brought me to the chamber which was opposite the separate area and opposite the building toward the north. ²Along the length, which was a hundred cubits, was the north door; the width was fifty cubits. ³Opposite the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was agallery corresponding to agallery in three stories. ⁴Before the chambers was an inner walk ten cubits wide, a way of one hundred cubits; and their openings were on the north. ⁵Now the upper chambers were bsmaller because the cgalleries took more space away from them than from the lower and middle ones in the building. ⁶For they were in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper chambers were dset back from the ground upward, more than the lower and middle ones. ⁷As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, its length was fifty cubits. ⁸For the length of the chambers which were in the outer court was fifty cubits; and behold, the length of those facing the temple was a hundred cubits. ⁹Below these chambers was the entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer court. [3 aOr passageway 5 bLit shorter cOr passageways 6 dOr reduced]

10 In the athickness of the wall of the court toward the east, facing the separate area and facing the building, there were chambers. ¹¹The way in front of them was like the appearance of the chambers which were on the north, according to their length so was their width, and all their exits were both according to their arrangements and openings. ¹²Corresponding to the openings of the chambers which were toward the south was an opening at the head of the way, the way in front of the wall toward the east, as one enters them. [10 aLit width]

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separate area, they are the holy chambers where the priests who are near to the LORD shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; for the place is holy. ¹⁴When the priests enter, then they shall not go out into the outer court from the sanctuary awithout laying there their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they shall approach that which is for the people.” [14 aLit but there they shall lay]

15 Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate which faced toward the east and measured it all around. ¹⁶He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds by the measuring reed. ¹⁷He measured on the north side five hundred reeds by the measuring reed. ¹⁸On the south side he measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. ¹⁹He turned to the west side and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. ²⁰He measured it aon the four sides; it had a wall all around, the length five hundred and the width five hundred, to divide between the holy and the profane. [20 aLit toward the four winds]

EZEKIEL 43 [Books]

Vision of the Glory of God Filling the Temple

1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing toward the east; ²and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. ³And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when aHe came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. ⁴And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. ⁵And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. [3 aSo with some mss and some ancient versions; M.T. I]

6 Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. ⁷He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the acorpses of their kings bwhen they die, ⁸by setting their threshold by My threshold and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them. And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. ⁹Now let them put away their harlotry and the acorpses of their kings far from Me; and I will dwell among them forever. [7 aOr monuments as in Ugaritic bOr in their high places]

10 “As for you, son of man, adescribe the btemple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the cplan. ¹¹If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the ddesign of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutese, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its whole ddesign and all its statutes and do them. ¹²This is the flaw of the house: its entire garea on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the hlaw of the house. [10 aLit declare bLit house cLit perfection or pattern 11 dOr form(s) eM.T. repeats and all its designs after statutes 12 fOr instruction for gLit border hOr instruction for]

The Altar of Sacrifice

13 “And these are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth): the abase shall be a cubit and the width a cubit, and its border on its edge round about one span; and this shall be the height of the bbase of the altar. ¹⁴From the base on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits and the width one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits and the width cone cubit. ¹⁵The daltar hearth shall be four cubits; and from the daltar hearth shall extend upwards four horns. ¹⁶Now the daltar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides. ¹⁷The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide in its four sides, the border around it shall be half a cubit and its base shall be a cubit round about; and its steps shall eface the east.” [13 aLit lap bOr back 14 cLit the 15 dOr ariel shall 17 eOr be on the east side]

The Offerings

18 And He said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord aGOD, ‘These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it. ¹⁹You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, who draw near to Me to minister to Me,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘a young bull for a sin offering. ²⁰You shall take some of its blood and put it on its four horns and on the four corners of the ledge and on the border round about; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. ²¹You shall also take the bull for the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary. [18 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

22 ‘On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering, and they shall cleanse the altar as they cleansed it with the bull. ²³When you have finished cleansing it, you shall present a young bull without blemish and a ram without blemish from the flock. ²⁴You shall present them before the LORD, and the priests shall throw salt on them, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. ²⁵For seven days you shall prepare daily a goat for a sin offering; also a young bull and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be prepared. ²⁶For seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they aconsecrate it. ²⁷When they have completed the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall boffer your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,’ declares the Lord GOD.” [26 aLit fill its hands 27 bLit make]

EZEKIEL 44 [Books]

Gate for the Prince

1 Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut. ²The LORD said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. ³As for the prince, he shall sit in it as prince to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the porch of the gate and shall go out aby the same way.” [3 aLit by his way]

4 Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD, and I fell on my face. ⁵The LORD said to me, “Son of man, amark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the statutes of the house of the LORD and concerning all its laws; and amark well the entrance of the house, with all exits of the sanctuary. ⁶You shall say to the brebellious ones, to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord cGOD, “Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel, ⁷when you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to profane it, even My house, when you offered My food, the fat and the blood; for they made My covenant void—this in addition to all your abominations. ⁸And you have not kept charge of My holy things yourselves, but you have set foreigners dto keep charge of My sanctuary.” [5 aLit set your heart on 6 bLit rebellion cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 8 dLit as keepers of My charge in My]

9 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary. ¹⁰But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. ¹¹Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house and ministering in the house; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. ¹²Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have asworn against them,” declares the Lord GOD, “that they shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. ¹³And they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. ¹⁴Yet I will bappoint them cto keep charge of the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it. [12 aLit lifted up My hand 14 bLit give cLit keepers of the charge]

Ordinances for the Levites

15 “But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁶“They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge. ¹⁷It shall be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not abe on them while they are ministering in the gates of the inner court and in the house. ¹⁸Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat. ¹⁹When they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. ²⁰Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks bgrow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. ²¹Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. ²²And they shall not cmarry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. ²³Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. ²⁴In a dispute they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My ordinances. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts and sanctify My sabbaths. ²⁵dThey shall not go to a dead person to defile themselves; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may defile themselves. ²⁶After he is cleansed, seven days shall eelapse for him. ²⁷On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering,” declares the Lord GOD. [17 aLit come upon 20 bOr hang loose 22 cLit take as wives for themselves 25 dLit He 26 eLit be counted]

28 “And it shall be with regard to an inheritance for them, that I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel—I am their possession. ²⁹They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; and every adevoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. ³⁰The first of all the first fruits of every kind and every bcontribution of every kind, from all your bcontributions, shall be for the priests; you shall also give to the priest the first of your cdough to cause a blessing to rest on your house. ³¹The priests shall not eat any bird or beast that has died a natural death or has been torn to pieces. [29 aOr dedicated 30 bOr heave offering(s) cOr coarse meal]

EZEKIEL 45 [Books]

The LORD’S Portion of the Land

1 “And when you divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer aan allotment to the LORD, a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of 25,000 cubits, and the width shall be b20,000. It shall be holy within all its boundary round about. ²Out of this there shall be for the holy place a square round about five hundred by five hundred cubits, and fifty cubits for its copen space round about. ³From this darea you shall measure a length of 25,000 cubits and a width of 10,000 cubits; and in it shall be the sanctuary, the most holy place. ⁴It shall be the holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to the LORD, and it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. ⁵An area 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in width shall be for the Levites, the ministers of the house, and for their possession ecities to dwell in. [1 aOr a contribution bOr with Gr 10,000 2 cOr pasture land 3 dLit measure 5 eSo with Gr; M.T. twenty chambers]

6 “You shall give the city possession of an area 5,000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long, alongside the aallotment of the holy portion; it shall be for the whole house of Israel. [6 aOr contribution]

Portion for the Prince

7 “The prince shall have land on either side of the holy aallotment and the bproperty of the city, adjacent to the holy aallotment and the bproperty of the city, on the west side toward the west and on the east side toward the east, and in length comparable to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border. ⁸This shall be his land for a possession in Israel; so My princes shall no longer oppress My people, but they shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.” [7 aOr contribution bLit possession]

9 ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD, “Enough, you princes of Israel; put away violence and destruction, and practice justice and righteousness. Stop your expropriations from My people,” declares the Lord GOD. [9 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

10 “You shall have just balances, a just ephah and a just bath. ¹¹The ephah and the bath shall be athe same quantity, so that the bath will contain a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer; btheir standard shall be according to the homer. ¹²The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your cmaneh. [11 aLit one bLit its measure 12 cOr mina]

13 “This is the offering that you shall offer: a sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat; a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley; ¹⁴and the prescribed portion of oil (namely, the bath of oil), a tenth of a bath from each kor (which is ten baths or a homer, for ten baths are a homer); ¹⁵and one sheep from each flock of two hundred from the watering places of Israel—for a grain offering, for a burnt offering and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁶“All the people of the land shall agive to this offering for the prince in Israel. ¹⁷It shall be the prince’s part to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the drink offerings, at the feasts, on the new moons and on the sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel; he shall provide the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.” [16 aLit be]

18 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “In the first month, on the first of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish and cleanse the sanctuary. ¹⁹The priest shall take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the door posts of the house, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar and on the posts of the gate of the inner court. ²⁰Thus you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who goes astray or is anaive; so you shall make atonement for the house. [20 aLit simple]

21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. ²²On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. ²³During the seven days of the feast he shall provide as a burnt offering to the LORD seven bulls and seven rams without blemish on every day of the seven days, and a male goat daily for a sin offering. ²⁴He shall provide as a grain offering an ephah awith a bull, an ephah awith a ram and a hin of oil awith an ephah. ²⁵In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he shall provide like this, seven days bfor the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering and the oil.” [24 aLit for 25 bLit according to]

EZEKIEL 46 [Books]

The Prince’s Offerings

1 ‘Thus says the Lord aGOD, “The gate of the inner court facing east shall be shut the six working days; but it shall be opened on the sabbath day and opened on the day of the new moon. ²The prince shall enter by way of the porch of the gate from outside and stand by the post of the gate. Then the priests shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate and then go out; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. ³The people of the land shall also worship at the doorway of that gate before the LORD on the sabbaths and on the new moons. ⁴The burnt offering which the prince shall offer to the LORD on the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish; ⁵and the grain offering shall be an ephah bwith the ram, and the grain offering bwith the lambs cas much as he is able to give, and a hin of oil bwith an ephah. ⁶On the day of the new moon he shall offer a young bull without blemish, also six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. ⁷And he shall provide a grain offering, an ephah bwith the bull and an ephah bwith the ram, and bwith the lambs as dmuch as he is able, and a hin of oil bwith an ephah. ⁸When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the porch of the gate and go out eby the same way. ⁹But when the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate. And he who enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. fNo one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered but shall go straight out. ¹⁰When they go in, the prince shall go in among them; and when they go out, ghe shall go out. [1 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 5 bLit for cLit a gift of his hand 7 dLit his hand can reach 8 eLit by its way 9 fLit He shall not 10 gSo with many mss and the ancient versions; M.T. they]

11 “At the festivals and the appointed feasts the grain offering shall be an ephah awith a bull and an ephah awith a ram, and awith the lambs as bmuch as one is able to give, and a hin of oil awith an ephah. ¹²When the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the LORD, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he does on the sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and the gate shall be shut after he goes out. [11 aLit for bLit a gift of his hand]

13 “And you shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. ¹⁴Also you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, a sixth of an ephah and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour, a grain offering to the LORD continually by a perpetual aordinance. ¹⁵Thus they shall provide the lamb, the grain offering and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt offering.” [14 aLit statute]

16 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “If the prince gives a gift out of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. ¹⁷But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince. His inheritance shall be only his sons’; it shall belong to them. ¹⁸The prince shall not take from the people’s inheritance, athrusting them out of their possession; he shall give his sons inheritance from his own possession so that My people will not be scattered, anyone from his possession.” ’ ” [18 aLit oppressing]

The Boiling Places

19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests, which faced north; and behold, there was a place at the extreme rear toward the west. ²⁰He said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order that they may not bring them out into the outer court to transmit holiness to the people.”

21 Then he brought me out into the outer court and led me across to the four corners of the court; and behold, in every corner of the court there was a small court. ²²In the four corners of the court there were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; these four in the corners were athe same size. ²³There was a row of masonry round about in them, around the four of them, and boiling places were made under the rows round about. ²⁴Then he said to me, “These are the boiling bplaces where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifices of the people.” [22 aLit one measure 24 bLit houses]

EZEKIEL 47 [Books]

Water from the Temple

1 Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. ²He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around aon the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side. [2 aLit by way of]

3 When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. ⁴Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. ⁵Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. ⁶He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me aback to the bank of the river. ⁷Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become bfresh. ⁹It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the criver goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others dbecome fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. ¹⁰And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. ¹¹But its swamps and marshes will not become bfresh; they will be eleft for salt. ¹²By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” [6 aLit and caused me to return 8 bLit healed 9 cLit two rivers dLit are healed 11 eLit given]

Boundaries and Division of the Land

13 Thus says the Lord aGOD, “This shall be the boundary by which you shall divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two portions. ¹⁴You shall divide it for an inheritance, each one bequally with the other; for I cswore to give it to your forefathers, and this land shall fall to you das an inheritance. [13 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 14 bLit like his brother cLit lifted up My hand dLit in]

15 “This shall be the boundary of the land: on the north side, from the Great Sea by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of aZedad; ¹⁶bHamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer-hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran. ¹⁷The boundary shall cextend from the sea to Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, and on the north toward the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. [15 aOr Hamath 16 bOr Zedad 17 cLit be]

18 “The east side, from between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the eastern sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

19 “The south side toward the south shall extend from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt and to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the south.

20 “The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the south border to a point opposite aLebo-hamath. This is the west side. [20 aOr entrance of Hamath]

21 “So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. ²²You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the aliens who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst. And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. ²³And in the tribe with which the alien stays, there you shall give him his inheritance,” declares the Lord GOD.

EZEKIEL 48 [Books]

Division of the Land

1 “Now these are the names of the tribes: from the northern extremity, abeside the way of Hethlon to bLebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, toward the north abeside Hamath, crunning from east to west, Dan, one portion. ²Beside the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion. ³Beside the border of Asher, from the east side to the west side, Naphtali, one portion. ⁴Beside the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west side, Manasseh, one portion. ⁵Beside the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, Ephraim, one portion. ⁶Beside the border of Ephraim, from the east side to the west side, Reuben, one portion. ⁷Beside the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west side, Judah, one portion. [1 aLit at the hand of bOr the entrance of Hamath cLit and there shall be to it an east and west side]

8 “And beside the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the aallotment which you shall bset apart, 25,000 ccubits in width, and in length like one of the portions, from the east side to the west side; and the sanctuary shall be in the middle of it. ⁹The allotment that you shall set apart to the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in width. [8 aOr contribution, and so throughout the ch bLit offer cOr possibly reeds, and so throughout the ch]

Portion for the Priests

¹⁰The holy allotment shall be for these, namely for the priests, toward the north 25,000 cubits in length, toward the west 10,000 in width, toward the east 10,000 in width, and toward the south 25,000 in length; and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in its midst. ¹¹It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who have kept My charge, who did not go astray when the sons of Israel went astray as the Levites went astray. ¹²It shall be an allotment to them from the allotment of the land, a most holy place, by the border of the Levites. ¹³Alongside the border of the priests the Levites shall have 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in width. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the width 10,000. ¹⁴Moreover, they shall not sell or exchange any of it, or alienate this achoice portion of land; for it is holy to the LORD. [14 aLit first or first fruits]

15 “The remainder, 5,000 cubits in width and 25,000 ain length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for bopen spaces; and the city shall be in its midst. ¹⁶These shall be its measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits, the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits. ¹⁷The city shall have bopen spaces: on the north 250 cubits, on the south 250 cubits, on the east 250 cubits, and on the west 250 cubits. ¹⁸The remainder of the length alongside the holy allotment shall be 10,000 cubits toward the east and 10,000 toward the west; and it shall be calongside the holy allotment. And its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. ¹⁹The workers of the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. ²⁰The whole allotment shall be 25,000 by 25,000 cubits; you shall dset apart the holy allotment, a esquare, with the fproperty of the city. [15 aLit in front bOr pasture land 18 cOr exactly as 20 dLit offer eLit fourth fOr possession]

Portion for the Prince

21 “The remainder shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy allotment and of the aproperty of the city; in front of the 25,000 cubits of the allotment toward the east border and westward in front of the 25,000 toward the west border, alongside the portions, it shall be for the prince. And the holy allotment and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the middle of it. ²²Exclusive of the aproperty of the Levites and the aproperty of the city, which are in the middle of that which belongs to the prince, everything between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall be for the prince. [21 aOr possession]

Portion for Other Tribes

23 “As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west side, Benjamin, one portion. ²⁴Beside the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon, one portion. ²⁵Beside the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar, one portion. ²⁶Beside the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun, one portion. ²⁷Beside the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad, one portion. ²⁸And beside the border of Gad, at the south side toward the south, the border shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the Great Sea. ²⁹This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel for an inheritance, and these are their several portions,” declares the Lord aGOD. [29 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

The City Gates

30 “These are the exits of the city: on the north side, 4,500 cubits by measurement, ³¹ashall be the gates of the city, bnamed for the tribes of Israel, three gates toward the north: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one. ³²On the east side, 4,500 cubits, ashall be three gates: the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one. ³³On the south side, 4,500 cubits by measurement, ashall be three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one. ³⁴On the west side, 4,500 cubits, shall be three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one. ³⁵The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘cThe LORD is there.’ ” [31 aLit and bLit according to the names of 35 cHeb YHWH-shammah]

DANIEL 1 [Books]

The Choice Young Men

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ²The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his agod, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his agod. [2 aOr gods]

3 Then the king aordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his bofficials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the croyal family and of the nobles, ⁴youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for dserving in the king’s ecourt; and he ordered him to teach them the fliterature and language of the Chaldeans. ⁵The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be geducated three years, at the end of which they were to henter the king’s personal service. ⁶Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. ⁷Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego. [3 aOr said to bOr eunuchs, and so throughout the ch cLit seed of the 4 dLit standing eLit palace fOr writing 5 gOr reared hLit stand before the king]

Daniel’s Resolve

8 But Daniel amade up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. ⁹Now God granted Daniel bfavor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, ¹⁰and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would cmake me forfeit my head to the king.” ¹¹But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ¹²“Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³Then let our appearance be dobserved in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” [8 aLit set upon his heart 9 bLit lovingkindness 10 cLit make my head guilty 13 dLit seen]

14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. ¹⁵At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and athey were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. ¹⁶So the overseer continued to bwithhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables. [15 aLit fat of flesh 16 bLit take away]

17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of aliterature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. [17 aOr writing]

18 Then at the end of the days which the king had aspecified bfor presenting them, the commander of the officials cpresented them before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they dentered the king’s personal service. ²⁰As for every matter of wisdom eand understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the fmagicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. ²¹And Daniel gcontinued until the first year of Cyrus the king. [18 aLit said bLit to bring them in cLit brought in 19 dLit stood before the king 20 eLit of fOr soothsayer priests 21 gLit was until]

DANIEL 2 [Books]

The King’s Forgotten Dream

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar ahad dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep bleft him. ²Then the king cgave orders to call in the dmagicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the eChaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. ³The king said to them, “I fhad a dream and my spirit gis anxious to hunderstand the dream.” [1 aLit dreamed dreams bLit was gone upon him 2 cLit said to call dOr soothsayer priests eOr master astrologers, and so throughout the ch 3 fLit dreamed gLit was troubled hLit know]

4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in aAramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” ⁵The king replied to the Chaldeans, “bThe command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be ctorn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. ⁶But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” ⁷They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” ⁸The king replied, “I know for certain that you are dbargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that ethe command from me is firm, ⁹that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one fdecree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt gwords before me until the hsituation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” ¹⁰The Chaldeans answered ithe king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter jfor the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any kmagician, conjurer or Chaldean. ¹¹Moreover, the thing which the king demands is ldifficult, and there is no one else who could declare it mto the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.” [4 aThe text is in Aramaic from here through 7:28 5 bAnother reading is The word has gone from me cLit made into limbs 8 dLit buying eV 5, note 1 9 fOr law gLit word hLit time 10 iLit before the jLit of kOr soothsayer priest 11 lOr rare mLit before]

12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³So the adecree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to bkill them. [13 aOr law bLit be killed]

14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s abodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the bdecree from the king so curgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. ¹⁶So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would dgive him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. [14 aOr executioners 15 bOr law cOr harsh 16 dOr appoint a time for him]

17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, ¹⁸so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel

¹⁹Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; ²⁰Daniel said,

“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,

For wisdom and power belong to Him.

²¹“It is He who changes the times and the epochs;

He removes kings and aestablishes kings;

He gives wisdom to wise men

And knowledge to bmen of understanding. [aOr sets up bLit knowers]

²²“It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

And the light dwells with Him.

²³“To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,

For You have given me wisdom and power;

Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You,

For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”

24 Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me ainto the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.” [24 aLit in before the king]

25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel ainto the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the bexiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” ²⁶The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” ²⁷Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, cmagicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. ²⁸However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the dlatter days. This was your dream and the visions ein your mind while on your bed. ²⁹As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts fturned to what would take place gin the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. ³⁰But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom hresiding in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may iunderstand the thoughts of your jmind. [25 aLit in before the king bLit sons of the exile of 27 cOr soothsayer priests 28 dLit end of the days eLit of your head 29 fLit came up gLit after this 30 hLit which is iLit know jLit heart]

The King’s Dream

31 “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and aof extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. ³²The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, ³³its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. ³⁴You bcontinued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. ³⁵Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed call at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. [31 aLit its splendor was surpassing 34 bLit were 35 cLit like one]

The Interpretation—Babylon the First Kingdom

36 “This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. ³⁷You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the akingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; ³⁸and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. [37 aOr sovereignty]

Medo-Persia and Greece

³⁹After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.

Rome

⁴⁰Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. ⁴¹In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with acommon clay. ⁴²As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. ⁴³And in that you saw the iron mixed with acommon clay, they will combine with one another bin the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. [41 aLit clay of mud 43 bOr with]

The Divine Kingdom

⁴⁴In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be aleft for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. ⁴⁵Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place bin the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” [44 aOr passed on to 45 bLit after this]

Daniel Promoted

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and afragrant incense. ⁴⁷The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” ⁴⁸Then the king bpromoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief cprefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s dcourt. [46 aLit sweet odors 48 bLit made great cLit of the prefects 49 dLit gate]

DANIEL 3 [Books]

The King’s Golden Image

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty acubits and its width six acubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ²Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ³Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you bthe command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every clanguage, ⁵that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, dlyre, etrigon, fpsaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. ⁶But whoever does not fall down and worship shall gimmediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” ⁷Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, hlyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every clanguage fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. [1 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 4 bLit they command cLit tongue 5 dOr zither eI.e. triangular lyre fOr a type of harp 6 gOr in the same hour 7 hV 5, notes 1, 2, 3]

Worship of the Image Refused

8 For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and abrought charges against the Jews. ⁹They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! ¹⁰You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, blyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. ¹²There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” [8 aLit ate the pieces of 10 bV 5, notes 1, 2, 3]

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. ¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? ¹⁵Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, alyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will bimmediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” [15 aV 5, notes 1, 2, 3 bOr in the same hour]

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. ¹⁷aIf it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; band He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. ¹⁸But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” [17 aOr If our God...is able bOr then]

Daniel’s Friends Protected

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered aby giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹Then these men were tied up in their btrousers, their ccoats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. ²²For this reason, because the king’s dcommand was eurgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. ²³But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. [19 aLit and ordered to 21 bOr leggings cOr cloaks 22 dLit word eOr harsh]

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” ²⁵He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire awithout harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” ²⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. ²⁷The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no beffect on cthe bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their dtrousers edamaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. [25 aLit there is no injury in them 27 bLit power over cLit their dOr cloaks eLit changed]

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, aviolating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. ²⁹Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” ³⁰Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon. [28 aLit and changed the king’s word]

DANIEL 4 [Books]

The King Acknowledges God

1 aNebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every blanguage that live in all the earth: “May your cpeace abound! ²It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. [1 aCh 3:31 in Aram bLit tongue cOr welfare or prosperity]

³“How great are His signs

And how mighty are His wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom

And His dominion is from generation to generation.

The Vision of a Great Tree

4 “aI, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. ⁵I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions bin my mind kept alarming me. ⁶So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷Then the cmagicians, the conjurers, the dChaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream eto them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. ⁸But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is fa spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream eto him, saying, ⁹‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation. [4 aCh 4:1 in Aram 5 bLit of my head 7 cOr soothsayer priests, and so throughout the ch dOr master astrologers eLit before 8 fOr possibly the Spirit of the holy God, and so throughout the ch]

10 ‘Now these were the visions ain my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the bearth and its height was great. [10 aLit of my head bOr land, and so throughout the ch]

¹¹‘The tree grew large and became strong

And its height reached to the sky,

And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.

¹²‘Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,

And in it was food for all.

The beasts of the field found shade under it,

And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches,

And all aliving creatures fed themselves from it. [aLit flesh]

13 ‘I was looking in the visions ain my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. [13 aLit of my head]

¹⁴‘He shouted out and spoke as follows:

Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,

Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;

Let the beasts flee from under it

And the birds from its branches.

¹⁵“Yet leave the stump awith its roots in the ground,

But with a band of iron and bronze around it

In the new grass of the field;

And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,

And let bhim share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. [aLit of bLit his portion be with]

¹⁶“Let his amind be changed from that of a man

And let a beast’s amind be given to him,

And let seven bperiods of time pass over him. [aLit heart bI.e. years]

¹⁷“This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers

And the decision is a command of the holy ones,

In order that the living may know

That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,

And bestows it on whom He wishes

And sets over it the lowliest of men.”

¹⁸This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Interprets the Vision

19 “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! ²⁰The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth ²¹and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged— ²²it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your amajesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. ²³In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump bwith its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let chim share with the beasts of the field until seven dperiods of time pass over him,” ²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven dperiods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. ²⁶And in that it was commanded to leave the stump bwith the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be eassured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. ²⁷Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: fbreak away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’ [22 aLit greatness 23 bLit of cLit his portion be with dI.e. years 26 eLit enduring 27 fOr redeem now your sins]

The Vision Fulfilled

28 “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. ²⁹Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. ³⁰The king areflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal bresidence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ ³¹While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice ccame from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: dsovereignty has been removed from you, ³²and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven eperiods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ ³³Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. [30 aLit answered bLit house 31 cLit fell dOr kingdom 32 eI.e. years]

34 “But at the end of athat period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my breason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. [34 aLit the days bLit knowledge]

³⁵“All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

But He does according to His will in the host of heaven

And among the inhabitants of earth;

And no one can award off His hand

Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

³⁶At that time my breason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were crestored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my dsovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. ³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are etrue and His ways fjust, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” [35 aLit strike against 36 bLit knowledge cLit returning dOr kingdom 37 eLit truth fLit justice]

DANIEL 5 [Books]

Belshazzar’s Feast

1 Belshazzar the king aheld a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. ²When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his bfather had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. ³Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. [1 aLit made 2 bOr forefather, and so throughout the ch]

5 Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the aback of the hand that did the writing. ⁶Then the king’s bface grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together. ⁷The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the cChaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as dthird ruler in the kingdom.” ⁸Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. ⁹Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his eface grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed. [5 aOr palm 6 bLit brightness changed for him 7 cOr master astrologers dOr a triumvir 9 eLit brightness was changing upon him]

10 The queen entered the banquet ahall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your bface be pale. ¹¹There is a man in your kingdom in whom is ca spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father dthe king, appointed him chief of the emagicians, conjurers, fChaldeans and diviners. ¹²This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.” [10 aLit house bLit brightness be changed 11 cOr possibly the Spirit of the holy God dOr O king eOr soothsayer priests fOr master astrologers]

Daniel Interprets Handwriting on the Wall

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the aexiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? ¹⁴Now I have heard about you that ba spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. ¹⁵Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the cmessage. ¹⁶But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the dthird ruler in the kingdom.” [13 aLit sons of the exile 14 bOr possibly the Spirit of God 15 cLit word 16 dOr triumvir]

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “aKeep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. ¹⁸bO king, the Most High God granted csovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. ¹⁹Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every dlanguage feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. ²⁰But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so eproud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. ²¹He was also driven away from fmankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. ²²Yet you, his gson, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, heven though you knew all this, ²³but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified. ²⁴Then the ihand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out. [17 aLit Let...be for 18 bLit You, O king cOr the kingdom 19 dLit tongue 20 eLit strong 21 fLit the sons of man 22 gOr descendant hLit inasmuch as you 24 iLit palm of the hand]

25 “Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘aMENE, aMENE, bTEKEL, cUPHARSIN.’ ²⁶This is the interpretation of the dmessage: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ²⁷ ‘TEKEL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. ²⁸ ‘PERES’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and ePersians.” [25 aOr a mina (50 shekels) from verb “to number” bOr a shekel from verb “to weigh” cOr and half-shekels (sing: peres) from verb “to divide” 26 dLit word 28 eAram: Paras]

29 Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the athird ruler in the kingdom. [29 aOr triumvir]

30 That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. ³¹aSo Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. [31 aCh 6:1 in Aram]

DANIEL 6 [Books]

Daniel Serves Darius

1 aIt seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, ²and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. ³Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself bamong the commissioners and satraps because che possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. ⁴Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to dgovernment affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. ⁵Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.” [1 aCh 6:2 in Aram 3 bLit above cLit there was in him 4 dLit the kingdom]

6 Then these commissioners and satraps came aby agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! ⁷All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ bden. ⁸Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cmay not be revoked.” ⁹Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. [6 aOr thronging 7 bOr pit, and so throughout the ch 8 cLit does not pass away]

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, aas he had been doing previously. ¹¹Then these men came bby agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. ¹²Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cmay not be revoked.” ¹³Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the dexiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.” [10 aOr because 11 bOr thronging 12 cLit does not pass away 13 dLit sons of the exile]

14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. ¹⁵Then these men came aby agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” [15 aOr thronging]

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “aYour God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” ¹⁷A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. ¹⁸Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. [16 aOr May your God...Himself deliver you]

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. ²⁰When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹Then Daniel spoke ato the king, “O king, live forever! ²²My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as bI was found innocent before Him; and also ctoward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” ²³Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had dmaliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. [21 aLit with 22 bLit innocence was found for me cLit before 24 dLit eaten the pieces of Daniel]

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every alanguage who were living in all the land: “May your bpeace abound! ²⁶cI make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;

For He is the living God and enduring forever,

And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,

And His dominion will be dforever. [25 aLit tongue bOr welfare or prosperity 26 cLit From me a decree is made dLit to the end]

²⁷“He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders

In heaven and on earth,

Who has also delivered Daniel from the apower of the lions.” [aLit hand]

28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

DANIEL 7 [Books]

Vision of the Four Beasts

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions ain his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the bfollowing summary of cit. ²Daniel dsaid, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. ³And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. ⁴The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human emind also was given to it. ⁵And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ ⁶After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its fback four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. ⁷After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, gthis horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. [1 aLit of his head bOr beginning cLit words 2 dLit spoke and said 4 eLit heart 6 fOr sides 8 gLit in this horn were eyes]

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “I kept looking

Until thrones were set up,

And the Ancient of Days took His seat;

His vesture was like white snow

And the hair of His head like pure wool.

His throne was aablaze with flames,

Its wheels were a burning fire. [aLit flames of fire]

¹⁰“A river of fire was flowing

And coming out from before Him;

Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,

And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;

The court sat,

And the books were opened.

¹¹Then I kept looking because of the sound of the aboastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning bfire. ¹²As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. [11 aLit great bLit of the fire]

The Son of Man Presented

13 “I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming,

And He came up to the Ancient of Days

And was presented before Him.

¹⁴“And to Him was given dominion,

Glory and aa kingdom,

That all the peoples, nations and men of every blanguage

Might serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

Which will not pass away;

And His kingdom is one

Which will not be destroyed. [aOr sovereignty bLit tongue]

The Vision Interpreted

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed awithin me, and the visions bin my mind kept alarming me. ¹⁶I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the cexact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: ¹⁷‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. ¹⁸But the dsaints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, efor all ages to come.’ [15 aLit in the midst of its sheath bLit of my head 16 cLit truth concerning 18 dLit holy ones eLit and unto the age of the ages]

19 “Then I desired to know the aexact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all bthe others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, ²⁰and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and cwhich was larger in appearance than its associates. ²¹I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the dsaints and overpowering them ²²until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was epassed in favor of the dsaints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the dsaints took possession of the kingdom. [19 aLit truth concerning bLit of them 20 cLit its appearance was larger 21 dLit holy ones 22 eLit given for]

23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. ²⁴As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. ²⁵He will speak aout against the Most High and wear down the bsaints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and cthey will be given into his hand for a dtime, dtimes, and half a dtime. ²⁶But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, eannihilated and destroyed fforever. ²⁷Then the gsovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the bsaints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’ [25 aLit words bLit holy ones cI.e. the saints dI.e. year(s) 26 eLit to annihilate and to destroy fLit to the end 27 gOr kingdom]

28 “aAt this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my bface grew pale, but I kept the matter cto myself.” [28 aLit To here the end of the word bLit brightness was changing upon me cLit in my heart]

DANIEL 8 [Books]

Vision of the Ram and Goat

1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, aDaniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me bpreviously. ²I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai cCanal. ³Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the ccanal. Now the two horns were dlong, but one was dlonger than the other, with the dlonger one coming up last. ⁴I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his epower, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself. [1 aLit I, Daniel bLit at the beginning 2 cOr river 3 dLit high(er) 4 eLit hand]

5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the agoat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. ⁶He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the bcanal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. ⁷I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his cpower. ⁸Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. [5 aLit buck 6 bOr river 7 cLit hand]

The Little Horn

9 Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the aBeautiful Land. ¹⁰It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. ¹¹It even magnified itself bto be equal with the cCommander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. ¹²And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. ¹³Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, dwhile the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host eto be trampled?” ¹⁴He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be fproperly restored.” [9 aI.e. Palestine 11 bLit up to the cOr Prince 13 dOr possibly and the transgression that horrifies eLit as a trampling 14 fLit vindicated]

Interpretation of the Vision

15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought ato understand it; and behold, standing before me was one bwho looked like a man. ¹⁶And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” ¹⁷So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” [15 aLit understanding bLit like the appearance of a man]

18 Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand aupright. ¹⁹He said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. [18 aLit on my standing]

The Ram’s Identity

²⁰The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

The Goat

²¹The shaggy agoat represents the bkingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. ²²The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power. [21 aLit buck bLit king]

²³“In the latter period of their arule,

When the transgressors have brun their course,

A king will arise,

cInsolent and skilled in dintrigue. [aOr kingdom bLit finished cLit Strong of face dOr ambiguous speech]

²⁴“His power will be mighty, but not by his own power,

And he will adestroy to an extraordinary degree

And prosper and perform his will;

He will adestroy mighty men and bthe holy people. [aOr corrupt bLit people of the saints]

²⁵“And through his shrewdness

He will cause deceit to succeed by his ainfluence;

And he will magnify himself in his heart,

And he will bdestroy many while they are cat ease.

He will even doppose the Prince of princes,

But he will be broken without ahuman agency. [aLit hand bOr corrupt cOr secure dLit stand against]

²⁶“The vision of the evenings and mornings

Which has been told is true;

But keep the vision secret,

For it pertains to many days in the future.”

27 Then I, Daniel, was aexhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to bexplain it. [27 aOr done in bLit make me understand]

DANIEL 9 [Books]

Daniel’s Prayer for His People

1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— ²in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. ³So I agave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. ⁴I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, ⁵we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. ⁶Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. [3 aLit set my face]

7 “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us aopen shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. ⁸bOpen shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. ⁹To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, cfor we have rebelled against Him; ¹⁰nor have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His dteachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. ¹¹Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. ¹²Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our erulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. ¹³As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not fsought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and ggiving attention to Your truth. ¹⁴Therefore the LORD has hkept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice. [7 aLit the shame of face 8 bLit The shame of face 9 cOr though 10 dOr laws 12 eLit judges who judged us 13 fLit softened the face of gOr having insight into 14 hLit watched over the evil]

15 “And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked. ¹⁶O Lord, in accordance with all Your arighteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. ¹⁷So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for bYour sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not cpresenting our supplications before You on account of dany merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. ¹⁹O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” [16 aLit righteousnesses 17 bLit the sake of the Lord 18 cLit causing to fall dLit our righteousnesses]

Gabriel Brings an Answer

20 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and apresenting my supplication before the LORD my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, ²¹while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision bpreviously, ccame to me din my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. ²²He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. ²³At the beginning of your supplications the ecommand was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are fhighly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. [20 aLit causing to fall 21 bLit at the beginning cLit was reaching; or touching dLit wearied with weariness 23 eLit word went out fLit desirable; or precious]

Seventy Weeks and the Messiah

24 “Seventy aweeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to bfinish the transgression, to cmake an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and dprophecy and to anoint the most holy place. ²⁵So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a edecree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until fMessiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with gplaza and moat, even in times of distress. ²⁶Then after the sixty-two weeks the hMessiah will be cut off and have inothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And jits end will come with a flood; even to the end kthere will be war; desolations are determined. ²⁷And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of labominations will come one who mmakes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who nmakes desolate.” [24 aOr units of seven, and so throughout the ch bOr restrain cAnother reading is seal up sins dLit prophet 25 eLit word fOr an anointed one gOr streets 26 hOr anointed one iOr no one jOr his kOr war will be decreed for desolations 27 lOr detestable things mOr causes horror nOr causes horror]

DANIEL 10 [Books]

Daniel Is Terrified by a Vision

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a amessage was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the amessage was true and one of great bconflict, but he understood the amessage and had an understanding of the vision. [1 aLit word bOr warfare]

2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. ³I did not eat any atasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. ⁴On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the bTigris, ⁵I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. ⁶His body also was like cberyl, his face dhad the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a etumult. ⁷Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. ⁸So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my fnatural color turned to ga deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. ⁹But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. [3 aLit bread of desirability 4 bHeb Hiddekel 6 cOr yellow serpentine dLit like eOr roaring 8 fLit splendor gLit corruption]

Daniel Comforted

10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my ahands and knees. ¹¹He said to me, “O Daniel, man of bhigh esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand cupright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹²Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. ¹³But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was dwithstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the elatter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.” [10 aLit knees and the palms of my hands 11 bLit desirability; or preciousness cLit upon your standing 13 dLit standing opposite 14 eLit end of the days]

15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I aturned my face toward the ground and became speechless. ¹⁶And behold, bone who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, “O my lord, as a result of the vision canguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. ¹⁷For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.” [15 aLit set 16 bLit as a likeness of sons of man cLit my pains have]

18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. ¹⁹He said, “O man of ahigh esteem, do not be afraid. Peace bbe with you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰Then he said, “Do you cunderstand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the dprince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the dprince of eGreece is about to come. ²¹However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who fstands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince. [19 aLit desirability; or preciousness bLit to you 20 cLit know dI.e. Satanic angel eHeb Javan 21 fLit shows himself strong]

DANIEL 11 [Books]

Conflicts to Come

1 “In the first year of Darius the Mede, aI arose to be ban encouragement and a protection for him. ²And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise cin Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, dhe will arouse the whole empire against the realm of eGreece. ³And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. ⁴But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four fpoints of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides gthem. [1 aLit my standing up was bLit for a strengthener 2 cLit for dOr they all will stir up the realm of Greece eHeb Javan 4 fLit winds of the heaven gI.e. his descendants]

5 “Then the king of the South will grow strong, aalong with one of his princes bwho will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. ⁶After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out ca peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her dposition of power, nor will he remain with his epower, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times. ⁷But one of the fdescendants of her line will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength. ⁸Also their gods with their gmetal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt, and he on his part will hrefrain from attacking the king of the North for some years. ⁹Then ithe latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land. [5 aLit and bLit and he 6 cOr an equitable agreement dLit strength of arm eLit arm 7 fLit branch of her roots 8 gLit cast images hOr stand against the king 9 iLit he will, and so throughout the ch]

10 “His sons will amobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may bagain wage war up to his very fortress. ¹¹The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight cwith the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into dthe hand of the former. ¹²When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail. ¹³For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and eafter an interval of some years he will fpress on with a great army and much equipment. [10 aOr wage war bOr return and wage 11 cLit with him, with dLit his hand 13 eLit at the end of the times, years fOr keep on coming]

14 “Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will afall down. ¹⁵Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even btheir choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand. ¹⁶But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the cBeautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. ¹⁷He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, dbringing with him ea proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be fon his side. ¹⁸Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. ¹⁹So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more. [14 aLit stumble, and so throughout the ch 15 bLit the people of its choice ones 16 cI.e. Palestine 17 dLit and eLit equitable things fLit for him; i.e. for her father]

20 “Then in his place one will arise who will send an aoppressor through the bJewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle. ²¹In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. ²²The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant. ²³After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. ²⁴cIn a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the drealm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his eancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. ²⁵He will stir up his strength and fcourage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. ²⁶Those who eat his choice food will gdestroy him, and his army will hoverflow, but many will fall down slain. ²⁷As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time. ²⁸Then he will return to his land with much iplunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land. [20 aOr exactor of tribute bLit adornment; i.e. probably Jerusalem and its temple 24 cLit Into tranquility and the richest...he will enter dOr province eLit fathers’ fathers 25 fLit heart 26 gLit break hOr be swept away, and many 28 iLit possessions]

29 “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but athis last time it will not turn out the way it did before. ³⁰For ships of bKittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination cof desolation. ³²By smooth words he will dturn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. ³³eThose who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. ³⁴Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. ³⁵Some of fthose who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them gpure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time. [29 aLit it will not happen as the first and as the last 30 bI.e. Cyprus 31 cLit that makes desolate; or that causes horror 32 dOr pollute those 33 eOr Instructors of the people 35 fOr the instructors gLit white]

36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak amonstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. ³⁷He will show no regard for the bgods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. ³⁸But cinstead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures. ³⁹He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to dthose who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price. [36 aLit extraordinary 37 bOr God 38 cLit in his place 39 dLit the one who acknowledges]

40 “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. ⁴¹He will also enter the aBeautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. ⁴²Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. ⁴³But he will bgain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his cheels. ⁴⁴But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and dannihilate many. ⁴⁵He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. [41 aI.e. Palestine 43 bOr rule over cLit footsteps 44 dLit devote to destruction]

DANIEL 12 [Books]

The Time of the End

1 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. ²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting acontempt. ³bThose who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the cexpanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. ⁴But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” [2 aLit abhorrence 3 bOr The instructors will cOr firmament]

5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river. ⁶And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” ⁷I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, aas he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a btime, btimes, and half a btime; and as soon as cthey finish shattering the dpower of the holy people, all these events will be completed. ⁸As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the eoutcome of these events?” ⁹He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. ¹⁰Many will be purged, fpurified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but gthose who have insight will understand. ¹¹From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the habomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. ¹²How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! ¹³But as for you, go your way to the iend; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the jage.” [7 aLit and bI.e. year(s) cLit to finish dLit hand 8 eOr final end 10 fLit made white gOr the instructors will 11 hOr horrible abomination 13 iI.e. end of your life jLit days]

HOSEA 1 [Books]

Hosea’s Wife and Children

1 The word of the LORD which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, aforsaking the LORD.” ³So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. ⁴And the LORD said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will bpunish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. ⁵On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.” [2 aLit from not following after 4 bLit visit the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu]

6 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And athe LORD said to him, “Name her bLo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them. ⁷But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the LORD their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen.” [6 aLit He bI.e. she has not obtained compassion]

8 When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son. ⁹And athe LORD said, “Name him bLo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not cyour God.” [9 aLit He bI.e. not my people cLit yours]

10 aYet the number of the sons of Israel

Will be like the sand of the sea,

Which cannot be measured or numbered;

And in the place

Where it is said to them,

“You are not My people,”

It will be said to them,

“You are the sons of the living God.” [aCh 2:1 in Heb]

¹¹And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together,

And they will appoint for themselves one leader,

And they will go up from the land,

For great will be the day of Jezreel.

HOSEA 2 [Books]

Israel’s Unfaithfulness Condemned

1 aSay to your brothers, “bAmmi,” and to your sisters, “cRuhamah.” [1 aCh 2:3 in Heb bI.e. my people cI.e. she has obtained compassion]

²“Contend with your mother, contend,

For she is not my wife, and I am not her husband;

And let her put away her harlotry from her face

And her adultery from between her breasts,

³Or I will strip her naked

And expose her as on the day when she was born.

I will also make her like a wilderness,

Make her like desert land

And slay her with thirst.

⁴“Also, I will have no compassion on her children,

Because they are children of harlotry.

⁵“For their mother has played the harlot;

She who conceived them has acted shamefully.

For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,

Who give me my bread and my water,

My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’

⁶“Therefore, behold, I will hedge up aher way with thorns,

And I will build ba wall against her so that she cannot find her paths. [aSo with some ancient versions; Heb your bLit her wall so that]

⁷“She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them;

And she will seek them, but will not find them.

Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband,

For it was better for me then than now!’

8 “For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine and the oil,

And lavished on her silver and gold,

Which they aused for Baal. [aOr made into the]

⁹“Therefore, I will take back My grain at aharvest time

And My new wine in its season.

I will also take away My wool and My flax

Given to cover her nakedness. [aLit its time]

¹⁰“And then I will uncover her lewdness

In the sight of her lovers,

And no one will rescue her out of My hand.

¹¹“I will also put an end to all her gaiety,

Her feasts, her new moons, her sabbaths

And all her festal assemblies.

¹²“I will destroy her vines and fig trees,

Of which she said, ‘These are my wages

Which my lovers have given me.’

And I will make them a forest,

And the beasts of the field will devour them.

¹³“I will punish her for the days of the Baals

When she used to aoffer sacrifices to them

And adorn herself with her bearrings and jewelry,

And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me,” declares the LORD. [aOr burn incense bOr nose rings]

Restoration of Israel

14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her,

Bring her into the wilderness

And speak akindly to her. [aLit upon her heart]

¹⁵“Then I will give her her vineyards from there,

And the valley of Achor as a door of hope.

And she will asing there as in the days of her youth,

As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. [aOr give answer]

¹⁶“It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD,

“That you will call Me aIshi

And will no longer call Me bBaali. [aI.e. my husband bI.e. my master, or my Baal]

¹⁷“For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth,

So that they will be amentioned by their names no more. [aOr remembered]

¹⁸“In that day I will also make a covenant for them

With the beasts of the field,

The birds of the sky

And the creeping things of the ground.

And I will aabolish the bow, the sword and war from the land,

And will make them lie down in safety. [aLit break]

¹⁹“I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,

In lovingkindness and in compassion,

²⁰And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.

Then you will know the LORD.

21 “It will come about in that day that I will respond,” declares the LORD.

“I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,

²²And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and to the oil,

And they will respond to aJezreel. [aI.e. God sows]

²³“I will sow her for Myself in the land.

I will also have compassion on aher who had not obtained compassion,

And I will say to bthose who were not My people,

‘You are My people!’

And cthey will say, ‘You are my God!’ ” [aHeb Lo-ruhamah bHeb Lo-ammi cLit he]

HOSEA 3 [Books]

Hosea’s Second Symbolic Marriage

1 Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a awoman who is loved by her bhusband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” ²So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a chalf of barley. ³Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a dman; so I will also be toward you.” ⁴For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or ehousehold idols. ⁵Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days. [1 aI.e. Gomer bLit companion 2 cHeb lethech 3 dOr husband 4 eHeb teraphim]

HOSEA 4 [Books]

God’s Controversy with Israel

1 Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel,

For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land,

Because there is no afaithfulness or bkindness

Or knowledge of God in the land. [aOr truth bOr loyalty]

²There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery.

They employ violence, so that bloodshed afollows bloodshed. [aLit touches]

³Therefore the land mourns,

And everyone who lives in it languishes

Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,

And also the fish of the sea adisappear. [aLit are taken away]

4 Yet let no one afind fault, and let none offer reproof;

For your people are like those who contend with the priest. [aLit contend]

⁵So you will stumble by day,

And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;

And I will destroy your mother.

⁶My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being My priest.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;

I will change their glory into shame.

⁸They feed on the asin of My people

And direct their desire toward their iniquity. [aOr sin offering]

⁹And it will be, like people, like priest;

So I will punish them for their ways

And repay them for their deeds.

¹⁰They will eat, but not have enough;

They will play the harlot, but not increase,

Because they have astopped giving heed to the LORD. [aLit forsaken giving heed; or forsaken the LORD to practice (v 11) harlotry]

11 Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the aunderstanding. [aLit heart]

¹²My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;

For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,

And they have played the harlot, departing afrom their God. [aLit from under]

¹³They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains

And aburn incense on the hills,

Under oak, poplar and terebinth,

Because their shade is pleasant.

Therefore your daughters play the harlot

And your bbrides commit adultery. [aOr offer sacrifices bOr daughters-in-law]

¹⁴I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot

Or your abrides when they commit adultery,

For the men themselves go apart with harlots

And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;

So the people without understanding are bruined. [aOr daughters-in-law bLit thrust down]

15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot,

Do not let Judah become guilty;

Also do not go to Gilgal,

Or go up to Beth-aven

And take the oath:

“As the LORD lives!”

¹⁶Since Israel is stubborn

Like a stubborn heifer,

aCan the LORD now pasture them

Like a lamb in a large field? [aOr Now the LORD will pasture...field]

¹⁷Ephraim is joined to idols;

Let him alone.

¹⁸Their liquor gone,

They play the harlot continually;

Their arulers dearly love shame. [aLit shields]

¹⁹The wind wraps them in its wings,

And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

HOSEA 5 [Books]

The People’s Apostasy Rebuked

1 Hear this, O priests!

Give heed, O house of Israel!

Listen, O house of the king!

For the judgment applies to you,

For you have been a snare at Mizpah

And a net spread out on Tabor.

²The revolters have agone deep in depravity,

But I will chastise all of them. [aOr waded deep in slaughter]

³I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;

For now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot,

Israel has defiled itself.

⁴Their deeds will not allow them

To return to their God.

For a spirit of harlotry is within them,

And they do not know the LORD.

⁵Moreover, the pride of Israel testifies against him,

And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;

Judah also has stumbled with them.

⁶They will go with their flocks and herds

To seek the LORD, but they will not find Him;

He has withdrawn from them.

⁷They have dealt treacherously against the LORD,

For they have borne aillegitimate children.

Now the new moon will devour them with their bland. [aLit strange bLit portions]

8 Blow the horn in Gibeah,

The trumpet in Ramah.

Sound an alarm at Beth-aven:

“Behind you, Benjamin!”

⁹Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke;

Among the tribes of Israel I declare what is sure.

¹⁰The princes of Judah have become like those who move a boundary;

On them I will pour out My wrath like water.

¹¹Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,

Because he was determined to afollow man’s command. [aOr with some ancient versions, follow nothingness]

¹²Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim

And like rottenness to the house of Judah.

¹³When Ephraim saw his sickness,

And Judah his awound,

Then Ephraim went to Assyria

And sent to bKing Jareb.

But he is unable to heal you,

Or to cure you of your awound. [aOr ulcer bOr the avenging king or the great king]

¹⁴For I will be like a lion to Ephraim

And like a young lion to the house of Judah.

I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away,

I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver.

¹⁵I will go away and return to My place

Until they aacknowledge their guilt and seek My face;

In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me. [aOr bear their punishment]

HOSEA 6 [Books]

The Response to God’s Rebuke

1 “Come, let us return to the LORD.

For He has torn us, but He will heal us;

He has awounded us, but He will bandage us. [aLit struck]

²“He will revive us after two days;

He will raise us up on the third day,

That we may live before Him.

³“So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.

His going forth is as certain as the dawn;

And He will come to us like the rain,

Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?

What shall I do with you, O Judah?

For your aloyalty is like a morning cloud

And like the dew which goes away early. [aOr lovingkindness]

⁵Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets;

I have slain them by the words of My mouth;

And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth.

⁶For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice,

And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

⁷But like aAdam they have transgressed the covenant;

There they have dealt treacherously against Me. [aOr men]

⁸Gilead is a city of wrongdoers,

Tracked with bloody footprints.

⁹And as raiders wait for a man,

So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem;

Surely they have committed acrime. [aOr lewdness]

¹⁰In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;

Ephraim’s harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself.

¹¹Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you,

When I restore the fortunes of My people.

HOSEA 7 [Books]

Ephraim’s Iniquity

1 When I would heal Israel,

The iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered,

And the evil deeds of Samaria,

For they deal falsely;

The thief enters in,

Bandits raid outside,

²And they do not aconsider in their hearts

That I remember all their wickedness.

Now their deeds are all around them;

They are before My face. [aLit say to their heart]

³With their wickedness they make the king glad,

And the princes with their lies.

⁴They are all adulterers,

Like an oven heated by the baker

Who ceases to stir up the fire

From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

⁵On the aday of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine;

He stretched out his hand with scoffers, [aI.e. a festive occasion]

⁶For their hearts are like an oven

As they approach their aplotting;

Their banger csmolders all night,

In the morning it burns like a flaming fire. [aLit ambush bSo with some ancient versions; M.T. baker cLit sleeps]

⁷All of them are hot like an oven,

And they consume their rulers;

All their kings have fallen.

None of them calls on Me.

8 Ephraim mixes himself with the anations;

Ephraim has become a cake not turned. [aLit peoples]

⁹Strangers devour his strength,

Yet he does not know it;

Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him,

Yet he does not know it.

¹⁰Though the pride of Israel testifies against him,

Yet they have not returned to the LORD their God,

Nor have they sought Him, for all this.

¹¹So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without asense;

They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. [aLit heart]

¹²When they go, I will spread My net over them;

I will bring them down like the birds of the sky.

I will chastise them in accordance with the aproclamation to their assembly. [aLit report]

¹³Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!

Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!

I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.

¹⁴And they do not cry to Me from their heart

When they wail on their beds;

For the sake of grain and new wine they aassemble themselves,

They turn away from Me. [aOr with Gr and many ancient mss gash themselves]

¹⁵Although I trained and strengthened their arms,

Yet they devise evil against Me.

¹⁶They turn, but not aupward,

They are like a deceitful bow;

Their princes will fall by the sword

Because of the binsolence of their tongue.

This will be their derision in the land of Egypt. [aOr possibly to the Most High bLit indignation; or cursing]

HOSEA 8 [Books]

Israel Reaps the Whirlwind

1 Put the trumpet to your alips!

Like an eagle the enemy comes against the house of the LORD,

Because they have transgressed My covenant

And rebelled against My law. [aLit palate]

²They cry out to Me,

“My God, we of Israel know You!”

³Israel has rejected the good;

The enemy will pursue him.

⁴They have set up kings, but not by Me;

They have appointed princes, but I did not know it.

With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves,

That athey might be cut off. [aLit he]

⁵aHe has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying,

“My anger burns against them!”

How long will they be incapable of innocence? [aOr Your calf has rejected you]

⁶For from Israel is even this!

A craftsman made it, so it is not God;

Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to apieces. [aOr splinters]

⁷For they sow the wind

And they reap the whirlwind.

The standing grain has no aheads;

It yields no bgrain.

Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up. [aLit growth bOr meal]

8 Israel is swallowed up;

They are now among the nations

Like a vessel in which no one delights.

⁹For they have gone up to Assyria,

Like a wild donkey all alone;

Ephraim has hired alovers. [aLit loves]

¹⁰Even though they hire allies among the nations,

Now I will gather them up;

And they will begin to adiminish

Because of the burden of the king of princes. [aOr suffer for awhile]

11 Since Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin,

They have become altars of sinning for him.

¹²Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law,

They are regarded as a strange thing.

¹³As for My sacrificial gifts,

They sacrifice the flesh and eat it,

But the LORD has taken no delight in them.

Now He will remember their iniquity,

And punish them for their sins;

They will return to Egypt.

¹⁴For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;

And Judah has multiplied fortified cities,

But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

HOSEA 9 [Books]

Ephraim Punished

1 Do not rejoice, O Israel, awith exultation like the bnations!

For you have played the harlot, cforsaking your God.

You have loved harlots’ earnings on devery threshing floor. [aLit to bLit peoples cLit away from your God dLit all threshing floors of grain]

²Threshing floor and wine press will not feed them,

And the new wine will fail athem. [aLit her]

³They will not remain in the LORD’S land,

But Ephraim will return to Egypt,

And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.

⁴They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the LORD,

Their sacrifices will not please Him.

Their bread will abe like bmourners’ bread;

All who eat of it will be defiled,

For their bread will be for cthemselves alone;

It will not enter the house of the LORD. [aLit be to them bOr bread of misfortune cLit their appetite]

⁵What will you do on the day of the appointed festival

And on the day of the feast of the LORD?

⁶For behold, they will go because of destruction;

Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them.

Weeds will take over their treasures of silver;

Thorns will be in their tents.

7 The days of punishment have come,

The days of retribution have come;

aLet Israel know this!

The prophet is a fool,

The binspired man is demented,

Because of the grossness of your iniquity,

And because your hostility is so great. [aOr Israel will know it bLit man of the spirit]

⁸Ephraim was a watchman with my God, a prophet;

Yet the snare of a bird catcher is in all his ways,

And there is only hostility in the house of his God.

⁹They have gone deep ain depravity

As in the days of Gibeah;

He will remember their iniquity,

He will punish their sins. [aLit they have corrupted]

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;

I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.

But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to ashame,

And they became as detestable as that which they loved. [aI.e. Baal]

¹¹As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird—

No birth, no pregnancy and no conception!

¹²Though they bring up their children,

Yet I will bereave them auntil not a man is left.

Yes, woe to them indeed when I depart from them! [aLit without a man]

¹³Ephraim, as I have seen,

Is planted in a pleasant meadow like Tyre;

But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

¹⁴Give them, O LORD—what will You give?

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their evil is at Gilgal;

Indeed, I came to hate them there!

Because of the wickedness of their deeds

I will drive them out of My house!

I will love them no more;

All their princes are rebels.

¹⁶Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,

They will bear no fruit.

Even though they bear children,

I will slay the precious ones of their womb.

¹⁷My God will cast them away

Because they have not listened to Him;

And they will be wanderers among the nations.

HOSEA 10 [Books]

Retribution for Israel’s Sin

1 Israel is a aluxuriant vine;

He produces fruit for himself.

The more his fruit,

The more altars he made;

The bricher his land,

The better che made the sacred pillars. [aOr degenerate bOr better cLit they]

²Their heart is afaithless;

Now they must bear their guilt.

bThe LORD will break down their altars

And destroy their sacred pillars. [aLit smooth bLit He]

3 Surely now they will say, “We have no king,

For we do not revere the LORD.

As for the king, what can he do for us?”

⁴They speak mere words,

aWith worthless oaths they make covenants;

And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. [aOr Swearing falsely in making a covenant]

⁵The inhabitants of Samaria will fear

For the acalf of Beth-aven.

Indeed, its people will mourn for it,

And its idolatrous priests bwill cry out over it,

Over its glory, since it has departed from it. [aSo with some ancient versions; Heb calves bOr who used to rejoice over]

⁶The thing itself will be carried to Assyria

As tribute to aKing Jareb;

Ephraim will bbe seized with shame

And Israel will be ashamed of its own counsel. [aOr the avenging king or the great king bLit receive shame]

⁷Samaria will be cut off with her king

Like a stick on the surface of the water.

⁸Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed;

Thorn and thistle will grow on their altars;

Then they will say to the mountains,

“Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”

⁹From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;

There they stand!

Will not the battle against the sons of iniquity overtake them in Gibeah?

¹⁰When it is My desire, I will achastise them;

And the peoples will be gathered against them

When they are bound for their double guilt. [aOr bind]

11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh,

But I will come over her fair neck with a yoke;

I will harness Ephraim,

Judah will plow, Jacob will harrow for himself.

¹²Sow with a view to righteousness,

Reap in accordance with akindness;

Break up your fallow ground,

For it is time to seek the LORD

Until He comes to brain righteousness on you. [aOr loyalty bOr teach]

¹³You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,

You have eaten the fruit of lies.

Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors,

¹⁴Therefore a tumult will arise among your people,

And all your fortresses will be destroyed,

As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,

When mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.

¹⁵Thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness.

At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off.

HOSEA 11 [Books]

God Yearns over His People

1 When Israel was a youth I loved him,

And out of Egypt I called My son.

²The more athey called them,

The more they went from athem;

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

And burning incense to idols. [aI.e. God’s prophets]

³Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,

aI took them in My arms;

But they did not know that I healed them. [aSo ancient versions; Heb He...His]

⁴I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,

And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;

And I bent down and fed them.

5 aThey will not return to the land of Egypt;

But Assyria—he will be btheir king

Because they refused to return to Me. [aLit He bLit his]

⁶The sword will whirl against atheir cities,

And will demolish atheir gate bars

And consume them because of their counsels. [aLit his]

⁷So My people are bent on turning from Me.

Though athey call bthem to the One on high,

None at all exalts Him. [aI.e. God’s prophets bLit him; i.e. Israel]

8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?

How can I surrender you, O Israel?

How can I amake you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart is turned over within Me,

bAll My compassions are kindled. [aLit give bLit Together]

⁹I will not execute My fierce anger;

I will not destroy Ephraim again.

