Justice in the Bible: God's Righteousness

God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

The LORD God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. You shall go on your belly and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

The LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—”

Therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.

So he drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

The LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.

Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”

The LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” The LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.

If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.

The LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground—man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky—for I am sorry that I have made them.”

The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

God said to Noah, “I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth.

I, even I, will bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die.

In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. I will destroy every living thing that I have made from the surface of the ground.”

I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man.

Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.

He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”

Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

So the LORD scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city.

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. From there, the LORD scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

The LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?

Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”

I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth;

In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May The LORD judge between me and you.”

The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”

The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”

Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”

He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly.

They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.”

Then the LORD rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulphur and fire from the LORD out of the sky.

He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground.

He looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and towards all the land of the plain, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!”

Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”

To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”

For the LORD had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”

Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”

Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.

Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.”

He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.”

He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”

Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.

Abimelech 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 on us!”

Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”

Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”

Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.

He said, “Appoint me your wages, and I will give it.”

So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted amongst the goats, and black amongst the sheep, that might be with me, will be considered stolen.”

Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.

Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me.

He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.

Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?

Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money.

Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?

Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.

Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?

Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.

Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”

The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.

The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. The men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he had done folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing that ought not to be done.

They said, “Should he deal with our sister as with a prostitute?”

chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan. These are the chiefs who came of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir.

Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD killed him.

The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, and he killed him also.

About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burnt.”

When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also said, “Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”

Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more.

For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker amongst his servants.

but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

As he interpreted to us, so it was. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.”

When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?

Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”

With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”

Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”

Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”

He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s.

Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn’t sell their land.

It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.”

Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s.

Boiling over like water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their self-will they hamstrung cattle.

Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

“Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?”

Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me;” and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?

No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”

They said to them, “May the LORD look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”

Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgements.

But Pharaoh will not listen to you, so I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgements.

The LORD says, “In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold: I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

The fish that are in the river will die and the river will become foul. The Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the river.”’”

The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood. There will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

The fish that were in the river died. The river became foul. The Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river. The blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Else, if you will 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. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on.

The LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.

Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,

and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.

Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

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 herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.”

The LORD said to Moses, “I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether.

and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of livestock.

For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will execute judgements against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.

“‘Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away yeast out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

There shall be no yeast found in your houses for seven days, for whoever eats that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a foreigner, or one who is born in the land.

For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you.

At midnight, 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 livestock.

One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst you.”

I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honour over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” They did so.

Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honour over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.

The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”

Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. The LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.

The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.

He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.

The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.

In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you. You send out your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.

When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They each gathered according to his eating.

The LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.”

He said, “The LORD has sworn: ‘The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’”

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”

On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.

When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.

Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”

you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor 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 on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.

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

“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything.

If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him.

“If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do.

If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.

If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her as a daughter.

If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.

If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.

“One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,

but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbour to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

“Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.

“Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

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

if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.

“If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished.

Notwithstanding, if his servant gets up after a day or two, he shall not be punished, for the servant is his property.

“If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman’s husband demands and the judges allow.

But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life,

eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.

“If a man strikes his servant’s eye, or his maid’s eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.

If he strikes out his male servant’s tooth, or his female servant’s tooth, he shall let the servant go free for his tooth’s sake.

“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible.

But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death.

If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed.

Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgement it shall be done to him.

If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

“If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn’t cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,

the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.

“If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.

Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.

If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

“If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten by letting his animal loose, and it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.

“If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

“If a man delivers to his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.

If the thief isn’t found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbour’s goods.

For every matter of trespass, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, ‘This is mine,’ the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbour.

the oath of the LORD shall be between them both, he has not put his hand on his neighbour’s goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.

But if it is stolen from him, the one who stole shall make restitution to its owner.

If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.

“If a man borrows anything of his neighbour’s, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.

If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

“If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

“You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

“Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.

“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.

“You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

“You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.

If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;

and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest.

If you take your neighbour’s garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down,

“You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice.

You shall not favour a poor man in his cause.

“You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

“Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.

“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

“You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, since you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

He said to the elders, “Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them.”

“You shall make a breastplate of judgement, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it.

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.

Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.’”

Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

You shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people.

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.

He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it.

He said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.’”

The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men fell of the people that day.

The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book.

Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

The LORD struck the people, because of what they did with the calf, which Aaron made.

keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

“‘If anyone sins, in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn’t report it, then he shall bear his iniquity.

He shall make restitution for that which he has done wrong regarding the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he will be forgiven.

“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against the LORD, and deals falsely with his neighbour in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbour,

or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions—

then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,

or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.

Fire came out from before the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to offer it as an offering to the LORD before the LORD’s tabernacle: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood. That man shall be cut off from amongst his people.

and doesn’t bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD, that man shall be cut off from his people.

“‘Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners amongst them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from amongst his people.

For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, “You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”

But if he doesn’t wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.’”

“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness.

The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.

“‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from amongst their people.

but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of the LORD, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.

You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.

“‘You shall not steal. “‘You shall not lie. “‘You shall not deceive one another.

“‘You shall not oppress your neighbour, nor rob him. “‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.

“‘You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favouritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbour in righteousness.

“‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

“‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.

The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born amongst you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

“‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgement, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.

You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

“Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones.

I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from amongst his people, because he has given of his offspring to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person when he gives of his offspring to Molech, and don’t put him to death,

then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him to play the prostitute with Molech, from amongst their people.

“‘The person that turns to those who are mediums and wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from amongst his people.

“‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon himself.

“‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

“‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.

“‘If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death. They have committed a perversion. Their blood shall be upon themselves.

“‘If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.

“‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burnt with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness amongst you.

“‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.

“‘If a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.

“‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a shameful thing. They shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his iniquity.

“‘If a man lies with a woman having her monthly period, and uncovers her nakedness, he has made her fountain naked, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from amongst their people.

“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close relative naked. They shall bear their iniquity.

If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness. They shall bear their sin. They shall die childless.

“‘If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.

You shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

“‘A man or a woman that is a medium or is a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their blood shall be upon themselves.’”

“‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father. She shall be burnt with fire.

“Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to the LORD, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am the LORD.

“‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

“‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not wholly reap into the corners of your field. You must not gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.’”

For whoever it is who shall not deny himself in that same day shall be cut off from his people.

Whoever does any kind of work in that same day, I will destroy that person from amongst his people.

“Bring him who cursed out of the camp; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.

He who blasphemes the LORD’s name, he shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him. The foreigner as well as the native-born shall be put to death when he blasphemes the Name.

“‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death.

He who strikes an animal mortally shall make it good, life for life.

If anyone injures his neighbour, it shall be done to him as he has done:

fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. It shall be done to him as he has injured someone.

He who kills an animal shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death.

You shall have one kind of law for the foreigner as well as the native-born; for I am the LORD your God.’”

Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they brought him who had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. The children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

The Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant, for your maid, for your hired servant, and for your stranger, who lives as a foreigner with you.

You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you; and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.

“‘In this Year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his property.

“‘If you sell anything to your neighbour, or buy from your neighbour, you shall not wrong one another.

According to the number of years after the Jubilee you shall buy from your neighbour. According to the number of years of the crops he shall sell to you.

According to the length of the years you shall increase its price, and according to the shortness of the years you shall diminish its price; for he is selling the number of the crops to you.

You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.

then let him reckon the years since its sale, and restore the surplus to the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return to his property.

But the houses of the villages which have no wall around them shall be accounted for with the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the Jubilee.

“‘Nevertheless, in the cities of the Levites, the Levites may redeem the houses in the cities of their possession at any time.

The Levites may redeem the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, and it shall be released in the Jubilee; for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession amongst the children of Israel.

But the field of the pasture lands of their cities may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession.

Take no interest from him or profit; but fear your God, that your brother may live amongst you.

You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

“‘If your brother has grown poor amongst you, and sells himself to you, you shall not make him to serve as a slave.

As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee.

You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.

“‘As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves.

You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession. Of them you may take your slaves forever, but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.

He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year that he sold himself to him to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale shall be according to the number of years; he shall be with him according to the time of a hired servant.

If there are yet many years, according to them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.

If there remain but a few years to the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him; according to his years of service he shall give back the price of his redemption.

As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him. He shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight.

I will bring a sword upon you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant. You will be gathered together within your cities, and I will send the pestilence amongst you. You will be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

The land also will be left by them, and will enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; and they will accept the punishment of their iniquity because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes.

But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him. The priest shall assign a value according to his ability to pay.

But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall reckon to him the money according to the years that remain to the Year of Jubilee; and an abatement shall be made from your valuation.

In the Year of Jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land belongs.

“‘No one devoted to destruction, who shall be devoted from amongst men, shall be ransomed. He shall surely be put to death.

You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood, but the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”

for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am the LORD.”

Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting towards the sunrise, shall be Moses, with Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.

then he shall confess his sin which he has done; and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.

“‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled,

or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute on her all this law.

The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.’”

Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of the LORD in its appointed season amongst the children of Israel?”

But the man who is clean, and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people. Because he didn’t offer the offering of the LORD in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

“‘If a foreigner lives amongst you and desires to keep the Passover to the LORD, then he shall do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner and for him who is born in the land.’”

The people were complaining in the ears of the LORD. When the LORD heard it, his anger burnt; and the LORD’s fire burnt amongst them, and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

The name of that place was called Taberah, because the LORD’s fire burnt amongst them.

The LORD’s anger burnt against them; and he departed.

The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.

The LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.”

‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’

surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it.

Tell them, ‘As I live, says the LORD, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so I will do to you.

Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were counted of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have complained against me,

surely you shall not come into the land concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.

Your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your prostitution, until your dead bodies are consumed in the wilderness.

After the number of the days in which you spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, you will bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you will know my alienation.’

I, the LORD, have spoken. I will surely do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.”

even those men who brought up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner, a statute forever throughout your generations. As you are, so the foreigner shall be before the LORD.

One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you.’”

You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born amongst the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst them.

“Separate yourselves from amongst this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!”

He spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins!”

But if the LORD makes a new thing, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up with all that belong to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall understand that these men have despised the LORD.”

As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split apart.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all of Korah’s men, and all their goods.

So they, and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed on them, and they perished from amongst the assembly.

All Israel that were around them fled at their cry; for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”

Fire came out from the LORD, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men who offered the incense.

even the censers of those who sinned against their own lives. Let them be beaten into plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before the LORD. Therefore they are holy. They shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”

“Get away from amongst this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!” They fell on their faces.

Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, in addition to those who died about the matter of Korah.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

“Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

The LORD sent venomous snakes amongst the people, and they bit the people. Many people of Israel died.

The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.

The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, but his latter end shall come to destruction.”

But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction.”

The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to the LORD before the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.”

Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.”

He went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped amongst the children of Israel.

“Harass the Midianites, and strike them;

for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.”

and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died; at the time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign.

To the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance. To everyone according to those who were counted of him shall his inheritance be given.

According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer.”

They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the Tent of Meeting, saying,

Why should the name of our father be taken away from amongst his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession amongst the brothers of our father.”

“The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance amongst their father’s brothers. You shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.

because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, to honour me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

But if he makes them null and void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”

“Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from amongst you for war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian.

They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.

and divide the plunder into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.

Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?

The LORD’s anger burnt against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation who had done evil in the LORD’s sight was consumed.

“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.

while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck amongst them. The LORD also executed judgements on their gods.

You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger groups you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so I will do to you.”

Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many, and from the few you shall take few. Everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give some of his cities to the Levites.”

The cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgement.

These six cities shall be refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreigner living amongst them, that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

“‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death.

If he shoved him out of hatred, or hurled something at him while lying in wait, so that he died,

or in hostility struck him with his hand, so that he died, he who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

“‘But if he shoved him suddenly without hostility, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,

or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him so that he died, and he was not his enemy and not seeking his harm,

then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

The congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he had fled. He shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

and the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man slayer, he shall not be guilty of blood,

because 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 man slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

“‘These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

“‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain based on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify alone against any person so that he dies.

“‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death.

“‘You shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.

“‘So you shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.

I commanded your judges at that time, saying, “Hear cases between your brothers and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the foreigner who is living with him.

You shall not show partiality in judgement; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgement is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”

Don’t contend with them; for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession.

The days in which we came from Kadesh Barnea until we had come over the brook Zered were thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the middle of the camp, as the LORD swore to them.

Moreover the LORD’s hand was against them, to destroy them from the middle of the camp, until they were consumed.

So, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from amongst the people,

When you come near the border of the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession, because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.”

Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed all the men who followed Baal Peor from amongst you.

What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?

For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from off the land which you go over the Jordan to possess it. You will not prolong your days on it, but will utterly be destroyed.

The LORD will scatter you amongst the peoples, and you will be left few in number amongst the nations where the LORD will lead you away.

that the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbour unintentionally and didn’t hate him in time past, and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor 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 on the fourth generation of those who hate me

“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, in which you shall not do any work— neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.

and when the LORD your God delivers them up before you, and you strike them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them.

and repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack to him who hates him. He will repay him to his face.

The LORD will take away from you all sickness; and he will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, on you, but will lay them on all those who hate you.

As the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish, because you wouldn’t listen to the LORD your God’s voice.

Don’t say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out from before you, “For my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land;” because the LORD drives them out before you because of the wickedness of these nations.

Not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

For the LORD your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes.

He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing.

his signs, and his works, which he did in the middle of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and to all his land;

and what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day;

and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben—how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the middle of all Israel;

Be careful that you don’t forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every abomination to the LORD, which he hates, they have done to their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

you shall not consent to him nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him;

but you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people.

You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more wickedness like this amongst you.

then you shall enquire, investigate, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done amongst you,

you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, with all that is therein and its livestock, with the edge of the sword.

You shall gather all its plunder into the middle of its street, and shall burn with fire the city, with all of its plunder, to the LORD your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again.

You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you.

The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living amongst you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

At the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts.

This is the way it shall be done: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbour. He shall not require payment from his neighbour and his brother, because the LORD’s release has been proclaimed.

Of a foreigner you may require it; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand shall release.

Beware that there not be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,” and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing; and he cry to the LORD against you, and it be sin to you.

For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.

If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.

When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty.

You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgement.

You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

You shall follow that which is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you.

and you are told, and you have heard of it, then you shall enquire diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel,

then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil thing to your gates, even that same man or woman; and you shall stone them to death with stones.

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

The hands of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgement, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise, and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses.

You shall come to the priests who are Levites and to the judge who shall be in those days. You shall enquire, and they shall give you the verdict.

According to the decisions of the law which they shall teach you, and according to the judgement which they shall tell you, you shall do. You shall not turn away from the sentence which they announce to you, to the right hand, nor to the left.

The man who does presumptuously in not listening to the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. You shall put away the evil from Israel.

They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.

For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. Because of these abominations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”

You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which the LORD your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there.

This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbour unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past—

as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbour to chop wood and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbour so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live.

Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past.

Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves.

This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.

But if any man hates his neighbour, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities;

then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.

You shall not remove your neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that the LORD your God gives you to possess.

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.

If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,

then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days;

and the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother,

then you shall do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and will never again commit any such evil amongst you.

Your eyes shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

If someone is found slain in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess, lying in the field, and it isn’t known who has struck him,

then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure to the cities which are around him who is slain.

It shall be that the elders of the city which is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer of the herd, which hasn’t been worked with and which has not drawn in the yoke.

The elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither ploughed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.

The priests the sons of Levi shall come near, for them the LORD your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in the LORD’s name; and according to their word shall every controversy and every assault be decided.

All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.

They shall answer and say, “Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Forgive, LORD, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and don’t allow innocent blood amongst your people Israel.” The blood shall be forgiven them.

So you shall put away the innocent blood from amongst you, when you shall do that which is right in the LORD’s eyes.

It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she desires; but you shall not sell her at all for money. You shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her.

then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not give the son of the beloved the rights of the firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn;

but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.

then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his place.

All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you. All Israel shall hear, and fear.

If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

accuses her of shameful things, gives her a bad name, and says, “I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn’t find in her the tokens of virginity;”

then the young lady’s father and mother shall take and bring the tokens of the young lady’s virginity to the elders of the city in the gate.

Behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying, ‘I didn’t find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;’ and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.” They shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.

The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him.

They shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has given a bad name to a virgin of Israel. She shall be his wife. He may not put her away all his days.

But if this thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady,

then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both die, the man who lay with the woman and the woman. So you shall remove the evil from Israel.

then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbour’s wife. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

But if the man finds the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die;

but to the lady you shall do nothing. There is in the lady no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbour and kills him, even so is this matter;

You shall not deliver to his master a servant who has escaped from his master to you.

He shall dwell with you, amongst you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him.

You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest.

You may charge a foreigner interest; but you shall not charge your brother interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.

When you come into your neighbour’s vineyard, then you may eat your fill of grapes at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your container.

When you come into your neighbour’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbour’s standing grain.

No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a life in pledge.

If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

When you lend your neighbour any kind of loan, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge.

You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge outside to you.

If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge.

You shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before the LORD your God.

You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the foreigners who are in your land within your gates.

In his day you shall give him his wages, neither shall the sun go down on it, for he is poor and sets his heart on it, lest he cry against you to the LORD, and it be sin to you.

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge;

but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you there. Therefore I command you to do this thing.

If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgement and the judges judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.

It shall be, if the wicked man is worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number.

He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight.

You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.

If the man doesn’t want 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 raise up to his brother a name in Israel. He will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.”

Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him. If he stands and says, “I don’t want to take her,”

then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his sandal from off his foot, and spit in his face. She shall answer and say, “So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.”

His name shall be called in Israel, “The house of him who had his sandal removed.”

When men strive against each other, and the wife of one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him who strikes him, and puts out her hand, and grabs him by his private parts,

then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity.

You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, one heavy and one light.

You shall not have in your house diverse measures, one large and one small.

You shall have a perfect and just weight. You shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to the LORD your God.

Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky. You shall not forget.

When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates and be filled.

You shall say before the LORD your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

‘Cursed is he who removes his neighbour’s landmark.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

‘Cursed is he who leads the blind astray on the road.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

‘Cursed is he who secretly kills his neighbour.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

You will be cursed when you come in, and you will be cursed when you go out.

The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me.

The LORD will make the pestilence cling to you, until he has consumed you from off the land where you go in to possess it.

The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with fiery heat, with the sword, with blight, and with mildew. They will pursue you until you perish.

Your sky that is over your head will be bronze, and the earth that is under you will be iron.

The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust. It will come down on you from the sky, until you are destroyed.

The LORD will cause you to be struck before your enemies. You will go out one way against them, and will flee seven ways before them. You will be tossed back and forth amongst all the kingdoms of the earth.

Your dead bodies will be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there will be no one to frighten them away.

The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with the tumours, with the scurvy, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed.

The LORD will strike you with madness, with blindness, and with astonishment of heart.

All these curses will come on you, and will pursue you and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you didn’t listen to the LORD your God’s voice, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you.

The LORD will not pardon him, but then the LORD’s anger and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book will fall on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under the sky.

The LORD will set him apart for evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this book of the law.

The generation to come—your children who will rise up after you, and the foreigner who will come from a far land—will say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick,

that all of its land is sulphur, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, doesn’t produce, nor does any grass grow in it, like the overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath.

Even all the nations will say, “Why has the LORD done this to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?”

Therefore the LORD’s anger burnt against this land, to bring on it all the curses that are written in this book.

The LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and thrust them into another land, as it is today.”

The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.

I declare to you today that you will surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it.

The Rock: his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness who does no wrong, just and right is he.

The LORD saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.

He said, “I will hide my face from them. I will see what their end will be; for they are a very perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.

They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their vanities. I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

For a fire is kindled in my anger, that burns to the lowest Sheol, devours the earth with its increase, and sets the foundations of the mountains on fire.

“I will heap evils on them. I will spend my arrows on them.

They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction. I will send the teeth of animals on them, with the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.

I said that I would scatter them afar. I would make their memory to cease from amongst men;

were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted; the LORD has not done all this.’”

“Isn’t this laid up in store with me, sealed up amongst my treasures?

Vengeance is mine, and recompense, at the time when their foot slides, for the day of their calamity is at hand. Their doom rushes at them.”

For the LORD will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large.

if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgement; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me.

I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.”

Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people.

because you trespassed against me amongst the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you didn’t uphold my holiness amongst the children of Israel.

He provided the first part for himself, for the lawgiver’s portion was reserved for him. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of the LORD, His ordinances with Israel.”

Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him shall himself be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it amongst their own stuff.

Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from amongst you.

In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which the LORD selects shall come near by families. The family which the LORD selects shall come near by households. The household which the LORD selects shall come near man by man.

It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the LORD’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.

Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.

Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burnt them with fire and stoned them with stones.

They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. The LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.

So Joshua burnt Ai and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day.

He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until the evening. At sundown, Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised a great heap of stones on it that remains to this day.

Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.

At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

They took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.

He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king.

So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded.

They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burnt Hazor with fire.

The children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, amongst the rest of their slain.

They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance amongst our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance amongst the brothers of their father.

because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance amongst his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

that the man slayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood.

He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his case in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live amongst them.

If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbour unintentionally, and didn’t hate him before.

He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgement, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then the man slayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city he fled from.’”

Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the alien who lives amongst them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands trial before the congregation.

To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Libnah with its pasture lands,

They gave them Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Gezer with its pasture lands,

They gave to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Be Eshterah with its pasture lands: two cities.

Out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Hammothdor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands: three cities.

Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Mahanaim with its pasture lands,

know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which the LORD your God spoke to you, so the LORD will bring on you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you,

when you disobey the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then the LORD’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.”

If you forsake the LORD, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good.”

But Adoni-Bezek fled. They pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their big toes cut off, scavenged under my table. As I have done, so God has done to me.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

Wherever they went out, the LORD’s hand was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were very distressed.

The LORD’s anger burnt against Israel; and he said, “Because this nation transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to my voice,

I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them;

So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.

The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

The LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time.

She lived under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgement.

Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.

‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’

She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at Oreb’s rock, and Zeeb they killed at Zeeb’s wine press, as they pursued Midian. Then they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.

Gideon said, “Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”

He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”

He came to the men of Succoth, and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”

He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.

Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.”

He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”

“Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands

and you have risen up against my father’s house today and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);

if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;

but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.”

that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that 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.

Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers;

and God repaid all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads; and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.

The LORD’s anger burnt against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the children of Ammon.

Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods. Therefore I will save you no more.

Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress!”

Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, “What do you have to do with me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”

The king of the children of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore that territory again peaceably.”

and he said to him, “Jephthah says: Israel didn’t take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon;

Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?

Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along the side of the Arnon for three hundred years! Why didn’t you recover them within that time?

Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me. May The LORD the Judge be judge today between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.”

He struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

She said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because the LORD has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon.”

The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless in the case of the Philistines when I harm them.”

Samson said to them, “If you behave like this, surely I will take revenge on you, and after that I will cease.”

The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” They said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he has done to us.”

Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in Etam’s rock, and said to Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” He said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.”

He judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

Samson called to the LORD, and said, “Lord GOD, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”

Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.

In those days there was no king in Israel. In those days the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day, their inheritance had not fallen to them amongst the tribes of Israel.

When he had come into his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.

It was so, that all who saw it said, “Such a deed has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak.”

(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?”

The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They intended to kill me and they raped my concubine, and she is dead.

I took my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

All the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us turn to his house.

But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;

and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have done in Israel.”

So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What wickedness is this that has happened amongst you?

Now therefore deliver up the men, the wicked fellows who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel.” But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.

