God's Protection: Verses on Divine Safety

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.

Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”

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.

But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.

Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you, to keep them alive.

The LORD said to Noah, “Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.

Noah went into the ship with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, because of the floodwaters.

In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ship—

Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; then the LORD shut him in.

The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the ship, and it was lifted up above the earth.

The waters rose, and increased greatly on the earth; and the ship floated on the surface of the waters.

Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship.

God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided.

The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains.

but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned into the ship to him, for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put out his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ship.

I will establish my covenant with you: All flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”

I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”

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

Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.

When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred and eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan.

He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.

After these things the LORD’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

The LORD’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.

He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

Lot went out to them through the door, and shut the door after himself.

See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.”

But the men reached out their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.

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.

When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.”

But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, the LORD being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.

It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!”

See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.”

Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.

When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.

But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.”

God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her.

Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”

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

God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.

God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.

The LORD’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father’s house.

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

They said, “We saw plainly that the LORD was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let’s make a covenant with you,

that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.’ You are now the blessed of the LORD.”

The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you.

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran.

Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away—

Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.”

Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on,

The LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not towards me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.

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

God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’

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.”

and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.

May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.

Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.

He said, “If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape.”

Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and strike me and the mothers with the children.

He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of the Jabbok.

Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.

He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.

Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.

Jacob travelled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, amongst the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. They will gather themselves together against me and strike me, and I will be destroyed, I and my house.”

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

They travelled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.

Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.”

Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

The food will be to supply the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; so that the land will not perish through the famine.”

But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”

Joseph recognised his brothers, but they didn’t recognise him.

I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;

We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’

God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.

There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’

Now you are commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”

the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

even by the God of your father, who will help you, by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?”

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”

The woman conceived and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.

When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.

His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him.

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.

The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.”

The LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am the LORD on the earth.

I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’”

The LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.”’”

The LORD did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.

Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.

Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. The hail will come down on every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn’t brought home, and they will die.”’”

Those who feared the LORD’s word amongst the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.

Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up.

They didn’t see one another, and nobody rose from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

But against any of the children of Israel a dog won’t even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel.

They shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two door posts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it.

The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two door posts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.

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.

that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’” The people bowed their heads and worshipped.

When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”;

The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:

the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.

The LORD will fight for you, and you shall be still.”

The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.

It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.

The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

In the morning watch, the LORD looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.

He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians!”

But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.

Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone, until your people pass over, LORD, until the people you have purchased pass over.

You will bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, LORD, which you have made for yourself to dwell in: the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.

For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.

The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”

Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself.

You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

The LORD said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

Let the priests also, who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break out on them.”

The LORD said to him, “Go down! You shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.”

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

“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;

“Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.

For my angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off.

I will send my terror before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.

I will send the hornet before you, which will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you.

The cubit on the one side and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

It shall be on Aaron to minister: and its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out, that he not die.

“When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are counted amongst them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to the LORD when you count them, that there be no plague amongst them when you count them.

When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD.

So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die. This shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations.”

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.”

I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Moses said to him, “If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here.

For how would people know that I have found favour in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”

The LORD also said, “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock.

It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by;

then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

Observe that which I command you today. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before the LORD, your God, three times in the year.

He made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

The cherubim spread out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces towards one another. The faces of the cherubim were towards the mercy seat.

For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

You shall stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night seven days, and keep the LORD’s command, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.”

The priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to examine the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean. Afterward the priest shall go in to inspect the house.

then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days.

“‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is amongst them.’”

and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.

He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the covenant, so that he will not die.

“‘You shall not go around as a slanderer amongst your people. “‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbour. I am the LORD.

“‘Therefore you shall do my statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety.

The land shall yield its fruit, and you shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.

“‘I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one will make you afraid. I will remove evil animals out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. The Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

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.

“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. The sons of Kohath shall carry these things belonging to the Tent of Meeting.

“Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from amongst the Levites;

but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint everyone to his service and to his burden;

but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

‘The LORD bless you, and keep you.

I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from amongst the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, so that there will be no plague amongst the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary.”

On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony. At evening it was over the tabernacle, as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.

So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.

When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

They set forward from the Mount of the LORD three days’ journey. The ark of the LORD’s covenant went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them.

The cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.

When the ark went forward, Moses said, “Rise up, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!”

Only don’t rebel against the LORD, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defence is removed from over them, and the LORD is with us. Don’t fear them.”

They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you LORD are amongst this people; for you LORD are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.

But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land.

Don’t go up, for the LORD isn’t amongst you; that way you won’t be struck down before your enemies.

For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you will fall by the sword because you turned back from following the LORD; therefore the LORD will not be with you.”

“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram!’”

He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stopped.

The LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.”

They shall keep your commands and the duty of the whole Tent; only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they nor you.

“You shall perform the duty of the sanctuary and the duty of the altar, that there be no more wrath on the children of Israel.

The LORD said to Moses, “Don’t fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people, and his land. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”

God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

God’s anger burnt because he went; and the LORD’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

The donkey saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.

Then the LORD’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.