For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst,

And I will not come in awrath. [aLit excitement]

¹⁰They will walk after the LORD,

He will roar like a lion;

Indeed He will roar

And His sons will come trembling from the west.

¹¹They will come trembling like birds from Egypt

And like doves from the land of Assyria;

And I will settle them in their houses, declares the LORD.

12 aEphraim surrounds Me with lies

And the house of Israel with deceit;

Judah is also unruly against God,

Even against the Holy One who is faithful. [aCh 12:1 in Heb]

HOSEA 12 [Books]

Ephraim Reminded

1 aEphraim feeds on wind,

And pursues the east wind continually;

He multiplies lies and violence.

Moreover, bhe makes a covenant with Assyria,

And oil is carried to Egypt. [aCh 12:2 in Heb bLit they make]

²The LORD also has a dispute with Judah,

And will punish Jacob according to his ways;

He will repay him according to his deeds.

³In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

And in his maturity he contended with God.

⁴Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;

He wept and sought His favor.

He found Him at Bethel

And there He spoke with us,

⁵Even the LORD, the God of hosts,

The LORD is His aname. [aLit memorial]

⁶Therefore, return to your God,

Observe akindness and justice,

And wait for your God continually. [aOr loyalty]

⁷A amerchant, in whose hands are false balances,

He loves to oppress. [aOr Canaanite]

⁸And Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors they will find in me

No iniquity, which would be sin.”

⁹But I have been the LORD your God since the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

As in the days of the appointed festival.

¹⁰I have also spoken to the prophets,

And I agave numerous visions,

And through the prophets I gave parables. [aLit multiplied the vision]

¹¹Is there iniquity in Gilead?

Surely they are worthless.

In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,

Yes, their altars are like the stone heaps

Beside the furrows of the field.

12 Now Jacob fled to the aland of Aram,

And Israel worked for a wife,

And for a wife he kept sheep. [aLit field]

¹³But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel from Egypt,

And by a prophet he was kept.

¹⁴Ephraim has provoked to bitter anger;

So his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him

And bring back his reproach to him.

HOSEA 13 [Books]

Ephraim’s Idolatry

1 When Ephraim aspoke, there was trembling.

He exalted himself in Israel,

But through Baal he bdid wrong and died. [aOr spoke with trembling bOr became guilty]

²And now they sin more and more,

And make for themselves molten images,

Idols askillfully made from their silver,

All of them the work of craftsmen.

They say of them, “Let the bmen who sacrifice kiss the calves!” [aOr according to their own understanding bLit sacrificers of or, (among) mankind]

³Therefore they will be like the morning cloud

And like dew which asoon disappears,

Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor

And like smoke from a bchimney. [aLit goes away early bLit window]

4 Yet I have been the LORD your God

Since the land of Egypt;

And you were not to know any god except Me,

For there is no savior besides Me.

⁵I acared for you in the wilderness,

In the land of drought. [aOr knew]

⁶As they had their pasture, they became satisfied,

And being satisfied, their heart became proud;

Therefore they forgot Me.

⁷So I will be like a lion to them;

Like a leopard I will alie in wait by the wayside. [aOr watch]

⁸I will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs,

And I will tear open atheir chests;

There I will also devour them like a lioness,

As a wild beast would tear them. [aLit the enclosure of their heart]

9 It is your destruction, O Israel,

aThat you are against Me, against your help. [aOr But in Me is your help]

¹⁰Where now is your king

That he may save you in all your cities,

And your judges of whom you arequested,

“Give me a king and princes”? [aLit said]

¹¹I gave you a king in My anger

And took him away in My wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;

His sin is stored up.

¹³The pains of childbirth come upon him;

He is not a wise son,

For ait is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb. [aLit it is the time that he should not tarry at the breaking forth of children]

¹⁴Shall I ransom them from the apower of Sheol?

Shall I redeem them from death?

O Death, where are your thorns?

O Sheol, where is your sting?

Compassion will be hidden from My sight. [aLit hand]

15 Though he flourishes among the areeds,

An east wind will come,

The wind of the LORD coming up from the wilderness;

And his fountain will become dry

And his spring will be dried up;

It will plunder his treasury of every precious article. [aOr brothers]

¹⁶aSamaria will be held guilty,

For she has rebelled against her God.

They will fall by the sword,

Their little ones will be dashed in pieces,

And their pregnant women will be ripped open. [aCh 14:1 in Heb]

HOSEA 14 [Books]

Israel’s Future Blessing

1 aReturn, O Israel, to the LORD your God,

For you have stumbled bbecause of your iniquity. [aCh 14:2 in Heb bOr in]

²Take words with you and return to the LORD.

Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity

And areceive us graciously,

That we may present bthe fruit of our lips. [aOr accept that which is good bSo with ancient versions; M.T. our lips as bulls]

³“Assyria will not save us,

We will not ride on horses;

Nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’

To the work of our hands;

For in You the aorphan finds mercy.” [aOr fatherless]

4 I will heal their apostasy,

I will love them freely,

For My anger has turned away from them.

⁵I will be like the dew to Israel;

He will blossom like the lily,

And he will atake root like the cedars of Lebanon. [aLit strike his roots]

⁶His shoots will asprout,

And his bbeauty will be like the olive tree

And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon. [aLit go bOr splendor]

⁷Those who live in his shadow

Will aagain raise grain,

And they will blossom like the vine.

His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. [aOr return, they will raise grain]

8 O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?

It is I who answer and look after ayou.

I am like a luxuriant cypress;

From Me comes your fruit. [aLit him]

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;

Whoever is discerning, let him know them.

For the ways of the LORD are right,

And the righteous will walk in them,

But transgressors will stumble in them.

JOEL 1 [Books]

The Devastation of Locusts

1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel:

²Hear this, O elders,

And listen, all inhabitants of the land.

Has anything like this happened in your days

Or in your fathers’ days?

³Tell your sons about it,

And let your sons tell their sons,

And their sons the next generation.

4 What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten;

And what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten;

And what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.

⁵Awake, drunkards, and weep;

And wail, all you wine drinkers,

On account of the sweet wine

That is cut off from your mouth.

⁶For a nation has ainvaded my land,

Mighty and without number;

Its teeth are the teeth of a lion,

And it has the fangs of a lioness. [aLit come up against]

⁷It has made my vine a waste

And my fig tree asplinters.

It has stripped them bare and cast them away;

Their branches have become white. [aOr a stump]

8 Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth

For the bridegroom of her youth.

⁹The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off

From the house of the LORD.

The priests mourn,

The ministers of the LORD.

¹⁰The field is ruined,

The land mourns;

For the grain is ruined,

The new wine dries up,

Fresh oil afails. [aLit wastes away]

¹¹aBe ashamed, O farmers,

Wail, O vinedressers,

For the wheat and the barley;

Because the harvest of the field is destroyed. [aOr The farmers are ashamed, The vinedressers wail]

¹²The vine dries up

And the fig tree afails;

The pomegranate, the palm also, and the bapple tree,

All the trees of the field dry up.

Indeed, rejoicing dries up

From the sons of men. [aLit wastes away bOr apricot]

13 Gird yourselves with sackcloth

And lament, O priests;

Wail, O ministers of the altar!

Come, spend the night in sackcloth

O ministers of my God,

For the grain offering and the drink offering

Are withheld from the house of your God.

Starvation and Drought

¹⁴Consecrate a fast,

Proclaim a solemn assembly;

Gather the elders

And all the inhabitants of the land

To the house of the LORD your God,

And cry out to the LORD.

¹⁵Alas for the day!

For the day of the LORD is near,

And it will come as destruction from the aAlmighty. [aHeb Shaddai]

¹⁶Has not food been cut off before our eyes,

Gladness and joy from the house of our God?

¹⁷The aseeds shrivel under their bclods;

The storehouses are desolate,

The barns are torn down,

For the grain is dried up. [aOr dried figs bOr shovels]

¹⁸How the beasts groan!

The herds of cattle wander aimlessly

Because there is no pasture for them;

Even the flocks of sheep asuffer. [aLit bear punishment]

¹⁹To You, O LORD, I cry;

For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness

And the flame has burned up all the trees of the field.

²⁰Even the beasts of the field apant for You;

For the water brooks are dried up

And fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. [aLit long for]

JOEL 2 [Books]

The Terrible Visitation

1 Blow a trumpet in Zion,

And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,

For the day of the LORD is coming;

Surely it is near,

²A day of darkness and gloom,

A day of clouds and thick darkness.

As the dawn is spread over the mountains,

So there is a great and mighty people;

There has never been anything like it,

Nor will there be again after it

To the years of many generations.

³A fire consumes before them

And behind them a flame burns.

The land is like the garden of Eden before them

But a desolate wilderness behind them,

And nothing at all escapes them.

⁴Their appearance is like the appearance of horses;

And like war horses, so they run.

⁵aWith a noise as of chariots

They leap on the tops of the mountains,

Like the bcrackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble,

Like a mighty people arranged for battle. [aLit Like the noise of chariots bLit noise]

⁶Before them the people are in anguish;

All faces aturn pale. [aOr become flushed]

⁷They run like mighty men,

They climb the wall like soldiers;

And they each march ain line,

Nor do they deviate from their paths. [aLit in his ways]

⁸They do not crowd each other,

They march everyone in his path;

When they aburst through the bdefenses,

They do not break ranks. [aLit fall bLit weapon, probably javelin]

⁹They rush on the city,

They run on the wall;

They climb into the houses,

They enter through the windows like a thief.

¹⁰Before them the earth quakes,

The heavens tremble,

The sun and the moon grow dark

And the stars lose their brightness.

¹¹The LORD utters His voice before His army;

Surely His camp is very great,

For strong is he who carries out His word.

The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome,

And who can endure it?

¹²“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,

“Return to Me with all your heart,

And with fasting, weeping and mourning;

¹³And rend your heart and not your garments.”

Now return to the LORD your God,

For He is gracious and compassionate,

Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness

And relenting of evil.

¹⁴Who knows whether He will not turn and relent

And leave a blessing behind Him,

Even a grain offering and a drink offering

For the LORD your God?

¹⁵Blow a trumpet in Zion,

Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,

¹⁶Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,

Assemble the elders,

Gather the children and the nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom come out of his room

And the bride out of her bridal chamber.

¹⁷Let the priests, the LORD’S ministers,

Weep between the porch and the altar,

And let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD,

And do not make Your inheritance a reproach,

A byword among the nations.

Why should they among the peoples say,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

Deliverance Promised

18 Then the LORD awill be zealous for His land

And bwill have pity on His people. [aOr was zealous bOr had pity]

¹⁹The LORD awill answer and say to His people,

“Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine and oil,

And you will be satisfied in full with bthem;

And I will never again make you a reproach among the nations. [aOr answered and said bLit it]

²⁰“But I will remove the northern army far from you,

And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land,

And its vanguard into the eastern sea,

And its rear guard into the western sea.

And its stench will arise and its foul smell will come up,

For it has done great things.”

21 Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad,

For the LORD has done great things.

²²Do not fear, beasts of the field,

For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green,

For the tree has borne its fruit,

The fig tree and the vine have yielded ain full. [aLit their wealth]

²³So rejoice, O sons of Zion,

And be glad in the LORD your God;

For He has given you athe early rain for your vindication.

And He has poured down for you the rain,

The bearly and clatter rain das before. [aI.e. autumn; or possibly the teacher for righteousness bI.e. autumn cI.e. spring dSo with ancient versions; Heb in the first]

²⁴The threshing floors will be full of grain,

And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.

²⁵“Then I will make up to you for the years

That the swarming locust has eaten,

The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust,

My great army which I sent among you.

²⁶“You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied

And praise the name of the LORD your God,

Who has dealt wondrously with you;

Then My people will never be put to shame.

²⁷“Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,

And that I am the LORD your God,

And there is no other;

And My people will never be put to shame.

The Promise of the Spirit

28 “aIt will come about after this

That I will pour out My Spirit on all bmankind;

And your sons and daughters will prophesy,

Your old men will dream dreams,

Your young men will see visions. [aCh 3:1 in Heb bLit flesh]

²⁹“Even on the male and female servants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

The Day of the LORD

³⁰“I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,

Blood, fire and columns of smoke.

³¹“The sun will be turned into darkness

And the moon into blood

Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

³²“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD

Will be delivered;

For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem

There will be those who escape,

As the LORD has said,

Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.

JOEL 3 [Books]

The Nations Will Be Judged

1 “aFor behold, in those days and at that time,

When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, [aCh 4:1 in Heb]

²I will gather all the nations

And bring them down to the valley of aJehoshaphat.

Then I will enter into judgment with them there

On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel,

Whom they have scattered among the nations;

And they have divided up My land. [aI.e. YHWH judges]

³“They have also cast lots for My people,

aTraded a boy for a harlot

And sold a girl for wine that they may drink.

⁴Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head. ⁵Since you have taken My silver and My gold, brought My precious btreasures to your temples, ⁶and sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the cGreeks in order to remove them far from their territory, ⁷behold, I am going to arouse them from the place where you have sold them, and return your recompense on your head. ⁸Also I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation,” for the LORD has spoken. [3 aLit Given 5 bLit goodly things 6 cLit sons of Javan]

9 Proclaim this among the nations:

Prepare a war; rouse the mighty men!

Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up!

¹⁰Beat your plowshares into swords

And your pruning hooks into spears;

Let the weak say, “I am a mighty man.”

¹¹aHasten and come, all you surrounding nations,

And gather yourselves there.

Bring down, O LORD, Your mighty ones. [aOr Lend aid]

¹²Let the nations be aroused

And come up to the valley of aJehoshaphat,

For there I will sit to judge

All the surrounding nations. [aI.e. YHWH judges]

¹³Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.

Come, tread, for the wine press is full;

The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.

¹⁴Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of adecision!

For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of adecision. [aI.e. God’s verdict]

¹⁵The sun and moon grow dark

And the stars lose their brightness.

¹⁶The LORD roars from Zion

And utters His voice from Jerusalem,

And the heavens and the earth tremble.

But the LORD is a refuge for His people

And a stronghold to the sons of Israel.

¹⁷Then you will know that I am the LORD your God,

Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.

So Jerusalem will be holy,

And strangers will pass through it no more.

Judah Will Be Blessed

18 And in that day

The mountains will drip with asweet wine,

And the hills will flow with milk,

And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water;

And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD

To water the valley of bShittim. [aLit freshly pressed out grape juice bOr acacias]

¹⁹Egypt will become a waste,

And Edom will become a desolate wilderness,

Because of the violence adone to the sons of Judah,

In whose land they have shed innocent blood. [aLit of the sons]

²⁰But Judah will be inhabited forever

And Jerusalem for all generations.

²¹And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged,

For the LORD dwells in Zion.

AMOS 1 [Books]

Judgment on Neighbor Nations

1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he aenvisioned in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. [1 aLit saw concerning]

²He said,

“The LORD roars from Zion

And from Jerusalem He utters His voice;

And the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn,

And the asummit of Carmel dries up.” [aLit head]

3 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Damascus and for four

I will not arevoke its punishment,

Because they threshed Gilead with implements of sharp iron. [aLit cause it to turn back, and so throughout the ch]

⁴“So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael

And it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.

⁵“I will also break the gate bar of Damascus,

And cut off the inhabitant from the avalley of Aven,

And him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden;

So the people of Aram will go exiled to Kir,”

Says the LORD. [aPossibly, Baalbek]

6 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Gaza and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because they deported an entire population

To deliver it up to Edom.

⁷“So I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza

And it will consume her citadels.

⁸“I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,

And him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;

I will even aunleash My bpower upon Ekron,

And the remnant of the Philistines will perish,”

Says the Lord cGOD. [aLit cause to return bLit hand cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

9 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Tyre and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because they delivered up an entire population to Edom

And did not remember the covenant of abrotherhood. [aLit brothers]

¹⁰“So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre

And it will consume her citadels.”

11 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Edom and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because he pursued his brother with the sword,

While he astifled his compassion;

His anger also tore continually,

And he maintained his fury forever. [aLit corrupted]

¹²“So I will send fire upon Teman

And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.”

13 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead

In order to enlarge their borders.

¹⁴“So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah

And it will consume her citadels

Amid awar cries on the day of battle,

And a storm on the day of tempest. [aOr shouts]

¹⁵“Their king will go into exile,

He and his princes together,” says the LORD.

AMOS 2 [Books]

Judgment on Judah and Israel

1 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Moab and for four

I will not arevoke its punishment,

Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. [1 aLit cause it to turn back, and so throughout the ch]

²“So I will send fire upon Moab

And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth;

And Moab will die amid tumult,

With awar cries and the sound of a trumpet. [aOr shouts]

³“I will also cut off the ajudge from her midst

And slay all her princes with him,” says the LORD. [aOr executive officer]

4 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Judah and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because they rejected the law of the LORD

And have not kept His statutes;

Their alies also have led them astray,

Those after which their fathers walked. [aOr false gods]

⁵“So I will send fire upon Judah

And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

6 Thus says the LORD,

“For three transgressions of Israel and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because they sell the righteous for money

And the needy for a pair of sandals.

⁷“These who apant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless

Also turn aside the way of the humble;

And a man and his father bresort to the same cgirl

In order to profane My holy name. [aOr trample or, snap at the head of the helpless on the dust bLit go cPossibly a harlot, or a temple prostitute]

⁸“On garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every altar,

And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,

aThough his height was like the height of cedars

And he was strong as the oaks;

I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below. [aLit Whose height]

¹⁰“It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,

And I led you in the wilderness forty years

aThat you might take possession of the land of the Amorite. [aLit To possess]

¹¹“Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets

And some of your young men to be Nazirites.

Is this not so, O sons of Israel?” declares the LORD.

¹²“But you made the Nazirites drink wine,

And you commanded the prophets saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’

¹³“Behold, I am aweighted down beneath you

As a wagon bis weighted down when filled with sheaves. [aOr tottering bOr totters]

¹⁴“aFlight will perish from the swift,

And the stalwart will not strengthen his power,

Nor the mighty man save his blife. [aOr A place of refuge bLit soul]

¹⁵“He who grasps the bow will not stand his ground,

The swift of foot will not escape,

Nor will he who rides the horse save his alife. [aLit soul]

¹⁶“Even the abravest among the warriors will flee naked in that day,” declares the LORD. [aLit stout of heart]

AMOS 3 [Books]

All the Tribes Are Guilty

1 Hear this word which the LORD has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire afamily which bHe brought up from the land of Egypt: [1 aI.e. nation bLit I]

²“You only have I achosen among all the families of the earth;

Therefore I will bpunish you for all your iniquities.” [aLit known bLit visit]

³Do two men walk together unless they have made an aappointment? [aOr agreement]

⁴Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?

Does a young lion agrowl from his den unless he has captured something? [aLit give his voice]

⁵Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no abait in it?

Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all? [aOr striker-bar set]

⁶If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?

If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?

⁷aSurely the Lord bGOD does nothing

Unless He reveals His secret counsel

To His servants the prophets. [aOr For bHeb YHWH]

⁸A lion has roared! Who will not fear?

The Lord aGOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy? [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great tumults within her and the oppressions in her midst. ¹⁰But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the LORD, “these who hoard up aviolence and devastation in their citadels.” [10 aI.e. the booty from violence]

11 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,

“An enemy, even one surrounding the land,

Will pull down your astrength from you

And your citadels will be looted.”

¹²Thus says the LORD,

“Just as the shepherd bsnatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,

So will the sons of Israel dwelling in Samaria be csnatched away—

With the corner of a bed and the dcover of a couch! [11 aOr stronghold 12 bOr delivers cOr delivered dLit damask]

¹³“Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”

Declares the Lord GOD, the God of hosts.

¹⁴“For on the day that I punish Israel’s transgressions,

I will also punish the altars of Bethel;

The horns of the altar will be cut off

And they will fall to the ground.

¹⁵“I will also smite the awinter house together with the summer house;

The houses of bivory will also perish

And the great houses will come to an end,”

Declares the LORD. [aOr autumn bI.e. ivory inlay]

AMOS 4 [Books]

“Yet You Have Not Returned to Me”

1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,

Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,

Who say to ayour husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!” [aLit their lords]

²The Lord aGOD has sworn by His holiness,

“Behold, the days are coming upon you

When bthey will take you away with meat hooks,

And the last of you with fish hooks. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bLit he]

³“You will go out through breaches in the walls,

Each one straight before her,

And you awill be cast to Harmon,” declares the LORD. [aSo Gr; M.T. reads will cast]

4 “Enter Bethel and transgress;

In Gilgal multiply transgression!

Bring your sacrifices every morning,

Your tithes every three days.

⁵“aOffer a thank offering also from that which is leavened,

And proclaim freewill offerings, make them known.

For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,”

Declares the Lord GOD. [aLit Offer up in smoke]

6 “But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities

And lack of bread in all your places,

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

⁷“Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you

While there were still three months until harvest.

Then I would send rain on one city

And on another city I would not send rain;

One part would be rained on,

While the part not rained on would dry up.

⁸“So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water,

But would not be satisfied;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

⁹“I smote you with scorching wind and mildew;

And the caterpillar was devouring

Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

¹⁰“I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt;

I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses,

And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

¹¹“I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

¹²“Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;

Because I will do this to you,

Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”

¹³For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind

And declares to man what are His thoughts,

He who makes dawn into darkness

And treads on the high places of the earth,

The LORD God of hosts is His name.

AMOS 5 [Books]

“Seek Me that You May Live”

1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel:

²She has fallen, she will not rise again—

The virgin Israel.

She lies neglected on her land;

There is none to raise her up.

³For thus says the Lord aGOD,

“The city which goes forth a thousand strong

Will have a hundred left,

And the one which goes forth a hundred strong

Will have ten left to the house of Israel.” [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel,

“Seek Me that you may live.

⁵“But do not aresort to Bethel

And do not come to Gilgal,

Nor cross over to Beersheba;

For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity

And Bethel will bcome to trouble. [aLit seek bOr become iniquity]

⁶“Seek the LORD that you may live,

Or He will break forth like a fire, aO house of Joseph,

And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel, [aOr in the house]

⁷For those who turn justice into wormwood

And acast righteousness down to the earth.” [aLit they have put down]

8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion

And changes deep darkness into morning,

aWho also darkens day into night,

Who calls for the waters of the sea

And pours them out on the surface of the earth,

The LORD is His name. [aLit And He darkened]

⁹It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong,

So that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10 They hate him who reproves in the agate,

And they abhor him who speaks with integrity. [aI.e. the place where court was held]

¹¹Therefore because you aimpose heavy rent on the poor

And exact a tribute of grain from them,

Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone,

Yet you will not live in them;

You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. [aAnother reading is trample upon]

¹²For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great,

You who distress the righteous and accept bribes

And aturn aside the poor in the bgate. [aLit they turn bI.e. the place where court was held]

¹³Therefore at asuch a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time. [aLit that time]

14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live;

And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you,

Just as you have said!

¹⁵Hate evil, love good,

And establish justice in the agate!

Perhaps the LORD God of hosts

May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. [aI.e. the place where court was held]

16 Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord,

“There is wailing in all the plazas,

And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’

They also call the farmer to mourning

And aprofessional mourners to lamentation. [16 aLit those who know lamentation]

¹⁷“And in all the vineyards there is wailing,

Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the LORD.

18 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD,

For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you?

It will be darkness and not light;

¹⁹As when a man flees from a lion

And a bear meets him,

aOr goes home, leans his hand against the wall

And a snake bites him. [aOr Then]

²⁰Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light,

Even gloom with no brightness in it?

21 “I hate, I reject your festivals,

Nor do I adelight in your solemn assemblies. [aLit like to smell]

²²“Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.

²³“Take away from Me the noise of your songs;

I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

²⁴“But let justice roll down like waters

And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25 “aDid you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? ²⁶You also carried along bSikkuth your king and cKiyyun, your images, dthe star of your gods which you made for yourselves. ²⁷Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts. [25 aOr You presented Me with the sacrifices and a grain offering 26 bOr Sakkuth (Saturn) or shrine of your Moloch cOr Kaiwan (Saturn) or stands of dOr your star gods]

AMOS 6 [Books]

“Those at Ease in Zion”

1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion

And to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria,

The distinguished men of the foremost of nations,

To whom the house of Israel comes.

²Go over to Calneh and look,

And go from there to Hamath the great,

Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.

Are athey better than these kingdoms,

Or is their territory greater than yours? [aOr you]

³Do you put off the day of calamity,

And would you bring near the seat of violence?

4 Those who recline on beds of ivory

And sprawl on their couches,

And eat lambs from the flock

And calves from the midst of the stall,

⁵Who improvise to the sound of the harp,

And like David have acomposed songs for themselves, [aOr invented musical instruments]

⁶Who drink wine from asacrificial bowls

While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils,

Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. [aLit sprinkling basins]

⁷Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles,

And the sprawlers’ abanqueting will bpass away. [aOr cultic feasts bLit turn aside]

8 The Lord aGOD has sworn by Himself, the LORD God of hosts has declared:

“I loathe the arrogance of Jacob,

And bdetest his citadels;

Therefore I will deliver up the city and call it contains.”

⁹And it will be, if ten men are left in one house, they will die. ¹⁰Then one’s duncle, or his eundertaker, will lift him up to carry out his bones from the house, and he will say to the one who is in the innermost part of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will fanswer, “Keep quiet. For gthe name of the LORD is not to be mentioned.” ¹¹For behold, the LORD is going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces and the small house to fragments. [8 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD bLit hate cLit its fullness 10 dOr beloved one eLit one who burns him fLit say gLit not to make mention of the name of]

12 Do horses run on rocks?

Or does one plow athem with oxen?

Yet you have turned justice into poison

And the fruit of righteousness into bwormwood, [aAnother reading is the sea with oxen bI.e. bitterness]

¹³You who rejoice in aLodebar,

bAnd say, “Have we not by our own strength taken cKarnaim for ourselves?” [aLit a thing of nothing bLit Who cLit a pair of horns]

¹⁴“For behold, I am going to raise up a nation against you,

O house of Israel,” declares the LORD God of hosts,

“And they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath

To the brook of the Arabah.”

AMOS 7 [Books]

Warning Through Visions

1 Thus the Lord aGOD showed me, and behold, He was forming a locust-swarm bwhen the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s cmowing. ²And it came about, dwhen it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said,

“Lord GOD, please pardon!

eHow can Jacob stand,

For he is small?” [1 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch bLit at the beginning of the coming up of cOr shearings 2 dLit if eLit As who]

³The LORD achanged His mind about this.

“It shall not be,” said the LORD. [aOr relented]

4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the afarm land. ⁵Then I said,

“Lord GOD, please stop!

How can Jacob stand, for he is small?” [4 aLit portion]

⁶The LORD achanged His mind about this.

“This too shall not be,” said the Lord GOD. [aOr relented]

7 Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing aby a bvertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. ⁸The LORD said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

“Behold I am about to put a plumb line

In the midst of My people Israel.

I will cspare them no longer. [7 aOr upon bLit wall of a plumb line 8 cLit pass him by]

⁹“The high places of Isaac will be desolated

And the sanctuaries of Israel laid waste.

Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

Amos Accused, Answers

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. ¹¹For thus Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’ ” ¹²Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah and there eat bread and there do your prophesying! ¹³But no longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal aresidence.” [13 aLit house]

14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a agrower of sycamore figs. ¹⁵But the LORD took me from bfollowing the flock and the LORD said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’ ¹⁶Now hear the word of the LORD: you are saying, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you cspeak against the house of Isaac.’ ¹⁷Therefore, thus says the LORD, ‘Your wife will become a harlot in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line and you yourself will die dupon unclean soil. Moreover, Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’ ” [14 aOr nipper 15 bLit behind 16 cLit flow 17 dOr in an unclean land]

AMOS 8 [Books]

Basket of Fruit and Israel’s Captivity

1 Thus the Lord aGOD showed me, and behold, there was a basket of summer fruit. ²He said, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the LORD said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel. I will bspare them no longer. ³cThe songs of the palace will turn to wailing in that day,” declares the Lord GOD. “Many will be the corpses; in every place dthey will cast them forth ein silence.” [1 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch 2 bLit pass him by 3 cOr They will howl the palace songs dLit he has thrown eOr hush!]

4 Hear this, you who atrample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, ⁵saying,

“When will the new moon bbe over,

So that we may sell grain,

And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market,

To make the cbushel smaller and the shekel bigger,

And to cheat with ddishonest scales, [4 aOr snap at 5 bLit pass by cLit ephah dLit balances of deception]

⁶So as to buy the helpless for amoney

And the needy for a pair of sandals,

And that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?” [aLit silver]

7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob,

“Indeed, I will never forget any of their deeds.

⁸“Because of this will not the land quake

And everyone who dwells in it mourn?

Indeed, all of it will rise up like the Nile,

And it will be tossed about

And subside like the Nile of Egypt.

⁹“It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord GOD,

“That I will make the sun go down at noon

And make the earth dark in abroad daylight. [aLit a day of light]

¹⁰“Then I will turn your festivals into mourning

And all your songs into alamentation;

And I will bring sackcloth on everyone’s loins

And baldness on every head.

And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son,

And the end of it will be like a bitter day. [aOr a dirge]

11 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD,

“When I will send a famine on the land,

Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water,

But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.

¹²“People will stagger from sea to sea

And from the north even to the east;

They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD,

But they will not find it.

¹³“In that day the beautiful virgins

And the young men will faint from thirst.

¹⁴“As for those who swear by the aguilt of Samaria,

Who say, ‘As your god lives, O Dan,’

And, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives,’

They will fall and not rise again.” [aOr Ashimah]

AMOS 9 [Books]

God’s Judgment Unavoidable

1 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said,

“Smite the capitals so that the thresholds will shake,

And break them on the heads of them all!

Then I will slay the rest of them with the sword;

They will not have a fugitive who will flee,

Or a refugee who will escape.

²“Though they dig into Sheol,

From there will My hand take them;

And though they ascend to heaven,

From there will I bring them down.

³“Though they hide on the summit of Carmel,

I will search them out and take them from there;

And though they conceal themselves from My sight on the floor of the sea,

From there I will command the serpent and it will bite them.

⁴“And though they go into captivity before their enemies,

From there I will command the sword that it slay them,

And I will set My eyes against them for evil and not for good.”

5 The Lord aGOD of hosts,

The One who touches the land so that it melts,

And all those who dwell in it mourn,

And all of it rises up like the Nile

And subsides like the Nile of Egypt; [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch]

⁶The One who builds His aupper chambers in the heavens

And has founded His vaulted dome over the earth,

He who calls for the waters of the sea

And pours them out on the face of the earth,

The LORD is His name. [aOr stairs]

7 “Are you not as the sons of Ethiopia to Me,

O sons of Israel?” declares the LORD.

“Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt,

And the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?

⁸“Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom,

And I will destroy it from the face of the earth;

Nevertheless, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob,”

Declares the LORD.

⁹“For behold, I am commanding,

And I will shake the house of Israel among all nations

As grain is shaken in a sieve,

But not a akernel will fall to the ground. [aOr pebble]

¹⁰“All the sinners of My people will die by the sword,

Those who say, ‘The calamity will not overtake or confront us.’

The Restoration of Israel

11 “In that day I will raise up the fallen abooth of David,

And wall up its breaches;

I will also raise up its ruins

And rebuild it as in the days of old; [aOr shelter or tabernacle]

¹²That they may possess the remnant of Edom

And all the anations who are called by My name,”

Declares the LORD who does this. [aOr Gentiles]

13 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD,

“When the plowman will overtake the reaper

And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;

When the mountains will drip sweet wine

And all the hills will be dissolved.

¹⁴“Also I will restore the acaptivity of My people Israel,

And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them;

They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine,

And make gardens and eat their fruit. [aOr fortunes]

¹⁵“I will also plant them on their land,

And they will not again be rooted out from their land

Which I have given them,”

Says the LORD your God.

OBADIAH 1 [Books]

Edom Will Be Humbled

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord aGOD concerning Edom—

We have heard a report from the LORD,

And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying,

“Arise and let us go against her for battle”— [1 aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

²“Behold, I will make you small among the nations;

You are greatly despised.

³“The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,

You who live in the clefts of athe rock,

In the loftiness of your dwelling place,

Who say in your heart,

‘Who will bring me down to earth?’ [aOr Sela]

⁴“Though you build high like the eagle,

Though you set your nest among the stars,

From there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.

⁵“If thieves came to you,

If arobbers by night—

O how you will be ruined!—

Would they not steal only buntil they had enough?

If grape gatherers came to you,

Would they not leave some gleanings? [aLit devastators of the night bLit their sufficiency]

⁶“O how Esau will be ransacked,

And his hidden treasures searched out!

⁷“All the men aallied with you

Will send you forth to the border,

And the men at peace with you

Will deceive you and overpower you.

They who eat your bread

Will set an ambush for you.

(There is no understanding bin him.) [aLit of your covenant bI.e. in Esau; or of it]

⁸“Will I not on that day,” declares the LORD,

“Destroy wise men from Edom

And understanding from the mountain of Esau?

⁹“Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman,

So that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.

10 “Because of violence to your brother Jacob,

aYou will be covered with shame,

And you will be cut off forever. [aLit Shame will cover you]

¹¹“On the day that you stood aloof,

On the day that strangers carried off his wealth,

And foreigners entered his gate

And cast lots for Jerusalem—

You too were as one of them.

¹²“Do not agloat over your brother’s day,

The day of his misfortune.

And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah

In the day of their destruction;

Yes, do not bboast

In the day of their distress. [aLit look on bLit make your mouth large]

¹³“Do not enter the gate of My people

In the day of their disaster.

Yes, you, do not agloat over their calamity

In the day of their disaster.

And do not loot their wealth

In the day of their disaster. [aLit look on]

¹⁴“Do not stand at the fork of the road

To cut down their fugitives;

And do not imprison their survivors

In the day of their distress.

The Day of the LORD and the Future

15 “For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations.

As you have done, it will be done to you.

Your dealings will return on your own head.

¹⁶“Because just as you drank on My holy mountain,

All the nations will drink continually.

They will drink and aswallow

And become as if they had never existed. [aOr stagger]

¹⁷“But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape,

And it will be holy.

And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.

¹⁸“Then the house of Jacob will be a fire

And the house of Joseph a flame;

But the house of Esau will be as stubble.

And they will set athem on fire and consume athem,

So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau,”

For the LORD has spoken. [aI.e. the people of Esau]

¹⁹Then those of the aNegev will possess the mountain of Esau,

And those of the bShephelah the Philistine plain;

Also, possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria,

And Benjamin will possess Gilead. [aI.e. South country bI.e. the foothills]

²⁰And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel,

Who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,

And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

Will possess the cities of the Negev.

²¹The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion

To judge the mountain of Esau,

And the kingdom will be the LORD’S.

JONAH 1 [Books]

Jonah’s Disobedience

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, ²“Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” ³But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to abreak up. ⁵Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the bcargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it cfor them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. ⁶So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.” [4 aLit be broken 5 bLit vessels cLit from upon them]

7 Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may alearn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. ⁸Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” ⁹He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.” [7 aLit know]

10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “aHow could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. ¹¹So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm bfor us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. ¹²He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm cfor you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” ¹³However, the men drowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. ¹⁴Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased.” [10 aLit What is this you have done 11 bLit from upon us 12 cLit from upon you 13 dLit dug their oars into the water]

15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. ¹⁶Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

17 aAnd the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. [17 aCh 2:1 in Heb]

JONAH 2 [Books]

Jonah’s Prayer

1 aThen Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, ²and he said,

“I called out of my distress to the LORD,

And He answered me.

I cried for help from the bdepth of Sheol;

You heard my voice. [1 aCh 2:2 in Heb 2 bLit belly]

³“For You had cast me into the deep,

Into the heart of the seas,

And the current aengulfed me.

All Your breakers and billows passed over me. [aLit surrounded]

⁴“So I said, ‘I have been expelled from aYour sight.

Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ [aLit before Your eyes]

⁵“Water encompassed me to the apoint of death.

The great deep bengulfed me,

Weeds were wrapped around my head. [aLit soul bLit surrounded]

⁶“I descended to the roots of the mountains.

The earth with its bars was around me forever,

But You have brought up my life from athe pit, O LORD my God. [aOr corruption]

⁷“While aI was fainting away,

I remembered the LORD,

And my prayer came to You,

Into Your holy temple. [aLit my soul...within me]

⁸“Those who regard avain idols

Forsake their faithfulness, [aLit empty vanities]

⁹But I will sacrifice to You

With the voice of thanksgiving.

That which I have vowed I will pay.

Salvation is from the LORD.”

10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

JONAH 3 [Books]

Nineveh Repents

1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, ²“Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” ³So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was aan exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. ⁴Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” [3 aLit a great city to God]

5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. ⁶When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the aashes. ⁷He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. ⁸But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let bmen call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in chis hands. ⁹Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” [6 aOr dust 8 bLit them cLit their]

10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would abring upon them. And He did not do it. [10 aLit do]

JONAH 4 [Books]

Jonah’s Displeasure Rebuked

1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. ²He prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this awhat I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore bin order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. ³Therefore now, O LORD, please take my clife from me, for death is better to me than life.” ⁴The LORD said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?” [2 aLit my word bLit I was beforehand in fleeing 3 cLit soul]

5 Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of ait. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. ⁶So the LORD God appointed a bplant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was cextremely happy about the bplant. ⁷But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. ⁸When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.” [5 aLit the city 6 bProbably a castor oil plant, and so in vv 7, 9 and 10 cLit greatly]

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” ¹⁰Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which acame up overnight and perished bovernight. ¹¹Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?” [10 aLit was a son of a night bLit a son of a night]

MICAH 1 [Books]

Destruction in Israel and Judah

1 The word of the LORD which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

²Hear, O peoples, all of ayou;

Listen, O earth and ball it contains,

And let the Lord cGOD be a witness against you,

The Lord from His holy temple. [aLit them bLit its fullness cHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

³For behold, the LORD is coming forth from His place.

He will come down and tread on the high places of the aearth. [aOr land]

⁴The mountains will melt under Him

And the valleys will be split,

Like wax before the fire,

Like water poured down a steep place.

⁵All this is for the rebellion of Jacob

And for the sins of the house of Israel.

What is the rebellion of Jacob?

Is it not Samaria?

What is the high aplace of Judah?

Is it not Jerusalem? [aLit places]

⁶For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins ain the open country,

Planting places for a vineyard.

I will pour her stones down into the valley

And will lay bare her foundations. [aLit of the field]

⁷All of her idols will be smashed,

All of her earnings will be burned with fire

And all of her images I will make desolate,

For she collected them from a harlot’s earnings,

And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.

8 Because of this I must lament and wail,

I must go barefoot and naked;

I must make a lament like the jackals

And a mourning like the ostriches.

⁹For her awound is incurable,

For it has come to Judah;

It has reached the gate of my people,

Even to Jerusalem. [aLit wounds]

¹⁰Tell it not in Gath,

Weep not at all.

At aBeth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust. [aI.e. house of dust]

¹¹aGo on your way, inhabitant of bShaphir, in shameful nakedness.

The inhabitant of cZaanan does not descape.

The lamentation of eBeth-ezel: “He will take from you its fsupport.” [aI.e. Go into captivity bI.e. pleasantness cI.e. going out dLit go out eI.e. house of removal fLit standing place]

¹²For the inhabitant of aMaroth

Becomes weak waiting for good,

Because a calamity has come down from the LORD

To the gate of Jerusalem. [aI.e. bitterness]

¹³Harness the chariot to the team of horses,

O inhabitant of Lachish—

She was the beginning of sin

To the daughter of Zion—

Because in you were found

The rebellious acts of Israel.

¹⁴Therefore you will give parting gifts

On behalf of Moresheth-gath;

The houses of Achzib will become a deception

To the kings of Israel.

¹⁵Moreover, I will bring on you

The one who takes possession,

O inhabitant of aMareshah.

The glory of Israel will enter Adullam. [aI.e. possession]

¹⁶Make yourself bald and cut off your hair,

Because of the children of your delight;

Extend your baldness like the eagle,

For they will go from you into exile.

MICAH 2 [Books]

Woe to Oppressors

1 Woe to those who scheme iniquity,

Who work out evil on their beds!

aWhen morning comes, they do it,

For it is in the power of their hands. [aLit In the light of the morning]

²They covet fields and then seize them,

And houses, and take them away.

They arob a man and his house,

A man and his inheritance.

³Therefore thus says the LORD,

“Behold, I am planning against this family a calamity

From which you cannot remove your necks;

And you will not walk haughtily,

For it will be an evil time. [aLit oppress]

⁴“On that day they will take up against you a ataunt

And butter a bitter lamentation and say,

‘We are completely destroyed!

He exchanges the portion of my people;

How He removes it from me!

To the apostate He apportions our fields.’ [aOr proverb bLit lament]

⁵“Therefore you will have no one astretching a measuring line

For you by lot in the assembly of the LORD. [aLit casting]

6 ‘Do not aspeak out,’ so they aspeak out.

But if bthey do not aspeak out concerning these things,

Reproaches will not be turned back. [aLit flow bI.e. God’s prophets]

⁷“Is it being said, O house of Jacob:

‘Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient?

Are these His doings?’

Do not My words do good

To the one walking uprightly?

⁸“aRecently My people have arisen as an enemy—

You strip the brobe off the garment

From unsuspecting passers-by,

From those returned from war. [aLit And yesterday bOr ornaments]

⁹“The women of My people you evict,

Each one from her pleasant house.

From her children you take My splendor forever.

¹⁰“Arise and go,

For this is no place of rest

Because of the uncleanness that brings on destruction,

A painful destruction.

¹¹“If a man walking after wind and falsehood

Had told lies and said,

‘I will aspeak out to you concerning wine and liquor,’

He would be bspokesman to this people. [aLit flow bLit one who flows oracles]

12 “I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob,

I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.

I will put them together like sheep in the fold;

Like a flock in the midst of its pasture

They will be noisy with men.

¹³“The breaker goes up before them;

They break out, pass through the gate and go out by it.

So their king goes on before them,

And the LORD at their head.”

MICAH 3 [Books]

Rulers Denounced

1 And I said,

“Hear now, heads of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel.

Is it not for you to know justice?

²“You who hate good and love evil,

Who tear off their skin from them

And their flesh from their bones,

³Who eat the flesh of my people,

Strip off their skin from them,

Break their bones

And chop them up as for the pot

And as meat in a kettle.”

⁴Then they will cry out to the LORD,

But He will not answer them.

Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time

Because they have practiced evil deeds.

5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray;

When they have something to bite with their teeth,

They cry, “Peace,”

But against him who puts nothing in their mouths

They declare holy war.

⁶Therefore it will be night for you—without vision,

And darkness for you—without divination.

The sun will go down on the prophets,

And the day will become dark over them.

⁷The seers will be ashamed

And the diviners will be embarrassed.

Indeed, they will all cover their amouths

Because there is no answer from God. [aLit mustache]

⁸On the other hand I am filled with power—

With the Spirit of the LORD—

And with justice and courage

To make known to Jacob his rebellious act,

Even to Israel his sin.

⁹Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel,

Who abhor justice

And twist everything that is straight,

¹⁰Who build Zion with bloodshed

And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

¹¹Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe,

Her priests instruct for a price

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on the LORD saying,

“Is not the LORD in our midst?

Calamity will not come upon us.”

¹²Therefore, on account of you

Zion will be plowed as a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,

And the mountain of the atemple will become high places of a forest. [aLit house]

MICAH 4 [Books]

Peaceful Latter Days

1 And it will come about in the last days

That the mountain of the house of the LORD

Will be established aas the chief of the mountains.

It will be raised above the hills,

And the peoples will stream to it. [aLit on]

²Many nations will come and say,

“Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD

And to the house of the God of Jacob,

That He may teach us about His ways

And that we may walk in His paths.”

For from Zion will go forth the law,

Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

³And He will judge between many peoples

And render decisions for mighty, adistant nations.

Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares

And their spears into pruning hooks;

Nation will not lift up sword against nation,

And never again will they btrain for war. [aLit at a distance bLit learn]

⁴Each of them will sit under his vine

And under his fig tree,

With no one to make them afraid,

For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

⁵Though all the peoples walk

Each in the name of his god,

As for us, we will walk

In the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

6 “In that day,” declares the LORD,

“I will assemble the lame

And gather the outcasts,

Even those whom I have afflicted.

⁷“I will make the lame a remnant

And the outcasts a strong nation,

And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion

From now on and forever.

⁸“As for you, atower of the flock,

bHill of the daughter of Zion,

To you it will come—

Even the former dominion will come,

The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. [aHeb Migdal-eder bHeb Ophel of]

9 “Now, why do you cry out loudly?

Is there no king among you,

Or has your counselor perished,

That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?

¹⁰“Writhe and labor to give birth,

Daughter of Zion,

Like a woman in childbirth;

For now you will go out of the city,

Dwell in the field,

And go to Babylon.

There you will be rescued;

There the LORD will redeem you

From the hand of your enemies.

¹¹“And now many nations have been assembled against you

Who say, ‘Let her be polluted,

And let our eyes agloat over Zion.’ [aLit look on]

¹²“But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD,

And they do not understand His purpose;

For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

¹³“Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion,

For your horn I will make iron

And your hoofs I will make bronze,

That you may pulverize many peoples,

That you may devote to the LORD their unjust gain

And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

MICAH 5 [Books]

Birth of the King in Bethlehem

1 “aNow muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;

bThey have laid siege against us;

With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. [aCh 4:14 in Heb bLit He has]

²“aBut as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

bHis goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity.” [aCh 5:1 in Heb bOr His appearances are from long ago, from days of old]

³Therefore He will give them up until the time

When she who is in labor has borne a child.

Then the remainder of His brethren

Will return to the sons of Israel.

⁴And He will arise and shepherd His flock

In the strength of the LORD,

In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.

And they will aremain,

Because bat that time He will be great

To the ends of the earth. [aOr live in safety bLit now]

⁵This One will be our peace.

When the Assyrian invades our land,

When he tramples on our acitadels,

Then we will raise against him

Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men. [aOr palaces]

⁶They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

The land of Nimrod at its entrances;

And He will deliver us from the Assyrian

When he attacks our land

And when he tramples our territory.

7 Then the remnant of Jacob

Will be among many peoples

Like dew from the LORD,

Like showers on vegetation

Which do not wait for man

Or delay for the sons of men.

⁸The remnant of Jacob

Will be among the nations,

Among many peoples

Like a lion among the beasts of the forest,

Like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

Which, if he passes through,

Tramples down and tears,

And there is none to rescue.

⁹Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,

And all your enemies will be cut off.

10 “It will be in that day,” declares the LORD,

“That I will cut off your horses from among you

And destroy your chariots.

¹¹“I will also cut off the cities of your land

And tear down all your fortifications.

¹²“I will cut off sorceries from your hand,

And you will have fortune-tellers no more.

¹³“I will cut off your carved images

And your sacred pillars from among you,

So that you will no longer bow down

To the work of your hands.

¹⁴“I will root out your aAsherim from among you

And destroy your cities. [aI.e. wooden symbols of a female deity]

¹⁵“And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath

On the nations which have not obeyed.”

MICAH 6 [Books]

God’s Indictment of His People

1 Hear now what the LORD is saying,

“Arise, plead your case abefore the mountains,

And let the hills hear your voice. [aLit with]

²“Listen, you mountains, to the indictment of the LORD,

And you enduring foundations of the earth,

Because the LORD has a case against His people;

Even with Israel He will dispute.

³“My people, what have I done to you,

And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.

⁴“Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt

And ransomed you from the house of slavery,

And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.

⁵“My people, remember now

What Balak king of Moab counseled

And what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

And from Shittim to Gilgal,

So athat you might know the righteous acts of the LORD.” [aLit to know]

What God Requires of Man

6 With what shall I come to the LORD

And bow myself before the God on high?

Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,

With yearling calves?

⁷Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams,

In ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

⁸He has told you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justice, to love akindness,

And to walk bhumbly with your God? [aOr loyalty bOr circumspectly]

9 The voice of the LORD will call to the city—

And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name:

“Hear, O tribe. Who has appointed aits time? [aLit it]

¹⁰“Is there yet a man in the wicked house,

Along with treasures of wickedness

And a ashort measure that is cursed? [aLit shrunken ephah]

¹¹“Can I justify wicked scales

And a bag of deceptive weights?

¹²“For the rich men of the acity are full of violence,

Her residents speak lies,

And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. [aLit her]

¹³“So also I will make you sick, striking you down,

Desolating you because of your sins.

¹⁴“You will eat, but you will not be satisfied,

And your avileness will be in your midst.

You will try to remove for safekeeping,

But you will not preserve anything,

And what you do preserve I will give to the sword. [aOr possibly garbage or excreta]

¹⁵“You will sow but you will not reap.

You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil;

And the grapes, but you will not drink wine.

¹⁶“The statutes of Omri

And all the works of the house of Ahab are observed;

And in their devices you walk.

Therefore I will give you up for destruction

And ayour inhabitants for derision,

And you will bear the reproach of My people.” [aLit her]

MICAH 7 [Books]

The Prophet Acknowledges

1 Woe is me! For I am

Like the fruit pickers, like the grape gatherers.

There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,

Or a first-ripe fig which aI crave. [aLit my soul]

²The agodly person has perished from the land,

And there is no upright person among men.

All of them lie in wait for bloodshed;

Each of them hunts the other with a net. [aOr loyal]

³Concerning evil, both hands do it well.

The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe,

And a great man speaks the desire of his soul;

So they weave it together.

⁴The best of them is like a briar,

The most upright like a thorn hedge.

The day when you post your watchmen,

Your punishment will come.

Then their confusion will occur.

⁵Do not trust in a neighbor;

Do not have confidence in a friend.

From her who lies in your bosom

Guard ayour lips. [aLit openings of your mouth]

⁶For son treats father contemptuously,

Daughter rises up against her mother,

Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

God Is the Source of Salvation and Light

7 But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation.

My God will hear me.

⁸Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy.

Though I fall I will rise;

Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD

Because I have sinned against Him,

Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me.

He will bring me out to the light,

And I will see His arighteousness. [aI.e. right dealing]

¹⁰Then my enemy will see,

And shame will cover her who said to me,

“Where is the LORD your God?”

My eyes will look on her;

aAt that time she will bbe trampled down

Like mire of the streets. [aLit Now bLit become a trampled place]

¹¹It will be a day for building your walls.

On that day will your boundary be extended.

¹²It will be a day when athey will come to you

From Assyria and the cities of Egypt,

From Egypt even to the bEuphrates,

Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain. [aLit he bLit River]

¹³And the earth will become desolate because of her inhabitants,

On account of the fruit of their deeds.

14 Shepherd Your people with Your scepter,

The flock of Your apossession

Which dwells by itself in the woodland,

In the midst of ba fruitful field.

Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead

As in the days of old. [aOr inheritance bOr Carmel]

¹⁵“As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt,

I will show ayou miracles.” [aLit him]

¹⁶Nations will see and be ashamed

Of all their might.

They will put their hand on their mouth,

Their ears will be deaf.

¹⁷They will lick the dust like a serpent,

Like reptiles of the earth.

They will come trembling out of their afortresses;

To the LORD our God they will come in dread

And they will be afraid before You. [aLit fastnesses]

¹⁸Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity

And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His apossession?

He does not retain His anger forever,

Because He delights in bunchanging love. [aOr inheritance bOr lovingkindness]

¹⁹He will again have compassion on us;

He will tread our iniquities under foot.

Yes, You will cast all atheir sins

Into the depths of the sea. [aSeveral ancient versions read our]

²⁰You will give atruth to Jacob

And bunchanging love to Abraham,

Which You swore to our forefathers

From the days of old. [aOr faithfulness bOr lovingkindness]

NAHUM 1 [Books]

God Is Awesome

1 The aoracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. [1 aOr burden]

2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD;

The LORD is avenging and awrathful.

The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries,

And He reserves wrath for His enemies. [aLit a possessor of wrath]

³The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,

And the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.

In whirlwind and storm is His way,

And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

⁴He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;

He dries up all the rivers.

Bashan and Carmel wither;

The blossoms of Lebanon wither.

⁵Mountains quake because of Him

And the hills dissolve;

Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence,

The world and all the inhabitants in it.

⁶Who can stand before His indignation?

Who can endure the burning of His anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire

And the rocks are broken up by Him.

⁷The LORD is good,

A stronghold in the day of trouble,

And He knows those who take refuge in Him.

⁸But with an overflowing flood

He will make a complete end of aits site,

And will pursue His enemies into darkness. [aI.e. Nineveh’s]

9 Whatever you devise against the LORD,

He will make a complete end of it.

Distress will not rise up twice.

¹⁰Like tangled thorns,

And like those who are drunken with their drink,

They are consumed

As stubble completely withered.

¹¹From you has gone forth

One who plotted evil against the LORD,

A awicked counselor.

¹²Thus says the LORD,

“Though they are at full strength and likewise many,

Even so, they will be cut off and pass away.

Though I have afflicted you,

I will afflict you no longer. [aOr worthless; Heb Belial]

¹³“So now, I will break his yoke bar from upon you,

And I will tear off your shackles.”

14 The LORD has issued a command concerning ayou:

“bYour name will no longer be perpetuated.

I will cut off cidol and dimage

From the house of your gods.

I will prepare your grave,

For you are contemptible.” [aI.e. the king of Nineveh bLit No more of your name will be sown cOr a graven image dLit cast metal image]

15 aBehold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news,

Who announces peace!

Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;

Pay your vows.

For never again will the bwicked one pass through you;

He is cut off completely. [aCh 2:1 in Heb bOr worthless one; Heb Belial]

NAHUM 2 [Books]

The Overthrow of Nineveh

1 aThe one who scatters has come up against byou.

Man the fortress, watch the road;

cStrengthen your back, dsummon all your strength. [aCh 2:2 in Heb bLit your face cLit Make strong your loins dLit strengthen power greatly]

²For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob

Like the splendor of Israel,

Even though devastators have devastated them

And destroyed their vine branches.

3 The shields of ahis mighty men are colored red,

The warriors are dressed in scarlet,

The chariots are enveloped in bflashing steel

cWhen he is prepared to march,

And the cypress spears are brandished. [aI.e. those attacking Nineveh bLit fire of steel cLit On the day of his preparation]

⁴The chariots race madly in the streets,

They rush wildly in the asquares,

Their appearance is like torches,

They dash to and fro like lightning flashes. [aLit broad places]

⁵He remembers his nobles;

They stumble in their march,

They hurry to her wall,

And the amantelet is set up. [aLit covering used in a siege]

⁶The gates of the rivers are opened

And the palace is dissolved.

⁷It is fixed:

She is stripped, she is carried away,

And her handmaids are moaning like the sound of doves,

Beating on their abreasts. [aLit hearts]

8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,

Now they are fleeing;

“Stop, stop,”

But no one turns back.

⁹Plunder the silver!

Plunder the gold!

For there is no limit to the treasure—

Wealth from every kind of desirable object.

¹⁰She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!

Hearts are melting and knees knocking!

Also anguish is in athe whole body

And all their faces are grown pale! [aLit all the loin]

¹¹Where is the den of the lions

And the feeding place of the young lions,

Where the lion, lioness and lion’s cub prowled,

With nothing to disturb them?

¹²The lion tore enough for his cubs,

aKilled enough for his lionesses,

And filled his lairs with prey

And his dens with torn flesh. [aLit Strangled]

13 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of hosts. “I will burn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”

NAHUM 3 [Books]

Nineveh’s Complete Ruin

1 Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage;

Her prey never departs.

²The noise of the whip,

The noise of the rattling of the wheel,

Galloping horses

And abounding chariots! [aLit skipping]

³Horsemen charging,

Swords flashing, spears gleaming,

Many slain, a mass of corpses,

And acountless dead bodies—

They stumble over bthe dead bodies! [aLit there is no end to bLit their]

⁴All because of the many harlotries of the harlot,

The charming one, the mistress of sorceries,

Who sells nations by her harlotries

And families by her sorceries.

⁵“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of hosts;

“And I will alift up your skirts over your face,

And show to the nations your nakedness

And to the kingdoms your disgrace. [aLit uncover your]

⁶“I will throw afilth on you

And make you vile,

And set you up as a spectacle. [aLit detestable things]

⁷“And it will come about that all who see you

Will ashrink from you and say,

‘Nineveh is devastated!

Who will grieve for her?’

Where will I seek comforters for you?” [aLit flee]

8 Are you better than aNo-amon,

Which was situated by the waters of the Nile,

With water surrounding her,

Whose rampart was bthe sea,

Whose wall consisted of bthe sea? [aI.e. the city of Amon: Thebes bI.e. the Nile]

⁹Ethiopia was her might,

And Egypt too, without limits.

Put and Lubim were among aher helpers. [aLit your]

¹⁰Yet she became an exile,

She went into captivity;

Also her small children were dashed to pieces

At the head of every street;

They cast lots for her honorable men,

And all her great men were bound with fetters.

¹¹You too will become drunk,

You will be hidden.

You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.

¹²All your fortifications are fig trees with aripe fruit—

When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth. [aLit first fruits]

¹³Behold, your people are women in your midst!

The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies;

Fire consumes your gate bars.

¹⁴Draw for yourself water for the siege!

Strengthen your fortifications!

Go into the clay and tread the mortar!

Take hold of the brick mold!

¹⁵There fire will consume you,

The sword will cut you down;

It will consume you as the locust does.

Multiply yourself like the creeping locust,

Multiply yourself like the swarming locust.

¹⁶You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven—

The creeping locust astrips and flies away. [aI.e. strips vegetation; or molts]

¹⁷Your aguardsmen are like the swarming locust.

Your marshals are like hordes of grasshoppers

Settling in the stone walls on a cold day.

The sun rises and they flee,

And the place where they are is not known. [aOr officials]

¹⁸Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria;

Your nobles are lying down.

Your people are scattered on the mountains

And there is no one to regather them.

¹⁹There is no relief for your breakdown,

Your wound is incurable.

All who hear aabout you

Will clap their hands over you,

For on whom has not your evil passed continually? [aLit your report]

HABAKKUK 1 [Books]

Chaldeans Used to Punish Judah

1 The aoracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw. [1 aOr burden]

2 How long, O LORD, will I call for help,

And You will not hear?

I cry out to You, “Violence!”

Yet You do not save.

³Why do You make me see iniquity,

And cause me to look on wickedness?

Yes, destruction and violence are before me;

Strife exists and contention arises.

⁴Therefore the law is aignored

And justice bis never upheld.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

Therefore justice comes out perverted. [aOr ineffective; lit numbed bLit never goes forth]

5 “Look among the nations! Observe!

Be astonished! Wonder!

Because I am doing something in your days—

You would not believe if ayou were told. [aLit it]

⁶“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,

That afierce and impetuous people

Who march bthroughout the earth

To cseize dwelling places which are not theirs. [aLit bitter bLit the breadth of cLit take possession of]

⁷“They are dreaded and feared;

Their justice and aauthority boriginate with themselves. [aLit eminence bLit proceeds from]

⁸“Their horses are swifter than leopards

And akeener than wolves in the evening.

Their bhorsemen come galloping,

Their horsemen come from afar;

They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. [aOr more eager to attack bOr steeds paw the ground]

⁹“All of them come for violence.

aTheir horde of faces moves forward.

They collect captives like sand. [aOr The eagerness of their faces]

¹⁰“They mock at kings

And rulers are a laughing matter to them.

They laugh at every fortress

And heap up rubble to capture it.

¹¹“Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on.

But they will be held guilty,

They whose strength is their god.”

12 Are You not from everlasting,

O LORD, my God, my Holy One?

We will not die.

You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge;

And You, O Rock, have established them to correct.

¹³Your eyes are too pure to aapprove evil,

And You can not look on wickedness with favor.

Why do You look with favor

On those who deal treacherously?

Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up

Those more righteous than they? [aLit look at]

¹⁴Why have You made men like the fish of the sea,

Like creeping things without a ruler over them?

¹⁵The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook,

Drag them away with their net,

And gather them together in their fishing net.

Therefore they rejoice and are glad.

¹⁶Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net

And aburn incense to their fishing net;

Because through these things their bcatch is clarge,

And their food is dplentiful. [aOr sacrifice bLit portion cLit fat; or plentiful dLit the fat portion]

¹⁷Will they therefore empty their net

And continually slay nations without sparing?

HABAKKUK 2 [Books]

God Answers the Prophet

1 I will stand on my guard post

And station myself on the rampart;

And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,

And how I may reply awhen I am reproved. [aLit upon my reproof]

²Then the LORD answered me and said,

“Record the vision

And inscribe it on tablets,

That athe one who breads it may run. [aOr one may read it fluently bOr is to proclaim it]

³“For the vision is yet for the appointed time;

It ahastens toward the goal and it will not bfail.

Though it tarries, wait for it;

For it will certainly come, it will not delay. [aLit pants bOr lie]

4 “Behold, as for the proud one,

His soul is not right within him;

But the righteous will live by his afaith. [aOr faithfulness]

⁵“Furthermore, wine betrays the haughty man,

So that he does not stay at home.

He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,

And he is like death, never satisfied.

He also gathers to himself all nations

And collects to himself all peoples.