The LORD struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand and one hundred men. All these drew the sword.

The children of Israel said, “Who is there amongst all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up in the assembly to the LORD?” For they had made a great oath concerning him who didn’t come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”

Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here,” and they sat down.

I thought I should tell you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you.” He said, “I will redeem it.”

Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was the way of formalizing transactions in Israel.

“Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed.

“The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven. She who has many children languishes.

“The LORD kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and brings up.

The LORD makes poor and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.

He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s. He has set the world on them.

He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength.

Those who strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.

No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make the LORD’s people disobey.

If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because the LORD intended to kill them.

Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honour your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’

“Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever.’ But now the LORD says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me will be cursed.

Behold, the days come that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, that there will not be an old man in your house.

This will be the sign to you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will both die.

The LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.

Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”

But the LORD’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumours, even Ashdod and its borders.

It was so, that after they had carried it there, the LORD’s hand was against the city with a very great confusion; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great, so that tumours broke out on them.

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.

His return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to the LORD there.

When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”

The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”

Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”

They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

He said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He is witness.”

Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.

But if you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”

Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see in whom this sin has been today.

For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man amongst all the people who answered him.

Therefore Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.

Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

The LORD of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of Egypt.

Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless amongst women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good towards you;

for he put his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

Therefore 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, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”

So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?

May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.

May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”

Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good.

About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal, so that he died.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is 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 returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.

David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish.

This thing isn’t good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”

He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?

Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the LORD has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the LORD; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to the LORD’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’

The LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.

The woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary?

The LORD has done to you as he spoke by me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbour, even to David.

David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.

Then all the wicked men and worthless fellows of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give them anything of the plunder that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away and depart.”

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 with the baggage. They shall share alike.”

It was so from that day forward that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died.

David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”

When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.

Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

Let it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?

Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” All the people wept again over him.

So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! The LORD has avenged my lord the king today of Saul and of his offspring.”

when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ thinking that he brought good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and rid the earth of you?”

David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in Abner’s grave in Hebron.

David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him go up to the watercourse and strike those lame and blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame can’t come into the house.”

The LORD’s anger burnt against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by God’s ark.

I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men;

He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people.

He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.”

When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

David’s anger burnt hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!

He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”

Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”

However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.”

He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

She said to him, “Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!” But he would not listen to her.

Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered, “Don’t let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”

The woman said, “Why then have you devised 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 home again his banished one.

Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

The LORD has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! The LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”

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 defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil on Absalom.

Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”

Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king, for the LORD has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.”

The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”

The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”

I am amongst those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, “It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless the LORD’s inheritance?”

The Gibeonites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” He said, “I will do for you whatever you say.”

They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and who plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,

let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” The king said, “I will give them.”

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites; and they hanged them on the mountain before the LORD, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.

Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

You will save the afflicted people, but your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.

They looked, but there was no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer them.

Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me,

But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand.

“Go and speak to David, ‘The LORD says, “I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’”

So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and seventy thousand men died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba.

Solomon said, “If he shows himself a worthy man, not a hair of his shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.”

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in his sandals that were on his feet.

Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace.

Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his grey head down to Sheol with blood.”

Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on my father David’s throne, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.”

King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died.

To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the Lord GOD’s ark before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”

So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being priest to the LORD, that he might fulfil the LORD’s word which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the LORD’s Tent; and behold, he is by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall on him.”

The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.

The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.

So their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his offspring forever. But for David, for his offspring, for his house, and for his throne, there will be peace forever from the LORD.”

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

For on the day you go out and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head.”

The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head.

So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”

God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,

Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.

The other woman said, “No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” The first one said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” They argued like this before the king.

Then the king said, “One says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead;’ and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”

The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.

The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.”

Then the king answered, “Give the first woman the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”

All Israel heard of the judgement which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

He made the porch of the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgement; and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.

“If a man sins against his neighbour, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house,

then hear in heaven, and act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men);

then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, your dwelling place, and maintain their cause;

Let these my words, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as every day requires;

then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and I will cast this house, which I have made holy for my name, out of my sight; and Israel will be a proverb and a byword amongst all peoples.

Though this house is so high, yet everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss; and they will say, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?’

and they will answer, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshipped them, and served them. Therefore the LORD has brought all this evil on them.’”

their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy—of them Solomon raised a levy of bondservants to this day.

But of the children of Israel Solomon made no bondservants; but they were the men of war, his servants, his princes, his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.

Blessed is 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.”

Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, 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.

The LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was one of the king’s offspring in Edom.

He said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces; for the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you

He cried against the altar by the LORD’s word, and said, “Altar! Altar! the LORD says: ‘Behold, a son will be born to David’s house, Josiah by name. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and they will burn men’s bones on you.’”

When the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself.

The altar was also split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the LORD’s word.

As they sat at the table, the LORD’s word came to the prophet who brought him back;

and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “The LORD says, ‘Because you have been disobedient to the LORD’s word, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you,

but came back, and have eaten bread and drank water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread, and drink no water,” your body will not come to the tomb of your fathers.’”

When he had gone, a lion met him by the way and killed him. His body was thrown on the path, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body.

Behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the path, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to the LORD’s word. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has mauled him and slain him, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke to him.”

therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam everyone who urinates on a wall, he who is shut up and he who is left at large in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung until it is all gone.

The dogs will eat he who belongs to Jeroboam who dies in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field, for the LORD has spoken it.”’

Moreover the LORD will raise up a king for himself over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Even now.

For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking the LORD to anger.

He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he has sinned, and with which he has made Israel to sin.”

As soon as he was king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam. He didn’t leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite;

behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

The dogs will eat Baasha’s descendants who die in the city; and he who dies of his in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.”

Moreover the LORD’s word came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him.

When he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, he attacked all the house of Baasha. He didn’t leave him a single one who urinates on a wall amongst his relatives or his friends.

Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,

Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he committed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

He answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the LORD’s commandments and you have followed the Baals.

Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.

He who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.

Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the LORD’s voice, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.” As soon as he had departed from him, a lion found him and killed him.

As the king passed by, he cried to the king, and he said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle; and behold, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man! If by any means he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgement be. You yourself have decided it.”

He said to him, “The LORD says, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life will take the place of his life, and your people take the place of his people.’”

She wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high amongst the people.

Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.”

The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones.

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.”

“Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwells in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it.

You shall speak to him, saying, ‘The LORD says, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ You shall speak to him, saying, ‘The LORD says, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.”’”

Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in the LORD’s sight.

Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.

I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin.”

The LORD also spoke of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs will eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.

The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field.”

“See how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but I will bring the evil on his house in his son’s day.”

The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One said one thing, and another said another.

The LORD said to him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.’

Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has spoken evil concerning you.”

Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”

They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood where the prostitutes washed themselves, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke.

The remnant of the sodomites, that remained in the days of his father Asa, he put away out of the land.

Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty!” Then fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.

Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty!” Then God’s fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.

He said to him, “The LORD says, ‘Because you have sent messengers to enquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? Therefore you will not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you will surely die.’”

He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the LORD’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of those youths.

Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.

The king had appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate; and the people trampled over him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

It happened like that to him, for the people trampled over him in the gate, and he died.

At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. Then she went out to beg the king for her house and for her land.

As he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life begged the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.”

You must strike your master Ahab’s house, 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.

For the whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, both him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.

I will make Ahab’s house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

The dogs will eat Jezebel on the plot of ground of Jezreel, and there shall be no one to bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria;

but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) Jehu said, “If this is your thinking, then let no one escape and go out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.”

When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” He answered, “What peace, so long as the prostitution of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft abound?”

Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and struck Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up, and throw him in the plot of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how, when you and I rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden on him:

‘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 plot of ground,’ says the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him onto the plot of ground, according to the LORD’s word.”

But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said, “Strike him also in the chariot!” They struck him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo, and died there.

As Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?”

He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses. Then he trampled her under foot.

When he had come in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter.”

They went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands.

Therefore they came back, and told him. He said, “This is the LORD’s word, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘The dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel on the plot of Jezreel,

and the body of Jezebel will be as dung on the surface of the field on Jezreel’s land, so that they won’t say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.

A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”

In the morning, he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining.

He said, “Take them alive!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them.

When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed them, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke to Elijah.

Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshippers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent, for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshippers of Baal.

So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”

As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal.

In those days the LORD began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel

from 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.

Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks. Kill anyone who follows her with the sword.” For the priest said, “Don’t let her be slain in the LORD’s house.”

So they seized her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house, and she was slain there.

All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down. They broke his altars and his images in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over the LORD’s house.

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.

As soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he killed his servants who had slain the king his father,

but the children of the murderers he didn’t put to death, according to that which 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 children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.”

The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham, the king’s son, was over the household, judging the people of the land.

Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight. There was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

Also Judah didn’t keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

The LORD rejected all the offspring of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hands of raiders, until he had cast them out of his sight.

until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.

So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn’t fear the LORD. Therefore the LORD sent lions amongst them, which killed some of them.

because they didn’t obey the LORD their God’s voice, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear it or do it.

Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel!

Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance has come up into 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 by which you came.’

That night, the LORD’s angel went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

As he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, after the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

“Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, and has done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has also made Judah to sin with his idols;

therefore the LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Behold, I will bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.

I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plumb line of Ahab’s house; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.

I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. They will become a prey and a plunder to all their enemies,

because they have done that which is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.’”

Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; in addition to his sin with which he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

The servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house.

But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

Because they have forsaken me and have burnt incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.’”

He killed all the priests of the high places that were there, on the altars, and burnt men’s bones on them; and he returned to Jerusalem.

Notwithstanding, the LORD didn’t turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, with which his anger burnt against Judah, because of all the provocation with which Manasseh had provoked him.

The LORD said, “I will also remove Judah out of my sight, as I have removed Israel; and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’”

The LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Syrians, bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke by his servants the prophets.

Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came on Judah, to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did,

and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon.

For through the anger of the LORD, this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Then they captured the king and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they passed judgement on him.

They killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

The king of Babylon attacked them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah, which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; and he killed him.

The son of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who committed a trespass in the devoted thing.

They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed before them.

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried away 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.

Jehozadak went into captivity when the LORD carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.”

The LORD’s anger burnt against Uzza, and he struck him because he put his hand on the ark; and he died there before God.

Remember his marvellous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth,

He is the LORD our God. His judgements are in all the earth.

He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness for all his people.

He brought out the people who were in it, and had them cut with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

God was displeased with this thing; therefore he struck Israel.

“Go and speak to David, saying, ‘The LORD says, “I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’”

either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed 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 LORD’s angel destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.’”

So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.

David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of the LORD’s house, six thousand were officers and judges,

Thus they were divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

They cast lots for their offices, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the student.

Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.

But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’

Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?”

God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, honour, or the life of those who hate you, nor yet have you asked for long life; but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king,

“If a man sins against his neighbour, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house,

then hear from heaven, act, and judge your servants, bringing retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men),

then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword amongst all peoples.

This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?’

They shall answer, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and took other gods, worshipped them, and served them. Therefore he has brought all this evil on them.’”

Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

“Your father made our yoke grievous. Now therefore make the grievous service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”

Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “The LORD says, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “The LORD is righteous.”

Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. The LORD struck him, and he died.

They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God troubled them with all adversity.

and that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; so Asa cut down her image, ground it into dust, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

Jehu 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? Because of this, wrath is on you from before the LORD.

He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for the LORD; and he is with you in the judgement.

Now therefore let the fear of the LORD be on you. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.”

Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites, priests, and heads of the fathers’ households of Israel to give judgement for the LORD and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem.

Whenever any controversy comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them, that they not be guilty towards the LORD, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty.

Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy each other.

Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” The ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

behold, the LORD will strike your people with a great plague, including your children, your wives, and all your possessions;

and you will have great sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.’”

The LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians;

After all this the LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram; for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off Ahab’s house.

When Jehu was executing judgement on Ahab’s house, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah serving Ahaziah, and killed them.