The LORD’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burnt, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

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.”

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied?

For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed amongst the nations.

He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is amongst them.

Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’

God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall consume the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.

Therefore, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honour; but, behold, the LORD has kept you back from honour.”

He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, “Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.

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.

“Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy amongst them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.

Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah didn’t die.

“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”

They said to Moses, “Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, and there lacks not one man of us.

but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock shall be there in the cities of Gilead;

Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities and folds for sheep.

They travelled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.

“The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the man slayer to flee to. Besides them you shall give forty-two cities.

then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

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

The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.

You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan. They shall be cities of refuge.

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.

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.

“‘But if the man slayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge where he flees,

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.

“‘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.

The LORD your God, who goes before you, he will fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes,

and in the wilderness where you have seen how that the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went, until you came to this place.”

who went before you on the way, to seek out a place for you to pitch your tents in: in fire by night, to show you by what way you should go, and in the cloud by day.

The LORD said to me, “Tell them, ‘Don’t go up and don’t fight; for I am not amongst you, lest you be struck before your enemies.’”

as he did for the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in their place even to this day.

All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, in addition to a great many villages without walls.

You shall not fear them; for the LORD your God himself fights for you.”

Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan towards the sunrise,

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:

Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

for the LORD your God amongst you is a jealous God, lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has spoken.

The LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are today.

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.

the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

Moreover the LORD your God will send the hornet amongst them, until those who are left, and hide themselves, perish from before you.

You shall not be scared of them; for the LORD your God is amongst you, a great and awesome God.

The LORD your God will cast out those nations before you little by little. You may not consume them at once, lest the animals of the field increase on you.

But the LORD your God will deliver them up before you, and will confuse them with a great confusion, until they are destroyed.

He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name perish from under the sky. No one will be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them.

Your clothing didn’t grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.

who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with venomous snakes and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who poured water for you out of the rock of flint;

Know therefore today that the LORD your God is he who goes over before you as a devouring fire. He will destroy them and he will bring them down before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has spoken to you.

I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD listened to me that time also. The LORD would not destroy you.

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;

a land which the LORD your God cares for. The LORD your God’s eyes are always on it, from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year.

then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves.

No man will be able to stand before you. The LORD your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you tread on, as he has spoken to you.

But when you go over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God causes you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all your enemies around you, so that you dwell in safety,

you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess.

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.

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

for the LORD your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your hands and you carry them away captive,

When you build a new house, then you shall make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.

Nevertheless the LORD your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because the LORD your God loved you.

for the LORD your God walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore your camp shall be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from 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 deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge;

You shall be blessed when you come in, and you shall be blessed when you go out.

The LORD will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you. They will come out against you one way, and will flee before you seven ways.

All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the LORD’s name, and they will be afraid of you.

When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we struck them.

(for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the middle of the nations through which you passed;

If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will bring you back.

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

The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua will go over before you, as the LORD has spoken.

The LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them.

The LORD will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you.

Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them, for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”

The LORD himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.”

The LORD appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the Tent’s door.

He found him in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He surrounded him. He cared for him. He kept him as the apple of his eye.

As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, he spread abroad his wings, he took them, he bore them on his feathers.

The LORD alone led him. There was no foreign god with him.

How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had delivered them up?

He will say, “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,

which ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection.

“See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.

Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.

“Let Reuben live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.”

This is for Judah. He said, “Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah. Bring him in to his people. With his hands he contended for himself. You shall be a help against his adversaries.”

LORD, bless his skills. Accept the work of his hands. Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”

About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of the LORD will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”

Your bars will be iron and bronze. As your days, so your strength will be.

“There is no one like God, Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens for your help, in his excellency on the skies.

The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’

Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine. Yes, his heavens drop down dew.

You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, the sword of your excellency? Your enemies will submit themselves to you. You will tread on their high places.”

No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you.

Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Just as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses.

The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from.

About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.

The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.”

Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.

She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”

Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.

It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.

They went and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find them.

When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in.

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.

Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.”

The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.

But Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them.

The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.”

The LORD confused them before Israel. He killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah.

As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, the LORD hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”

all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians. I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Just allocate it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses,

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.’”

They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

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,

The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that he swore to their fathers. Not a man of all their enemies stood before them. The LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

You have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.

“For the LORD has driven great and strong nations out from before you. But as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.

One man of you shall chase a thousand; for it is the LORD your God who fights for you, as he spoke to you.

“‘I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did amongst them: and afterward I brought you out.

I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Red Sea.

When they cried out to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness many days.

“‘I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before you.

but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand.

“‘You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand.

I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.

for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and amongst all the peoples through the middle of whom we passed.

The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD; for he is our God.”

The LORD was with Judah, and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with them.

The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

When the LORD raised up judges for them, then the LORD was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved the LORD because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.

Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.

“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.

From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.

The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds.

I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land.

The LORD’s angel came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites.

The LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

The LORD said to him, “Peace be to you! Don’t be afraid. You shall not die.”

Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”

The children of Israel didn’t remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.

“The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

(for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;

Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.

But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled there, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.

