Strength in the Bible: God as Our Source of Power

If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”

The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD”.

He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

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

She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.

You shall be over my house. All my people will be ruled according to your word. Only in the throne I will be greater than you.”

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

He made him ride in the second chariot which he had. They cried before him, “Bow the knee!” He set him over all the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”

He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”

Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.

“Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down before you.

Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?

“Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags.

“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall.

But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.”

The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.

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

I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do amongst them, and after that he will let you go.

He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.

The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail.” He stretched out his hand, and took hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.

The LORD said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh.

“It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

The LORD said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, the LORD?

Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”

You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.

The LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, for by a strong hand he shall let them go, and by a strong hand he shall drive them out of his land.”

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

The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

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

For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

That same day, the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt.

It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.

When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.

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

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

The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I have gotten myself honour over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”

Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

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!”

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

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

The LORD is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The LORD is a man of war. The LORD is his name.

Your right hand, LORD, is glorious in power. Your right hand, LORD, dashes the enemy in pieces.

With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

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.

“You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.

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.

When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

But Moses’ hands were heavy; so they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.

Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

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

You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you walk upright.

I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your sky like iron, and your soil like bronze.

Your strength will be spent in vain; for your land won’t yield its increase, neither will the trees of the land yield their fruit.

The children of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand and five hundred.

Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were counted of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand and three hundred.

Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand and six hundred and fifty.

I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you don’t bear it yourself alone.

The LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s hand grown short? Now you will see whether my word will happen to you or not.”

Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!”

Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from amongst them.

Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying,

He said, “You shall not pass through.” Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong hand.

Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was fortified.

Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;

for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.

Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”

God brings them out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.

Behold, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”

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.

He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”

Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.

Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”

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

after he had struck Sihon the king of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei.

I spoke to you at that time, saying, “I am not able to bear you myself alone.

How can I myself alone bear your problems, your burdens, and your strife?

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,

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

a great people, many, and tall, as the Anakim; but the LORD destroyed them from before Israel, and they succeeded them, and lived in their place,

Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole sky, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.”

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

(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.)

“Lord GOD, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or in earth that can do works like yours, and mighty acts like yours?

But commission Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.”

Or has God tried to go and take a nation for himself from amongst another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their offspring after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt;

to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today.

You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

and the LORD showed great and awesome signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes;

When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you go to possess it, and casts out many nations before you—the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—seven nations greater and mightier than you;

you shall not be afraid of them. You shall remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:

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.

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.

a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?”

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 prayed to the LORD, and said, “Lord GOD, don’t destroy your people and your inheritance that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

lest the land you brought us out from say, ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised to them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’

Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.”

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

Know this day—for I don’t speak with your children who have not known, and who have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm,

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

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

but your eyes have seen all of the LORD’s great work which he did.

Therefore you shall keep the entire commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land that you go over to possess;

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.

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.

It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,

and shall tell them, “Hear, Israel, you draw near today to battle against your enemies. Don’t let your heart faint! Don’t be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them;

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

The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs, and with wonders;

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.”

Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it.

He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them. I will be with you.”

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.

He made him ride on the high places of the earth. He ate the increase of the field. He caused him to suck honey out of the rock, oil out of the flinty rock;

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?

For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves concede.

“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.

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

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.”

Majesty belongs to the firstborn of his herd. His horns are the horns of the wild ox. With them he will push all the peoples to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim. They are the thousands of Manasseh.”

About Gad he said, “He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head.

About Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps out of Bashan.”

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

Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his strength gone.

in all the signs and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,

and in all the mighty hand, and in all the awesome deeds, which Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

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.

“Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

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.”

Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall live in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valour, and shall help them

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

They said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.”

The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is amongst you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you.

It shall be that when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap.”

the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down towards the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho.

About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.

For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,

that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”

When all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, their heart melted, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Israel.

They returned to Joshua, and said to him, “Don’t let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don’t make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them.”

So Joshua arose, with all the warriors, to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valour, and sent them out by night.

Joshua rose up early in the morning, mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

When the king of Ai saw it, they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valour.

Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.

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 sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn’t this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day.

but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,

When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks.

Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.”

Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.

Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

So Joshua came suddenly, with all the warriors, against them by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.

Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor used to be the head of all those kingdoms.

from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He took all their kings, struck them, and put them to death.

Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.

As yet I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, to go out and to come in.

Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

When the children of Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labour, and didn’t utterly drive them out.

Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

The children of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”

Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, that is, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, “You are a numerous people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only;

but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”

The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.

“Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn away from it to the right hand or to the left;

“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 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.

“‘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.

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.

When Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labour, and didn’t utterly drive them out.

Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;

but the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim. Yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to forced labour.

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.

They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valour. No man escaped.

After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.

Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died.

So God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel on that day.

The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

“LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.

The mountains quaked at the LORD’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.

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

‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’

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

Zebulun was a people that jeopardised their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.

Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.

“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.

The LORD’s angel appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour!”

The LORD looked at him, and said, “Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Haven’t I sent you?”

He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

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

But the LORD’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him.

You will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened to go down into the camp.” Then went he down with Purah his servant to the outermost part of the armed men who were in the camp.

They blew the three hundred trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah towards Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.

He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew sword.

Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army felt secure.

Zebah and Zalmunna fled and he pursued them. He took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army.

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks.

I wish that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” He said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

It shall be that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and rush on the city. Behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.”

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead became the father of Jephthah.

They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.”

Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivers them before me, will I be your head?”

Then the LORD’s Spirit came on Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon.

So Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hand.

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

The LORD’s Spirit began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.

He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.

The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burnt, and he went up to his father’s house.

Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch in the middle between every two tails.

When he had set the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the olive groves.

He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cave in Etam’s rock.

When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire; and his bands dropped from off his hands.

He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, put out his hand, took it, and struck a thousand men with it.

Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men.”

Samson lay until midnight, then arose at midnight and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, with the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.

Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and what you might be bound to afflict you.”

Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”

Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords as a flax thread is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.