He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu and killed him; and they buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.

Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword.” For the priest said, “Don’t kill her in the LORD’s house.”

So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king’s house; and they killed her there.

All the people went to the house of Baal, broke it down, broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, “May the LORD look at it, and repay it.”

When they had departed from him (for they left him seriously wounded), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died. They buried him in David’s city, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings.

These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

Now when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.

But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.”

As he talked with him, the king said to him, “Have we made you one of the king’s counsellors? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped, and said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

But Amaziah would not listen; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom.

For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, because he acted without restraint in Judah and trespassed severely against the LORD.

Therefore the LORD’s wrath was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment and a hissing, as you see with your eyes.

Don’t be like your fathers and like your brothers, who trespassed against the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as you see.

Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, to the great as well as to the small;

The LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valour, the leaders, and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body killed him there with the sword.

But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.

Therefore the LORD brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.

But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

“The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.

Because they have forsaken me, and have burnt incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath is poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’”’

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

but they mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the LORD’s wrath arose against his people, until there was no remedy.

Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed 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.

There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them.

Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me.

But after 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 house and carried the people away into Babylon.

I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter this, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with all diligence.

You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them.

Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgement be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

Now let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”

The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.

“Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their reproach on their own head. Give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity.

Don’t cover their iniquity. Don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.

I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.

I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.

Please restore to them, even today, 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 charging them.”

Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

“Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.”

and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.

“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.

Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviours who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies,

Yet many years you put up with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not listen. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.

Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.

I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field.

Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food.

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.

Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for it was the king’s custom to consult those who knew law and judgement;

“What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?”

Memucan answered before the king and the princes, “Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.

“If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written amongst the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.

When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.

Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed amongst the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from other people’s. They don’t keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to remain.

He also gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Susa to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to urge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people.

Then Mordecai asked them to return this answer to Esther: “Don’t think to yourself that you will escape in the king’s house any more than all the Jews.

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

The king said, “What honour and dignity has been given to Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.”

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”

Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”

Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king, said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it!”

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath was pacified.

On that day, King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.

She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seems right to the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse 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.

Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he laid his hand on the Jews.

Write also to the Jews as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives—to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the month, when the king’s commandment and his decree came near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to conquer them, (but it turned out that the opposite happened, that the Jews conquered those who hated them),

The Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they wanted to those who hated them.

In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

They killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,

Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,

Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha,

the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.

On that day, the number of those who were slain in the citadel of Susa was brought before the king.

The king said to Esther the queen, “The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in the citadel of Susa, including the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your further request? It shall be done.”

Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do tomorrow also according to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

The king commanded this to be done. A decree was given out in Susa; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

The Jews who were in Susa gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men in Susa; but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.

but when this became known to the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked plan, which he had planned against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

There the wicked cease from troubling. There the weary are at rest.

The small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master.

“Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

According to what I have seen, those who plough iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.

By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.

He frustrates the plans of the crafty, so that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.

He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.

But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

Please return. Let there be no injustice. Yes, return again. My cause is righteous.

Is there injustice on my tongue? Can’t my taste discern mischievous things?

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.

“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”

“Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?

If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’

“It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.

If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgement.

There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.

I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?

that you enquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

“Shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified?

Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, will no man make you ashamed?

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you,

that he would show you the secrets of wisdom! For true wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

If he passes by, or confines, or convenes a court, then who can oppose him?

For he knows false men. He sees iniquity also, even though he doesn’t consider it.

But the eyes of the wicked will fail. They will have no way to flee. Their hope will be the giving up of the spirit.”

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.

Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leads counsellors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgement with you?

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,

he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”

“Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.

that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbour!

For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.

He who denounces his friends for plunder, even the eyes of his children will fail.

Upright men will be astonished at this. The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.

“Yes, the light of the wicked will be put out. The spark of his fire won’t shine.

The light will be dark in his tent. His lamp above him will be put out.

The steps of his strength will be shortened. His own counsel will cast him down.

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he wanders into its mesh.

A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him.

A noose is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him on the path.

Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous. This is the place of him who doesn’t know God.”

“Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no justice.

be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgement.”

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.

His children will seek the favour of the poor. His hands will give back his wealth.

His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.

yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.

He will restore that for which he laboured, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.

There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure.

In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.

When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.

The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”

“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?

“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?

How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?

You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.

Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?

For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’

that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?

Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?

You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me.

There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge.

“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty? Why don’t those who know him see his days?

They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,

They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.

From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn’t regard the folly.

The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.

In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.

“They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They don’t turn into the way of the vineyards.

Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned.

The womb will forget him. The worm will feed sweetly on him. He will be no more remembered. Unrighteousness will be broken as a tree.

He devours the barren who don’t bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.

“Let my enemy be as the wicked. Let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

“This is the portion of a wicked man with God, the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.

he may prepare it, but the just will put it on, and the innocent will divide the silver.

because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,

Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?

“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.

(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveller);

oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than God.

Also his wrath was kindled against his three friends, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice.

Please don’t let me respect any man’s person, neither will I give flattering titles to any man.

“Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just, for God is greater than man.

If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you.

For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right.

Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’

“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?

He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of his hands.

In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.

“For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.

There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgement.

He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.

Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.

When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,

that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.

I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.

“Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’

Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit a son of man.

He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.

If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,

But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.

“But you are full of the judgement of the wicked. Judgement and justice take hold of you.

Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?

For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.

whether it is for correction, or for his land, or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.

We can’t reach the Almighty. He is exalted in power. In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress.

that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.

“Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Will you even annul my judgement? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?

Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.

Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.

Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.

It was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.

The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.

For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness. Evil can’t live with you.

The arrogant will not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity.

You will destroy those who speak lies. The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.

Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels. Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you.

May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.

if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary),

Arise, LORD, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgement.

Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high.

The LORD administers judgement to the peoples. Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.

God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.

If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.

He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows.

Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.

He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.

The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.

For you have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously.

You have rebuked the nations. You have destroyed the wicked. You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin. The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished.

But the LORD reigns forever. He has prepared his throne for judgement.

He will judge the world in righteousness. He will administer judgement to the peoples in uprightness.

For he who avenges blood remembers them. He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted.

The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.

The LORD has made himself known. He has executed judgement. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah.

The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol, even all the nations that forget God.

Arise, LORD! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight.

Put them in fear, LORD. Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.

In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.

For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns the LORD.

His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.

Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account”?

Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.

to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

The LORD examines the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and him who loves violence.

On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulphur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

For the LORD is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright shall see his face.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,

“Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in safety from those who malign him.”

The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted amongst the sons of men.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on the LORD?

he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man;

he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.

Let my sentence come out of your presence. Let your eyes look on equity.

Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

from men by your hand, LORD, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.

Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.

They cried, but there was no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer them.

Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.

even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.

Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them.

You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from amongst the children of men.

For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.

Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.

He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

By David. Judge me, LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in the LORD without wavering.

in whose hands is wickedness; their right hand is full of bribes.

Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings. Give them according to the operation of their hands. Bring back on them what they deserve.

Because they don’t respect the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he will break them down and not build them up.

Let me not be disappointed, LORD, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.

Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

Oh love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of the LORD.

The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.

he who fashions all of their hearts; and he considers all of their works.

The LORD’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth.

Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonour. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.

Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them.

Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.

All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”

Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.

Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.

Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour who magnify themselves against me.

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgements are like a great deep. LORD, you preserve man and animal.

There the workers of iniquity are fallen. They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.

The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke.

For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” Selah.

Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonour who delight in my hurt.

Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”

But you, LORD, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them.

Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.

Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies.

Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgements.

both low and high, rich and poor together.

They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people:

The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah.

But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

“You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son.

You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.

God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah.

There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself amongst us?” Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might.

He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth.

Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is amongst them, in their dwelling.

God, who is enthroned forever, will hear and answer them. Selah. They never change and don’t fear God.

But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.

Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.

They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves. Selah.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, LORD.

Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.

Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.

At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.

Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness, for you reward every man according to his work.

But those who seek my soul to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food.

But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.

They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.

Their own tongues shall ruin them. All who see them will shake their heads.

He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.

Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth. Selah.

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

But God will strike through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.

that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”

Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot the bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap.

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.

Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents.

Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your righteousness.

Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

Let them be turned because of their shame who say, “Aha! Aha!”

Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

By Solomon. God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.

He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces.

For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.

Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.

How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.

As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.

For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.

Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!

Honour your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.

Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.

Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.

When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.

I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.

Don’t lift up your horn on high. Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”

For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.

But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.

For in the LORD’s hand there is a cup, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours it out. Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.

I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Valiant men lie plundered, they have slept their last sleep. None of the men of war can lift their hands.

You pronounced judgement from heaven. The earth feared, and was silent,

when God arose to judgement, to save all the afflicted ones of the earth. Selah.

Surely the wrath of man praises you. The survivors of your wrath are restrained.

He will cut off the spirit of princes. He is feared by the kings of the earth.

he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.

He sent amongst them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labour to the locust.

He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.

He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil.

He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,

and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.

Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim,

Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,

Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known amongst the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.

Pay back to our neighbours seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.

So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.

The haters of the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

A Psalm by Asaph. God presides in the great assembly. He judges amongst the gods.

“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.”

Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.

Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;

who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth.

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

who said, “Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands.”

My God, make them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind.

As the fire that burns the forest, as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,

so pursue them with your tempest, and terrify them with your storm.

Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, LORD.

Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be confounded and perish;

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.

then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

You have ended his splendour, and thrown his throne down to the ground.

You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked.

though the wicked spring up as the grass, and all the evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.

For behold, your enemies, LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish. All the evildoers will be scattered.

LORD, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.

Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.

LORD, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.

He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish? He who teaches man knows.

that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

For judgement will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.

Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. The LORD, our God, will cut them off.

Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They won’t enter into my rest.”

Say amongst the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is also established. It can’t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.

before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth.

Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

A fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries on every side.

Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgements, LORD.

Let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

The King’s strength also loves justice. You establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.

You answered them, LORD our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings.

A Psalm by David. I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, LORD, I will sing praises.

I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbour. I won’t tolerate one who is arrogant and conceited.

He who practices deceit won’t dwell within my house. He who speaks falsehood won’t be established before my eyes.

Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land, to cut off all the workers of iniquity from the LORD’s city.

The LORD executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.

Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD!

Remember his marvellous works that he has done: his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth,

He is the LORD, our God. His judgements are in all the earth.

He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish.

Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the rooms of their kings.

He spoke, and swarms of flies came, and lice in all their borders.

He gave them hail for rain, with lightning in their land.

He struck their vines and also their fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.

Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.

The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left.

The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burnt up the wicked.

Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,

that he would overthrow their offspring amongst the nations, and scatter them in the lands.

Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgement, so the plague was stopped.

They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood.

Therefore the LORD burnt with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.

He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them.

He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground,

and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.

They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

When he is judged, let him come out guilty. Let his prayer be turned into sin.

Let his days be few. Let another take his office.

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Let his children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins.

Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labour.

Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.

Let his posterity be cut off. In the generation following let their name be blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD. Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth;

because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones.

Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him.

This is the reward of my adversaries from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my soul.

They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.

Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonour. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

The Lord is at your right hand. He will crush kings in the day of his wrath.

He will judge amongst the nations. He will heap up dead bodies. He will crush the ruler of the whole earth.

The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure.

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgement.

The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.

You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who wander from your commandments.

Indignation has taken hold on me, because of the wicked who forsake your law.

LORD, I know that your judgements are righteous, that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgement on those who persecute me?

The proud have dug pits for me, contrary to your law.

You reject all those who stray from your statutes, for their deceit is in vain.

You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love your testimonies.

My flesh trembles for fear of you. I am afraid of your judgements.

AYIN I have done what is just and righteous. Don’t leave me to my oppressors.

It is time to act, LORD, for they break your law.

TZADHE You are righteous, LORD. Your judgements are upright.

Deliver my soul, LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

For there are set thrones for judgement, the thrones of David’s house.