After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

The LORD said to the children of Israel, “Didn’t I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.

Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in safety, in the way of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with anyone else.

He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”

The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”

The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, don’t do this folly.

Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man don’t do any such folly.”

But six hundred men turned and fled towards the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field, and don’t go from here, but stay here close to my maidens.

Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven’t I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from that which the young men have drawn.”

May the LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given to you from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

When she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even amongst the sheaves, and don’t reproach her.

Ruth the Moabitess said, “Yes, he said to me, ‘You shall stay close to my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’”

Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field.”

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.

Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there.

The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh. They went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.

So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

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.”

“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.”

and he said to the children of Israel, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’

The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits.

Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men,

The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered.

So the LORD saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t die.

Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from amongst the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from amongst the Amalekites.

David said to Saul, “Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,

David said, “The LORD, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go! The LORD will be with you.”

Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of bronze on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.

and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.

Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.

David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

Jonathan told David, saying, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, live in a secret place, and hide yourself.

I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you.”

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?”

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.”

Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence; and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night.

Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

So Michal let David down through the window. He went away, fled, and escaped.

Michal took the teraphim and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with clothes.

When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head.

Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

Now David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.

Saul sent messengers to seize David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, God’s Spirit came on Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied.

When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

He went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then God’s Spirit came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.

If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem, his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’

Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”

The LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.

When you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.

Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come, for there is peace to you and no danger, as the LORD lives.

So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.

David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

He changed his behaviour before them and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.

Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me?

Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”

David therefore departed from there and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.

David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out to you, until I know what God will do for me.”

He brought them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of the LORD.

One of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.

Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. You will be safe with me.”

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went wherever they could go. Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.

David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.

But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!”

So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.

David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.

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.”

Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”

Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds have now been with us, and we didn’t harm them. Nothing was missing from them all the time they were in Carmel.

But the men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, and we didn’t miss anything as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields.

They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, since the LORD has withheld you from blood guiltiness and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies and those who seek evil to my lord be as Nabal.

Though men may rise up to pursue you and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies as from a sling’s pocket.

Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

For indeed, as the LORD the God of Israel lives, who has withheld me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”

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.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.

So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain far away, a great space being between them;

David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.

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.”

Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the LORD’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”

Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped looking for him.

Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment will happen to you for this thing.”

Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today.”

David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this troop?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me and not deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.”

Then David said, “Do not do so, my brothers, with that which the LORD has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.

Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Now then do it! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’”

and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until today).

David lived in the stronghold, and called it David’s city. David built around from Millo and inward.

David grew greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him.

When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.

I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be moved no more. The children of wickedness will not afflict them any more, as at the first,

and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD tells you that the LORD will make you a house.

He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect, and said, “Help, O king!”

The king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”

The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”

The king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you any more.”

Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”

For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise! Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is amongst the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”

Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, ‘Don’t lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.’”

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and report to them, and they went and told King David; for they couldn’t risk being seen coming into the city.

But a boy saw them, and told Absalom. Then they both went away quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.

The woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and spread out crushed grain on it; and nothing was known.

Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook of water.” When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

After they had departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you.”

Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.

But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”

Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

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.”

Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;

All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.

David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”

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?”

Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “Don’t go out with us to battle any more, so that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel.”

David spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,

and he said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My saviour, you save me from violence.

I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

In my distress, I called on the LORD. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears.

He made darkness a shelter around himself, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

You will save the afflicted people, but your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.

As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD’s word is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.

You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.

You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.

For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me.

even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me,

who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.

The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burnt with fire in their place.”

But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD worked a great victory.

David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

When the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough. Now withdraw your hand.” The LORD’s angel was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life and your son Solomon’s life.

As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and hung onto the horns of the altar.

Solomon was told, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon; for, behold, he is hanging onto the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he didn’t follow Absalom. Joab fled to the LORD’s Tent, and held onto the horns of the altar.

Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until the LORD put his enemies under the soles of his feet.

But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no evil occurrence.

I will dwell amongst the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”

For the cherubim spread their wings out over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.

that your eyes may be open towards this house night and day, even towards the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there;’ to listen to the prayer which your servant prays towards this place.

“If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the LORD towards the city which you have chosen, and towards the house which I have built for your name,

that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your servant and to the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to you.

May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us or forsake us,

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;

Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, when Hadad was still a little child.

They arose out of Midian and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him food, and gave him land.

Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

He went and found his body thrown on the path, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.

“Go away from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.

for when Jezebel cut off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the LORD’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat!”

He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, the LORD’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

As they continued on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”

The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.

He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s word.

Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led them to Samaria.

When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “LORD, open these men’s eyes, that they may see.” The LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.

As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”

But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots and the sound of horses, even the noise of a great army; and they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us.”

Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine. It will also come on the land for seven years.”

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’”

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from amongst the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

He was with her hidden in the LORD’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do: a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;

a third of you shall be at the gate Sur; and a third of you at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.

The two companies of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the LORD’s house around the king.

You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.”

The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king.

The LORD didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.”

But you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.”

The LORD was with him. Wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him.