6 “Will not all of these take up a taunt-song against him,

Even mockery and insinuations against him

And say, ‘Woe to him who increases what is not his—

For how long—

And makes himself arich with loans?’ [aLit heavy]

⁷“Will not ayour creditors rise up suddenly,

And those who bcollect from you awaken?

Indeed, you will become plunder for them. [aLit those who bite you bLit violently shake you]

⁸“Because you have looted many nations,

All the remainder of the peoples will loot you—

Because of human bloodshed and violence adone to the land,

To the town and all its inhabitants. [aLit of the land]

9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house

To put his nest on high,

To be delivered from the hand of calamity!

¹⁰“You have devised a shameful thing for your house

By cutting off many peoples;

So you are sinning against yourself.

¹¹“Surely the stone will cry out from the wall,

And the rafter will answer it from the aframework. [aLit wood]

12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

And founds a town with aviolence! [aOr injustice]

¹³“Is it not indeed from the LORD of hosts

That peoples toil for fire,

And nations grow weary for nothing?

¹⁴“For the earth will be filled

With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,

As the waters cover the sea.

15 “Woe to you who make ayour neighbors drink,

Who mix in your venom even to make them drunk

So as to look on their nakedness! [aLit his neighbor]

¹⁶“You will be filled with disgrace rather than honor.

Now you yourself drink and aexpose your own nakedness.

The cup in the LORD’S right hand will come around to you,

And utter disgrace will come upon your glory. [aLit show yourself uncircumcised; or stagger; so DSS and ancient versions]

¹⁷“For the violence adone to Lebanon will boverwhelm you,

And the devastation of its beasts cby which you terrified them,

Because of human bloodshed and violence ddone to the land,

To the town and all its inhabitants. [aLit of Lebanon bLit cover cLit which terrified them dLit of the land]

18 “What profit is the aidol when its maker has carved it,

Or ban image, a teacher of falsehood?

For its maker trusts in his own handiwork

When he fashions speechless idols. [aOr a graven image bLit a cast metal image]

¹⁹“Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’

To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’

And that is your teacher?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

And there is no breath at all inside it.

²⁰“But the LORD is in His holy temple.

aLet all the earth be silent before Him.” [aLit Hush before Him, all the earth]

HABAKKUK 3 [Books]

God’s Deliverance of His People

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to aShigionoth. [1 aI.e. a highly emotional poetic form]

2 LORD, I have heard athe report about You and bI fear.

O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years,

In the midst of the years make it known;

In wrath remember cmercy. [aOr Your report bOr I stand in awe of Your work, O LORD; In the midst of the years revive it, cOr compassion]

3 God comes from Teman,

And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah.

His splendor covers the heavens,

And the earth is full of His praise.

⁴His radiance is like the sunlight;

He has rays flashing from His hand,

And there is the hiding of His power.

⁵Before Him goes pestilence,

And plague comes aafter Him. [aLit at His feet]

⁶He stood and surveyed the earth;

He looked and startled the nations.

Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered,

The ancient hills acollapsed.

His ways are everlasting. [aLit bowed; or sank down]

⁷I saw the tents of Cushan under distress,

The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

8 Did the LORD rage against the rivers,

Or was Your anger against the rivers,

Or was Your wrath against the sea,

That You rode on Your horses,

On Your chariots of salvation?

⁹Your bow was made bare,

The rods of achastisement were sworn. Selah.

You cleaved the earth with rivers. [aLit word]

¹⁰The mountains saw You and quaked;

The downpour of waters swept by.

The deep uttered forth its voice,

It lifted high its hands.

¹¹Sun and moon stood in their places;

They went away at the light of Your arrows,

At the radiance of Your gleaming spear.

¹²In indignation You marched through the earth;

In anger You atrampled the nations. [aOr thresh]

¹³You went forth for the salvation of Your people,

For the salvation of Your anointed.

You struck the head of the house of the evil

To lay him open from athigh to neck. Selah. [aLit foundation]

¹⁴You pierced with his own aspears

The head of his bthrongs.

They stormed in to scatter cus;

Their exultation was like those

Who devour the oppressed in secret. [aLit shafts bOr warriors or villagers cLit me]

¹⁵You trampled on the sea with Your horses,

On the surge of many waters.

16 I heard and my ainward parts trembled,

At the sound my lips quivered.

Decay enters my bones,

And in my place I tremble.

Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,

bFor the people to arise who will invade us. [aLit belly bOr To come upon the people who will]

¹⁷Though the fig tree should not blossom

And there be no afruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive should fail

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock should be cut off from the fold

And there be no cattle in the stalls, [aLit produce]

¹⁸Yet I will exult in the LORD,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹The Lord aGOD is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,

And makes me walk on my high places.

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

ZEPHANIAH 1 [Books]

Day of Judgment on Judah

1 The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:

2 “I will completely remove all things

From the face of the aearth,” declares the LORD. [aLit ground]

³“I will remove man and beast;

I will remove the birds of the sky

And the fish of the sea,

And the aruins along with the wicked;

And I will cut off man from the face of the bearth,” declares the LORD. [aOr stumbling blocks bLit ground]

⁴“So I will stretch out My hand against Judah

And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place,

And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests.

⁵“And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven,

And those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by aMilcom, [aOr their king; M.T. Malcam, probably a variant spelling of Milcom]

⁶And those who have turned back from following the LORD,

And those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.”

7 aBe silent before the Lord bGOD!

For the day of the LORD is near,

For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice,

He has consecrated His guests. [aLit Hush bHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

⁸“Then it will come about on the day of the LORD’S sacrifice

That I will punish the princes, the king’s sons

And all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.

⁹“And I will punish on that day all who leap on the temple threshold,

Who fill the house of their alord with violence and deceit. [aOr Lord]

¹⁰“On that day,” declares the LORD,

“There will be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate,

A wail from the aSecond Quarter,

And a loud crash from the hills. [aI.e. a district of Jerusalem]

¹¹“Wail, O inhabitants of the aMortar,

For all the bpeople of Canaan will be silenced;

All who weigh out silver will be cut off. [aI.e. a district of Jerusalem bOr merchant people will]

¹²“It will come about at that time

That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

And I will punish the men

Who are astagnant in spirit,

Who say in their hearts,

‘The LORD will not do good or evil!’ [aLit thickening on their lees]

¹³“Moreover, their wealth will become plunder

And their houses desolate;

Yes, they will build houses but not inhabit them,

And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”

14 Near is the great day of the LORD,

Near and coming very quickly;

Listen, the day of the LORD!

aIn it the warrior cries out bitterly. [aLit There]

¹⁵A day of wrath is that day,

A day of trouble and distress,

A day of destruction and desolation,

A day of darkness and gloom,

A day of clouds and thick darkness,

¹⁶A day of trumpet and battle cry

Against the fortified cities

And the high corner towers.

¹⁷I will bring distress on men

So that they will walk like the blind,

Because they have sinned against the LORD;

And their blood will be poured out like dust

And their flesh like dung.

¹⁸Neither their silver nor their gold

Will be able to deliver them

On the day of the LORD’S wrath;

And all the earth will be devoured

In the fire of His jealousy,

For He will make a complete end,

Indeed a terrifying one,

Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

ZEPHANIAH 2 [Books]

Judgments on Judah’s Enemies

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather,

O nation without ashame, [aOr longing]

²Before the decree atakes effect—

The day passes like the chaff—

Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,

Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you. [aLit is born]

³Seek the LORD,

All you humble of the aearth

Who have carried out His bordinances;

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

Perhaps you will be hidden

In the day of the LORD’S anger. [aOr land bOr justice]

4 For Gaza will be abandoned

And Ashkelon a desolation;

Ashdod will be driven out at noon

And Ekron will be uprooted.

⁵Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,

The nation of the aCherethites!

The word of the LORD is against you,

O Canaan, land of the Philistines;

And I will destroy you

So that there will be no inhabitant. [aI.e. a segment of the Philistines with roots in Crete]

⁶So the seacoast will be pastures,

With acaves for shepherds and folds for flocks. [aOr meadows or wells]

⁷And the coast will be

For the remnant of the house of Judah,

They will pasture on it.

In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;

For the LORD their God will care for them

And restore their fortune.

8 “I have heard the ataunting of Moab

And the revilings of the sons of Ammon,

With which they have btaunted My people

And cbecome arrogant against their territory. [aLit reproach bLit reproached cLit made themselves great]

⁹“Therefore, as I live,” declares the LORD of hosts,

The God of Israel,

“Surely Moab will be like Sodom

And the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah—

A place possessed by nettles and salt pits,

And a perpetual desolation.

The remnant of My people will plunder them

And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”

¹⁰This they will have in return for their pride, because they have ataunted and bbecome arrogant against the people of the LORD of hosts. ¹¹The LORD will be terrifying to them, for He will cstarve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place. [10 aLit reproached bLit made themselves great 11 cLit make lean]

12 “You also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”

¹³And He will stretch out His hand against the north

And destroy Assyria,

And He will make Nineveh a desolation,

Parched like the wilderness.

¹⁴Flocks will lie down in her midst,

aAll beasts which range in herds;

Both the bpelican and the hedgehog

Will lodge in cthe tops of her pillars;

dBirds will sing in the window,

Desolation will be on the threshold;

For He has laid bare the cedar work. [aOr All kinds of beasts in crowds; lit Every kind of beast of a nation bOr owl or jackdaw cLit her capitals dLit A voice]

¹⁵This is the exultant city

Which dwells securely,

Who says in her heart,

“I am, and there is no one besides me.”

How she has become a desolation,

A resting place for beasts!

Everyone who passes by her will hiss

And wave his hand in contempt.

ZEPHANIAH 3 [Books]

Woe to Jerusalem and the Nations

1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,

The tyrannical city!

²She heeded no voice,

She accepted no instruction.

She did not trust in the LORD,

She did not draw near to her God.

³Her princes within her are roaring lions,

Her judges are wolves at evening;

They leave nothing for the morning.

⁴Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men;

Her priests have profaned the sanctuary.

They have done violence to the law.

⁵The LORD is righteous within her;

He will do no injustice.

Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He does not fail.

But the unjust knows no shame.

⁶“I have cut off nations;

Their corner towers are in ruins.

I have made their streets desolate,

With no one passing by;

Their cities are laid waste,

Without a man, without an inhabitant.

⁷“I said, ‘Surely you will revere Me,

Accept instruction.’

So her dwelling will not be cut off

According to all that I have appointed concerning her.

But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.

8 “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD,

“For the day when I rise up as a witness.

Indeed, My decision is to gather nations,

To assemble kingdoms,

To pour out on them My indignation,

All My burning anger;

For all the earth will be devoured

By the fire of My zeal.

⁹“For then I will agive to the peoples purified lips,

That all of them may call on the name of the LORD,

To serve Him bshoulder to shoulder. [aLit change bLit with one shoulder]

¹⁰“From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

My aworshipers, bMy dispersed ones,

Will bring My offerings. [aOr suppliants bLit the daughter of My dispersed ones]

¹¹“In that day you will feel no shame

Because of all your deeds

By which you have rebelled against Me;

For then I will remove from your midst

Your proud, exulting ones,

And you will never again be haughty

On My holy mountain.

A Remnant of Israel

¹²“But I will leave among you

A humble and lowly people,

And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.

¹³“The remnant of Israel will do no wrong

And tell no lies,

Nor will a deceitful tongue

Be found in their mouths;

For they will feed and lie down

With no one to make them tremble.”

14 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion!

Shout in triumph, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

¹⁵The LORD has taken away His judgments against you,

He has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

You will fear disaster no more.

¹⁶In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:

“Do not be afraid, O Zion;

Do not let your hands fall limp.

¹⁷“The LORD your God is in your midst,

A avictorious warrior.

He will exult over you with joy,

He will bbe quiet in His love,

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. [aLit A warrior who saves bOr with some ancient versions, renew you in]

¹⁸“I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts—

They acame from you, O Zion;

The reproach of exile is a burden on bthem. [aLit were bLit her]

¹⁹“Behold, I am going to deal at that time

With all your oppressors,

I will save the lame

And gather the outcast,

And I will turn their shame into praise and renown

In all the earth.

²⁰“At that time I will bring you in,

Even at the time when I gather you together;

Indeed, I will give you renown and praise

Among all the peoples of the earth,

When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”

Says the LORD.

HAGGAI 1 [Books]

Haggai Begins Temple Building

1 In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD of ahosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt.” ’ ” ³Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ⁴“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” ⁵Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, “bConsider your ways! ⁶You have sown much, but charvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is dnot enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” [2 aLit hosts, saying 5 bLit Set your heart on 6 cLit bring in dLit not becoming drunk]

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, “aConsider your ways! ⁸Go up to the bmountains, bring wood and rebuild the ctemple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the LORD. ⁹“You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the LORD of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. ¹⁰Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld dits dew and the earth has withheld its produce. ¹¹I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of eyour hands.” [7 aLit Set your heart on 8 bLit mountain cLit house 10 dLit from dew 11 eLit the palms]

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people ashowed reverence for the LORD. ¹³Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke bby the commission of the LORD to the people saying, “ ‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD.” ¹⁴So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, ¹⁵on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king. [12 aLit feared before 13 bOr the message]

HAGGAI 2 [Books]

The Builders Encouraged

1 On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying, ²“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, ³‘Who is left among you who saw this atemple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not bseem to you like nothing cin comparison? ⁴But now dtake courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ⁵‘As for the epromise which I fmade you when you came out of Egypt, gMy Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ ⁶For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more hin a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. ⁷I will shake all the nations; and ithey will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. ⁸‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ⁹‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.” [3 aLit house bLit in your eyes cLit like it 4 dLit be strong 5 eLit word fLit cut with gOr while...was standing 6 hLit it is a little 7 iOr the desire of all nations will come]

10 On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying, ¹¹“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Ask now the priests for a aruling: ¹²If a man carries holy meat in the bfold of his garment, and touches bread with cthis fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’ ” And the priests answered, “No.” ¹³Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a dcorpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” ¹⁴Then Haggai said, “ ‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. ¹⁵But now, do econsider from this day fonward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD, ¹⁶gfrom that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty hmeasures, there would be only twenty. ¹⁷I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; iyet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the LORD. ¹⁸‘Do econsider from this day jonward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the LORD was founded, econsider: ¹⁹Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’ ” [11 aLit law 12 bLit wing cLit his wing 13 dLit soul 15 eLit set your heart fOr backward 16 gLit since they were hOr troughs full 17 iOr but what did we have in common? 18 jOr backward]

20 Then the word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, ²¹“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. ²²I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the anations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’ ²³‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a bsignet ring, for I have chosen you,’ ” declares the LORD of hosts. [22 aOr Gentiles 23 bOr seal]

ZECHARIAH 1 [Books]

A Call to Repentance

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo saying, ²“The LORD was very angry with your fathers. ³Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. ⁴“Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the LORD. ⁵“Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘As the LORD of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’ ” ’ ”

Patrol of the Earth

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, as follows: ⁸I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and white horses behind him. ⁹Then I said, “My lord, what are these?” And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.” ¹⁰And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom the LORD has sent to apatrol the earth.” ¹¹So they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have bpatrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is cpeaceful and quiet.” [10 aLit walk about through 11 bLit walked about through cLit sitting]

12 Then the angel of the LORD said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?” ¹³The LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with agracious words, comforting words. ¹⁴So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. ¹⁵But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they bfurthered the disaster.” ¹⁶Therefore thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.” ’ ¹⁷Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ” [13 aLit good 15 bLit helped for evil]

18 aThen I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns. ¹⁹So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.” ²⁰Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. ²¹I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.” [18 aCh 2:1 in Heb]

ZECHARIAH 2 [Books]

God’s Favor to Zion

1 aThen I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. ²So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” ³And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him, ⁴and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited bwithout walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. ⁵For I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire caround her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” [1 aCh 2:5 in Heb 4 bLit like unwalled villages; or like open country 5 cLit to her]

6 “aHo there! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,” declares the LORD. ⁷“Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” ⁸For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After bglory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the capple of His eye. ⁹For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me. ¹⁰Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD. ¹¹“Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. ¹²The LORD will dpossess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem. [6 aLit Ho! Ho! 8 bOr the glory cLit pupil 12 dOr inherit]

13 “aBe silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.” [13 aLit Hush]

ZECHARIAH 3 [Books]

Joshua, the High Priest

1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and aSatan standing at his right hand to accuse him. ²The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” ³Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. ⁴He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and bwill clothe you with festal robes.” ⁵Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by. [1 aOr the Adversary or Accuser 4 bLit to clothe]

6 And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, ⁷“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you afree access among these who are standing here. [7 aLit goings]

The Branch

⁸Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the aBranch. ⁹For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. ¹⁰‘In that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ” [8 aLit Sprout]

ZECHARIAH 4 [Books]

The Golden Lampstand and Olive Trees

1 Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep. ²He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; ³also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” ⁴Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?” ⁵So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” ⁶Then he asaid to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. ⁷‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” [6 aLit said to me, saying]

8 Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁹“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to ayou. ¹⁰For who has despised the day of small things? bBut these seven will be glad when they see the cplumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.” [9 aLit you (plural) 10 bOr But they will rejoice when they see...Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the LORD cLit plummet stone]

11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” ¹²And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive abranches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” ¹³So he answered me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” ¹⁴Then he said, “These are the two banointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.” [12 aOr clusters 14 bLit sons of fresh oil]

ZECHARIAH 5 [Books]

The Flying Scroll

1 Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll. ²And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty acubits and its width ten cubits.” ³Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole bland; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to cthe writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to cthe writing on the other side. ⁴I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.” [2 aI.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in. 3 bOr earth cLit it]

5 Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.” ⁶I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the aephah going forth.” Again he said, “This is their bappearance in all the cland ⁷(and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” ⁸Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its dopening. ⁹Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. ¹⁰I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” ¹¹Then he said to me, “To build a etemple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.” [6 aI.e. Approx one bu bLit eye; some ancient versions read iniquity cOr earth 8 dLit mouth 11 eLit house]

ZECHARIAH 6 [Books]

The Four Chariots

1 Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. ²With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, ³with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses. ⁴Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” ⁵The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, ⁶with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country. ⁷When the strong ones went out, they awere eager to go to bpatrol the earth.” And He said, “Go, bpatrol the earth.” So they cpatrolled the earth. ⁸Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, “See, those who are going to the land of the north have dappeased My wrath in the land of the north.” [7 aLit sought to go bLit walk about through cLit walked about through 8 dLit caused My spirit to rest in]

9 The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, ¹⁰“Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.

The Symbolic Crowns

¹¹Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. ¹²Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is aBranch, for He will bbranch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD. ¹³Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two coffices.” ’ ¹⁴Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and dHen the son of Zephaniah. ¹⁵Those who are far off will come and ebuild the temple of the LORD.” Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God. [12 aLit Sprout bLit sprout up 13 cLit of them 14 dI.e. Josiah 15 eLit build in]

ZECHARIAH 7 [Books]

Hearts like Flint

1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. ²Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and atheir men to bseek the favor of the LORD, ³speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month cand abstain, as I have done these many years?” ⁴Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, ⁵“Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months dthese seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted? ⁶When you eat and drink, edo you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? ⁷Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and fprosperous along with its cities around it, and the gNegev and the hfoothills were inhabited?’ ” [2 aLit his bLit soften the face of 3 cLit abstaining; or dedicating myself 5 dLit and these 6 eLit is it not you who eat and you who drink 7 fOr at ease gI.e. South country hHeb Shephelah]

8 Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying, ⁹“Thus has the LORD of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; ¹⁰and do not oppress the widow or the aorphan, the bstranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ ¹¹But they refused to pay attention and cturned a stubborn shoulder and dstopped their ears from hearing. ¹²They made their hearts like eflint fso that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. ¹³And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the LORD of hosts; ¹⁴“but I gscattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them hso that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.” [10 aOr fatherless bOr resident alien 11 cLit gave dLit made heavy 12 eLit corundum fLit from hearing 14 gLit stormed them away upon all hLit from passing and from returning]

ZECHARIAH 8 [Books]

The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

1 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, ²“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ ³Thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ ⁴Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the astreets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of bage. ⁵And the astreets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its astreets.’ ⁶Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If it is ctoo difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be ctoo difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of hosts. ⁷Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the deast and from the land of the ewest; ⁸and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in ftruth and righteousness.’ [4 aOr squares bLit the multitude of days 6 cOr wonderful 7 dLit rising eLit setting sun 8 fOr faithfulness]

9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. ¹⁰For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no apeace because of bhis enemies, and I set all men one against another. ¹¹But now I will not ctreat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ¹²‘For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. ¹³It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.’ [10 aOr safety bLit the adversary 11 cLit be to the]

14 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and I have not relented, ¹⁵so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! ¹⁶These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your agates. ¹⁷Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love bperjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the LORD.” [16 aI.e. the place where court was held 17 bLit false oath]

18 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, ¹⁹“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and acheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.’ [19 aOr goodly]

20 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. ²¹The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; aI will also go.” ²²So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ ²³Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the bnations will cgrasp the dgarment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ” [21 aOr let me go too 23 bLit languages of the nations cLit grasp, and they will grasp dOr corner of the garment]

ZECHARIAH 9 [Books]

Prophecies against Neighboring Nations

1 The aburden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD), [1 aOr oracle]

²And Hamath also, which borders on it;

Tyre and Sidon, athough bthey are very wise. [aOr because bI.e. they think they are]

³For Tyre built herself a fortress

And piled up silver like dust,

And gold like the mire of the streets.

⁴Behold, the Lord will dispossess her

And cast her wealth into the sea;

And she will be consumed with fire.

⁵Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.

Gaza too will writhe in great pain;

Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded.

Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,

And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

⁶And a amongrel race will dwell in Ashdod,

And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. [aLit bastard will]

⁷And I will remove their blood from their mouth

And their detestable things from between their teeth.

Then they also will be a remnant for our God,

And be like a aclan in Judah,

And Ekron like a Jebusite. [aOr chief]

⁸But I will camp around My house abecause of an army,

Because of him who passes by and returns;

And no oppressor will pass over them anymore,

For now I have seen with My eyes. [aOr as a guard, so that none will go back and forth]

⁹Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

He is ajust and endowed with salvation,

Humble, and mounted on a donkey,

Even on a colt, the bfoal of a donkey. [aOr vindicated and victorious bLit son of a female donkey]

¹⁰I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

And the horse from Jerusalem;

And the bow of war will be cut off.

And He will speak peace to the nations;

And His dominion will be from sea to sea,

And from the aRiver to the ends of the earth. [aI.e. Euphrates]

Deliverance of Judah and Ephraim

11 As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you,

I have set your prisoners free from the awaterless pit. [aLit cistern in which there is no water]

¹²Return to the astronghold, O prisoners bwho have the hope;

This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you. [aOr Stronghold bLit of the hope]

¹³For I will bend Judah aas My bow,

I will fill the bow with Ephraim.

And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece;

And I will make you like a warrior’s sword. [aLit for Me]

¹⁴Then the LORD will appear over them,

And His arrow will go forth like lightning;

And the Lord aGOD will blow the trumpet,

And will march in the storm winds of the south. [aHeb YHWH, usually rendered LORD]

¹⁵The LORD of hosts will defend them.

And they will devour and trample on the sling stones;

And they will drink and be boisterous as with wine;

And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin,

Drenched like the corners of the altar.

¹⁶And the LORD their God will save them in that day

As the flock of His people;

For they are as the stones of a crown,

aSparkling in His land. [aOr Displayed over]

¹⁷For what acomeliness and beauty will be btheirs!

Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins. [aLit goodness bLit his]

ZECHARIAH 10 [Books]

God Will Bless Judah and Ephraim

1 Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain—

The LORD who makes the astorm clouds;

And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. [1 aOr thunderbolts]

²For the teraphim speak ainiquity,

And the diviners see blying visions

And tell false dreams;

They comfort in vain.

Therefore the people cwander like sheep,

They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd. [aOr futility bLit a lie cLit journey]

³“My anger is kindled against the shepherds,

And I will punish the amale goats;

For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,

And will make them like His majestic horse in battle. [aI.e. leaders]

⁴“From athem will come the cornerstone,

From athem the tent peg,

From athem the bow of battle,

From athem every bruler, all of them together. [aLit him bOr oppressor]

⁵“They will be as mighty men,

Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle;

And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them;

And the riders on horses will be put to shame.

⁶“I will strengthen the house of Judah,

And I will save the house of Joseph,

And I will abring them back,

Because I have had compassion on them;

And they will be as though I had not rejected them,

For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. [aOr make them dwell]

⁷“Ephraim will be like a mighty man,

And their heart will be glad as if from wine;

Indeed, their children will see it and be glad,

aTheir heart will rejoice in the LORD. [aOr Let their heart rejoice]

⁸“I will whistle for them to gather them together,

For I have redeemed them;

And they will be as numerous as they awere before. [aLit were numerous]

⁹“When I ascatter them among the peoples,

They will remember Me in far countries,

And they with their children will live and come back. [aLit sow]

¹⁰“I will bring them back from the land of Egypt

And gather them from Assyria;

And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon

aUntil no room can be found for them. [aLit And]

¹¹“And they will pass through the sea of distress

And He will strike the waves in the sea,

So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up;

And the pride of Assyria will be brought down

And the scepter of Egypt will depart.

¹²“And I will strengthen them in the LORD,

And in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.

ZECHARIAH 11 [Books]

The Doomed Flock

1 Open your doors, O Lebanon,

That a fire may feed on your cedars.

²Wail, O acypress, for the cedar has fallen,

Because the glorious trees have been destroyed;

Wail, O oaks of Bashan,

For the bimpenetrable forest has come down. [aOr juniper bAnother reading is forest of the vintage]

³There is a sound of the shepherds’ wail,

For their glory is ruined;

There is a sound of the young lions’ roar,

For the apride of the Jordan is ruined. [aOr jungle]

4 Thus says the LORD my God, “Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter. ⁵Those who buy them slay them and ago unpunished, and each of those who sell them says, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I have become rich!’ And their own shepherds have no pity on them. ⁶For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD; “but behold, I will cause the men to bfall, each into another’s cpower and into the cpower of his king; and they will strike the land, and I will not deliver them from their cpower.” [5 aLit are not held guilty 6 bLit find cLit hand]

7 So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, ahence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called bFavor and the other I called cUnion; so I pastured the flock. ⁸Then I annihilated the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also dwas weary of me. ⁹Then I said, “I will not pasture you. What is to die, elet it die, and what is to be annihilated, flet it be annihilated; and glet those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” ¹⁰I took my staff bFavor and cut it in pieces, to hbreak my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. ¹¹So it was ibroken on that day, and jthus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the LORD. ¹²I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, knever mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. ¹³Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.” So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. ¹⁴Then I cut in pieces my second staff cUnion, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. [7 aAnother reading is for the sheep dealers bOr Pleasantness cOr Cords 8 dOr detested 9 eOr will die fOr will be annihilated gOr those...will eat 10 hOr annul 11 iOr annulled jAnother reading is the sheep dealers who 12 kLit cease]

15 The LORD said to me, “Take again for yourself the equipment of a afoolish shepherd. ¹⁶For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs. [15 aOr useless]

¹⁷“Woe to the worthless shepherd

Who leaves the flock!

A sword will be on his arm

And on his right eye!

His arm will be totally withered

And his right eye will be ablind.” [aLit completely dimmed]

ZECHARIAH 12 [Books]

Jerusalem to Be Attacked

1 The aburden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. [1 aOr oracle]

Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, ²“Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup athat causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. ³It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely binjured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. ⁴In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will cwatch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. ⁵Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘dA strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the LORD of hosts, their God.’ [2 aLit of reeling 3 bLit scratched 4 cLit open My eyes 5 dLit My strength is]

6 “In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem. ⁷The LORD also will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah. ⁸In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who ais feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them. ⁹And in that day I will bset about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. [8 aOr stumbles 9 bLit seek to]

10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, athe Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. ¹¹In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the bplain of cMegiddo. ¹²The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; ¹³the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves; ¹⁴all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves. [10 aOr a spirit 11 bI.e. broad valley cHeb Megiddon]

ZECHARIAH 13 [Books]

False Prophets Ashamed

1 “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.

2 “It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. ³And if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who gave birth to him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD’; and his father and mother who gave birth to him will pierce him through when he prophesies. ⁴Also it will come about in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies, and they will not put on a hairy robe in order to deceive; ⁵but he will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the ground, for a man asold me as a slave in my youth.’ ⁶And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your barms?’ Then he will say, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of cmy friends.’ [5 aLit caused another to buy me 6 bLit hands cLit those who love me]

7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

And against the man, My Associate,”

Declares the LORD of hosts.

“Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;

And I will turn My hand aagainst the little ones. [aOr upon]

⁸“It will come about in all the land,”

Declares the LORD,

“That two parts in it will be cut off and perish;

But the third will be left in it.

⁹“And I will bring the third part through the fire,

Refine them as silver is refined,

And test them as gold is tested.

They will call on My name,

And I will answer them;

I will say, ‘They are My people,’

And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’ ”

ZECHARIAH 14 [Books]

God Will Battle Jerusalem’s Foes

1 Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. ²For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. ³Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as awhen He fights on a day of battle. ⁴In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. ⁵You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with bHim! [3 aLit His day of fighting 5 bSo the versions; Heb You]

6 In that day there will be no light; the aluminaries will dwindle. ⁷For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. [6 aLit glorious ones will congeal]

8 And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.

God Will Be King over All

9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.

10 All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but aJerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. ¹¹bPeople will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security. [10 aLit it 11 bLit They]

12 Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. ¹³It will come about in that day that a great panic from the LORD will afall on them; and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will bbe lifted against the hand of another. ¹⁴Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance. ¹⁵So also like this plague will be the plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey and all the cattle that will be in those camps. [13 aLit be among bLit rise up against]

16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. ¹⁷And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. ¹⁸If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the LORD smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. ¹⁹This will be the apunishment of Egypt, and the apunishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. [19 aLit sin]

20 In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO THE LORD.” And the cooking pots in the LORD’S house will be like the bowls before the altar. ²¹Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a aCanaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day. [21 aOr merchant]

MALACHI 1 [Books]

God’s Love for Jacob

1 The aoracle of the word of the LORD to Israel through bMalachi. [1 aLit burden bOr My messenger]

2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob; ³but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” ⁴Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will areturn and build up the ruins”; thus says the LORD of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the bwicked territory, and the people ctoward whom the LORD is indignant forever.” ⁵Your eyes will see this and you will say, “The LORD dbe magnified beyond the eborder of Israel!” [4 aOr rebuild the ruins bLit border of wickedness cOr whom the LORD has cursed 5 dOr will be great eOr territory]

Sin of the Priests

6 “ ‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My arespect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ ⁷You are presenting defiled bfood upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised.’ ⁸But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? cWhy not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. ⁹“But now dwill you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? eWith such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. ¹⁰“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the fgates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from gyou. ¹¹For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts. ¹²“But you are profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ ¹³You also say, ‘hMy, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD. ¹⁴“But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is ifeared among the jnations.” [6 aLit fear 7 bLit bread 8 cLit Offer it, please 9 dLit entreat, please eLit This has been from your hand 10 fOr doors gLit your hand 13 hLit Behold it is weariness 14 iOr revered jOr Gentiles]

MALACHI 2 [Books]

Priests to Be Disciplined

1 “And now this commandment is for you, O priests. ²If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the LORD of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. ³Behold, I am going to rebuke your aoffspring, and I will spread brefuse on your faces, the brefuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away cwith it. ⁴Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, dthat My covenant may econtinue with Levi,” says the LORD of hosts. ⁵“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of freverence; so he grevered Me and stood in awe of My name. ⁶hTrue instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity. ⁷For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and imen should seek jinstruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. ⁸But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble kby the instruction; you have lcorrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of hosts. ⁹“So I also have made you despised and abased cbefore all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the minstruction. [3 aLit seed bOr vomit cLit to 4 dOr to be My covenant with eLit be 5 fOr fear gOr feared 6 hOr Law of truth 7 iLit they jOr law 8 kOr in the law lOr violated 9 mOr law]

Sin in the Family

10 “Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? ¹¹Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD awhich He loves and has married the daughter of a foreign god. ¹²As for the man who does this, may the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers, or who presents ban offering to the LORD of hosts. [11 aOr in that He has loved and married 12 bOr a grain offering]

13 “This is aanother thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the boffering or accepts it with favor from your hand. ¹⁴Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. ¹⁵cBut not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And dwhat did that one do while he was seeking a godly eoffspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. ¹⁶For fI hate gdivorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and hhim who covers his garment with iwrong,” says the LORD of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” [13 aLit second bOr grain offering 15 cOr Did He not make one, although He had the remnant dOr why one? He sought a godly offspring eLit seed 16 fLit He hates gLit sending away hLit he covers iOr violence]

17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”

MALACHI 3 [Books]

The Purifier

1 “Behold, I am going to send My amessenger, and he will bclear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; cand the amessenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts. ²“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like dfullers’ soap. ³He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD eofferings in righteousness. ⁴Then the foffering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. [1 aOr angel bOr prepare cOr even 2 dLit laundrymen’s 3 eOr grain offerings 4 fOr grain offering]

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the aorphan, and those who turn aside the balien and do not cfear Me,” says the LORD of hosts. ⁶“For dI, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, eare not consumed. [5 aOr fatherless bOr sojourner cOr revere 6 dOr I am the LORD; I do not eOr have not come to an end]

7 “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

You Have Robbed God

8 “Will a man arob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and bofferings. ⁹You are cursed with a curse, for you are crobbing Me, the whole nation of you! ¹⁰Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be dfood in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until eit overflows. ¹¹Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not fdestroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. ¹²“All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts. [8 aOr defraud bOr heave offerings 9 cOr defrauding 10 dLit prey eOr there is not room enough 11 fLit ruin]

13 “Your words have been aarrogant against Me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ ¹⁴You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts? ¹⁵So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.’ ” [13 aLit strong]

The Book of Remembrance

16 Then those who afeared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who afear the LORD and who esteem His name. ¹⁷“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I bprepare My cown possession, and I will dspare them as a man dspares his own son who serves him.” ¹⁸So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. [16 aOr revere(d) 17 bLit make cOr special treasure dOr have (has) compassion on]

MALACHI 4 [Books]

Final Admonition

1 “aFor behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” ²“But for you who bfear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. ³You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day cwhich I am preparing,” says the LORD of hosts. [1 aCh 3:19 in Heb 2 bOr revere 3 cOr when I act]

4 “aRemember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. [4 aCh 3:22 in Heb]

5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. ⁶He will arestore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a bcurse.” [6 aOr turn bOr ban of destruction]

MATTHEW 1 [Books]

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 The arecord of the genealogy of bJesus cthe Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: [1 aLit book bHeb Yeshua (Joshua), meaning The LORD saves cGr Christos (Christ), Gr for Messiah, which means Anointed One]

2 Abraham awas the father of Isaac, bIsaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of cJudah and his brothers. ³Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of dRam. ⁴Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. ⁵Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. ⁶Jesse was the father of David the king. [2 aLit fathered, and throughout the genealogy bLit and..., and throughout the genealogy cGr Judas; names of people in the Old Testament are given in their Old Testament form 3 dGr Aram]

David was the father of Solomon by aBathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of bAsa. ⁸Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of cJoram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. ⁹Uzziah was the father of dJotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. ¹⁰Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of eAmon, and Amon the father of Josiah. ¹¹Josiah became the father of fJeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. [6 aLit her of Uriah 7 bGr Asaph 8 cAlso Gr for Jehoram in 2 King 8:16; cf 1 Chron 3:11 9 dGr Joatham 10 eGr Amos 11 fJehoiachin in 2 Kin 24:15]

12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of aShealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. ¹³Zerubbabel was the father of bAbihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. ¹⁴Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. ¹⁵Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. ¹⁶Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called cthe Messiah. [12 aGr Salathiel 13 bGr Abioud, usually spelled Abiud 16 cGr Christos (Christ)]

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to athe Messiah, fourteen generations. [17 aGr Christos (Christ)]

Conception and Birth of Jesus

18 Now the birth of Jesus aChrist was as follows: when His mother Mary had been bbetrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned cto send her away secretly. ²⁰But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for dthe Child who has been econceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for fHe will save His people from their sins.” ²²Now all this gtook place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME hIMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” ²⁴And Joseph iawoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, ²⁵jbut kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. [18 aI.e. The Messiah bThe first stage of marriage in Jewish culture, usually lasting for a year before the wedding night, more legal than an engagement 19 cOr to divorce her 20 dLit that which eLit begotten 21 fLit He Himself 22 gLit has happened 23 hOr Emmanuel 24 iLit got up 25 jLit and was not knowing her]

MATTHEW 2 [Books]

The Visit of the Magi

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, amagi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ²“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” ³When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the bMessiah was to be born. ⁵They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written cby the prophet: [1 aA caste of wise men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science 4 bGr Christos (Christ) 5 cOr through]

⁶‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,

ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;

FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER

WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’ ”

7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them athe exact time the star appeared. ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” ⁹After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they bfell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. [7 aLit the time of the appearing star 11 bLit prostrated; i.e. face down in a prone position to indicate worship]

The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

14 So aJoseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. ¹⁵He bremained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” [14 aLit he 15 bLit was]

Herod Slaughters Babies

16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. ¹⁷Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

¹⁸“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH,

WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING,

RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN;

AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,

BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, ²⁰“Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” ²¹So aJoseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²²But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, ²³and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” [21 aLit he]

MATTHEW 3 [Books]

The Preaching of John the Baptist

1 Now in those days John the Baptist *acame, bpreaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ²“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven cis at hand.” ³For this is the one referred to dby Isaiah the prophet when he said,

“THE VOICE OF ONE eCRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!’ ”

⁴Now John himself had fa garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; ⁶and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. [1 aOr arrived, or appeared bOr proclaiming as a herald 2 cLit has come near 3 dOr through eOr shouting 4 fLit his garment]

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; ⁹and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, I baptize you awith water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you awith the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” [11 aThe Gr here can be translated in, with or by]

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” ¹⁵But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *permitted Him. ¹⁶After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and ahe saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and blighting on Him, ¹⁷and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is cMy beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” [16 aOr He bLit coming upon Him 17 cOr My Son, the Beloved]

MATTHEW 4 [Books]

The Temptation of Jesus

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He athen became hungry. ³And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ⁴But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’ ” [2 aLit later became; or afterward became]

5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’;

and

‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,

SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’ ”

⁷Jesus said to him, “aOn the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’ ” [7 aLit Again]

8 Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; ⁹and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and aworship me.” ¹⁰Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND bSERVE HIM ONLY.’ ” ¹¹Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. [9 aLit prostrate Yourself 10 bOr fulfill religious duty to Him]

Jesus Begins His Ministry

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; ¹³and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. ¹⁴This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

¹⁵“THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,

aBY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE bGENTILES— [aOr Toward the sea bLit nations, usually non-Jewish]

¹⁶“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,

AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,

UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

17 From that time Jesus began to apreach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” [17 aOr proclaim]

The First Disciples

18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. ¹⁹And He *said to them, “aFollow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. ²¹Going on from there He saw two other brothers, bJames the son of Zebedee, and cJohn his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. ²²Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. [19 aLit Come here after Me 21 bOr Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob cGr Joannes, Heb Johanan]

Ministry in Galilee

23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the agospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. [23 aOr good news]

24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, aepileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. ²⁵Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan. [24 aLit moonstruck]

MATTHEW 5 [Books]

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the amountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, [1 aOr hill]

3 “aBlessed are the bpoor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [3 aI.e. fortunate or prosperous, and so through v 11 bI.e. those who are not spiritually arrogant]

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the agentle, for they shall inherit the earth. [5 aOr humble, meek]

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Disciples and the World

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how acan it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. [13 aLit will]

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a ahill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a bbasket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. [14 aOr mountain 15 bOr peck-measure]

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not athe smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches bothers to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever ckeeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [18 aLit one iota (Heb yodh) or one projection of a letter (serif) 19 bGr anthropoi cLit does]

20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Personal Relationships

21 “You have heard that athe ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be bliable to the court.’ ²²But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be cguilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘dYou good-for-nothing,’ shall be cguilty before ethe supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be cguilty enough to go into the ffiery hell. ²³Therefore if you are presenting your goffering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your hoffering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your ioffering. ²⁵Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last jcent. [21 aLit it was said to the ancients bOr guilty before 22 cOr liable to dOr empty-head; Gr Raka (Raca) fr Aram reqa eLit the Sanhedrin fLit Gehenna of fire 23 gOr gift 24 hOr gift iOr gift 26 jLit quadrans (equaling two mites); i.e. 164 of a daily wage]

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; ²⁸but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye makes you astumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you bto lose one of the parts of your body, cthan for your whole body to be thrown into dhell. ³⁰If your right hand makes you astumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you bto lose one of the parts of your body, cthan for your whole body to go into dhell. [29 aI.e. sin bLit that one...be lost cLit not your whole body dGr Gehenna]

31 “It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; ³²but I say to you that everyone who adivorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a bdivorced woman commits adultery. [32 aOr sends away bOr sent away]

33 “Again, you have heard that athe ancients were told, ‘bYOU SHALL NOT cMAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR dVOWS TO THE LORD.’ ³⁴But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or eby Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. ³⁶Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is fof evil. [33 aLit it was said to the ancients byou and your are singular here cOr break your vows dLit oaths 35 eOr toward 37 fOr from the evil one]

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ ³⁹But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰If anyone wants to sue you and take your ashirt, let him have your bcoat also. ⁴¹Whoever cforces you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴²Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. [40 aLit tunic; i.e. a garment worn next to the body bLit cloak; i.e. an outer garment 41 cLit will force]

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may abe sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸Therefore byou are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. [45 aOr show yourselves to be 48 bLit you shall be]

MATTHEW 6 [Books]

Giving to the Poor and Prayer

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

2 “So when you agive to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you agive to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your bgiving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. [2 aOr give alms 4 bOr alms]

5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners aso that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. [5 aLit to be apparent to men]

7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

¹⁰‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹‘Give us this day aour daily bread. [aOr our bread for tomorrow]

¹²‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹³‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from aevil. b[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

¹⁴For if you forgive cothers for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive cothers, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. [13 aOr the evil one bThis clause not found in early mss 14 cGr anthropoi]

Fasting; The True Treasure; Wealth (Mammon)

16 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they aneglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ¹⁷But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face ¹⁸so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. [16 aLit distort their faces, i.e. discolor their faces with makeup]

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; ²¹for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is aclear, your whole body will be full of light. ²³But if your eye is bbad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! [22 aOr healthy; or sincere 23 bOr evil]

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and awealth. [24 aGr mamonas, for Aram mamon (mammon); i.e. wealth, etc., personified as an object of worship]

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “For this reason I say to you, ado not be worried about your blife, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the cair, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? ²⁷And who of you by being worried can add a single dhour to his elife? ²⁸And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, ²⁹yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ³¹Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ ³²For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But fseek first gHis kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be hadded to you. [25 aOr stop being worried bLit soul 26 cLit heaven 27 dLit cubit (approx 18 in.) eOr height 33 fOr continually seek gOr the kingdom hOr provided]

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will acare for itself. bEach day has enough trouble of its own. [34 aLit worry about itself bLit Sufficient for the day is its evils]

MATTHEW 7 [Books]

Judging Others

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. ²For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and aby your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. ³Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴Or how bcan you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. [2 aLit by what measure you measure 4 bLit will]

6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

7 “aAsk, and it will be given to you; bseek, and you will find; cknock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹Or what man is there among you dwho, when his son asks for a loaf, ewill give him a stone? ¹⁰Or fif he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? ¹¹If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! [7 aOr Keep asking bOr keep seeking cOr keep knocking 9 dLit whom his son will ask eLit he will not give him a stone, will he? 10 fLit also will ask]

12 “In everything, therefore, atreat people the same way you want bthem to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. [12 aLit you, too, do so for them bLit people; Gr anthropoi]

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will aknow them by their fruits. bGrapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰So then, you will aknow them by their fruits. [16 aOr recognize bLit They do not gather]

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²²Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many amiracles?’ ²³And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ [22 aOr works of power]

The Two Foundations

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and aacts on them, bmay be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the cfloods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not dact on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷The rain fell, and the cfloods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” [24 aLit does bLit will 25 cLit rivers 26 dLit do]

28 aWhen Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. [28 aLit And it happened when]

MATTHEW 8 [Books]

Jesus Cleanses a Leper; The Centurion’s Faith

1 When aJesus came down from the mountain, blarge crowds followed Him. ²And a leper came to Him and cbowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” ³Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the doffering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” [1 aLit He bLit many 2 cOr worshiped 4 dLit gift]

5 And when aJesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, ⁶and saying, “bLord, my cservant is dlying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” ⁷Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸But the centurion said, “bLord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just esay the word, and my cservant will be healed. ⁹For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” ¹⁰Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith fwith anyone in Israel. ¹¹I say to you that many will come from east and west, and grecline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; ¹²but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; hit shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the cservant was healed that very imoment. [5 aLit He 6 bOr Sir cLit boy dLit thrown down 8 eLit say with a word 10 fOne early ms reads not even in Israel 11 gOr dine 13 hOr let it be done; i.e. a command iLit hour]

Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s ahome, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. ¹⁵He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and bwaited on Him. ¹⁶When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND cCARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.” [14 aOr house 15 bOr served 17 cOr removed]

Discipleship Tested

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. ¹⁹Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” ²⁰Jesus *said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the aair have bnests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” ²¹Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” ²²But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.” [20 aOr sky bOr roosting places]

23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. ²⁴And behold, there arose aa great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. ²⁵And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” ²⁶He *said to them, “Why are you bafraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and cit became perfectly calm. ²⁷The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” [24 aLit a shaking 26 bOr cowardly cLit a great calm occurred]

Jesus Casts Out Demons

28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. ²⁹And they cried out, saying, “aWhat business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before bthe time?” ³⁰Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. ³¹The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” ³²And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. ³³The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, cincluding what had happened to the demoniacs. ³⁴And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region. [29 aLit What is to us and to you (a Heb idiom) bI.e. the appointed time of judgment 33 cLit and the things of]

MATTHEW 9 [Books]

A Paralytic Healed

1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.

2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, ason; your sins are forgiven.” ³And some of the scribes said bto themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” ⁴And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? ⁵Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? ⁶But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” ⁷And he got up and cwent home. ⁸But when the crowds saw this, they were dawestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. [2 aLit child 3 bLit among 7 cOr departed 8 dLit afraid]

Matthew Called

9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.

10 Then it happened that as aJesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and bsinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. ¹¹When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” ¹²But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³But go and learn cwhat this means: ‘I DESIRE dCOMPASSION, eAND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” [10 aLit He bI.e. irreligious Jews 13 cLit what is dOr mercy eI.e. more than]

The Question about Fasting

14 Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁵And Jesus said to them, “The aattendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶But no one puts ba patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for cthe patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. ¹⁷Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” [15 aLit sons of the wedding place 16 bLit that which is put on cLit that which fills up]

Miracles of Healing

18 While He was saying these things to them, aa synagogue bofficial came and cbowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples. [18 aOr one bLit ruler cOr worshiped]

20 And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the afringe of His bcloak; ²¹for she was saying cto herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will dget well.” ²²But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has emade you well.” fAt once the woman was gmade well. [20 aI.e. tassel fringe with a blue cord bOr outer garment 21 cLit in herself dLit be saved 22 eLit saved you fLit from that hour gLit saved]

23 When Jesus came into the aofficial’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, ²⁴He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. ²⁵But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl bgot up. ²⁶This news spread throughout all that land. [23 aLit ruler’s 25 bOr was raised up]

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” ²⁸When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus *said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They *said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” ²⁹Then He touched their eyes, saying, “aIt shall be done to you according to your faith.” ³⁰And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: “See that no one knows about this!” ³¹But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land. [29 aOr Let it be done; Gr command]

32 As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man awas brought to Him. ³³After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has bever been seen in Israel.” ³⁴But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” [32 aLit they brought 33 bLit ever appeared]

35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

36 Seeing the apeople, He felt compassion for them, because they were bdistressed and cdispirited like sheep dwithout a shepherd. ³⁷Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” [36 aLit crowds bOr harassed cLit thrown down dLit not having]

MATTHEW 10 [Books]

The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and aJames the son of Zebedee, and bJohn his brother; ³Philip and cBartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; dJames the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴Simon the eZealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. [2 aOr Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob bGr Joannes, Heb Johanan 3 cI.e. son of Talmai (Aram) dOr Jacob 4 eOr Cananaean]

5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not ago bin the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; ⁶but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷And as you go, cpreach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven dis at hand.’ ⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. ⁹Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, ¹⁰or a ebag for your journey, or even two fcoats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his gsupport. ¹¹And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay hat his house until you leave that city. ¹²As you enter the ihouse, give it your jgreeting. ¹³If the house is worthy, kgive it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, ltake back your blessing of peace. ¹⁴Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. [5 aOr go off bOr on the road of (Gr hodos: way or road) 7 cOr proclaim dLit has come near 10 eOr knapsack, or beggar’s bag fOr inner garments gLit nourishment 11 hLit there until 12 iOr household jI.e. the familiar Heb blessing, “Peace be to this house!” 13 kLit your peace is to come upon it lLit your peace is to return to you]

A Hard Road before Them

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so abe shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. ²⁰For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. [16 aOr show yourselves to be]

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and acause them to be put to death. ²²You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. [21 aLit put them to death]

23 “But whenever they persecute you in aone city, flee to bthe next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. [23 aLit this bLit the other]

The Meaning of Discipleship

24 “A adisciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. ²⁵It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house bBeelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! [24 aOr student 25 bOr Beezebul: ruler of demons]

26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. ²⁸Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ahell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a bcent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. [28 aGr Gehenna 29 bGr assarion, the smallest copper coin]

32 “Therefore everyone who aconfesses Me before men, I will also confess bhim before My Father who is in heaven. ³³But whoever cdenies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. [32 aLit will confess in Me bLit in him 33 cLit will deny]

34 “Do not think that I came to abring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; ³⁶and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. [34 aLit cast]

37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹He who has found his alife will lose it, and he who has lost his alife for My sake will find it. [39 aOr soul]

The Reward of Service

40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ⁴¹He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴²And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these alittle ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” [42 aI.e. humble]

MATTHEW 11 [Books]

John’s Questions

1 When Jesus had finished agiving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and bpreach in their cities. [1 aOr commanding bOr proclaim]

2 Now when John, awhile imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to Him, “Are You the bExpected One, or shall we look for someone else?” ⁴Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE cGOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. ⁶And blessed is he dwho does not etake offense at Me.” [2 aLit in prison 3 bLit Coming One 5 cOr good news 6 dLit whoever eOr stumble over Me]

Jesus’ Tribute to John

7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸aBut what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ bpalaces! ⁹aBut what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it cis written,

‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER dAHEAD OF YOU,

WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

¹¹Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is eleast in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven fsuffers violence, and violent men gtake it by force. ¹³For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who hwas to come. ¹⁵He who has ears to hear, ilet him hear. [8 aOr Well then, bLit houses 10 cLit has been written dLit before your face 11 eOr less 12 fOr is forcibly entered gOr seize it for themselves 14 hOr is going to come 15 iOr hear! Or listen!]

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, ¹⁷and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not amourn.’ ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ ¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a bdrunkard, a friend of tax collectors and csinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” [17 aLit beat the breast 19 bOr wine-drinker cI.e. irreligious Jews]

The Unrepenting Cities

20 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His amiracles were done, because they did not repent. ²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the amiracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in bsackcloth and ashes. ²²Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the amiracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” [20 aOr works of power 21 bI.e. symbols of mourning]

Come to Me

25 At that atime Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. ²⁶Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. ²⁷All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. [25 aOr occasion]

28 “Come to Me, all awho are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. ³⁰For My yoke is beasy and My burden is light.” [28 aOr who work to exhaustion 30 bOr comfortable, or pleasant]

MATTHEW 12 [Books]

Sabbath Questions

1 At that atime Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” ³But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, ⁴how he entered the house of God, and they ate the bconsecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? ⁵Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple cbreak the Sabbath and are innocent? ⁶But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. ⁷But if you had known what this dmeans, ‘I DESIRE eCOMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. [1 aOr occasion 4 bOr showbread; lit loaves of presentation 5 cOr profane 7 dLit is eOr mercy]

Lord of the Sabbath

⁸For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned aJesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. ¹¹And He said to them, “What man bis there among you who chas a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹²How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do dgood on the Sabbath.” ¹³Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to enormal, like the other. ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and fconspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. [10 aLit Him 11 bLit will be from you cLit will have 12 dLit well 13 eLit health 14 fLit took counsel]

15 But Jesus, aaware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, ¹⁶and warned them not to btell who He was. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: [15 aLit knowing 16 bLit make Him known]

¹⁸“BEHOLD, MY aSERVANT WHOM I bHAVE CHOSEN;

MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL cis WELL-PLEASED;

I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM,

AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM dJUSTICE TO THE eGENTILES. [aLit Child bLit chose cOr took pleasure dOr judgment eOr nations]

¹⁹“HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT;

NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.

²⁰“A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF,

AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT,

UNTIL HE aLEADS bJUSTICE TO VICTORY. [aOr puts forth bOr judgment]

²¹“AND IN HIS NAME THE aGENTILES WILL HOPE.” [aOr nations]

The Pharisees Rebuked

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to aJesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. ²³All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by bBeelzebul the ruler of the demons.” [22 aLit Him 24 bOr Beezebul; i.e. ruler of demons]

25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “aAny kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and aany city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶If Satan casts out Satan, he bis divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷If I by cBeelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁸But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. [25 aLit Every 26 bLit was 27 cV 24, note 1]

The Unpardonable Sin

³⁰He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ³²Whoever aspeaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever aspeaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. [32 aLit will speak]

Words Reveal Character

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak awhat is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. ³⁵The good man brings out of his good treasure awhat is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure bwhat is evil. ³⁶But I tell you that every ccareless word that people dspeak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. ³⁷For eby your words you will be justified, and eby your words you will be condemned.” [34 aLit good things 35 bLit evil things 36 cOr useless dLit will speak 37 eOr in accordance with]

The Desire for Signs

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a asign from You.” ³⁹But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a asign; and yet no asign will be given to it but the asign of Jonah the prophet; ⁴⁰for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴²The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. [38 aI.e. attesting miracle]

43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. ⁴⁴Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

Changed Relationships

46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. ⁴⁷Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”a ⁴⁸But bJesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” ⁴⁹And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” [47 aThis verse is not found in early mss 48 bLit He]

MATTHEW 13 [Books]

Jesus Teaches in Parables

1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. ²And alarge crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. [2 aLit Many]

3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. ⁶But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷Others fell aamong the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. ⁹He who has ears, blet him hear.” [7 aLit upon 9 bOr hear! Or listen!]

An Explanation

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ¹¹aJesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ¹²For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. ¹³Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴bIn their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘cYOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, dBUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;

eYOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; [11 aLit He 14 bLit For them cLit With a hearing you will hear dLit and eLit Seeing you will see]

¹⁵FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,

WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,

AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,

OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,

HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,

AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,

AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’

¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Sower Explained

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the aword of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. ²⁰The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the aword, immediately he bfalls away. ²²And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the cworld and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” [19 aI.e. message 21 bLit is caused to stumble 22 cOr age]

Tares among Wheat

24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven amay be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed btares among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶But when the cwheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. ²⁷The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? dHow then does it have tares?’ ²⁸And he said to them, ‘An eenemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” [24 aLit was compared to 25 bOr darnel, a weed resembling wheat 26 cLit grass 27 dLit From where 28 eLit enemy man]

The Mustard Seed

31 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; ³²and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE aAIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.” [32 aOr sky]

The Leaven

33 He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three apecks of flour until it was all leavened.” [33 aGr sata]

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable. ³⁵This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES;

I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”

The Tares Explained

36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the atares of the field.” ³⁷And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the bend of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the bend of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom call stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴²and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, dlet him hear. [36 aOr darnel, a weed resembling wheat 39 bOr consummation 41 cOr everything that is offensive 43 dOr hear! Or listen!]

Hidden Treasure

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

A Costly Pearl

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, ⁴⁶and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

A Dragnet

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; ⁴⁸and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. ⁴⁹So it will be at the aend of the age; the angels will come forth and btake out the wicked from among the righteous, ⁵⁰and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [49 aOr consummation bOr separate]

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They *said to Him, “Yes.” ⁵²And aJesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” [52 aLit He]

Jesus Revisits Nazareth

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. ⁵⁴He came to aHis hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these bmiraculous powers? ⁵⁵Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his chometown and in his own household.” ⁵⁸And He did not do many dmiracles there because of their unbelief. [54 aOr His own part of the country bOr miracles 57 cOr own part of the country 58 dOr works of power]

MATTHEW 14 [Books]

John the Baptist Beheaded

1 At that atime Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus, ²and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; bhe has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” [1 aOr occasion 2 bOr he, himself]

3 For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. ⁴For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded aJohn as a prophet. [5 aLit him]

6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced abefore them and pleased Herod, ⁷so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸Having been prompted by her mother, she *said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of bhis dinner guests. ¹⁰He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹²His disciples came and took away the body and buried cit; and they went and reported to Jesus. [6 aLit in the midst 9 bLit those who reclined at the table with him 12 cLit him]

Five Thousand Fed

13 Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the apeople heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴When He went bashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. [13 aLit the crowds 14 bLit out]

15 When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already alate; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” ¹⁶But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” ¹⁷They *said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹Ordering the bpeople to csit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, ²⁰and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. ²¹There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. [15 aLit past 19 bLit crowds cLit recline]

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately He amade the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. ²³After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. ²⁴But the boat was already ba long distance from the land, cbattered by the waves; for the wind was dcontrary. ²⁵And in the efourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out fin fear. ²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” [22 aLit compelled 24 bLit many stadia from; a stadion was about 600 feet or about 182 meters cLit tormented dOr adverse 25 eI.e. 3-6 a.m. 26 fLit from]

28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” ²⁹And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³²When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

34 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. ³⁵And when the men of that place arecognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; ³⁶and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured. [35 aOr knew]

MATTHEW 15 [Books]

Tradition and Commandment

1 Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ²“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” ³And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO aBE PUT TO DEATH.’ ⁵But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been bgiven to God,” ⁶he is not to honor his father or his motherc.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. ⁷You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: [4 aLit die the death 5 bLit a gift; i.e. an offering 6 cI.e. by supporting them with it]

⁸‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,

BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

⁹‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,

TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ ”

10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand. ¹¹It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

12 Then the disciples *came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were aoffended when they heard this statement?” ¹³But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides bof the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” [12 aLit caused to stumble 14 bLater mss add of the blind]

The Heart of Man

15 Peter asaid to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” ¹⁶bJesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also? ¹⁷Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is celiminated? ¹⁸But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, dfornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. ²⁰These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” [15 aLit answered and said 16 bLit and He 17 cLit thrown out into the latrine 19 dI.e. sexual immorality]

The Syrophoenician Woman

21 Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²²And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” ²³But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting aat us.” ²⁴But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵But she came and began bto bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” ²⁶And He answered and said, “It is not cgood to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷But she said, “Yes, Lord; dbut even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed eat once. [23 aLit behind us 25 bOr worshiped 26 cOr proper 27 dLit for 28 eLit from that hour]

Healing Crowds

29 Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. ³⁰And alarge crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. ³¹So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled brestored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. [30 aLit many 31 bOr healthy]

Four Thousand Fed

32 And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the apeople, because they bhave remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” ³³The disciples *said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” ³⁴And Jesus *said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” ³⁵And He directed the apeople to csit down on the ground; ³⁶and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ³⁷And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. ³⁸And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. [32 aLit crowd bLit are remaining 35 cLit recline]

39 And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.

MATTHEW 16 [Books]

Pharisees Test Jesus

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a asign from heaven. ²But He replied to them, “bWhen it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ ³And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the cappearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? ⁴An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a asign; and a asign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. [1 aOr attesting miracle 2 bEarly mss do not contain the rest of v 2 and v 3 3 cLit face]

5 And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. ⁶And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the aleaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ⁷They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.” ⁸But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? ⁹Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up? ¹¹How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the aleaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹²Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [6 aOr yeast]

Peter’s Confession of Christ

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, aElijah; but still others, bJeremiah, or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are cthe Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon dBarjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸I also say to you that you are ePeter, and upon this frock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth gshall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth hshall have been loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then He iwarned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was cthe Christ. [14 aGr Elias bGr Jeremias 16 cI.e. the Messiah 17 dI.e. son of Jonah 18 eGr Petros, a stone fGr petra, large rock; bed-rock 19 gGr estai dedemenon, fut. pft. pass. hGr estai lelumenon, fut. pft. pass. 20 iOr strictly admonished]

Jesus Foretells His Death

21 From that time aJesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. ²²Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “bGod forbid it, Lord! This shall never chappen to You.” ²³But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on dGod’s interests, but man’s.” [21 aTwo early mss read Jesus Christ 22 bLit (God be) merciful to You cLit be 23 dLit the things of God]

Discipleship Is Costly

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ²⁵For whoever wishes to save his alife will lose it; but whoever loses his alife for My sake will find it. ²⁶For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN bREPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS cDEEDS. [25 aOr soul 27 bOr recompense cLit doing]

28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

MATTHEW 17 [Books]

The Transfiguration

1 Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and aJames and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. ²And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. ³And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three btabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” ⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell cface down to the ground and were terrified. ⁷And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” ⁸And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. [1 aOr Jacob 4 bOr sacred tents 6 cLit on their faces]

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” ¹⁰And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; ¹²but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did ato him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer bat their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. [12 aLit in him; or in his case bLit by them]

The Demoniac

14 When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, ¹⁵“aLord, have mercy on my son, for he is a blunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured cat once. [15 aOr Sir bOr moonstruck; Gr seleniazo 18 cLit from that hour]

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁰And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith athe size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. ²¹[bBut this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”] [20 aLit as 21 bEarly mss do not contain this v]

22 And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be adelivered into the hands of men; ²³and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved. [22 aOr betrayed]

The Tribute Money

24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the atwo-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the atwo-drachma tax?” ²⁵He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” ²⁶When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are bexempt. ²⁷However, so that we do not coffend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find da shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.” [24 aEquivalent to two denarii or two days’ wages, paid as a temple tax 26 bOr free 27 cLit cause them to stumble dLit standard coin, which was a shekel]

MATTHEW 18 [Books]

Rank in the Kingdom

1 At that atime the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ²And He called a child to Himself and set him bbefore them, ³and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you care converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; ⁶but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it dwould be better for him to have a eheavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. [1 aLit hour 2 bLit in their midst 3 cLit are turned 6 dLit is better eLit millstone turned by a donkey]

Stumbling Blocks

7 “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

8 “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than ato have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. ⁹If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than ato have two eyes and be cast into the bfiery hell. [8 aLit having; Gr part. 9 bLit Gehenna of fire]

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. ¹¹[aFor the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.] [11 aEarly mss do not contain this v]

Ninety-nine Plus One

12 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? ¹³If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. ¹⁴So it is not the will aof your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. [14 aLit before]

Discipline and Prayer

15 “If your brother sinsa, go and bshow him his fault cin private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. ¹⁶But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY dFACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as ea Gentile and ea tax collector. ¹⁸Truly I say to you, whatever you fbind on earth gshall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you hloose on earth ishall have been loosed in heaven. [15 aLate mss add against you bOr reprove cLit between you and him alone 16 dLit word 17 eLit the 18 fOr forbid gGr fut. pft. pass. hOr permit iGr fut. pft. pass.]