He said to her, “If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”

So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, then said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” The ambush was waiting in the inner room. He broke them off his arms like a thread.

Delilah said to Samson, “Until now, you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what you might be bound.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the fabric on the loom.”

She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam and the fabric.

She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”

He told her all his heart and said to her, “No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me and I will become weak, and be like any other man.”

She made him sleep on her knees; and she called for a man and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that the LORD had departed from him.

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

Samson took hold of the two middle pillars on which the house rested and leaned on them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.

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

The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.

The children of Dan went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. The young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.”

He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady’s father said, “Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines;” and they both ate.

The children of Benjamin were counted on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred chosen men.

Amongst all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were counted four hundred thousand men who drew sword. All these were men of war.

The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.

So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

There is no one as holy as the LORD, for there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.

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

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

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

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

Be strong and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!”

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.

Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valour.

Then the LORD’s Spirit will come mightily on you, then you will prophesy with them and will be turned into another man.

When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied amongst them.

They ran and got him there. When he stood amongst the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burnt hot.

He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents.

The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.

Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

So it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armour bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan; and his armour bearer killed them after him.

That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armour bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.

There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and amongst all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling.

Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other with their swords in very great confusion.

But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.

Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter amongst the Philistines.”

They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;

Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned himself, he defeated them.

There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him into his service.

Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.

Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.

Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.

Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, a mighty man of valour, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”

A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span went out.

He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he wore a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.

He had bronze shin armour on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.

The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.

David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

I went out after him, struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed him.

Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.”

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.”

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Today, the LORD will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the sky and to the wild animals of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,

and that all this assembly may know that the LORD doesn’t save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

David put his hand in his bag, took a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand.

The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gai and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron.

There was war again. David went out and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.

He enquired of the LORD for him, gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.

David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.

Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land who were of old, on the way to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.

Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your servant, and let me set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”

She brought it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up and went away that night.

David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor.

They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.

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

all the valiant men arose, went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burnt them there.

“Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!

You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places.

How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.

The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.

Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.

While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house.

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

Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. This is David’s city.

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 you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then stir yourself up; for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”

David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.

After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.

David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians.

David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt.

When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians.

The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.

He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him.”

When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.

Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.

The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.

Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”

Hushai said moreover, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.

The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint;

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.”

After this, there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.

There was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on every hand and six toes on every foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was born to the giant.

These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

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.

Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.

Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.

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

At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled.

The LORD thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.

He sent out arrows and scattered them, lightning and confused them.

Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the LORD’s rebuke, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

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.

For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.

For who is God, besides the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God?

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

He makes his feet like hinds’ 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 enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.

I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.

I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet.

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.

Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.

The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places.

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.”

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; he was called Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred at one time.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.

He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and the LORD worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder.

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

The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name amongst the three.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow.

He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name amongst the three mighty men.

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armour bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Joab gave up the sum of the counting of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

“I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

Solomon sat on David his father’s throne; and his kingdom was firmly established.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar and called its name Boaz.

It stood on twelve oxen, three looking towards the north, and three looking towards the west, and three looking towards the south, and three looking towards the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hindquarters were inward.

(for they shall hear of your great name and of your mighty hand and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays towards this house,

Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. He kept them in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.

He gathered men to himself, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah. They went to Damascus and lived there, and reigned in Damascus.

The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labour of the house of Joseph.

Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

The LORD’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

The LORD’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain.

They each killed his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.

The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.

The prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and plan what you must do, for at the return of the year, the king of Syria will come up against you.”

The servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let’s fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

Muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they are.” He listened to their voice and did so.

They encamped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians in one day.

The king of Israel said to his servants, “You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we do nothing, and don’t take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, and said, “The LORD says, ‘With these you will push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he fought, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty!” Then fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.

Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty!” Then God’s fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.

Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters; and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground.

He also took up Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

He took Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” When he also had struck the waters, they were divided apart, and Elisha went over.

This is an easy thing in the LORD’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites.

They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone, and filled it. They also stopped all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth all they left was its stones; however the men armed with slings went around it and attacked it.

When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria; he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper.

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.

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.”

The watchman said, “He came to them, and isn’t coming back. The driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and struck Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

When Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out at the window.

“Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armour,

Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

He built Elath and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him.

He struck the Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.

You say (but they are but vain words), ‘There is counsel and strength for war.’ Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

They said to him, “Hezekiah says, ‘Today is a day of trouble, of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.

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.

By your messengers, you have defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots, I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon, and I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field.

I have dug and drunk strange waters, and I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt with the sole of my feet.”

Haven’t you heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps.

Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance has come up into my ears, therefore I will put my hook in your nose, and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came.’

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water into the city, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.

In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.

The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, able to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were forty-four thousand and seven hundred and sixty that were able to go out to war.

These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel—mighty men of valour, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.

The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers’ houses, of Tola; mighty men of valour in their generations. Their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand and six hundred.

With them, by their generations, after their fathers’ houses, were bands of the army for war, thirty-six thousand; for they had many wives and sons.

Their brothers amongst all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valour, listed in all by genealogy, were eighty-seven thousand.

The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers’ houses, mighty men of valour; and they were listed by genealogy twenty-two thousand and thirty-four.

They were listed by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty men of valour, twenty thousand and two hundred.

All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, mighty men of valour, seventeen thousand and two hundred, who were able to go out in the army for war.

All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valour, chief of the princes. The number of them listed by genealogy for service in war was twenty-six thousand men.

The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers, and had many sons, and grandsons, one hundred and fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here!” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is David’s city.

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

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

Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the LORD’s word concerning Israel.

This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

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

The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name amongst the three.

Of the three, he was more honourable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and had a name amongst the three mighty men.

Behold, he was more honourable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard.

The mighty men of the armies also include Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armour bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),

Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites), and thirty with him,

Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were amongst the mighty men, his helpers in war.

They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were of Saul’s relatives of the tribe of Benjamin.

Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man amongst the thirty and a leader of the thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;

Some Gadites joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valour, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains:

These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army. He who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand.

These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all who lived in the valleys, both towards the east and towards the west.

Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them captains of the band.

As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh.

They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valour and were captains in the army.

For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like God’s army.

The children of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war.

Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war: seven thousand and one hundred.

Jehoiada was the leader of the household of Aaron; and with him were three thousand and seven hundred,

and Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains.

Of the children of Ephraim: twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous men in their fathers’ houses.

Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array with all kinds of instruments of war: fifty thousand who could command and were not of double heart.

Of Naphtali: one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.

Of the Danites who could set the battle in array: twenty-eight thousand and six hundred.

Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array: forty thousand.

On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all kinds of instruments of war for the battle: one hundred and twenty thousand.

So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like waters breaking out. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

Honour and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.

Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!

After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, towards Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them enough for one hundred chariots.

When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.

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.

When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

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

So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people, who came and encamped near Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

When David heard of it, he sent Joab with all the army of the mighty men.

The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city; and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do that which seems good to him.”

The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen, and also killed Shophach the captain of the army.

After this, war arose at Gezer with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued.

Again there was war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was born to the giant.

When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid and don’t be dismayed.

of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may the LORD be with you.”

Sons were also born to Shemaiah his son, who ruled over the house of their father; for they were mighty men of valour.

The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose relatives were valiant men, Elihu, and Semachiah.

All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom with their sons and their brothers, able men in strength for the service: sixty-two of Obed-Edom.

Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand and seven hundred men of valour, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of the LORD and for the service of the king.

Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers’ households. They were sought for in the fortieth year of the reign of David, and mighty men of valour were found amongst them at Jazer of Gilead.

His relatives, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred, heads of fathers’ households, whom King David made overseers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

This is that Benaiah who was the mighty man of the thirty and over the thirty. Of his division was Ammizabad his son.

After Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar. Joab was the captain of the king’s army.

David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valour, to Jerusalem.

Take heed now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.”

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.

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, also onyx stones, stones to be set, stones for inlaid work of various colours, all kinds of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

Yours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all! In your hand is power and might! It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all!

with all his reign and his might, and the events that involved him, Israel, and all the kingdoms of the lands.

Solomon the son of David was firmly established in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and made him exceedingly great.

Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

“Now therefore arise, LORD God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.

Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it.

He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath.

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

and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

But of the children of Israel, Solomon made no servants for his work, but they were men of war, chief of his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.

He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

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.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.

When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the LORD’s law, and all Israel with him.

So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valour.

Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

Then the men of Judah gave a shout. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.

Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. The LORD struck him, and he died.

But Abijah grew mighty and took for himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

Asa had an army of three hundred thousand out of Judah who bore bucklers and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand out of Benjamin who bore shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valour.

Asa cried to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, LORD our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. LORD, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”

But you be strong! Don’t let your hands be slack, for your work will be rewarded.”

Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and exceedingly many horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.

For the LORD’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”

Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel.

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.

Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah.

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

This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses: From Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valour;

and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand;

and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.

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.

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “The LORD says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

and he said, “LORD, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you.

and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat. The LORD says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed because of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

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.’”

Then Jehoram went there with his captains and all his chariots with him. He rose up by night and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds—Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri—into a covenant with him.

So the workmen worked, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands. They set up God’s house as it was designed, and strengthened it.

Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin. He counted them from twenty years old and upward, and found that there were three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go out to war, who could handle spear and shield.

He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver.

But if you will go, take action, and be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to overthrow.”

Amaziah took courage, and led his people out and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir.

He went out and fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and amongst the Philistines.

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

The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he grew exceedingly strong.

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.

In Jerusalem, he made devices, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, because he was marvellously helped until he was strong.

He built the upper gate of the LORD’s house, and he built much on the wall of Ophel.

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

So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God.

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.

He set captains of war over the people, gathered them together to him in the wide place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,

“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 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.

Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.

and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the LORD my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me.

“Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.

I went out by night by the valley gate towards the jackal’s well, then to the dung gate; and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire.

Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burnt with fire. Come, let’s build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.”

I told them about the hand of my God which was good on me, and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

Then I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.”

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

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.”

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.

I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.

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.

Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men.

and their brothers, mighty men of valour, one hundred and twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.

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,

the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people.

For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater.

The Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they wanted to those who hated them.

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.

Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of bronze?

He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.

If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.

God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?

He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he overturns them in his anger.

He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.

He commands the sun and it doesn’t rise, and seals up the stars.

He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.

Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.

If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’

Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

If he passes by, or confines, or convenes a court, then who can oppose him?

Surely then you will lift up your face without spot. Yes, you will be steadfast, and will not fear,

“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leads counsellors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.

He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant.

Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

The steps of his strength will be shortened. His own counsel will cast him down.

His strength will be famished. Calamity will be ready at his side.

One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does.

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

“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!

He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.

He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them.

The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke.

He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.

By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent.

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

I will teach you about the hand of God. I will not conceal that which is with the Almighty.

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

The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.

The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’

Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?

For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains me.

Behold, my breast is as wine which has no vent; like new wineskins it is ready to burst.

I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer.

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,

all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.

In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.

He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.

“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.

Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?

Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?

Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.

He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.

Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.

He sends it out under the whole sky, and his lightning to the ends of the earth.

After it a voice roars. He thunders with the voice of his majesty. He doesn’t hold back anything when his voice is heard.

For he says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the shower of rain, and to the showers of his mighty rain.

Out of its room comes the storm, and cold out of the north.

By the breath of God, ice is given, and the width of the waters is frozen.

Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture. He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.

Do you know how God controls them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?

Can you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong as a cast metal mirror?

We can’t reach the Almighty. He is exalted in power. In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,

Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?

What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,

“Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,

and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?

“Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,

The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.

“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go out, and don’t return again.

“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?

Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?

Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labour?

When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.