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Jews’ language, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

It may be the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’”

Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this: ‘The LORD says, “Don’t be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

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.”’”

So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.

This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him: ‘The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.

For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and out of Mount Zion those who shall escape. The LORD’s zeal will perform this.

“Therefore the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria, ‘He will not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there. He will not come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.

He will return the same way that he came, and he will not come to this city,’ says the LORD.

‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.’”

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.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, went home, and lived at Nineveh.

I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”’”

‘Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.’”’” So they brought this message back to the king.

He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested.

To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,

They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands and Gezer with its pasture lands,

Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him.

So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the LORD’s house, even the house of the tent, as guards.

On the four sides were the gatekeepers, towards the east, west, north, and south.

David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it David’s city.

They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.

David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”

The fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him on all nations.

when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it.

He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”

Say, “Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise.”

I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more. The children of wickedness will not waste them any more, as at the first,

and from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that the LORD will build you a house.

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was about to destroy, the LORD saw, and he relented of the disaster, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough. Now withdraw your hand.” the LORD’s angel was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

“Isn’t the LORD your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD and before his people.

four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”

To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goes up, watchman opposite watchman.

David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the LORD’s house is finished.

For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.

that your eyes may be open towards this house day and night, even towards the place where you have said that you would put your name, to listen to the prayer which your servant will pray towards this place.

“If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you send them, and they pray to you towards this city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name;

then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

Also he built Beth Horon the upper and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars;

When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, oil and wine.

He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don’t fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers; for you will not prosper.”

The children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valour, in Jerusalem.

From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valour, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

and next to him Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand ready and prepared for war.

These were those who waited on the king, in addition to those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from the LORD. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.

‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgement, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’

Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned away from them, and didn’t destroy them;

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.”

You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”

When they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck.

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.

When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped.

The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stealthily rescued him from amongst the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn’t kill him.

He was with them hidden in God’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

A third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people will be in the courts of the LORD’s house.

The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, bucklers, and shields that had been king David’s, which were in God’s house.

He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, near the altar and the house, around the king.

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.”

He set the gatekeepers at the gates of the LORD’s house, that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in.

God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim.

Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.

The whole number of the heads of fathers’ households, even the mighty men of valour, was two thousand and six hundred.

Under their hand was an army, three hundred and seven thousand and five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.

Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers.

He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, with the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in David’s city, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater one with us than with him.

An arm of flesh is with him, but the LORD our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?”

He also wrote letters insulting the LORD, the God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.”

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.

Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.

Now after this, he built an outer wall to David’s city on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. He encircled Ophel with it, and raised it up to a very great height; and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.

“Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes won’t see all the evil that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.”’” They brought back this message to the king.

But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must stay far from there.

Leave the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.

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.

For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, for our little ones, and for all our possessions.

For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.”

Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandits by the way.

Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them.

Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon.

Amongst the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me.

Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.”

So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labour in the day.”

So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.

Now when the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

I said to them, “Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them; and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house.”

The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai: one hundred and thirty-eight.

You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell.

Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two.

Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates.

because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.

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.

“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

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.

For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were doorkeepers, who had tried to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.

Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favour in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.

Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plan that he had planned against the Jews.

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.”

Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.

He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.

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,

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.

All the princes of the provinces, the local governors, the governors, and those who did the king’s business helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.

In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

The other Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, defended their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; 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.

Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

The LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

The LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.”

His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate. Neither is there any to deliver them,

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.

But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil will touch you.

In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword.

You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither will you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

You will laugh at destruction and famine, neither will you be afraid of the animals of the earth.

or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand’? or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors’?

You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

You will be secure, because there is hope. Yes, you will search, and will take your rest in safety.

Also you will lie down, and no one will make you afraid. Yes, many will court your favour.

withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!

But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?

“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.

Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.

God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.

He encloses the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it.

He builds his house as the moth, as a booth which the watchman makes.

“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.

He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.

Then the animals take cover, and remain in their dens.

marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,

He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.

The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.

Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?

Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.

If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.

The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side.

In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face.

But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.

For you will bless the righteous. LORD, you will surround him with favour as with a shield.

A meditation by David, which he sang to the LORD, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. LORD, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.

Arise, LORD, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgement.

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.

When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in your presence.

The LORD will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble.

Have mercy on me, LORD. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death,

Arise, LORD! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.

But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

For the Chief Musician. By David. In the LORD, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?

The LORD is in his holy temple. The LORD is on his throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men.

“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.”

You will keep them, LORD. You will preserve them from this generation forever.

You frustrate the plan of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

A Poem by David. Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

Show your marvellous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.

Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings,

from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me.

Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.

He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.

He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.

He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.

You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.

For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.

He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high,

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed. He will answer him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand.

Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.

Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.

Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.

My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.

My eyes are ever on the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

Don’t gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men

When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

For in the day of trouble, he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the secret place of his tabernacle, he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock.

Don’t hide your face from me. Don’t put your servant away in anger. You have been my help. Don’t abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Teach me your way, LORD. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.

Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.

Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.

The LORD is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.

Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.