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them aby My Father who is in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” [19 aLit from]

Forgiveness

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” ²²Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven amay be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him bten thousand talents was brought to him. ²⁵But since he cdid not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. ²⁶So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ ²⁷And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the ddebt. ²⁸But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred edenarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ ²⁹So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ ³⁰But he was unwilling fand went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. ³¹So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. ³²Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. ³⁵My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from gyour heart.” [23 aLit was compared to 24 bA talent was worth more than fifteen years’ wages of a laborer 25 cOr was unable to 27 dOr loan 28 eThe denarius was a day’s wages 30 fLit but 35 gLit your hearts]

MATTHEW 19 [Books]

Concerning Divorce

1 When Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan; ²and alarge crowds followed Him, and He healed them there. [2 aLit many]

3 Some Pharisees came to aJesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to bdivorce his wife for any reason at all?” ⁴And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, ⁵and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? ⁶So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” ⁷They *said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?” ⁸He *said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to bdivorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. ⁹And I say to you, whoever cdivorces his wife, except for dimmorality, and marries another woman ecommits adulteryf.” [3 aLit Him bOr send away 9 cOr sends away dLit fornication eSome early mss read makes her commit adultery fSome early mss add and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery]

10 The disciples *said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.” ¹¹But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹²For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But Jesus said, “aLet the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵After laying His hands on them, He departed from there. [14 aOr Permit the children]

The Rich Young Ruler

16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” ¹⁷And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; ¹⁹HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” ²⁰The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” ²¹Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be acomplete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²²But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. [21 aOr perfect]

23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁶And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The Disciples’ Reward

27 Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” ²⁸And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on aHis glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother bor children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive cmany times as much, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. [28 aLit the throne of His glory 29 bOne early ms adds or wife cOne early ms reads a hundred times]

MATTHEW 20 [Books]

Laborers in the Vineyard

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like aa landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ²When he had agreed with the laborers for a bdenarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³And he went out about the cthird hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; ⁴and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. ⁵Again he went out about the dsixth and the ninth hour, and did ethe same thing. ⁶And about the feleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ ⁷They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ [1 aLit a man, a landowner 2 bThe denarius was a day’s wages 3 cI.e. 9 a.m. 5 dI.e. noon and 3 p.m. eLit similarly 6 fI.e. 5 p.m.]

8 “When evening came, the aowner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ ⁹When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a bdenarius. ¹⁰When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; cbut each of them also received a denarius. ¹¹When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, ¹²saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ ¹³But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ¹⁵Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye denvious because I am egenerous?’ ¹⁶So the last shall be first, and the first last.” [8 aOr lord 9 bThe denarius was a day’s wages 10 cLit each one a denarius 15 dLit evil eLit good]

Death, Resurrection Foretold

17 As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, ¹⁸“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be adelivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, ¹⁹and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.” [18 aOr betrayed]

Preferment Asked

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to aJesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. ²¹And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She *said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” ²²But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.” ²³He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” [20 aLit Him]

24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. ²⁶It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, ²⁷and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; ²⁸just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His alife a ransom for many.” [28 aOr soul]

Sight for the Blind

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. ³⁰And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” ³¹The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” ³²And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³³They *said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” ³⁴Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.

MATTHEW 21 [Books]

The Triumphal Entry

1 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” ⁴This atook place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: [4 aLit has happened]

⁵“SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,

‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,

GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,

EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’ ”

⁶The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, ⁷and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on athe coats. ⁸Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. ⁹The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David;

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

Hosanna in the highest!”

¹⁰When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.” [7 aLit them]

Cleansing the Temple

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. ¹³And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ aDEN.” [13 aLit cave]

14 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. ¹⁵But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant ¹⁶and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?” ¹⁷And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

The Barren Fig Tree

18 Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. ¹⁹Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He *said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” ²¹And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. ²²And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Authority Challenged

23 When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” ²⁴Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one athing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ ²⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the bpeople; for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. [24 aLit word 26 bLit crowd]

Parable of Two Sons

28 “But what do you think? A man had two asons, and he came to the first and said, ‘bSon, go work today in the vineyard.’ ²⁹And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. ³⁰The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. ³¹Which of the two did the will of his father?” They *said, “The first.” Jesus *said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes cwill get into the kingdom of God before you. ³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him. [28 aLit children bLit Child 31 cLit are getting into]

Parable of the Landowner

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a alandowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to bvine-growers and went on a journey. ³⁴When the charvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. ³⁵The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. ³⁷But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ³⁹They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰Therefore when the downer of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” ⁴¹They *said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.” [33 aLit a man, head of a household bOr tenant farmers, also vv 34, 35, 38, 40 34 cLit the fruit season 40 dLit lord]

42 Jesus *said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone;

THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,

AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?

⁴³Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a apeople, producing the fruit of it. ⁴⁴And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” [43 aLit nation]

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. ⁴⁶When they sought to seize Him, they feared the apeople, because they considered Him to be a prophet. [46 aLit crowds]

MATTHEW 22 [Books]

Parable of the Marriage Feast

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, ²“The kingdom of heaven amay be compared to ba king who cgave a wedding feast for his son. ³And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. ⁴Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.” ’ ⁵But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own dfarm, another to his business, ⁶and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. ⁷But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. ⁸Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ⁹Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ ¹⁰Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with edinner guests. [2 aLit was compared to bLit a man, a king cLit made 5 dOr field 10 eLit those reclining at the table]

11 “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, ¹²and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. ¹³Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴For many are acalled, but few are chosen.” [14 aOr invited]

Tribute to Caesar

15 Then the Pharisees went and aplotted together how they might trap Him bin what He said. ¹⁶And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and cdefer to no one; for You are not partial to any. ¹⁷Tell us then, what do You think? Is it dlawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸But Jesus perceived their emalice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a fdenarius. ²⁰And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” ²²And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away. [15 aLit took counsel bLit in word 16 cLit it is not a concern to You about anyone; i.e. You do not seek anyone’s favor 17 dOr permissible 18 eOr wickedness 19 fThe denarius was a day’s wages]

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

23 On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, ²⁴asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘IF A MAN DIES HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER.’ ²⁵Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; ²⁶so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. ²⁷Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not aunderstanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. ³⁰For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ³¹But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ³²‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” ³³When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. [29 aOr knowing]

34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. ³⁵One of them, aa lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ³⁶“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ ³⁸This is the great and bforemost commandment. ³⁹The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ ⁴⁰On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” [35 aI.e. an expert in the Mosaic Law 38 bOr first]

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: ⁴²“What do you think about athe Christ, whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “The son of David.” ⁴³He *said to them, “Then how does David bin the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, [42 aI.e. the Messiah 43 bOr by inspiration]

⁴⁴‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET” ’?

⁴⁵If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” ⁴⁶No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him aanother question. [46 aLit any longer]

MATTHEW 23 [Books]

Pharisaism Exposed

1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, ²saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; ³therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. ⁴They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. ⁵But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their aphylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. ⁶They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, ⁷and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. ⁸But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. ¹⁰Do not be called bleaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. ¹¹But the greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹²Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. [5 aI.e. small cases containing Scripture texts worn on the left arm and forehead for religious purposes 10 bOr teachers]

Eight Woes

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven afrom bpeople; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. ¹⁴[cWoe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.] [13 aLit in front of bGr anthropoi 14 cThis v not found in early mss]

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one aproselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of bhell as yourselves. [15 aOr convert bGr Gehenna]

16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the atemple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the atemple is obligated.’ ¹⁷You fools and blind men! Which is bmore important, the gold or the atemple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the coffering on it, he is obligated.’ ¹⁹You blind men, which is bmore important, the coffering, or the altar that sanctifies the coffering? ²⁰Therefore, dwhoever swears by the altar, swears both by ethe altar and by everything on it. ²¹And dwhoever swears by the atemple, swears both by ethe temple and by Him who dwells within it. ²²And dwhoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. [16 aOr sanctuary 17 bLit greater 18 cOr gift 20 dLit he who eLit it]

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and acummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. ²⁴You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! [23 aSimilar to caraway seeds]

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full aof robbery and self-indulgence. ²⁶You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. [25 aOr as a result of]

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹So you testify against yourselves, that you are asons of those who murdered the prophets. ³²Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. ³³You serpents, you brood of vipers, how bwill you escape the csentence of dhell? [31 aOr descendants 33 bLit would cOr judgment dGr Gehenna]

34 “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, ³⁵so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the atemple and the altar. ³⁶Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. [35 aOr sanctuary]

Lament over Jerusalem

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. ³⁸Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! ³⁹For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ ”

MATTHEW 24 [Books]

Signs of Christ’s Return

1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away awhen His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. ²And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” [1 aLit and]

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the aend of the age?” [3 aOr consummation]

4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the aChrist,’ and will mislead many. ⁶You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. ⁸But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. [5 aI.e. the Messiah]

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰At that time many will afall away and will bbetray one another and hate one another. ¹¹Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. ¹²Because lawlessness is increased, cmost people’s love will grow cold. ¹³But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. ¹⁴This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole dworld as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. [10 aLit be caused to stumble bOr hand over 12 cLit the love of many 14 dLit inhabited earth]

Perilous Times

15 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁷aWhoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. ¹⁸aWhoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁹But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. ²¹For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. ²²Unless those days had been cut short, no blife would have been saved; but for the sake of the celect those days will be cut short. ²³Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the dChrist,’ or ‘eThere He is,’ do not believe him. ²⁴For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will fshow great gsigns and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the celect. ²⁵Behold, I have told you in advance. ²⁶So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. ²⁷For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸Wherever the corpse is, there the hvultures will gather. [17 aLit He who 22 bLit flesh cOr chosen ones 23 dI.e. Messiah eLit here 24 fLit give gOr attesting miracles 28 hOr eagles]

The Glorious Return

29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from athe sky, and the powers of athe heavens will be shaken. ³⁰And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. ³¹And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His belect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. [29 aOr heaven 31 bOr chosen ones]

Parable of the Fig Tree

32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; ³³so, you too, when you see all these things, arecognize that bHe is near, right at the cdoor. ³⁴Truly I say to you, this dgeneration will not pass away until all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. [33 aOr know bOr it cLit doors 34 dOr race]

36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. ³⁷For athe coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and they did not bunderstand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰Then there will be two men in the field; one cwill be taken and one cwill be left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding at the dmill; one cwill be taken and one cwill be left. [37 aLit just as...were the days 39 bLit know 40 cLit is 41 dI.e. handmill]

Be Ready for His Coming

42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. ⁴³But abe sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be bbroken into. ⁴⁴For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. [43 aLit know this bLit dug through]

45 “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his amaster put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶Blessed is that slave whom his amaster finds so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My amaster bis not coming for a long time,’ ⁴⁹and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; ⁵⁰the amaster of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, ⁵¹and will ccut him in pieces and dassign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [45 aOr lord 48 bLit lingers 51 cOr severely scourge him dLit appoint his portion]

MATTHEW 25 [Books]

Parable of Ten Virgins

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. ³For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹²But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Parable of the Talents

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five atalents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. ¹⁶Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ¹⁷In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his bmaster’s money. [15 aA talent was worth about fifteen years’ wages of a laborer 18 bOr lord’s]

19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. ²⁰The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ ²¹His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your amaster.’ [21 aOr lord]

22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ ²³His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ²⁵And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ²⁷Then you ought to have put my money ain the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ [27 aLit to the bankers]

29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ³⁰Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Judgment

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; ³³and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ³⁶naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ³⁸And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ³⁹When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴²for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; ⁴³I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ ⁴⁴Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not atake care of You?’ ⁴⁵Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [44 aOr serve]

MATTHEW 26 [Books]

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, ²“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; ⁴and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. ⁵But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

The Precious Ointment

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, ⁷a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. ⁸But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? ⁹For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” ¹⁰But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. ¹¹For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. ¹²For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. ¹³Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

Judas’s Bargain

14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵and said, “What are you willing to give me ato bbetray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty cpieces of silver to him. ¹⁶From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to bbetray dJesus. [15 aLit and I will bOr deliver cI.e. silver shekels 16 dLit Him]

17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ” ¹⁹The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Last Passover

20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. ²¹As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” ²²Being deeply grieved, they aeach one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” ²³And He answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. ²⁴The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good bfor that man if he had not been born.” ²⁵And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself.” [22 aOr one after another 24 bLit for him if that man had not been born]

The Lord’s Supper Instituted

26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and aafter a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” ²⁷And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. ²⁹But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” [26 aLit having blessed]

30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31 Then Jesus *said to them, “You will all afall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.’ ³²But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” ³³But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may afall away because of You, I will never fall away.” ³⁴Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” ³⁵Peter *said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too. [31 aOr stumble]

The Garden of Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus *came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and *said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” ⁴³Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “aAre you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” [45 aOr Keep on sleeping therefore]

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

47 While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up aaccompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” ⁴⁹Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁵⁰And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. [47 aLit and with him]

51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus areached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and bcut off his ear. ⁵²Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. ⁵³Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve clegions of angels? ⁵⁴How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” [51 aLit extended the hand bLit took off 53 cA legion equaled 6,000 troops]

55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

Jesus before Caiaphas

57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. ⁵⁸But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the aofficers to see the outcome. [58 aOr servants]

59 Now the chief priests and the whole aCouncil kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. ⁶⁰They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, ⁶¹and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the btemple of God and to rebuild it cin three days.’ ” ⁶²The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” ⁶³But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I dadjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are ethe Christ, the Son of God.” ⁶⁴Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, fhereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” [59 aOr Sanhedrin 61 bOr sanctuary cOr after 63 dOr charge You under oath eI.e. the Messiah 64 fOr from now on]

65 Then the high priest tore his arobes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; ⁶⁶what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!” [65 aOr outer garments]

67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others aslapped Him, ⁶⁸and said, “Prophesy to us, You bChrist; who is the one who hit You?” [67 aOr beat Him with rods 68 bI.e. the Messiah]

Peter’s Denials

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁷²And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” ⁷³A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk agives you away.” ⁷⁴Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. [73 aLit makes you evident]

MATTHEW 27 [Books]

Judas’s Remorse

1 Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; ²and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor.

3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty apieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” ⁵And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. ⁶The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” ⁷And they conferred together and bwith the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. ⁸For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “AND cTHEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel; ¹⁰AND dTHEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER’S FIELD, AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME.” [3 aOr silver shekels 7 bLit from them 9 cOr I took; cf Zech 11:13 10 dSome early mss read I gave]

Jesus before Pilate

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” ¹²And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. ¹³Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” ¹⁴And He did not answer him with regard to even a single acharge, so the governor was quite amazed. [14 aLit word]

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the apeople any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. ¹⁷So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over. [15 aLit crowd]

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for alast night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. ²¹But the governor bsaid to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²²Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “cCrucify Him!” ²³And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “cCrucify Him!” [19 aLit today 21 bLit answered and said to them 22 cLit Let Him be crucified]

24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” ²⁵And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” ²⁶Then he released Barabbas afor them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. [26 aOr to them]

Jesus Is Mocked

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the aPraetorium and gathered the whole Roman bcohort around Him. ²⁸They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. ²⁹And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a creed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. ³¹After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. [27 aI.e. the governor’s official residence bOr battalion 29 cOr staff; i.e. to mimic a king’s scepter]

32 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, awhom they pressed into service to bear His cross. [32 aLit this one]

The Crucifixion

33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, ³⁴they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.

35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting alots. ³⁶And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. ³⁷And above His head they put up the charge against Him bwhich read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” [35 aLit a lot 37 bLit written]

38 At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁹And those passing by were ahurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” ⁴¹In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, ⁴²“He saved others; bHe cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. ⁴³HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE cDELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” ⁴⁴The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. [39 aOr blaspheming 42 bOr can He not save Himself? 43 cOr takes pleasure in; or cares for him]

45 Now from the asixth hour darkness bfell upon all the land until the cninth hour. ⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” ⁴⁷And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” ⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. ⁴⁹But the rest of them said, “dLet us see whether Elijah will come to save Hime.” ⁵⁰And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ⁵¹And behold, the fveil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. ⁵²The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the gsaints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. ⁵⁴Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was hthe Son of God!” [45 aI.e. 12 noon bOr occurred cI.e. 3 p.m. 49 dLit Permit that we see eSome early mss read And another took a spear and pierced His side, and there came out water and blood (cf John 19:34) 51 fOr curtain 52 gOr holy ones 54 hOr a son of God or a son of a god]

55 Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while aministering to Him. ⁵⁶Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. [55 aOr caring for Him]

Jesus Is Buried

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. ⁵⁹And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. ⁶¹And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

62 Now on the next day, athe day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, ⁶³and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ ⁶⁴Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone. [62 aLit which is after]

MATTHEW 28 [Books]

Jesus Is Risen!

1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. ²And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. ³And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. ⁵The angel said to the women, “aDo not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. ⁶He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. ⁷Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” [5 aOr Stop being afraid]

8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. ⁹And behold, Jesus met them aand greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰Then Jesus *said to them, “bDo not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” [9 aLit saying hello 10 bOr Stop being afraid]

11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. ¹²And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and akeep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day. [14 aLit make you free from care]

The Great Commission

16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. ¹⁸And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹aGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you balways, even to the end of the age.” [19 aOr Having gone; Gr aorist part. 20 bLit all the days]

MARK 1 [Books]

Preaching of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER aAHEAD OF YOU,

WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; [2 aLit before your face]

³THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’ ”

⁴John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness apreaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁶John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and bhis diet was locusts and wild honey. ⁷And he was apreaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. ⁸I baptized you cwith water; but He will baptize you cwith the Holy Spirit.” [4 aOr proclaiming 6 bLit he was eating 8 cThe Gr here can be translated in, with or by]

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens aopening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; ¹¹and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” [10 aOr being parted]

12 Immediately the Spirit *impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. ¹³And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

14 Now after John had been ataken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, bpreaching the gospel of God, ¹⁵and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God cis at hand; repent and dbelieve in the gospel.” [14 aLit delivered up bOr proclaiming 15 cLit has come near dOr put your trust in]

16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. ¹⁷And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. ¹⁹Going on a little farther, He saw aJames the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. ²⁰Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away bto follow Him. [19 aOr Jacob 20 bLit after Him]

21 They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. ²²They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. ²³Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, ²⁴saying, “What abusiness do we have with each other, Jesus bof Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” ²⁵And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” ²⁶Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. ²⁷They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” ²⁸Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. [24 aLit What to us and to You (a Heb idiom) bLit the Nazarene]

Crowds Healed

29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with aJames and John. ³⁰Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they *spoke to bJesus about her. ³¹And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she cwaited on them. [29 aOr Jacob 30 bLit Him 31 cOr served]

32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. ³³And the whole city had gathered at the door. ³⁴And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. ³⁶Simon and his companions searched for Him; ³⁷they found Him, and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” ³⁸He *said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may apreach there also; for that is what I came for.” ³⁹And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, bpreaching and casting out the demons. [38 aOr proclaim 39 bOr proclaiming]

40 And a leper *came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴²Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. ⁴³And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, ⁴⁴and He *said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that aJesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but bstayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere. [45 aLit He bLit was]

MARK 2 [Books]

The Paralytic Healed

1 When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. ²And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. ³And they *came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. ⁴Being unable to aget to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof babove Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “cSon, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins dbut God alone?” ⁸Immediately Jesus, aware ein His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, *said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? ⁹Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? ¹⁰But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He *said to the paralytic, ¹¹“I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” ¹²And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.” [4 aLit bring to bLit where He was 5 cLit child 7 dLit if not one, God 8 eLit by]

13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the apeople were coming to Him, and He was teaching them. [13 aLit crowd]

Levi (Matthew) Called

¹⁴As He passed by, He saw aLevi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. [14 aalso called Matthew]

15 And it *ahappened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and bsinners cwere dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. ¹⁶When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and bsinners?” ¹⁷And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” [15 aLit happens bI.e. irreligious Jews cLit were reclining with]

18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they *came and *said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁹And Jesus said to them, “While the bridegroom is with them, athe attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast, can they? So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. [19 aLit sons of the bridal-chamber]

21 “No one sews aa patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise bthe patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. ²²No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” [21 aLit that which is put on bLit that which fills up]

Question of the Sabbath

23 And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. ²⁴The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ²⁵And He *said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; ²⁶how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the aconsecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” ²⁷Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath bwas made cfor man, and not man cfor the Sabbath. ²⁸So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” [26 aOr showbread; lit loaves of presentation 27 bOr came into being cLit because for the sake of]

MARK 3 [Books]

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

1 He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. ²They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³He *said to the man with the withered hand, “aGet up and come forward!” ⁴And He *said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶The Pharisees went out and immediately began bconspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. [3 aLit Arise into the midst 6 bLit giving counsel]

7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, ⁸and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. ⁹And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; ¹⁰for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. ¹¹Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” ¹²And He earnestly warned them not to atell who He was. [12 aLit make Him known]

The Twelve Are Chosen

13 And He *went up on the mountain and *summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. ¹⁴And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, ¹⁵and to have authority to cast out the demons. ¹⁶And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), ¹⁷and aJames, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of aJames (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); ¹⁸and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and aJames the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the bZealot; ¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. [17 aOr Jacob 18 bOr Cananaean]

20 And He *came ahome, and the crowd *gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat ba meal. ²¹When His own cpeople heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” ²²The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by dBeelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” ²³And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but ehe is finished! ²⁷But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house. [20 aLit into a house bLit bread 21 cOr kinsmen 22 dOr Beezebul; others read Beelzebub 26 eLit he has an end]

28 “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

31 Then His mother and His brothers *arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. ³²A crowd was sitting around Him, and they *said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” ³³Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” ³⁴Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! ³⁵For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

MARK 4 [Books]

Parable of the Sower and Soils

1 He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. ²And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, ³“Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. ⁶And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” ⁹And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, alet him hear.” [9 aOr hear!; or listen!]

10 As soon as He was alone, aHis followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. ¹¹And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, ¹²so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.” [10 aLit those about Him]

Explanation

13 And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴The sower sows the word. ¹⁵These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. ¹⁶In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; ¹⁷and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they afall away. ¹⁸And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, ¹⁹but the worries of the bworld, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” [17 aLit are caused to stumble 19 bOr age]

21 And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a abasket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? ²²For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. ²³If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. bBy your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. ²⁵For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” [21 aOr peck-measure 24 bLit By what measure you measure]

Parable of the Seed

26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; ²⁷and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. ²⁸The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. ²⁹But when the crop permits, he immediately aputs in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” [29 aLit sends forth]

Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 And He said, “How shall we apicture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? ³¹It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, ³²yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE bAIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.” [30 aLit compare 32 bOr sky]

33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; ³⁴and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

Jesus Stills the Sea

35 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶aLeaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. ³⁷And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. ³⁸Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and bit became perfectly calm. ⁴⁰And He said to them, “Why are you cafraid? Do you still have no faith?” ⁴¹They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” [36 aOr Sending away 39 bLit a great calm occurred 40 cOr cowardly]

MARK 5 [Books]

The Gerasene Demoniac

1 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. ²When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, ³and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; ⁴because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. ⁶Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; ⁷and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “aWhat business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” ⁸For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹Now there was a large herd of swine feeding bnearby on the mountain. ¹²The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” ¹³Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. [7 aLit What to me and to you (a Heb idiom) 11 bLit there]

14 Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵They *came to Jesus and *observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. ¹⁶Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. ¹⁷And they began to implore Him to leave their region. ¹⁸As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might aaccompany Him. ¹⁹And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them bwhat great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” ²⁰And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis bwhat great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. [18 aLit be with Him 19 bOr everything that]

Miracles and Healing

21 When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He astayed by the seashore. ²²One of the synagogue bofficials named Jairus *came up, and on seeing Him, *fell at His feet ²³and *implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will cget well and live.” ²⁴And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. [21 aLit was 22 bOr rulers 23 cLit be saved]

25 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, ²⁶and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— ²⁷after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His acloak. ²⁸For she bthought, “If I just touch His garments, I will cget well.” ²⁹Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. ³⁰Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” ³¹And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” ³²And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. ³³But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has dmade you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” [27 aOr outer garment 28 bLit was saying cLit be saved 34 dLit saved you]

35 While He was still speaking, they *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” ³⁶But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only abelieve.” ³⁷And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and bJames and John the brother of bJames. ³⁸They *came to the house of the synagogue official; and He *saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. ³⁹And entering in, He *said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” ⁴⁰They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He *took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was. ⁴¹Taking the child by the hand, He *said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴²Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. ⁴³And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat. [36 aOr keep on believing 37 bOr Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob]

MARK 6 [Books]

Teaching at Nazareth

1 Jesus went out from there and *came into aHis hometown; and His disciples *followed Him. ²When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such bmiracles as these performed by His hands? ³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of cJames and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. ⁴Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in dhis hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” ⁵And He could do no emiracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶And He wondered at their unbelief. [1 aOr His own part of the country 2 bOr works of power 3 cOr Jacob 4 dOr his own part of the country 5 eOr work of power]

And He was going around the villages teaching.

The Twelve Sent Out

7 And He *summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; ⁸and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no abag, no money in their belt— ⁹but bto wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two ctunics.” ¹⁰And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you dleave town. ¹¹Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust eoff the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” ¹²They went out and fpreached that men should repent. ¹³And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them. [8 aOr knapsack or beggar’s bag 9 bLit being shod with cOr inner garments 10 dLit go out from there 11 eLit under your feet 12 fOr proclaimed as a herald]

John’s Fate Recalled

14 And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” ¹⁵But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. ¹⁸For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; ²⁰for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; abut he bused to enjoy listening to him. ²¹A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and cmilitary commanders and the leading men of Galilee; ²²and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and dhis dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” ²³And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of ehis dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison, ²⁸and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb. [20 aLit and bLit was hearing him gladly 21 cI.e. chiliarchs, in command of a thousand troops 22 dLit those who reclined at the table with him 26 eLit those reclining at the table]

30 The apostles *gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. ³¹And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) ³²They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.

Five Thousand Fed

³³The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. ³⁴When Jesus went aashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. ³⁵When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “bThis place is desolate and it is already quite late; ³⁶send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves csomething to eat.” ³⁷But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred ddenarii on bread and give them something to eat?” ³⁸And He *said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” ³⁹And He commanded them all to esit down by groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰They fsat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. ⁴¹And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. ⁴²They all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. ⁴⁴There were five thousand men who ate the loaves. [34 aLit out 35 bLit The 36 cLit what they may eat 37 dThe denarius was equivalent to one day’s wage 39 eLit recline 40 fLit reclined]

Jesus Walks on the Water

45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. ⁴⁶After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

47 When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸Seeing them astraining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the bfourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. ⁴⁹But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰for they all saw Him and were cterrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” ⁵¹Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, ⁵²for they dhad not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but etheir heart was hardened. [48 aLit harassed in rowing bI.e. 3-6 a.m. 50 cOr troubled 52 dLit had not understood on the basis of eOr their mind was closed, made dull, or insensible]

Healing at Gennesaret

53 When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. ⁵⁴When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ⁵⁵and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to athe place they heard He was. ⁵⁶Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured. [55 aLit where they were hearing that He was]

MARK 7 [Books]

Followers of Tradition

1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, ²and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. ³(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they acarefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; ⁴and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they bcleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the cwashing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) ⁵The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” ⁶And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,

BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. [3 aLit with the fist 4 bOr sprinkle cLit baptizing]

⁷‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,

TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’

⁸Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”

9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO aBE PUT TO DEATH’; ¹¹but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, bgiven to God),’ ¹²you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; ¹³thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.” [10 aLit die the death 11 bOr a gift, i.e. an offering]

The Heart of Man

14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. ¹⁶[aIf anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”] [16 aEarly mss do not contain this verse]

17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. ¹⁸And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and ais eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) ²⁰And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, bfornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, ²²deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, cenvy, slander, dpride and foolishness. ²³All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” [19 aLit goes out into the latrine 21 bI.e. acts of sexual immorality 22 cLit an evil eye dOr arrogance]

The Syrophoenician Woman

24 Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyrea. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; byet He could not escape notice. ²⁵But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. ²⁶Now the woman was a cGentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not dgood to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹And He said to her, “Because of this eanswer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰And going back to her home, she found the child flying on the bed, the demon having left. [24 aTwo early mss add and Sidon bLit and 26 cLit Greek 27 dOr proper 29 eLit word 30 fLit thrown]

31 Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. ³²They *brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they *implored Him to lay His hand on him. ³³Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; ³⁴and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” ³⁵And his ears were opened, and the aimpediment of his tongue bwas removed, and he began speaking plainly. ³⁶And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. ³⁷They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” [35 aOr bond bLit was loosed]

MARK 8 [Books]

Four Thousand Fed

1 In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and *said to them, ²“I feel compassion for the apeople because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. ³If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.” ⁴And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bbread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” ⁵And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” ⁶And He *directed the apeople to csit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to dserve to them, and they served them to the apeople. ⁷They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be eserved as well. ⁸And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. ⁹About four thousand were there; and He sent them away. ¹⁰And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha. [2 aLit crowd 4 bLit loaves 6 cLit recline dLit set before 7 eLit set before them]

11 The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a asign from heaven, bto test Him. ¹²Sighing deeply cin His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation seek for a asign? Truly I say to you, dno asign will be given to this generation.” ¹³Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side. [11 aOr attesting miracle bLit testing Him 12 cOr to Himself dLit if a sign shall be given]

14 And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. ¹⁵And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” ¹⁶They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a ahardened heart? ¹⁸HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember, ¹⁹when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.” ²⁰“When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.” ²¹And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?” [17 aOr dull, insensible]

22 And they *came to Bethsaida. And they *brought a blind man to Jesus and *implored Him to touch him. ²³Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴And he alooked up and said, “I see men, for bI see them like trees, walking around.” ²⁵Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. ²⁶And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” [24 aOr gained sight bOr they look to me]

Peter’s Confession of Christ

27 Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter *answered and *said to Him, “You are athe Christ.” ³⁰And He bwarned them to tell no one about Him. [29 aI.e. the Messiah 30 bOr strictly admonished]

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ³³But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on aGod’s interests, but man’s.” [33 aLit the things of God]

34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ³⁵For whoever wishes to save his alife will lose it, but whoever loses his alife for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? ³⁷For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” [35 aOr soul]

MARK 9 [Books]

The Transfiguration

1 And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

2 Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and aJames and John, and *brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; ³and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. ⁴Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵Peter *said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three btabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. ⁷Then a cloud cformed, overshadowing them, and a voice ccame out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, dlisten to Him!” ⁸All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. [2 aOr Jacob 5 bOr sacred tents 7 cOr occurred dOr give constant heed]

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, auntil the Son of Man rose from the dead. ¹⁰They bseized upon cthat statement, discussing with one another dwhat rising from the dead meant. ¹¹They asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹²And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ¹³But I say to you that Elijah has eindeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.” [9 aLit except when 10 bOr kept to themselves cLit the statement dLit what was the rising from the dead 13 eLit also]

All Things Possible

14 When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. ¹⁶And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” ¹⁷And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; ¹⁸and awhenever it seizes him, it bslams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and cstiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” ¹⁹And He *answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” ²⁰They brought dthe boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. ²¹And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²²It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” ²³And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” ²⁴Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” ²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was erapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I fcommand you, come out of him and do not enter him gagain.” ²⁶After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. ²⁸When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁹And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.” [18 aOr wherever bOr tears him cOr withers away 20 dLit him 25 eOr running together fOr I Myself command gOr from now on]

Death and Resurrection Foretold

30 From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. ³¹For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be adelivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” ³²But they bdid not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him. [31 aOr betrayed 32 bLit were not knowing]

33 They came to Capernaum; and when He awas in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. ³⁵Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, bhe shall be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶Taking a child, He set him cbefore them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷“Whoever receives done child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.” [33 aLit had come 35 bOr let him be 36 cLit in their midst 37 dLit one of such children]

Dire Warnings

38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” ³⁹But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰For he who is not against us is afor us. ⁴¹For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink bbecause of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. [40 aOr on our side 41 bLit in a name that you are Christ’s]

42 “Whoever causes one of these alittle ones who believe to stumble, it bwould be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he chad been cast into the sea. ⁴³If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into dhell, into the unquenchable fire, ⁴⁴[ewhere THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] ⁴⁵If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into dhell, ⁴⁶[fwhere THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] ⁴⁷If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into dhell, ⁴⁸where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. [42 aI.e. humble bLit is better for him if a millstone turned by a donkey is hung cLit has been thrown 43 dGr Gehenna 44 eVv 44 and 46, which are identical to v 48, are not found in the early mss 46 fSee v 44, note]

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you amake it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” [50 aLit season it]

MARK 10 [Books]

Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce

1 Getting up, He *went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds *gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.

2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to adivorce a wife. ³And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴They said, “Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND bSEND her AWAY.” ⁵But Jesus said to them, “cBecause of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE. ⁷FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHERd, ⁸AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” [2 aOr send away 4 bOr divorce her 5 cOr With reference to 7 dMany late mss add and shall cling to his wife]

10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him about this again. ¹¹And He *said to them, “Whoever adivorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; ¹²and if she herself adivorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.” [11 aOr sends away]

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” ¹⁶And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

The Rich Young Ruler

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’ ” ²⁰And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” ²¹Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²²But at these words ahe was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. [22 aOr he became gloomy]

23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶They were even more astonished and said to Him, “aThen who can be saved?” ²⁷Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” [26 aLit And]

28 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” ²⁹Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, ³⁰abut that he will receive a hundred times as much now in bthe present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” [30 aLit if not bLit this time]

Jesus’ Sufferings Foretold

32 They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, ³³saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be adelivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will bhand Him over to the Gentiles. ³⁴They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.” [33 aOr betrayed bOr betray]

35 aJames and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” ³⁶And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³⁷They said to Him, “bGrant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” ³⁸But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. ⁴⁰But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” [35 aOr Jacob 37 bLit Give to us]

41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with aJames and John. ⁴²Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. ⁴³But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; ⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His blife a ransom for many.” [41 aOr Jacob 45 bOr soul]

Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

46 Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. ⁴⁷When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” ⁵⁰Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. ⁵¹And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “aRabboni, I want to regain my sight!” ⁵²And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has bmade you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road. [51 aI.e. My Master 52 bLit saved you]

MARK 11 [Books]

The Triumphal Entry

1 As they *approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He *sent two of His disciples, ²and *said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. ³If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he awill send it back here.” ⁴They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they *untied it. ⁵Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. ⁷They *brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. ⁸And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. ⁹Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:

“Hosanna!

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; [3 aLit sends]

¹⁰Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;

Hosanna in the highest!”

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. ¹³Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple

15 Then they *came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling adoves; ¹⁶and He would not permit anyone to carry bmerchandise through the temple. ¹⁷And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ cDEN.” ¹⁸The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. [15 aLit the doves 16 bLit a vessel; i.e. a receptacle or implement of any kind 17 cLit cave]

19 When evening came, athey would go out of the city. [19 aI.e. Jesus and His disciples]

20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. ²¹Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” ²²And Jesus *answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. ²³Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. ²⁴Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. ²⁵Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. ²⁶[aBut if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”] [26 aEarly mss do not contain this v]

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

27 They *came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders *came to Him, ²⁸and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” ²⁹And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.” ³¹They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ ³²But ashall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. ³³Answering Jesus, they *said, “We do not know.” And Jesus *said to them, “Nor bwill I tell you by what authority I do these things.” [32 aOr if we say 33 bLit do I tell]

MARK 12 [Books]

Parable of the Vine-growers

1 And He began to speak to them in parables: “A man PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A aWALL AROUND IT, AND DUG A VAT UNDER THE WINE PRESS AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to bvine-growers and went on a journey. ²At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. ³They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴Again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. ⁵And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some and killing others. ⁶He had one more to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ ⁸They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹What will the cowner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Have you not even read this Scripture:

‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; [1 aOr fence bOr tenant farmers, also vv 2, 7, 9 9 cLit lord]

¹¹THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,

AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?”

12 And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the apeople, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away. [12 aLit crowd]

Jesus Answers the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes

13 Then they *sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. ¹⁴They *came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and adefer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it blawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a cdenarius to look at.” ¹⁶They brought one. And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” ¹⁷And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they dwere amazed at Him. [14 aLit it is not a concern to You about anyone; i.e. You do not seek anyone’s favor bOr permissible 15 cThe denarius was a day’s wages 17 dOr were greatly marveling]

18 Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) *came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, ¹⁹“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES and leaves behind a wife AND LEAVES NO CHILD, HIS BROTHER SHOULD aMARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. ²⁰There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. ²¹The second one bmarried her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; ²²and so call seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. ²³In the resurrection, dwhen they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For call seven had married her.” ²⁴Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not eunderstand the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶But fregarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? ²⁷He is not the God gof the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.” [19 aLit take 21 bLit took 22 cLit the seven 23 dEarly mss do not contain when they rise again 24 eOr know 26 fLit concerning the dead, that they rise 27 gOr of corpses]

28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the aforemost of all?” ²⁹Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; ³⁰AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ ³¹The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³²The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; ³³AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. [28 aOr first]

35 And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that athe Christ is the son of David? ³⁶David himself said bin the Holy Spirit,

‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET.” ’

³⁷David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd cenjoyed listening to Him. [35 aI.e. the Messiah 36 bOr by 37 cLit was gladly hearing Him]

38 In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, ³⁹and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, ⁴⁰who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Mite

41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting amoney into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two bsmall copper coins, which amount to a ccent. ⁴³Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all dthe contributors to the treasury; ⁴⁴for they all put in out of their esurplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, fall she had to live on.” [41 aI.e. copper coins 42 bGr lepta cGr quadrans; i.e. 164 of a denarius 43 dLit those who were putting in 44 eOr abundance fLit her whole livelihood]

MARK 13 [Books]

Things to Come

1 As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples *said to Him, “Teacher, behold awhat wonderful stones and awhat wonderful buildings!” ²And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” [1 aLit how great]

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and aJames and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, ⁴“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the bsign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” ⁵And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁶Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. ⁸For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. [3 aOr Jacob 4 bOr attesting miracle]

9 “But abe on your guard; for they will deliver you to the bcourts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. ¹⁰The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹When they carrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. ¹²Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and dhave them put to death. ¹³You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. [9 aLit look to yourselves bOr Sanhedrin or Council 11 cLit lead 12 dLit put them to death]

14 “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁵The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; ¹⁶and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. ¹⁷But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸But pray that it may not happen in the winter. ¹⁹For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. ²⁰Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no alife would have been saved; but for the sake of the belect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. ²¹And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is cthe Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; ²²for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show dsigns and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance. [20 aLit flesh bOr chosen ones 21 cI.e. the Messiah 22 dOr attesting miracles]

The Return of Christ

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, ²⁵AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in athe heavens will be shaken. ²⁶Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. ²⁷And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His belect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven. [25 aOr heaven 27 bOr chosen ones]

28 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, arecognize that bHe is near, right at the cdoor. ³⁰Truly I say to you, this dgeneration will not pass away until all these things take place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. ³²But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. [29 aOr know bOr it cLit doors 30 dOr race]

33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time awill come. ³⁴It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and bputting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. ³⁵Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the cmaster of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— ³⁶in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’ ” [33 aLit is 34 bLit giving the authority to 35 cLit lord]

MARK 14 [Books]

Death Plot and Anointing

1 Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him; ²for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there might be a riot of the people.”

3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure anard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. ⁴But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? ⁵For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred bdenarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. ⁶But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. ⁷For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. ⁸She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. ⁹Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.” [3 aAn aromatic oil extracted from an East Indian plant 5 bThe denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages]

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to abetray Him to them. ¹¹They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time. [10 aOr hand Him over]

The Last Passover

12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when athe Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples *said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ¹³And He *sent two of His disciples and *said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; ¹⁴and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ ¹⁵And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” ¹⁶The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. [12 aLit they were sacrificing]

17 When it was evening He *came with the twelve. ¹⁸As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will abetray Me—bone who is eating with Me.” ¹⁹They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” ²⁰And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, bone who dips with Me in the bowl. ²¹For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man cby whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good dfor that man if he had not been born.” [18 aOr deliver Me over bOr the one 21 cOr through dLit for him if that man had not been born]

The Lord’s Supper

22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and aafter a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” ²³And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ²⁴And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. ²⁵Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” [22 aLit having blessed]

26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus *said to them, “You will all afall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’ ²⁸But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” ²⁹But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may afall away, yet I will not.” ³⁰And Jesus *said to him, “Truly I say to you, that bthis very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” ³¹But Peter kept saying insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also. [27 aOr stumble 30 bLit today, on this night]

Jesus in Gethsemane

32 They *came to a place named Gethsemane; and He *said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” ³³And He *took with Him Peter and aJames and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. ³⁴And He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” ³⁵And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might bpass Him by. ³⁶And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” ³⁷And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? ³⁸Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ³⁹Again He went away and prayed, saying the same cwords. ⁴⁰And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. ⁴¹And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “dAre you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being ebetrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” [33 aOr Jacob 35 bLit pass from Him 39 cLit word 41 dOr Keep on sleeping therefore eOr delivered]

Betrayal and Arrest

43 Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, *came up aaccompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ⁴⁴Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away bunder guard.” ⁴⁵After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁴⁶They laid hands on Him and seized Him. ⁴⁷But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and ccut off his ear. ⁴⁸And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? ⁴⁹Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me; but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures.” ⁵⁰And they all left Him and fled. [43 aLit and with him 44 bLit safely 47 cLit took off]

51 A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they *seized him. ⁵²But he apulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked. [52 aLit left behind]

Jesus before His Accusers

53 They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes *gathered together. ⁵⁴Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the aofficers and warming himself at the bfire. ⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole cCouncil kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. ⁵⁶For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony was not consistent. ⁵⁷Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, ⁵⁸“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this dtemple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” ⁵⁹Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. ⁶⁰The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer? eWhat is it that these men are testifying against You?” ⁶¹But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and fsaying to Him, “Are You gthe Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶²And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” ⁶³Tearing his clothes, the high priest *said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? ⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. ⁶⁵Some began to spit at Him, and hto blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers ireceived Him with jslaps in the face. [54 aOr servants bLit light 55 cOr Sanhedrin 58 dOr sanctuary 60 eOr what do these testify? 61 fLit says gI.e. the Messiah 65 hOr cover over His face iOr treated jOr blows with rods]

Peter’s Denials

66 As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest *came, ⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and *said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the aporch.b ⁶⁹The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This is one of them!” ⁷⁰But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.” ⁷¹But he began to ccurse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” ⁷²Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” dAnd he began to weep. [68 aOr forecourt, gateway bLater mss add and a rooster crowed 71 cOr put himself under a curse 72 dOr Thinking of this, he began weeping or Rushing out, he began weeping]

MARK 15 [Books]

Jesus before Pilate

1 Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole aCouncil, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. ²Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He *answered him, “It is as you say.” ³The chief priests began to accuse Him bharshly. ⁴Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” ⁵But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed. [1 aOr Sanhedrin 3 bOr of many things]

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. ⁷The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. ⁸The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. ⁹Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. ¹¹But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. ¹²Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³They shouted aback, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁴But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁵Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. [13 aOr again]

Jesus Is Mocked

16 The soldiers took Him away into the apalace (that is, the Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman bcohort. ¹⁷They *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; ¹⁸and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹They kept beating His head with a creed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. ²⁰After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him. [16 aOr court bOr battalion 19 cOr staff (made of a reed)]

21 They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.

The Crucifixion

22 Then they *brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. ²³They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. ²⁴And they *crucified Him, and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting alots for them to decide bwhat each man should take. ²⁵It was the cthird hour dwhen they crucified Him. ²⁶The inscription of the charge against Him eread, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” [24 aLit a lot upon bLit who should take what 25 cI.e. 9 a.m. dLit and 26 eLit had been inscribed]

27 They *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. ²⁸[aAnd the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] ²⁹Those passing by were bhurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, ³⁰save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” ³¹In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; cHe cannot save Himself. ³²Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. [28 aEarly mss do not contain this v 29 bOr blaspheming 31 cOr can He not save Himself?]

33 When the asixth hour came, darkness bfell over the whole land until the cninth hour. ³⁴At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” ³⁵When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” ³⁶Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “dLet us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” ³⁷And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. ³⁸And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹When the centurion, who was standing eright in front of Him, saw fthe way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was gthe Son of God!” [33 aI.e. noon bOr occurred cI.e. 3 p.m. 36 dLit Permit that we see; or Hold off, let us see 39 eOr opposite Him fLit that He thus gOr a son of God or son of a god]

40 There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of aJames the bLess and Joses, and Salome. ⁴¹When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and cminister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. [40 aOr Jacob bLit little (either in stature or age) 41 cOr wait on]

Jesus Is Buried

42 When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴⁴Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. ⁴⁵And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.

MARK 16 [Books]

The Resurrection

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of aJames, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. ²Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴Looking up, they *saw that the stone had been rolled away, balthough it was extremely large. ⁵Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. ⁶And he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. ⁷But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’ ” ⁸They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. [1 aOr Jacob 4 bLit for]

9 [aNow after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. ¹⁰She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. ¹¹When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it. [9 aLater mss add vv 9-20]

12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. ¹³They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.

The Disciples Commissioned

14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. ¹⁵And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. ¹⁷These asigns will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” [17 aOr attesting miracles]

19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the asigns that followed.] [20 aOr attesting miracles]

[aAnd they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.] [aA few late mss and versions contain this paragraph, usually after v 8; a few have it at the end of ch]

LUKE 1 [Books]

Introduction

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things aaccomplished among us, ²just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning bwere eyewitnesses and cservants of the dword, ³it seemed fitting for me as well, having einvestigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; ⁴so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been ftaught. [1 aOr on which there is full conviction 2 bLit became cOr ministers dI.e. gospel 3 eOr followed 4 fOr orally instructed in]

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named aZacharias, of the division of bAbijah; and he had a wife cfrom the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. ⁷But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in dyears. [5 aI.e. Zechariah bGr Abia cI.e. of priestly descent 7 dLit days]

8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. ¹¹And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹²Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear agripped him. ¹³But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will bgive him the name John. ¹⁴You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit cwhile yet in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” [12 aOr fell upon 13 bLit call his name 15 cLit from]

18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in ayears.” ¹⁹The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who bstands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” [18 aLit days 19 bLit stand beside]

21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²²But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept amaking signs to them, and remained mute. ²³When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. [22 aOr beckoning to or nodding to]

24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she akept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.” [24 aLit was hidden]

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin aengaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the bdescendants of David; and the virgin’s name was cMary. ²⁸And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, dfavored one! The Lord eis with you.” ²⁹But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. ³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; ³³and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” ³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How fcan this be, since I gam a virgin?” ³⁵The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the hholy Child shall be called the Son of God. ³⁶And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and ishe who was called barren is now in her sixth month. ³⁷For jnothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸And Mary said, “Behold, the kbondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. [27 aOr betrothed; i.e. the first stage of marriage in Jewish culture, usually lasting for a year before the wedding night. More legal than engagement bLit house cGr Mariam; i.e. Heb Miriam; so throughout Luke 28 dOr woman richly blessed eOr be 34 fLit will gLit know no man 35 hLit the holy thing begotten 36 iLit this is the sixth month to her who 37 jLit not any word 38 kI.e. female slave]

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now aat this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And bhow has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? ⁴⁴For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who cbelieved that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her dby the Lord.” [39 aLit in these days 43 bLit from where this to me 45 cOr believed, because there will be dLit from]

The Magnificat

46 And Mary said:

“My soul aexalts the Lord, [46 aLit makes great]

⁴⁷And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

⁴⁸“For He has had regard for the humble state of His abondslave;

For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. [aI.e. female slave]

⁴⁹“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;

And holy is His name.

⁵⁰“AND HIS MERCY IS aUPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION

TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. [aLit unto generations and generations]

⁵¹“He has done amighty deeds with His arm;

He has scattered those who were proud in the bthoughts of their heart. [aLit might bLit thought, attitude]

⁵²“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

And has exalted those who were humble.

⁵³“HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;

And sent away the rich empty-handed.

⁵⁴“He has given help to Israel His servant,

aIn remembrance of His mercy, [aLit So as to remember]

⁵⁵As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and his adescendants forever.” [aLit seed]

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

John Is Born

57 Now the time ahad come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had bdisplayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. [57 aLit was fulfilled 58 bLit magnified]

59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, aafter his father. ⁶⁰But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” ⁶¹And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” ⁶²And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. ⁶³And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. ⁶⁴And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. ⁶⁵Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. [59 aLit after the name of]

Zacharias’s Prophecy

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

⁶⁸“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

⁶⁹And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant—

⁷⁰As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—

⁷¹aSalvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,

And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; [aOr Deliverance]

⁷²To show mercy toward our fathers,

And to remember His holy covenant,

⁷³The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

⁷⁴To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,

Might serve Him without fear,

⁷⁵In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

⁷⁶“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

⁷⁷To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

aBy the forgiveness of their sins, [aOr Consisting in]

⁷⁸Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

⁷⁹TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

LUKE 2 [Books]

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all athe inhabited earth. ²bThis was the first census taken while cQuirinius was governor of Syria. ³And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. ⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, ⁵in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. ⁶While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a dmanger, because there was no room for them in the inn. [1 aI.e. the Roman empire 2 bOr This took place as a first census cGr Kyrenios 7 dOr feeding trough]

8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is aChrist the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a bmanger.” ¹³And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, [11 aI.e. Messiah 12 bOr feeding trough]

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men awith whom He is pleased.” [aLit of good pleasure; or of good will]

15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the amanger. ¹⁷When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. [16 aOr feeding trough]

Jesus Presented at the Temple

21 And when eight days had passed, abefore His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. [21 aLit so as to circumcise Him]

22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.”

25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s aChrist. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, bto carry out for Him the custom of the Law, ²⁸then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, [26 aI.e. Messiah 27 bLit to do for Him according to]

²⁹“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,

According to Your word;

³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation,

³¹Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

³²A LIGHT aOF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,

And the glory of Your people Israel.” [aOr for]

33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and arise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— ³⁵and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” [34 aOr resurrection]

36 And there was a prophetess, aAnna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in byears and had lived with her husband seven years after her cmarriage, ³⁷and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. ³⁸At that very dmoment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. [36 aOr Hannah bLit days cLit virginity 38 dLit hour]

Return to Nazareth

39 When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. ⁴⁰The Child continued to grow and become strong, aincreasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. [40 aLit becoming full of]

Visit to Jerusalem

41 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; ⁴³and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, ⁴⁴but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. ⁴⁶Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “aSon, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I bhave been anxiously looking for You.” ⁴⁹And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s chouse?” ⁵⁰But they did not understand the statement which He dhad made to them. ⁵¹And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these ethings in her heart. [48 aOr Child bLit are looking 49 cOr affairs; lit in the things of My Father 50 dLit had spoken 51 eLit words]

52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and astature, and in favor with God and men. [52 aOr age]

LUKE 3 [Books]

John the Baptist Preaches

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, ²in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. ³And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

⁵‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE aBROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; [aOr leveled]

⁶AND ALL aFLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.’ ” [aOr mankind]

7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say ato yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” [8 aOr in]

10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” ¹¹And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” ¹²And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” ¹³And he said to them, “aCollect no more than what you have been ordered to.” ¹⁴Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” [13 aOr Exact]

15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were awondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was bthe Christ, ¹⁶John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you cwith the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” [15 aOr reasoning or debating bI.e. the Messiah 16 cThe Gr here can be translated in, with or by]

18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. ¹⁹But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, ²⁰Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

Jesus Is Baptized

21 Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, ²²and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

Genealogy of Jesus

23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, aas was supposed, the son of Joseph, bthe son of cEli, ²⁴the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, ²⁵the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of dHesli, the son of Naggai, ²⁶the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, ²⁷the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of eShealtiel, the son of Neri, ²⁸the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, ²⁹the son of fJoshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, ³⁰the son of Simeon, the son of gJudah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, ³¹the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, ³²the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of hSalmon, the son of iNahshon, ³³the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of jRam, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, ³⁴the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, ³⁵the son of Serug, the son of kReu, the son of Peleg, the son of lHeber, the son of Shelah, ³⁶the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, ³⁷the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, ³⁸the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. [23 aLit as it was being thought bLit of Eli, and so throughout the genealogy cAlso spelled Heli 25 dAlso spelled Esli 27 eGr Salathiel; names of people in the Old Testament are given in their Old Testament form through v 38 29 fGr Jesus 30 gGr Judas 32 hGr Sala iGr Naasson 33 jGr Arni 35 kGr Ragau lGr Eber]

LUKE 4 [Books]

The Temptation of Jesus

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around aby the Spirit in the wilderness ²for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. ³And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” ⁴And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’ ” [1 aOr under the influence of; lit in]

5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of athe world in a moment of time. ⁶And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and bits glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷Therefore if You cworship before me, it shall all be Yours.” ⁸Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’ ” [5 aLit the inhabited earth 6 bLit their (referring to the kingdoms in v 5) 7 cOr bow down before]

9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; ¹⁰for it is written,

‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,’

¹¹and,

‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,

SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’ ”

¹²And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’ ”

13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

Jesus’ Public Ministry

14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. ¹⁵And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. ¹⁷And the abook of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the abook and found the place where it was written, [17 aOr scroll]

¹⁸“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,

BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.

HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,

AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,

TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,

¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”

²⁰And He closed the abook, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your bhearing.” ²²And all were cspeaking well of Him, and wondering at the dgracious words which ewere falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” ²³And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” ²⁴And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. ²⁵But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; ²⁶and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to fZarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” ²⁸And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; ²⁹and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. ³⁰But passing through their midst, He went His way. [20 aOr scroll 21 bLit ears 22 cOr testifying dOr words of grace eLit were proceeding out of His mouth 26 fGr Sarepta]

31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; ³²and they were amazed at His teaching, for His amessage was with authority. ³³In the synagogue there was a man bpossessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴“Let us alone! cWhat business do we have with each other, Jesus dof Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” ³⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. ³⁶And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is ethis message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” ³⁷And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district. [32 aLit word 33 bLit having a spirit 34 cLit What to us and to you (a Heb idiom) dLit the Nazarene 36 eOr this word, that with authority...come out?]

Many Are Healed

38 Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him ato help her. ³⁹And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and bwaited on them. [38 aLit about her 39 bOr served]

40 While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. ⁴¹Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be athe Christ. [41 aI.e. the Messiah]

42 When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. ⁴³But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

44 So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of aJudea. [44 aI.e. the country of the Jews (including Galilee)]

LUKE 5 [Books]

The First Disciples

1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; ²and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. ³And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the apeople from the boat. ⁴When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but bI will do as You say and let down the nets.” ⁶When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; ⁷so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ cfeet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; ¹⁰and so also were dJames and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. [3 aLit crowds 5 bLit upon Your word 8 cLit knees 10 dOr Jacob]

The Leper and the Paralytic

12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man acovered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” ¹³And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ¹⁵But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶But Jesus Himself would often slip away bto the cwilderness and pray. [12 aLit full of 16 bLit in cOr deserted places]

17 aOne day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. ¹⁸And some men were carrying on a bbed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. ¹⁹But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. ²⁰Seeing their faith, He said, “cFriend, your sins are forgiven you.” ²¹The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” ²²But Jesus, daware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? ²³Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” ²⁵Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. ²⁶eThey were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.” [17 aLit On one of the days 18 bOr stretcher 20 cLit Man 22 dOr perceiving 26 eLit Astonishment took them all]

Call of Levi (Matthew)

27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named aLevi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” ²⁸And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. [27 aAlso called Matthew]

29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. ³⁰The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and asinners?” ³¹And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. ³²I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” [30 aI.e. irreligious Jews]

33 And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do athe same, but Yours eat and drink.” ³⁴And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the battendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” ³⁶And He was also telling them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. ³⁸But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’ ” [33 aOr likewise 34 bLit sons of the bridal-chamber]

LUKE 6 [Books]

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

1 Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. ²But some of the Pharisees said, “Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ³And Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, ⁴how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the aconsecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?” ⁵And He was saying to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” [4 aOr showbread; lit loaves of presentation]

6 On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there awhose right hand was withered. ⁷The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. ⁸But He knew bwhat they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and ccome forward!” And he got up and dcame forward. ⁹And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored. ¹¹But they themselves were filled with erage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. [6 aLit and his 8 bLit their thoughts cLit stand into the middle dLit stood 11 eLit folly]

Choosing the Twelve

12 It was aat this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. ¹³And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: ¹⁴Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and bJames and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; ¹⁵and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; ¹⁶Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. [12 aLit in these days 14 bOr Jacob, also vv 15 and 16]

17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. ¹⁹And all the apeople were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. [19 aLit crowd]

The Beatitudes

20 And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are ayou who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹Blessed are ayou who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. ²²Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. ²³Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to btreat the prophets. ²⁴But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. ²⁵Woe to you who care well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. ²⁶Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to btreat the false prophets in the same way. [20 aLit the 23 bLit do to 25 cLit having been filled]

27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who amistreat you. ²⁹Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your bcoat, do not withhold your cshirt from him either. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. ³¹dTreat others the same way you want ethem to treat you. ³²If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. ³⁵But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, fexpecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. ³⁶gBe merciful, just as your Father is merciful. [28 aOr revile 29 bI.e. outer garment cOr tunic; i.e. garment worn next to body 31 dLit Do to eLit people 35 fOr not despairing at all 36 gOr Become]

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; apardon, and you will be pardoned. ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. They will bpour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” [37 aLit release 38 bLit give]

39 And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰A apupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will bbe like his teacher. ⁴¹Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴²Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. ⁴³For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, con the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. ⁴⁴For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. ⁴⁵The good man out of the good dtreasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from ethat which fills his heart. [40 aOr disciple bOr reach his teacher’s level 43 cLit again 45 dOr treasury, storehouse eLit the abundance of]

Builders and Foundations

46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and aacts on them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸he is like a man building a house, who bdug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the ctorrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the ctorrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” [47 aLit does 48 bLit dug and went deep cLit river]

LUKE 7 [Books]

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

1 When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.

2 And a centurion’s slave, awho was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. ³When he heard about Jesus, he sent some bJewish elders asking Him to come and csave the life of his slave. ⁴When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; ⁵for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.” ⁶Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “dLord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; ⁷for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just esay the word, and my fservant will be healed. ⁸For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” ⁹Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” ¹⁰When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health. [2 aLit to whom he was honorable 3 bLit elders of the Jews cLit bring safely through, rescue 6 dOr Sir 7 eLit say with a word fOr boy]

11 Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, aaccompanied by a large crowd. ¹²Now as He approached the gate of the city, ba dead man was being carried out, the conly son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. ¹³When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “dDo not weep.” ¹⁴And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” ¹⁵The edead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. ¹⁶Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has fvisited His people!” ¹⁷This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district. [11 aLit and 12 bLit one who had died cOr only begotten 13 dOr Stop weeping 15 eOr corpse 16 fOr cared for]

A Deputation from John

18 The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. ¹⁹Summoning atwo of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the bExpected One, or do we look for someone else?” ²⁰When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the bExpected One, or do we look for someone else?’ ” ²¹At that cvery time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. ²²And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. ²³Blessed is he dwho does not take offense at Me.” [19 aLit a certain two bLit Coming One 21 cLit hour 23 dLit whoever]

24 When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵aBut what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft bclothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! ²⁶But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. ²⁷This is the one about whom it is written,

‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER cAHEAD OF YOU,

WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

²⁸I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is dleast in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they eacknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰But the Pharisees and the flawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by gJohn. [25 aOr Well then, what bOr garments 27 cLit before Your face 28 dOr less 29 eOr justified God 30 fI.e. experts in the Mosaic Law gLit him]

31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? ³²They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ ³³For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ ³⁴The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a adrunkard, a friend of tax collectors and bsinners!’ ³⁵Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” [34 aOr wine-drinker bI.e. irreligious Jews]

36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to adine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷And there was a woman in the city who was a bsinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, ³⁸and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a bsinner.” [36 aLit eat 37 bI.e. an immoral woman]

Parable of Two Debtors

⁴⁰And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he areplied, “Say it, Teacher.” ⁴¹“A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred bdenarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” ⁴³Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” ⁴⁴Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. ⁴⁶You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. ⁴⁷For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” ⁴⁹Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say cto themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” [40 aLit says 41 bThe denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages 49 cOr among]

LUKE 8 [Books]

Ministering Women

1 Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, ²and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, ³and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

Parable of the Sower

4 When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: ⁵“The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the aair ate it up. ⁶Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. ⁷Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. ⁸Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, blet him hear.” [5 aLit heaven 8 bOr hear! Or listen!]