“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?

Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.

He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.

The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.

He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:

“Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.

Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

“Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honour and majesty.

Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.

Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.

Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.

He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.

He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.

Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.

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

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?

Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?

Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?

Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?

Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?

Will traders barter for him? Will they part him amongst the merchants?

Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?

Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.

Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?

None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

Who can strip off his outer garment? Who will come within his jaws?

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

One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.

There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.

The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.

His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.

When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.

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

He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.

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

Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.

His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.

He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.

On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.

He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.

He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

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.

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

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

Arise, LORD! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight.

He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”

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

he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.

I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, I love you, LORD, my strength.

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.

Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.

Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.

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

At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.

The LORD also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.

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

Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

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.

For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.

For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,

the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?

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.

I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won’t turn away until they are consumed.

I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.

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.

Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.

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.

As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.

The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.

The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,

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.

which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.

send you help from the sanctuary, grant you support from Zion,

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.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. The king rejoices in your strength, LORD! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation!

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

For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face.

Be exalted, LORD, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.

For he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods.

Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of Armies is the King of glory! Selah.

By David. The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?

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.

Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.

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.

A Psalm by David. Ascribe to the LORD, you sons of the mighty, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

The LORD’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even the LORD on many waters.

The LORD’s voice is powerful. The LORD’s voice is full of majesty.

The LORD’s voice breaks the cedars. Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young, wild ox.

The LORD’s voice strikes with flashes of lightning.

The LORD’s voice shakes the wilderness. The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The LORD’s voice makes the deer calve, and strips the forests bare. In his temple everything says, “Glory!”

The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood. Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.

The LORD will give strength to his people. The LORD will bless his people with peace.

As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”

You, LORD, when you favoured me, made my mountain stand strong; but when you hid your face, I was troubled.

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.

For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.

By the LORD’s word, the heavens were made: all their army by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deeps in storehouses.

For he spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood firm.

The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.

There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power.

Our soul has waited for the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

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.”

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?”

Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand.

I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away and exist no more.”

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.

I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.

For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favourable to them.

Through you, we will push down our adversaries. Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.

Strap your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendour and your majesty.

In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.

Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies.

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 nations raged. The kingdoms were moved. He lifted his voice and the earth melted.

The LORD of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Come, see the LORD’s works, what desolations he has made in the earth.

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.

For the LORD Most High is awesome. He is a great King over all the earth.

He subdues nations under us, and peoples under our feet.

With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.

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.

Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him.

“Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

Cast your burden on the LORD and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.

Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.

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.

So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defence of my head. Judah is my sceptre.

Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?

Through God we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.

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.

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.

God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.

So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory.

My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.

By your power, you form the mountains, having armed yourself with strength.

You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds! Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.

Come, and see God’s deeds— awesome work on behalf of the children of men.

He turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him.

He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him.

The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai— at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

When the Almighty scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is amongst them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.

Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.

to him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies.

You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!

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.

I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord GOD. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

Yes, even when I am old and grey-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.

My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!

You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.

You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers.

The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.

But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.

There he broke the flaming arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah.

Glorious are you, and excellent, more than mountains of game.

Valiant men lie plundered, they have slept their last sleep. None of the men of war can lift their hands.

At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

You, even you, are to be feared. Who can stand in your sight when you are angry?

He will cut off the spirit of princes. He is feared by the kings of the earth.

Then I thought, “I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

You are the God who does wonders. You have made your strength known amongst the peoples.

You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

The waters saw you, God. The waters saw you, and they writhed. The depths also convulsed.

The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.

Your way was through the sea, your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known.

We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.

They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer.

how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan,

he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.

He sent amongst them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labour to the locust.

and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.

Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.

Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us!

The mountains were covered with its shadow. Its boughs were like God’s cedars.

the stock which your right hand planted, the branch that you made strong for yourself.

Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

“I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

As the fire that burns the forest, as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.

They go from strength to strength. Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.

Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her.

For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who amongst the sons of the heavenly beings is like the LORD,

LORD, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? The LORD, your faithfulness is around you.

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.

The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours, the world and its fullness. You have founded them.

You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.

For you are the glory of their strength. In your favour, our horn will be exalted.

Then you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, “I have given strength to the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.

with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.

No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.

But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.

I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.

He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’

The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labour and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

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.

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. I am anointed with fresh oil.

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They will still produce fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green,

to show that the LORD is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

The LORD reigns! He is clothed with majesty! The LORD is armed with strength. The world also is established. It can’t be moved.

The floods have lifted up, LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their waves.

Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty.

When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, LORD, held me up.

But the LORD has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.

Honour and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the LORD, you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvellous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

The LORD reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned amongst the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.

The LORD is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples.

The King’s strength also loves justice. You establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.

They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.

who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Praise the LORD, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfil his word, obeying the voice of his word.

He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind.

He makes his messengers winds, and his servants flames of fire.

He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.

At your rebuke they fled. At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.

The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which you had assigned to them.

wine that makes the heart of man glad, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.

You send out your Spirit and they are created. You renew the face of the ground.

He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries.

They performed miracles amongst them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person amongst his tribes.

Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD, or fully declare all his praise?

Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power known.

He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.

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 sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves.

For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.

He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.

God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph, I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine. Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is my helmet. Judah is my sceptre.

Moab is my wash pot. I will toss my sandal on Edom. I will shout over Philistia.”

Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Give us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain.

Through God, we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our enemies.

that they may know that this is your hand; that you, LORD, have done it.

A Psalm by David. The LORD says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”

The LORD will send out the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule amongst your enemies.

Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.

The Lord is at your right hand. He will crush kings in the day of his wrath.

He will drink of the brook on the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.

For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.

His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries.

The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back.

The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs.

What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back?

You mountains, that you skipped like rams? You little hills, like lambs?

Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.

But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.

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 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.

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.

The LORD is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.

The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in your word.

They had almost wiped me from the earth, but I didn’t forsake your precepts.