A Psalm. A Song for the Dedication of the Temple. By David. I will extol you, LORD, for you have raised me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me.

LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. In you, LORD, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.

Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defence to save me.

For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.

You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.

My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

Praise be to the LORD, for he has shown me his marvellous loving kindness in a strong city.

Oh love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him.

You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

The LORD looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men.

From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,

A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power.

Behold, the LORD’s eye is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his loving kindness,

to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul has waited for the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

The LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

The LORD’s eyes are towards the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.

The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.

The LORD redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”

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?”

Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.

Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!

Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.

Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgements are like a great deep. LORD, you preserve man and animal.

How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.

Don’t let the foot of pride come against me. Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away.

Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand.

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 LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.

For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”

He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.

Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, LORD. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.

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.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Blessed is he who considers the poor. The LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.

The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.

By this I know that you delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me.

As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.

Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

God is within her. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn.

The LORD of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots in the fire.

The LORD of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!

God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.

As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the LORD of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.

Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.

Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.

Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honour me.”

“Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.

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.

Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth.

For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

“I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.

For you have delivered my soul from death, and prevented my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

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, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

But you, LORD, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.

Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.

My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.

To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defence of my head. Judah is my sceptre.

Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.

From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy.

I will dwell in your tent forever. I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.

He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.

He alone is my rock, my salvation, and my fortress. I will never be greatly shaken.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honour is with God. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.

For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.

My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.

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.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;

But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.

The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!

Come, and see God’s deeds— awesome work on behalf of the children of men.

He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.

who preserves our life amongst the living, and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved.

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... Selah.

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is amongst them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.

God is to us a God of deliverance. To the LORD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea,

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.

Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord GOD of Armies. Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonour through me, God of Israel.

Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.

Don’t let the flood waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up. Don’t let the pit shut its mouth on me.

Draw near to my soul and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.

But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

For the Chief Musician. By David. A reminder. Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, LORD.

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!”

But I am poor and needy. Come to me quickly, God. You are my help and my deliverer. LORD, don’t delay.

In you, LORD, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

Don’t reject me in my old age. Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.

God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me.

He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces.

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.

But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord the LORD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Don’t deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.

Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.

Don’t forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.

The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.

His tabernacle is also in Salem. His dwelling place in Zion.

There he broke the flaming arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah.

You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.

In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.

But he led out his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

He led them safely, so that they weren’t afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph. Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.

Why have you broken down its walls, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?

Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah.

I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

“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.”

For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.

They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones.

“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;

who said, “Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands.”

Yes, the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young, near your altars, LORD of Armies, my King, and my God.

Behold, God our shield, look at the face of your anointed.

For the LORD God is a sun and a shield. The LORD will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, LORD, have helped me, and comforted me.

Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her.

You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.

You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.

No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.

I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.

I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.

A Prayer by Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,

nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

Because you have made the LORD your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place,

no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.

He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honour him.

For behold, your enemies, LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish. All the evildoers will be scattered.

My eye has also seen my enemies. My ears have heard of the wicked enemies who rise up against me.

For the LORD won’t reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.

But the LORD has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.

You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

for he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the LORD saw the earth,

You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they don’t turn again to cover the earth.

The high mountains are for the wild goats. The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

You hide your face; they are troubled. You take away their breath; they die and return to the dust.

when they were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it.

They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”

He spread a cloud for a covering, fire to give light in the night.

He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.

He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left.

wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

He led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.

For he has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron.

He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.

Haven’t you rejected us, God? You don’t go out, God, with our armies.

For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.

House of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.

The LORD preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me.

For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

The LORD is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

The LORD is on my side amongst those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD, than to put confidence in man.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD, than to put confidence in princes.

All the nations surrounded me, but in the LORD’s name I cut them off.

They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the LORD’s name I indeed cut them off.

They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In the LORD’s name I cut them off.

You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but the LORD helped me.

I will not die, but live, and declare the LORD’s works.

The LORD has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Take reproach and contempt away from me, for I have kept your statutes.

Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me your law graciously!

All of your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me!

Preserve my life according to your loving kindness, so I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

The wicked have waited for me, to destroy me. I will consider your statutes.

NUN Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.

The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I haven’t gone astray from your precepts.

You are my hiding place and my shield. I hope in your word.

Hold me up, and I will be safe, and will have respect for your statutes continually.

AYIN I have done what is just and righteous. Don’t leave me to my oppressors.

Ensure your servant’s well-being. Don’t let the proud oppress me.

Establish my footsteps in your word. Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Redeem me from the oppression of man, so I will observe your precepts.

You are near, LORD. All your commandments are truth.

Deliver my soul, LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper. The LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.

The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.

A Song of Ascents. By David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say,

if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us,

then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us,

then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul.

Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.

Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth.

Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the LORD’s name, who made heaven and earth.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.

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.

A Song of Ascents. By Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, they who build it labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.

and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;

and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever;

For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but he knows the proud from afar.

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me.

You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.

even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”

even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.

If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Deliver me, LORD, from evil men. Preserve me from violent men:

LORD, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.

LORD, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.