For the sceptre of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous, so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.

But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways, the LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.

The LORD is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.

Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion.

Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up,

I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will shine.”

He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal.

He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.

He struck many nations, and killed mighty kings—

Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan—

For the LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants.

to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever;

but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever;

Remember, LORD, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!”

Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us.

If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

LORD, don’t grant the desires of the wicked. Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.

As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, from where they never rise.

An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.

Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.

Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.

In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

The LORD preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked.

who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.

The LORD preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.

The LORD upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;

to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

to execute on them the written judgement. All his saints have this honour. Praise the LORD!

to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.

But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Don’t say to your neighbour, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.

The LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

By me princes rule, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,

A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but accurate weights are his delight.

Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

A good man shall obtain favour from the LORD, but he will condemn a man of wicked plans.

The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

He who is truthful testifies honestly, but a false witness lies.

No mischief shall happen to the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.

Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.

An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away.

A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.

The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honours him.

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

The LORD’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

The LORD will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow’s borders intact.

The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.

The LORD has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; they shall certainly not be unpunished.

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

Inspired judgements are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.

Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.

Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.

A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.

An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.

Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.

To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.

The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.

A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.

Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.

A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.

Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

A king who sits on the throne of judgement scatters away all evil with his eyes.

Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.

Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.

A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.

Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

Don’t move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up.

Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.

One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;

lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgement is not good.

He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—

but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

Don’t be a witness against your neighbour without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.

Take away the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbour shames you?

A man who gives false testimony against his neighbour is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.

A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!

is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, “Am I not joking?”

His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!

In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.

A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; but those who keep the law contend with them.

Evil men don’t understand justice; but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.

Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.

As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.

A tyrannical ruler lacks judgement. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

A man who is tormented by blood guilt will be a fugitive until death. No one will support him.

To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.

The righteous care about justice for the poor. The wicked aren’t concerned about knowledge.

If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked.

The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

The king who fairly judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever.

When the wicked increase, sin increases; but the righteous will see their downfall.

Whoever is an accomplice of a thief is an enemy of his own soul. He takes an oath, but dares not testify.

Many seek the ruler’s favour, but a man’s justice comes from the LORD.

A dishonest man detests the righteous, and the upright in their ways detest the wicked.

“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from amongst men.

“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”

She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God.

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.

Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement.

For God will bring every work into judgement, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the LORD’s mouth has spoken it.”

How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.

Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.

Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.

I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.

I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’

Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.

But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Man is brought low, and mankind is humbled; therefore don’t forgive them.

The lofty looks of man will be brought low, the arrogance of men will be bowed down, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

For there will be a day of the LORD of Armies for all that is proud and arrogant, and for all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low—

for all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, for all the oaks of Bashan,

for all the high mountains, for all the hills that are lifted up,

The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the arrogance of men shall be brought low; and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

For, behold, the Lord, GOD of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support, the whole supply of bread, and the whole supply of water;

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

The look of their faces testify against them. They parade their sin like Sodom. They don’t hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought disaster upon themselves.

Tell the righteous that it will be well with them, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.

Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them, for the deeds of their hands will be paid back to them.

The LORD stands up to contend, and stands to judge the peoples.

The LORD will enter into judgement with the elders of his people and their leaders: “It is you who have eaten up the vineyard. The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

What do you mean that you crush my people, and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

therefore the Lord brings sores on the crown of the head of the women of Zion, and the LORD will make their scalps bald.”

In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces,

the earrings, the bracelets, the veils,

the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume containers, the charms,

the signet rings, the nose rings,

the fine robes, the capes, the cloaks, the purses,

when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from within it, by the spirit of justice and by the spirit of burning.

“Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard.

For the vineyard of the LORD of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression, for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

Therefore my people go into captivity for lack of knowledge. Their honourable men are famished, and their multitudes are parched with thirst.

Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices amongst them, descend into it.

So man is brought low, mankind is humbled, and the eyes of the arrogant ones are humbled;

but the LORD of Armies is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness.

Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture, and strangers will eat the ruins of the rich.

Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope,

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice for the innocent!

now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of Armies will perform this.

Therefore the LORD will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,

The Syrians in front, and the Philistines behind; and they will devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day.

The elder and the honourable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.

For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed.

Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

For wickedness burns like a fire. It devours the briers and thorns; yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.

Through the LORD of Armies’ wrath, the land is burnt up; and the people are the fuel for the fire. No one spares his brother.

One will devour on the right hand, and be hungry; and he will eat on the left hand, and they will not be satisfied. Everyone will eat the flesh of his own arm:

Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees

to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor amongst my people of their rights, that widows may be their plunder, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

Therefore it will happen that when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the wilful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his arrogant looks.

Therefore the Lord, the LORD of Armies, will send amongst his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire.

The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.

He will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints.

The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child could write their number.

For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

For the Lord, the LORD of Armies, will make a full end, and that determined, throughout all the earth.

For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction.”

The LORD of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt.

Behold, the Lord, the LORD of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.

He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

His delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by the sight of his eyes, neither decide by the hearing of his ears;

but he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.

Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy its sinners out of it.

I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will humble the arrogance of the terrible.

Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who will not value silver, and as for gold, they will not delight in it.

Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be like when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

The peoples will take them, and bring them to their place. The house of Israel will possess them in the LORD’s land for servants and for handmaids. They will take as captives those whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

that you will take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased! The golden city has ceased!”

The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers,

who struck the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, who ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that no one restrained.

Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the departed spirits for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

They all will answer and ask you, “Have you also become as weak as we are? Have you become like us?”

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.

How you have fallen from heaven, shining one, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low!

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.

who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities, who didn’t release his prisoners to their home?”

But you are cast away from your tomb like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain who are thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trodden under foot.

You will not join them in burial, because you have destroyed your land. You have killed your people. The offspring of evildoers will not be named forever.

Prepare for slaughter of his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, that they not rise up and possess the earth, and fill the surface of the world with cities.

“I will rise up against them,” says the LORD of Armies, “and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and son and son’s son,” says the LORD.

“I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water. I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says the LORD of Armies.

that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and tread him under foot on my mountains. Then his yoke will leave them, and his burden leave their shoulders.

The firstborn of the poor will eat, and the needy will lie down in safety; and I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant will be killed.

Give counsel! Execute justice! Make your shade like the night in the middle of the noonday! Hide the outcasts! Don’t betray the fugitive!

A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.

In that day, their strong cities will be like the forsaken places in the woods and on the mountain top, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel; and it will be a desolation.

The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far off, and will be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm.

At evening, behold, terror! Before the morning, they are no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who rob us.

For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and he will cut down and take away the spreading branches.

They will be left together for the ravenous birds of the mountains, and for the animals of the earth. The ravenous birds will eat them in the summer, and all the animals of the earth will eat them in the winter.

The burden of Egypt. “Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt within it.

I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they will fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

The waters will fail from the sea, and the river will be wasted and become dry.

Behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs.” He answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.

The LORD of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

The Lord, the LORD of Armies says, “Go, get yourself to this treasurer, even to Shebna, who is over the house, and say,

Behold, the LORD will overcome you and hurl you away violently. Yes, he will grasp you firmly.

Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honourable of the earth?

The LORD of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.

It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.

The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.

Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burnt, and few men are left.

It will happen in that day that the LORD will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.

They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; and after many days they will be visited.

For you have made a city into a heap, a fortified city into a ruin, a palace of strangers to be no city. It will never be built.

For the LORD’s hand will rest in this mountain. Moab will be trodden down in his place, even like straw is trodden down in the water of the dunghill.

He will spread out his hands in the middle of it, like one who swims spreads out hands to swim, but his pride will be humbled together with the craft of his hands.

He has brought the high fortress of your walls down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.

For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.

The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.”

The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.

Yes, in the way of your judgements, LORD, we have waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.

With my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly; for when your judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Let favour be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see the LORD’s majesty.

LORD, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.

The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

For, behold, the LORD comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.

In that day, the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan, the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.

Wrath is not in me, but if I should find briers and thorns, I would do battle! I would march on them and I would burn them together.

Has he struck them as he struck those who struck them? Or are they killed like those who killed them were killed?

and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgement, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.

For the ruthless is brought to nothing, and the scoffer ceases, and all those who are alert to do evil are cut off—

who cause a person to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for one who reproves in the gate, and who deprive the innocent of justice with false testimony.

therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly in an instant.

Therefore the LORD will wait, that he may be gracious to you; and therefore he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on you, for the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.

There will be brooks and streams of water on every lofty mountain and on every high hill in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Behold, the LORD’s name comes from far away, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke. His lips are full of indignation. His tongue is as a devouring fire.

His breath is as an overflowing stream that reaches even to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction. A bridle that leads to ruin will be in the jaws of the peoples.

The LORD will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the descent of his arm, with the indignation of his anger and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, storm, and hailstones.

For through the LORD’s voice the Assyrian will be dismayed. He will strike him with his rod.

Every stroke of the rod of punishment, which the LORD will lay on him, will be with the sound of tambourines and harps. He will fight with them in battles, brandishing weapons.

Yet he also is wise, and will bring disaster, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of those who work iniquity.

“The Assyrian will fall by the sword, not of man; and the sword, not of mankind, shall devour him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will become subject to forced labour.

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.

The fool will no longer be called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profanity, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

The ways of the scoundrel are evil. He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field.

Woe to you who destroy, but you weren’t destroyed, and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betrayal, you will be betrayed.

The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

He who walks righteously and speaks blamelessly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil—

For the LORD is our judge. The LORD is our lawgiver. The LORD is our king. He will save us.

For the LORD is enraged against all the nations, and angry with all their armies. He has utterly destroyed them. He has given them over for slaughter.

Their slain will also be cast out, and the stench of their dead bodies will come up. The mountains will melt in their blood.

For my sword has drunk its fill in the sky. Behold, it will come down on Edom, and on the people of my curse, for judgement.

The LORD’s sword is filled with blood. It is covered 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.

The wild oxen will come down with them, and the young bulls with the mighty bulls; and their land will be drunken with blood, and their dust made greasy with fat.

For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

Its streams will be turned into pitch, its dust into sulphur, and its land will become burning pitch.

It won’t be quenched night or day. Its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation, it will lie waste. No one will pass through it forever and ever.

But the pelican and the porcupine will possess it. The owl and the raven will dwell in it. He will stretch the line of confusion over it, and the plumb line of emptiness.

They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, but none shall be there; and all its princes shall be nothing.

Thorns will come up in its palaces, nettles and thistles in its fortresses; and it will be a habitation of jackals, a court for ostriches.

The wild animals of the desert will meet with the wolves, and the wild goat will cry to his fellow. Yes, the night creature shall settle there, and shall find herself a place of rest.

Behold, I will put a spirit in him and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel.

“‘Have you not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it in ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to destroy fortified cities, turning them into ruinous heaps.

Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance has come up into 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 by which you came.

Then the LORD’s angel went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

As he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place.

‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up until today, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says the LORD.

Behold, the Lord GOD will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

Who did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

who brings princes to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God”?

“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgement.

Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.

“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.

He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands wait for his law.”

It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law and make it honourable.

Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Didn’t the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they disobeyed his law.

Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle. It set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know. It burnt him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who amongst them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear, and say, “That is true.”

The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified.

Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel an insult.”

They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together.

Declare and present it. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has shown this from ancient time? Who has declared it of old? Haven’t I, the LORD? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Saviour. There is no one besides me.

Your nakedness will be uncovered. Yes, your shame will be seen. I will take vengeance, and will spare no one.”

“Assemble yourselves, all of you, and hear! Who amongst them has declared these things? He whom the LORD loves will do what he likes to Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.

“There is no peace”, says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

But I said, “I have laboured in vain. I have spent my strength in vain for nothing; yet surely the justice due to me is with the LORD, and my reward with my God.”

Shall the plunder be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?