9 His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. ¹⁰And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.

11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. ¹²Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. ¹³Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; athey believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. ¹⁵But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with bperseverance. [13 aLit who believe 15 bOr steadfastness]

Parable of the Lamp

16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. ¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he athinks he has shall be taken away from him.” [18 aOr seems to have]

19 And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. ²⁰And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” ²¹But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Stills the Sea

22 Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. ²³But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. ²⁴They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and ait became calm. ²⁵And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?” [24 aLit a calm occurred]

The Demoniac Cured

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. ²⁸Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “aWhat business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” ²⁹For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. ³⁰And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. ³¹They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. [28 aLit What to me and to you (a Heb idiom)]

32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter athe swine. And He gave them permission. ³³And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. [32 aLit them]

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. ³⁵The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. ³⁶Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been amade well. ³⁷And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. ³⁸But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might baccompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, ³⁹“Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. [36 aOr saved 38 bLit be with]

Miracles of Healing

40 And as Jesus returned, the apeople welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. ⁴¹And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an bofficial of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; ⁴²for he had an conly daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him. [40 aLit crowd 41 bLit ruler 42 cOr only begotten]

43 And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, ⁴⁴came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His acloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. ⁴⁵And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the bpeople are crowding and pressing in on You.” ⁴⁶But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” ⁴⁷When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. ⁴⁸And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has cmade you well; go in peace.” [44 aOr outer garment 45 bLit crowds 48 cOr saved you]

49 While He was still speaking, someone *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” ⁵⁰But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be amade well.” ⁵¹When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother. ⁵²Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.” ⁵³And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. ⁵⁴He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!” ⁵⁵And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. ⁵⁶Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened. [50 aOr saved]

LUKE 9 [Books]

Ministry of the Twelve

1 And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. ²And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. ³And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a abag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have btwo tunics apiece. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there cuntil you leave that city. ⁵And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶Departing, they began going dthroughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. [3 aOr knapsack or beggar’s bag bOr inner garments 4 cLit and leave from there 6 dOr from village to village]

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, ⁸and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. ⁹Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him.

10 When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. ¹¹But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Five Thousand Fed

12 Now the day awas ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get bsomething to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” ¹³But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴(For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them csit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵They did so, and had them all csit down. ¹⁶Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the dpeople. ¹⁷And they all ate and were satisfied; and ethe broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full. [12 aLit began to decline bLit provisions 14 cLit recline 16 dLit crowd 17 eLit that which was left over to them of the broken pieces was]

18 And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the apeople say that I am?” ¹⁹They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.” ²⁰And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The bChrist of God.” ²¹But He cwarned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, ²²saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” [18 aLit crowds 20 bI.e. Messiah 21 cOr strictly admonished]

23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. ²⁴For whoever wishes to save his alife will lose it, but whoever loses his alife for My sake, he is the one who will save it. ²⁵For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? ²⁶For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” [24 aOr soul]

The Transfiguration

28 Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and agleaming. ³⁰And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, ³¹who, appearing in bglory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³²Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. ³³And as cthese were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dtabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he was saying. ³⁴While he was saying this, a cloud eformed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” ³⁶And when the voice ehad spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. [29 aLit flashing like lightning 31 bOr splendor 33 cLit they dOr sacred tents 34 eLit occurred]

37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. ³⁸And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my aonly boy, ³⁹and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. ⁴⁰I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.” ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” ⁴²While he was still approaching, the demon bslammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³And they were all amazed at the cgreatness of God. [38 aOr only begotten 42 bOr tore him 43 cOr majesty]

But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁴“Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be adelivered into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵But they bdid not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement. [44 aOr betrayed 45 bLit were not knowing]

The Test of Greatness

46 An argument astarted among them as to which of them might be the greatest. ⁴⁷But Jesus, knowing bwhat they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.” [46 aLit entered in 47 bLit the reasoning; or argument]

49 John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” ⁵⁰But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is afor you.” [50 aOr on your side]

51 When the days were approaching for His aascension, He bwas determined to go to Jerusalem; ⁵²and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to cmake arrangements for Him. ⁵³But they did not receive Him, because dHe was traveling toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵But He turned and rebuked them, [eand said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; ⁵⁶for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village. [51 aLit taking up bLit set His face 52 cOr prepare 53 dLit His face was proceeding toward 55 eEarly mss do not contain bracketed portion]

Exacting Discipleship

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the aair have bnests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” ⁵⁹And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” ⁶²But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” [58 aOr sky bOr roosting-places]

LUKE 10 [Books]

The Seventy Sent Out

1 Now after this the Lord appointed aseventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. ²And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. ³Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. ⁴Carry no money belt, no bbag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ ⁶If a cman of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. ⁷Stay in dthat house, eating and drinking ewhat they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. ⁸Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; ⁹and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet fbe sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹²I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. [1 aSome mss read seventy-two 4 bOr knapsack or beggar’s bag 6 cLit son of peace; i.e. a person inclined toward peace 7 dLit the house itself eLit the things from them 11 fLit know]

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the amiracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in bsackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! [13 aOr works of power bI.e. symbols of mourning]

16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

The Happy Results

17 The aseventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” ¹⁸And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. ¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. ²⁰Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” [17 aSome mss read seventy-two]

21 At that very atime He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I bpraise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. ²²All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” [21 aLit hour bOr acknowledge to You]

23 Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, ²⁴for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

25 And a alawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? bHow does it read to you?” ²⁷And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” ²⁸And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.” ²⁹But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” [25 aI.e. an expert in the Mosaic Law 26 bLit How do you read?]

The Good Samaritan

³⁰Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and abeat him, and went away leaving him half dead. ³¹And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, ³⁴and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵On the next day he took out two bdenarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ ³⁶Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” ³⁷And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do cthe same.” [30 aLit laid blows upon 35 bThe denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages 37 cOr likewise]

Martha and Mary

38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with aall her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” ⁴¹But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; ⁴²but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” [40 aLit much service]

LUKE 11 [Books]

Instruction about Prayer

1 It happened that while aJesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” ²And He said to them, “When you pray, say:

‘bFather, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come. [1 aLit He 2 bLater mss add phrases from Matt 6:9-13 to make the two passages closely similar]

³‘Give us each day our adaily bread. [aOr bread for the coming day or needful bread]

⁴‘And forgive us our sins,

For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.’ ”

5 Then He said to them, “aSuppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children band I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his cpersistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. [5 aLit Which one of you will have 7 bLit with me 8 cLit shamelessness]

9 “So I say to you, aask, and it will be given to you; bseek, and you will find; cknock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. ¹¹Now dsuppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a efish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? ¹²Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? ¹³If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your fheavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” [9 aOr keep asking bOr keep seeking cOr keep knocking 11 dLit which of you, a son, will ask the father eTwo early mss insert loaf, he will not give him a stone, will he, or for a 13 fLit Father from heaven]

Pharisees’ Blasphemy

14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. ¹⁵But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” ¹⁶Others, ato test Him, were demanding of Him a bsign from heaven. ¹⁷But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “cAny kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against ditself falls. ¹⁸If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. ²⁰But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹When ea strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are fundisturbed. ²²But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. ²³He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. [16 aLit testing bOr attesting miracle 17 cLit every dLit a house 21 eLit the fLit in peace]

24 “When the unclean spirit goes out of aa man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ²⁵And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. ²⁶Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” [24 aLit the]

27 While aJesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” ²⁸But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” [27 aLit He]

The Sign of Jonah

29 As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a asign, and yet no asign will be given to it but the asign of Jonah. ³⁰For just as Jonah became a asign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. ³²The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. [29 aOr attesting miracle]

33 “No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. ³⁴The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is aclear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bbad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. ³⁶If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.” [34 aOr healthy bOr evil]

Woes upon the Pharisees

37 Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee *asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table. ³⁸When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first aceremonially washed before the bmeal. ³⁹But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but cinside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. ⁴⁰You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹But give that which is within as charity, and dthen all things are clean for you. [38 aLit baptized bOr lunch 39 cLit your inside is full 41 dLit behold]

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. ⁴³Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the market places. ⁴⁴Woe to you! For you are like aconcealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it.” [44 aOr indistinct, unseen]

45 One of the alawyers *said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.” ⁴⁶But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, bwhile you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ⁴⁷Woe to you! For you build the ctombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them. ⁴⁸So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some they will dpersecute, ⁵⁰so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be echarged against this generation, ⁵¹from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be echarged against this generation.’ ⁵²Woe to you alawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.” [45 aI.e. experts in the Mosaic Law 46 bLit and 47 cOr monuments to 49 dOr drive out 50 eOr required of]

53 When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, ⁵⁴plotting against Him to catch aHim in something He might say. [54 aLit something out of His mouth]

LUKE 12 [Books]

God Knows and Cares

1 Under these circumstances, after aso many thousands of bpeople had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. ³Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have cwhispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. [1 aLit myriads bLit the crowd 3 cLit spoken in the ear]

4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. ⁵But I will awarn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into bhell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two ccents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. [5 aOr show bGr Gehenna 6 cGr assaria, the smallest of copper coins]

8 “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; ⁹but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who aspeaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. ¹¹When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; ¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” [10 aLit will speak]

Covetousness Denounced

13 Someone ain the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” ¹⁴But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” ¹⁶And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. ¹⁷And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ ¹⁸Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ ²⁰But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night byour soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ ²¹So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” [13 aLit out of 20 bLit they are demanding your soul from you]

22 And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, ado not worry about your blife, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! ²⁵And which of you by worrying can add a single chour to his dlife’s span? ²⁶If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? ²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! ²⁹And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. ³⁰For eall these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. ³²Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. [22 aOr stop being worried bLit soul 25 cLit cubit (approx 18 in.) dOr height 30 eOr these things all the nations of the world]

33 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Be in Readiness

35 “aBe dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. ³⁶Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. ³⁸Whether he comes in the bsecond watch, or even in the cthird, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. [35 aLit Let your loins be girded 38 bI.e. 9 p.m. to midnight cI.e. midnight to 3 a.m.]

39 “But abe sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be bbroken into. ⁴⁰You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not cexpect.” [39 aLit know bLit dug through 40 cLit think, suppose]

41 Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” ⁴²And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his aservants, to give them their rations at the proper time? ⁴³Blessed is that slave whom his bmaster finds so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master cwill be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; ⁴⁶the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, ⁴⁸but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of da flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. [42 aLit service 43 bOr lord 45 cLit is delaying to come 48 dLit blows]

Christ Divides Men

49 “I ahave come to cast fire upon the earth; and bhow I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰But I have a baptism to cundergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! ⁵¹Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; ⁵²for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” [49 aOr came bLit what do I wish if...? 50 cLit be baptized with]

54 And He was also saying to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. ⁵⁵And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it turns out that way. ⁵⁶You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but awhy do you not analyze this present time? [56 aLit how]

57 “And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? ⁵⁸For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to asettle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last bcent.” [58 aLit be released from him 59 bGr lepton; i.e. 1128 of a denarius]

LUKE 13 [Books]

Call to Repent

1 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had amixed with their sacrifices. ²And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? ³I tell you, no, but unless you brepent, you will all likewise perish. ⁴Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse cculprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? ⁵I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” [1 aI.e. shed along with 3 bOr are repentant 4 cLit debtors]

6 And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. ⁷And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree awithout finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ ⁸And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; ⁹and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’ ” [7 aLit and I do not find]

Healing on the Sabbath

10 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. ¹²When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” ¹³And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. ¹⁴But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” ¹⁵But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? ¹⁶And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” ¹⁷As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.

Parables of Mustard Seed and Leaven

18 So He was saying, “What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and threw into his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and THE BIRDS OF THE aAIR NESTED IN ITS BRANCHES.” [19 aOr sky]

20 And again He said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? ²¹It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three apecks of flour until it was all leavened.” [21 aGr sata]

Teaching in the Villages

22 And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. ²³And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, ²⁴“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ ²⁶Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; ²⁷and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ ²⁸In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. ²⁹And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. ³⁰And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”

31 Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” ³²And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I areach My goal.’ ³³Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem. ³⁴O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it! ³⁵Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ ” [32 aOr am perfected]

LUKE 14 [Books]

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

1 It happened that when He went into the house of one of the aleaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely. ²And bthere in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. ³And Jesus answered and spoke to the clawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” ⁴But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. ⁵And He said to them, “dWhich one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” ⁶And they could make no reply to this. [1 aI.e. members of the Sanhedrin 2 bLit behold 3 cI.e. experts in Mosaic Law 5 dLit Whose son of you...will fall]

Parable of the Guests

7 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, ⁸“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not atake the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, ⁹and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you bproceed to occupy the last place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who care at the table with you. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” [8 aLit recline at 9 bLit begin 10 cLit recline at the table]

12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. ¹³But when you give a areception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed, since they bdo not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” [13 aOr banquet 14 bOr are unable to]

15 When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Parable of the Dinner

¹⁶But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; ¹⁷and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ ¹⁸But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a apiece of land and I need to go out and look at it; bplease consider me excused.’ ¹⁹Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; bplease consider me excused.’ ²⁰Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ ²¹And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ ²²And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ ²³And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. ²⁴For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’ ” [18 aOr field bLit I request you]

Discipleship Tested

25 Now alarge crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, ²⁶“If anyone comes to Me, and does not bhate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ²⁸For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? ²⁹Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, ³⁰saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³²Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends ca delegation and asks for terms of peace. ³³So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. [25 aLit many 26 bI.e. by comparison of his love for Me 32 cOr an embassy]

34 “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? ³⁵It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, alet him hear.” [35 aOr hear! Or listen!]

LUKE 15 [Books]

The Lost Sheep

1 Now all the tax collectors and the asinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ²Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” [1 aI.e. irreligious Jews]

3 So He told them this parable, saying, ⁴“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the aopen pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. [4 aLit wilderness]

The Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, if she has ten asilver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ ¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” [8 aGr drachmas, one drachma was a day’s wages]

The Prodigal Son

11 And He said, “A man had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his awealth between them. ¹³And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. ¹⁴Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. ¹⁵So he went and bhired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the cpods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. ¹⁷But when he came to dhis senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! ¹⁸I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and ein your sight; ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’ ²⁰So he got up and came to fhis father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and gembraced him and kissed him. ²¹And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; ²³and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. [12 aLit living 15 bLit was joined to 16 cI.e. of the carob tree 17 dLit himself 18 eLit before you 20 fLit his own gLit fell on his neck]

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. ²⁷And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. ²⁹But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never aneglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; ³⁰but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your bwealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹And he said to him, ‘Son, you chave always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ” [29 aOr disobeyed 30 bLit living 31 cLit are always with me]

LUKE 16 [Books]

The Unrighteous Steward

1 Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was areported to him as squandering his possessions. ²And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ ³The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my bmaster is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. ⁴I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.’ ⁵And he summoned each one of his cmaster’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶And he said, ‘A hundred dmeasures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ ⁷Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred emeasures of wheat.’ He *said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ ⁸And his bmaster praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own fkind than the sons of light. ⁹And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the gwealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. [1 aOr accused 3 bOr lord 5 cOr lord’s 6 dGr baths, a Heb unit of measure equaling about 7 12 gal. 7 eGr kors, one kor equals between 10 and 12 bu 8 fLit generation 9 gGr mamonas, for Aram mamon (mammon); i.e. wealth, etc., personified as an object of worship]

10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. ¹¹Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous awealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? ¹²And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? ¹³No bservant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and awealth.” [11 aGr mamonas, for Aram mamon (mammon); i.e. wealth, etc., personified as an object of worship 13 bOr house-servant]

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. ¹⁵And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves ain the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable ain the sight of God. [15 aLit before]

16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God ahas been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. ¹⁷But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one bstroke of a letter of the Law to fail. [16 aLit is preached 17 bI.e. projection of a letter (serif)]

18 “Everyone who adivorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is bdivorced from a husband commits adultery. [18 aOr sends away bOr sent away]

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. ²⁰And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, ²¹and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. ²²Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. ²³In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ ²⁵But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ²⁶And abesides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ ²⁷And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— ²⁸for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ ³¹But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” [26 aLit in all these things]

LUKE 17 [Books]

Instructions

1 He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that astumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! ²It bwould be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. ³cBe on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ dforgive him.” [1 aOr temptations to sin 2 bLit is 3 cLit Take heed to yourselves 4 dLit you shall forgive]

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” ⁶And the Lord said, “If you ahad faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would bobey you. [6 aLit have bLit have obeyed]

7 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and asit down to eat’? ⁸But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly bclothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and cafterward you dmay eat and drink’? ⁹He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? ¹⁰So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ” [7 aLit recline 8 bLit gird cLit after these things dLit will]

Ten Lepers Cleansed

11 While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing abetween Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; ¹³and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” ¹⁴When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. ¹⁵Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, ¹⁶and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? ¹⁸bWas no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” ¹⁹And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith chas made you well.” [11 aLit through the middle of; or along the borders of 18 bLit Were there not found those who 19 cLit has saved you]

20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with asigns to be observed; ²¹nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is bin your midst.” [20 aLit observation 21 bOr within you]

Second Coming Foretold

22 And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ²³They will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them. ²⁴For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part aof the sky, shines to the other part aof the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. ²⁵But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ²⁶And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: ²⁷they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸bIt was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; ²⁹but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and cbrimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰It will be djust the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. ³²Remember Lot’s wife. ³³Whoever seeks to keep his elife will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. ³⁴I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. ³⁵There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. ³⁶[fTwo men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”] ³⁷And answering they *said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the gvultures will be gathered.” [24 aLit under heaven 28 bLit In the same way as 29 cI.e. burning sulfur 30 dLit according to the same things 33 eOr soul 36 fEarly mss do not contain this v 37 gOr eagles]

LUKE 18 [Books]

Parables on Prayer

1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, ²saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. ³There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘aGive me legal protection from my opponent.’ ⁴For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, ⁵yet because this widow bothers me, I will bgive her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will cwear me out.’ ” ⁶And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; ⁷now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, dand will He delay long over them? ⁸I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find efaith on the earth?” [3 aLit Do me justice 5 bLit do her justice cLit hit me under the eye 7 dOr and yet He is very patient toward them 8 eLit the faith]

The Pharisee and the Publican

9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: ¹⁰“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be amerciful to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” [13 aOr propitious]

15 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. ¹⁶But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

The Rich Young Ruler

18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. ²⁰You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’ ” ²¹And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” ²²When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²³But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. ²⁴And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵For it is easier for a camel to ago through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” [25 aLit enter]

28 Peter said, “Behold, we have left aour own homes and followed You.” ²⁹And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.” [28 aLit our own things]

31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. ³²For He will be ahanded over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, ³³and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” ³⁴But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said. [32 aOr betrayed]

Bartimaeus Receives Sight

35 As aJesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. ³⁶Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. ³⁷They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. ³⁸And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁰And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, ⁴¹“What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” ⁴²And Jesus said to him, “bReceive your sight; your faith has cmade you well.” ⁴³Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God. [35 aLit He 42 bLit Regain your sight cLit saved you]

LUKE 19 [Books]

Zaccheus Converted

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. ²And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. ³Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. ⁴So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a asycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. ⁵When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” ⁶And he hurried and came down and received Him bgladly. ⁷When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone cto be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I dwill give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I dwill give back four times as much.” ⁹And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” [4 aI.e. fig-mulberry 6 bLit rejoicing 7 cOr to find lodging 8 dLit am giving]

Parable of Money Usage

11 While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. ¹²So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. ¹³And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten aminas and said to them, ‘Do business with this buntil I come back.’ ¹⁴But his citizens hated him and sent ca delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ ¹⁵When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. ¹⁶The first appeared, saying, ‘dMaster, your emina has made ten minas more.’ ¹⁷And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸The second came, saying, ‘Your emina, fmaster, has made five minas.’ ¹⁹And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ ²⁰Another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; ²¹for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ ²²He *said to him, ‘gBy your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? ²³Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ ²⁴Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ ²⁵And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ ²⁶I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ²⁷But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” [13 aA mina is equal to about 100 days’ wages bLit while I am coming 14 cOr an embassy 16 dLit Lord eV 13, note 1 18 fLit lord 22 gLit Out of your own mouth]

Triumphal Entry

28 After He had said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the amount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, ³⁰saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” ³²So those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them. ³³As they were untying the colt, its bowners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴They said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. ³⁷As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God cjoyfully with a loud voice for all the dmiracles which they had seen, ³⁸shouting:

“BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹Some of the Pharisees ein the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” ⁴⁰But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” [29 aOr hill...Olive Grove; Mount of Olives 33 bLit lords 37 cLit rejoicing dOr works of power 39 eLit from]

41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴²saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. ⁴³For the days will come upon you awhen your enemies will throw up a bbarricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” [43 aLit and bI.e. a dirt wall or mound for siege purposes]

Traders Driven from the Temple

45 Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, ⁴⁶saying to them, “It is written, ‘AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ROBBERS’ aDEN.” [46 aLit cave]

47 And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him, ⁴⁸and they could not find aanything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to bevery word He said. [48 aLit what they would do bLit Him, listening]

LUKE 20 [Books]

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

1 On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him, ²and they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?” ³Jesus answered and said to them, “I will also ask you a aquestion, and you tell Me: ⁴Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” ⁵They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ ⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” ⁷So they answered that they did not know where it came from. ⁸And Jesus said to them, “Nor bwill I tell you by what authority I do these things.” [3 aLit word 8 bLit do I tell]

Parable of the Vine-growers

9 And He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to avine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time. ¹⁰At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed. ¹²And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out. ¹³The bowner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ ¹⁴But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ ¹⁵So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the bowner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!” ¹⁷But cJesus looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone’?

¹⁸Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” [9 aOr tenant farmers, also vv 10, 14, 16 13 bLit lord 17 cLit He]

Tribute to Caesar

19 The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them. ²⁰So they watched Him, and sent spies who apretended to be righteous, in order that they might bcatch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor. ²¹They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You care not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. ²²Is it dlawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” ²³But He detected their trickery and said to them, ²⁴“Show Me a edenarius. Whose flikeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” ²⁵And He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²⁶And they were unable to gcatch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent. [20 aLit falsely represented themselves bLit take hold of His word 21 cLit do not receive a face 22 dOr permissible 24 eThe denarius was a day’s wages fLit image 26 gLit catch His statement]

Is There a Resurrection?

27 Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), ²⁸and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES, having a wife, AND HE IS CHILDLESS, HIS BROTHER SHOULD aMARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. ²⁹Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; ³⁰and the second ³¹and the third bmarried her; and in the same way call seven ddied, leaving no children. ³²Finally the woman died also. ³³In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For eall seven fhad married her.” [28 aLit take 31 bLit took cLit the seven also dLit left no children, and died 33 eLit the fLit had her as wife]

34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, ³⁵but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; ³⁶for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. ³⁷But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. ³⁸Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.” ³⁹Some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” ⁴⁰For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything.

41 Then He said to them, “How is it that they say athe Christ is David’s son? ⁴²For David himself says in the book of Psalms,

‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, [41 aI.e. the Messiah]

⁴³UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.” ’

⁴⁴Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord,’ and how is He his son?”

45 And while all the people were listening, He said to the disciples, ⁴⁶“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, ⁴⁷who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

LUKE 21 [Books]

The Widow’s Gift

1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. ²And He saw a poor widow putting ain two bsmall copper coins. ³And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; ⁴for they all out of their csurplus put into the doffering; but she out of her poverty put in all ethat she had to live on.” [2 aLit there bGr lepta 4 cOr abundance dLit gifts eLit the living that she had]

5 And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, ⁶“As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”

7 They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the asign when these things are about to take place?” ⁸And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them. ⁹When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.” [7 aOr attesting miracle]

Things to Come

10 Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, ¹¹and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great asigns from heaven. [11 aOr attesting miracles]

12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, abringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. ¹³It will lead to ban opportunity for your testimony. ¹⁴So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; ¹⁵for I will give you cutterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. ¹⁶But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, ¹⁷and you will be hated by all because of My name. ¹⁸Yet not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹By your endurance you will gain your dlives. [12 aLit being brought 13 bLit a testimony for you 15 cLit a mouth 19 dLit souls]

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then arecognize that her desolation is near. ²¹Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of bthe city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter bthe city; ²²because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. ²³Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the cland and wrath to this people; ²⁴and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. [20 aLit know 21 bLit her 23 cOr earth]

The Return of Christ

25 “There will be asigns in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the bworld; for the powers of cthe heavens will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. ²⁸But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” [25 aOr attesting miracles 26 bLit inhabited earth cOr heaven]

29 Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; ³⁰as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. ³¹So you also, when you see these things happening, arecognize that the kingdom of God is near. ³²Truly I say to you, this bgeneration will not pass away until all things take place. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. [31 aLit know 32 bOr race]

34 “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; ³⁵for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. ³⁶But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 Now aduring the day He was teaching in the temple, but bat evening He would go out and spend the night on cthe mount that is called dOlivet. ³⁸And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him. [37 aLit days bLit nights cOr the hill dOr Olive Grove]

LUKE 22 [Books]

Preparing the Passover

1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. ²The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, abelonging to the number of the twelve. ⁴And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. ⁵They were glad and agreed to give him money. ⁶So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them bapart from the crowd. [3 aLit being of 6 bOr without a disturbance]

7 Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” ⁹They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” ¹⁰And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. ¹¹And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ ¹²And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” ¹³And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Lord’s Supper

14 When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. ¹⁵And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; ¹⁸for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁰And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. ²¹But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with aMine on the table. ²²For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” ²³And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. [21 aLit Me]

Who Is Greatest

24 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. ²⁵And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ ²⁶But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

28 “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; ²⁹and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you ³⁰that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has ademanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³²but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ³³But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” ³⁴And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.” [31 aOr obtained by asking]

35 And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” ³⁶And He said to them, “But now, awhoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and awhoever has no sword is to sell his bcoat and buy one. ³⁷For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its cfulfillment.” ³⁸They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.” [36 aLit he who bOr outer garment 37 cLit end]

The Garden of Gethsemane

39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. ⁴⁰When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, ⁴²saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” ⁴³aNow an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. ⁴⁵When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” [43 aMost early mss do not contain vv 43 and 44]

Jesus Betrayed by Judas

47 While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹But Jesus answered and said, “aStop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. ⁵²Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? ⁵³While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but bthis hour and the power of darkness are yours.” [51 aOr “Let Me at least do this,” and He touched 53 bLit this is your hour and power of darkness]

Jesus’ Arrest

54 Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. ⁵⁵After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. ⁵⁶And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” ⁵⁷But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” ⁵⁸A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” ⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ⁶²And he went out and wept bitterly.

63 Now the men who were holding aJesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him, ⁶⁴and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, “Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?” ⁶⁵And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming. [63 aLit Him]

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

66 When it was day, the aCouncil of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, ⁶⁷“If You are the bChrist, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; ⁶⁸and if I ask a question, you will not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on THE SON OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD.” ⁷⁰And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “cYes, I am.” ⁷¹Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.” [66 aOr Sanhedrin 67 bI.e. Messiah 70 cLit You say that I am]

LUKE 23 [Books]

Jesus before Pilate

1 Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate. ²And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is aChrist, a King.” ³So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” ⁴Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” ⁵But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.” [2 aI.e. Messiah]

6 When Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem aat that time. [7 aLit in these days]

Jesus before Herod

8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some asign performed by Him. ⁹And he questioned Him bat some length; but He answered him nothing. ¹⁰And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. ¹¹And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹²Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other. [8 aOr attesting miracle 9 bLit in many words]

Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release

13 Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, ¹⁴and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. ¹⁵No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. ¹⁶Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” ¹⁷[aNow he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.] [17 aEarly mss do not contain this v]

18 But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” ¹⁹(He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, ²¹but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²²And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” ²³But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. ²⁴And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. ²⁵And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Simon Bears the Cross

26 When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.

27 And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were amourning and lamenting Him. ²⁸But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ ³⁰Then they will begin TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, ‘FALL ON US,’ AND TO THE HILLS, ‘COVER US.’ ³¹For if they do these things bwhen the tree is green, what will happen cwhen it is dry?” [27 aLit beating the breast 31 bLit in the green tree cLit in the dry]

32 Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.

The Crucifixion

33 When they came to the place called aThe Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. ³⁴bBut Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. ³⁵And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the cChrist of God, His Chosen One.” ³⁶The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, ³⁷and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” ³⁸Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” [33 aIn Lat Calvarius; or Calvary 34 bSome early mss do not contain But Jesus was saying...doing 35 cI.e. Messiah]

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was ahurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the bChrist? Save Yourself and us!” ⁴⁰But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving cwhat we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come din Your kingdom!” ⁴³And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” [39 aOr blaspheming bI.e. Messiah 41 cLit things worthy of what we have done 42 dOr into]

44 It was now about athe sixth hour, and darkness bfell over the whole land until cthe ninth hour, ⁴⁵dbecause the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn ein two. ⁴⁶And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” Having said this, He breathed His last. ⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was finnocent.” ⁴⁸And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, gbeating their breasts. ⁴⁹And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things. [44 aI.e. noon bOr occurred cI.e. 3 p.m. 45 dLit the sun failing eLit in the middle 47 fLit righteous 48 gI.e. as a traditional sign of mourning or contrition]

Jesus Is Buried

50 And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man ⁵¹(he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; ⁵²this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. ⁵⁴It was the apreparation day, and the Sabbath was about to bbegin. ⁵⁵Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. ⁵⁶Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. [54 aI.e. preparation for the Sabbath bLit dawn]

And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

LUKE 24 [Books]

The Resurrection

1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; ⁵and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but He has arisen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, ⁷saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” ⁸And they remembered His words, ⁹and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. ¹¹But these words appeared bto them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. ¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings conly; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. [6 aOr been raised 11 bLit in their sight 12 cOr by themselves]

The Road to Emmaus

13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was aabout seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. ¹⁷And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You bthe only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” ¹⁹And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, ²⁰and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. ²¹But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. ²²But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” ²⁵And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Was it not necessary for the cChrist to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” ²⁷Then beginning dwith Moses and dwith all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. [13 aLit 60 stadia; one stadion was about 600 ft 18 bOr visiting Jerusalem alone 26 cI.e. Messiah 27 dLit from]

28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. ²⁹But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day ais now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. ³⁰When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from btheir sight. ³²They said to one another, “cWere not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was dexplaining the Scriptures to us?” ³³And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, ³⁴saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵They began to relate etheir experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. [29 aLit has now declined 31 bLit them 32 cLit Was not our heart dLit opening 35 eLit the things]

Other Appearances

36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be to you.” ³⁷But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. ³⁸And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your ahearts? ³⁹See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. ⁴¹While they still bcould not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴²They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; ⁴³and He took it and ate it before them. [38 aLit heart 41 bLit were disbelieving]

44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵Then He opened their aminds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the bChrist would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance cfor forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed din His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” [45 aLit mind 46 bI.e. Messiah 47 cLater mss read and forgiveness dOr on the basis of]

The Ascension

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. ⁵¹While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³and were continually in the temple apraising God. [53 aLit blessing]

JOHN 1 [Books]

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²aHe was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ⁴In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. ⁵The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not bcomprehend it. [2 aLit This one 5 bOr overpower]

The Witness John

6 There acame a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷bHe came cas a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸dHe was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. [6 aOr came into being 7 bLit This one cLit for testimony 8 dLit That one]

9 There was the true Light awhich, coming into the world, enlightens every man. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹He came to His bown, and those who were His own did not receive Him. ¹²But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, ¹³who were cborn, not of dblood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. [9 aOr which enlightens every person coming into the world 11 bOr own things, possessions, domain 13 cOr begotten dLit bloods]

The Word Made Flesh

14 And the Word became flesh, and adwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of bthe only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me chas a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” ¹⁶For of His fullness dwe have all received, and egrace upon grace. ¹⁷For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth fwere realized through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. [14 aOr tabernacled; i.e. lived temporarily bOr unique, only one of His kind 15 cLit has become before me 16 dLit we all received eLit grace for grace 17 fLit came to be]

The Testimony of John

19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not athe Christ.” ²¹They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²²Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” ²³He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” [20 aI.e. the Messiah]

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the aChrist, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶John answered them saying, “I baptize bin water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. ²⁷It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. [25 aI.e. Messiah 26 bThe Gr here can be translated in, with or by]

29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ahas a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ³¹I did not recognize bHim, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing cin water.” ³²John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. ³³I did not recognize bHim, but He who sent me to baptize din water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes din the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” [30 aLit has become before me 31 bI.e. as the Messiah cThe Gr here can be translated in, with or by 33 dThe Gr here can be translated in, with or by]

Jesus’ Public Ministry, First Converts

35 Again the next day John was standing awith two of his disciples, ³⁶and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” ³⁷The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” ³⁹He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the btenth hour. ⁴⁰One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹He *found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means cChrist). ⁴²He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of dJohn; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated ePeter). [35 aLit and 39 bPerhaps 10 a.m. (Roman time) 41 cGr Anointed One 42 dGr Joannes eI.e. Rock or Stone]

43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me.” ⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” ⁴⁷Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” ⁴⁸Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ⁴⁹Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” ⁵⁰Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

JOHN 2 [Books]

Miracle at Cana

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; ²and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” ⁴And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, awhat does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” ⁶Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing btwenty or thirty gallons each. ⁷Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. ⁸And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the cheadwaiter.” So they took it to him. ⁹When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, ¹⁰and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have ddrunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹This beginning of His esigns Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. [4 aLit what to Me and to you (a Hebrew idiom) 6 bLit two or three measures 8 cOr steward 10 dOr have become drunk 11 eOr attesting miracles; i.e. one which points to the supernatural power of God in redeeming grace]

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

First Passover—Cleansing the Temple

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; ¹⁶and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a aplace of business.” ¹⁷His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” ¹⁸The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us bas your authority for doing these things?” ¹⁹Jesus answered them, “Destroy this ctemple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this ctemple, and will You raise it up in three days?” ²¹But He was speaking of the ctemple of His body. ²²So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. [16 aLit house 18 bLit that You do these 19 cOr sanctuary]

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. ²⁴But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, ²⁵and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

JOHN 3 [Books]

The New Birth

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; ²this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these asigns that You do unless God is with him.” ³Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born bagain he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [2 aOr attesting miracles 3 bOr from above]

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born aagain.’ ⁸The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” [7 aOr from above]

9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? ¹¹Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. ¹²If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. ¹⁴As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; ¹⁵so that whoever abelieves will in Him have eternal life. [15 aOr believes in Him will have eternal life]

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His aonly begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the bonly begotten Son of God. ¹⁹This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” [16 aOr unique, only one of His kind 18 bOr unique, only one of His kind]

John’s Last Testimony

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. ²³John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— ²⁴for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. ²⁶And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” ²⁷John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. ²⁸You yourselves aare my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the bChrist,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ ²⁹He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. ³⁰He must increase, but I must decrease. [28 aLit testify for me bI.e. Messiah]

31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. ³²What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. ³³He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true. ³⁴For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; afor He gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. ³⁶He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not bobey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [34 aLit because He does not give the Spirit by measure 36 bOr believe]

JOHN 4 [Books]

Jesus Goes to Galilee

1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John ²(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), ³He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. ⁴And He had to pass through Samaria. ⁵So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; ⁶and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about athe sixth hour. [6 aPerhaps 6 p.m. Roman time or noon Jewish time]

The Woman of Samaria

7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.” ⁸For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. ⁹Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” ¹¹She *said to Him, “aSir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? ¹²You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” ¹³Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; ¹⁴but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” [11 aOr Lord]

15 The woman *said to Him, “aSir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” ¹⁶He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” ¹⁷The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; ¹⁸for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” ¹⁹The woman *said to Him, “aSir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” ²¹Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ²⁴God is bspirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” ²⁵The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” ²⁶Jesus *said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” [15 aOr Lord 24 bOr Spirit]

27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” ²⁸So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men, ²⁹“Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not athe Christ, is it?” ³⁰They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. [29 aI.e. the Messiah]

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” ³²But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” ³³So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” ³⁴Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. ³⁵Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. ³⁶Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ ³⁸I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

The Samaritans

39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹Many more believed because of His word; ⁴²and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

43 After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. ⁴⁴For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. ⁴⁵So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

Healing a Nobleman’s Son

46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see asigns and wonders, you simply will not believe.” ⁴⁹The royal official *said to Him, “bSir, come down before my child dies.” ⁵⁰Jesus *said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. ⁵¹As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his cson was living. ⁵²So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the dseventh hour the fever left him.” ⁵³So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. ⁵⁴This is again a second esign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee. [48 aOr attesting miracles 49 bOr Lord 51 cOr boy 52 dPerhaps 7 p.m. Roman time or 1 p.m. Jewish time 54 eOr attesting miracle]

JOHN 5 [Books]

The Healing at Bethesda

1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in aHebrew bBethesda, having five porticoes. ³In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [cwaiting for the moving of the waters; ⁴for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] ⁵A man was there who had been dill for thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” ⁷The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” ⁸Jesus *said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” ⁹Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. [2 aI.e. Jewish Aramaic bSome early mss read Bethsaida or Bethzatha 3 cEarly mss do not contain the remainder of v 3, nor v 4 5 dLit in his sickness]

Now it was the Sabbath on that day. ¹⁰So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” ¹¹But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” ¹²They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” ¹³But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. ¹⁴Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” ¹⁵The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. ¹⁶For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

Jesus’ Equality with God

¹⁸For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever athe Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. ²⁰For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. ²¹For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. ²²For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, ²³so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. [19 aLit that One]

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Two Resurrections

²⁵Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. ²⁶For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; ²⁷and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is athe Son of Man. ²⁸Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, ²⁹and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. [27 aOr a son of man]

30 “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

31 “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not atrue. ³²There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. [31 aI.e. admissible as legal evidence]

Witness of John

³³You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for aa while in his light. [35 aLit an hour]

Witness of Works

³⁶But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

Witness of the Father

³⁷And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. ³⁸You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.

Witness of the Scripture

³⁹aYou search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; ⁴⁰and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. ⁴¹I do not receive glory from men; ⁴²but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. ⁴³I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. ⁴⁴How can you believe, when you receive bglory from one another and you do not seek the bglory that is from the one and only God? ⁴⁵Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. ⁴⁶For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” [39 aOr (a command) Search the Scriptures! 44 bOr honor or fame]

JOHN 6 [Books]

Five Thousand Fed

1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). ²A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the asigns which He was performing on those who were sick. ³Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. ⁴Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. ⁵Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” ⁶This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. ⁷Philip answered Him, “Two hundred bdenarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” ⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, ⁹“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” ¹⁰Jesus said, “Have the people csit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men csat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. ¹²When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” ¹³So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴Therefore when the people saw the dsign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” [2 aOr attesting miracles 7 bThe denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages 10 cLit recline(d) 14 dOr attesting miracle]

Jesus Walks on the Water

15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were aintending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. [15 aOr about]

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹Then, when they had rowed about athree or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. ²⁰But He *said to them, “It is I; bdo not be afraid.” ²¹So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. [19 aLit 25 or 30 stadia 20 bOr stop being afraid]

22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. ²³There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. ²⁵When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Words to the People

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” ²⁸Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” ²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” ³⁰So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? ³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’ ” ³²Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. ³³For the bread of God is athat which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” ³⁴Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” [33 aOr He who comes]

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. ³⁶But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Words to the Jews

41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” ⁴²They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” ⁴³Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” ⁵³So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. ⁵⁴He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁵⁵For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. ⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. ⁵⁸This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

Words to the Disciples

⁵⁹These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” ⁶¹But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? ⁶²What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? ⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would abetray Him. ⁶⁵And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” [64 aOr hand Him over]

Peter’s Confession of Faith

66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. ⁶⁷So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” ⁶⁸Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” ⁷⁰Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” ⁷¹Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, awas going to betray Him. [71 aOr was intending to]

JOHN 7 [Books]

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. ²Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. ³Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. ⁴For no one does anything in secret awhen he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵For not even His brothers were believing in Him. ⁶So Jesus *said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. ⁷The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. ⁸Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” ⁹Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee. [4 aLit and]

10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. ¹¹So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” ¹²There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” ¹³Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. ¹⁵The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” ¹⁶So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. ¹⁷If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. ¹⁸He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” ²⁰The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” ²¹Jesus answered them, “I did one adeed, and you all marvel. ²²For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. ²³If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? ²⁴Do not judge according to appearance, but bjudge with righteous judgment.” [21 aOr work 24 bLit judge the righteous judgment]

25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? ²⁶Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is athe Christ, do they? ²⁷However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.” ²⁸Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. ²⁹I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” ³⁰So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. ³¹But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When athe Christ comes, He will not perform more bsigns than those which this man has, will He?” [26 aI.e. the Messiah 31 bOr attesting miracles]

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. ³³Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. ³⁴You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” ³⁵The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? ³⁶What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “aIf anyone is thirsty, blet him come to Me and drink. ³⁸He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From chis innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ” ³⁹But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. [37 aVv 37-38 may also be read: If anyone is thirsty,...let him come..., he who believes in me as... bOr let him keep coming to Me and let him keep drinking 38 cLit out of his belly]

Division of People over Jesus

40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” ⁴¹Others were saying, “This is athe Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely athe Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? ⁴²Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” ⁴³So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. ⁴⁴Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him. [41 aI.e. the Messiah]

45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” ⁴⁶The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” ⁴⁷The Pharisees then answered them, “You have not also been led astray, have you? ⁴⁸No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? ⁴⁹But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” ⁵⁰Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, ⁵¹“Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” ⁵²They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” ⁵³[aEveryone went to his home. [53 aLater mss add the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as John 7:53-8:11]

JOHN 8 [Books]

The Adulterous Woman

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ²Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. ³The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, ⁴they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. ⁵Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” ⁶They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. ⁷But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. ¹⁰Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹She said, “No one, aLord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”] [11 aOr Sir]

Jesus Is the Light of the World

12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ¹³So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not atrue.” ¹⁴Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is atrue, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge baccording to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. ¹⁶But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. ¹⁷Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is ctrue. ¹⁸I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” ¹⁹So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” ²⁰These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come. [13 aOr valid 15 bI.e. by a carnal standard 17 cI.e. valid or admissible]

21 Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” ²²So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that aI am He, you will die in your sins.” ²⁵So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “bWhat have I been saying to you from the beginning? ²⁶I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” ²⁷They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that cI am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. ²⁹And He who sent Me is with Me; He dhas not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” ³⁰As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. [24 aMost authorities associate this with Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM 25 bOr That which I have been saying to you from the beginning 28 cLit I AM (v 24 note) 29 dOr did not leave]

The Truth Will Make You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ³³They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. ³⁵The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. ³⁶So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word ahas no place in you. ³⁸I speak the things which I have seen bwith My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” [37 aOr makes no progress 38 bOr in the presence of]

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. ⁴⁰But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. ⁴¹You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” ⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but aHe sent Me. ⁴³Why do you not understand bwhat I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. ⁴⁴You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks ca lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of dlies. ⁴⁵But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. ⁴⁶Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? ⁴⁷He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” [42 aLit that One 43 bOr My way of speaking 44 cLit the lie dLit it]

48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” ⁴⁹Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. ⁵¹Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” ⁵²The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ ⁵³Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; ⁵⁵and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. ⁵⁶Your father Abraham rejoiced ato see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham bwas born, I am.” ⁵⁹Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus chid Himself and went out of the temple. [56 aLit in order that he might see 58 bLit came into being 59 cLit was hidden]

JOHN 9 [Books]

Healing the Man Born Blind

1 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. ²And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” ³Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” ⁶When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, ⁷and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. ⁸Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” ⁹Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” aHe kept saying, “I am the one.” ¹⁰So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” ¹¹He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” ¹²They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.” [9 aLit That one]

Controversy over the Man

13 They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. ¹⁴Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. ¹⁵Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” ¹⁶Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such asigns?” And there was a division among them. ¹⁷So they *said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.” [16 aOr attesting miracles]

18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, ¹⁹and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” ²⁰His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” ²²His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be aChrist, he was to be put out of the synagogue. ²³For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” [22 aI.e. the Messiah]

24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” ²⁷He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” ²⁸They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” ³⁰The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. ³¹We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. ³²aSince the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” ³⁴They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out. [32 aLit From the age it was not heard]

Jesus Affirms His Deity

35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶He answered, “Who is He, aLord, that I may believe in Him?” ³⁷Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” ³⁸And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. ³⁹And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” ⁴⁰Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” ⁴¹Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but bsince you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. [36 aOr Sir 41 bLit now]

JOHN 10 [Books]

Parable of the Good Shepherd

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. ²But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. ³To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and ahave it abundantly. [10 aOr have abundance]

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, ¹⁵even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. ¹⁷For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. ¹⁸No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. ²⁰Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” ²¹Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”

Jesus Asserts His Deity

22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; ²³it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long awill You keep us in suspense? If You are bthe Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. ²⁶But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. ²⁷My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹cMy Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰I and the Father are done.” [24 aLit do You lift up our soul bI.e. the Messiah 29 cOne early ms reads What My Father has given Me is greater than all 30 dOr a unity; or one essence]

31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. ³²Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” ³³The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” ³⁴Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’? ³⁵If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), ³⁶do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; ³⁸but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may aknow and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” ³⁹Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. [38 aLit know and continue knowing]

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. ⁴¹Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” ⁴²Many believed in Him there.

JOHN 11 [Books]

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ²It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” ⁴But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” ⁵Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. ⁷Then after this He *said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” ⁸The disciples *said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” ⁹Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” ¹¹This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” ¹²The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will arecover.” ¹³Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of bliteral sleep. ¹⁴So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” ¹⁶Therefore Thomas, who is called cDidymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.” [12 aLit be saved 13 bLit the slumber of sleep 16 cI.e. the Twin]

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about atwo miles off; ¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. ²⁰Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary bstayed at the house. ²¹Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” ²³Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, ²⁶and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are cthe Christ, the Son of God, even dHe who comes into the world.” [18 aLit 15 stadia (9,090 ft) 20 bLit was sitting 27 cI.e. the Messiah dThe Coming One was the Messianic title]

28 When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” ²⁹And when she heard it, she *got up quickly and was coming to Him.

30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. ³¹Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. ³²Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and awas troubled, ³⁴and said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵Jesus wept. ³⁶So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” ³⁷But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, bhave kept this man also from dying?” [33 aLit troubled Himself 37 bLit have caused that this man also not die]

38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time athere will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰Jesus *said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” ⁴¹So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴²I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the bpeople standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” ⁴³When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” ⁴⁴The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” [39 aLit he stinks 42 bLit crowd]

45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. ⁴⁶But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many asigns. ⁴⁸If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” ⁵¹Now he did not say this bon his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, ⁵²and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. [47 aOr attesting miracles 51 bLit from himself]

54 Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” ⁵⁷Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.

JOHN 12 [Books]

Mary Anoints Jesus

1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ²So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³Mary then took a apound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to bbetray Him, *said, ⁵“Why was this perfume not sold for cthree hundred denarii and given to poor people?” ⁶Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. ⁷Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep dit for the day of My burial. ⁸For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.” [3 aI.e. a Roman pound, equaling 12 oz 4 bOr hand Him over 5 cEquivalent to 11 months’ wages 7 dI.e. the custom of preparing the body for burial]

9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. ¹⁰But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; ¹¹because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.” ¹⁴Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, ¹⁵“FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.” ¹⁶These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. ¹⁷So the apeople, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. ¹⁸For this reason also the apeople went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this bsign. ¹⁹So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.” [17 aLit crowd 18 bOr attesting miracle]

Greeks Seek Jesus

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; ²¹these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ²²Philip *came and *told Andrew; Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus. ²³And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵He who loves his alife loses it, and he who hates his alife in this world will keep it to life eternal. ²⁶If anyone bserves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone bserves Me, the Father will honor him. [25 aLit soul 26 bOr is serving]

Jesus Foretells His Death

27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” ³⁰Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. ³¹Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. ³²And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” ³³But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. ³⁴The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that athe Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” ³⁵So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. ³⁶While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” [34 aI.e. the Messiah]

These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and ahid Himself from them. ³⁷But though He had performed so many bsigns before them, yet they were not believing in Him. ³⁸This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?” ³⁹For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, ⁴⁰“HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND cBE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.” ⁴¹These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. ⁴²Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be dput out of the synagogue; ⁴³for they loved the eapproval of men rather than the eapproval of God. [36 aLit was hidden 37 bOr attesting signs 40 cLit be turned; i.e. turn about 42 dI.e. excommunicated 43 eOr glory]

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. ⁴⁶I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. ⁴⁷If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. ⁴⁹For I did not speak aon My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” [49 aLit of Myself]

JOHN 13 [Books]

The Lord’s Supper

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them ato the end. ²During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, ⁴*got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. [1 aOr to the uttermost; or eternally]

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

⁵Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. ⁶So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” ⁸Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” ⁹Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” ¹⁰Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call Me Teacher and Lord; and ayou are right, for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. ¹⁶Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. ¹⁸I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.’ ¹⁹From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. ²⁰Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” [13 aLit you say well]

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will abetray Me.” ²²The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. ²³There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. ²⁴So Simon Peter *gestured to him, and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” ²⁵He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶Jesus then *answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He *took and *gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” ²⁸Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. ²⁹For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night. [21 aOr hand Me over]

31 Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus *said, “Now ais the Son of Man glorified, and God ais glorified in Him; ³²bif God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. ³³Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” [31 aOr was 32 bMost early mss do not contain this phrase]

36 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” ³⁷Peter *said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” ³⁸Jesus *answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

JOHN 14 [Books]

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; abelieve in God, believe also in Me. ²In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴And you know the way where I am going.” ⁵Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” ⁶Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. [1 aOr you believe in God]

Oneness with the Father

⁷If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. ¹¹Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. ¹²Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. ¹³Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Role of the Spirit

¹⁶I will ask the Father, and He will give you another aHelper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. [16 aGr Paracletos, one called alongside to help; or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor]

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹aAfter a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. ²⁰In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. ²¹He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” ²²Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. [19 aLit Yet a little and the world]

25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. ²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. ²⁸You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. ³⁰I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; ³¹but so that the world may know that I love the Father, aI do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here. [31 aLit and as the Father...so I do]

JOHN 15 [Books]

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ²Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He aprunes it so that it may bear more fruit. ³You are already bclean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit cof itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. ⁵I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. ⁷If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so dprove to be My disciples. ⁹Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. [2 aLit cleans; used to describe pruning 3 bI.e. pruned like a branch 4 cLit from 8 dOr become My disciples]

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are My friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. ¹⁷This I command you, that you love one another.

Disciples’ Relation to the World

18 “If the world hates you, ayou know that it has hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. ²⁰Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. ²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have bsin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have bsin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. ²⁵But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’ [18 aOr (imperative) know that 22 bI.e. guilt]

26 “When the aHelper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, ²⁷band you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. [26 aGr Paracletos, one called alongside to help; or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor 27 bOr (imperative) and bear witness]

JOHN 16 [Books]

Jesus’ Warning

1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. ²aThey will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. ³These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. ⁴But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you bmay remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. [2 aOr They will have you excommunicated 4 bOr will remember them, that I told you]

The Holy Spirit Promised

5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the aHelper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; ⁹concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; ¹¹and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. [7 aGr Paracletos, one called alongside to help; or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor]

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. ¹⁴He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. ¹⁵All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

16 “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” ¹⁷Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” ¹⁸So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” ¹⁹Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? ²⁰Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. ²¹Whenever a woman is in labor she has apain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a bchild has been born into the world. ²²Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. [21 aLit grief bLit human being]

Prayer Promises

²³In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. ²⁴Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

25 “These things I have spoken to you in afigurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in afigurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. ²⁶In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; ²⁷for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. ²⁸I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” [25 aLit proverbs; or figures of speech]

29 His disciples *said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not ausing a figure of speech. ³⁰Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.” ³¹Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? ³²Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. ³³These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” [29 aLit saying a proverb]

JOHN 17 [Books]

The High Priestly Prayer

1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, ²even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to aall whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. ³This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴I glorified You on the earth, bhaving accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. [2 aLit everything that You have given Him, to them He may 4 bOr by accomplishing]

6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ⁷Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; ⁸for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. ⁹I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; ¹⁰and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. ¹²While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the ason of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. [12 aHeb idiom for one destined to perish]

The Disciples in the World

¹³But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. ¹⁴I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁵I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them afrom bthe evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. ¹⁸As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. [15 aOr out of the power of bOr evil]

20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; ²¹that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may abelieve that You sent Me. [21 aGr tense indicates continually believe]

Their Future Glory

²²The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected ain unity, so that the world may bknow that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. ²⁴Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. [23 aLit into one bGr tense indicates continually know]

25 “O righteous Father, aalthough the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; ²⁶and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” [25 aLit even the world]

JOHN 18 [Books]

Judas Betrays Jesus

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the aravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered bwith His disciples. ²Now Judas also, who was cbetraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. ³Judas then, having received the Roman dcohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, *came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and *said to them, “Whom do you seek?” ⁵They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. ⁶So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁸Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” ⁹to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” ¹⁰Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” [1 aLit winter-torrent bLit and 2 cOr handing Him over 3 dNormally 600 men; a battalion]

Jesus before the Priests

12 So the Roman acohort and the bcommander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, ¹³and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people. [12 aOr battalion bI.e. chiliarch, in command of a thousand troops]

15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, ¹⁶but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷Then the slave-girl who kept the door *said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He *said, “I am not.” ¹⁸Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. ²⁰Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in asynagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. ²¹Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.” ²²When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” ²³Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” ²⁴So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. [20 aLit a synagogue]

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” ²⁶One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, *said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

Jesus before Pilate

28 Then they *led Jesus from Caiaphas into the aPraetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the aPraetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. ²⁹Therefore Pilate went out to them and *said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” ³⁰They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.” ³¹So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” ³²to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die. [28 aI.e. governor’s official residence]

33 Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” ³⁴Jesus answered, “Are you saying this aon your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” ³⁵Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” ³⁶Jesus answered, “My kingdom bis not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not cof this realm.” ³⁷Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” ³⁸Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?” [34 aLit from yourself 36 bOr is not derived from cLit from here]

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. ³⁹But you have a custom that I release someone afor you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release afor you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber. [39 aOr to you]

JOHN 19 [Books]

The Crown of Thorns

1 Pilate then took Jesus and ascourged Him. ²And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; ³and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. ⁴Pilate came out again and *said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” ⁵Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate *said to them, “Behold, the Man!” ⁶So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” ⁷The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.” [1 aOr had Him scourged]

8 Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; ⁹and he entered into the aPraetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰So Pilate *said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” ¹¹Jesus answered, “You would have no authority bover Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” ¹²As a result of this Pilate cmade efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king dopposes Caesar.” [9 aI.e. governor’s official residence 11 bLit against 12 cLit was seeking to dOr speaks against]

13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called aThe Pavement, but in bHebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the csixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” ¹⁵So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” [13 aGr The Lithostrotos bI.e. Jewish Aramaic 14 cPerhaps 6 a.m.]

The Crucifixion

¹⁶So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.

17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, abearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in bHebrew, Golgotha. ¹⁸There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. ¹⁹Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” ²⁰Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in bHebrew, Latin and in Greek. ²¹So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’ ” ²²Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” [17 aLit bearing the cross for Himself bI.e. Jewish Aramaic]

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the atunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven bin one piece. ²⁴So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “THEY DIVIDED MY OUTER GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST cLOTS.” ²⁵Therefore the soldiers did these things. [23 aGr khiton, the garment worn next to the skin bLit from the upper part through the whole 24 cLit a lot]

But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, *said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. ³⁰Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Care of the Body of Jesus

31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (afor that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. ³²So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; ³³but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. ³⁶For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE bBROKEN.” ³⁷And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.” [31 aLit for the day of that Sabbath was great 36 bOr crushed or shattered]

38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. ³⁹Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a amixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred bpounds weight. ⁴⁰So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ⁴²Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. [39 aTwo early mss read package of bLit 100 litras (12 oz each)]

JOHN 20 [Books]

The Empty Tomb

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. ²So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” ³So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. ⁴The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; ⁵and stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. ⁶And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. ⁹For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; ¹²and she *saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. ¹³And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” ¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and *saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” ¹⁶Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him in aHebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). ¹⁷Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene *came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. [16 aI.e. Jewish Aramaic]

Jesus among His Disciples

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “aPeace be with you.” ²⁰And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²²And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, their sins bhave been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” [19 aLit Peace to you 23 bI.e. have previously been forgiven]

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called aDidymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” [24 aI.e. the Twin]

26 aAfter eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been bshut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” ²⁸Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” [26 aOr A week later bOr locked]

Why This Gospel Was Written

30 Therefore many other asigns Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is bthe Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. [30 aOr attesting miracles 31 bI.e. the Messiah]

JOHN 21 [Books]

Jesus Appears at the Sea of Galilee

1 After these things Jesus amanifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. ²Simon Peter, and Thomas called bDidymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. ³Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. [1 aOr made Himself visible 2 bI.e. the Twin]

4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have aany fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” ⁶And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. ⁷Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. ⁸But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about bone hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. [5 aLit something eaten with bread 8 bLit 200 cubits]

9 So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” ¹¹Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus Provides

¹²Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise. ¹⁴This is now the third time that Jesus awas manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. [14 aOr made Himself visible]

The Love Motivation

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you alove Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I blove You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” ¹⁶He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you alove Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I blove You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” ¹⁷He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you blove Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you blove Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I blove You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep. [15 aGr agapao bGr phileo]

Our Times Are in His Hand

¹⁸Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” ¹⁹Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!”

20 Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” ²¹So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” ²²Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” ²³Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself *would not contain the books that *would be written.

ACTS 1 [Books]

Introduction

1 The first account I acomposed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, ²until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had bby the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. ³To cthese He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁴dGathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for ewhat the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized fwith the Holy Spirit gnot many days from now.” [1 aLit made 2 bOr through 3 cLit whom 4 dOr eating with; or lodging with eLit the promise of the Father 5 fOr in gLit not long after these many days]

6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; ⁸but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The Ascension

⁹And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰And as they were gazing intently into athe sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. ¹¹They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into athe sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” [10 aOr heaven]

The Upper Room

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the amount called bOlivet, which is near Jerusalem, a cSabbath day’s journey away. ¹³When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and dJames and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, dJames the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the eson of dJames. ¹⁴These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. [12 aOr hill bOr Olive Grove cI.e. 2K cubits, or approx 35 mile 13 dOr Jacob eOr brother]

15 aAt this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty bpersons was there together), and said, ¹⁶“Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” ¹⁸(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. ¹⁹And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰“For it is written in the book of Psalms,

‘LET HIS HOMESTEAD BE MADE DESOLATE,

AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT’;

and,

‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS cOFFICE.’

²¹Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out damong us— ²²beginning ewith the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” ²³So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. ²⁴And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen ²⁵to foccupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶And they gdrew lots for them, and the lot fell hto Matthias; and he was iadded to the eleven apostles. [15 aLit In these days bLit names 20 cLit position as overseer 21 dLit to us 22 eLit from 25 fLit take the place of 26 gLit gave hOr upon iLit voted together with]

ACTS 2 [Books]

The Day of Pentecost

1 When the day of Pentecost ahad come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³And there appeared to them tongues as of fire bdistributing themselves, and cthey drested on each one of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other etongues, as the Spirit was giving them futterance. [1 aLit was being fulfilled 3 bOr being distributed cLit it dOr sat 4 eOr languages fOr ability to speak out]

5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own alanguage. ⁷They were amazed and astonished, saying, “bWhy, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we each hear them in our own alanguage cto which we were born? ⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and dAsia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and evisitors from Rome, both Jews and fproselytes, ¹¹Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” ¹²And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of gsweet wine.” [6 aOr dialect 7 bLit Behold 8 cLit in 9 dI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 10 eLit the sojourning Romans fI.e. Gentile converts to Judaism 13 gI.e. new wine]

Peter’s Sermon

14 But Peter, ataking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. ¹⁵For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the bthird hour of the day; ¹⁶but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: [14 aOr being put forward as spokesman 15 bI.e. 9 a.m.]

¹⁷‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,

‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL aMANKIND;

AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,

AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,

AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; [aLit flesh]

¹⁸EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,

I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT

And they shall prophesy.

¹⁹‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE

AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,

BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.

²⁰‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS

AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,

BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.