For my eyes are on you, LORD, the Lord. I take refuge in you. Don’t leave my soul destitute.

Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.

I cried to you, LORD. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Deliver me, LORD, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.

In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

By David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands to war, and my fingers to battle—

my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.

Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.

Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners,

You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.

Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, 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.

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.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.

Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,

to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,

to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,

Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;

for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,

Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

No mischief shall happen to the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.

In the way of righteousness is life; in its path there is no death.

He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death.

The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.

The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

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 highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.

He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

The fear of the LORD leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.

Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.

Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.

Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays from them.

The LORD’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul.

Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;

Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.

Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

Whoever walks blamelessly is kept safe; but one with perverse ways will fall suddenly.

One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in the LORD is kept safe.

“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.

Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage! Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.

We have a little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?

If she is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty.

for every lofty tower, for every fortified wall,

The LORD will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all the glory will be a canopy.

There will be a pavilion for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain.

Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away its hedge, and it will be eaten up. I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled down.

In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

This is what the Lord GOD says: “It shall not stand, neither shall it happen.”

Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand, for God is with us.”

He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a stumbling stone and a rock that makes them fall. For the people of Jerusalem, he will be a trap and a snare.

Therefore the Lord, the LORD of Armies, says, “My people who dwell in Zion, don’t be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did.

Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.

The nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

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.

What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.

Give counsel! Execute justice! Make your shade like the night in the middle of the noonday! Hide the outcasts! Don’t betray the fugitive!

Let my outcasts dwell with you! As for Moab, be a hiding place for him from the face of the destroyer. For the extortionist is brought to nothing. Destruction ceases. The oppressors are consumed out of the land.

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.

It will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of Armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and he will send them a saviour and a defender, and he will deliver them.

They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!

For the Lord said to me, “Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.

The burden on Arabia. You will lodge in the thickets in Arabia, you caravans of Dedanites.

He took away the covering of Judah; and you looked in that day to the armour in the house of the forest.

You saw the breaches of David’s city, that they were many; and you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall.

For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat, when the blast of the dreaded ones is like a storm against the wall.

As the heat in a dry place you will bring down the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shade of a cloud, the song of the dreaded ones will be brought low.

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.

In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.

Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.

I, the LORD, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day.

The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night.

For the LORD says to me, “As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for their noise, so the LORD of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights.

As birds hovering, so the LORD of Armies will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it. He will pass over and preserve it.”

A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large rock in a weary land.

My people will live in a peaceful habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

he will dwell on high. His place of defence will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.

Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won’t be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.

But there the LORD will be with us in majesty, a place of wide rivers and streams, in which no galley with oars will go, neither will any gallant ship pass by there.

No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there.

Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don’t speak to us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

Who are they amongst all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”

It may be the LORD your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’”

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.”’”

Now therefore, LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the LORD, even you only.”

this is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.

“Therefore the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria, ‘He will not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither will he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.

He will return the way that he came, and he won’t come to this city,’ says the LORD.

‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’”

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.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, went away, returned to Nineveh, and stayed there.

I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

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.

You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations,

I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burnt, and flame will not scorch you.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west.

Yes, since the day was, I am he. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?”

This is what the LORD who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

The LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armour, to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:

“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces and cut apart the bars of iron.

“Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been carried from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.

Even to old age I am he, and even to grey hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.

Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them. They won’t deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It won’t be a coal to warm at or a fire to sit by.

He has made my mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. He has made me a polished shaft. He has kept me close in his quiver.

They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them, for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me.

Your children hurry. Your destroyers and those who devastated you will leave you.

But the LORD says, “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the plunder retrieved from the fierce, for I will contend with him who contends with you and I will save your children.

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.

Behold, the Lord GOD will help me! Who is he who will condemn me? Behold, they will all grow old like a garment. The moths will eat them up.

I have put my words in your mouth and have covered you in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and tell Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.

No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgement. This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says the LORD.

When you cry, let those whom you have gathered deliver you, but the wind will take them. A breath will carry them all away, but he who takes refuge in me will possess the land, and will inherit my holy mountain.”

Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you, and the LORD’s glory will be your rear guard.

He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head. He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle.

For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you.

“Who are these who fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

Violence shall no more be heard in your land, nor desolation or destruction within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

I have set watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day nor night. You who call on the LORD, take no rest,

The LORD has sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, “Surely I will no more give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners will not drink your new wine, for which you have laboured,

Who led them through the depths, like a horse in the wilderness, so that they didn’t stumble?

Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says the LORD.

For behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.

They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says the LORD, “to rescue you.”

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.”

They didn’t say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no one passed through, and where no man lived?’

You will also leave that place with your hands on your head; for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you won’t prosper with them.

Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the trumpet in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’

Set up a standard towards Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”

“Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks out from the north with a great destruction.

I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’

“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress amongst my people, that you may know and try their way.

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,

You hope of Israel, its Saviour in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?

Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, LORD, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name. Don’t leave us.

The LORD said, “Most certainly I will strengthen you for good. Most certainly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.

Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and bronze?

I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and to deliver you,” says the LORD.

“I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible.”