You are my hiding place and my shield. I hope in your word.

Uphold me according to your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Hold me up, and I will be safe, and will have respect for your statutes continually.

Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

A Song of Ascents. In my distress, I cried to the LORD. He answered me.

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Our help is in the LORD’s name, who made heaven and earth.

A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.

As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.

many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.

Arise, LORD, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength.

He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal.

He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.

He struck many nations, and killed mighty kings—

Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan—

with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

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.

LORD, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.

Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.

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.

Part your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners,

Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

I will meditate on the glorious majesty of your honour, on your wondrous works.

Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

The LORD upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise the LORD!

May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand,

Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!

Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever.

The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

The wicked are overthrown, and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.

The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labour.

Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

The glory of young men is their strength. The splendour of old men is their grey hair.

for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,

for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.

If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.

Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?

Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.

The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

The lion, which is mightiest amongst animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;

the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; for I am faint with love.

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.

Your neck is like David’s tower built for an armoury, on which a thousand shields hang, all the shields of the mighty men.

Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.

Many waters can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.

I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.

The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

for every lofty tower, for every fortified wall,

for all the ships of Tarshish, and for all pleasant imagery.

the mighty man, the man of war, the judge, the prophet, the diviner, the elder,

Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and champions at mixing strong drink;

He will lift up a banner to the nations from far away, and he will whistle for them from the end of the earth. Behold, they will come speedily and swiftly.

No one shall be weary nor stumble amongst them; no one shall slumber nor sleep, neither shall the belt of their waist be untied, nor the strap of their sandals be broken,

whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent. Their horses’ hoofs will be like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind.

Their roaring will be like a lioness. They will roar like young lions. Yes, they shall roar, and seize their prey and carry it off, and there will be no one to deliver.

Tell him, ‘Be careful, and keep calm. Don’t be afraid, neither let your heart be faint because of these two tails of smoking torches, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!

For the LORD spoke this to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as in the day of Midian.

As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images exceeded those of Jerusalem and of Samaria,

For he has said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.

My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, I have gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing, or that opened their mouth, or chirped.”

A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

The LORD of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt.

Behold, the Lord, the LORD of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.

He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

The LORD’s Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

but he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.

They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them.

The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind he will wave his hand over the River, and will split it into seven streams, and cause men to march over in sandals.

Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD, the LORD, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.”

The noise of a multitude is in the mountains, as of a great people; the noise of an uproar of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! The LORD of Armies is mustering the army for the battle.

The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers,

For the LORD of Armies has planned, and who can stop it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”

For you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the rock of your strength. Therefore you plant pleasant plants, and set out foreign seedlings.

The burden of Egypt. “Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt within it.

I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the LORD of Armies’s hand, which he shakes over them.

They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!

He cried like a lion: “Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.

You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall.

Behold, the LORD will overcome you and hurl you away violently. Yes, he will grasp you firmly.

and I will clothe him with your robe, and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit your government into his hand; and he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

I will lay the key of David’s house on his shoulder. He will open, and no one will shut. He will shut, and no one will open.

I will fasten him like a nail in a sure place. He will be for a throne of glory to his father’s house.

He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.

Therefore a strong people will glorify you. A city of awesome nations will fear you.

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.

He has brought the high fortress of your walls down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.

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.

Trust in the LORD forever; for in the LORD, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock.

For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.

In that day, the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan, the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.

Wrath is not in me, but if I should find briers and thorns, I would do battle! I would march on them and I would burn them together.

Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me. Let him make peace with me.”

Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand.

and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgement, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

Therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.

But the multitude of your foes will be like fine dust, and the multitude of the ruthless ones like chaff that blows away. Yes, it will be in an instant, suddenly.

She will be visited by the LORD of Armies with thunder, with earthquake, with great noise, with whirlwind and storm, and with the flame of a devouring fire.

Therefore the strength of Pharaoh will be your shame, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

For Egypt helps in vain, and to no purpose; therefore I have called her Rahab who sits still.

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.” You refused,

Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, both he who helps shall stumble, and he who is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together.

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.

LORD, be gracious to us. We have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

“Now I will arise,” says the LORD. “Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted.

Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might.”

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.

Strengthen the weak hands, and make the feeble knees firm.

Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong! Don’t be afraid! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God’s retribution. He will come and save you.

I say that your counsel and strength for the war are only vain words. Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Now therefore, please make a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

They said to him, “Hezekiah says, ‘Today is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the birth, and there is no strength to give birth.

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.

By your servants, you have defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon. I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees. I will enter into its farthest height, the forest of its fruitful field.

I have dug and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt.”

The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah will again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.

Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them. You restore me, and cause me to live.

The grass withers, the flower fades, because the LORD’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.

Behold, the Lord GOD will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.

All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,

who brings princes to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.

“To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. By the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is lacking.

Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.

Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;

but those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.

“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgement.

Everyone helps his neighbour. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

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, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.

Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

The LORD will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

“I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

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.

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?”

The LORD, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters,

who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick) says:

The blacksmith takes an axe, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.

The LORD, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: “I am the LORD, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;

who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;

who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ and ‘I will dry up your rivers,’

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.

I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not known me,

I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am the LORD, who does all these things.

I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens. I have commanded all their army.

They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in the LORD.’” Even to him will men come. All those who raged against him will be disappointed.

Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.

They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity.

Yes, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. when I call to them, they stand up together.

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.

Now the LORD, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, says to bring Jacob again to him, and to gather Israel to him, for I am honourable in the LORD’s eyes, and my God has become my strength.

I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be exalted.

Shall the plunder be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?

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.

I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they will be drunk on their own blood, as with sweet wine. Then all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Why, when I came, was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness. Their fish stink because there is no water, and die of thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness. I make sackcloth their covering.”

For the Lord GOD will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I won’t be disappointed.

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.

Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of the LORD! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?

Isn’t it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?

“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who will be made as grass?

For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. the LORD of Armies is his name.

Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city, for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.