²¹‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man aattested to you by God with bmiracles and wonders and csigns which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— ²³this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of dgodless men and put Him to death. ²⁴eBut God raised Him up again, putting an end to the fagony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held gin its power. ²⁵For David says of Him,

‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE;

FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN. [22 aOr exhibited or accredited bOr works of power cOr attesting miracles 23 dLit men without the Law; i.e. pagan 24 eLit Whom God raised up fLit birth pains gLit by it]

²⁶‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;

MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;

²⁷BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,

NOR aALLOW YOUR bHOLY ONE TO cUNDERGO DECAY. [aLit give bOr devout or pious cLit see corruption]

²⁸‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;

YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’

29 “aBrethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is bwith us to this day. ³⁰And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one cOF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, ³¹he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of dthe Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh eSUFFER DECAY. ³²This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. ³³Therefore having been exalted fto the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. ³⁴For it was not David who ascended into gheaven, but he himself says:

‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, [29 aLit Men brothers bLit among 30 cLit of the fruit of his loins 31 dI.e. the Messiah eLit see corruption 33 fOr by 34 gLit the heavens]

³⁵UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.” ’

³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and aChrist—this Jesus whom you crucified.” [aI.e. Messiah]

The Ingathering

37 Now when they heard this, they were apierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “bBrethren, cwhat shall we do?” ³⁸Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” ⁴⁰And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “dBe saved from this perverse generation!” ⁴¹So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand esouls. ⁴²They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and fto prayer. [37 aOr wounded in conscience bLit Men brothers cOr what are we to do 40 dOr Escape 41 eI.e. persons 42 fLit the prayers]

43 aEveryone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and bsigns were taking place through the apostles. ⁴⁴And all those who had believed cwere together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. ⁴⁶Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread dfrom house to house, they were taking their emeals together with gladness and fsincerity of heart, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding gto their number day by day those who were being saved. [43 aLit fear was occurring to every soul bOr attesting miracles 44 cOne early ms does not contain were and and 46 dOr in the various private homes eLit food fOr simplicity 47 gLit together]

ACTS 3 [Books]

Healing the Lame Beggar

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the aninth hour, the hour of prayer. ²And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg balms of those who were entering the temple. ³When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. ⁴But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” ⁵And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” ⁷And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. ⁸cWith a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹And all the people saw him walking and praising God; ¹⁰and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. [1 aI.e. 3 p.m. 2 bOr a gift of charity 8 cLit Leaping up]

Peter’s Second Sermon

11 While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called aportico of Solomon, full of amazement. ¹²But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? ¹³The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His bservant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. ¹⁴But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵but put to death the cPrince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. ¹⁶And on the basis of faith in His name, it is dthe name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. [11 aOr colonnade 13 bOr Son 15 cOr Author 16 dLit His name]

17 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. ¹⁸But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His aChrist would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. ¹⁹Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; ²⁰and that He may send Jesus, the aChrist appointed for you, ²¹whom heaven must receive until the bperiod of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. ²²Moses said, ‘THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET cLIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. ²³And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ ²⁴And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. ²⁵It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God dmade with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ ²⁶For you first, God raised up His eServant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” [18 aOr Anointed One; i.e. Messiah 21 bLit periods, times 22 cOr as He raised up me 25 dLit covenanted 26 eOr Son]

ACTS 4 [Books]

Peter and John Arrested

1 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, ²being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming ain Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴But many of those who had heard the bmessage believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. [2 aOr in the case of 4 bLit word]

5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; ⁶and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. ⁷When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” ⁸Then Peter, afilled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “bRulers and elders of the people, ⁹if we are con trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, das to how this man has been made well, ¹⁰let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that eby the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—eby fthis name this man stands here before you in good health. ¹¹gHe is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. ¹²And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” [8 aOr having just been filled bLit Rulers of the people and elders 9 cLit answering dOr by whom 10 eOr in fOr Him 11 gLit This One]

Threat and Release

13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them aas having been with Jesus. ¹⁴And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. ¹⁵But when they had ordered them to leave the bCouncil, they began to confer with one another, ¹⁶saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy cmiracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” ¹⁸And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all din the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; ²⁰for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; ²²for the man was more than forty years old on whom this cmiracle of healing had been performed. [13 aLit that they had been 15 bOr Sanhedrin 16 cOr sign 18 dOr on the basis of]

23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O aLord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, ²⁵who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

‘WHY DID THE bGENTILES RAGE,

AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS? [24 aOr Master 25 bOr nations]

²⁶‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH aTOOK THEIR STAND,

AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER

AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS bCHRIST.’

²⁷For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy cservant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the dGentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. ²⁹And enow, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, ³⁰while You extend Your hand to heal, and fsigns and wonders take place through the name of Your holy cservant Jesus.” ³¹And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. [26 aOr approached bOr Anointed One; i.e. Messiah 27 cOr Son dOr nations 29 eOr as for the present situation 30 fOr attesting miracles]

Sharing among Believers

32 And the acongregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them bclaimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. ³³And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. ³⁴For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the cproceeds of the sales ³⁵and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. [32 aOr multitude bLit was saying 34 cLit the prices of the things being sold]

36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of aEncouragement), ³⁷and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. [36 aOr Exhortation or Consolation]

ACTS 5 [Books]

Fate of Ananias and Sapphira

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, ²and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s afull knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? ⁴While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not bunder your control? Why is it that you have cconceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” ⁵And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. ⁶The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. [2 aOr collusion 4 bOr in your authority cLit placed]

7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land afor such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, athat was the price.” ⁹Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” ¹⁰And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things. [8 aLit for so much]

12 aAt the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. ¹³But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. ¹⁴And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, ¹⁵to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. ¹⁶Also the bpeople from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick cor afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed. [12 aLit Through 16 bLit multitude cLit and]

Imprisonment and Release

17 But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. ¹⁹But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, ²⁰“Go, stand and aspeak to the people in the temple bthe whole message of this Life.” ²¹Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. [20 aOr continue to speak bLit all the words]

Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the aCouncil together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. ²²But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, ²³saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.” ²⁴Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what bwould come of this. ²⁵But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” ²⁶Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned). [21 aOr Sanhedrin 24 bLit this would become]

27 When they had brought them, they stood them abefore the Council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and byet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, cwhom you had put to death by hanging Him on a dcross. ³¹He is the one whom God exalted eto His right hand as a fPrince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ³²And we are witnesses gof these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” [27 aLit in 28 bLit behold 30 cOr on whom you had laid violent hands dLit wood 31 eOr by fOr Leader 32 gOne early ms adds in Him]

Gamaliel’s Counsel

33 But when they heard this, they were cut ato the quick and intended to kill them. ³⁴But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. ³⁵And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. ³⁶For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. bBut he was killed, and all who cfollowed him were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who cfollowed him were scattered. ³⁸So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or daction is of men, it will be overthrown; ³⁹but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” [33 aOr in their hearts 36 bLit Who was killed cLit were obeying 38 dOr work]

40 They atook his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to bspeak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. ⁴¹So they went on their way from the presence of the cCouncil, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. ⁴²And every day, in the temple and dfrom house to house, they ekept right on teaching and fpreaching Jesus as the gChrist. [40 aLit were persuaded by him bLit be speaking 41 cOr Sanhedrin 42 dOr in the various private homes eLit were not ceasing to fLit telling the good news of gI.e. Messiah]

ACTS 6 [Books]

Choosing of the Seven

1 Now aat this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the bHellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. ²So the twelve summoned the ccongregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. ³Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. ⁴But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the dministry of the word.” ⁵The statement found approval with the whole ccongregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and eNicolas, a fproselyte from Antioch. ⁶And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. [1 aLit in these days bJews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation 2 cLit multitude 4 dOr service 5 eGr Nikolaos fI.e. a Gentile convert to Judaism]

7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and asigns among the people. ⁹But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and bAsia, rose up and argued with Stephen. ¹⁰But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. ¹¹Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” ¹²And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him cbefore the dCouncil. ¹³They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; ¹⁴for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” ¹⁵And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the dCouncil saw his face like the face of an angel. [8 aOr attesting miracles 9 bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 12 cLit into dOr Sanhedrin]

ACTS 7 [Books]

Stephen’s Defense

1 The high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2 And he said, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in aHaran, ³and said to him, ‘LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.’ ⁴Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in aHaran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living. ⁵But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that HE WOULD GIVE IT TO HIM AS A POSSESSION, AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM. ⁶But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD bBE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS. ⁷ ‘AND WHATEVER NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE IN BONDAGE I MYSELF WILL JUDGE,’ said God, ‘AND AFTER THAT THEY WILL COME OUT AND cSERVE ME IN THIS PLACE.’ ⁸And He gave him dthe covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. [2 aGr Charran 6 bLit enslave them and mistreat them 7 cOr worship 8 dOr a]

9 “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, ¹⁰and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

11 “Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers acould find no food. ¹²But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. ¹³On the second visit Joseph bmade himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh. ¹⁴Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five cpersons in all. ¹⁵And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died. ¹⁶From there they were removed to dShechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of eHamor in dShechem. [11 aLit were not finding 13 bOr was made known 14 cLit souls 16 dGr Sychem eGr Emmor]

17 “But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, ¹⁸until THERE AROSE ANOTHER KING OVER EGYPT WHO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT JOSEPH. ¹⁹It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would aexpose their infants and they would not survive. ²⁰It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely bin the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. ²¹And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter ctook him away and nurtured him as her own son. ²²Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. ²³But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his dmind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. ²⁴And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. ²⁵And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them edeliverance fthrough him, but they did not understand. ²⁶On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’ ²⁷But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US? ²⁸YOU DO NOT MEAN TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?’ ²⁹At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF gMIDIAN, where he became the father of two sons. [19 aOr put out to die 20 bLit to God 21 cOr adopted him 23 dLit heart 25 eOr salvation fLit through his hand 29 gGr Madiam]

30 “After forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT Sinai, IN THE FLAME OF A BURNING THORN BUSH. ³¹When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: ³²‘I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. ³³BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND. ³⁴I HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANS, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM; aCOME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.’ [34 aLit and now come!]

35 “This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?’ is the one whom God asent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the bhelp of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. ³⁶This man led them out, performing wonders and csigns in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. ³⁷This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET dLIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.’ ³⁸This is the one who was in the econgregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. ³⁹Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, ⁴⁰SAYING TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.’ ⁴¹fAt that time they made a gcalf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. ⁴²But God turned away and delivered them up to hserve the ihost of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL? ⁴³YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD jROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.’ [35 aLit has sent bLit hand 36 cOr attesting miracles 37 dOr as He raised up me 38 eGr ekklesia 41 fLit in those days gOr young bull 42 hOr worship iI.e. heavenly bodies 43 jOther mss spell it: Romphan, or Rempham, or Raiphan, or Rephan]

44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen. ⁴⁵And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with aJoshua upon dispossessing the bnations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. ⁴⁶David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the cGod of Jacob. ⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. ⁴⁸However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: [45 aGr Jesus bOr Gentiles 46 cThe earliest mss read house instead of God; the Septuagint reads God]

⁴⁹‘HEAVEN IS MY THRONE,

AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET;

WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?’ says the Lord,

‘OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE?

⁵⁰‘WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?’

51 “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. ⁵²Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; ⁵³you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; ⁵⁶and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. ⁵⁸When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ⁶⁰Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he afell asleep. [60 aI.e. died]

ACTS 8 [Books]

Saul Persecutes the Church

1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.

And on that day a great persecution abegan against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ²Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. ³But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. [1 aLit occurred]

Philip in Samaria

4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about apreaching the word. ⁵Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming bChrist to them. ⁶The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the csigns which he was performing. ⁷For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸So there was much rejoicing in that city. [4 aOr bringing the good news of 5 bI.e. the Messiah 6 cOr attesting miracles]

9 Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; ¹⁰and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” ¹¹And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. ¹²But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. ¹³Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, ¹⁵who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized ain the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! ²¹You have no part or portion in this bmatter, for your heart is not right before God. ²²Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the cbondage of iniquity.” ²⁴But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” [16 aLit into 21 bOr teaching; lit word 23 cLit bond]

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (aThis is a desert road.) ²⁷So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸and he was returning and sitting in his bchariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this bchariot.” ³⁰Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³²Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

“HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;

AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,

SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. [26 aOr This city is deserted 28 bOr carriage]

³³“IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;

WHO WILL aRELATE HIS bGENERATION?

FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.”

³⁴The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” ³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. ³⁶As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ³⁷[cAnd Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] ³⁸And he ordered the dchariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, ebut went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip ffound himself at gAzotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. [33 aOr describe bOr family or origin 37 cEarly mss do not contain this v 38 dOr carriage 39 eLit for he was going 40 fOr was found gOT: Ashdod]

ACTS 9 [Books]

The Conversion of Saul

1 Now aSaul, still breathing bthreats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, ²and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; ⁴and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, ⁶but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” ⁷The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the cvoice but seeing no one. ⁸Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he dcould see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. [1 aLater called Paul bLit threat 7 cOr sound 8 dLit was seeing]

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, ¹²and he has seen ain a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your bsaints at Jerusalem; ¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen cinstrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” ¹⁷So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; ¹⁹and he took food and was strengthened. [12 aA few early mss do not contain in a vision 13 bOr holy ones 15 cOr vessel]

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, ²⁰and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, asaying, “He is the Son of God.” ²¹All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” ²²But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the bChrist. [20 aLit that 22 bI.e. Messiah]

23 When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, ²⁴but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; ²⁵but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; abut they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸And he was with them, bmoving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹And he was talking and arguing with the cHellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. ³⁰But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. [26 aLit and 28 bLit going in and going out 29 cJews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation]

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria aenjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. [31 aLit was having]

Peter’s Ministry

32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the asaints who lived at bLydda. ³³There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. ³⁴Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. ³⁵And all who lived at bLydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. [32 aOr holy ones bOT: Lod]

36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called aDorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. ³⁷And it happened bat that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. ³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” ³⁹So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the ctunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. ⁴⁰But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the dsaints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. [36 aI.e. Gazelle 37 bLit in those days 39 cOr inner garments 41 dOr holy ones]

ACTS 10 [Books]

Cornelius’s Vision

1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian acohort, ²a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many balms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. ³About the cninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” ⁴And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and dalms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; ⁶he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his eservants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, ⁸and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. [1 aOr battalion 2 bOr gifts of charity 3 cI.e. 3 p.m. 4 dOr deeds of charity 7 eOr household slaves]

9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the asixth hour to pray. ¹⁰But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; ¹¹and he *saw the bsky opened up, and an cobject like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, ¹²and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and dcrawling creatures of the earth and birds of the bair. ¹³A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, ekill and eat!” ¹⁴But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything funholy and unclean.” ¹⁵Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider gunholy.” ¹⁶This happened three times, and immediately the cobject was taken up into the bsky. [9 aI.e. noon 11 bOr heaven cOr vessel 12 dOr reptiles 13 eOr sacrifice 14 fOr profane; lit common 15 gLit make common]

17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in amind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; ¹⁸and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. ¹⁹While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, bthree men are looking for you. ²⁰But get up, go downstairs and accompany them cwithout misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” ²¹Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” ²²They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear da message from you.” ²³So he invited them in and gave them lodging. [17 aLit himself 19 bOne early ms reads two 20 cLit doubting nothing 22 dLit words]

Peter at Caesarea

And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and aworshiped him. ²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” ²⁷As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled. ²⁸And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man bunholy or unclean. ²⁹That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.” [25 aOr prostrated himself in reverence 28 bOr profane; lit common]

30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the aninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, ³¹and he *said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your balms have been remembered before God. ³²Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ ³³So I sent for you immediately, and you have cbeen kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” [30 aI.e. 3 to 4 p.m. 31 bOr deeds of charity 33 cLit done well in coming]

Gentiles Hear Good News

34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, ³⁵but in every nation the man who afears Him and bdoes what is right is welcome to Him. ³⁶The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching cpeace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— ³⁷you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. ³⁸dYou know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, eand how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. ³⁹We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the fland of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a gcross. ⁴⁰God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, ⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴²And He ordered us to hpreach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” [35 aOr reverences bLit works righteousness 36 cOr the gospel of peace 38 dOr How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth eLit who went 39 fOr countryside gLit wood 42 hOr proclaim]

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the amessage. ⁴⁵All the bcircumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” ⁴⁸And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. [44 aLit word 45 bLit believers from among the circumcision; i.e. Jewish Christians]

ACTS 11 [Books]

Peter Reports at Jerusalem

1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ²And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, athose who were circumcised took issue with him, ³saying, “You bwent to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴But Peter began speaking cand proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying, ⁵“I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an dobject coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from ethe sky; and it came right down to me, ⁶and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it fI saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the gcrawling creatures and the birds of the eair. ⁷I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; hkill and eat.’ ⁸But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing iunholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer jconsider unholy.’ ¹⁰This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into ethe sky. ¹¹And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. ¹²The Spirit told me to go with them kwithout misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house. ¹³And he reported to us how he had seen the angel lstanding in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; ¹⁴and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized mwith the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could nstand in God’s way?” ¹⁸When they heard this, they oquieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.” [2 aLit those of the circumcision; i.e. Jewish Christians 3 bOr entered the house of 4 cLit and was explaining 5 dOr vessel eOr heaven 6 fLit and I saw gOr reptiles 7 hOr sacrifice 8 iOr profane; lit common 9 jLit make common 12 kOr without making any distinction 13 lOr after he had stood in his house and said 16 mOr in 17 nLit prevent God 18 oLit became silent]

The Church at Antioch

19 So then those who were scattered because of the apersecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way bto Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. ²⁰But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the cGreeks also, dpreaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. ²²The enews about them freached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off bto Antioch. ²³Then when he arrived and gwitnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with hresolute heart to remain true to the Lord; ²⁴for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable inumbers were jbrought to the Lord. ²⁵And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; ²⁶and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they kmet with the church and taught considerable lnumbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. [19 aLit tribulation bLit as far as 20 cLit Hellenists; people who lived by Greek customs and culture dOr bringing the good news of 22 eLit word fLit was heard in 23 gLit saw hLit purpose of heart 24 iLit crowd was jLit added 26 kOr were gathered together lLit crowd]

27 Now aat this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate bby the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the cworld. dAnd this took place in the reign of Claudius. ²⁹And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the erelief of the brethren living in Judea. ³⁰And this they did, sending it fin charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders. [27 aLit in these days 28 bOr through cLit inhabited earth dLit which 29 eLit service 30 fLit by the hand of]

ACTS 12 [Books]

Peter’s Arrest and Deliverance

1 Now about that time aHerod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. ²And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. ³When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now bit was during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four csquads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. ⁵So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. [1 aI.e. Herod Agrippa I 3 bLit they were the days 4 cLit quaternions; a quaternion was composed of four soldiers]

6 On athe very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. ⁷And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. ⁸And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and bput on your sandals.” And he did so. And he *said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. ¹¹When Peter came cto himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all dthat the Jewish people were expecting.” ¹²And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. ¹³When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. ¹⁵They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” ¹⁶But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. ¹⁷But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to eJames and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place. [6 aLit that night 8 bLit bind 11 cLit in himself dLit the expectation of the people of the Jews 17 eOr Jacob]

18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to awhat could have become of Peter. ¹⁹When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there. [18 aLit what therefore had become]

Death of Herod

20 Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country. ²¹On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the arostrum and began delivering an address to them. ²²The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and bdied. [21 aOr judgment seat 23 bLit breathed his last breath]

24 But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned afrom Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their bmission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark. [25 aTwo early mss read to Jerusalem bLit ministry]

ACTS 13 [Books]

First Missionary Journey

1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ²While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. ⁶When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, ⁷who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹But Saul, who was also known as Paul, afilled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, ¹⁰and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? ¹¹Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. ¹²Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord. [9 aOr having just been filled]

13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” ¹⁶Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said,

“Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: ¹⁷The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and amade the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. ¹⁸For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. ¹⁹When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. ²⁰After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. ²¹Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²²After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My bwill.’ ²³From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, ²⁴after John had proclaimed before cHis coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ [17 aOr exalted 22 bLit wishes 24 cLit the face of His entering]

26 “Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. ²⁷For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the autterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. ²⁸And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be bexecuted. ²⁹When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the ccross and laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰But God raised Him from the dead; ³¹and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. ³²And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, ³³that God has fulfilled this promise dto our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’ ³⁴As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and eSURE blessings OF DAVID.’ ³⁵Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘YOU WILL NOT fALLOW YOUR gHOLY ONE TO hUNDERGO DECAY.’ ³⁶For David, after he had iserved the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and junderwent decay; ³⁷but He whom God raised did not kundergo decay. ³⁸Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through lHim forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹and mthrough Him everyone who believes is nfreed ofrom all things, from which you could not be pfreed qthrough the Law of Moses. ⁴⁰Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you: [27 aLit voices 28 bLit destroyed 29 cLit wood 33 dLate mss read to us their children 34 eLit trustworthy 35 fLit give gOr Devout or Pious hLit see corruption 36 iOr served his own generation by the purpose of God jLit saw corruption 37 kLit see corruption 38 lLit this One 39 mLit in or by nLit justified oLit by pLit justified qLit by]

⁴¹‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND aPERISH;

FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,

A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.’ ” [aLit disappear]

42 As aPaul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these bthings might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. ⁴³Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing cproselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God. [42 aLit they bLit words 43 cI.e. Gentile converts to Judaism]

Paul Turns to the Gentiles

44 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of athe Lord. ⁴⁵But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were bblaspheming. ⁴⁶Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷For so the Lord has commanded us,

‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES,

THAT YOU MAY cBRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’ ” [44 aOne early ms reads God 45 bOr slandering him 47 cLit be for salvation]

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of athe Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰But the Jews incited the bdevout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their cdistrict. ⁵¹But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. ⁵²And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. [48 aTwo early mss read God 50 bOr worshiping cLit boundaries]

ACTS 14 [Books]

Acceptance and Opposition

1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. ²But the Jews who adisbelieved stirred up the bminds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. ³Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that csigns and wonders be done by their hands. ⁴But the dpeople of the city were divided; and some esided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. ⁵And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, ⁶they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; ⁷and there they continued to preach the gospel. [2 aOr disobeyed bLit souls 3 cOr attesting miracles 4 dLit multitude eLit were]

8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. ⁹This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be amade well, ¹⁰said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. ¹¹When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” ¹²And they began calling Barnabas, bZeus, and Paul, cHermes, because he was dthe chief speaker. ¹³The priest of Zeus, whose temple was ejust outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ¹⁴But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their frobes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out ¹⁵and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these gvain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM. ¹⁶hIn the generations gone by He permitted all the inations to go their own ways; ¹⁷and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, jsatisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. [9 aLit saved 12 bLat Jupiter, the chief pagan god cLat Mercury, considered the messenger or spokesman for the pagan gods of Greece and Rome dLit the leader of the speaking 13 eLit in front of 14 fOr outer garments 15 gI.e. idols 16 hLit Who in the generations gone by permitted iOr Gentiles 17 jLit filling]

19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” ²³When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24 They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. ²⁵When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had aaccomplished. ²⁷When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and bhow He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸And they spent ca long time with the disciples. [26 aLit fulfilled 27 bLit that 28 cLit not a little]

ACTS 15 [Books]

The Council at Jerusalem

1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ²And when Paul and Barnabas had agreat dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. ³Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. ⁴When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. ⁵But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.” [2 aLit not a little]

6 The apostles and the elders came together to alook into this bmatter. ⁷After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that cin the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; ⁹and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” [6 aLit see about bLit word 7 cLit from days of old]

12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’s Judgment

¹³After they had stopped speaking, aJames answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. ¹⁴Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. ¹⁵With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, [13 aOr Jacob]

¹⁶‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,

AND I WILL REBUILD THE aTABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,

AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,

AND I WILL RESTORE IT, [aOr tent]

¹⁷SO THAT THE REST OF aMANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,

AND ALL THE GENTILES bWHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’ [aGr anthropoi bLit upon whom My name is called]

¹⁸SAYS THE LORD, WHO aMAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.

¹⁹Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, ²⁰but that we write to them that they abstain from bthings contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. ²¹For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since che is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” [18 aOr does these things which were known 20 bLit the pollutions of 21 cI.e. the books of Moses, Gen through Deut]

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, ²³and they asent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. [23 aLit wrote by their hand]

²⁴“Since we have heard that some aof our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, [aLit from us]

²⁵it seemed good to us, having abecome of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, [aOr met together]

²⁶men who have arisked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [aLit given over]

²⁷“Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

²⁸“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

²⁹that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; aif you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.” [aLit from which keeping yourselves free]

30 So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the acongregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its bencouragement. ³²Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, cencouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message. ³³After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out. ³⁴[dBut it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] ³⁵But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord. [30 aOr multitude 31 bOr exhortation 32 cOr exhorted 34 dEarly mss do not contain this v]

Second Missionary Journey

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them ain Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. ⁴⁰But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. [38 aLit from]

ACTS 16 [Books]

The Macedonian Vision

1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, ²and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. ³Paul wanted this man to ago with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. ⁵So the churches were being strengthened bin the faith, and were increasing in number daily. [3 aLit go out 5 bOr in faith]

6 They passed through the aPhrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in bAsia; ⁷and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; ⁸and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. ⁹A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to cgo into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. [6 aOr Phrygia and the Galatian region bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 10 cLit go out]

11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; ¹²and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. ¹³And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

First Convert in Europe

¹⁴A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; aand the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. ¹⁵And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. [14 aLit whose heart the Lord opened]

16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you athe way of salvation.” ¹⁸She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very bmoment. [17 aLit a way 18 bLit hour]

19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was agone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, ²⁰and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, ²¹and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” [19 aLit gone out]

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

²²The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their arobes off them and proceeded to order bthem to be beaten with rods. ²³When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; ²⁴cand he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the dstocks. [22 aOr outer garments bLit to beat with rods 24 cLit who dLit wood]

25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; ²⁶and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. ²⁷When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” ²⁹And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, ³⁰and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

³¹They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³²And they spoke the word of athe Lord to him together with all who were in his house. ³³And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. ³⁴And he brought them into his house and set bfood before them, and rejoiced cgreatly, having believed in God with his whole household. [32 aTwo early mss read God 34 bLit a table cOr greatly with his whole household, having believed in God]

35 Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” ³⁶And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” ³⁷But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” ³⁸The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, ³⁹and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. ⁴⁰They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they aencouraged them and departed. [40 aOr exhorted]

ACTS 17 [Books]

Paul at Thessalonica

1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ²And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³aexplaining and bgiving evidence that the cChrist had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the cChrist.” ⁴And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, dalong with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and ea number of the leading women. ⁵But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. ⁶When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset fthe world have come here also; ⁷gand Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” ⁸They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. ⁹And when they had received a hpledge from Jason and the others, they released them. [3 aLit opening bLit placing before cI.e. Messiah 4 dLit and a large eLit not a few 6 fLit the inhabited earth 7 gLit whom Jason has welcomed 9 hOr bond]

Paul at Berea

10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, aand when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, bfor they received the word with cgreat eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹²Therefore many of them believed, dalong with a number of prominent Greek women and men. ¹³But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. ¹⁴Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. ¹⁵Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. [10 aLit who when...arrived went 11 bLit who received cLit all 12 dLit and not a few]

Paul at Athens

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. ¹⁷So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. ¹⁸And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were aconversing with him. Some were saying, “What would this bidle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹And they took him and brought him cto the dAreopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is ewhich you are proclaiming? ²⁰For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) [18 aOr disputing bI.e. one who makes his living by picking up scraps 19 cOr before dOr Hill of Ares, god of war eLit which is being spoken by you]

Sermon on Mars Hill

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the aAreopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. ²³For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; ²⁵nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; ²⁶and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸for in Him we live and move and bexist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ ²⁹Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. ³⁰Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹because He has fixed a day in which He will judge cthe world in righteousness dthrough a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men eby raising Him from the dead.” [22 aOr the Council of the Areopagus 28 bLit are 31 cLit the inhabited earth dLit by or in eOr when He raised]

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you aagain concerning this.” ³³So Paul went out of their midst. ³⁴But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. [32 aLit also again]

ACTS 18 [Books]

Paul at Corinth

1 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. ²And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, ³and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. ⁴And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the aChrist. ⁶But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” ⁷Then he left there and went to the house of a man named bTitius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. ⁸Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. ⁹And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; ¹⁰for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. [5 aI.e. Messiah 7 bOne early ms reads Titus; two other early mss omit the name]

12 But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹³saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” ¹⁴But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; ¹⁵but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶And he drove them away from the judgment seat. ¹⁷And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

18 Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea ahe had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus. [18 aLit having his hair cut]

22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.

Third Missionary Journey

²³And having spent some time there, he left and passed successively through the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, aan eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. ²⁵This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; ²⁶and bhe began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. ²⁷And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly chelped those who had believed through grace, ²⁸for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the dChrist. [24 aOr a learned man 26 bLit this man 27 cOr helped greatly through grace those who had believed 28 dI.e. Messiah]

ACTS 19 [Books]

Paul at Ephesus

1 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. ²He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether athere is a Holy Spirit.” ³And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵When they heard this, they were baptized bin the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. ⁷There were in all about twelve men. [2 aOr the Holy Spirit has been given 5 bLit into]

8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. ⁹But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the apeople, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰This took place for two years, so that all who lived in bAsia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. [9 aLit multitude 10 bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor]

Miracles at Ephesus

11 God was performing extraordinary amiracles by the hands of Paul, ¹²so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. ¹³But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. ¹⁸Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. ¹⁹And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it bfifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰So cthe word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing. [11 aOr works of power 19 bProbably fifty thousand Greek drachmas; a drachma approximated a day’s wage 20 cOr according to the power of the Lord the word was growing]

21 Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the aSpirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²²And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in bAsia for a while. [21 aOr spirit 22 bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor]

23 About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. ²⁴For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of aArtemis, was bringing no little bbusiness to the craftsmen; ²⁵these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity cdepends upon this business. ²⁶You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of dAsia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that egods made with hands are no gods at all. ²⁷Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess aArtemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of dAsia and the fworld worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.” [24 aLat Diana bOr profit 25 cLit is from 26 dV 22, note 1 eLit those 27 fLit the inhabited earth]

28 When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is aArtemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed bwith one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. ³⁰And when Paul wanted to go into the cassembly, the disciples would not let him. ³¹Also some of the dAsiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to eventure into the theater. ³²So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the fassembly was in confusion and the majority did not know gfor what reason they had come together. ³³Some of the crowd hconcluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the cassembly. ³⁴But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is aArtemis of the Ephesians!” ³⁵After quieting the crowd, the town clerk *said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great aArtemis and of the image which fell down from iheaven? ³⁶So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ³⁷For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and jproconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the klawful lassembly. ⁴⁰For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” ⁴¹After saying this he dismissed the massembly. [28 aLat Diana 29 bOr together 30 cLit people 31 dI.e. political or religious officials of the province of Asia eLit give himself 32 fGr ekklesia gOr on whose account 33 hOr advised Alexander 35 iLit Zeus; Lat Jupiter 38 jOr provincial governors 39 kOr regular lGr ekklesia 41 mGr ekklesia]

ACTS 20 [Books]

Paul in Macedonia and Greece

1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. ²When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. ³And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. ⁴And ahe was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of bAsia. ⁵But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. ⁶We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days. [4 aLit there accompanied him bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor]

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his amessage until midnight. ⁸There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. ⁹And there was a young man named bEutychus sitting con the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. ¹⁰But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “dDo not be troubled, for his life is in him.” ¹¹When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eeaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. ¹²They took away the boy alive, and were fgreatly comforted. [7 aLit word, speech 9 bEutychus means Good fortune, i.e. ‘Lucky’ cOr at the window 10 dOr Stop being troubled 11 eLit tasted 12 fLit not moderately]

Troas to Miletus

13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go aby land. ¹⁴And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. ¹⁵Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. ¹⁶For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in bAsia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. [13 aOr on foot 16 bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor]

Farewell to Ephesus

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. ¹⁸And when they had come to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in aAsia, how I was with you the whole time, ¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me bthrough the plots of the Jews; ²⁰how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and cfrom house to house, ²¹solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²²And now, behold, bound by the dSpirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. ²⁴But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. [18 aV 16, note 1 19 bLit by 20 cOr in the various private homes 22 dOr in spirit]

25 “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. ²⁶Therefore, I atestify to you this day that I am binnocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. ²⁸Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you coverseers, to shepherd the church of God which He dpurchased ewith His own blood. ²⁹I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. ³²And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. ³⁴You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. ³⁵In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” [26 aOr call you to witness bLit pure from 28 cOr bishops dLit acquired eLit through]

36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷And athey began to weep aloud and bembraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, ³⁸cgrieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship. [37 aLit a considerable weeping of all occurred bLit threw themselves on Paul’s neck 38 cLit suffering pain]

ACTS 21 [Books]

Paul Sails from Miletus

1 When we had parted from them and had set sail, we ran a straight course to Cos and the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara; ²and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. ³When we came in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul athrough the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. ⁵When bour days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, escorted us until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. ⁶Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home again. [4 aI.e. because of impressions made by the Spirit 5 bLit we had completed the days]

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brethren, we stayed with them for a day. ⁸On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. ⁹Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. ¹⁰As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” ¹²When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!”

Paul at Jerusalem

15 After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.

17 After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. ¹⁸And the following day Paul went in with us to aJames, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many bthousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; ²¹and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to cwalk according to the customs. ²²What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. ²³Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who dare under a vow; ²⁴take them and purify yourself along with them, and epay their expenses so that they may shave their fheads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. ²⁵But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from gmeat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.” ²⁶Then Paul htook the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them. [18 aOr Jacob 20 bLit ten thousands 21 cI.e. observe or live by 23 dLit have a vow on them 24 eLit spend on them fLit head 25 gLit the thing 26 hOr took the men the next day, and purifying himself]

Paul Seized in the Temple

27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from aAsia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” ²⁹For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰Then all the city was provoked, and bthe people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. ³¹While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the ccommander of the Roman dcohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³²At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the ecommander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³Then the ecommander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. ³⁴But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the ffacts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. ³⁵When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the gmob; ³⁶for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!” [27 aI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 30 bLit a running together of the people occurred 31 cI.e. chiliarch, in command of one thousand troops dOr battalion 32 eV 31, note 1 34 fLit certainty 35 gLit crowd]

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the acommander, “May I say something to you?” And he *said, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸Then you are not the Egyptian who some btime ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” ³⁹But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there cwas a great hush, he spoke to them in the dHebrew dialect, saying, [37 aV 31, note 1 38 bLit days 40 cLit occurred dI.e. Jewish Aramaic]

ACTS 22 [Books]

Paul’s Defense before the Jews

1 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”

2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the aHebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he *said, [2 aI.e. Jewish Aramaic]

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated aunder Gamaliel, bstrictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. ⁴I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, ⁵as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders ccan testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem das prisoners to be punished. [3 aLit at the feet of bLit according to the strictness of the ancestral law 5 cLit testifies for me dLit having been bound]

6 “But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, ⁷and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not aunderstand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. ¹⁰And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’ ¹¹But since I could not see because of the bbrightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. [9 aOr hear (with comprehension) 11 bLit glory]

12 “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, ¹³came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And aat that very time I looked up at him. ¹⁴And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an butterance from His mouth. ¹⁵For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’ [13 aOr instantly; lit at the very hour 14 bOr message; lit voice]

17 “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, ¹⁸and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ ¹⁹And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. ²⁰And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’ ²¹And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22 They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” ²³And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air, ²⁴the acommander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. ²⁵But when they stretched him out bwith thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it clawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” ²⁶When the centurion heard this, he went to the dcommander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” ²⁷The dcommander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸The dcommander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” ²⁹Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately elet go of him; and the dcommander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had fput him in chains. [24 aI.e. chiliarch, in command of one thousand troops 25 bOr for the whip cInterrogation by torture was a procedure used with slaves 26 dV 24, note 1 29 eLit withdrew from fLit bound him]

30 But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the aCouncil to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them. [30 aOr Sanhedrin]

ACTS 23 [Books]

Paul before the Council

1 Paul, looking intently at the aCouncil, said, “Brethren, I have blived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” ²The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. ³Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” ⁴But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” ⁵And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.’ ” [1 aOr Sanhedrin bOr conducted myself as a citizen]

6 But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the aCouncil, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” ⁷As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. ⁹And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰And as a great dissension was developing, the bcommander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. [6 aOr Sanhedrin 10 bI.e. chiliarch, in command of one thousand troops]

11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

12 When it was day, the Jews formed a aconspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³There were more than forty who formed this plot. ¹⁴They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵Now therefore, you band the cCouncil notify the dcommander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.” [12 aOr mob 15 bLit with cOr Sanhedrin dV 10, note 1]

16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, aand he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the bcommander, for he has something to report to him.” ¹⁸So he took him and led him to the bcommander and *said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” ¹⁹The bcommander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” ²⁰And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the cCouncil, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. ²¹So do not dlisten to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” ²²So the bcommander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.” [16 aOr having been present with them, and he entered 17 bV 10, note 1 20 cOr Sanhedrin 21 dLit be persuaded by them]

Paul Moved to Caesarea

²³And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by athe third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, bwith seventy horsemen and two hundred cspearmen.” ²⁴They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. ²⁵And he wrote a letter having this form: [23 aI.e. 9 p.m. bLit and cOr slingers or bowmen]

26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.

27 “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

²⁸“And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their aCouncil; [aOr Sanhedrin]

²⁹and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but aunder no accusation deserving death or bimprisonment. [aLit having bLit bonds]

30 “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to abring charges against him before you.” [30 aLit speak against him]

31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³²But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. ³³When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. ³⁴When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s aPraetorium. [35 aI.e. governor’s official residence]

ACTS 24 [Books]

Paul before Felix

1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, awith an battorney named Tertullus, and they cbrought charges to the governor against Paul. ²After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, [1 aLit and bLit orator cOr presented their evidence or case]

“Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, ³we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you ato grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. ⁵For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout bthe world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and cthen we arrested him. [dWe wanted to judge him according to our own Law. ⁷But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, ⁸ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” ⁹The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so. [4 aLit to hear...briefly 5 bLit the inhabited earth 6 cLit also dThe early mss do not contain the remainder of v 6, v 7, nor the first part of v 8]

10 When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, ¹¹since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹²Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing aa riot. ¹³Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. ¹⁴But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve bthe God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; ¹⁵having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶In view of this, I also cdo my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. ¹⁷Now after several years I came to bring dalms to my nation and to present offerings; ¹⁸in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from eAsia— ¹⁹who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. ²⁰Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the fCouncil, ²¹other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’ ” [12 aLit an attack of a mob 14 bLit the ancestral God 16 cLit practice myself 17 dOr gifts to charity 18 eI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 20 fOr Sanhedrin]

22 But Felix, ahaving a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the bcommander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him. [22 aLit knowing more accurately bI.e. chiliarch, in command of one thousand troops]

24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his awife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” ²⁶At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. ²⁷But after two years had passed, Felix bwas succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned. [24 aLit own wife 27 bLit received a successor, Porcius Festus]

ACTS 25 [Books]

Paul before Festus

1 Festus then, having arrived in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ²And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging him, ³requesting a aconcession against bPaul, that he might chave him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an ambush to kill him on the way). ⁴Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. ⁵“Therefore,” he *said, “let the influential men among you dgo there with me, and if there is anything wrong eabout the man, let them fprosecute him.” [3 aOr favor bLit him cLit send for him to Jerusalem 5 dLit go down eLit in fOr accuse]

6 After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. ⁷After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not prove, ⁸while Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” ⁹But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and astand trial before me on these charges?” ¹⁰But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. ¹¹If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” ¹²Then when Festus had conferred with bhis council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.” [9 aLit be judged 12 bA different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20]

13 Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea aand paid their respects to Festus. ¹⁴While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; ¹⁵and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. ¹⁶I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. ¹⁷So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me. ¹⁸When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting, ¹⁹but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own breligion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰Being at a loss how to investigate csuch matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. ²¹But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for dthe Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” ²²Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.” [13 aLit greeting Festus 19 bOr superstition 20 cLit these 21 dLit the Augustus’s (in this case Nero)]

Paul before Agrippa

23 So, on the next day when Agrippa came atogether with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium baccompanied by the ccommanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to dthe Emperor, I decided to send him. ²⁶eYet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. ²⁷For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.” [23 aLit and Bernice bLit and with cI.e. chiliarchs, in command of one thousand troops 25 dV 21, note 1 26 eLit About whom I have nothing definite]

ACTS 26 [Books]

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

2 “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; ³aespecially because you are an expert in all customs and bquestions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. [3 aOr because you are especially expert bOr controversial issues]

4 “So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; ⁵since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. ⁶And now I am astanding trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; ⁷the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. ⁸Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead? [6 aLit being tried]

9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰And this is ajust what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the bsaints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to cforeign cities. [10 aLit also bOr holy ones 11 cOr outlying]

12 “aWhile so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, ¹³at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, bbrighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. ¹⁴And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the cHebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? dIt is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have eseen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; ¹⁷rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, ¹⁸to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ [12 aLit In which things 13 bLit above the brightness of 14 cI.e. Jewish Aramaic dAn idiom referring to an animal’s futile resistance to being prodded with goads 16 eTwo early mss read seen Me]

19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. ²¹For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. ²²So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; ²³athat bthe Christ was cto suffer, and athat by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” [23 aLit whether bI.e. the Messiah cLit subject to suffering]

24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! aYour great learning is bdriving you mad.” ²⁵But Paul *said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words cof sober truth. ²⁶For the king dknows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a ecorner. ²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you fdo.” ²⁸Agrippa replied to Paul, “gIn a short time you hwill persuade me to ibecome a Christian.” ²⁹And Paul said, “jI would wish to God, that whether kin a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” [24 aLit The many letters bLit turning you to madness 25 cLit of truth and rationality 26 dOr understands eI.e. a hidden or secret place 27 fLit believe 28 gOr With a little hOr are trying to convince iLit make 29 jOr I would pray to kOr with a little or with much]

30 The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, ³¹and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or aimprisonment.” ³²And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” [31 aLit bonds]

ACTS 27 [Books]

Paul Is Sent to Rome

1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan acohort named Julius. ²And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of bAsia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. ³The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. ⁴From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. ⁵When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. ⁷When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; ⁸and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. [1 aOr battalion 2 bI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor]

9 When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the afast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, ¹⁰and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ¹¹But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the bcaptain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. ¹²Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. [9 aI.e. Day of Atonement in September or October, which was a dangerous time of year for navigation 11 bOr owner]

13 aWhen a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore. [13 aLit a south wind having gently blown]

Shipwreck

¹⁴But before very long there rushed down from athe land a violent wind, called bEuraquilo; ¹⁵and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. ¹⁶Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s cboat under control. ¹⁷After they had hoisted it up, they used dsupporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the esea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. ¹⁸The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, fthey began to jettison the cargo; ¹⁹and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned. [14 aLit it bI.e. a northeaster 16 cOr skiff: a small boat in tow or carried on board for emergency use, transportation to and from shore, etc. 17 dLit helps eOr gear 18 fLit they were doing a throwing out]

21 aWhen they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have bfollowed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and cincurred this damage and loss. ²²Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, ²⁴saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ ²⁵Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that dit will turn out exactly as I have been told. ²⁶But we must run aground on a certain island.” [21 aLit there being much abstinence from food bLit obeyed me cLit gained 25 dLit it will be]

27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that athey were approaching some land. ²⁸They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. ²⁹Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the brocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and cwished for daybreak. ³⁰But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, ³¹Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” ³²Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away. [27 aLit some land was approaching them 29 bLit rough places cLit they were praying for it to become day]

33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. ³⁴Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” ³⁵Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶All of them awere encouraged and they themselves also took food. ³⁷All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six bpersons. ³⁸When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. [36 aLit became cheerful 37 bLit souls]

39 When day came, they acould not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. ⁴⁰And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. ⁴¹But striking a breef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. ⁴²The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; ⁴³but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should cjump overboard first and get to land, ⁴⁴and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land. [39 aLit were not recognizing 41 bLit place 43 cLit throw themselves]

ACTS 28 [Books]

Safe at Malta

1 When they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called aMalta. ²The bnatives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all. ³But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out cbecause of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴When the bnatives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, djustice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. [1 aOr Melita 2 bLit barbarians 3 cOr from the heat 4 dOr Justice, i.e. the personification of a goddess]

7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. ⁸And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured. ¹⁰They also honored us with many amarks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they bsupplied us with call we needed. [10 aLit honors bOr put on board cLit the things pertaining to the needs]

Paul Arrives at Rome

11 At the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had athe Twin Brothers for its figurehead. ¹²After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴bThere we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome. ¹⁵And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the cMarket of Appius and dThree Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. [11 aGr Dioscuri; i.e. Castor and Pollux, twin sons of Zeus 14 bLit Where 15 cLat Appii Forum, a station about 43 miles from Rome dLat Tres Tabernae, a station about 33 miles from Rome]

16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

17 After three days aPaul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our bfathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground cfor putting me to death. ¹⁹But when the Jews dobjected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. ²⁰For this reason, therefore, I erequested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” ²¹They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. ²²But we desire to hear from you what fyour views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” [17 aLit he bOr forefathers 18 cLit of death in me 19 dLit spoke against 20 eOr invited you to see me and speak with me 22 fLit you think]

23 When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. ²⁴Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. ²⁵And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, ²⁶saying,

‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY,

“aYOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, bBUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;

AND cYOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; [26 aLit with a hearing bLit and cLit seeing you will see]

²⁷FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,

AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,

AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES;

OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES,

AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,

AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,

AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.” ’

²⁸Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” ²⁹[aWhen he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.] [29 aEarly mss do not contain this v]

30 And he stayed two full years ain his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, ³¹bpreaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. [30 aOr at his own expense 31 bOr proclaiming]

ROMANS 1 [Books]

The Gospel Exalted

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, acalled as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ²which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³concerning His Son, who was born of a bdescendant of David according to the flesh, ⁴who was declared the Son of God with power cby the resurrection from the dead, according to the dSpirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵through whom we have received grace and apostleship eto bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, ⁶among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; [1 aLit a called apostle 3 bLit seed 4 cOr as a result of dOr spirit 5 eLit for obedience]

7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as asaints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [7 aOr holy ones]

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ afor you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. ⁹For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, ¹⁰always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. ¹¹For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be bestablished; ¹²that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. ¹³I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁴I am cunder obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. [8 aOr concerning you all, that... 11 bOr strengthened 14 cLit debtor]

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷For in it the righteousness of God is revealed afrom faith to faith; as it is written, “bBUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” [17 aOr by bOr But he who is righteous by faith shall live]

Unbelief and Its Consequences

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth ain unrighteousness, ¹⁹because that which is known about God is evident bwithin them; for God made it evident to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. ²¹For even though they knew God, they did not chonor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²²Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and dcrawling creatures. [18 aOr by 19 bOr among 21 cLit glorify 23 dOr reptiles]

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. ²⁵For they exchanged the truth of God for aa lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed bforever. Amen. [25 aLit the lie bLit unto the ages]

26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is aunnatural, ²⁷and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing bindecent acts and receiving in ctheir own persons the due penalty of their error. [26 aLit against nature 27 bLit the shameless deed cLit themselves]

28 And just as they did not see fit ato acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, bhaters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; ³²and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. [28 aLit to have God in knowledge 30 bOr hateful to God]

ROMANS 2 [Books]

The Impartiality of God

1 Therefore you have no excuse, aeveryone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ²And we know that the judgment of God brightly falls upon those who practice such things. ³But do you suppose this, O man, cwhen you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵But dbecause of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: ⁷to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; ⁸but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. ⁹There will be tribulation and distress efor every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, ¹⁰but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹For there is no partiality with God. [1 aLit O man, everyone who 2 bLit is according to truth against 3 cLit who passes judgment 5 dOr in accordance with 9 eLit upon]

12 For all who have sinned awithout the Law will also perish awithout the Law, and all who have sinned bunder the Law will be judged cby the Law; ¹³for it is not the hearers dof the Law who are ejust before God, but the doers dof the Law will be justified. ¹⁴For when Gentiles who do not have fthe Law do ginstinctively the things of the Law, these, not having hthe Law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, ¹⁶on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. [12 aOr without law bOr under law cOr by law 13 dOr of law eOr righteous 14 fOr law gLit by nature hOr law]

The Jew Is Condemned by the Law

17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely aupon the Law and boast in God, ¹⁸and know His will and bapprove the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, ¹⁹and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰a ccorrector of the foolish, a teacher of dthe immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, ²¹you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who epreach that one shall not steal, do you steal? ²²You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who boast fin the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? ²⁴For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written. [17 aOr upon law 18 bOr distinguish between the things which differ 20 cOr instructor dLit infants 21 eOr proclaim 23 fOr in law]

25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice athe Law; but if you are a transgressor bof the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶So if the cuncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? ²⁷And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who dthough having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor bof the Law? ²⁸For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. ²⁹But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. [25 aOr law bOr of law 26 cLit uncircumcision 27 dLit through the letter]

ROMANS 3 [Books]

All the World Guilty

1 Then what aadvantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? ²Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. ³What then? If some bdid not believe, their cunbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? ⁴May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written,

“THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,

AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU dARE JUDGED.”

⁵But if our unrighteousness edemonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) ⁶May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? ⁷But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? ⁸And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? fTheir condemnation is just. [1 aLit is the advantage of the Jew 3 bOr were unfaithful cOr unfaithfulness 4 dLit in Your judging 5 eOr commends 8 fLit Whose]

9 What then? aAre we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; ¹⁰as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; [9 aOr Are we worse]

¹¹THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,

THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;

¹²ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;

THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,

THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

¹³“THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,

WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,”

“THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;

¹⁴“WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”;

¹⁵“THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,

¹⁶DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,

¹⁷AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.”

¹⁸“THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are aunder the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; ²⁰because by the works bof the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for cthrough the Law comes the knowledge of sin. [19 aLit in 20 bOr of law cOr through law]

Justification by Faith

21 But now apart afrom the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²²even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those bwho believe; for there is no distinction; ²³for all chave sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; ²⁵whom God displayed publicly as a dpropitiation ein His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, fbecause in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who ghas faith in Jesus. [21 aOr from law 22 bOr who believe. For there is no distinction, since they all have sinned...and are being justified 23 cOr sinned 25 dOr a propitiatory sacrifice eOr by fLit because of the passing over of the sins previously committed in the forbearance of God 26 gLit is of the faith of Jesus]

27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. ²⁸aFor we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works bof the Law. ²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰since indeed God who will justify the ccircumcised dby faith and the euncircumcised through faith is one. [28 aOne early ms reads Therefore bOr of law 30 cLit circumcision dLit out of eLit uncircumcision]

31 Do we then nullify athe Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. [31 aOr law]

ROMANS 4 [Books]

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, aour forefather according to the flesh, has found? ²For if Abraham was justified bby works, he has something to boast about, but not cbefore God. ³For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” ⁴Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. ⁵But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, ⁶just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: [1 aOr our forefather, has found according to the flesh 2 bLit out of cLit toward]

⁷“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,

AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.

⁸“BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”

9 Is this blessing then on athe circumcised, or on bthe uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” ¹⁰How then was it credited? While he was ccircumcised, or duncircumcised? Not while ccircumcised, but while duncircumcised; ¹¹and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which ehe had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, ¹²and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which ehe had while uncircumcised. [9 aLit circumcision bLit uncircumcision 10 cLit in circumcision dLit in uncircumcision 11 eLit was in uncircumcision]

13 For the promise to Abraham or to his adescendants that he would be heir of the world was not bthrough the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴For if those who are cof the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; ¹⁵for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. [13 aLit seed bOr through law 14 cOr of law]

16 For this reason it is aby faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the bdescendants, not only to cthose who are of the Law, but also to cthose who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, ¹⁷(as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and dcalls into being that which does not exist. ¹⁸In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR bDESCENDANTS BE.” ¹⁹Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; ²⁰yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. ²²Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. ²³Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, ²⁴but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. [16 aOr out of bLit seed cLit that which is 17 dLit calls the things which do not exist as existing]

ROMANS 5 [Books]

Results of Justification

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, awe have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and bwe exult in hope of the glory of God. ³And not only this, but cwe also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [1 aTwo early mss read let us have 2 bOr let us exult 3 cOr let us also exult]

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For one will hardly die for a righteous man; athough perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. ⁸But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Much more then, having now been justified bby His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved bby His life. ¹¹And not only this, cbut we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. [7 aLit for 9 bOr in 11 cLit but also exulting]

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³for auntil the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a btype of Him who was to come. [13 aOr until law 14 bOr foreshadowing]

15 But athe free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. ¹⁶The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression bresulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions cresulting in justification. ¹⁷For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. [15 aLit not as the transgression, so also is the free gift 16 bLit to condemnation cLit to an act of righteousness]

18 So then as through one transgression athere resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness bthere resulted justification of life to all men. ¹⁹For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. ²⁰cThe Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, ²¹so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [18 aLit to condemnation bLit to justification 20 cOr law]

ROMANS 6 [Books]

Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ²May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? ³Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵For if we have become aunited with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be bin the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶knowing this, that our old cself was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be ddone away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; ⁷for he who has died is efreed from sin. [5 aOr united with the likeness bOr with 6 cGr anthropos dOr made powerless 7 eOr acquitted]

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, ais never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. ¹⁰For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. [9 aLit no longer dies]

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, ¹³and do not go on presenting athe members of your body to sin as binstruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as binstruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. [13 aLit your members to sin bOr weapons]

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! ¹⁶Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin aresulting in death, or of obedience bresulting in righteousness? ¹⁷But thanks be to God that cthough you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, dresulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, eresulting in sanctification. [16 aLit to death bLit to righteousness 17 cLit you were slaves...but you became 19 dLit to lawlessness eLit to sanctification]

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹Therefore what abenefit were you then bderiving cfrom the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. ²²But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you dderive your abenefit, eresulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. [21 aLit fruit bLit having cLit in 22 dLit have eLit to sanctification]

ROMANS 7 [Books]

Believers United to Christ

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? ²For the married woman is bound by law to her ahusband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law bconcerning the husband. ³So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. [2 aLit living husband bLit of]

4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. ⁵For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in athe members of our body to bear fruit for death. ⁶But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the bSpirit and not in oldness of the letter. [5 aLit our members to bear 6 bOr spirit]

7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except athrough the Law; for I would not have known about bcoveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT bCOVET.” ⁸But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me bcoveting of every kind; for apart cfrom the Law sin is dead. ⁹I was once alive apart cfrom the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; ¹⁰and this commandment, which was dto result in life, proved eto result in death for me; ¹¹for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. ¹²So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. [7 aOr through law bOr lust 8 cOr from law 10 dLit to life eLit to death]

13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

The Conflict of Two Natures

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold ainto bondage to sin. ¹⁵For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. ¹⁶But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. ¹⁷So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. ¹⁸For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. ¹⁹For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. [14 aLit under sin]

21 I find then the aprinciple that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. ²²For I joyfully concur with the law of God bin the inner man, ²³but I see a different law in cthe members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner dof the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from ethe body of this death? ²⁵Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. [21 aLit law 22 bOr concerning 23 cLit my members dLit in 24 eOr this body of death]

ROMANS 8 [Books]

Deliverance from Bondage

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ²For the law of the Spirit of life ain Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. ³For what the Law could not do, bweak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of csinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [2 aOr has set you free in Christ Jesus 3 bLit in which it was weak cLit flesh of sin]

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is aalive because of righteousness. ¹¹But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies bthrough His Spirit who dwells in you. [10 aLit life 11 bOne early ms reads because of]

12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— ¹³for if you are living according to the flesh, you amust die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵For you have not received a spirit of slavery bleading to fear again, but you have received ca spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. [13 aOr are going to 15 bLit for fear again cOr the Spirit]

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, ain hope ²¹that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. ²³And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. [20 aOr in hope; because the creation]

Our Victory in Christ

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the asaints according to the will of God. [27 aOr holy ones]

28 And we know that aGod causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. [28 aOne early ms reads all things work together for good]

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³²He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ³³Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; ³⁴who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was araised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. ³⁵Who will separate us from the love of bChrist? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶Just as it is written,

“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;

WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

³⁷But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [34 aOne early ms reads raised from the dead 35 bTwo early mss read God]

ROMANS 9 [Books]

Solicitude for Israel

1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, ²that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. ³For I could awish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, ⁴who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, ⁵whose are the fathers, and from whom is bthe Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed cforever. Amen. [3 aLit pray 5 bI.e. the Messiah cLit unto the ages]

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; ⁷nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s adescendants, but: “bTHROUGH ISAAC YOUR aDESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” ⁸That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as adescendants. ⁹For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.” ¹⁰And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; ¹¹for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would cstand, not dbecause of works but dbecause of Him who calls, ¹²it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” ¹³Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.” [7 aLit seed bLit in 11 cLit remain dLit from]

14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! ¹⁵For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” ¹⁶So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. ¹⁷For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED aTHROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” ¹⁸So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. [17 aLit in]

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” ²⁰On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? ²¹Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel afor honorable use and another bfor common use? ²²cWhat if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? ²³And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. ²⁵As He says also in Hosea,

“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’

AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’ ” [21 aLit for honor bLit for dishonor 22 cLit But]

²⁶“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’

THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; ²⁸FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, aTHOROUGHLY AND bQUICKLY.” ²⁹And just as Isaiah foretold,

“UNLESS THE LORD OF cSABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A dPOSTERITY,

WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE eRESEMBLED GOMORRAH.” [28 aLit finishing it bLit cutting it short 29 cI.e. Hosts dLit seed eLit been made like]

30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is aby faith; ³¹but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. ³²Why? Because they did not pursue it aby faith, but as though it were aby works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, ³³just as it is written,

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,

AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE bDISAPPOINTED.” [30 aLit out of 33 bLit put to shame]

ROMANS 10 [Books]

The Word of Faith Brings Salvation

1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. ²For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. ³For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴For Christ is the aend of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. [4 aOr goal]

5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is abased on law shall live bby that righteousness. ⁶But the righteousness abased on faith speaks as follows: “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), ⁷or ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” ⁸But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, ⁹cthat if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; ¹⁰for with the heart a person believes, dresulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, eresulting in salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE fDISAPPOINTED.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; ¹³for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” [5 aLit out of, from bLit by it 9 cOr because 10 dLit to righteousness eLit to salvation 11 fLit put to shame]

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO aBRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” [15 aOr preach the gospel]

16 However, they did not all heed the agood news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” ¹⁷So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word bof Christ. [16 aOr gospel 17 bOr concerning Christ]

18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;

“THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,

AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE aWORLD.”

¹⁹But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

“I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION,

BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.”

²⁰And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,

I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”

²¹But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.” [18 aOr inhabited earth]

ROMANS 11 [Books]

Israel Is Not Cast Away

1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, aa descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ²God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ³“Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.” ⁴But what bis the divine response to him? “I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” ⁵In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s cgracious choice. ⁶But if it is by grace, it is no longer don the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. [1 aLit of the seed of Abraham 4 bLit says 5 cLit choice of grace 6 dLit out of]

7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but athose who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; ⁸just as it is written,

“GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR,

EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT,

DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.”

⁹And David says,

“LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP,

AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. [7 aLit the election]

¹⁰“LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT,

AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”

11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. ¹²Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their afulfillment be! ¹³But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴if somehow I might move to jealousy my bfellow countrymen and save some of them. ¹⁵For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. [12 aOr fullness 14 bLit flesh]

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the arich root of the olive tree, ¹⁸do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; ²¹for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. ²²Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. ²³And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? [17 aLit root of the fatness]

25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; ²⁶and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,

“THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION,

HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.”

²⁷“THIS IS aMY COVENANT WITH THEM,

WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”

²⁸bFrom the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but cfrom the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; ²⁹for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. ³²For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. [27 aLit the covenant from Me 28 bLit According to the gospel cLit according to the election]

33 Oh, the depth of the riches aboth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! ³⁴For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? ³⁵Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM bTHAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? ³⁶For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory cforever. Amen. [33 aOr and the wisdom 35 bLit and it will be paid back 36 cLit to the ages]

ROMANS 12 [Books]

Dedicated Service

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, aacceptable to God, which is your bspiritual service of worship. ²And do not be conformed to this cworld, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may dprove what the will of God is, that which is good and aacceptable and perfect. [1 aOr well-pleasing bOr rational 2 cOr age dOr approve]

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. ⁴For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, aaccording to the proportion of his faith; ⁷if bservice, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with cliberality; he who dleads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. [6 aOr in agreement with the faith 7 bOr office of service 8 cOr simplicity dOr gives aid]

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; agive preference to one another in honor; ¹¹not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹²rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, ¹³contributing to the needs of the bsaints, cpracticing hospitality. [10 aOr outdo one another in showing honor 13 bOr holy ones cLit pursuing]

14 Bless those who persecute ayou; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but bassociate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. ¹⁷Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. cRespect what is right in the sight of all men. ¹⁸If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. ¹⁹Never take your own revenge, beloved, but dleave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. ²⁰“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [14 aTwo early mss do not contain you 16 bOr accommodate yourself to lowly things 17 cLit Take thought for 19 dLit give a place]

ROMANS 13 [Books]

Be Subject to Government

1 Every aperson is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except bfrom God, and those which exist are established by God. ²Therefore cwhoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. ³For rulers are not a cause of fear for dgood behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; ⁴for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. ⁵Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. ⁶For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. ⁷Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. [1 aOr soul bLit by 2 cLit he who 3 dLit good work]

8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves ahis neighbor has fulfilled the law. ⁹For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” ¹⁰Love bdoes no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. [8 aLit the other 10 bLit works no evil]

11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now asalvation is nearer to us than when we believed. ¹²The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³Let us bbehave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. [11 aOr our salvation is nearer than when 13 bLit walk]

ROMANS 14 [Books]

Principles of Conscience

1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. ²One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. ³The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. ⁴Who are you to judge the aservant of another? To his own bmaster he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. [4 aOr house-servant bLit lord]

5 One person aregards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, bdoes so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. ⁷For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; ⁸for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. [5 aLit judges 6 bLit eats]

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹For it is written,

“AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,

AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL aGIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”

¹²So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. [11 aOr confess]

13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. ¹⁴I know and am convinced ain the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. ¹⁶Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be bspoken of as evil; ¹⁷for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. ¹⁹So then cwe pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. ²⁰Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats dand gives offense. ²¹It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. ²²The faith which you have, have eas your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. ²³But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. [14 aLit through 16 bLit blasphemed 19 cLater mss read let us pursue 20 dLit with offense 22 eLit according to yourself]

ROMANS 15 [Books]

Self-denial on Behalf of Others

1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. ²Each of us is to please his neighbor afor his good, to his edification. ³For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME.” ⁴For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵Now may the God bwho gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, ⁶so that with one accord you may with one cvoice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [2 aLit for what is good to edification 5 bLit of perseverance 6 cLit mouth]

7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted aus to the glory of God. ⁸For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, ⁹and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,

“THEREFORE I WILL bGIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES,

AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.”