LORD, my strength, my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the nations will come to you from the ends of the earth, and will say, “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, vanity and things in which there is no profit.

Don’t be a terror to me. You are my refuge in the day of evil.

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 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.

“Please enquire of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may withdraw from us.”

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.

In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. This is his name by which he will be called: The LORD our righteousness.

Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says the LORD. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.

For I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land. I will build them, and not pull them down. I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

Don’t go after other gods to serve them or worship them, and don’t provoke me to anger with the work of your hands; then I will do you no harm.”

But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they didn’t give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

For the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Don’t let your prophets who are amongst you and your diviners deceive you. Don’t listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamt.

Therefore don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says the LORD. Don’t be dismayed, Israel. For, behold, I will save you from afar, and save your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid.

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.”

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.

The LORD says, “The people who survive the sword found favour in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.”

They will come with weeping. I will lead them with petitions. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they won’t stumble; for I am a father to Israel. Ephraim is my firstborn.

“Hear the LORD’s word, you nations, and declare it in the distant islands. Say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.’

“Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries where I have driven them in my anger, and in my wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them again to this place. I will cause them to dwell safely.

I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me.

In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely. This is the name by which she will be called: The LORD our righteousness.”

But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, we said, ‘Come! Let’s go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians; so we will dwell at Jerusalem.’”

Then the princes said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah go hide. Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

The king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; but the LORD hid them.

Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard. They gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul will live, and this city will not be burnt with fire. You will live, along with your house.

But Jeremiah said, “They won’t deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the LORD’s voice, in that which I speak to you; so it will be well with you, and your soul will live.

Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know of these words, and you won’t die.

But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, ‘Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don’t hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also tell us what the king said to you;’

then you shall tell them, ‘I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.’”

Then all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived.

So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying,

“Take him and take care of him. Do him no harm; but do to him even as he tells you.”

So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban, Rabsaris, and Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon

sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should bring him home. So he lived amongst the people.

But I will deliver you in that day,” says the LORD; “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.

For I will surely save you. You won’t fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says the LORD.’”

Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.

Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, “Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man will know it. Why should he take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?”

Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the men of war, with the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Don’t be afraid of him,’ says the LORD, ‘for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

the men, the women, the children, the king’s daughters, and every person who Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan; and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.

Do you seek great things for yourself? Don’t seek them; for, behold, I will bring evil on all flesh,’ says the LORD, ‘but I will let you escape with your life wherever you go.’”

“But don’t you be afraid, Jacob my servant. Don’t be dismayed, Israel; for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid.

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.”

Flee! Save your lives! Be like the juniper bush in the wilderness.

“You daughter who dwells in Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab has come up against you. He has destroyed your strongholds.

You inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock. Be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.

Leave your fatherless children. I will preserve them alive. Let your widows trust in me.”

My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have caused them to go astray. They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill. They have forgotten their resting place.

“Flee out of the middle of Babylon! Go out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the male goats before the flocks.

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.

Behold, the enemy will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make them run away from it. Whoever is chosen, I will appoint him over it, for who is like me? Who will appoint me a time? Who is the shepherd who can stand before me?”

For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God, by the LORD of Armies; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

“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.

“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.

Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon! Make the watch strong! Set the watchmen, and prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both purposed and done that which he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

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.

“My people, go away from the middle of her, and each of you save yourselves from the LORD’s fierce anger.

Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul. You have redeemed my life.

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will live amongst the nations.

Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads.

You shall take a small number of these and bind them in the folds of your robe.

“‘“Yet I will leave a remnant, in that you will have some that escape the sword amongst the nations, when you are scattered through the countries.

The LORD said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

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.

The cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

“Therefore say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Whereas I have removed them far off amongst the nations, and whereas I have scattered them amongst the countries, yet I will be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they have come.”’

Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.

You have not gone up into the gaps or built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the LORD’s day.

“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.

I will also tear your veils and deliver my people out of your hand; and they will no longer be in your hand to be ensnared. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practise divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

“‘“Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my garment over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord GOD, “and you became mine.

Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them. I didn’t make a full end of them in the wilderness.

“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.

The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, and valiant men were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around. They have perfected your beauty.

“‘“There will no longer be a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are around them that scorned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”

They will dwell in it securely. Yes, they will build houses, plant vineyards, and will dwell securely when I have executed judgements on all those around them who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”’”

All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to their young. All great nations lived under its shadow.

if, when he sees the sword come on the land, he blows the trumpet and warns the people,

They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds didn’t search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep,

The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against the shepherds. I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. The shepherds won’t feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.”

“‘For the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is amongst his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

therefore I will save my flock, and they will no more be a prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep.

“‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

The tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.

They will no more be a prey to the nations, neither will the animals of the earth devour them; but they will dwell securely, and no one will make them afraid.

You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God,’ says the Lord GOD.”

After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought out of the peoples and they will dwell securely, all of them.

“Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and tell Gog, ‘The Lord GOD says: “In that day when my people Israel dwells securely, will you not know it?

You will come up against my people Israel as a cloud to cover the land. It will happen in the latter days that I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me when I am sanctified in you, Gog, before their eyes.”