The LORD has made his holy arm bare in the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD’s arm been revealed?

For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

“Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.

You were wearied with the length of your ways; yet you didn’t say, ‘It is in vain.’ You found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren’t faint.

and the LORD will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong. You will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters don’t fail.

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it can’t save; nor his ear dull, that it can’t hear.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the LORD’s glory has risen on you!

You will also drink the milk of the nations, and will nurse from royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

The little one will become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will do this quickly in its time.”

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 is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? Who is this who is glorious in his clothing, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

I looked, and there was no one to help; and I wondered that there was no one to uphold. Therefore my own arm brought salvation to me. My own wrath upheld me.

Who caused his glorious arm to be at Moses’ right hand? Who divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name?

Who led them through the depths, like a horse in the wilderness, so that they didn’t stumble?

Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—

as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

When you did awesome things which we didn’t look for, you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence.

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says the LORD. “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.

You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones will flourish like the tender grass. The LORD’s hand will be known amongst his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies.

Then the LORD stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

“You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.

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.”

Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men.

Don’t you fear me?’ says the LORD; ‘Won’t you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it can’t pass it? Though its waves toss themselves, yet they can’t prevail. Though they roar, they still can’t pass over it.’

“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress amongst my people, that you may know and try their way.

The LORD says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.

They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

There is no one like you, LORD. You are great, and your name is great in might.

God has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.

When he utters his voice, the waters in the heavens roar, and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?

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.

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.

“Therefore behold, I will cause them to know, this once I will cause them to know my hand and my might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD.”

The LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from the LORD.

For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit.

LORD, you have persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day. Everyone mocks me.

If I say that I will not make mention of him, or speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones. I am weary with holding it in. I can’t.

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.

I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation.

“Isn’t my word like fire?” says the LORD; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

“Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and tell them, “‘The LORD will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will mightily roar against his fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

‘I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me.

“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.

Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “The LORD says: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from off the neck of all the nations within two full years.’” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

It will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds. Strangers will no more make them their bondservants;

For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.

The LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar— the LORD of Armies is his name, says:

“If these ordinances depart from before me,” says the LORD, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before me forever.”

“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you.

You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of Armies is your name:

and brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, with wonders, with a strong hand, with an outstretched arm, and with great terror;

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?

“The LORD who does it, the LORD who forms it to establish it—the LORD is his name, says:

“Who is this who rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge?

Egypt rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, ‘I will rise up. I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.’

Go up, you horses! Rage, you chariots! Let the mighty men go out: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.

Why are your strong ones swept away? They didn’t stand, because the LORD pushed them.

“As I live,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Armies, “surely like Tabor amongst the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so he will come.

“How do you say, ‘We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war’?

All you who are around him, bemoan him; and all you who know his name, say, ‘How the strong staff is broken, the beautiful rod!’

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken,” says the LORD.

For the LORD says: “Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab.

“Behold, he will come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make them run away from it, and 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 will stand before me?”

Behold, he will come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah. The heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

“The LORD of Armies says: ‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.

For, behold, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they will set themselves in array against her. She will be taken from there. Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man. None of them will return in vain.

I have laid a snare for you, and you are also taken, Babylon, and you weren’t aware. You are found, and also caught, because you have fought against the LORD.

The LORD has opened his armoury, and has brought out the weapons of his indignation; for the Lord, the LORD of Armies, has a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.

Their Redeemer is strong. The LORD of Armies is his name. He will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

A sword is on the boasters, and they will become fools. A sword is on her mighty men, and they will be dismayed.

A sword is on their horses, on their chariots, and on all the mixed people who are in the middle of her; and they will become as women. A sword is on her treasures, and they will be robbed.

“Behold, a people comes from the north. A great nation and many kings will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

They take up bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea. They ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Babylon.

The king of Babylon has heard the news of them, and his hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of him, pains as of a woman in labour.

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?”

The LORD says: “Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.

Against him who bends, let the archer bend his bow, also against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. Don’t spare her young men! Utterly destroy all her army!

“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.

The LORD of Armies has sworn by himself, saying, ‘Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, and they will lift up a shout against you.’

“He has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom. By his understanding he has stretched out the heavens.

When he utters his voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.

“You are my battle axe and weapons of war. With you I will break the nations into pieces. With you I will destroy kingdoms.

With you I will break in pieces the horse and his rider.

With you I will break in pieces the chariot and him who rides therein. With you I will break in pieces man and woman. With you I will break in pieces the old man and the youth. With you I will break in pieces the young man and the virgin.

With you I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock. With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke. With you I will break in pieces governors and deputies.

“Behold, I am against you, destroying mountain,” says the LORD, “which destroys all the earth. I will stretch out my hand on you, roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burnt mountain.

“Set up a standard in the land! Blow the trumpet amongst the nations! Prepare the nations against her! Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz! Appoint a marshal against her! Cause the horses to come up as the swarming locusts!

They will roar together like young lions. They will growl as lions’ cubs.

Though Babylon should mount up to the sky, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet destroyers will come to her from me,” says the LORD.

For the destroyer has come on her, even on Babylon. Her mighty men are taken. Their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of retribution. He will surely repay.

The LORD of Armies says: “The wide walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown. Her high gates will be burnt with fire. The peoples will labour for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they will be weary.”

All majesty has departed from the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture. They have gone without strength before the pursuer.

“The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand. They are knit together. They have come up on my neck. He made my strength fail. The Lord has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.

I said, “My strength has perished, along with my expectation from the LORD.”

When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.

He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.”

The Spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard him who spoke to me.

You, son of man, don’t be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you dwell amongst scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads.

I have made your forehead as a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”

So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the LORD’s hand was strong on me.

The LORD’s hand was there on me; and he said to me, “Arise, go out into the plain, and I will talk with you there.”

Then the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet. He spoke with me, and said to me, “Go, shut yourself inside your house.