I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they will be drunk on their own blood, as with sweet wine. Then all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

He who justifies me is near. Who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

“Listen to me, my people; and hear me, my nation, for a law will go out from me, and I will establish my justice for a light to the peoples.

My righteousness is near. My salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The islands will wait for me, and they will trust my arm.

For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”

Your Lord GOD, your God who pleads the cause of his people, says, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath. You will not drink it any more.

I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, ‘Bow down, that we may walk over you;’ and you have laid your back as the ground, like a street to those who walk over.”

He was taken away by oppression and judgement. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?

They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.

The LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is near and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

Amongst the smooth stones of the valley is your portion. They, they are your lot. You have even poured a drink offering to them. You have offered an offering. Shall I be appeased for these things?

I will declare your righteousness; and as for your works, they will not benefit you.

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your labourers.

“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from amongst you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly;

No one sues in righteousness, and no one pleads in truth. They trust in vanity and speak lies. They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.

Their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Desolation and destruction are in their paths.

They don’t know the way of peace; and there is no justice in their ways. They have made crooked paths for themselves; whoever goes in them doesn’t know peace.

Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness doesn’t overtake us. We look for light, but see darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.

We all roar like bears and moan sadly like doves. We look for justice, but there is none, for salvation, but it is far off from us.

Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has fallen in the street, and uprightness can’t enter.

Yes, truth is lacking; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

According to their deeds, he will repay as appropriate: wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies. He will repay the islands their due.

For that nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you; and all those who despised you will bow themselves down at the soles of your feet. They will call you the LORD’s City, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

“For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Why is your clothing red, and your garments like him who treads in the wine vat?

“I have trodden the wine press alone. Of the peoples, no one was with me. Yes, I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath. Their lifeblood is sprinkled on my garments, and I have stained all my clothing.

For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come.

I trod down the peoples in my anger and made them drunk in my wrath. I poured their lifeblood out on the earth.”

“Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will repay, yes, I will repay into their bosom

your own iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together”, says the LORD, “who have burnt incense on the mountains, and blasphemed me on the hills. Therefore I will first measure their work into their bosom.”

I will destine you to the sword, and you will all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, you didn’t answer. When I spoke, you didn’t listen; but you did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.”

Therefore the Lord GOD says, “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 disappointed.

You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen, and the Lord GOD will kill you. He will call his servants by another name,

“No more will there be an infant who only lives a few days, nor an old man who has not filled his days; for the child will die one hundred years old, and the sinner being one hundred years old will be accursed.

He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.

I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears on them, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they didn’t listen, but they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.”

Hear the LORD’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.

A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that repays his enemies what they deserve.

For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

For the LORD will execute judgement by fire and by his sword on all flesh; and those slain by the LORD will be many.

“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says the LORD.

“For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see my glory.

“They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

I will utter my judgements against them concerning all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burnt incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

Israel was holiness to the LORD, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him will be held guilty. Evil will come on them,”’ says the LORD.”

“Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says the LORD, “and I will contend with your children’s children.

“Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says the LORD.

“Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says the LORD.

Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.

“Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

and you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgements against them.”

“Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.

O LORD, don’t your eyes look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased.

Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says the LORD. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

“Go up on her walls, and destroy, but don’t make a full end. Take away her branches, for they are not the LORD’s.

Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them.

Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far away, house of Israel,” says the LORD. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don’t know and don’t understand what they say.

It will happen when you say, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’

They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t defend the rights of the needy.

“Shouldn’t I punish for these things?” says the LORD. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

For the LORD of Armies said, “Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She is filled with oppression within herself.

The LORD of Armies says, “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.”

Therefore I am full of the LORD’s wrath. I am weary with holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says the LORD.”

“For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they will fall amongst those who fall. When I visit them, they will be cast down,” says the LORD.

Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is amongst them.

Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

Therefore The LORD says, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them. The neighbour and his friend will perish.”

They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly.

The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.

Men will call them rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”

For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbour;

if you don’t oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, and don’t shed innocent blood in this place, and don’t walk after other gods to your own hurt,

Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it,” says the LORD.

“But go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.

therefore I will do to the house which is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.

I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, even the whole offspring of Ephraim.

“Therefore don’t pray for this people. Don’t lift up a cry or prayer for them or make intercession to me; for I will not hear you.

Don’t you see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

Do they provoke me to anger?” says the LORD. “Don’t they provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?”

Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man, on animal, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and will not be quenched.”

They 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 didn’t command, nor did it come into my mind.

Therefore behold, the days come”, says the LORD, “that it will no more be called ‘Topheth’ or ‘The valley of the son of Hinnom’, but ‘The valley of Slaughter’; for they will bury in Topheth until there is no place to bury.

The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky, and for the animals of the earth. No one will frighten them away.

“At that time,” says the LORD, “they will bring the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves.

They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshipped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.

“‘How do you say, “We are wise, and the LORD’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.

Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn’t blush. Therefore they will fall amongst those who fall. In the time of their visitation they will be cast down, says the LORD.

“‘I will utterly consume them, says the LORD. No grapes will be on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade. The things that I have given them will pass away from them.’”

“Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves! Let’s enter into the fortified cities, and let’s be silent there; for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

“For, behold, I will send serpents, adders amongst you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says the LORD.

Therefore the LORD of Armies says, “Behold, I will melt them and test them; for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?

Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says the LORD. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on a nation such as this?

But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for I delight in these things,” says the LORD.

“Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will punish all those who are circumcised only in their flesh:

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the children of Ammon, Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness, for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, and on the families that don’t call on your name; for they have devoured Jacob. Yes, they have devoured him, consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.

Yet they didn’t obey, nor turn their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of their evil heart. Therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they didn’t do them.’”

The LORD said to me, “A conspiracy is found amongst the men of Judah, and amongst the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Therefore the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on them which they will not be able to escape; and they will cry to me, but I will not listen to them.

For the LORD of Armies, 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 done to themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal.

But, LORD of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause.

therefore the LORD of Armies says, ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.

There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.’”

You are righteous, LORD, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?

But you, LORD, know me. You see me, and test my heart towards you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”

Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.

Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of the LORD devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.

They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”

The LORD says, “Concerning all my evil neighbours, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from amongst them.

But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it,” says the LORD.

“The LORD says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD: “I will not pity, spare, or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.”’”

Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns have come down, even the crown of your glory.

The cities of the South are shut up, and there is no one to open them. Judah is carried away captive: all of them. They are wholly carried away captive.

If you say in your heart, “Why have these things come on me?” Your skirts are uncovered because of the greatness of your iniquity, and your heels suffer violence.

“Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me,” says the LORD, “because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.”

Therefore I will also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame will appear.

I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”

The LORD says to this people: “Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish them for their sins.”

The LORD said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good.

When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”

Therefore the LORD says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, but I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed by sword and famine.

The people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour their wickedness on them.

I will give your substance and your treasures for a plunder without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your borders.

LORD, you know. Remember me, visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors. You are patient, so don’t take me away. Know that for your sake I have suffered reproach.

For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from my face. Their iniquity isn’t concealed from my eyes.

First I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.”

My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.

You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don’t know, for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.”

“I, the LORD, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”

As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool.

Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but don’t let me be disappointed. Let them be dismayed, but don’t let me be dismayed. Bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at 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. It will not be quenched.”’”

At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it,

Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Don’t forgive their iniquity. Don’t blot out their sin from your sight, Let them be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger.

Say, ‘Hear the LORD’s word, kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will bring evil on this place, which whoever hears, his ears will tingle.

Because they have forsaken me, and have defiled this place, and have burnt incense in it to other gods that they didn’t know—they, their fathers, and the kings of Judah—and have filled this place with the blood of innocents,

and have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I didn’t command, nor speak, which didn’t even enter into my mind.

Therefore, behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that this place will no more be called ‘Topheth’, nor ‘The Valley of the son of Hinnom’, but ‘The valley of Slaughter’.

“‘“I will make the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem void in this place. I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies to be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth.

and shall tell them, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “Even so I will break this people and this city as one breaks a potter’s vessel, that can’t be made whole again. They will bury in Topheth until there is no place to bury.

This is what I will do to this place,” says the LORD, “and to its inhabitants, even making this city as Topheth.

The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, will be as the place of Topheth, even all the houses on whose roofs they have burnt incense to all the army of the sky and have poured out drink offerings to other gods.”’”

“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says, ‘Behold, I will bring on this city and on all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have made their neck stiff, that they may not hear my words.’”

For the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes will see it. I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them captive to Babylon, and will kill them with the sword.

Moreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all its gains, and all its precious things, yes, I will give all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies. They will make them captives, take them, and carry them to Babylon.

You, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house will go into captivity. You will come to Babylon, and there you will die, and there you will be buried, you, and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.’”

But the LORD is with me as an awesome mighty one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they won’t prevail. They will be utterly disappointed because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonour which will never be forgotten.

But the LORD of Armies, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to you.

Let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and didn’t repent. Let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime,

House of David, the LORD says, ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,’ says the LORD; ‘and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it will devour all that is around her.’”

The LORD says: “Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong. Do no violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place.

“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his rooms by injustice; who uses his neighbour’s service without wages, and doesn’t give him his hire;

“Should you reign because you strive to excel in cedar? Didn’t your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.

He judged the cause of the poor and needy; so then it was well. Wasn’t this to know me?” says the LORD.

But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression, and for doing violence.”

Therefore the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “They won’t lament for him, saying, ‘Ah my brother!’ or, ‘Ah sister!’ They won’t lament for him, saying ‘Ah lord!’ or, ‘Ah his glory!’

He will be buried with the burial of a donkey, drawn and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

The wind will feed all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Surely then you will be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness.

“As I live,” says the LORD, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet on my right hand, I would still pluck you from there.

I would give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of them of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.

The LORD says, “Record this man as childless, a man who will not prosper in his days; for no more will a man of his offspring prosper, sitting on David’s throne and ruling in Judah.”

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the LORD.

Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, says against the shepherds who feed my people: “You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings,” says the LORD.

“Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch; and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land.

“For the land is full of adulterers; for because of the curse the land mourns. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right;

for both prophet and priest are profane. Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness,” says the LORD.

Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness. They will be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation,” says the LORD.

In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”

Therefore the LORD of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poisoned water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”

Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out. Yes, a whirling storm! It will burst on the head of the wicked.

The LORD’s anger will not return until he has executed and performed the intents of his heart. In the latter days, you will understand it perfectly.

How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?

“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who each steal my words from his neighbour.

Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says.’

Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says the LORD, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says the LORD.

“When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, asks you, saying, ‘What is the message from the LORD?’ Then you shall tell them, ‘“What message? I will cast you off,” says the LORD.’

As for the prophet, the priest, and the people, who say, ‘The message from the LORD,’ I will even punish that man and his household.

therefore behold, I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off with the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, away from my presence.

I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which will not be forgotten.’”

“It will happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,” says the LORD, “for their iniquity. I will make the land of the Chaldeans desolate forever.

For many nations and great kings will make bondservants of them, even of them. I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.”

and all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are on the surface of the earth. The king of Sheshach will drink after them.

“You shall tell them, ‘The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Drink, and be drunk, vomit, fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send amongst you.”’

It shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at your hand to drink, then you shall tell them, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “You shall surely drink.

For, behold, I begin to work evil at the city which is called by my name; and should you be utterly unpunished? You will not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth, says the LORD of Armies.”’

“Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and tell them, “‘The LORD will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will mightily roar against his fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

A noise will come even to the end of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations. He will enter into judgement with all flesh. As for the wicked, he will give them to the sword,”’ says the LORD.”

The LORD of Armies says, “Behold, evil will go out from nation to nation, and a great storm will be raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth.”

The slain of the LORD will be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They won’t be lamented. They won’t be gathered or buried. They will be dung on the surface of the ground.

then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.’”

When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the LORD’s house; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house.

Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and to all the people, saying, “This man is worthy of death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”

Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”

Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”

Then certain of the elders of the land rose up, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

“Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “‘Zion will be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.’