¹⁰Again he says,

“REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.”

¹¹And again,

“PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES,

AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.”

¹²Again Isaiah says,

“THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE,

AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES,

IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.”

¹³Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [7 aOne early ms reads you 9 bOr confess]

14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. ¹⁵But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me afrom God, ¹⁶to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. ¹⁸For I will not presume to speak of anything bexcept what Christ has accomplished through me, cresulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, ¹⁹in the power of dsigns and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have efully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; ²¹but as it is written,

“THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE,

AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.” [15 aOne early ms reads by God 18 bLit which Christ has not accomplished cLit to the obedience 19 dOr attesting miracles eLit fulfilled]

22 For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; ²³but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you ²⁴whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company afor a while— ²⁵but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the bsaints. ²⁶For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the csaints in Jerusalem. ²⁷Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. ²⁸Therefore, when I have finished this, and have dput my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. ²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. [24 aLit in part 25 bOr holy ones 26 cV 25, note 1 28 dLit sealed to them this fruit]

30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, ³¹that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the asaints; ³²so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. ³³Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. [31 aV 25, note 1]

ROMANS 16 [Books]

Greetings and Love Expressed

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a aservant of the church which is at Cenchrea; ²that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the bsaints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, cand of myself as well. [1 aOr deaconess 2 bOr holy ones cLit and of me, myself]

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; ⁵also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from aAsia. ⁶Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. ⁷Greet Andronicus and bJunias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also cwere in Christ before me. ⁸Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. ¹⁰Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. ¹¹Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. ¹²Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. ¹³Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. ¹⁴Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. ¹⁵Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the dsaints who are with them. ¹⁶Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. [5 aI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 7 bOr Junia (fem) cLit have become 15 dV 2, note 1]

17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and ahindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. ¹⁸For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own bappetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. ¹⁹For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. ²⁰The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. [17 aLit occasions of stumbling 18 bLit belly]

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother. ²⁴[aThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.] [24 aEarly mss do not contain this v]

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, ²⁶but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; ²⁷to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

1 CORINTHIANS 1 [Books]

Appeal to Unity

1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ aby the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, [1 aLit through]

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, asaints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: [2 aOr holy ones]

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank amy God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, ⁶even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed bin you, ⁷so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. [4 aTwo early mss do not contain my 6 bOr among]

10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all aagree and that there be no bdivisions among you, but that you be cmade complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹²Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” ¹³dHas Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized ein the name of Paul? ¹⁴fI thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵so that no one would say you were baptized ein my name. ¹⁶Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in gcleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. [10 aLit speak the same thing bLit schisms cOr united 13 dOr Christ has been divided! or Christ is divided! eLit into 14 fTwo early mss read I give thanks that 17 gLit wisdom]

The Wisdom of God

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who aare perishing, but to us who bare being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,

“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,

AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

²⁰Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the cmessage preached to save those who believe. ²²For indeed Jews ask for dsigns and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³but we preach eChrist crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, ²⁴but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [18 aOr perish bOr are saved 21 cLit preaching 22 dOr attesting miracles 23 eI.e. Messiah]

26 For aconsider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to bthe flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no cman may boast before God. ³⁰But dby His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, eand righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” [26 aLit see bI.e. human standards 29 cLit flesh 30 dLit of Him eOr both]

1 CORINTHIANS 2 [Books]

Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the atestimony of God. ²For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, ⁴and my bmessage and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵so that your faith would not crest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. [1 aOne early ms reads mystery 4 bLit word 5 cLit be]

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; ⁷but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; ⁸the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹but just as it is written,

“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,

AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,

ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

¹⁰aFor to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. ¹²Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, ¹³which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, bcombining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. [10 aOne early ms reads But 13 bOr interpreting spiritual things for spiritual men]

14 But aa natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually bappraised. ¹⁵But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. ¹⁶For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. [14 aOr an unspiritual bOr examined]

1 CORINTHIANS 3 [Books]

Foundations for Living

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. ²I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, ³for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking alike mere men? ⁴For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? [3 aLit according to man]

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. ⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. ⁷So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. ⁸Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own areward according to his own labor. ⁹For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s bfield, God’s building. [8 aOr wages 9 bOr cultivated land]

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, aprecious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test bthe quality of each man’s work. ¹⁴If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. [12 aOr costly 13 bLit of what sort each man’s work is]

16 Do you not know that you are a atemple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷If any man destroys the atemple of God, God will destroy him, for the atemple of God is holy, and bthat is what you are. [16 aOr sanctuary 17 bLit who you are]

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; ²⁰and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.” ²¹So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, ²³and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

1 CORINTHIANS 4 [Books]

Servants of Christ

1 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ²In this case, moreover, it is required aof stewards that one be found trustworthy. ³But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human bcourt; in fact, I do not even examine myself. ⁴For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. ⁵Therefore do not go on cpassing judgment before dthe time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. [2 aLit in 3 bLit day 5 cLit judging anything dI.e. the appointed time of judgment]

6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become aarrogant in behalf of one against the other. ⁷For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? [6 aLit puffed up]

8 You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. ⁹For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, aboth to angels and to men. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. ¹¹To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; ¹²and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; ¹³when we are slandered, we try to bconciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. [9 aOr and to angels and to men 13 bOr console]

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁵For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. ¹⁶Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. ¹⁷For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. ¹⁸Now some have become aarrogant, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the bwords of those who are arrogant but their power. ²⁰For the kingdom of God does not consist in bwords but in power. ²¹What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? [18 aLit puffed up 19 bLit word]

1 CORINTHIANS 5 [Books]

Immorality Rebuked

1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. ²aYou have become barrogant and ahave not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. [2 aOr have you...? bLit puffed up]

3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. ⁴In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and aI with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord bJesus. [4 aLit my spirit, with the power 5 bTwo early mss do not contain Jesus]

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? ⁷Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. ⁸Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; ¹⁰I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. ¹¹But aactually, I wrote to you not to associate bwith any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹²For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? ¹³But those who are outside, God cjudges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. [11 aLit now bLit together if any man called a brother is 13 cOr will judge]

1 CORINTHIANS 6 [Books]

Lawsuits Discouraged

1 Does any one of you, when he has a acase against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the bsaints? ²Or do you not know that the csaints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to dconstitute the smallest law courts? ³Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? ⁴So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, edo you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? ⁵I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, ⁶but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? [1 aLit matter bOr holy ones 2 cV 1, note 2 dOr try the trivial cases? 4 eOr appoint them...church]

7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? ⁸On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor aeffeminate, nor homosexuals, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. [9 aI.e. effeminate by perversion]

The Body Is the Lord’s

12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³Food is for the astomach and the astomach is for food, but God will do away with both bof them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. ¹⁴Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. ¹⁵Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! ¹⁶Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” ¹⁷But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. ¹⁸Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the cimmoral man sins against his own body. ¹⁹Or do you not know that your body is a dtemple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from eGod, and that you are not your own? ²⁰For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. [13 aLit belly bLit it and them 18 cOr one who practices immorality 19 dOr sanctuary eOr God? And you...own]

1 CORINTHIANS 7 [Books]

Teaching on Marriage

1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ²But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. ³The husband must afulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. ⁴The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and bcome together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶But this I say by way of concession, not of command. ⁷cYet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. [3 aLit render 5 bLit be 7 cOne early ms reads For]

8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. ⁹But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not aleave her husband ¹¹(but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not bdivorce his wife. [10 aLit depart from 11 bOr leave his wife]

12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not adivorce her. ¹³And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not bsend her husband away. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through cher believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called dus eto peace. ¹⁶For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? [12 aOr leave her 13 bOr leave her husband 14 cLit the brother 15 dOne early ms reads you eLit in]

17 Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches. ¹⁸Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰Each man must remain in that acondition in which he was called. [20 aLit calling]

21 Were you called while a slave? aDo not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather bdo that. ²²For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. ²³You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. [21 aLit Let it not be a care to you bLit use]

25 Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who aby the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. ²⁶I think then that this is good in view of the bpresent distress, that it is good for a man cto remain as he is. ²⁷Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have dtrouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. ²⁹But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; ³⁰and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; ³¹and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. [25 aLit has had mercy shown on him by the Lord to be trustworthy 26 bOr impending cLit so to be 28 dLit tribulation in the flesh]

32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; ³³but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, ³⁴and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. ³⁵This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but ato promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. [35 aLit for what is seemly]

36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let aher marry. ³⁷But he who stands firm in his heart, bbeing under no constraint, but has authority cover his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. ³⁸So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. [36 aLit them 37 bLit having no necessity cLit pertaining to]

39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband ais dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God. [39 aLit falls asleep]

1 CORINTHIANS 8 [Books]

Take Care with Your Liberty

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge amakes arrogant, but love edifies. ²If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; ³but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. [1 aLit puffs up]

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that athere is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. ⁵For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, ⁶yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. [4 aLit nothing is an idol in the world; i.e. an idol has no real existence]

7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. ⁸But food will not acommend us to God; we are neither bthe worse if we do not eat, nor cthe better if we do eat. ⁹But take care that this dliberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. ¹²And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. [8 aOr present bLit lacking cLit abounding 9 dLit right]

1 CORINTHIANS 9 [Books]

Paul’s Use of Liberty

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ²If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defense to those who examine me is this: ⁴aDo we not have a right to eat and drink? ⁵bDo we not have a right to take along a cbelieving wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? ⁶Or do only dBarnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? ⁷Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not euse the milk of the flock? [4 aLit It is not that we have no right to eat and drink, is it? 5 bLit It is not that we have no right to take along...Cephas, is it? cLit sister, as wife 6 dLit I and Barnabas 7 eLit eat of]

8 I am not speaking these things according to ahuman judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? ⁹For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? ¹⁰Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. ¹¹If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹²If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. ¹³Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share bfrom the altar? ¹⁴So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. [8 aLit man 13 bLit with]

15 But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one. ¹⁶For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. ¹⁷For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. ¹⁸What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. ²⁰To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under athe Law, as under athe Law though not being myself under athe Law, so that I might win those who are under athe Law; ²¹to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. ²²To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. ²³I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. [20 aOr law]

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; ²⁷but I adiscipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. [27 aLit bruise]

1 CORINTHIANS 10 [Books]

Avoid Israel’s Mistakes

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; ²and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³and all ate the same spiritual food; ⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was aChrist. ⁵Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. [4 aI.e. the Messiah]

6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. ⁷Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” ⁸Nor let us act immorally, as some of them adid, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them bdid, and were destroyed by the serpents. ¹⁰Nor grumble, as some of them cdid, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹²Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. ¹³No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. [8 aLit acted immorally 9 bLit made trial 10 cLit grumbled]

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. ¹⁶Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the abread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷Since there is one abread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one abread. ¹⁸Look at bthe nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? ¹⁹What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²²Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? [16 aLit loaf 18 bLit Israel according to the flesh]

23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. ²⁴Let no one seek his own good, but that of his aneighbor. ²⁵Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake; ²⁶FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND bALL IT CONTAINS. ²⁷If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. ²⁸But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake; ²⁹I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? [24 aLit the other 26 bLit its fullness]

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³²Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; ³³just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

1 CORINTHIANS 11 [Books]

Christian Order

1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. ³But I want you to understand that aChrist is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of aChrist. ⁴Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. ⁵But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman bwhose head is shaved. ⁶For if a woman does not cover cher head, let her also dhave her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to dhave her hair cut off or cher head shaved, let her cover cher head. ⁷For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. ⁸For man edoes not originate from woman, but woman from man; ⁹for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. ¹⁰Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹However, in the Lord, neither is woman findependent of man, nor is man gindependent of woman. ¹²For as the woman horiginates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things ioriginate from God. ¹³Judge jfor yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, ¹⁵but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. ¹⁶But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no kother practice, nor have the churches of God. [3 aI.e. the Messiah 5 bLit who is shaved 6 cLit herself dLit shear herself 8 eLit is not from 11 fLit without gLit without 12 hLit is iLit are 13 jLit in 16 kLit such]

17 But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸For, in the first place, when you come together aas a church, I hear that bdivisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. ¹⁹For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become cevident among you. ²⁰Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, ²¹for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. ²²What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. [18 aLit in church bLit schisms 19 cOr manifest]

The Lord’s Supper

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; ²⁴and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” ²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. ³⁰For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number asleep. ³¹But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. [30 aI.e. are dead]

33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.

1 CORINTHIANS 12 [Books]

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. ²You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. ³Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking aby the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is baccursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except aby the Holy Spirit. [3 aOr in bGr anathema]

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. ⁷But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹to another faith aby the same Spirit, and to another gifts of bhealing aby the one Spirit, ¹⁰and to another the ceffecting of dmiracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the edistinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. [9 aOr in bLit healings 10 cLit effects dOr works of power eLit distinguishings]

12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³For aby one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. [13 aOr in]

14 For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason aany the less a part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason aany the less a part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. ¹⁹If they were all one member, where would the body be? ²⁰But now there are many members, but one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²²On the contrary, bit is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³and those members of the body which we cdeem less honorable, don these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, ²⁴whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, ²⁵so that there may be no edivision in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is fhonored, all the members rejoice with it. [15 aLit not a part 22 bLit to a much greater degree the members 23 cOr think to be dOr these we clothe with 25 eLit schism 26 fLit glorified]

27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. ²⁸And God has aappointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then bmiracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. ²⁹All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of bmiracles, are they? ³⁰All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? ³¹But earnestly desire the greater gifts. [28 aLit set some in bOr works of power]

And I show you a still more excellent way.

1 CORINTHIANS 13 [Books]

The Excellence of Love

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body ato be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. [3 aEarly mss read that I may boast]

4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷abears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [7 aOr covers]

8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of aprophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ¹¹When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I bbecame a man, I did away with childish things. ¹²For now we see in a mirror cdimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. ¹³But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the dgreatest of these is love. [8 aLit prophecies 11 bLit have become...have done away with 12 cLit in a riddle 13 dLit greater]

1 CORINTHIANS 14 [Books]

Prophecy a Superior Gift

1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ²For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one aunderstands, but bin his spirit he speaks mysteries. ³But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. ⁴One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. [2 aLit hears bOr by the Spirit]

6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? ⁷Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸For if the abugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of blanguages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. ¹¹If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a cbarbarian, and the one who speaks will be a cbarbarian dto me. ¹²So also you, since you are zealous of espiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. [8 aLit trumpet 10 bLit voices 11 cOr foreigner dOr in my estimation 12 eLit spirits]

13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶Otherwise if you bless ain the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the bungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. ¹⁸I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. [16 aOr with the bI.e. unversed in spiritual gifts]

Instruction for the Church

20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹In the Law it is written, “BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME,” says the Lord. ²²So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. ²³Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and aungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an aungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; ²⁵the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. [23 aV 16, note 2]

26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; ²⁸but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. ³⁰But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; ³²and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; ³³for God is not a God of confusion but of apeace, as in all the churches of the saints. [33 aOr peace. As in all...saints, let]

34 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. ³⁵If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is aimproper for a woman to speak in church. ³⁶bWas it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only? [35 aOr disgraceful 36 bLit Or was]

37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸But if anyone does not recognize this, he ais not recognized. [38 aTwo early mss read is not to be recognized]

39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. ⁴⁰But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

1 CORINTHIANS 15 [Books]

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, ²by which also you are saved, if you hold fast athe word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. [2 aLit to what word I]

3 For I delivered to you aas of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; ⁷then He appeared to bJames, then to all the apostles; ⁸and last of all, as cto one untimely born, He appeared to me also. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, dand not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. ¹¹Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. [3 aLit among the first 7 bOr Jacob 8 cLit to an untimely birth 9 dLit who am]

12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. ¹⁵Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified aagainst God that He raised bChrist, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁷and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. [15 aOr concerning bI.e. the Messiah]

The Order of Resurrection

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. ²¹For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, so also in aChrist all will be made alive. ²³But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, ²⁴then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶The last enemy that will be abolished is death. ²⁷For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. ²⁸When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. [22 aI.e. the Messiah]

29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? ³⁰Why are we also in danger every hour? ³¹I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. ³²If afrom human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. ³³Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ³⁴Become sober-minded bas you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. [32 aLit according to man 34 bLit righteously]

35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” ³⁶You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; ³⁷and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of asomething else. ³⁸But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. ³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. ⁴⁰There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. ⁴¹There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. [37 aLit some of the rest]

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown aa perishable body, it is raised ban imperishable body; ⁴³it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man is from the earth, cearthy; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, dwe will also bear the image of the heavenly. [42 aLit in corruption bLit in incorruption 47 cLit made of dust 49 dTwo early mss read let us also]

The Mystery of Resurrection

50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does athe perishable inherit bthe imperishable. ⁵¹Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised cimperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For this dperishable must put on bthe imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴But when this eperishable will have put on fthe imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. ⁵⁵O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; ⁵⁷but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [50 aLit corruption bLit incorruption 52 cLit incorruptible 53 dLit corruptible 54 eV 53, note 1 fV 53, note 2]

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 CORINTHIANS 16 [Books]

Instructions and Greetings

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. ²On the first day of every week each one of you is to aput aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. ³When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; ⁴and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me. [2 aLit put by himself]

5 But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; ⁶and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. ⁷For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. ⁸But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; ⁹for a wide door afor effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. [9 aLit and]

10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without acause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am. ¹¹So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren. [10 aLit fear; for]

12 But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.

13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. ¹⁴Let all that you do be done in love.

15 Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that athey were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), ¹⁶that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. ¹⁷I rejoice over the bcoming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have csupplied what was lacking on your part. ¹⁸For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. [15 aLit it was 17 bOr presence cOr made up for your absence]

19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. ²⁰All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21 The greeting is in my own hand—aPaul. ²²If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be baccursed. cMaranatha. ²³The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. [21 aLit Paul’s 22 bGr anathema cI.e. O [our] Lord come!]

2 CORINTHIANS 1 [Books]

Introduction

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the asaints who are throughout Achaia: [1 aOr holy ones]

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in aany affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵For just as the sufferings of Christ are bours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. ⁶But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; ⁷and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. [4 aLit every 5 bLit to us]

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in aAsia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; ⁹bindeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; ¹⁰who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, cHe on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, ¹¹you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many. [8 aI.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 9 bLit but we ourselves 10 cOne early ms reads on whom we have set our hope that He will also]

Paul’s Integrity

12 For our aproud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. ¹³For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end; ¹⁴just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. [12 aLit boasting]

15 In this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might atwice receive a bblessing; ¹⁶cthat is, to pass dyour way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea. ¹⁷Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time? ¹⁸But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. ¹⁹For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. ²⁰For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. ²¹Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, ²²who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a epledge. [15 aLit have a second grace bOne early ms reads joy 16 cLit and dLit through you into 22 eOr down payment]

23 But I call God as witness ato my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. ²⁴Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. [23 aLit upon]

2 CORINTHIANS 2 [Books]

Reaffirm Your Love

1 But I determined this afor my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. ²For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? ³This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. ⁴For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you. [1 aOr as far as I am concerned]

5 But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—ain order not to say too much—to all of you. ⁶Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, ⁷so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹For to this end also I wrote, so that I might bput you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. [5 aLit so that I not be burdensome 9 bLit know the proof of you]

12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.

14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. ¹⁵For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ¹⁶to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? ¹⁷For we are not like many, apeddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. [17 aOr corrupting]

2 CORINTHIANS 3 [Books]

Ministers of a New Covenant

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? ²You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; ³being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, acared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of bhuman hearts. [3 aLit served bLit hearts of flesh]

4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. ⁵Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, ⁶who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came awith glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, ⁸how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? ⁹For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. ¹⁰For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹For if that which fades away was bwith glory, much more that which remains is in glory. [7 aOr in glory 11 bLit through]

12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, ¹³and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. ¹⁴But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil aremains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. ¹⁵But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; ¹⁶but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. [14 aOr remains, it not being revealed that it is done away in Christ]

2 CORINTHIANS 4 [Books]

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, ²but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled ato those who are perishing, ⁴in whose case the god of this bworld has blinded the minds of the unbelieving cso that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants dfor Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. [3 aLit in 4 bLit age cOr that the light...image of God, would not dawn upon them 5 dTwo early mss read through Jesus]

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; ⁸we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹²So death works in us, but life in you.

13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, ¹⁴knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. ¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is aspreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. [15 aLit being multiplied through the many]

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 CORINTHIANS 5 [Books]

The Temporal and Eternal

1 For we know that if athe earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, ³inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. ⁴For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a bpledge. [1 aLit our earthly house of the tent 5 bOr down payment]

6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷for we walk by faith, not by asight— ⁸we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for bhis deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. [7 aOr appearance 10 bLit the things through the body]

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. ¹²We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. ¹³For if we aare beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. [13 aLit were]

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one aaccording to the flesh; even though we have known Christ aaccording to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷Therefore if anyone is in Christ, bhe is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and cHe has dcommitted to us the word of reconciliation. [16 aI.e. by what he is in the flesh 17 bOr there is a new creation 19 cLit having dLit placed in us]

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 CORINTHIANS 6 [Books]

Their Ministry Commended

1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— ²for He says,

“AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,

AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”

Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”— ³giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, ⁴but in everything commending ourselves as aservants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, ⁵in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, ⁶in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, ⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; ⁹as unknown byet well-known, as dying byet behold, we live; as cpunished byet not put to death, ¹⁰as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing byet possessing all things. [4 aOr ministers 9 bLit and cOr disciplined]

11 Our mouth ahas spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. ¹²You are not restrained bby us, but you are restrained in your own caffections. ¹³Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also. [11 aLit is open to you 12 bOr in us cLit inward parts]

14 Do not be abound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵Or what harmony has Christ with bBelial, or cwhat has a believer in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

“I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;

AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. [14 aLit unequally yoked 15 bGr Beliar cLit what part has a believer with an unbeliever]

¹⁷“Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.

“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;

And I will welcome you.

¹⁸“And I will be a father to you,

And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”

Says the Lord Almighty.

2 CORINTHIANS 7 [Books]

Paul Reveals His Heart

1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. ³I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. ⁴Great is my confidence ain you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction. [4 aLit toward]

5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. ⁶But God, who comforts the adepressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; ⁷and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. ⁸For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— ⁹I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything bthrough us. ¹⁰For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance cwithout regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹For behold what earnestness this very thing, this dgodly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. ¹²So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. ¹³For this reason we have been comforted. [6 aOr humble 9 bLit from 10 cOr leading to a salvation without regret 11 dLit sorrow according to God]

And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. ¹⁵His aaffection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you. [15 aLit inward parts]

2 CORINTHIANS 8 [Books]

Great Generosity

1 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, ²that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. ³For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, ⁴begging us with much urging for the favor aof participation in the bsupport of the csaints, ⁵and this, not as we had dexpected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. ⁶So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. [4 aLit and bLit service to the saints cOr holy ones 5 dLit hoped]

7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the alove we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. ⁸I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. ⁹For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. ¹⁰I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. ¹¹But now finish bdoing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. ¹²For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. ¹³For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— ¹⁴at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; ¹⁵as it is written, “HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.” [7 aLit love from us in you; one early ms reads your love for us 11 bLit the doing]

16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. ¹⁷For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. ¹⁸We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; ¹⁹and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, ²⁰ataking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; ²¹for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. ²²We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. ²³As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker bamong you; as for our brethren, they are cmessengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. ²⁴Therefore dopenly before the churches, eshow them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you. [20 aLit avoiding this 23 bLit for you cLit apostles 24 dLit in the face of the churches eOr show the proof...for boasting to them about you]

2 CORINTHIANS 9 [Books]

God Gives Most

1 For it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ministry to the asaints; ²for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. ³But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, as I was saying, you may be prepared; ⁴otherwise if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence. ⁵So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bbountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bbountiful gift and not caffected by covetousness. [1 aOr holy ones 5 bLit blessing cLit as covetousness]

6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows abountifully will also reap abountifully. ⁷Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; ⁹as it is written,

“HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR,

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS bENDURES FOREVER.”

¹⁰Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; ¹¹you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. ¹²For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the csaints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. ¹³Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your dcontribution to them and to all, ¹⁴while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! [6 aLit with blessings 9 bLit abides 12 cOr holy ones 13 dOr sharing with them]

2 CORINTHIANS 10 [Books]

Paul Describes Himself

1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am ameek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! ²I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. ³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, ⁴for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but bdivinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, ⁶and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. [1 aLit lowly 4 bOr mighty before God]

7 aYou are looking at bthings as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. ⁸For even if I boast somewhat cfurther about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, ⁹dfor I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. ¹⁰For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his epersonal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” ¹¹Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present. [7 aOr Look at... or Do you look at...? bLit what is before your face 8 cOr more abundantly 9 dLit so that I may not seem 10 eLit bodily presence is weak]

12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with asome of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. ¹³But we will not boast beyond our measure, but bwithin the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. ¹⁴For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; ¹⁵not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, cwithin our sphere, enlarged even more by you, ¹⁶so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast din what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. ¹⁷But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD. ¹⁸For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. [12 aOr any 13 bLit according to the measure 15 cLit according to our sphere 16 dLit to the things prepared in the]

2 CORINTHIANS 11 [Books]

Paul Defends His Apostleship

1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but aindeed you are bearing with me. ²For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. ³But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. ⁴For if bone comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. ⁵For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the cmost eminent apostles. ⁶But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things. [1 aOr do indeed bear with me 4 bLit the one who comes preaches 5 cOr super-apostles]

7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? ⁸I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; ⁹and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, aand will continue to do so. ¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! [9 aLit and I will keep]

12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be aregarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. ¹³For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. [12 aLit found]

16 Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷What I am saying, I am not saying aas the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also. ¹⁹For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. ²⁰For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face. ²¹To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison. [17 aLit in accordance with the Lord]

But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself. ²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they adescendants of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in bfar more labors, in bfar more imprisonments, cbeaten times without number, often in danger of death. ²⁴Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. ²⁶I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; ²⁷I have been in labor and hardship, dthrough many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and eexposure. ²⁸Apart from such fexternal things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak without my being weak? Who is gled into sin hwithout my intense concern? [22 aLit seed 23 bLit more abundant cLit exceedingly in stripes 27 dLit often in wakefulness eLit nakedness; i.e. lack of clothing 28 fOr the things unmentioned 29 gLit made to stumble hLit and I do not burn]

30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. ³¹The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ³²In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, ³³and I was let down in a basket through a window ain the wall, and so escaped his hands. [33 aLit through]

2 CORINTHIANS 12 [Books]

Paul’s Vision

1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations aof the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. ⁵On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. ⁶For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. [1 aOr from]

A Thorn in the Flesh

⁷Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to atorment me—to keep me from exalting myself! ⁸Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. ⁹And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast babout my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with cinsults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. [7 aLit beat 9 bLit in 10 cOr mistreatment]

11 I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the amost eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. ¹²The bsigns cof a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by bsigns and wonders and dmiracles. ¹³For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! [11 aOr super-apostles 12 bOr attesting miracles cLit of the apostle dOr works of power]

14 Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. ¹⁷Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? ¹⁸I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not aconduct ourselves bin the same spirit and walk in the same steps? [18 aLit walk bOr by the same Spirit]

19 All this time ayou have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved. ²⁰For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; ²¹I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, bimmorality and sensuality which they have practiced. [19 aOr have you been thinking...? 21 bI.e. sexual immorality]

2 CORINTHIANS 13 [Books]

Examine Yourselves

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY aFACT bIS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE cTESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. ²I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone, ³since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. ⁴For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak din Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you. [1 aLit word bLit shall be cLit mouth 4 dOne early ms reads with Him]

5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you afail the test? ⁶But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves bdo not fail the test. ⁷Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may cappear unapproved. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, dthat you be made complete. ¹⁰For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down. [5 aLit are unapproved 6 bLit are not unapproved 7 cLit be as 9 dLit your completion]

11 Finally, brethren, arejoice, bbe made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. ¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³All the csaints greet you. [11 aOr farewell bOr put yourselves in order 13 cOr holy ones]

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

GALATIANS 1 [Books]

Introduction

1 Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), ²and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from aGod our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil bage, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen. [3 aTwo early mss read God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ 4 bOr world]

Perversion of the Gospel

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you aby the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; ⁷which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel bcontrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be caccursed! ⁹As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel bcontrary to what you received, he is to be caccursed! [6 aLit in 8 bOr other than, more than cGr anathema]

10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹²For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; ¹⁴and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my acountrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. ¹⁵But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased ¹⁶to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with bflesh and blood, ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. [14 aLit race 16 bI.e. human beings]

18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to abecome acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I did not see any other of the apostles except bJames, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰(Now in what I am writing to you, cI assure you before God that I am not lying.) ²¹Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²I was still unknown by dsight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; ²³but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴And they were glorifying God ebecause of me. [18 aOr visit Cephas 19 bOr Jacob 20 cLit behold before God 22 dLit face 24 eLit in me]

GALATIANS 2 [Books]

The Council at Jerusalem

1 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. ²aIt was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. ³But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. ⁵But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. ⁶But from those who bwere of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God cshows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. ⁷But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel dto the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been eto the circumcised ⁸(for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship eto the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), ⁹and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, fJames and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right ghand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do. [2 aLit according to revelation I went up 6 bLit seemed to be something cLit does not receive a face 7 dLit of the uncircumcision eLit of the circumcision 9 fOr Jacob gLit hands]

Peter (Cephas) Opposed by Paul

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he astood condemned. ¹²For prior to the coming of certain men from bJames, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing cthe party of the circumcision. ¹³The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that they were not dstraightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? e [11 aOr was to be condemned; lit was one who was condemned, or, was self-condemned 12 bOr Jacob cOr converts from the circumcised; lit those from the circumcision 14 dOr progressing toward; lit walking straightly eSome close the direct quotation here, others extend it through v 21]

15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; ¹⁶nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of athe Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of athe Law; since by the works of athe Law no bflesh will be justified. ¹⁷But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! ¹⁸For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. ¹⁹For through athe Law I died to athe Law, so that I might live to God. ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and cthe life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ²¹I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through athe Law, then Christ died needlessly.” [16 aOr law bOr mortal man 20 cOr insofar as I]

GALATIANS 3 [Books]

Faith Brings Righteousness

1 aYou foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? ²This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of bthe Law, or by chearing with faith? ³Are you so foolish? Having begun dby the Spirit, are you now ebeing perfected by the flesh? ⁴Did you fsuffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? ⁵So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works gmiracles among you, do it by the works of bthe Law, or by chearing with faith? [1 aLit O 2 bOr law cLit the hearing of faith 3 dOr with eOr ending with 4 fOr experience 5 gOr works of power]

6 aEven so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. ⁷Therefore, bbe sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. ⁸The Scripture, foreseeing that God cwould justify the dGentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” ⁹So then those who are of faith are blessed with eAbraham, the believer. [6 aLit Just as 7 bLit know 8 cLit justifies dLit nations 9 eLit the believing Abraham]

10 For as many as are of the works of athe Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” ¹¹Now that no one is justified bby athe Law before God is evident; for, “cTHE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” ¹²dHowever, the Law is not eof faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE bBY THEM.” ¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A fTREE”— ¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might gcome to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [10 aOr law 11 bOr in cOr But he who is righteous by faith shall live 12 dOr And eOr based on 13 fOr cross; lit wood 14 gOr occur]

Intent of the Law

15 Brethren, I speak ain terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s bcovenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds cconditions to it. ¹⁶Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. ¹⁷What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance is dbased on law, it is no longer dbased on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. [15 aLit according to man bOr will or testament cOr a codicil 18 dLit out of, from]

19 Why the Law then? It was added abecause of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the bagency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰Now a mediator is not cfor one party only; whereas God is only one. ²¹Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness dwould indeed have been ebased on law. ²²But the Scripture has shut up feveryone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. [19 aOr for the sake of defining bLit hand 20 cLit of one 21 dOr would indeed be eLit out of, from 22 fLit things]

23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a atutor. ²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is bneither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you cbelong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s ddescendants, heirs according to promise. [25 aLit child-conductor 28 bLit not male and female 29 cLit are Christ’s dLit seed]

GALATIANS 4 [Books]

Sonship in Christ

1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a achild, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is bowner of everything, ²but he is under guardians and cmanagers until the date set by the father. ³So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the delemental things of the world. ⁴But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under ethe Law, ⁵so that He might redeem those who were under ethe Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. ⁶Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir fthrough God. [1 aOr minor bLit lord 2 cOr stewards 3 dOr rudimentary teachings or principles 4 eOr law 7 fI.e. through the gracious act of]

8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. ⁹But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless aelemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰You observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored bover you in vain. [9 aOr rudimentary teachings or principles 11 bOr for]

12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; ¹³but you know that it was because of a abodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the bfirst time; ¹⁴and that which was a ctrial to you in my dbodily condition you did not despise or eloathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵Where then is fthat sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶So have I become your enemy by gtelling you the truth? ¹⁷They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. ¹⁸But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable hmanner, and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you— ²⁰but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. [13 aLit weakness of the flesh bOr former 14 cOr temptation dLit flesh eLit spit out at 15 fLit the congratulation of yourselves 16 gOr dealing truthfully with you 18 hOr thing]

Bond and Free

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? ²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. ²³But the son by the bondwoman awas born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. ²⁴bThis is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children cwho are to be slaves; dshe is Hagar. ²⁵Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem above is free; dshe is our mother. ²⁷For it is written,

“REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR;

BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR;

FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE

THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”

²⁸And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. ³⁰But what does the Scripture say?

“CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON,

FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”

³¹So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, ebut of the free woman. [23 aLit has been born 24 bLit Which cLit into slavery dLit which 31 eV 5:1, note 1]

GALATIANS 5 [Books]

Walk by the Spirit

1 aIt was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. [1 aSome authorities prefer to join with 4:31 and render but with the freedom of the free woman Christ set us free]

2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. ⁴You have been severed from Christ, you who aare seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵For we bthrough the Spirit, cby faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. [4 aOr would be 5 bLit by cLit out of]

7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. ⁹A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰I have confidence ain you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. ¹¹But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. ¹²I wish that those who are troubling you would even bmutilate themselves. [10 aLit toward 12 bOr cut themselves off]

13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” ¹⁵But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh asets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you bplease. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. ¹⁹Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: cimmorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, dfactions, ²¹envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴Now those who ebelong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [17 aLit lusts against bLit wish 19 cI.e. sexual immorality 20 dOr heresies 24 eLit are of Christ Jesus]

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also awalk by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. [25 aOr follow the Spirit]

GALATIANS 6 [Books]

Bear One Another’s Burdens

1 Brethren, even if aanyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. ²Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. ³For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. ⁵For each one will bear his own load. [1 aGr anthropos]

6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. ⁷Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. ⁸For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. ¹⁰So then, awhile we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. [10 aOr as]

11 See with what large letters I aam writing to you with my own hand. ¹²Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted bfor the cross of Christ. ¹³For those who care circumcised do not even keep dthe Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through ewhich the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new fcreation. ¹⁶And those who will gwalk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. [11 aOr have written 12 bOr because of 13 cTwo early mss read have been dOr law 14 eOr whom 15 fOr creature 16 gOr follow this rule]

17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

EPHESIANS 1 [Books]

The Blessings of Redemption

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus aby the will of God, [1 aLit through]

To the asaints who are bat Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: ²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [aOr holy ones bThree early mss do not contain at Ephesus]

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before aHim. In love ⁵bHe predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the ckind intention of His will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In dHim we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸which He elavished on fus. In all wisdom and insight ⁹He gmade known to us the mystery of His will, according to His ckind intention which He purposed in Him ¹⁰with a view to an administration hsuitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things iin the heavens and things on the earth. In Him ¹¹jalso we khave obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, ¹²to the end that we who were the first to hope in lChrist would be to the praise of His glory. ¹³In dHim, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also mbelieved, you were sealed in dHim with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴who is ngiven as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. [4 aOr Him, in love 5 bLit having predestined cLit good pleasure 7 dLit whom 8 eLit made abundant toward fOr us, in all wisdom and insight 9 gLit making known 10 hLit of iLit upon 11 jLit in whom also kOr were made a heritage 12 lI.e. the Messiah 13 mOr believed in Him, you were sealed 14 nOr a down payment]

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and ayour love for all the bsaints, ¹⁶do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the cknowledge of Him. ¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart dmay be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the esaints, ¹⁹and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might ²⁰which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²²And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. [15 aThree early mss do not contain your love bV 1, note 2 17 cOr true knowledge 18 dLit being eOr holy ones]

EPHESIANS 2 [Books]

Made Alive in Christ

1 And you awere dead bin your trespasses and sins, ²in which you formerly walked according to the ccourse of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. ³Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, dindulging the desires of the flesh and of the emind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. ⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead bin our transgressions, made us alive together fwith Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith; and gthat not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. [1 aLit being bOr by reason of 2 cLit age 3 dLit doing eLit thoughts 5 fTwo early mss read in Christ 8 gI.e. that salvation]

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— ¹²remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, aexcluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off bhave been brought near cby the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the dbarrier of the dividing wall, ¹⁵eby abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might fmake the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, ¹⁶and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, gby it having put to death the enmity. ¹⁷AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; ¹⁸for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the hsaints, and are of God’s household, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy itemple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. [12 aOr alienated 13 bLit became; or were made cOr in 14 dLit the dividing wall of the barrier 15 eOr the enmity, by abolishing in His flesh the Law fLit create 16 gOr in Himself 19 hOr holy ones 21 iOr sanctuary]

EPHESIANS 3 [Books]

Paul’s Stewardship

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— ²if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; ³that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. ⁴aBy referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight binto the mystery of Christ, ⁵which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets cin the Spirit; ⁶to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, ⁷of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. ⁸To me, the very least of all dsaints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, ⁹and to ebring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; ¹⁰so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹This was in accordance with the feternal purpose which He gcarried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹²in whom we have boldness and hconfident access through faith iin Him. ¹³Therefore I ask jyou not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, kfor they are your glory. [4 aLit To which, when you read bLit in 5 cOr by 8 dOr holy ones 9 eTwo early mss read make all know 11 fLit purpose of the ages gOr formed 12 hLit access in confidence iLit of Him 13 jOr that I may not lose kLit which are]

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom aevery family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the bsaints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. [15 aOr the whole 18 bV 8, note 1]

20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations aforever and ever. Amen. [21 aLit of the age of the ages]

EPHESIANS 4 [Books]

Unity of the Spirit

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, ³being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸Therefore ait says,

“WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH,

HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES,

AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”

⁹(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what bdoes it mean except that He also chad descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) ¹¹And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the dsaints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; ¹³until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the eknowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature fwhich belongs to the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴gAs a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness hin deceitful scheming; ¹⁵but ispeaking the truth in love, jwe are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, ¹⁶from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together kby what every joint supplies, according to the lproper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. [8 aOr He 9 bLit is it except cOne early ms reads had first descended 12 dOr holy ones 13 eOr true knowledge fLit of the fullness 14 gLit So that we will no longer be hLit with regard to the scheming of deceit 15 iOr holding to or being truthful in jOr let us grow up 16 kLit through every joint of the supply lLit working in measure]

The Christian’s Walk

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸being darkened in their understanding, aexcluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; ¹⁹and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality bfor the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ²⁰But you did not learn cChrist in this way, ²¹if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, ²²that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old dself, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, ²³and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴and put on the new dself, which ein the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. [18 aOr alienated 19 bOr greedy for the practice of every kind of impurity 20 cI.e. the Messiah 22 dLit man 24 eLit according to God]

25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. ²⁶BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and do not give the devil aan opportunity. ²⁸He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with bone who has need. ²⁹Let no cunwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification daccording to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ³⁰Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, eby whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ³²Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven fyou. [27 aLit a place 28 bLit the one 29 cLit rotten dLit of the need 30 eLit in 32 fTwo early mss read us]

EPHESIANS 5 [Books]

Be Imitators of God

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ²and walk in love, just as Christ also loved ayou and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God bas a fragrant aroma. [2 aOne early ms reads us bLit for an odor of fragrance]

3 But immorality aor any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among bsaints; ⁴and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this you know with certainty, that no cimmoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. [3 aLit and all bOr holy ones 5 cI.e. one who commits sexual immorality]

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore do not be partakers with them; ⁸for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light ⁹(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰atrying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even bexpose them; ¹²for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³But all things become visible when they are cexposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴For this reason dit says,

“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.” [10 aLit proving what 11 bOr reprove 13 cOr reproved 14 dOr He]

15 Therefore abe careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶bmaking the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸And do not get drunk with wine, cfor that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹speaking to done another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ²⁰always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to eGod, even the Father; ²¹fand be subject to one another in the gfear of Christ. [15 aLit look carefully 16 bLit redeeming the time 18 cLit in which is 19 dOr yourselves 20 eLit the God and Father 21 fLit being subject gOr reverence]

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷that He might present to Himself the church ain all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰because we are members of His body. ³¹FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. ³²This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she brespects her husband. [27 aLit glorious 33 bLit fear]

EPHESIANS 6 [Books]

Family Relationships

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ²HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your amasters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; ⁶not bby way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the cheart. ⁷With good will drender service, as to the Lord, and not to men, ⁸knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. [5 aI.e. earthly masters, with fear 6 bLit according to cLit soul 7 dLit rendering]

9 And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against aflesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, ¹⁵and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; ¹⁶bin addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [12 aLit blood and flesh 16 bLit in all]

18 aWith all prayer and petition bpray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, cbe on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, ¹⁹and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in dchains; that ein proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. [18 aLit Through bLit praying cLit being 20 dLit a chain eTwo early mss read I may speak it boldly]

21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, ahow I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ²²bI have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know cabout us, and that he may comfort your hearts. [21 aLit what 22 bLit Whom I have sent to you cLit the things about us]

23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ awith incorruptible love. [24 aLit in incorruption]

PHILIPPIANS 1 [Books]

Thanksgiving

1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the asaints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, bincluding the overseers and deacons: ²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [1 aOr holy ones bLit with]

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, ⁵in view of your aparticipation in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷bFor it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my cimprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. ⁸For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the daffection of Christ Jesus. ⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰so that you may eapprove the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless funtil the day of Christ; ¹¹having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. [5 aOr sharing in the preaching of the gospel 7 bLit Just as it is right cLit bonds 8 dLit inward parts 10 eOr discover; or distinguish between the things which differ fOr for]

The Gospel Is Preached

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, ¹³so that my aimprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole bpraetorian guard and to everyone else, ¹⁴and that most of the cbrethren, trusting in the Lord because of my aimprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. ¹⁵Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even dfrom envy and strife, but some also dfrom good will; ¹⁶the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; ¹⁷the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition erather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my aimprisonment. ¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. [13 aLit bonds bOr governor’s palace 14 cOr brethren in the Lord, trusting because of my bonds 15 dLit because of 17 eLit not sincerely]

Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that this will turn out for my adeliverance through your bprayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. [19 aOr salvation bLit supplication]

To Live Is Christ

²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²²aBut if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know bwhich to choose. ²³But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; ²⁴yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy cin the faith, ²⁶so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. [22 aOr But if to live in the flesh, this will be fruitful labor for me, then I bLit what I shall choose 25 cLit of]

27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one amind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. ²⁹For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, ³⁰experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. [27 aLit soul]

PHILIPPIANS 2 [Books]

Be Like Christ

1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any aaffection and compassion, ²make my joy complete bby being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. ³Do nothing cfrom dselfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; ⁴do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵Have this attitude ein yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be fgrasped, ⁷but gemptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death hon a cross. ⁹For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [1 aLit inward parts 2 bLit that you be 3 cLit according to dOr contentiousness 5 eOr among 6 fI.e. utilized or asserted 7 gI.e. laid aside His privileges 8 hLit of]

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; ¹⁵so that you will aprove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you bappear as clights in the world, ¹⁶holding dfast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. ¹⁷But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. ¹⁸You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. [15 aOr become bOr shine cOr luminaries, stars 16 dOr forth]

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 But I hope ain the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. ²⁰For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. ²¹For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. ²²But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. ²³Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; ²⁴and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. ²⁵But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your bmessenger and minister to my need; ²⁶because he was longing cfor you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. ²⁹Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; ³⁰because he came close to death dfor the work of Christ, risking his life to complete ewhat was deficient in your service to me. [19 aOr trusting in 25 bLit apostle 26 cOne early ms reads to see you all 30 dLit because of eLit your deficiency of service]

PHILIPPIANS 3 [Books]

The Goal of Life

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the afalse circumcision; ³for we are the true bcircumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, ⁴although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: ⁵circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. [2 aLit mutilation; Gr katatome 3 bGr peritome]

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸More than that, I count all things to be loss ain view of the surpassing value of bknowing Christ Jesus my Lord, afor whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, ⁹and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, ¹⁰that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and cthe fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; ¹¹din order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. [8 aLit because of bLit the knowledge of 10 cOr participation in 11 dLit if somehow]

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on aso that I may lay hold of that bfor which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as are cperfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; ¹⁶however, let us keep dliving by that same standard to which we have attained. [12 aLit if I may even bOr because also 15 cOr mature 16 dLit following in line]

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. ¹⁸For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹whose end is destruction, whose god is their aappetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. ²⁰For our bcitizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹who will transform cthe body of our humble state into conformity with dthe body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. [19 aLit belly 20 bLit commonwealth 21 cOr our lowly body dOr His glorious body]

PHILIPPIANS 4 [Books]

Think of Excellence

1 Therefore, my beloved brethren awhom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. [1 aLit and longed for]

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to alive in harmony in the Lord. ³Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. [2 aOr be of the same mind]

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is anear. ⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all bcomprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [5 aOr at hand 7 bLit mind]

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is alovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, bdwell on these things. ⁹The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. [8 aOr lovable and gracious bLit ponder these things]

God’s Provisions

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹Not that I speak afrom want, for I have learned to be bcontent in whatever circumstances I am. ¹²I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. ¹³I can do all things cthrough Him who strengthens me. ¹⁴Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. [11 aLit according to bOr self-sufficient 13 cLit in]

15 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the afirst preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; ¹⁶for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. ¹⁷Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the bprofit which increases to your account. ¹⁸But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am camply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus dwhat you have sent, ea fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God will supply fall your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰Now to our God and Father be the glory gforever and ever. Amen. [15 aLit beginning of 17 bLit fruit 18 cLit made full dLit the things from you eLit an odor of fragrance 19 fOr every need of yours 20 gLit to the ages of the ages]

21 Greet every asaint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. ²²All the bsaints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. [21 aOr holy one 22 bV 21, note 1]

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

COLOSSIANS 1 [Books]

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ aby the will of God, and Timothy bour brother, [1 aLit through bLit the]

2 To the asaints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. [2 aOr holy ones]

3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, ⁴since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have afor all the bsaints; ⁵because of the hope laid up for you in cheaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, dthe gospel ⁶which has come to you, just as ein all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and fincreasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and gunderstood the grace of God in truth; ⁷just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, ⁸and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit. [4 aOr toward bOr holy ones 5 cLit the heavens dOr of the gospel 6 eOr it is in the world fOr spreading abroad gOr came really to know]

9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the aknowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, bto please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and cincreasing in the aknowledge of God; ¹¹strengthened with all power, according to dHis glorious might, efor the attaining of all steadfastness and fpatience; joyously ¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us gto share in the inheritance of the hsaints in Light. [9 aOr real knowledge 10 bLit unto all pleasing cOr growing by the knowledge 11 dLit the might of His glory eLit unto all fOr patience with joy 12 gLit unto the portion of hOr holy ones]

The Incomparable Christ

¹³aFor He rescued us from the bdomain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of cHis beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [13 aLit Who rescued bLit authority cLit the Son of His love]

15 aHe is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For bby Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷He cis before all things, and in Him all things dhold together. ¹⁸He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹For eit was the Father’s good pleasure for all the ffullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in gheaven. [15 aLit Who is 16 bOr in 17 cOr has existed prior to dOr endure 19 eOr all the fullness was pleased to dwell fI.e. fullness of deity 20 gLit the heavens]

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²²yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³if indeed you continue in athe faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, bwas made a cminister. [23 aOr in faith bLit became cOr servant]

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I ado my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking bin Christ’s afflictions. ²⁵Of this church I cwas made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might dfully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His esaints, ²⁷to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man fwith all wisdom, so that we may present every man gcomplete in Christ. ²⁹For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His hpower, which imightily works within me. [24 aOr representatively...fill up bLit of 25 cLit became dLit make full the word of God 26 eOr holy ones 28 fLit in gOr perfect 29 hLit working iLit in power]

COLOSSIANS 2 [Books]

You Are Built Up in Christ

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not apersonally seen my face, ²that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth bthat comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, ³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. ⁵For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing cto see dyour good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. [1 aLit in the flesh 2 bLit of the full assurance 5 cLit and seeing dOr your good order]

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so awalk in Him, ⁷having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established bin your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing cwith gratitude. [6 aOr lead your life 7 bOr by cOne early ms reads in it with]

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, arather than according to Christ. ⁹For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰and in Him you have been made bcomplete, and He is the head cover all rule and authority; ¹¹and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; ¹²having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³When you were dead din your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, ¹⁴having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵When He had edisarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through fHim. [8 aLit and not 10 bLit full cLit of 13 dOr by reason of 15 eOr divested Himself of fOr it; i.e. the cross]

16 Therefore no one is to aact as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath bday— ¹⁷things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the csubstance dbelongs to Christ. ¹⁸Let no one keep edefrauding you of your prize by delighting in fself-abasement and the worship of the angels, gtaking his stand on visions he has seen, hinflated without cause by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and iligaments, grows with a growth jwhich is from God. [16 aLit judge you bOr days 17 cLit body dLit of Christ 18 eOr deciding against you fOr humility gOr going into detail about hOr conceited 19 iLit bonds jLit of God]

20 If you have died with Christ ato the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ²¹“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ²²(which all refer to things destined to perish bwith use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? ²³These are matters which have, to be sure, the cappearance of wisdom in dself-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. [20 aLit from 22 bOr by being consumed 23 cLit report; Gr logos dOr would-be religion]

COLOSSIANS 3 [Books]

Put On the New Self

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²aSet your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. [2 aOr Be intent on]

5 Therefore aconsider the members of your earthly body as dead to bimmorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which camounts to idolatry. ⁶For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come dupon the sons of disobedience, ⁷and in them you also once walked, when you were living ein them. ⁸But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. ⁹fDo not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old gself with its evil practices, ¹⁰and have put on the new self who is being hrenewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— ¹¹a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, ibarbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. [5 aLit put to death the members which are upon the earth bLit fornication cLit is 6 dTwo early mss do not contain upon the sons of disobedience 7 eOr among these 9 fOr Stop lying gGr anthropos 10 hLit renovated 11 iI.e. those who were not Greeks, either by birth or by culture]

12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and apatience; ¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. ¹⁴Beyond all these things put on love, which is bthe perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ crule in your hearts, to which dindeed you were called in one body; and ebe thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of fChrist richly dwell within you, gwith all wisdom teaching and admonishing hone another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing iwith thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. [12 aI.e. forbearance toward others 14 bLit the uniting bond of perfection 15 cOr act as arbiter dLit also eOr show yourselves thankful 16 fOne early ms reads the Lord gOr in hOr one another, singing with psalms... iOr by; lit in His grace]

Family Relations

18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. ²⁰Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing ato the Lord. ²¹Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. [20 aLit in]

22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters aon earth, not with bexternal service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, do your work cheartily, as for the Lord drather than for men, ²⁴knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward eof the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. ²⁵For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and fthat without partiality. [22 aLit according to the flesh bLit eyeservice 23 cLit from the soul dLit and not 24 eI.e. consisting of 25 fLit there is no partiality]

COLOSSIANS 4 [Books]

Fellow Workers

1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; ³praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; ⁴that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.

5 aConduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, bmaking the most of the opportunity. ⁶Let your speech always be cwith grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. [5 aLit Walk bLit redeeming the time 6 cOr gracious]

7 As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. ⁸For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; ⁹aand with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here. [9 aLit along with Onesimus]

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received ainstructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); ¹¹and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. ¹²Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may bstand cperfect and dfully assured in all the will of God. ¹³For I testify for him that he has ea deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis. ¹⁴Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas. ¹⁵Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also fNympha and the church that is in gher house. ¹⁶When hthis letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read imy letter that is coming from Laodicea. ¹⁷Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may jfulfill it.” [10 aOr orders 12 bOr stand firm cOr complete or mature dOr made complete 13 eOr much toil or great pain 15 fOr Nymphas (masc) gOne early ms reads their 16 hLit the iLit the 17 jOr continually fulfill]

18 aI, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my bimprisonment. Grace be with you. [18 aLit The greeting by my hand of Paul bLit bonds]

1 THESSALONIANS 1 [Books]

Thanksgiving for These Believers

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; ³constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and asteadfastness of hope bin our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, ⁴knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; ⁵for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we cproved to be among you for your sake. ⁶You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. ⁹For they themselves report about us what kind of a dreception we had ewith you, and how you turned to God from fidols to serve ga living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for His Son from hheaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. [3 aOr perseverance bLit of 5 cOr became 9 dLit entrance eLit to fOr the idols gOr the 10 hLit the heavens]

1 THESSALONIANS 2 [Books]

Paul’s Ministry

1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our acoming to you was not in vain, ²but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much bopposition. ³For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or cby way of deceit; ⁴but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who dexamines our hearts. ⁵For we never came ewith flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— ⁶nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ fwe might have gasserted our authority. ⁷But we hproved to be igentle jamong you, as a nursing mother ktenderly cares for her own children. ⁸Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own llives, because you had become mvery dear to us. [1 aLit entrance 2 bOr struggle, conflict 3 cLit in deceit 4 dOr approves 5 eLit in a word of flattery 6 fLit being able to gOr be burdensome 7 hOr became gentle iThree early mss read babes jLit in the midst of you kOr cherishes 8 lOr souls mLit beloved]

9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we abehaved toward you bbelievers; ¹¹just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and cimploring each one of you as a father would his own children, ¹²so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. [10 aLit became bOr who believe 11 cOr testifying to]

13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. ¹⁴For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, ¹⁵who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and adrove us out. bThey are not pleasing to God, bbut hostile to all men, ¹⁶hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them cto the utmost. [15 aOr persecuted us bLit and 16 cOr forever or altogether; lit to the end]

17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a ashort while—in bperson, not in cspirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. ¹⁸dFor we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, emore than once—and yet Satan hindered us. ¹⁹For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His fcoming? ²⁰For you are our glory and joy. [17 aLit occasion of an hour bLit face cLit heart 18 dOr Because eLit both once and twice 19 fOr presence]

1 THESSALONIANS 3 [Books]

Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit

1 Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, ²and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, ³so that no one would be adisturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. ⁴For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; band so it came to pass, cas you know. ⁵For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to dfind out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. [3 aOr deceived 4 bLit just as cLit and 5 dOr to know, to ascertain]

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, ⁷for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; ⁸for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. ⁹For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, ¹⁰as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; ¹²and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; ¹³so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the acoming of our Lord Jesus with all His bsaints. [13 aOr presence bOr holy ones]

1 THESSALONIANS 4 [Books]

Sanctification and Love

1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to awalk and please God (just as you actually do awalk), that you excel still more. ²For you know what commandments we gave you bby the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from csexual immorality; ⁴that each of you know how to dpossess his own evessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵not in flustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. ⁷For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but gin sanctification. ⁸So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. [1 aOr conduct yourselves 2 bLit through the Lord 3 cOr fornication 4 dOr acquire eI.e. body; or wife 5 fLit passion of lust 7 gI.e. in the state or sphere of]

9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, ¹¹and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, ¹²so that you will abehave properly toward outsiders and bnot be in any need. [12 aLit walk bLit have need of nothing]

Those Who Died in Christ

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep ain Jesus. ¹⁵For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive band remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cshout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive band remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words. [14 aLit through 15 bLit who 16 cOr cry of command]

1 THESSALONIANS 5 [Books]

The Day of the Lord

1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. ²For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord awill come just like a thief in the night. ³While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then bdestruction cwill come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. ⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you dlike a thief; ⁵for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; ⁶so then let us not sleep as eothers do, but let us be alert and fsober. ⁷For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. ⁸But since we are of the day, let us be gsober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. ¹¹Therefore hencourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. [2 aLit is coming 3 bOr sudden destruction cLit comes upon 4 dOne early ms reads like thieves 6 eLit the remaining ones fOr self-controlled 8 gOr self-controlled 11 hOr comfort]

Christian Conduct

12 But we request of you, brethren, that you aappreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you binstruction, ¹³and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. ¹⁴We urge you, brethren, admonish the cunruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. ¹⁶Rejoice always; ¹⁷pray without ceasing; ¹⁸in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit; ²⁰do not despise prophetic dutterances. ²¹But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; ²²abstain from every eform of evil. [12 aLit know bOr admonition 14 cOr undisciplined 20 dOr gifts 22 eOr appearance]

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

25 Brethren, pray for usa. [25 aTwo early mss add also]

26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. ²⁷I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

2 THESSALONIANS 1 [Books]

Thanksgiving for Faith and Perseverance

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ²Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; ⁴therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your aperseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. ⁵This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. ⁶bFor after all it is only just cfor God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷and to give relief to you who are afflicted dand to us as well ewhen the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with fHis mighty angels in flaming fire, ⁸dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰when He comes to be glorified gin His hsaints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will icount you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹²so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [4 aOr steadfastness 6 bLit If indeed cOr in the sight of 7 dLit along with us eLit at the revelation of the Lord Jesus fLit the angels of His power 10 gOr in the persons of hOr holy ones 11 iOr make]

2 THESSALONIANS 2 [Books]

Man of Lawlessness

1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the acoming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, ²that you not be quickly shaken from your bcomposure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a cmessage or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the dapostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴who opposes and exalts himself above eevery so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. ⁵Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ⁶And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. ⁷For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. ⁸Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His acoming; ⁹that is, the one whose acoming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and fsigns and false wonders, ¹⁰and with gall the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹For this reason God hwill send upon them ia deluding influence so that they will believe jwhat is false, ¹²in order that they all may be kjudged who did not believe the truth, but ltook pleasure in wickedness. [1 aOr presence 2 bLit mind cLit word 3 dOr falling away from the faith 4 eOr everyone who is called God 9 fOr attesting miracles 10 gOr every deception 11 hLit is sending iLit an activity of error jOr the lie 12 kOr condemned lOr approved]

13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you afrom the beginning for salvation bthrough sanctification cby the Spirit and faith in the truth. ¹⁴It was for this He called you through our gospel, dthat you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter cfrom us. [13 aOne early ms reads first fruits bLit in cLit of 14 dLit to the gaining of]

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, ¹⁷comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

2 THESSALONIANS 3 [Books]

Exhortation

1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will aspread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; ²and that we will be rescued from bperverse and evil men; for not all have cfaith. ³But the Lord is faithful, dand He will strengthen and protect you efrom the evil one. ⁴We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. [1 aLit run 2 bLit improper cOr the faith 3 dLit who will eOr from evil]

6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you akeep away from every brother who bleads an cunruly life and not according to the tradition which dyou received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to efollow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, ⁸nor did we eat fanyone’s bread gwithout paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; ⁹not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would efollow our example. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. ¹¹For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. ¹²Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. ¹³But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. [6 aOr avoid bLit walks disorderly cOr undisciplined dOne early ms reads they 7 eLit imitate us 8 fLit from anyone gLit freely]

14 If anyone does not obey our ainstruction bin this letter, take special note of that person cand do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. ¹⁵Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but dadmonish him as a brother. [14 aLit word bLit through cLit not to associate 15 dOr keep admonishing]

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every acircumstance. The Lord be with you all! [16 aLit way]

17 aI, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. ¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. [17 aLit The greeting by my hand of Paul]

1 TIMOTHY 1 [Books]

Misleadings in Doctrine and Living

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,

2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 As I urged you aupon my departure for Macedonia, bremain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, ⁴nor to cpay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering dthe administration of God which is by faith. ⁵But the goal of our einstruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. [3 aLit while going to bLit to remain 4 cOr occupy themselves with dLit God’s provision 5 eLit commandment]

8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers ¹⁰aand bimmoral men aand homosexuals aand kidnappers aand liars aand perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, ¹¹according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. [10 aLit for bOr fornicators]

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹³even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. ¹⁶Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those awho would believe in Him for eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King beternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory cforever and ever. Amen. [16 aOr destined to 17 bLit of the ages cLit to the ages of the ages]

18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my ason, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, ¹⁹keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to btheir faith. ²⁰cAmong these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. [18 aOr child 19 bLit the 20 cLit Of]

1 TIMOTHY 2 [Books]

A Call to Prayer

1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, ²for kings and all who are in aauthority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and bdignity. ³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴who desires all men to be saved and to come to the cknowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony dgiven at ethe proper time. ⁷For this I was appointed a fpreacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. [2 aOr a high position bOr seriousness 4 cOr recognition 6 dOr to be given eLit its own times 7 fOr herald]

8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

Women Instructed

⁹Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, amodestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, ¹⁰but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. ¹¹A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. ¹²But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. ¹³For it was Adam who was first bcreated, and then Eve. ¹⁴And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, cfell into transgression. ¹⁵But women will be dpreserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with eself-restraint. [9 aLit with modesty 13 bOr formed 14 cLit has come 15 dLit saved eOr discretion]

1 TIMOTHY 3 [Books]

Overseers and Deacons

1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of aoverseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. ²bAn overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³not addicted to wine cor pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. ⁴He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity ⁵(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), ⁶and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation dincurred by the devil. ⁷And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. [1 aOr bishop 2 bLit The 3 cLit not 6 dLit of the devil]

8 Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not adouble-tongued, bor addicted to much wine bor fond of sordid gain, ⁹but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. ¹¹cWomen must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and dgood managers of their children and their own households. ¹³For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a ehigh standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. [8 aOr given to double-talk bLit not 11 cI.e. either deacons’ wives or deaconesses 12 dLit managing well 13 eLit good]

14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; ¹⁵but ain case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how bone ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. ¹⁶By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:

He who was revealed in the flesh,

Was cvindicated din the Spirit,

Seen by angels,

Proclaimed among the nations,

Believed on in the world,

Taken up in glory. [15 aLit if I delay bOr you ought to conduct yourself 16 cOr justified dOr by]

1 TIMOTHY 4 [Books]

Apostasy

1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will afall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, ²by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, ³men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; ⁵for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. [1 aI.e. apostacize]

A Good Minister’s Discipline

6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the asound doctrine which you have been following. ⁷But bhave nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; ⁸for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. ¹⁰For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. [6 aLit good 7 bOr reject]

11 aPrescribe and teach these things. ¹²Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example bof those who believe. ¹³Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the cpresbytery. ¹⁵Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. ¹⁶Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will densure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. [11 aOr Keep commanding and teaching 12 bOr to 14 cOr board of elders 16 dLit save both yourself and those]

1 TIMOTHY 5 [Books]

Honor Widows

1 Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, ²the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

3 Honor widows who are widows indeed; ⁴but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to amake some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. ⁵Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. ⁶But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. ⁷bPrescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. ⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. [4 aLit give back recompenses 7 bOr Keep commanding]

9 A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, ¹⁰having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the asaints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. ¹¹But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, ¹²thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous bpledge. ¹³At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention. ¹⁴Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach; ¹⁵for some have already turned aside to follow Satan. ¹⁶If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed. [10 aOr holy ones 12 bLit faith]

Concerning Elders

17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard aat preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” ¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. ²⁰Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. ²¹I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. ²²Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and bthereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself cfree from sin. [17 aLit in word 22 bLit do not share cLit pure]

23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

24 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. ²⁵Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.