The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.

Every one them had four faces. The first face was the face of the cherub. The second face was the face of a man. The third face was the face of a lion. The fourth was the face of an eagle.

Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won’t help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons.

All the trees of the field will know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. “‘I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it.’”

and say, ‘What was your mother? A lioness. She couched amongst lions, in the middle of the young lions she nourished her cubs.

It had strong branches for the sceptres of those who ruled. Their stature was exalted amongst the thick boughs. They were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.

As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.

I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.

Tell the forest of the south, ‘Hear the LORD’s word: The Lord GOD says, “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be burnt by it.

All flesh will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It will not be quenched.”’”

All flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’

Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I will deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken it, and will do it.

“‘“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you. They showed your beauty.

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.

“‘“They of the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, war horses, and mules.

“In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will open your mouth amongst them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken. I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.

I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand; but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before the king of Babylon with the groaning of a mortally wounded man.

I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall down. Then they will know that I am the LORD when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he stretches it out on the land of Egypt.

Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, of high stature; and its top was amongst the thick boughs.

Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied. Its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it spread them out.

The strong amongst the mighty will speak to him out of the middle of Sheol with those who help him. They have gone down. The uncircumcised lie still, slain by the sword.

You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t brought back that which was driven away. You haven’t sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor.

“I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them in justice.”’

and tell it, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you. I will make you a desolation and an astonishment.

I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.

I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine amongst the nations.

The LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in the LORD’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.

The Lord GOD says to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live.

So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, there was an earthquake. Then the bones came together, bone to its bone.

I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.

I will turn you around, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armour, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords;

I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.

In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck, in the same day, the LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me there.

youths in whom was no defect, but well-favoured, skilful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding science, and who had the ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.

The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.

If it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

The tree grew and was strong. Its height reached to the sky and its sight to the end of all the earth.

The tree that you saw, which grew and was strong, whose height reached to the sky and its sight to all the earth;

it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”

Because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he wanted to, and he kept alive whom he wanted to. He raised up whom he wanted to, and he put down whom he wanted to.

He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.

“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;

and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, whose look was more stout than its fellows.

“So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces.

As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise out of this kingdom. Another will arise after them; and he will be different from the former, and he will put down three kings.

I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward. No animals could stand before him. There wasn’t any who could deliver out of his hand, but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.

As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west over the surface of the whole earth, and didn’t touch the ground. The goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

He came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran on him in the fury of his power.

I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. There was no one who could deliver the ram out of his hand.

The male goat magnified himself exceedingly. When he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable horns towards the four winds of the sky.

Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face towards the ground; but he touched me and set me upright.

His body also was like beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches. His arms and his feet were like burnished bronze. The voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude.

So I was left alone and saw this great vision. No strength remained in me; for my face grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength.

Behold, a hand touched me, which set me on my knees and on the palms of my hands.

He said to me, “Daniel, you greatly beloved man, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have been sent to you, now.” When he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling.

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.

Behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth, and spoke and said to him who stood before me, “My lord, by reason of the vision my sorrows have overtaken me, and I retain no strength.

For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? For as for me, immediately there remained no strength in me. There was no breath left in me.”

Then one like the appearance of a man touched me again, and he strengthened me.

He said, “Greatly beloved man, don’t be afraid. Peace be to you. Be strong. Yes, be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. When I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.

“As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

A mighty king will stand up, who will rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

“The king of the south will be strong. One of his princes will become stronger than him, and have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion.

At the end of years they will join themselves together; and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain the strength of her arm. He will also not stand, nor will his arm; but she will be given up, with those who brought her, and he who became the father of her, and he who strengthened her in those times.

“But out of a shoot from her roots one will stand up in his place, who will come to the army and will enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and will deal against them and will prevail.

His sons will wage war, and will assemble a multitude of great forces which will come on, and overflow, and pass through. They will return and wage war, even to his fortress.

“The king of the south will be moved with anger and will come out and fight with him, even with the king of the north. He will send out a great multitude, and the multitude will be given into his hand.

The king of the north will return, and will send out a multitude greater than the former. He will come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with abundant supplies.

So the king of the north will come and cast up a mound, and take a well-fortified city. The forces of the south won’t stand, neither will his select troops, neither will there be any strength to stand.

But he who comes against him will do according to his own will, and no one will stand before him. He will stand in the glorious land, and destruction will be in his hand.

He will set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and with him equitable conditions. He will perform them. He will give him the daughter of women, to destroy the kingdom, but she will not stand, and won’t be for him.

After the treaty made with him he will work deceitfully; for he will come up and will become strong with few people.

“He will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south will wage war in battle with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he won’t stand; for they will devise plans against him.

He will corrupt those who do wickedly against the covenant by flatteries; but the people who know their God will be strong and take action.

It will happen in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”

For I will be to Ephraim like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear in pieces and go away. I will carry off, and there will be no one to deliver.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn’t realise it. Indeed, grey hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn’t realise it.

Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.

They will walk after the LORD, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children will come trembling from the west.

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he contended with God.

Indeed, he struggled with the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us—

even the LORD, the God of Armies. The LORD is his name of renown!

Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.

They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.

One doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defences and don’t break ranks.

The LORD thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

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.

Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

Proclaim this amongst the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up.

Beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’

Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together.” Cause your mighty ones to come down there, LORD.

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.

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.

Flight will perish from the swift. The strong won’t strengthen his force. The mighty won’t deliver himself.

He who handles the bow won’t stand. He who is swift of foot won’t escape. He who rides the horse won’t deliver himself.

Therefore the Lord GOD says: “An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered.”

“Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob,” says the Lord GOD, the God of Armies.

For, behold, he who forms the mountains, creates the wind, declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth: The LORD, the God of Armies, is his name.”

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name,

who brings sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the fortress.

you who rejoice in a thing of nothing, who say, ‘Haven’t we taken for ourselves horns by our own strength?’