All the nations will serve him, his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings will make him their bondservant.

“‘“‘It will happen that I will punish the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon,’ says the LORD, ‘with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

the LORD of Armies says: “Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that can’t be eaten, they are so bad.

I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth amongst all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach amongst all the nations where I have driven them,

The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: “Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he will kill them before your eyes.

A curse will be taken up about them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘The LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;’

because they have done foolish things in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn’t command them. I am he who knows, and am witness,” says the LORD.

“Send to all of the captives, saying, ‘The LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn’t send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie,”

therefore the LORD says, “Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring. He will not have a man to dwell amongst this people. He won’t see the good that I will do to my people,” says the LORD, “because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.”’”

For I am with you, says the LORD, to save you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.”

Why do you cry over your injury? Your pain is incurable. For the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.

Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plunder. I will make all who prey on you become prey.

Their children also will be as before, and their congregation will be established before me. I will punish all who oppress them.

Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out, a sweeping storm; it will burst on the head of the wicked.

The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until he has accomplished, and until he has performed the intentions of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it.”

“In those days they will say no more, “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

But everyone will die for his own iniquity. Every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.

and Zedekiah king of Judah won’t escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes will see his eyes;

and he will bring Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him,” says the LORD, “though you fight with the Chaldeans, you will not prosper”’?”

You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of Armies is your name:

great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings;

They came in and possessed it, but they didn’t obey your voice and didn’t walk in your law. They have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do. Therefore you have caused all this evil to come upon them.

Therefore the LORD says: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.

The Chaldeans, who fight against this city, will come and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.

“For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, says the LORD.

For this city has been to me a provocation of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even to this day, so that I should remove it from before my face,

because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Now therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning this city, about which you say, “It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:”

For the LORD says: “Just as I have brought all this great evil on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.

‘While men come to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have killed in my anger and in my wrath, and for all whose wickedness I have hidden my face from this city,

“In those days and at that time, I will cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David. He will execute justice and righteousness in the land.

that every man should let his male servant, and every man his female servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free, that no one should make bondservants of them, of a Jew his brother.

All the princes and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant and everyone his female servant go free, that no one should make bondservants of them any more. They obeyed and let them go,

but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids whom they had let go free to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

At the end of seven years, every man of you shall release his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years. You shall let him go free from you. But your fathers didn’t listen to me, and didn’t incline their ear.

You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbour. You had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name;

but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’”

Therefore the LORD says: “You have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbour. Behold, I proclaim to you a liberty,” says the LORD, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine. I will make you be tossed back and forth amongst all the kingdoms of the earth.

I will even give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth.

“I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those who seek their life and into the hands of the king of Babylon’s army, who has gone away from you.

Behold, I will command,” says the LORD, “and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it, take it, and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

“Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered.’”

Concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘The LORD says: “You have burnt this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written therein, saying, “The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cause to cease from there man and animal”?’”

Therefore the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: “He will have no one to sit on David’s throne. His dead body will be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

I will punish him, his offspring, and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, but they didn’t listen.”’”

Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

“My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.”

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgement on him.

Then the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.

“Go, and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will bring my words on this city for evil, and not for good; and they will be accomplished before you in that day.

The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God pronounced this evil on this place;

and the LORD has brought it, and done according as he spoke. Because you have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing has come on you.

But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

So will it be with all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to live there. They will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. None of them will remain or escape from the evil that I will bring on them.’

For the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and my wrath has been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you, when you enter into Egypt; and you will be an object of horror, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you will see this place no more.’

Now therefore know certainly that you will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”

Tell them, the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne on these stones that I have hidden; and he will spread his royal pavilion over them.

He will come, and will strike the land of Egypt; such as are for death will be put to death, and such as are for captivity to captivity, and such as are for the sword to the sword.

I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt. He will burn them, and carry them away captive. He will array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd puts on his garment; and he will go out from there in peace.

“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have seen all the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, and on all the cities of Judah. Behold, today they are a desolation, and no man dwells in them,

“Therefore the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, even to cut off all Judah.

Thus the LORD could no longer bear it, because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which you have committed. Therefore your land has become a desolation, an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is today.

Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until they are all gone.

“‘This will be the sign to you,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for evil.’

The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.’”

For that day is of the Lord, the LORD of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge himself of his adversaries. The sword will devour and be satiated, and will drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, the LORD of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him.

I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards it will be inhabited, as in the days of old,” says the LORD.

Don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant,” says the LORD, “for I am with you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you, but I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.”

because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains; for the LORD will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.

“Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD negligently; and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.

Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will send to him those who pour off, and they will pour him off; and they will empty his vessels, and break their containers in pieces.

Moab is laid waste, and they have gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Armies.

Judgement has come on the plain country— on Holon, on Jahzah, on Mephaath,

on Dibon, on Nebo, on Beth Diblathaim,

on Kiriathaim, on Beth Gamul, on Beth Meon,

on Kerioth, on Bozrah, and on all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken,” says the LORD.

“Make him drunk, for he magnified himself against the LORD. Moab will wallow in his vomit, and he also will be in derision.

For wasn’t Israel a derision to you? Was he found amongst thieves? For as often as you speak of him, you shake your head.

I know his wrath,” says the LORD, “that it is nothing; his boastings have done nothing.

Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab,” says the LORD, “him who offers in the high place, and him who burns incense to his gods.

Moab will be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the LORD.

“He who flees from the terror will fall into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare, for I will bring on him, even on Moab, the year of their visitation,” says the LORD.

Of the children of Ammon. The LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in its cities?

Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and it will become a desolate heap, and her daughters will be burnt with fire; then Israel will possess those who possessed him,” says the LORD.

For the LORD says: “Behold, they to whom it didn’t pertain to drink of the cup will certainly drink; and are you he who will altogether go unpunished? You won’t go unpunished, but you will surely drink.

Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, and all the men of war will be brought to silence in that day,” says the LORD of Armies.

“I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.”

Of Kedar, and of the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck, The LORD says: “Arise, go up to Kedar, and destroy the children of the east.

Their camels will be a booty, and the multitude of their livestock a plunder. I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners of their beards cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of them,” says the LORD.

All who found them have devoured them. Their adversaries said, ‘We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of righteousness, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’

For, behold, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they will set themselves in array against her. She will be taken from there. Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man. None of them will return in vain.

Chaldea will be a prey. All who prey on her will be satisfied,” says the LORD.

your mother will be utterly disappointed. She who bore you will be confounded. Behold, she will be the least of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

Because of the LORD’s wrath she won’t be inhabited, but she will be wholly desolate. Everyone who goes by Babylon will be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow; shoot at her. Spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the LORD.

Shout against her all around. She has submitted herself. Her bulwarks have fallen. Her walls have been thrown down, for it is the vengeance of the LORD. Take vengeance on her. As she has done, do to her.

Therefore the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

“Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod. Kill and utterly destroy after them,” says the LORD, “and do according to all that I have commanded you.

How the hammer of the whole earth is cut apart and broken! How Babylon has become a desolation amongst the nations!

I have laid a snare for you, and you are also taken, Babylon, and you weren’t aware. You are found, and also caught, because you have fought against the LORD.

The LORD has opened his armoury, and has brought out the weapons of his indignation; for the Lord, the LORD of Armies, has a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.

Come against her from the farthest border. Open her storehouses. Cast her up as heaps. Destroy her utterly. Let nothing of her be left.

Kill all her bulls. Let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them! For their day has come, the time of their visitation.

Listen to those who flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.

“Call together the archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp against her all around. Let none of it escape. Pay her back according to her work. According to all that she has done, do to her; for she has been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

Therefore her young men will fall in her streets. All her men of war will be brought to silence in that day,” says the LORD.

“Behold, I am against you, you proud one,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies; “for your day has come, the time that I will visit you.

The proud one will stumble and fall, and no one will raise him up. I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all who are around him.”

Their Redeemer is strong. The LORD of Armies is his name. He will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

“A sword is on the Chaldeans,” says the LORD, “and on the inhabitants of Babylon, on her princes, and on her wise men.

A sword is on the boasters, and they will become fools. A sword is on her mighty men, and they will be dismayed.

A sword is on their horses, on their chariots, and on all the mixed people who are in the middle of her; and they will become as women. A sword is on her treasures, and they will be robbed.

A drought is on her waters, and they will be dried up; for it is a land of engraved images, and they are mad over idols.

Therefore the wild animals of the desert with the wolves will dwell there. The ostriches will dwell therein. It will be inhabited no more forever, neither will it be lived in from generation to generation.

As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and its neighbour cities,” says the LORD, “so no man will dwell there, neither will any son of man live therein.

“Behold, a people comes from the north. A great nation and many kings will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

They take up bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea. They ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Babylon.

Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that he has taken against Babylon; and his purposes that he has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely they will drag them away, even the little ones of the flock. Surely he will make their habitation desolate over them.

The LORD says: “Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.

I will send to Babylon strangers, who will winnow her. They will empty her land; for in the day of trouble they will be against her all around.

Against him who bends, let the archer bend his bow, also against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. Don’t spare her young men! Utterly destroy all her army!

They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.

“Flee out of the middle of Babylon! Everyone save his own life! Don’t be cut off in her iniquity, for it is the time of the LORD’s vengeance. He will render to her a recompense.

Babylon has been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, who made all the earth drunk. The nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

“We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let’s each go into his own country; for her judgement reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.

“Make the arrows sharp! Hold the shields firmly! The LORD has stirred up 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, the vengeance of his temple.

You who dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness.

The LORD of Armies has sworn by himself, saying, ‘Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, and they will lift up a shout against you.’

“I will render to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight,” says the LORD.

“Behold, I am against you, destroying mountain,” says the LORD, “which destroys all the earth. I will stretch out my hand on you, roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burnt mountain.

They won’t take a cornerstone from you, nor a stone for foundations; but you will be desolate forever,” says the LORD.

Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, its governors, and all its deputies, and all the land of their dominion!

The land trembles and is in pain; for the purposes of the LORD against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

For the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says: “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden. Yet a little while, and the time of harvest comes for her.”

May the violence done to me and to my flesh be on Babylon!” the inhabitant of Zion will say; and, “May my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea!” will Jerusalem say.

Therefore the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.

Babylon will become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

When they are inflamed, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunk, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up,” says the LORD.

“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.

I will execute judgement on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up. The nations will not flow any more to him. Yes, the wall of Babylon will fall.

Therefore behold, the days come that I will execute judgement on the engraved images of Babylon; and her whole land will be confounded. All her slain will fall in the middle of her.

Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, will sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers will come to her from the north,” says the LORD.

“As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so the slain of all the land will fall at Babylon.

“Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will execute judgement on her engraved images; and through all her land the wounded will groan.

Though Babylon should mount up to the sky, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet destroyers will come to her from me,” says the LORD.

For the LORD lays Babylon waste, and destroys out of her the great voice! Their waves roar like many waters. The noise of their voice is uttered.

For the destroyer has come on her, even on Babylon. Her mighty men are taken. Their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of retribution. He will surely repay.

I will make her princes, her wise men, her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men drunk. They will sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Armies.

The LORD of Armies says: “The wide walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown. Her high gates will be burnt with fire. The peoples will labour for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they will be weary.”

Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come on Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon.

and say, ‘LORD, you have spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that no one will dwell in it, neither man nor animal, but that it will be desolate forever.’

Then you shall say, ‘Thus will Babylon sink, and will not rise again because of the evil that I will bring on her; and they will be weary.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

For through the LORD’s anger this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgement on him.

The king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.

Her adversaries have become the head. Her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.

“Let all their wickedness come before you. Do to them as you have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

The LORD has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out the line. He has not withdrawn his hand from destroying; He has made the rampart and wall lament. They languish together.

The LORD has done that which he planned. He has fulfilled his word that he commanded in the days of old. He has thrown down, and has not pitied. He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you. He has exalted the horn of your adversaries.