It will happen in that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “that my wrath will come up into my nostrils.

They will forget their shame and all their trespasses by which they have trespassed against me, when they dwell securely in their land. No one will make them afraid

when I have brought them back from the peoples, gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am shown holy amongst them in the sight of many nations.

Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance, to thrust them out of their possession. He shall give inheritance to his sons out of his own possession, that my people not each be scattered from his possession.”’”

He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.”

He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.

Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill, because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”

“Whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from the sky and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.’

Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.”

When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”

My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, because innocence was found in me before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I remained there with the kings of Persia.

But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth. There is no one who holds with me against these but Michael your prince.

He will enter also into the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown; but these will be delivered out of his hand: Edom, Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.

But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.”

Therefore behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, that she can’t find her way.

In that day I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land, and will make them lie down safely.

A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler’s snare is on all of his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.

They will come trembling like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses,” says the LORD.

By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say amongst the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

The LORD answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach amongst the nations.

But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.

It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and amongst the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.

The LORD will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but the LORD will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.

“So you will know that I am the LORD, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will pass through her any more.

Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

The LORD says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.”

Though they dig into Sheol, there my hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, there I will bring them down.

“For behold, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel amongst all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least kernel will fall on the earth.

The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.

I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob. I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the middle of their pasture. They will swarm with people.

But every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of Armies has spoken.

Be in pain, and labour to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you will go out of the city, and will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.

They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.

Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.

My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.

He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!

He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.

Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked with the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid?

Are you better than No-Amon, who was situated amongst the rivers, who had the waters around her, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea?

You also will be drunken. You will be hidden. You also will seek a stronghold because of the enemy.

You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears. They came as a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD’s anger.

But I will leave amongst you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the LORD’s name.

The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

The LORD has taken away your judgements. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is amongst you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.

The LORD, your God, is amongst you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.

The man who stood amongst the myrtle trees answered, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to go back and forth through the earth.”

They reported to the LORD’s angel who stood amongst the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked back and forth through the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and in peace.”

Then I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the middle of her.

For the LORD of Armies says: ‘For honour he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.

The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Yes, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?”

Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

I will encamp around my house against the army, that no one pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes.

The LORD will be seen over them. His arrow will flash like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

The LORD of Armies will defend them. They will destroy and overcome with sling stones. They will drink, and roar as through wine. They will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

The LORD their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land.

My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats, for the LORD of Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle.

They will be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle. They will fight, because the LORD is with them. The riders on horses will be confounded.

In that day,” says the LORD, “I will strike every horse with terror and his rider with madness. I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

In that day I will make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire amongst wood, and like a flaming torch amongst sheaves. They will devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem will yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem.

The LORD also will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of David’s house and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem not be magnified above Judah.

In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble amongst them at that day will be like David, and David’s house will be like God, like the LORD’s angel before them.

It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me,” says the LORD of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

You shall flee by the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel. Yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. The LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with you.

Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse; but Jerusalem will dwell safely.

“For I, the LORD, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says the LORD of Armies.

They shall be mine,” says the LORD of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make. I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”

He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,

and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”

He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,

and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.

Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep amongst wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

“Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.”

See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

“Behold, I have told you beforehand.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me.

Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”

So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.

If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry.”

He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.

yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.

Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them,

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore.

“Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.

Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and will lead many astray.

Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;

they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.

salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,

There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’

and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”

But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way.

Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.

They came to him and awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are dying!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; then they ceased, and it was calm.

Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs amongst wolves.

Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.

Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

“When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.”

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!

It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.

A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’

They couldn’t find what they might do, for all the people hung on to every word that he said.

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

And not a hair of your head will perish.

Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.

Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.

When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”

A certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out.

This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.

After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn’t walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.

Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.

The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;

I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.

Jesus therefore walked no more openly amongst the Jews, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I have kept those whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,”

that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.”

Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs.

For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out and said,

But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,

“We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him

and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son.

Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.

“This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

As he travelled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.

but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.

The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”

But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.

they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”

When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.

for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theatre.

When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in amongst you, not sparing the flock.

Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul.

When he came to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;

and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”

The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realised that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from amongst them and bring him into the barracks.

But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”

So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”

He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learnt that he was a Roman.

When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”

But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I determined to send him,

delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.

Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.”

But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go towards the land;

and the rest should follow, some on planks and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land.

However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.

But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.

Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us,

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.

that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

I was let down in a basket through a window by the wall, and escaped his hands.

and don’t give place to the devil.

Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Therefore put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.

For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge,

That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?

Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,

and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked

then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgement,

These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.

We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Watch yourselves, that we don’t lose the things which we have accomplished, but that we receive a full reward.

If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,

But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira—as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan’—to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.

“I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.

Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree.

I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea,

saying, “Don’t harm the earth, the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!”

I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,

of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, and of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.

They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat;

They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads.

If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.

I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” They went up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand and two hundred and sixty days.

Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished.

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues,

They went up over the width of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.

having a great and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

Its wall is one hundred and forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.