For the Lord, the LORD of Armies, is he who touches the land and it melts, and all who dwell in it will mourn; and it will rise up wholly like the River, and will sink again, like the River of Egypt.

It is he who builds his rooms in the heavens, and has founded his vault on the earth; he who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth—the LORD is his name.

Though you mount on high as the eagle, and though your nest is set amongst the stars, I will bring you down from there,” says the LORD.

Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.

The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. They will burn amongst them and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau.” Indeed, the LORD has spoken.

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them.

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever; yet you have brought my life up from the pit, LORD my God.

But as for me, I am full of power by the LORD’s Spirit, and of judgement, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.

and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.”

Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze. You will beat in pieces many peoples. I will devote their gain to the LORD, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.

He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. They will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.

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.

The remnant of Jacob will be amongst the nations, amongst many peoples, like a lion amongst the animals of the forest, like a young lion amongst the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.

Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.

Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.

The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. The LORD has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel languish. The flower of Lebanon languishes.

The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, yes, the world, and all who dwell in it.

Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.

The LORD says: “Though they are in full strength and likewise many, even so they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

Now I will break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds apart.”

He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!

The shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished.

The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.

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?

The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey.

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?

Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength. Put and Libya were her helpers.

Draw water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong.

There the fire will devour you. The sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the grasshopper. Multiply like grasshoppers. Multiply like the locust.

They are feared and dreaded. Their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves.

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.

Yes, they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision to them. They laugh at every stronghold, for they build up an earthen ramp and take it.

Then they sweep by like the wind and go on. They are indeed guilty, whose strength is their god.”

His splendour is like the sunrise. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.

He stood, and shook the earth. He looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains were crumbled. The age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal.

You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.

The mountains saw you, and were afraid. The storm of waters passed by. The deep roared and lifted up its hands on high.

The sun and moon stood still in the sky at the light of your arrows as they went, at the shining of your glittering spear.

You trampled the sea with your horses, churning mighty waters.

GOD, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places. For the music director, on my stringed instruments.

The LORD will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.

In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”

The LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of Armies, their God,

Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says the LORD of Armies.

For this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;

“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth.

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother.

For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they will be a plunder to those who served them; and you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me.

Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the LORD’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD of Armies.

Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you.

In the third chariot were white horses. In the fourth chariot were dappled horses, all of them powerful.

The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth. He said, “Go around and through the earth!” So they walked back and forth through the earth.

The LORD of Armies says: “If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Armies.

The LORD of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse amongst the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire.

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.

Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me. I have loaded the bow with Ephraim. I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

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.

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.

From him will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together.

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.

“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, for I have mercy on them. They will be as though I had not cast them off, for I am the LORD their God, and I will hear them.

Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine. Yes, their children will see it and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in the LORD.

He will pass through the sea of affliction, and will strike the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the Nile will dry up; and the pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt will depart.

I will strengthen them in the LORD. They will walk up and down in his name,” says the LORD.

The chieftains of Judah will say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of Armies their God.’

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.

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.

Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move towards the north, and half of it towards the south.

“But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ soap;

“I indeed baptise you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you in the Holy Spirit.

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.

He touched her hand, and the fever left her. So she got up and served him.

When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The men marvelled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

He said to them, “Go!” They came out and went into the herd of pigs; and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea and died in the water.

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.”

He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.

Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.

He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately, and she served them.

and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house.

He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.

He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains,

because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him.

For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.

If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up; and he arose.

Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’

When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.

For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”

For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

John answered them all, “I indeed baptise you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptise you in the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them.

Demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Rebuking them, he didn’t allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were being healed.

All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.

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.

When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

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.

But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.”

But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!”

He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.

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.

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.”

But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

“When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armour in which he trusted, and divides his plunder.

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”

“The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

“By your endurance you will win your lives.

but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”

An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.

Behold, I send out the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.”

Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now that day was a Sabbath.

If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”

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.

When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.

I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward and fell to the ground.

When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.

He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.

Leaping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people and elders of Israel,

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled. They recognised that they had been with Jesus.

When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.

Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs amongst the people.

They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.

Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

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.

But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him

But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.

So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.

Having spent some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.

God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,

So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up and to give you the inheritance amongst all those who are sanctified.

You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.

In all things I gave you an example, that so labouring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,

But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.

After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.

However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.

who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;

For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.

Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord,

Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.

So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages,

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you—

who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;

because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.

My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honour, but we have dishonour.

For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

Now God raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up by his power.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well.

Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.

Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,

but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!

Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,

We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

to the one a stench from death to death, to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

Such confidence we have through Christ towards God,

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,

Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.

We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day.

but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God: in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,

But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.

For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh;

for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,

For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

Truly the signs of an apostle were worked amongst you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me who is not weak, but is powerful in you.

For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God towards you.

For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect.

to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.

for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles—

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.

that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,

may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.

and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

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.

Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints.

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death,

Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before,

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learnt in whatever state I am, to be content in it.

I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In any and all circumstances I have learnt the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy,

for which I also labour, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.

Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.

and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be amongst you for your sake.

but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith,

For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient towards all.

To this end we also pray always for you that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and work of faith with power,

Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.

comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labour and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you.

But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing what is right.

I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service,

I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honour and eternal power. Amen.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

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.

His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,

having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs.

Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.”

And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil,

who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life;

Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

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.

For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.

Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,

So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefitted.

Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;

but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a slanderous judgement against them before the Lord.

I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

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,

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.

He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.

and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

“To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks amongst the seven golden lamp stands says these things:

You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary.

“To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: “He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:

“To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: “The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:

He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots, as I also have received of my Father;

Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.

“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.

I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.

One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.”

I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory, and blessing!”

Then a white horse appeared, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land.

I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand and two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

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.

These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.

There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake such as has not happened since there were men on the earth—so great an earthquake and so mighty.

Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burnt with fire, for the Lord God who has judged her is strong.

I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.