1 TIMOTHY 6 [Books]

Instructions to Those Who Minister

1 All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be aspoken against. ²Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who bpartake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and cpreach these principles. [1 aOr blasphemed 2 bOr devote themselves to kindness cLit exhort, urge]

3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not aagree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, ⁴he is conceited and understands nothing; but he bhas a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, ⁵and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that cgodliness is a means of gain. ⁶But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. ⁷For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. ⁸If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. ⁹But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all dsorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. [3 aLit come to; or come with 4 bLit is sick about 5 cOr religion 10 dLit the evils]

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, aperseverance and gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³I charge you in the presence of God, who bgives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which He will cbring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of dkings and Lord of elords, ¹⁶who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. [11 aOr steadfastness 13 bOr preserves alive 15 cLit show dLit those who reign as kings eLit those who rule as lords]

17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. ¹⁸Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good aworks, to be generous and ready to share, ¹⁹storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. [18 aOr deeds]

20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— ²¹which some have professed and thus gone astray afrom the faith. [21 aLit concerning]

Grace be with you.

2 TIMOTHY 1 [Books]

Timothy Charged to Guard His Trust

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus aby the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, [1 aLit through]

2 To Timothy, my beloved ason: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [2 aOr child]

3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience athe way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my bprayers night and day, ⁴longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵cFor I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. ⁶For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God has not given us a spirit of dtimidity, but of power and love and ediscipline. [3 aLit from my forefathers bOr petitions 5 cLit Receiving remembrance of 7 dOr cowardice eOr sound judgment]

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, ¹⁰but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. ¹²For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him auntil that day. ¹³bRetain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the ctreasure which has been entrusted to you. [12 aOr for 13 bOr Hold the example 14 cLit good deposit]

15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in aAsia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my bchains; ¹⁷but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— ¹⁸the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus. [15 aI.e. the province of Asia 16 bLit chain]

2 TIMOTHY 2 [Books]

Be Strong

1 You therefore, my ason, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he bdoes not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. ⁷Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. [1 aOr child 5 bLit is not crowned]

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, ⁹afor which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. ¹⁰For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. ¹¹It is a trustworthy statement:

For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; [9 aLit in which]

¹²If we endure, we will also reign with Him;

If we adeny Him, He also will deny us; [aLit will deny]

¹³If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

An Unashamed Workman

14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. ¹⁵Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. ¹⁶But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for ait will lead to further ungodliness, ¹⁷and their btalk will spread like cgangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. ¹⁹Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” [16 aLit they will make further progress in ungodliness 17 bLit word cOr cancer]

20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. ²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. ²²Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce aquarrels. ²⁴The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, ²⁵with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive bby him to do his will. [23 aLit fightings 26 bOr by him, to do His will]

2 TIMOTHY 3 [Books]

“Difficult Times Will Come”

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. ²For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, ahaters of good, ⁴treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵holding to a form of bgodliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. ⁶For among them are those who center into households and captivate dweak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, ⁷always learning and never able to come to the eknowledge of the truth. ⁸Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. ⁹But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as fJannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also. [3 aLit not loving good 5 bOr religion 6 cOr creep into dOr idle 7 eOr recognition 9 fLit that of those]

10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, aperseverance, ¹¹persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! ¹²Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ¹³But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is binspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for ctraining in righteousness; ¹⁷so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. [10 aOr steadfastness 16 bLit God-breathed cLit training which is in]

2 TIMOTHY 4 [Books]

“Preach the Word”

1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ²preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with agreat patience and instruction. ³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. [2 aLit all]

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Personal Concerns

9 Make every effort to come to me soon; ¹⁰for Demas, having loved this present aworld, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to bGalatia, Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. ¹²But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our cteaching. [10 aOr age bOne early ms reads Gaul 15 cLit words]

16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might abe fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bbring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to cHim be the glory forever and ever. Amen. [17 aOr be fulfilled 18 bOr save me for cLit Whom]

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. ²¹Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.

22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

TITUS 1 [Books]

Salutation

1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, afor the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, ²in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised blong ages ago, ³but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, [1 aOr according to 2 bLit before times eternal]

4 To Titus, my true child ain a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. [4 aLit according to]

Qualifications of Elders

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, ⁶namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. ⁷For the aoverseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, ⁸but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, ⁹holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. [7 aOr bishop]

10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain. ¹²One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. ¹⁵To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ¹⁶They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

TITUS 2 [Books]

Duties of the Older and Younger

1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. ²Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in aperseverance. [2 aOr steadfastness]

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴so that they may aencourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. [4 aOr train]

6 Likewise urge the young men to be asensible; ⁷in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with bpurity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. [6 aOr sensible in all things; show 7 bOr soundness; lit uncorruptness]

9 Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not aargumentative, ¹⁰not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. [9 aLit contradicting]

11 For the grace of God has appeared, abringing salvation to all men, ¹²binstructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of cour great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. [11 aOr to all men, bringing 12 bOr disciplining 13 cOr the great God and our Savior]

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all aauthority. Let no one disregard you. [15 aLit command]

TITUS 3 [Books]

Godly Living

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, ²to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. ³For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs aaccording to the hope of eternal life. ⁸This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. ⁹But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ¹⁰Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, ¹¹knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. [7 aOr of eternal life according to hope]

Personal Concerns

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. ¹⁴Our people must also learn to engage in good adeeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. [14 aOr occupations]

15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all.

PHILEMON 1 [Books]

Salutation

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy aour brother, [1 aLit the]

To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, ²and to Apphia aour sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [2 aLit the]

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, ⁵because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the asaints; ⁶and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective bthrough the knowledge of every good thing which is in you cfor Christ’s sake. ⁷For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the dhearts of the asaints have been refreshed through you, brother. [5 aOr holy ones 6 bOr in cLit toward Christ 7 dLit inward parts]

8 Therefore, though I have aenough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, ⁹yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, bthe aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— [8 aLit much 9 bOr an ambassador]

Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man

¹⁰I appeal to you for my child aOnesimus, whom I have begotten in my bimprisonment, ¹¹who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. ¹²I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, ¹³whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my bimprisonment for the gospel; ¹⁴but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. ¹⁵For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. [10 aI.e. useful bLit bonds]

17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. ¹⁸But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; ¹⁹I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to amention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). ²⁰Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. [19 aLit say]

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

22 At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.a [25 aOne early ms adds Amen]

HEBREWS 1 [Books]

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ²ain these last days has spoken to us bin His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the cworld. ³dAnd He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and eupholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. [2 aOr at the end of these days bLit in Son; or in the person of a Son cLit ages 3 dLit Who being eLit upholding]

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say,

“YOU ARE MY SON,

TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”?

And again,

“I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM

AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME”?

⁶And awhen He again brings the firstborn into bthe world, He says,

“AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.”

⁷And of the angels He says,

“WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS,

AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.”

⁸But of the Son He says,

“YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,

AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF cHIS KINGDOM. [6 aOr again when He brings bLit the inhabited earth 8 cLate mss read Your]

⁹“YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;

THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU

WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”

¹⁰And,

“YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH,

AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;

¹¹THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN;

AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT,

¹²AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP;

LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED.

BUT YOU ARE THE SAME,

AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.”

¹³But to which of the angels has He ever said,

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES

A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”?

¹⁴Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

HEBREWS 2 [Books]

Give Heed

1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to awhat we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. ²For if the word spoken through angels proved bunalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just cpenalty, ³how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? dAfter it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, ⁴God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various emiracles and by fgifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. [1 aLit the things that have been heard 2 bOr steadfast cOr recompense 3 dLit Which was 4 eOr works of power fLit distributions]

Earth Subject to Man

5 For He did not subject to angels athe world to come, concerning which we are speaking. ⁶But one has testified somewhere, saying,

“WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU REMEMBER HIM?

OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM? [5 aLit the inhabited earth]

⁷“YOU HAVE MADE HIM aFOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS;

YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR,

bAND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; [aOr ...him a little lower than... bTwo early mss do not contain And...hands]

⁸YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.”

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Jesus Briefly Humbled

⁹But we do see Him who was made afor a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. [9 aOr a little lower]

10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the aauthor of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹For both He who sanctifies and those who are bsanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²saying,

“I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN,

IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.”

¹³And again,

“I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.”

And again,

“BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.” [10 aOr leader 11 bOr being sanctified]

14 Therefore, since the children share in aflesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. ¹⁶For assuredly He does not bgive help to angels, but He gives help to the cdescendant of Abraham. ¹⁷Therefore, He dhad to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. [14 aLit blood and flesh 16 bLit take hold of angels, but He takes hold of cLit seed 17 dLit was obligated to be]

HEBREWS 3 [Books]

Jesus Our High Priest

1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; ²aHe was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. ³For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. ⁴For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. ⁵Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; ⁶but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. [2 aLit Being faithful]

7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,

“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

⁸DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS aWHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,

AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, [aLit in the provocation]

⁹WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me,

AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.

¹⁰“THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION,

AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART,

AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’;

¹¹AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,

‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’ ”

The Peril of Unbelief

¹²Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart athat falls away from the living God. ¹³But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, ¹⁵while it is said,

“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS bWHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”

¹⁶For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. [12 aLit in falling 15 bLit in the rebellion]

HEBREWS 4 [Books]

The Believer’s Rest

1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. ²For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word athey heard did not profit them, because bit was not united by faith in those who heard. ³For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,

THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,”

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”; ⁵and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.” ⁶Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying cthrough David after so long a time just as has been said before,

“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

⁸For if dJoshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. ⁹So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. ¹¹Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. ¹²For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. [2 aLit of hearing bTwo early mss read they were...faith with those who heard 7 cOr in 8 dGr Jesus]

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

HEBREWS 5 [Books]

The Perfect High Priest

1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; ²ahe can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is bbeset with weakness; ³and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. ⁴And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. [2 aLit being able to bOr subject to weakness]

5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,

“YOU ARE MY SON,

TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”;

⁶just as He says also in another passage,

“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER

ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

⁷aIn the days of His flesh, bHe offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him cfrom death, and He dwas heard because of His piety. ⁸Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, ¹⁰being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. [7 aI.e. during Christ’s earthly life bLit who having offered up cOr out of dLit having been heard]

11 Concerning ahim we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹²For though bby this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the celementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. [11 aLit whom or which 12 bLit because of the time cLit elements of the beginning]

HEBREWS 6 [Books]

The Peril of Falling Away

1 Therefore leaving the aelementary teaching about the bChrist, let us press on to cmaturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ²of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. ³And this we will do, if God permits. ⁴For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, dsince they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷For ground that drinks the rain which often efalls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close fto being cursed, and git ends up being burned. [1 aLit word of the beginning bI.e. Messiah cOr perfection 6 dOr while 7 eLit comes 8 fLit near to a curse gLit whose end is for burning]

Better Things for You

9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that aaccompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the bsaints. ¹¹And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence cso as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹²so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. [9 aOr belong to 10 bOr holy ones 11 cLit to the full]

13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” ¹⁵And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶For men swear by aone greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ¹⁷bIn the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, cinterposed with an oath, ¹⁸so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have dtaken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. ¹⁹eThis hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters fwithin the veil, ²⁰where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. [16 aOr Him who is greater 17 bLit In which cOr guaranteed 18 dLit in which 19 eLit Which hope we have fOr inside]

HEBREWS 7 [Books]

Melchizedek’s Priesthood Like Christ’s

1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ²to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. ³Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment ain the Law to collect ba tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these care descended from Abraham. ⁶But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected ba tenth from Abraham and dblessed the one who had the promises. ⁷But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. ⁹And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, ¹⁰for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. [5 aLit according to bOr tithes cLit have come out of the loins of 6 dLit has blessed]

11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? ¹²For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. ¹³For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord awas descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. ¹⁵And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶who has become such not on the basis of a law of bphysical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷For it is attested of Him,

“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER

ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

¹⁸For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. ²⁰And inasmuch as it was not without an oath ²¹(for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

“THE LORD HAS SWORN

AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND,

‘YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER’ ”);

²²so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. [14 aLit has arisen from 16 bLit fleshly commandment; i.e. to be a descendant of Levi]

23 aThe former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, ²⁴but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. ²⁵Therefore He is able also to save bforever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. [23 aLit The greater number have become priests... 25 bOr completely]

26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; ²⁷who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

HEBREWS 8 [Books]

A Better Ministry

1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ²a minister ain the sanctuary and ain the true btabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. ³For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. ⁴Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; ⁵who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses cwas warned by God when he was about to erect the btabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.” ⁶But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. [2 aOr of bOr sacred tent 5 cLit has been]

A New Covenant

⁷For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. ⁸For finding fault with them, He says,

“BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,

aWHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT

WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; [8 aLit And]

⁹NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS

ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND

TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT;

FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT,

AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.

¹⁰“FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL

AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:

aI WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,

AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.

AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,

AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. [aLit Putting my laws into...]

¹¹“AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,

AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’

FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME,

FROM aTHE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. [aLit small to great of them]

¹²“FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES,

AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”

¹³aWhen He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is bready to disappear. [aOr In His saying bOr near]

HEBREWS 9 [Books]

The Old and the New

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. ²For there was a atabernacle prepared, the bouter one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the csacred bread; this is called the holy place. ³Behind the second veil there was a atabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, ⁴having a golden daltar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; ⁵and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. [2 aOr sacred tent bLit first cLit loaves of presentation 4 dOr censer]

6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the aouter btabernacle performing the divine worship, ⁷but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the csins of the people committed in ignorance. ⁸The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the aouter tabernacle is still standing, ⁹which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, ¹⁰since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the dbody imposed until a time of reformation. [6 aLit first bOr sacred tent 7 cLit ignorance of the people 10 dLit flesh]

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things ato come, He entered through the greater and more perfect btabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; ¹²and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, chaving obtained eternal redemption. ¹³For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the dcleansing of the flesh, ¹⁴how much more will the blood of Christ, who through ethe eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse fyour conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [11 aTwo early mss read that have come bOr sacred tent 12 cOr obtaining 13 dLit purity 14 eOr His eternal spirit fOne early ms reads our]

15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. ¹⁶For where a acovenant is, there must of necessity bbe the death of the one who made it. ¹⁷For a acovenant is valid only when cmen are dead, dfor it is never in force while the one who made it lives. ¹⁸Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. ¹⁹For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰saying, “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.” ²¹And in the same way he sprinkled both the etabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. ²²And according to the fLaw, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. [16 aOr testament bLit be brought 17 cLit over the dead dTwo early mss read for is it then...lives? 21 eOr sacred tent 22 fOr Law, almost all things]

23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; ²⁵nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin aby the sacrifice of Himself. ²⁷And inasmuch as it is bappointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, ²⁸so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. [26 aOr by His sacrifice 27 bLit laid up]

HEBREWS 10 [Books]

One Sacrifice of Christ Is Sufficient

1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very aform of things, bcan never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. ²Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? ³But in cthose sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. ⁴For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ⁵Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,

BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; [1 aLit image bTwo early mss read they can 3 cLit them there is]

⁶IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.

⁷“THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME

(IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)

TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’ ”

⁸After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), ⁹then He asaid, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰By bthis will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. [9 aLit has said 10 bLit which]

11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; ¹²but He, having offered one sacrifice for asins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, ¹³waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. ¹⁴For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are bsanctified. ¹⁵And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, [12 aOr sins, forever sat down 14 bOr being sanctified]

¹⁶“THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM

AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:

I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,

AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,”

He then says,

¹⁷“AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS

I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”

¹⁸Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

A New and Living Way

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near with a asincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. [22 aLit true]

Christ or Judgment

26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. ²⁸Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” ³¹It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But remember the former days, awhen, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, ³³partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. ³⁴For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. ³⁵Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive bwhat was promised. [32 aLit in which 36 bLit the promise]

³⁷FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,

HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.

³⁸BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;

AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

³⁹But awe are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the bpreserving of the soul. [aLit we are not of shrinking back...but of faith bOr possessing]

HEBREWS 11 [Books]

The Triumphs of Faith

1 Now faith is the aassurance of things bhoped for, the cconviction of things not seen. ²For by it the men of old dgained approval. [1 aOr substance bOr expected cOr evidence 2 dLit obtained a good testimony]

3 By faith we understand that the aworlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. ⁴By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying babout his gifts, and through cfaith, though he is dead, he still speaks. ⁵By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. ⁷By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, din reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. [3 aLit ages 4 bI.e. by receiving his gifts cLit it 7 dLit having become reverent]

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed aby going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ¹¹By faith even Sarah herself received bability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead cat that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE. [8 aLit to go out 11 bLit power for the laying down of seed 12 cLit in these things]

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵And indeed if they had been athinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not bashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. [15 aOr remembering 16 bLit ashamed of them, to be]

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; ¹⁸it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR aDESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” ¹⁹bHe considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back cas a type. ²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. ²¹By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. ²²By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. [18 aLit seed 19 bLit Considering cOr figuratively speaking; lit in a parable]

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. ²⁴By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶considering the reproach of aChrist greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. ²⁷By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. ²⁸By faith he bkept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. ²⁹By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were cdrowned. [26 aI.e. the Messiah 28 bLit has kept 29 cLit swallowed up]

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies ain peace. [31 aLit with]

32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, ³³who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. ³⁵Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their arelease, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; ³⁶and others bexperienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn in two, cthey were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ³⁸(men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes din the ground. [35 aLit redemption 36 bLit received the trial of 37 cOne early ms does not contain they were tempted 38 dLit of]

39 And all these, having agained approval through their faith, did not receive bwhat was promised, ⁴⁰because God had cprovided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. [39 aLit obtained a testimony bLit the promise 40 cOr foreseen]

HEBREWS 12 [Books]

Jesus, the Example

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²afixing our eyes on Jesus, the bauthor and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [2 aLit looking to bOr leader]

3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary aand lose heart. [3 aLit fainting in your souls]

A Father’s Discipline

⁴You have not yet resisted ato the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,

NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; [4 aLit as far as blood]

⁶FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,

AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”

⁷It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹Furthermore, we had aearthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of bspirits, and live? ¹⁰For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. [9 aLit fathers of our flesh bOr our spirits]

12 Therefore, astrengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. [12 aLit make straight]

14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; ¹⁶that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. ²⁰For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” ²¹And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” ²²But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of aangels, ²³to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. [22 aOr angels in festive gathering, and to the church]

The Unshaken Kingdom

25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, amuch less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. ²⁶And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” ²⁷This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us bshow gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹for our God is a consuming fire. [25 aLit much rather we will not escape... 28 bLit have]

HEBREWS 13 [Books]

The Changeless Christ

1 Let love of the brethren continue. ²Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. ⁴Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. ⁵Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” ⁶so that we confidently say,

“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.

WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the aresult of their conduct, imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who bwere so occupied were not benefited. ¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the ctabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. [7 aOr end of their life 9 bLit walked 10 cOr sacred tent]

God-pleasing Sacrifices

¹⁵Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that agive thanks to His name. ¹⁶And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. [15 aLit confess]

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. aLet them do this with joy and not bwith grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. [17 aLit in order that they may do this bLit groaning]

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. ¹⁹And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep athrough the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, ²¹equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. [20 aLit in]

22 But I urge you, brethren, abear with bthis word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. ²³cTake notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. ²⁴Greet all of your leaders and all the dsaints. Those from Italy greet you. [22 aOr listen to bLit the 23 cLit Know 24 dOr holy ones]

25 Grace be with you all.

JAMES 1 [Books]

Testing Your Faith

1 aJames, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, [1 aOr Jacob]

To the twelve tribes who are adispersed abroad: Greetings. [aLit in the Dispersion]

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various atrials, ³knowing that the testing of your faith produces bendurance. ⁴And let cendurance have its perfect dresult, so that you may be eperfect and complete, lacking in nothing. [2 aOr temptations 3 bOr steadfastness 4 cV 3, note 1 dLit work eOr mature]

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and awithout reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸being a bdouble-minded man, unstable in all his ways. [5 aLit does not reproach 8 bOr doubting, hesitating]

9 But the abrother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; ¹⁰and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like bflowering grass he will pass away. ¹¹For the sun rises with ca scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. [9 aI.e. church member 10 bLit the flower of the grass 11 cLit the]

12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has abeen approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted bby God”; for God cannot be tempted cby evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. ¹⁵Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin dis accomplished, it brings forth death. ¹⁶Do not be edeceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or fshifting shadow. ¹⁸In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be ga kind of first fruits hamong His creatures. [12 aOr passed the test 13 bLit from cLit of evil things 15 dLit is brought to completion 16 eOr misled 17 fLit shadow of turning 18 gOr a certain first fruits hLit of]

19 aThis you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; ²⁰for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. ²¹Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all bthat remains of wickedness, in chumility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. ²²But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. ²³For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his dnatural face in a mirror; ²⁴for once he has looked at himself and gone away, ehe has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. ²⁵But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but fan effectual doer, this man will be blessed in gwhat he does. [19 aOr Know this 21 bLit abundance of malice cOr gentleness 23 dLit the face of his birth; or nature 24 eLit and he 25 fLit a doer of a work gLit his doing]

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not abridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. ²⁷Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained bby the world. [26 aOr control 27 bLit from]

JAMES 2 [Books]

The Sin of Partiality

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. ²For if a man comes into your aassembly with a gold ring and dressed in bfine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, ³and you cpay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” ⁴have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil dmotives? ⁵Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor eof this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and fpersonally drag you into gcourt? ⁷Do they not blaspheme the fair name hby which you have been called? [2 aOr synagogue bOr bright 3 cLit look at 4 dLit reasonings 5 eLit to the 6 fLit they themselves gLit courts 7 hLit which has been called upon you]

8 If, however, you are fulfilling the aroyal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. ⁹But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the blaw as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole blaw and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. ¹¹For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the blaw. ¹²So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy ctriumphs over judgment. [8 aOr law of our King 9 bOr Law 13 cLit boasts against]

Faith and Works

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can athat faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, bbe warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it has no works, is cdead, being by itself. [14 aLit the 16 bOr warm yourselves and fill yourselves 17 cOr dead by its own standards]

18 But someone amay well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹You believe that bGod is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? ²²You see that faith was working with his works, and cas a result of the works, faith was dperfected; ²³and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. [18 aLit will 19 bOne early ms reads there is one God 22 cOr by the deeds dOr completed]

JAMES 3 [Books]

The Tongue Is a Fire

1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a astricter judgment. ²For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in bwhat he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. ³Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. ⁴Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. ⁵So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. [1 aOr greater condemnation 2 bLit word]

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our alife, and is set on fire by bhell. ⁷For every cspecies of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human crace. ⁸But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. ⁹With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. ¹¹Does a fountain send out from the same opening both dfresh and bitter water? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce efresh. [6 aOr existence, origin bGr Gehenna 7 cLit nature 11 dLit sweet 12 eV 11, note 1]

Wisdom from Above

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. ¹⁴But if you have bitter jealousy and aselfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. ¹⁵This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, bnatural, demonic. ¹⁶For where jealousy and cselfish ambition exist, dthere is disorder and every evil thing. ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, ereasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. ¹⁸And the fseed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace gby those who make peace. [14 aOr strife 15 bOr unspiritual 16 cV 14, note 1 dI.e. in that place 17 eOr willing to yield 18 fLit fruit of righteousness gOr for]

JAMES 4 [Books]

Things to Avoid

1 aWhat is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? bIs not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? ²You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. ³You ask and do not receive, because you ask cwith wrong motives, so that you may spend it don your pleasures. ⁴You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “eHe fjealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? ⁶But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” ⁷Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. [1 aLit From where wars and from where fightings bLit Are they not from here, from your 3 cLit wickedly dLit in 5 eOr The spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy fLit desires to jealousy]

11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. ¹²There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” ¹⁴aYet you do not know bwhat your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. ¹⁵cInstead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” ¹⁶But as it is, you boast in your darrogance; all such boasting is evil. ¹⁷Therefore, to one who knows the eright thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. [14 aLit Who do not bOr what will happen tomorrow. What kind of life is yours? 15 cLit Instead of your saying 16 dOr pretensions 17 eOr good]

JAMES 5 [Books]

Misuse of Riches

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. ²Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. ³Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! ⁴Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of aSabaoth. ⁵You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have bfattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶You have condemned and cput to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. [4 aI.e. Hosts 5 bLit nourished 6 cOr murdered]

Exhortation

7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until ait gets the early and late rains. ⁸You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. ⁹Do not bcomplain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing cright at the ddoor. ¹⁰As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the eendurance of Job and have seen the foutcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. [7 aOr he 9 bLit groan cLit before dLit doors 11 eOr steadfastness fLit end of the Lord]

12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but ayour yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment. [12 aLit yours is to be yes, yes, and no, no]

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. ¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, aanointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵and the prayer boffered in faith will crestore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, dthey will be forgiven him. ¹⁶Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective eprayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. ¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fearnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. ¹⁸Then he prayed again, and the gsky hpoured rain and the earth produced its fruit. [14 aLit having anointed 15 bLit of cOr save dLit it 16 eLit supplication 17 fLit with prayer 18 gLit heaven hLit gave]

19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, ²⁰let him know that ahe who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. [20 aLit he who has turned]

1 PETER 1 [Books]

A Living Hope, and a Sure Salvation

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen ²according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, ato obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace bbe yours in the fullest measure. [2 aLit unto obedience and sprinkling bLit be multiplied for you]

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various atrials, ⁷so that the bproof of your faith, being more precious than gold which cis perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ⁸and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and dfull of glory, ⁹obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of eyour souls. [6 aOr temptations 7 bOr genuineness cLit perishes 8 dLit glorified 9 eOne early ms does not contain your]

10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, ¹¹aseeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories bto follow. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to clook. [11 aOr inquiring bLit after these 12 cOr gain a clear glimpse]

13 Therefore, aprepare your minds for action, bkeep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace cto be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As dobedient children, do not ebe conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, ¹⁵but flike the Holy One who called you, gbe holy yourselves also in all your behavior; ¹⁶because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” [13 aLit gird the loins of your mind bLit be sober cOr which is announced 14 dLit children of obedience eOr conform yourselves 15 fLit according to gOr become]

17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; ¹⁸knowing that you were not aredeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. ²⁰For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared bin these last times for the sake of you ²¹who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. [18 aOr ransomed 20 bLit at the end of the times]

22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a asincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from bthe heart, ²³for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴For,

“ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,

AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.

THE GRASS WITHERS,

AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, [22 aLit unhypocritical bTwo early mss read a clean heart]

²⁵BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”

And this is the word which was apreached to you. [aLit preached as good news to you]

1 PETER 2 [Books]

As Newborn Babes

1 Therefore, putting aside all amalice and all deceit and bhypocrisy and benvy and all bslander, ²like newborn babies, long for the cpure dmilk of the word, so that by it you may grow ein respect to salvation, ³if you have tasted fthe kindness of the Lord. [1 aOr wickedness bplural nouns 2 cOr unadulterated dOr spiritual (Gr logikos) milk eOr up to salvation 3 fLit that the Lord is kind]

As Living Stones

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is achoice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵you also, as living stones, bare being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For this is contained in cScripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,

AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN dHIM WILL NOT BE eDISAPPOINTED.”

⁷This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,”

⁸and,

“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. [4 aLit chosen; or elect 5 bOr allow yourselves to be built up; or build yourselves up 6 cOr a scripture dOr it eOr put to shame]

9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. ¹²Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may abecause of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of bvisitation. [12 aOr as a result of bI.e. Christ’s coming again in judgment]

Honor Authority

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴or to governors as sent aby him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. ¹⁵For bsuch is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. ¹⁶Act as free men, and cdo not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. ¹⁷Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the dking. [14 aLit through 15 bLit so 16 cLit not having 17 dOr emperor]

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are aunreasonable. ¹⁹For this finds bfavor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds cfavor with God. [18 aOr perverse 19 bOr grace 20 cV 19, note 1]

Christ Is Our Example

²¹For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, ²²WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; ²³aand while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴and He Himself bbore our sins in His body on the ccross, so that we might die to dsin and live to righteousness; for by His ewounds you were healed. ²⁵For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and fGuardian of your souls. [23 aLit who 24 bOr carried...up to the cross cLit wood dLit sins eLit wound; or welt 25 fOr Bishop, Overseer]

1 PETER 3 [Books]

Godly Living

1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, ²as they observe your chaste and arespectful behavior. ³Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; ⁴but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; ⁶just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right bwithout being frightened by any fear. [2 aLit with respect 6 bLit and are not]

7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with asomeone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. [7 aLit a weaker vessel]

8 aTo sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; ⁹not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but bgiving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For,

“THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,

MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. [8 aOr Finally 9 bLit blessing instead]

¹¹“HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;

HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.

¹²“FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,

AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,

BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”

13 Who is athere to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you bare blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR cINTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, ¹⁵but dsanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a edefense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and freverence; ¹⁶gand keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better, if hGod should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. ¹⁸For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the ispirit; ¹⁹in jwhich also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, ²⁰who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the kwater. ²¹Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God lfor a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. [13 aLit the one who will harm you 14 bOr would be cLit fear 15 dI.e. set apart eOr argument; or explanation fOr fear 16 gLit having a good 17 hLit the will of God 18 iOr Spirit 19 jOr whom 20 kI.e. the great flood 21 lOr from]

1 PETER 4 [Books]

Keep Fervent in Your Love

1 Therefore, since Christ has asuffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has asuffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. ³For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, bhaving pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and cabominable idolatries. ⁴In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; ⁵but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For the gospel has for this purpose been dpreached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. [1 aI.e. suffered death 3 bLit having gone in cLit lawless 6 dI.e. preached in their lifetimes]

7 The end of all things ais near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of bprayer. ⁸Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹Be hospitable to one another without complaint. ¹⁰As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹Whoever speaks, is to do so cas one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving dby the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. [7 aLit has come near bLit prayers 11 cLit as utterances dLit from]

Share the Sufferings of Christ

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; ¹³but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. ¹⁴If you are reviled afor the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a btroublesome meddler; ¹⁶but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment to begin cwith the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, dWHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? ¹⁹Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. [14 aLit in 15 bLit one who oversees others’ affairs 17 cLit from 18 dLit where will appear]

1 PETER 5 [Books]

Serve God Willingly

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, ²shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; ³nor yet as lording it over athose allotted to your charge, but bproving to be examples to the flock. ⁴And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading ccrown of glory. ⁵You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. [3 aLit the allotments bOr becoming 4 cLit wreath]

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. ⁸Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹aBut resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your bbrethren who are in the world. ¹⁰After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. ¹¹To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. [9 aLit whom resist bLit brotherhood]

12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother a(for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! ¹³She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. ¹⁴Greet one another with a kiss of love. [12 aLit (as I consider)]

Peace be to you all who are in Christ.

2 PETER 1 [Books]

Growth in Christian Virtue

1 aSimon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, [1 aTwo early mss read Simeon]

To those who have received a faith of the same akind as ours, bby the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: ²Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us cby His own glory and dexcellence. ⁴eFor by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. ⁵Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral dexcellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; ¹¹for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. [aOr value bOr in 3 cOr to dOr virtue 4 eLit Through which (things)]

12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. ¹³I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, ¹⁴knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. ¹⁵And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Eyewitnesses

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an autterance as this was bmade to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— ¹⁸and we ourselves heard this cutterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. [17 aLit voice bLit brought 18 cLit voice brought]

19 aSo we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. ²⁰But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, ²¹for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. [19 aOr We have the even more sure prophetic word]

2 PETER 2 [Books]

The Rise of False Prophets

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ²Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; ³and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; ⁵and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a apreacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; ⁷and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men ⁸(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), ⁹then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from btemptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, ¹⁰and especially those who cindulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. [5 aOr herald 9 bLit trial; or temptation 10 cLit go after]

Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic amajesties, ¹¹whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. ¹²But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in bthe destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, ¹³suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their cdeceptions, as they carouse with you, ¹⁴having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; ¹⁵forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet. [aLit glories 12 bLit their destruction also 13 cOne early ms reads love feasts]

17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the ablack darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. ²⁰For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. ²²bIt has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” [17 aLit blackness of darkness 22 bLit The thing of the true proverb has happened to them]

2 PETER 3 [Books]

Purpose of This Letter

1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, ²that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

³Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, ⁴and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” ⁵For awhen they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, ⁶through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. ⁷But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. [5 aOr they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that]

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and aits works will be bburned up. [10 aLit the works in it bTwo early mss read discovered]

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹²looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, ¹⁵and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, ¹⁸but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

1 JOHN 1 [Books]

Introduction, The Incarnate Word

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— ²and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

God Is Light

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

1 JOHN 2 [Books]

Christ Is Our Advocate

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an aAdvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ²and He Himself is the bpropitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. [1 aGr Paracletos, one called alongside to help; or Intercessor 2 bOr satisfaction]

3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; ⁵but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: ⁶the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. ⁸aOn the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. ⁹The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. ¹⁰The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. [8 aLit Again]

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. ¹³I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. ¹⁴I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that ait would be shown that they all are not of us. ²⁰bBut you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. ²¹I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and cbecause no lie is of the truth. ²²Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the dChrist? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. ²³Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. [19 aLit they would be revealed 20 bLit And 21 cOr know that 22 dI.e. Messiah]

The Promise Is Eternal Life

²⁵This is the promise which He Himself amade to us: eternal life. [25 aLit promised us]

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, ayou abide in Him. [27 aOr abide in Him; Gr command]

28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not ashrink away from Him in shame bat His coming. ²⁹If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is cborn of Him. [28 aLit be put to shame from Him bOr in His presence 29 cOr begotten]

1 JOHN 3 [Books]

Children of God Love One Another

1 See ahow great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ²Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. [1 aLit what kind of love]

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. ⁵You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. ⁶No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or aknows Him. ⁷Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil bhas sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹No one who is cborn of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is cborn of God. ¹⁰By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: danyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. [6 aOr has known 8 bLit sins 9 cOr begotten 10 dLit everyone]

11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹²not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. ¹⁵Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. ¹⁶We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his aheart bagainst him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. ¹⁹We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will cassure our heart before Him ²⁰din whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. ²¹Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence ebefore God; ²²and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. [17 aLit inward parts bLit from 19 cLit persuade 20 dOr that if our heart condemns us, that God... 21 eLit toward]

23 This is His commandment, that we abelieve in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He bcommanded us. ²⁴The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. [23 aOr believe the name bLit gave us a commandment]

1 JOHN 4 [Books]

Testing the Spirits

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; ³and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. ⁴You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. ⁵They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

God Is Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is aborn of God and knows God. ⁸The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹By this the love of God was manifested bin us, that God has sent His conly begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. ¹³By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. [7 aOr begotten 9 bOr in our case cOr unique, only one of His kind]

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶We have come to know and have believed the love which God has afor us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear binvolves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. ¹⁹We love, because He first loved us. ²⁰If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. ²¹And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. [16 aLit in 18 bLit has]

1 JOHN 5 [Books]

Overcoming the World

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the aChrist is bborn of God, and whoever loves the cFather loves the child bborn of Him. ²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and dobserve His commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴For whatever is bborn of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. [1 aI.e. Messiah bOr begotten cLit one who begets 2 dLit do]

5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not awith the water only, but awith the water and awith the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷For there are three that testify: ⁸bthe Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are cin agreement. ⁹If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. ¹⁰The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. ¹¹And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹²He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. [6 aLit in 8 bA few late mss add ...in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth, the Spirit cLit for the one thing]

This Is Written That You May Know

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴This is the confidence which we have abefore Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. [14 aLit toward]

16 If anyone sees his brother acommitting a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and bGod will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. ¹⁷All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. [16 aLit sinning bOr God will give him life, that is, to those who...]

18 We know that no one who is aborn of God sins; but He who was aborn of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. ¹⁹We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. [18 aOr begotten]

21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

2 JOHN 1 [Books]

Walk According to His Commandments

1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, ²for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: ³Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. ⁵Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. ⁶And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. ⁹aAnyone who bgoes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; ¹¹for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. [9 aLit Everyone bLit goes on ahead]

12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that ayour joy may be made full. [12 aOne early ms reads our]

13 The children of your chosen sister greet you.

3 JOHN 1 [Books]

You Walk in the Truth

1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. ³For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. ⁴I have no greater joy than athis, to hear of my children walking in the truth. [4 aLit these things, that I hear]

5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and aespecially when they are strangers; ⁶and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. ⁷For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸Therefore we ought to bsupport such men, so that we may cbe fellow workers dwith the truth. [5 aLit this 8 bOr receive such men as guests cOr prove ourselves to be dOr for]

9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept awhat we say. ¹⁰For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. [9 aLit us]

11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. ¹²Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; ¹⁴but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.

15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

JUDE 1 [Books]

The Warnings of History to the Ungodly

1 aJude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of bJames, [1 aGr Judas bOr Jacob]

To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: ²May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the asaints. ⁴For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand bmarked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. [3 aOr holy ones 4 bOr written about...long ago]

5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that athe Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, bsubsequently destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, ⁷just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after cstrange flesh, are exhibited as an dexample in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. [5 aTwo early mss read Jesus bLit the second time 7 cLit different or other flesh dOr example of eternal fire, in undergoing punishment]

8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile aangelic majesties. ⁹But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” ¹⁰But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are bdestroyed. ¹¹Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay cthey have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. ¹²These are the men who are dhidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, edoubly dead, uprooted; ¹³wild waves of the sea, casting up their own fshame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gblack darkness has been reserved forever. [8 aLit glories 10 bLit corrupted 11 cLit they have poured themselves out 12 dOr stains eLit twice 13 fOr shameless deeds gLit blackness of darkness; or netherworld gloom]

14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with amany thousands of His holy ones, ¹⁵to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” ¹⁶These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; bthey speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. [14 aLit His holy ten thousands 16 bLit their mouth speaks]

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” ¹⁹These are the ones who cause divisions, aworldly-minded, bdevoid of the Spirit. ²⁰But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. ²²And have mercy on some, who are doubting; ²³save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. [19 aOr merely natural bLit not having]

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, ²⁵to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and aforever. Amen. [25 aLit to all the ages]

REVELATION 1 [Books]

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and acommunicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, ²who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. ³Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and bheed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. [1 aOr signified 3 bOr keep]

Message to the Seven Churches

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who ais to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins bby His blood— ⁶and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to cHis God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ⁷BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. [4 aOr is coming 5 bOr in 6 cOr God and His Father]

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who ais to come, the Almighty.” [8 aOr is coming]

The Patmos Vision

9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and aperseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰I was bin the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, ¹¹saying, “Write in a cbook what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” [9 aOr steadfastness 10 bOr in spirit 11 cOr scroll]

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; ¹³and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like aa son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. ¹⁴His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. ¹⁵His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun bshining in its strength. [13 aOr the Son of Man 16 bLit shines]

17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ¹⁸and the living One; and I awas dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. ¹⁹Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. ²⁰As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. [18 aLit became]

REVELATION 2 [Books]

Message to Ephesus

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks aamong the seven golden lampstands, says this: [1 aLit in the middle of]

2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and aperseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; ³and you have bperseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. ⁴But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the cdeeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. ⁶Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’ [2 aOr steadfastness 3 bV 2, note 1 5 cLit first deeds]

Message to Smyrna

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

The first and the last, who awas dead, and has come to life, says this: [8 aLit became]

9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. aBe faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’ [10 aOr Prove yourself faithful]

Message to Pergamum

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. ¹⁵So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. ¹⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’

Message to Thyatira

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

The Son of God, who has aeyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: [18 aLit His eyes]

19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and aperseverance, and that your bdeeds of late are greater than cat first. ²⁰But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. ²²Behold, I will throw her don a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of eher deeds. ²³And I will kill her children with fpestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the gminds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. ²⁴But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. ²⁵Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. ²⁶He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE hNATIONS; ²⁷AND HE SHALL iRULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; ²⁸and I will give him the morning star. ²⁹He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ [19 aOr steadfastness bLit last deeds cLit the first 22 dLit into eOne early ms reads their 23 fLit death gLit kidneys, i.e. inner man 26 hOr Gentiles 27 iLit shepherd]

REVELATION 3 [Books]

Message to Sardis

1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, abut you are dead. ²Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. ³So remember bwhat you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. ⁴But you have a few cpeople in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. ⁶He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ [1 aLit and 3 bLit how 4 cLit names]

Message to Philadelphia

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

8 ‘I know your adeeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹Behold, I bwill cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down cat your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. ¹⁰Because you have kept the word of My dperseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of etesting, that hour which is about to come upon the whole fworld, to gtest those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ¹²He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. ¹³He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ [8 aOr deeds (behold...shut), that you have 9 bLit give cLit before 10 dOr steadfastness eOr temptation fLit inhabited earth gOr tempt]

Message to Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the aBeginning of the creation of God, says this: [14 aI.e. Origin or Source]

15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will aspit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ” [16 aLit vomit]

REVELATION 4 [Books]

Scene in Heaven

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” ²Immediately I was ain the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. ³And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a brainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. ⁴Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. [2 aOr in spirit 3 bOr halo]

The Throne and Worship of the Creator

⁵Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; ⁶and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the acenter and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. ⁷The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night bthey do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO cIS TO COME.” ⁹And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, [6 aLit middle of the throne and around 8 bLit they have no rest, saying, cOr is coming]

¹¹“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they aexisted, and were created.” [aLit were]

REVELATION 5 [Books]

The Book with Seven Seals

1 I saw ain the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a bbook written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. ²And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the bbook and to break its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the bbook or to look into it. ⁴Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the bbook or to look into it; ⁵and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the bbook and its seven seals.” [1 aLit upon bOr scroll]

6 And I saw abetween the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. ⁷And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. ⁸When He had taken the bbook, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the csaints. ⁹And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the bbook and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. [6 aLit in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders 8 bOr scroll cOr holy ones]

¹⁰“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Angels Exalt the Lamb

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” ¹³And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” ¹⁴And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

REVELATION 6 [Books]

The First Seal—Rider on White Horse

1 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Comea.” ²I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. [1 aOne early ms reads and see]

The Second Seal—War

3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Comea.” ⁴And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him. [3 aOne early ms reads and see]

The Third Seal—Famine

5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Comea.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A bquart of wheat for a cdenarius, and three bquarts of barley for a cdenarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.” [5 aOne early ms reads and see 6 bGr choenix; i.e. a dry measure almost equal to a qt cThe denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages]

The Fourth Seal—Death

7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Comea.” ⁸I looked, and behold, an bashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with cpestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. [7 aOne early ms reads and see 8 bOr sickly pale cOr death]

The Fifth Seal—Martyrs

9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; ¹⁰and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O aLord, holy and true, bwill You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” ¹¹And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. [10 aOr Master bLit do You not judge and avenge]

The Sixth Seal—Terror

12 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; ¹³and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. ¹⁴The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. ¹⁵Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the acommanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the bpresence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; ¹⁷for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” [15 aI.e. chiliarchs, in command of one thousand troops 16 bLit face]

REVELATION 7 [Books]

An Interlude

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ²And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, ³saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”

The 144,000

4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

⁵from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,

⁶from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

⁷from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

⁸from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; ¹⁰and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹²saying,

“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” ¹⁴I asaid to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His btemple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. ¹⁶They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun cbeat down on them, nor any heat; ¹⁷for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the dwater of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” [14 aLit have said 15 bOr sanctuary 16 cLit fall 17 dLit waters]

REVELATION 8 [Books]

The Seventh Seal—the Trumpets

1 When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ²And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might aadd it to the prayers of all the bsaints on the golden altar which was before the throne. ⁴And the smoke of the incense, cwith the prayers of the dsaints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. ⁵Then the angel etook the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. [3 aLit give bOr holy ones 4 cOr for dV 3, note 2 5 eLit has taken]

6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

7 The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, ⁹and a third of the creatures which were in the sea aand had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. [9 aLit the ones having]

10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. ¹¹The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

12 The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

13 Then I looked, and I heard aan eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” [13 aLit one eagle]

REVELATION 9 [Books]

The Fifth Trumpet—the Bottomless Pit

1 Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the abottomless pit was given to him. ²He opened the bbottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. ³Then out of the smoke came locusts cupon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. ⁴They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ⁵And dthey were not permitted to kill eanyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it fstings a man. ⁶And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. [1 aLit shaft of the abyss 2 bV 1, note 1 3 cLit into 5 dLit it was given to them eLit them fLit strikes]

7 The aappearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. ⁸They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. ⁹They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. ¹⁰They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. ¹¹They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is bAbaddon, and in the Greek he has the name cApollyon. [7 aLit likenesses 11 bI.e. destruction cI.e. destroyer]

12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

The Sixth Trumpet—Army from the East

13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard aa voice from the bfour horns of the golden altar which is before God, ¹⁴one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” ¹⁵And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of cmankind. ¹⁶The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. ¹⁷And dthis is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of ebrimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and ebrimstone. ¹⁸A third of cmankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the ebrimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. ¹⁹For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. [13 aLit one voice bTwo early mss do not contain four 15 cGr anthropoi 17 dLit thus I saw eI.e. burning sulphur]

20 The rest of amankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; ²¹and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts. [20 aGr anthropoi]

REVELATION 10 [Books]

The Angel and the Little Book

1 I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; ²and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; ³and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder auttered their voices. ⁴When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.” ⁵Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, ⁶and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer, ⁷but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He bpreached to His servants the prophets. [3 aOr spoke 7 bLit preached the gospel]

8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the abook which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” ⁹So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he *said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” ¹⁰I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹And they *said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” [8 aOr scroll]

REVELATION 11 [Books]

The Two Witnesses

1 Then there was given me a ameasuring rod like a staff; band someone said, “Get up and measure the ctemple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. ²dLeave out the court which is outside the ctemple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. ³And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” ⁴These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. ⁵And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. ⁶These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. [1 aLit reed bLit saying cOr sanctuary 2 dLit Throw out]

7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. ⁸And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which amystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bbodies for three and a half days, and cwill not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. ¹⁰And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. [8 aLit spiritually 9 bLit body cLit do not permit]

11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. ¹²And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. ¹³And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; aseven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. [13 aLit names of people, seven thousand]

14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

The Seventh Trumpet—Christ’s Reign Foreseen

15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His aChrist; and He will reign forever and ever.” ¹⁶And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷saying, [15 aI.e. Messiah]

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. ¹⁸And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to areward Your bond-servants the prophets and the bsaints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” [18 aLit give the reward to bOr holy ones]

19 And the atemple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His atemple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great bhailstorm. [19 aOr sanctuary bLit hail]

REVELATION 12 [Books]

The Woman, Israel

1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; ²and she was with child; and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

The Red Dragon, Satan

³Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. ⁴And his tail *swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

The Male Child, Christ

⁵And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to arule all the bnations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. ⁶Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there cshe would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. [5 aOr shepherd bOr Gentiles 6 cLit they would nourish her for]

The Angel, Michael

7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, ⁸and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. ⁹And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole aworld; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, [9 aLit inhabited earth]

“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even awhen faced with death. ¹²For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who bdwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” [11 aLit to death 12 bOr tabernacle]

13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. ¹⁴But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she *was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the apresence of the serpent. ¹⁵And the serpent bpoured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. ¹⁶cBut the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon bpoured out of his mouth. ¹⁷So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her dchildren, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. [14 aLit face 15 bLit threw 16 cLit And 17 dLit seed]

REVELATION 13 [Books]

The Beast from the Sea

1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the aseashore. [1 aLit sea]

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. ²And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. ³I saw one of his heads as if it had been aslain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; ⁴they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” ⁵There was given to him a mouth speaking barrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who cdwell in heaven. [3 aLit slaughtered to death 5 bLit great things 6 cOr tabernacle]

7 It was also given to him to make war with the asaints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. ⁸All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been bwritten from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. ⁹If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰If anyone cis destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the dperseverance and the faith of the asaints. [7 aOr holy ones 8 bOr written in the book...slain from the foundation of the world 10 cOr leads into captivity dOr steadfastness]

The Beast from the Earth

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. ¹²He exercises all the authority of the first beast ain his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. ¹³He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. ¹⁴And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform bin the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life. ¹⁵And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even cspeak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, dto be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. ¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is esix hundred and sixty-six. [12 aOr by his authority 14 bOr by the authority of 15 cOne early ms reads speak, and he will cause 16 dLit causes all,...that they give them a mark 18 eOne early ms reads 616]

REVELATION 14 [Books]

The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion

1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. ²And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. ³And they *asang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. ⁴These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they bhave kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless. [3 aTwo early mss read sing something like a new song 4 bLit are chaste men]

Vision of the Angel with the Gospel

6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who alive on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; ⁷and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” [6 aLit sit]

8 And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “aFallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the bpassion of her immorality.” [8 aLit Babylon...fell, fell, she who bOr wrath]

Doom for Worshipers of the Beast

9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed ain full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and bbrimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and cwhoever receives the mark of his name.” ¹²Here is the dperseverance of the esaints who keep the commandments of God and ftheir faith in Jesus. [10 aLit unmixed; in ancient times wine was usually diluted with water bI.e. burning sulphur 11 cLit if anyone 12 dOr steadfastness eOr holy ones fLit the faith of]

13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

The Reapers

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like aa son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. ¹⁵And another angel came out of the btemple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “cPut in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth dis ripe.” ¹⁶Then He who sat on the cloud eswung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. [14 aOr the Son of Man 15 bOr sanctuary cLit Send forth dLit has become dry 16 eLit cast]

17 And another angel came out of the atemple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “bPut in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters cfrom the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹So the angel dswung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. ²⁰And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, efor a distance of ftwo hundred miles. [17 aOr sanctuary 18 bLit Send forth cLit of 19 dLit cast 20 eLit from fLit sixteen hundred stadia; a stadion was approx 600 ft]

REVELATION 15 [Books]

A Scene of Heaven

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious aover the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. ³And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

[2 aLit from]

“Great and marvelous are Your works,

O Lord God, the Almighty;

Righteous and true are Your ways,

King of the anations! [3 aTwo early mss read ages]

⁴“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?

For You alone are holy;

For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,

FOR YOUR aRIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.” [aOr judgments]

5 After these things I looked, and the atemple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, ⁶and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the atemple, clothed in blinen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. ⁷Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. ⁸And the atemple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the atemple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. [5 aOr sanctuary 6 bOne early ms reads stone]

REVELATION 16 [Books]

Six Bowls of Wrath

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the atemple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out bon the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” [1 aOr sanctuary bLit into]

2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl aon the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the bpeople who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. [2 aLit into bGr anthropoi]

3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living athing in the sea died. [3 aLit soul]

4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. ⁵And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; ⁶for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They adeserve it.” ⁷And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” [6 aLit are worthy]

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. ⁹Men were scorched with afierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory. [9 aLit great]

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, ¹¹and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the aeast. [12 aLit rising of the sun]

Armageddon

¹³And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; ¹⁴for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole aworld, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. ¹⁵(“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”) ¹⁶And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called bHar-Magedon. [14 aLit inhabited earth 16 bTwo early mss read Armagedon]

Seventh Bowl of Wrath

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the atemple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” ¹⁸And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. ¹⁹The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the bnations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of cHis fierce wrath. ²⁰And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. ²¹And huge dhailstones, about eone hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely fsevere. [17 aOr sanctuary 19 bOr Gentiles cLit wrath of His anger 21 dLit hail eLit the weight of a talent fLit great]

REVELATION 17 [Books]

The Doom of Babylon

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, ²with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.” ³And he carried me away ain the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. ⁴The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and badorned with gold and precious cstones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, ⁵and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” ⁶And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the dsaints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered egreatly. ⁷And the angel said to me, “Why fdo you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. [3 aOr in spirit 4 bLit gilded cLit stone 6 dOr holy ones eLit with great wonder 7 fLit have you wondered]

8 “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and ago to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. ⁹Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, ¹⁰and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. ¹¹The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. ¹²The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³These have one bpurpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. [8 aOne early ms reads is going 13 bOr mind]

Victory for the Lamb

¹⁴These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

15 And he *said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. ¹⁶And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. ¹⁷For God has put it in their hearts to execute His apurpose bby having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. ¹⁸The woman whom you saw is the great city, which creigns over the kings of the earth.” [17 aOr mind bLit even to do one mind and to give 18 cLit has a kingdom]

REVELATION 18 [Books]

Babylon Is Fallen

1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. ²And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “aFallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a bprison of every unclean spirit, and a bprison of every unclean and hateful bird. ³For all the nations chave drunk of the wine of the dpassion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the ewealth of her fsensuality.” [2 aLit Babylon...fell, fell bOr haunt 3 cTwo early ancient mss read have fallen by dLit wrath eLit power fOr luxury]

4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; ⁵for her sins have apiled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. ⁶Pay her back even as she has paid, and bgive back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. ⁷To the degree that she glorified herself and lived csensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’ ⁸For this reason in one day her plagues will come, dpestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. [5 aLit joined together 6 bLit double to her 7 cOr luxuriously 8 dLit death]

Lament for Babylon

9 “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived asensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, ¹⁰standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ [9 aOr luxuriously]

11 “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— ¹²cargoes of gold and silver and precious astones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bbronze and iron and marble, ¹³and cinnamon and cspice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and dslaves and ehuman lives. ¹⁴The fruit fyou long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. ¹⁵The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, ¹⁶saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and gadorned with gold and precious hstones and pearls; ¹⁷for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’ And every shipmaster and every ipassenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, ¹⁸and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ ¹⁹And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her jwealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ ²⁰Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you ksaints and apostles and prophets, because God has lpronounced judgment for you against her.” [12 aLit stone bOr brass 13 cGr amomon dLit bodies eLit souls of people (Gr anthropoi) 14 fLit of your soul’s desire 16 gLit gilded hLit stone and pearl 17 iLit one who sails to a place 19 jLit costliness 20 kOr holy ones lLit judged your judgment of her]

21 Then aa strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. ²²And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; ²³and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. ²⁴And in her was found the blood of prophets and of bsaints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” [21 aLit one 24 bOr holy ones]

REVELATION 19 [Books]

The Fourfold Hallelujah

1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; ²BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS aON HER.” ³And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.” ⁴And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” ⁵And a voice came from the throne, saying, [2 aLit from her hand]

“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” ⁶Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

Marriage of the Lamb

⁷Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His abride has made herself ready.” ⁸It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the bsaints. [7 aLit wife 8 bOr holy ones]

9 Then he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.” ¹⁰Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he *said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The Coming of Christ

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. ¹²His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. ¹³He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. ¹⁵From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will arule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the bwine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” [15 aOr shepherd bLit wine press of the wine of the wrath of God’s anger]

17 Then I saw aan angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, ¹⁸so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of bcommanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” [17 aLit one 18 bI.e. chiliarchs, in command of one thousand troops]

19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

Doom of the Beast and False Prophet

²⁰And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs ain his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with bbrimstone. ²¹And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. [20 aOr by his authority bI.e. burning sulphur]

REVELATION 20 [Books]

Satan Bound

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain ain his hand. ²And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; ³and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. [1 aLit upon]

4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of atheir testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. [4 aLit the]

Satan Freed, Doomed

7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the aseashore. ⁹And they came up on the bbroad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the csaints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and dbrimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. [8 aLit sea 9 bLit breadth of the earth cOr holy ones 10 dI.e. burning sulphur]

Judgment at the Throne of God

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose apresence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and bbooks were opened; and another cbook was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the bbooks, according to their deeds. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. ¹⁴Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵And if danyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. [11 aLit face 12 bOr scrolls cOr scroll 15 dLit anyone was]

REVELATION 21 [Books]

The New Heaven and Earth

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ²And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will adwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among themb, ⁴and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” [3 aOr tabernacle bOne early ms reads, and be their God]

5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” ⁶Then He said to me, “aIt is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. ⁷He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. ⁸But for the cowardly and bunbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and cbrimstone, which is the second death.” [6 aLit They are 8 bOr untrustworthy cI.e. burning sulphur]

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls afull of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” [9 aLit who were full]

The New Jerusalem

¹⁰And he carried me away ain the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹having the glory of God. Her bbrilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. ¹²cIt had a great and high wall, cwith twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. ¹³There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. ¹⁴And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. [10 aOr in spirit 11 bLit luminary 12 cLit having]

15 The one who spoke with me had a agold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. ¹⁶The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the brod, cfifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. ¹⁷And he measured its wall, dseventy-two yards, according to human emeasurements, which are also angelic measurements. ¹⁸The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like fclear glass. ¹⁹The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; ²⁰the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. ²¹And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. [15 aLit measure, a gold reed 16 bLit reed cLit twelve thousand stadia; a stadion was approx 600 ft 17 dLit one hundred forty-four cubits eLit measure 18 fLit pure]

22 I saw no atemple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its atemple. ²³And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth bwill bring their glory into it. ²⁵In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; ²⁶and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; ²⁷and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those cwhose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. [22 aOr sanctuary 24 bLit bring 27 cLit who have been]

REVELATION 22 [Books]

The River and the Tree of Life

1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, aclear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of bthe Lamb, ²in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve ckinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; ⁴they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. ⁵And there will no longer be any night; and they dwill not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. [1 aLit bright bOr the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was 2 cOr crops of fruit 5 dLit do not have]

6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who aheeds the words of the prophecy of this book.” [7 aLit keeps]

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. ⁹But he *said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who aheed the words of this book. Worship God.” [9 aLit keep]

The Final Message

10 And he *said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. ¹¹Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man aaccording to what he has done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” [12 aLit as his work is]

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things afor the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” [16 aOr concerning]

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; ¹⁹and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and afrom the holy city, which are written in this book. [19 aLit out of]

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with aall. Amen. [21 aOne early ms reads the saints]