“Look, LORD, and see to whom you have done thus! Should the women eat their offspring, the children that they held and bounced on their knees? Should the priest and the prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?

to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn’t approve.

LORD, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause.

You have seen all their vengeance and all their plans against me.

You will pay them back, LORD, according to the work of their hands.

You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.

You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.

For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on her.

The LORD has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

It is because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her.

The LORD’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favour the elders.

Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make yourself naked.

The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion. He will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom. He will uncover your sins.

Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.

When I tell the wicked, ‘You will surely die;’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand.

“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he will die. Because you have not given him warning, he will die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered; but I will require his blood at your hand.

For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred and ninety days. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

“Again, when you have accomplished these, you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah. I have appointed forty days, each day for a year, to you.

that they may lack bread and water, be dismayed one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.

therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgements amongst you in the sight of the nations.

I will do in you that which I have not done, and which I will not do anything like it any more, because of all your abominations.

Therefore the fathers will eat the sons within you, and the sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgements on you; and I will scatter the whole remnant of you to all the winds.

Therefore as I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you. My eye won’t spare, and I will have no pity.

A third part of you will die with the pestilence, and they will be consumed with famine within you. A third part will fall by the sword around you. A third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them.

“‘Thus my anger will be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath towards them to rest, and I will be comforted. They will know that I, the LORD, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them.

“‘Moreover I will make you a desolation and a reproach amongst the nations that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by.

So it will be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the nations that are around you, when I execute judgements on you in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes—I, the LORD, have spoken it—

The slain will fall amongst you, and you will know that I am the LORD.

They will know that I am the LORD. I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.”’

“The Lord GOD says: ‘Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, “Alas!”, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they will fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

He who is far off will die of the pestilence. He who is near will fall by the sword. He who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus I will accomplish my wrath on them.

You will know that I am the LORD when their slain men are amongst their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree, and under every thick oak—the places where they offered pleasant aroma to all their idols.

I will stretch out my hand on them and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness towards Diblah, throughout all their habitations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”

“You, son of man, the Lord GOD says to the land of Israel, ‘An end! The end has come on the four corners of the land.

Now the end is on you, and I will send my anger on you, and will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your abominations.

My eye will not spare you, neither will I have pity; but I will bring your ways on you, and your abominations will be amongst you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’

Now I will shortly pour out my wrath on you, and accomplish my anger against you, and will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your abominations.

My eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways. Your abominations will be amongst you. Then you will know that I, the LORD, strike.

Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness. None of them will remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth. There will be nothing of value amongst them.

“‘Make chains, for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.

Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations, and they will possess their houses. I will also make the pride of the strong to cease. Their holy places will be profaned.

The king will mourn, and the prince will be clothed with desolation. The hands of the people of the land will be troubled. I will do to them after their way, and according to their own judgements I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”

He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you will again see yet other great abominations.”

He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here.”

He said also to me, “You will again see more of the great abominations which they do.”

Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? You will again see yet greater abominations than these.”

Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger. Behold, they put the branch to their nose.

Therefore I will also deal in wrath. My eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity. Though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.”

Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”

Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies towards the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.

To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity.

Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.

He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.

Then he said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD doesn’t see.’

As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”

He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, “Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” He went in as I watched.

He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Your slain whom you have laid in the middle of it, they are the meat, and this is the cauldron; but you will be brought out of the middle of it.

You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you,” says the Lord GOD.

“I will bring you out of the middle of it, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgements amongst you.

You will fall by the sword. I will judge you in the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

This will not be your cauldron, neither will you be the meat in the middle of it. I will judge you in the border of Israel.

But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads,’ says the Lord GOD.”

I will also spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, though he will die there.

The Lord GOD says, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you,” says the Lord GOD.

“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of my people, neither will they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither will they enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.”

“‘Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, “Peace;” and there is no peace. When one builds up a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash.

Tell those who plaster it with whitewash that it will fall. There will be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, will fall. A stormy wind will tear it.

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath. There will be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.

So I will break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered. It will fall, and you will be consumed in the middle of it. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Thus I will accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have plastered it with whitewash. I will tell you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it—

to wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,’” says the Lord GOD.’”

and say, “The Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all elbows and make veils for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and save souls alive for yourselves?

You have profaned me amongst my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’

“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against your magic bands, with which you hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms. I will let the souls fly free, even the souls whom you ensnare like birds.

Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive.

Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him there according to the multitude of his idols,

I will set my face against that man and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from amongst my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

“‘“If the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from amongst my people Israel.

They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him,

“Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal—

though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.

“Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal—

though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness.”

For the Lord GOD says: “How much more when I send my four severe judgements on Jerusalem—the sword, the famine, the evil animals, and the pestilence—to cut off from it man and animal!

They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; then you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause,” says the Lord GOD.

Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and the middle of it is burnt. Is it profitable for any work?

Behold, when it was whole, it was suitable for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it has been burnt, will it yet be suitable for any work?”

“‘“It has happened after all your wickedness—woe, woe to you!” says the Lord GOD—

See therefore, I have stretched out my hand over you, and have diminished your portion, and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way.

“‘“How weak is your heart,” says the Lord GOD, “since you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute;

‘The Lord GOD says, “Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children, that you gave to them;

therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those whom you have loved, with all those whom you have hated. I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.

I will judge you as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.

They will burn your houses with fire, and execute judgements on you in the sight of many women. I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you will also give no hire any more.

So I will cause my wrath towards you to rest, and my jealousy will depart from you. I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more.

“‘“Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have raged against me in all these things; therefore, behold, I also will bring your way on your head,” says the Lord GOD: “and you shall not commit this lewdness with all your abominations.

As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you have done, you and your daughters.

“‘“Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters. She also didn’t strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

They were arrogant and committed abomination before me. Therefore I took them away when I saw it.

Samaria hasn’t committed half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all your abominations which you have done.

You also bear your own shame yourself, in that you have given judgement for your sisters; through your sins that you have committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous than you. Yes, be also confounded, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.

before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all who are around her, the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you all around.

“‘For the Lord GOD says: “I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the covenant, and still escape?

“‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the middle of Babylon he will die.

Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won’t help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons.

For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape.

“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘As I live, I will surely bring on his own head my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken.

I will spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgement with him there for his trespass that he has trespassed against me.

All his fugitives in all his bands will fall by the sword, and those who remain will be scattered towards every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken it.’

All the trees of the field will know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. “‘I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it.’”

“What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.

“But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,

and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;

he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,

“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,

has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,

has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.

hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;

who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.

As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good amongst his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.

“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.

The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?

When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.

Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?

“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin.

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Is it to enquire of me that you have come? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will not be enquired of by you.”’

“Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.

Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them amongst the nations and disperse them through the countries,

because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they couldn’t live.

I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused all that opens the womb to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.”’

When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? Should I be enquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you!

As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.

I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.

I will purge out from amongst you the rebels and those who disobey me. I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

Tell the forest of the south, ‘Hear the LORD’s word: The Lord GOD says, “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be burnt by it.

All flesh will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It will not be quenched.”’”

Tell the land of Israel, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore my sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.

All flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’

It is sharpened that it may make a slaughter. It is polished that it may be as lightning. Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son condemns every tree.

It is given to be polished, that it may be handled. The sword is sharpened. Yes, it is polished to give it into the hand of the killer.”’

It will be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken.

“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you will be taken with the hand.

“‘You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end,

the Lord GOD says: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high.

I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also will be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it.”’

“You, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘The Lord GOD says this concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: “A sword! A sword is drawn! It is polished for the slaughter, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning;

while they see for you false visions, while they divine lies to you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked who are deadly wounded, whose day has come in the time of the iniquity of the end.

Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, I will judge you.

I will pour out my indignation on you. I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath. I will deliver you into the hand of brutish men, skilful to destroy.

You will be for fuel to the fire. Your blood will be in the middle of the land. You will be remembered no more; for I, the LORD, have spoken it.”’”

“You, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the bloody city? Then cause her to know all her abominations.

You shall say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “A city that sheds blood within herself, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her!

You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed, and are defiled in your idols which you have made! You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mocking to all the countries.

Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you infamous one, full of tumult.

“‘“Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.

In you have they treated father and mother with contempt. Amongst you they have oppressed the foreigner. In you they have wronged the fatherless and the widow.

Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have committed lewdness amongst you.

In you have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness. In you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity.

One has committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife, and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. Another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.

In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbours by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord GOD.

“‘“Behold, therefore I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at the blood which has been shed within you.

Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I will deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken it, and will do it.

I will scatter you amongst the nations, and disperse you through the countries. I will purge your filthiness out of you.

You will be profaned in yourself in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”’”

“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the middle of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.

Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the middle of Jerusalem.

As they gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the middle of the furnace, to blow the fire on it, to melt it, so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there and melt you.

Yes, I will gather you, and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you will be melted in the middle of it.

As silver is melted in the middle of the furnace, so you will be melted in the middle of it; and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my wrath on you.’”

“Son of man, tell her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed nor rained on in the day of indignation.’

There is a conspiracy of her prophets within it, like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They take treasure and precious things. They have made many widows within it.

Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths. So I am profaned amongst them.

Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, ‘The Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken.

The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery. Yes, they have troubled the poor and needy, and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully.

“I sought for a man amongst them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

Therefore I have poured out my indignation on them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have brought their own way on their heads,” says the Lord GOD.

“Therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians on whom she doted.

These uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons and her daughters, and they killed her with the sword. She became a byword amongst women; for they executed judgements on her.

I saw that she was defiled. They both went the same way.

So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul was alienated from her sister.

“Therefore, Oholibah, the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:

They will come against you with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of peoples. They will set themselves against you with buckler, shield, and helmet all around. I will commit the judgement to them, and they will judge you according to their judgements.

I will set my jealousy against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will take away your nose and your ears. Your remnant will fall by the sword. They will take your sons and your daughters; and the rest of you will be devoured by the fire.

“For the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your soul is alienated.

They will deal with you in hatred, and will take away all your labour, and will leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your prostitution will be uncovered, both your lewdness and your prostitution.

These things will be done to you because you have played the prostitute after the nations, and because you are polluted with their idols.

You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will give her cup into your hand.’

“The Lord GOD says: ‘You will drink of your sister’s cup, which is deep and large. You will be ridiculed and held in derision. It contains much.

“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, therefore you also bear your lewdness and your prostitution.’”

The LORD said moreover to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.

For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through the fire to them to be devoured.

Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now they will play the prostitute with her, and she with them.’

They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute. So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.

Righteous men will judge them with the judgement of adulteresses and with the judgement of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.

“For the Lord GOD says: ‘I will bring up a mob against them, and will give them to be tossed back and forth and robbed.

The company will stone them with stones and dispatch them with their swords. They will kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.

“‘Thus I will cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to be lewd like you.

They will recompense your lewdness on you, and you will bear the sins of your idols. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Woe to the bloody city, to the cauldron whose rust is in it, and whose rust hasn’t gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece without casting lots for it.

“‘“For the blood she shed is in the middle of her. She set it on the bare rock. She didn’t pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood on the bare rock, that it should not be covered.”

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.

Heap on the wood. Make the fire hot. Boil the meat well. Make the broth thick, and let the bones be burnt.

Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its bronze may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.

“‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath towards you to rest.

“‘“I, the LORD, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. According to your ways and according to your doings, they will judge you,” says the Lord GOD.’”

‘Speak to the house of Israel, “The Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword.

Tell the children of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD! The Lord GOD says, “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 captivity,

therefore, behold, I will deliver you to the children of the east for a possession. They will set their encampments in you and make their dwellings in you. They will eat your fruit and they will drink your milk.

I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

For the Lord GOD says: “Because you have clapped your hands, stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the contempt of your soul against the land of Israel,

therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand on you, and will deliver you for a plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish out of the countries. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

I will execute judgements on Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and taken revenge on them,”